New York sheriffs ‘mad as hell’ as Hochul pushes to ban key law enforcement partnership
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman and sheriffs across New York are threatening legal action against Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul over her push to ban local cooperation agreements with ICE, arguing the agreements lead to the safer removal of criminal illegal immigrants from the community. The backlash comes as Hochul pushes to include sweeping sanctuary policies in New York’s 2027 fiscal budget, including a ban on 287(g) agreements, limits on ICE access to schools, hospitals and churches, and restrictions on informal cooperation with ICE. But Blakeman, who is also the Republican nominee for governor, said he has been in discussions with sheriffs across the state about filing a lawsuit. “Kathy Hochul can make my day, because as far as I’m concerned, we’re enforcing federal law in Nassau County, and a lot of the sheriffs throughout the state feel the same way,” Blakeman told Fox News Digital. “They’re mad as hell.” ICE BUFFALO OFFICIAL TAKES SHOT AT NY GOV HOCHUL AFTER ARREST OF WANTED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT One of the New York sheriffs opposed to the push to make New York a sanctuary state is Blakeman’s running mate, Todd Hood. He is the sheriff of Madison County, which signed a 287(g) agreement with ICE last July. “I have sheriffs from all over the state contacting me, and they are all very upset about this,” Hood told Fox News Digital. “Almost all of them disagree. There’s very few sheriffs who are on board.” A 287(g) agreement permits local and state law enforcement officials to carry out certain immigration enforcement responsibilities under the direction of federal immigration enforcement agents. There are 14 active 287(g) agreements with law enforcement agencies across nine New York counties. DHS DEMANDS LETITIA JAMES TAKE ACTION OVER NEW YORK’S REFUSAL TO HONOR ICE DETAINERS “The 287 (g) program is absolutely amazing,” Hood told Fox News Digital. “It makes it so we don’t have to go into people’s houses.” Hochul first introduced the measure to ban 287(g) agreements in January. She threatened at the time that if the measure is passed, those who fail to comply “will be taken to court for enforcement.” Under a 287(g) agreement, local law enforcement officers who arrest an illegal immigrant can notify ICE that the individual is in custody, allowing ICE to place a detainer on them. As a result, ICE can take custody of the individual directly from the local jail instead of having to locate and arrest them after they are released back into the community. “These people are criminals,” Hood told Fox News Digital. “They’re getting arrested. They’re coming into our jail, and they’re headed to the center about 40 minutes later after they get in,” Hood told Fox News Digital. “It’s very safe and very effective, and we work together in law enforcement, that’s our job.” Nassau County signed a 287(g) agreement with ICE in February 2025. Since then, approximately 3,200 illegal immigrants arrested by local police have been transferred to ICE custody. HOCHUL FAILS TO RECALL ILLEGAL ALIENS CHARGED IN HIGH-PROFILE CRIMINAL CASES, INCLUDING WOMAN’S SUBWAY BURNING Earlier this month, Elder Lopez Avalos, an illegal immigrant, was arrested for setting 10 cars on fire in Freeport. His charges were not bail-eligible, so Avalos was released. But because of Nassau County’s cooperation with ICE, federal agents arrived after his court hearing to detain him. Hood said the key to success in law enforcement is when all agencies and jurisdictions are working together — something he argued was lacking during ICE’s large-scale immigration crackdowns in Minnesota. “Those local police should have been behind those agents, even if they’re not doing the actual immigration stuff,” Hood said of Operation Metro Surge. “They should have been there and had their backs down there, and that’s a massive failure by that state and that won’t happen under Bruce’s administration.” Fox News Digital reached out to Hochul’s office for comment.
Trump lashes out at Biden over suing DOJ to hide interview audio files
President Donald Trump lashed out at former President Joe Biden late Tuesday after his predecessor sued the Justice Department to block the release of audio recordings and transcripts tied to the special counsel investigation into his handling of classified documents. “A Crooked Politician!!!” Trump wrote on Truth Social while sharing a Just the News article about Biden’s lawsuit against the DOJ. Biden sued the Justice Department on Tuesday in an effort to block the release of audio recordings and transcripts of the former president’s interview with ghostwriter Mark Zwonitzer that were obtained by special counsel Robert Hur during his classified documents investigation. Biden’s lawyers said in the lawsuit that the Justice Department plans to release the files to Congress and the conservative Heritage Foundation after previously arguing that they were exempt from disclosure under federal public records law. BIDEN REPEATEDLY SAYS ‘I DON’T REMEMBER’ REGARDING CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS IN NEWLY RELEASED HUR INTERVIEW AUDIO According to the filing, Biden’s attorneys argued that disclosure would “constitute an unwarranted invasion of President Biden’s privacy.” “Every American, including a sitting or former Vice President, has a right to privacy in the personal conversations he has within his own home,” Biden’s attorneys wrote in the lawsuit. “And when the U.S. Department of Justice obtains that private information through a criminal investigation, the Department bears a particular responsibility to protect it from disclosure.” At issue in the case are audio recordings and transcripts of Biden’s interviews at his home in 2016 and 2017 with Zwonitzer, who worked with Biden on his two memoirs. BIDEN STRUGGLES WITH WORDS, KEY MEMORIES IN LEAKED AUDIO FROM SPECIAL COUNSEL HUR INTERVIEW The files were scrutinized by Hur as part of his investigation into Biden’s improper retention of classified documents from his time as a senator and vice president. Hur’s yearlong investigation resulted in a 345-page report that questioned Biden’s age and mental competence but recommended no criminal charges against the then-81-year-old. Hur said he found insufficient evidence to successfully prosecute a case in court. Biden has separately fought the release of audio from his interview with Hur. The House in 2024 voted to hold then-Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress for refusing to turn over that audio after the White House asserted executive privilege. Transcripts of Biden’s interviews with federal prosecutors were released last year. While Biden insisted he treated classified information seriously, the transcripts showed he was at times fuzzy about dates and details and said he was unfamiliar with the paper trail for some of the sensitive documents he handled. Republicans have argued Biden was being given a pass by his own Justice Department and that Trump had been unfairly victimized by prosecutors. Democrats, meanwhile, emphasized Biden’s cooperation with investigators and contrasted it with the criminal case against Trump, who was accused of refusing to return classified documents requested by the National Archives that were stored at his Florida estate. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
WATCH: Purple Heart veteran reacts to Platner’s refusal to apologize for mocking him, shreds PTSD excuse
FIRST ON FOX: A Purple Heart veteran who was mocked online by Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner issued a blistering response to a video of Platner declining to apologize or acknowledge regret over the comment. “I saw the video and honestly, I don’t want an apology. I don’t need an apology. I consider the source of where the comment came from, and I’m the type of person that — in order for me to worry about what you say — first I have to respect you,” U.S. Army veteran Teddy Daniels said in response to a video taken by Fox News Digital over the weekend in which Platner declined to apologize. “There’s zero-to-no respect for a self-proclaimed communist,” Daniels said. “You know, the ironic thing is, some guys run towards gunfire and other guys run toward keyboards, and I think that’s a big difference.” In a now-deleted Reddit post on from June 2019, made under the username “P-Hustle” — an account that Platner has acknowledged owning — he reacted to a viral helmet-cam video showing Daniels being shot four times during a 2012 clash with Taliban fighters, saying that Daniels “didn’t deserve to live.” WATCH: PLATNER DOESN’T APOLOGIZE TO PURPLE HEART RECIPIENT, VOTERS WHEN CONFRONTED ON POST MOCKING SOLDIER “This video never gets old,” Platner wrote before calling Daniels a “dumb motherf—er” and claiming that “poor marksmanship” by the Taliban was the only reason Daniels survived. The deleted post can still be found in the Maine Monitor’s database of Platner’s deleted Reddit history, alongside other resurfaced posts where he described himself as a “communist” and “socialist,” used alleged homophobic slurs, and praised Hamas military tactics. Platner also targeted “American Sniper” Chris Kyle in an unearthed interview, in which he suggested Kyle killed civilians to inflate his numbers. VETS TORCH DEM SENATE HOPEFUL WHO CALLED ARMY ‘FAT, LAZY TRASH,’ MOCKED SOLDIER SHOT FOUR TIMES Daniels, a former Republican candidate for Pennsylvania lieutenant governor, suggested Platner’s comments about Kyle stem from jealousy. “This was an interview that he was doing where he said this, so this was premeditated,” he said. “There was no trigger there for him except for the fact that Chris Kyle was a man 100 times greater than Grant Platner and shoes that he could never, ever fill.” Daniels added that if anyone “deserves an apology,” it’s his children and the children and widow of Kyle. “I believe he owes them an apology to their face,” Daniels said. Platner has previously leaned into his struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a reason for making the inflammatory posts, an explanation that Daniels isn’t buying. “I think Graham Platner is using his PTSD as a crutch, as a means to avoid accountability for his actions,” Daniels said. “I have PTSD, obviously, from my tour. I’ve had 20-plus surgeries to get fixed after my tour and enduring the pain and recovery after each one of those surgeries. So I could understand how there might be moments, small, minute moments in time to where your PTSD may cause you to say something or do something that is out of character.” NAVY SEAL WHO KILLED BIN LADEN RIPS PLATNER FOR ‘BARBARIC’ POST TRASHING SOLDIER UNDER FIRE: ‘OUT OF LINE’ Daniels continued, “But this appears to be a continuing course of conduct with Graham Platner, and he is trying to blame [PTSD], which I think is insulting to every service member who actually suffers from PTSD. Or anybody for that case who suffers with PTSD. He’s trying to use PTSD as a crutch, as an excuse to avoid accountability. And that’s just wrong, the first step of being a man is taking responsibility and accountability for your actions and your words and we’re just not saying that here.” Platner supporters have defended some of the controversial posts as “locker room talk” or simply an example of soldiers having a “dark” sense of humor to get through hard times. Daniels told Fox News Digital that he’s been in countless locker rooms and barracks, and that doesn’t excuse Platner’s comments. “Graham Platner and his privileged background wouldn’t know the first thing about locker room talk,” Daniels said. “Listen, I get that guys can be crude, rude, inner-service rivalries, whatever the case is, but the stuff that this guy put out there publicly is beyond locker room talk. It is just vile and disgusting.” Fox News Digital reached out to the Platner campaign for comment.
Pakistan: America’s most complicated ally — and why Trump is betting on it again
As Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, emerged as a key intermediary in negotiations tied to the escalating Iran crisis, Washington once again found itself relying on a country that American officials have spent decades accusing of playing both sides in the war on terror. Munir has emerged as a key intermediary in negotiations aimed at preventing renewed conflict with Iran, placing Pakistan — despite decades of accusations involving Taliban safe havens, nuclear proliferation and Usama bin Laden — back at the center of U.S. diplomacy in the Middle East. The latest negotiations have again exposed one of the biggest contradictions in U.S. foreign policy: Washington keeps turning to Pakistan even after years of tension, distrust and accusations that elements of the country’s security establishment supported militant groups fighting American troops. ISLAMABAD DENIES SHELTERING IRAN JETS, TRUMP PRAISES PAKISTAN’S MEDIATION AS ‘ABSOLUTELY GREAT’ Pakistan’s renewed diplomatic role has come under heightened scrutiny — and exposed divisions among Republicans — after allegations that Iranian military aircraft may have been moved into Pakistani territory during the recent conflict, claims Islamabad has denied. “I don’t trust Pakistan as far as I can throw them,” Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said May 12. “If they actually have Iranian aircraft parked in Pakistan bases to protect Iranian military assets, that tells me maybe we should be looking for somebody else to mediate.” Trump, however, publicly praised Pakistan’s leadership the same day. “They’re great,” Trump told reporters May 12. “I think the Pakistanis have been great. The field marshal and the prime minister of Pakistan have been absolutely great.” “Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir have been helpful mediators, and the United States is grateful for Pakistan’s efforts to bring an end to the conflict. When Iran’s nuclear threat is removed for good, the entire world will be safer and more stable,” White House spokesperson Olivia Wales told Fox News Digital in a statement. Pakistan has long occupied an uneasy place in American foreign policy. The nuclear-armed country borders both Iran and Afghanistan, maintains deep ties across the region’s security landscape and has historically been viewed by U.S. officials as too strategically important to fully isolate. Even critics who accuse Pakistan of double-dealing acknowledge Washington has struggled to disengage from Islamabad because of the country’s nuclear arsenal, geographic position and influence over regional militant networks. But distrust between Washington and Islamabad deepened dramatically after U.S. forces killed bin Laden in Abbottabad, Pakistan, in 2011 — a military town located near the country’s premier military academy. “The fact that we had to do that operation without Pakistani support speaks volumes as to how much we trusted them,” Bill Roggio, senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and editor of the Long War Journal, told Fox News Digital. Critics and former U.S. officials long questioned whether Pakistani intelligence could have been unaware of bin Laden’s presence in Abbottabad, though Pakistan has repeatedly denied knowingly sheltering him. Analysts say Pakistan’s military establishment also spent years viewing Afghanistan through the lens of its rivalry with India, seeing a Taliban-friendly government in Kabul as a form of strategic leverage against Indian influence in the region. “They view Afghanistan as strategic depth,” Roggio said. Analysts say Pakistan’s security establishment historically differentiated between militant groups targeting Pakistan itself and groups viewed as useful against India or in Afghanistan — a strategy critics argue led Islamabad to tolerate or maintain ties with some Taliban-linked and anti-India groups even while cooperating with U.S. counterterrorism operations after 9/11. Pakistani officials also have argued the country paid a heavy price for aligning with Washington after 9/11, pointing to years of suicide bombings, insurgent attacks and instability inside Pakistan itself. Pakistan’s defense minister recently acknowledged the country had done “dirty work” for the U.S. and the West during decades of regional conflict, arguing policies tied to the anti-Soviet war in Afghanistan and the post-9/11 era ultimately destabilized Pakistan itself. Roggio argued Pakistan’s security establishment spent years publicly cooperating with Washington while simultaneously tolerating or supporting Taliban-linked groups fighting American troops in Afghanistan. PAKISTAN FLIP FLOPS ON TRUMP NOBEL PEACE PRIZE NOMINATION AFTER LESS THAN 24 HOURS “Pakistan supported the Taliban knowing that they were killing Americans,” he said. Pakistan’s latest diplomatic role has also drawn renewed scrutiny after allegations that Iranian military aircraft may have been moved into Pakistani territory during the recent conflict — claims Islamabad has denied. Pakistan’s nuclear history has fueled concern in Washington for decades as well. Abdul Qadeer Khan, the architect of Pakistan’s nuclear program, later admitted operating a proliferation network that transferred nuclear technology and expertise to countries including Iran, Libya and North Korea. Counterterrorism analysts and former U.S. officials have long warned that al Qaeda operatives and affiliated groups continued finding sanctuary in parts of Pakistan’s tribal regions even after the 9/11 attacks, though the scale of those networks remains debated. Pakistani officials have long denied supporting terrorist organizations and argue the country has itself suffered heavily from Islamist violence, including attacks by ISIS-K and the Pakistani Taliban. Islamabad also has denied allegations that Iranian military aircraft were sheltered inside Pakistan during the recent conflict. More than a decade after the bin Laden raid shattered trust between Washington and Islamabad, Pakistan’s military leadership has again emerged as a critical diplomatic channel for Washington — this time during the escalating crisis involving Iran. Trump increasingly has engaged Munir directly in recent weeks, reinforcing longstanding perceptions that Pakistan’s military — rather than its civilian government — remains the country’s dominant power center. Munir, a former intelligence chief, has leveraged Pakistan’s longstanding relationships across the region to position himself as a channel between Washington and Tehran. Roggio argued Pakistan is also attempting to rehabilitate its international image by presenting itself as a stabilizing force in the region. “They’re trying to present an image of being a purveyor of peace in the region,” he said. Earlier rounds of diplomacy tied to the Iran conflict were also hosted in Islamabad,
Group of women and children with alleged ISIL ties returns to Australia
Australian Federal Police have not made any arrests but say inquiries are ongoing. A group of 19 women and children with alleged links to ISIL (ISIS) has returned to Australia, with the government warning that anyone found to have engaged in criminal activity will be prosecuted. The six women and 13 children arrived from a Syrian refugee camp on Tuesday, with one group landing in Sydney and the other in Melbourne. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list It is the second cohort of Australian women and children to return from Syria this month. Responding to criticism over their arrival, the Australian government said it had not assisted them in any capacity. “These are people who have made the horrific choice to join a dangerous terrorist organisation and to place their children in an unspeakable situation,” Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke said. Australian women began travelling to Syria to marry members of ISIL in 2012, with some allegedly taken against their will. At the height of its power in 2015, ISIL controlled territory across Syria and Iraq roughly equivalent in size to the United Kingdom. Australian Federal Police did not arrest any members of the group upon their arrival but said that investigations were ongoing. The group’s return has sparked anger in some sections of Australian society. According to local media, a large police presence was deployed at Melbourne airport, where a scuffle reportedly broke out as the group of women and children was escorted out through a side entrance. Australia is one of several Western countries that have shown reluctance to repatriate citizens who travelled to the Middle East to join ISIL about a decade ago. Advertisement Both France and the UK have expressed opposition to allowing former ISIL members to return. In 2022, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child said that France’s failure to repatriate children born to French nationals in Syria violated their right to life and exposed them to inhumane treatment. Meanwhile, the UK stripped British national Shamima Begum of her citizenship in 2019 on national security grounds. In February, the Australian government issued a temporary exclusion order against a woman in Syria, preventing her from returning home. Her child, who was not barred from returning, chose to stay with her. The order prevents the woman from returning to Australia until February 2028, and her family is currently challenging the decision. Afzal Ashraf, a visiting fellow at Loughborough University specialising in international relations and security, said the risk posed by people returning from countries including Syria needs to be viewed proportionately. “There will be some security challenges, because people like this are likely to suffer from issues such as PTSD,” Ashraf told Al Jazeera. “The fact of the matter is that there are security challenges in Australia and other countries, but statistically speaking, the return of these nationals doesn’t increase that risk very much, while the threat to life from terrorism is far lower than the threat posed by road accidents, for example.” “That said, these threats can be reduced by providing comprehensive mental health support for returnees and ensuring they are reintegrated into society in a positive way, with follow-up programmes to address any dangerous ideas they may have adopted,” Ashraf said. “It’s worth remembering that ISIL has killed far more Muslims than Westerners.” Earlier this month, four women and 13 children arrived in Australia from Syria. Three of the women were arrested upon arrival. Adblock test (Why?)
Brazil’s Flavio Bolsonaro meets with Trump amid troubled presidential bid
Son of former President Jair Bolsonaro is fighting to recover from a scandal that has rocked his presidential campaign. By Reuters Published On 27 May 202627 May 2026 Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro has shared a photo that appears to show him meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House, as he seeks to bolster his image amid a scandal that threatens to derail his presidential campaign in Brazil. Bolsonaro shared a photo on Tuesday of him standing by Trump’s side in the Oval Office, with a caption showing the thumbs-up emoji. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Flavio is the son of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, a right-wing Trump ally who is serving a 27-year prison sentence in connection with a coup attempt after his re-election loss in 2022 to current leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The younger Bolsonaro has replaced his father as the standard-bearer of Brazil’s political right and is seen as the top contender challenging Lula in the South American country’s election in October. But his campaign has struggled to regain its balance following a report that he sought funds from a disgraced banker convicted of fraud to finance a film about his father. Bolsonaro has acknowledged requesting the money, but denied any impropriety or wrongdoing. Recent polls suggest that the scandal has set back his campaign, with Lula retaking the lead from the younger Bolsonaro after previous polls had shown them in a close race. Media reports in recent days stated that Bolsonaro had sought a meeting with Trump, who previously placed tariffs on Brazil in a bid to have the case against the elder Bolsonaro thrown out. Flavio then travelled to Washington without a guaranteed appointment in the hope of meeting with the US president. Trump has yet to share information about the meeting on his social media website. Advertisement While tensions have remained between Trump and Lula, the two leaders have built a more cordial relationship in recent months, with the Brazilian leader visiting his US counterpart at the White House earlier this month. Adblock test (Why?)
Trump-backed Paxton topples Senator Cornyn in Texas primary run-off
Ken Paxton defeats John Cornyn in Texas race, setting up a November election that could decide control of the US Senate. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, boosted by President Donald Trump’s endorsement, has defeated four-term US Senator John Cornyn in the Republican Senate primary run-off, according to US media projections. The result, quickly called by Fox News and CNN after polls closed on Tuesday, highlighted Trump’s continuing influence over the Republican Party and dealt a major blow to the party establishment in Washington, DC. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Cornyn, a longtime establishment conservative and former Republican whip, had represented Texas in the Senate since 2002 and entered the race as the favourite, backed by major donors and senior Republican figures. But the senator struggled to connect with Trump’s political base. Cornyn had previously criticised Trump and angered some conservatives by supporting bipartisan gun legislation after the 2022 Uvalde school shooting, while Paxton presented himself as one of Trump’s strongest allies. Trump’s backing reshaped the race, making Cornyn the latest Republican incumbent to lose after falling out of favour with the president. “Tonight, we’ve come up short,” Cornyn told reporters after the race was called. “I’ve always supported the Republican ticket,” he said, adding that he intended “to do so again”. The defeat makes Cornyn the first Republican senator from Texas to lose his party’s nomination for re-election and is likely to end his Senate career next year. “Tonight, we just made history,” Paxton told cheering supporters, praising Trump’s endorsement as “the most powerful force in politics”. Advertisement This month, Trump’s endorsement of Republican primary challengers ousted incumbents including Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy and Kentucky Representative Thomas Massie. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, left, in Dallas and Senator John Cornyn in Austin, Texas, on March 3, 2026 [Julio Cortez, Jack Myer/AP] Controversies and midterm race Paxton has spent years facing legal, ethical and personal controversies, including a 2023 impeachment by the Republican-led Texas House of Representatives, allegations of bribery and misconduct, and a high-profile divorce. The 63-year-old was later acquitted by the Texas Senate and has repeatedly dismissed the allegations against him as politically motivated attacks. Paxton will now face Democratic state Representative James Talarico in a closely watched November race that could help decide control of the US Senate. Talarico, 37, has attracted moderate and independent voters, while some Republicans privately fear Paxton could struggle in a general election despite his popularity with Trump supporters. An internal Republican Senate campaign memo circulated last year warned that a Paxton nomination could give Democrats a rare opportunity to flip Texas and force Republicans to spend heavily defending a seat long considered safe. “Without a shadow of a doubt, I will be the Democrats’ number one target in November,” Paxton said. The candidate also predicted that Talarico is “going to raise more money than any Democrat in America”, and urged his followers to donate to his campaign. “If Republicans lose this state, we lose the country,” Paxton warned. Within minutes of Paxton being declared the winner of the Republican primary run-off for US Senate, the Democrat called him “the most corrupt politician in America” in a social media post. “He embodies the broken system we’re running against,” Talarico wrote on X. In another post, he invited Cornyn’s supporters to vote for him. “You have a place in our campaign,” Talarico wrote. Adblock test (Why?)
Karnataka to see leadership change after Siddaramaiah-DKS summoned to Delhi? Here’s what Congress said
Venugopal said that talks with the Congress high command on Tuesday were focused on the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections and the council seats of Karnataka. “Today we discussed about the Rajya Sabha seats and the council seats of Karnataka,” he said.
Is TMC losing its influence? Mass resignations in municipal bodies widen party cracks, MP attends BJP-led meet
more than 100 councillors have reportedly resigned across the state, and 17 councillors and local leaders have been arrested in the past few weeks due to varied allegations. The recent events point out to cracks in Mamata Banerjee’s TMC.
India strongly rejects China-Pakistan’s joint reference to Jammu & Kashmir, says ‘no country must comment’
India on Tuesday categorically rejected China and Pakistan’s reference to Jammu and Kashmir in a joint statement on Tuesday and called it “unwarranted”. India asserted that the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh is an “integral part of India.”