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Florida, Mississippi join wave of states tightening voter citizenship rules

Florida, Mississippi join wave of states tightening voter citizenship rules

Florida and Mississippi voters will soon face new citizenship verification rules after governors signed the measures into law Wednesday, triggering at least two lawsuits in the Sunshine State. The measures, signed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, are aimed at upholding election integrity as similar legislation by President Donald Trump remains stalled in Congress. Mississippi’s measure is expected to take effect on July 1, with Florida’s law following on Jan. 1, 2027.  Under both laws, voters will be required to provide citizenship documents — such as birth certificates, passports, or naturalization certificates — if local officials challenge their eligibility after cross-referencing databases for voter registration applications. If individuals fail to provide the required proof of citizenship after being flagged, both states are required to remove them from its voter registration rolls. THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE ‘TALKING FILIBUSTER’ AND THE SAVE ACT DeSantis said the Florida SAVE Act will improve the security and transparency of the state’s election system.  “Safeguarding the electoral process to improve oversight and prevent unlawful influence has been a top priority for my administration since my first days in office,” he said in a social media post. “This legislation strengthens the security, transparency, and reliability of Florida’s election system.” Lawsuits challenging the bill quickly followed, with one civil rights group arguing that some voters may not have the required documents and could face difficulties obtaining them. “Many eligible voters do not have these documents and cannot obtain them for a variety of reasons—including because they were born without a birth certificate in the segregated South, because their documents were destroyed in a hurricane, or because they cannot afford the hundreds of dollars it costs to replace them,” the lawsuit filed in federal court in South Florida by the League of Women Voters of Florida stated. Under the law, student IDs and retirement community identifications can no longer be used as polling identifications. New driver’s licenses must also reflect citizenship status starting July 2027. GOP TRIGGERS MARATHON SENATE FIGHT TO EXPOSE DEMS’ OPPOSITION TO TRUMP-BACKED VOTER ID BILL Separately, the Mississippi SHIELD Act does not mandate driver’s licenses to reflect citizenship.  However, it does require local officials registering voters to run additional citizenship checks if applicants do not provide a driver’s license number on their voter application. Mississippi officials must also perform an annual statewide check against the federal database before a federal election to flag potential noncitizens. “While states like California and New York flood their voter rolls with illegal aliens, Mississippi will do the opposite and defend Americans’ right to determine the outcome of elections,” Reeves said in a social media post. “We will continue to do everything in our power to make it infinitely harder – with a goal to make it impossible – to cheat in our elections!” Civil rights group Southern Poverty Law Center noted that the measure could disenfranchise Mississippi residents who lack the proper paperwork, including women whose last names changed upon marriage. The new laws follow similar measures signed in late March by South Dakota and Utah to strengthen proof-of-citizenship requirements for voters. Meanwhile, Trump’s own voting legislation — the Republican‑backed SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship and photo ID for federal elections — has been approved by the U.S. House but remains stalled in the Senate amid insufficient support to overcome the Democratic-led filibuster.

Trump 2027 budget preview hints at sweeping scale-up in core agenda

Trump 2027 budget preview hints at sweeping scale-up in core agenda

FIRST ON FOX: President Donald Trump’s fiscal year 2027 budget proposal focuses on combating violent crime while boosting immigration enforcement, including funding for more agents, alongside additional resources for expanded detention capacity and removal operations, according to information provided exclusively to Fox News Digital by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) led by Director Russ Vought. The plan calls for more than $19 billion in federal law enforcement funding — a 15% increase over current levels — which the administration says would go toward targeting violent criminals, drug traffickers and illegal immigrants. “The President’s FY 2027 Budget fully funds a strong border, the removal of violent criminal aliens from our streets, and stops the endless stream of benefits to illegal aliens given preference over American citizens,” an OMB spokesperson said in materials shared with Fox News Digital. OMB said the administration is building on what it described as “great success in reducing crime under President Trump’s leadership.” GOP, DEMOCRATS CLASH ON CAPITOL HILL AS REPUBLICANS TARGET CARTELS AND DEMS PUSH TO CURB ICE PARTNERSHIPS “[We] will continue undeterred in removing the criminal illegal aliens terrorizing innocent Americans and arresting the criminals who bring drugs, crime, and chaos to our streets,” the office said. The proposal would fund more federal agents “working to capture illegal aliens,” expand task forces targeting transnational criminal groups like Tren de Aragua and MS-13 as well as drug cartels, and increase the number of prosecutors handling violent crime cases, according to OMB. The budget also relies heavily on funding from the Working Families Tax Cut Act (WFTC), which OMB said provides more than $190 billion for homeland security efforts over multiple years, including at least $31.4 billion in 2027. TRUMP DEFENDS MINNEAPOLIS FEDERAL ENFORCEMENT, SAYS CRIME PLUNGED AFTER ‘THOUSANDS OF CRIMINALS’ REMOVED That funding would be used to finish construction of the southern border wall, deploy new border security technology and support large-scale immigration enforcement operations, according to OMB. A major focus is expanding detention and deportation capacity. OMB said WFTC provides $75 billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), including funding to expand detention space to as many as 100,000 single-adult beds and 30,000 family-unit beds. It also includes $15.4 billion for transportation to increase removals and allows for a 67% increase in ICE staffing through 2029. TRUMP UNLEASHES ‘TOUGHEST FENTANYL CRACKDOWN IN HISTORY’ AS GOP VOWS ‘CONSEQUENCES’ FOR CHINESE PRODUCERS The proposal also includes $899 million for immigration courts — a $99 million increase — which the administration says would help speed up deportation proceedings by adding judges and expanding courtroom space. The administration has pointed to prior federal enforcement surges as evidence that a heavier law enforcement footprint can quickly reduce crime. In Memphis, Tennessee, a Department of Justice-led operation involving federal agents and National Guard troops resulted in more than 1,700 arrests in a single month, including suspects tied to homicide, drug trafficking and gang activity, according to data previously reported by Fox News Digital. The operation also recovered nearly 300 firearms and located dozens of missing children. TRUMP TASK FORCE RACKS UP 500 ARRESTS IN JANUARY AS PRESIDENT BRANDS CARTELS ‘ISIS OF THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE’ A similar federal task force effort in Washington, D.C., has led to more than 10,000 arrests since 2025 and the seizure of over 1,000 illegal firearms, according to prior Fox News Digital reporting. Violent crime in the district has dropped sharply during that period, including declines in homicides and robberies. The Coast Guard would also see increased funding, with a $2.1 billion boost to operations aimed in part at stopping migrants and illegal drugs at sea, according to OMB.  CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP The broader fiscal 2027 budget is expected to include a significant increase in defense spending as well. Reuters reported that Trump is preparing to request a $1.5 trillion defense budget, potentially the largest year-over-year increase in post-World War II history, with funding for missile defense systems, fighter jets and warships. Trump’s proposed FY 2027 budget is expected to be presented to Congress on April 3, Good Friday.

DHS releases new evidence in case of Dem staffer accused of impersonating ICE attorney

DHS releases new evidence in case of Dem staffer accused of impersonating ICE attorney

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has released additional evidence it says confirms that a staffer for Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, lied about being an attorney for detainees at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) center in an effort to meet with them and sneak in smuggled cell phones. In March, acting ICE Director Todd Lyons informed Escobar in a letter about Benito Torres, a senior caseworker on the congresswoman’s staff, who Lyons said lied about being a lawyer for detainees in ICE custody at the Camp East Montana center at Fort Bliss in El Paso. Lyons requested that Escobar answer several questions about Torres’ alleged actions. “Rep. Escobar refused to respond honestly. Instead, she took to X to defend Torres and gaslight the public,” DHS said Thursday. ILHAN OMAR KICKED OUT OF ICE FACILITY AFTER DHS REQUIRES WEEK’S ADVANCE NOTICE Initially, DHS released an image of a sign-in log showing Torres allegedly claiming to be a “lawyer” visiting a “client.” ICE records show he first misrepresented himself as a legal professional in September 2025, Lyons said. A Feb. 18 memo states that, on a Jan. 23 visit to the center, Torres falsely claimed to be an attorney while requesting to see 22 detainees. It was determined that he was not a legal professional, the memo said. The most recent incident allegedly happened Jan. 30. ICE DIRECTOR STANDS HIS GROUND AFTER SWALWELL BLOWUP, SAYS DEMOCRATS ARE ‘MISLEADING THEIR CONSTITUENTS’ “Torres lied about being an attorney in order to gain access to an ICE detention facility,” a DHS statement said. “He misrepresented himself repeatedly over the course of several months, talking directly to detainees even though he was NOT their legal counsel. He even passed a phone around multiple detainees during a January 2026 visit, a dangerous violation of security protocols. “Actions like Mr. Torres’ are meant to undermine ICE’s statutory mission to enforce immigration laws and remove illegal aliens from the interior.” Fox News Digital has reached out to DHS and Escobar’s office. SHUTDOWN FLIPS ICE OVERSIGHT FIGHT AS DHS MOVES TO BLOCK SURPRISE LAWMAKER VISITS At the time of the initial allegations by DHS, Escobar described Torres as “a dedicated public servant” and “Army veteran,” saying the accusations against him were “unfounded.” She also criticized the facility and accused the Trump administration of retaliatory tactics. “It is worth noting that ICE has refused to respond to multiple letters I’ve sent about Camp East Montana regarding deaths, including a homicide; outbreaks of diseases including COVID-19, measles, and tuberculosis; waste, fraud, and abuse; a lack of legal representation or medical care; and so much more,” she said.  “This administration has a history of engaging in intimidation tactics against Members of Congress as well as continuously attempting to obstruct our ability to provide oversight. ICE DIRECTOR REFUSES TO RESIGN UNDER PRESSURE FROM ERIC SWALWELL NOT TO ‘SIDE WITH KILLERS’ “I stand proudly by the members of my team who have demonstrated nothing but dedication and integrity to serving our nation and our community,” Escobar added. The congresswoman has previously demanded the Camp East Montana center be shut down, describing it as “disastrous and inhumane.” “The United States already has the largest immigration detention network in the world, and these added facilities serve only as tools for the administration’s inhumanity,” she wrote in a March post on X. Torres has been banned from ICE sites.