WATCH: Blue-state Republican ‘thankful’ for move to scrap gas-car ban as Newsom vows court fight to save it
President Donald Trump could soon sign into law a joint congressional resolution scrapping California’s Environmental Protection Agency waiver that requires an end to gasoline-powered car sales by 2035. It’s a move provoking pushback from Golden State leaders in Sacramento. California Gov. Gavin Newsom and other Democrats have argued that it is an illegal use of the Congressional Review Act, whereas Republicans, including state legislators, say the move is a necessary step toward curbing regulation in the state. “I’m thankful that the folks in Washington, D.C., had common sense with something the governor doesn’t have here in California,” State Sen. Tony Strickland, R-Huntington Beach, told Fox News Digital in an interview on Thursday, adding that “people can’t afford” a transition to electric vehicles. SENATE GOP VOWS VOTE TO END BIDEN EPA WAIVER GRANTED TO PUSH DRIVERS TO EV CARS “We don’t have enough energy capacity. The worst thing that can happen in California right now is everybody plugs in an electric car. We have rolling blackouts. We’re talking about rolling blackouts just from the heat this summer, not alone adding millions and millions of cars that would add electric vehicles to it. And we don’t have the infrastructure either,” the Republican added, saying that he’s glad “the federal government weighed in.” At a news conference on Thursday morning, Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta said they plan on suing the Trump administration, which they’ve done more than 20 times, over the likely move. Part of the legal argument being made by the Golden State is that the House Government Accountability Office and the Senate parliamentarian said that a waiver does not technically count as a rule, which created a debate over what can be done under the Congressional Review Act, according to The Hill. 35 DEMOCRATS VOTE WITH GOP TO BLOCK BIDEN RULE ALLOWING NEWSOM’S GAS CAR BAN Newsom said that the electric vehicle manufacturing market has made significant gains in California and that the state is a leader in “innovation” in wanting to pivot to electric, specifically citing air quality. In the short term, the state is also facing concerns about rising gas prices with the expected closures of two California refineries, an issue the governor said he’s been on top of to avoid issues. When Fox News Digital asked Newsom whether he thinks rising prices would encourage consumers to switch to electric vehicles, he said that Californians are ultimately in the driver’s seat. CONGRESS CAN STOP CALIFORNIA’S RADICAL ENVIRONMENTAL MANDATES THAT HURT THE ENTIRE NATION “I think that’s up to consumers, but the cost benefits of electric vehicles are well-established and continue to be well-reinforced as it relates to uncertainties around supply chains, wars of aggression by Russia, and by the vagaries of the kind of political machinations you see in the Middle East and self-dealing that we see. We are simply hostages to decisions that are made without you talking about any input from taxpayers or citizens. I’d rather have a little bit more agency in this country as it relates to our energy future,” Newsom added. In Washington, Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., is touting his resolution’s success. “This is a bipartisan national repudiation of the utter insanity Newsom has inflicted on our state,” he posted to X. Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment.
Sen Mike Lee accuses Chicago mayor — who called Trump a ‘monster’ — of ‘bragging about’ violating the law
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson called President Donald Trump a “monster,” and U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, has accused the mayor of “bragging about” violating the law. Johnson accused the president of “animus towards women, people of color, [and] working people.” “We have always known who he has been,” he declared. “This is not a surprise. He’s a monster, period. We have the most diverse administration in the history of Chicago, and he is threatened by that.” Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment but did not receive a response by the time of publication. DOJ LAUNCHES INVESTIGATION INTO BLUE STATE CITY OVER ALLEGED RACE-BASED HIRING The mayor’s fiery comments come in the context of the Justice Department launching a probe into whether Chicago is engaging in race-based discrimination. “Our investigation is based on information suggesting that you have made hiring decisions solely on the basis of race,” a letter signed by Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division, Harmeet Dhillon declares. The letter points to comments the mayor made while speaking to Dr. Byron T. Brazier, pastor of the Apostolic Church of God. During the exchange, Johnson pointed to various roles occupied by Black individuals and said, “when you ask, how do we ensure that our people get a chance to grow their business, having people in my administration that will look out for the interest of everyone, and everyone means you have to look out for the interests of Black folks … that’s how we ensure long-term sustainable growth …” POLICE RAID DC SHOOTING SUSPECT ELIAS RODRIGUEZ’S CHICAGO APARTMENT Dhillon’s message to the mayor notes that “we have not reached any conclusions about the subject matter of the investigation.” “Chicago’s mayor is about to find out,” Sen. Mike Lee declared in a post on X. “Racial discrimination is illegal.” “There’s no such thing as benevolently racist hiring policies,” Lee said in another post. “Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is breaking the law And bragging about it Then calling Trump a monster because his administration won’t tolerate that,” Lee wrote, adding, “He’s about to find out.” GIANNO CALDWELL SEEKS JUSTICE FOR BROTHER KILLED IN BLUE CITY ‘ENAMORED WITH CRIMINALS’ RIGHTS’: ALDERMAN The mayor’s press office also did not respond to Fox News Digital’s comment request by the time of publication.
SCOOP: House GOP memo highlights Republican wins in Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’
FIRST ON FOX: An internal House GOP memo sent to Republican lawmakers and obtained by Fox News Digital highlights the party’s key accomplishments included in President Donald Trump‘s “big, beautiful bill.” House Republicans passed all 1,118 pages of Trump’s “one big, beautiful bill” on Thursday morning, after working through hourslong committee meetings, last-minute huddles in the speaker’s office and even a last-minute push from the president. Finally, late Wednesday night, House leadership found consensus among key factions of the Republican caucus. The late-night “manager’s amendment” appeased lingering Republican holdouts, including fiscal hawks who wanted more reform on Medicaid and former President Joe Biden’s green energy subsidies, and blue state Republicans seeking to raise the cap on the state and local tax (SALT) deduction. The bill is a sweeping multitrillion-dollar piece of legislation that advances Trump’s agenda on taxes, immigration, energy, defense and the national debt. It aims to slash the federal government’s spending trajectory by cutting roughly $1.5 trillion in government spending. The U.S. government is over $36 trillion in debt and has spent $1.05 trillion more than it has collected in the 2025 fiscal year, according to the Treasury Department. The bill raises the debt ceiling by $4 trillion. MIKE JOHNSON, DONALD TRUMP GET ‘BIG, ‘BEAUTIFUL’ WIN AS BUDGET PASSES HOUSE The internal House Republican memo shared with Fox News Digital summarizes Republicans’ key legislative accomplishments. According to the memo, the bill reduces the deficit by $238 billion through the Agriculture Committee, securing $294 billion through Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit reform. It reinvests $56 billion in SNAP benefit savings into rural America. HOUSE GOP LEADERSHIP TAKES VICTORY LAP AFTER PASSING TRUMP’S ‘ONE BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ Republicans say the SNAP reform restores its integrity by requiring states to pay a larger share for its benefits and incentivizing more state efficiency. It requires congressional approval for states to increase enrollment eligibility and creates SNAP work requirements for able-bodied adults who do not have young dependents. The Armed Services Committee increased defense spending by nearly $143 billion with improvements to service members’ quality of life, healthcare and family support. There are billions of dollars allocated to building the military’s arsenal, advancing technology and infrastructure and expanding military readiness. The bill allocates $34 billion for shipbuilding, $5 billion for border security enforcement, $400 million for the Department of Defense and $25 billion for Trump’s Golden Dome, which is a layered missile defense shield. It reduces the deficit by $349.1 billion through the Education and Workforce Committee, which made a series of reforms to streamline student loan payment options, support students and save taxpayer money. Specifically, the bill caps the total amount of federal student aid a student can receive annually to the median cost of the college, which is $50,000 for undergrad, $100,000 for graduate students and $150,000 for professional graduate programs. There is also a “lifetime limit” of $200,000. The Education and Workforce Committee consolidated student loans into two plans – a fixed mortgage-style plan or a repayment assistance plan. It also establishes a performance-based PROMISE grant program, prevents future attempts at the loan forgiveness program championed by the Biden administration and reforms Pell Grant programs. The Energy and Commerce Committee, which had a lengthy overnight budget markup last week, includes a series of Medicaid reforms, which Democrats have railed against as conservatives pushed for more cuts. The bill establishes work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents, requires state cost-sharing for adults above the poverty line, eliminates illegal immigrants from enrolling and reduces state funding for states who prioritize coverage for illegal immigrants. The Financial Services Committee in the “big, beautiful bill” includes reforms to save taxpayer money and reduce federal bureaucracy. Meanwhile, the Homeland Security Committee increases spending by a little over $79 billion to expand border security, and the Judiciary Committee increases spending by about $7 billion to stop illegal immigration. The Energy and Commerce Committee also delivered on one of Trump’s key campaign promises to unleash American energy by supporting domestic energy production and eliminating Biden-era green energy projects, including eliminating electric vehicle mandates. DEMOCRATS PREDICT PASSING TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ WILL COST MANY REPUBLICANS THEIR SEATS The Natural Resources Committee reduces the deficit by $18 billion to deliver Trump’s energy agenda. The bill reinstates quarterly onshore oil and gas lease sales, requires geothermal lease sales and mandates at least 30 lease sales in the newly-renamed Gulf of America over the next 15 years and six in the Cook Inlet in south-central Alaska. It returns oil and natural gas royalty rates to before Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, resumes leases on energy production in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, resumes coal leasing on federal lands, increases timber sales and long-term contracts on federal lands and walks back funds allocated by the Biden administration for climate change. The bill includes amendments by the Oversight Committee that will reduce the deficit by $12 billion by eliminating retirement annuity payments for new federal retirees that are eligible to retire before age 62, allows new federal employee hires the option to elect to serve “at will” in exchange for higher take-home pay, requires a comprehensive audit of employee dependents currently enrolled in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program plans. TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ PASSES KEY HOUSE HURDLE AFTER GOP REBEL MUTINY Finally, the Ways and Means Committee makes the 2017 tax cuts permanent, which prevents a 22% tax hike, and delivers Trump’s campaign promises, including no taxes on tips, overtime pay or car loan interests. It also provides additional tax relief for seniors. The bill increases the university endowment tax and subjects the largest endowments to the corporate tax rate. As touted in the House GOP memo, the bill also prevents taxpayer benefits from going to illegal immigrants by requiring a Social Security number for individuals claiming tax credits and deductions, ends illegal immigrant eligibility for Obamacare premium tax credits and Medicare, and applies new remittance payment fees for illegal immigrants. The One Big
Is AI reshaping the creative landscape?
Today on The Stream: We paint a picture of how AI is reshaping the creative landscape. Is it still art if it wasn’t made by a human? And if art is truly about creative expression, who gets to decide what counts? From text-to-image generators to AI-composed art, these technologies are being embraced, critiqued, and sometimes feared. We hear from creators and critics grappling with the rapidly changing landscape. Presenter: Stefanie Dekker Guests:Molly Crabapple – Artist and writerHassan Ragab – Designer and artistSofia Crespo – Visual artist Adblock test (Why?)
DR Congo strips ex-President Kabila of immunity
Former leader accused of ‘treason, war crimes, [and] crimes against humanity’ for his support of M23 rebels in east. The Senate in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has voted overwhelmingly in favour of lifting the immunity of ex-President Joseph Kabila. In a secret ballot on Thursday night, the parliament voted by 88 votes to five to make Kabila liable for prosecution. The former head of state has been accused of treason for alleged links to the M23 armed group, which has taken control of swaths of territory in eastern DRC with the backing of Rwanda. Authorities said earlier this month that Kinshasa had amassed clear evidence implicating him in “treason, war crimes, crimes against humanity and participation in an insurrectionary movement”. Kabila, who denies any ties to the rebel group, stepped down after almost 20 years in power in 2018, yielding to protests. However, he enjoyed immunity from prosecution thanks to an honorific title as senator for life. Earlier this month, the attorney general of the Congolese army demanded that honour be lifted. “The Senate authorises the prosecution and lifting of Joseph Kabila’s immunity,” Senate speaker Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde said after the vote. Advertisement Complications Kabila has not commented on his immunity being lifted. Last year he denied allegations from his successor President Felix Tshisekedi that he was supporting the rebels and “preparing an insurrection” in eastern DRC. Tshisekedi has in the meantime suspended Kabila’s People’s Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD) and security forces have raided several of the former leader’s properties. PPRD Deputy Secretary-General Ferdinand Kambere told the AFP news agency that Kabila’s prosecution is pure “theatre” to distract the Congolese people from debates on the conflict and corruption in the country. The former president has been outside the Central African country since late 2023, mostly in South Africa. However, he has threatened to return to help the country resolve the continuing fighting in eastern areas, as well as making increasingly vocal criticism of Tshisekedi. A return to the country by Kabila could complicate the bid to end the rebellion. Reports in April that he was in the east have not been confirmed. Despite DRC’s army and M23 agreeing to work towards a truce earlier this month, fighting continues in the eastern province of South Kivu. The long-running tensions in eastern DRC flared into conflict in January when M23 captured the city of Goma, followed by the seizure of Bukavu in February. The group is seeking control of the vast mineral wealth in the eastern areas and has ambitions to take power in Kinshasa. Amid the ongoing fighting, the army and armed groups announced peace talks in the Qatari capital, Doha, in early May. Advertisement Adblock test (Why?)
Borders and ballots: Why Essequibo is controversial in Venezuela’s election
However, the case has been slowly winding its way through the international court since 2018. And the Maduro government views the UN body as a tool of foreign interference, particularly for his rivals in the US. Maduro’s supporters point to the fact that, in 2015, the US oil giant ExxonMobil discovered vast offshore fields near Essequibo. The company has continued to explore the contested waters in search of more oil and gas deposits. For Rivas, the 2015 discovery “rang alarm bells”, leading him to fear further US incursions into the disputed territory. “It’s absolutely terrible because, behind this, there’s an aspiration to control mineral wealth, oil, sources of fossil energy and even the water wealth that exists in all of that territory,” Rivas told Al Jazeera. To him, sovereignty over Essequibo is paramount, and the Venezuelan flag is a symbolic reminder of its importance. Since 1863, the yellow, blue and red banner has featured stars to represent the seven provinces that fought for independence from Spain. But in 2006, a new star joined the flag — one to symbolise Essequibo. Oliver Rivas, in green with his arm in a sling, is a candidate to represent Essequibo in Venezuela’s elections [Courtesy of Oliver Rivas] Experts, however, say Venezuela faces the possibility of backlash for using tools like the regional elections to assert control over Essequibo. Sadio Garavini di Turno, a Venezuelan political analyst, used to serve as the country’s ambassador to Guyana from 1980 to 1984. He considers Maduro’s actions as not only “frivolous” but irresponsible, given the ongoing proceedings before the International Court of Justice. “We’re in a bad light with the court and the magistrates,” the ex-diplomat said. He also questions Maduro’s sabre-rattling in the region. While Venezuela’s military dwarfs that of Guyana, the former British colony has powerful allies, including the UK and the US. Any full-fledged military takeover, Garavini di Turno argued, “would be a huge stupidity”. “If they take forceful action, they would have the international community, starting with the United States, against them,” he said of Maduro and his allies. “It would give the community, particularly the United States, an excuse to intervene.” Already, in March, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Venezuela it would face “consequences for aggressive actions”. The impact of the upcoming vote on Essequibo is so far unclear. Fernandez, the political analyst, said even details about who can even vote have been hazy. “It’s deliberately opaque,” Fernandez said. “Opacity is going to be the norm in the upcoming electoral processes.” Adblock test (Why?)
Trump holds swanky dinner for meme coin investors, says ‘Biden administration persecuted crypto innovators’
President Donald Trump hosted a swanky dinner last night for the top investors of his $TRUMP meme coin project, telling them “The Biden administration persecuted crypto innovators and we’re bringing them back into the USA where they belong,” reports said. The event at the Trump National Golf Club Washington DC in Potomac Falls, Va., was open to the 220 largest buyers of Trump’s meme coin, with the top 25 getting “an ultra-exclusive private VIP reception with the President.” The Wall Street Journal, citing blockchain analytics firm Inca Digital, reported that around $148 million worth of $TRUMP was purchased by investors to win seats at the dinner, where guests had to pass background checks. “The Biden administration persecuted crypto innovators, and we’re bringing them back into the U.S.A. where they belong,” it quoted Trump telling the audience Thursday night, who dined on filet mignon and halibut. TRUMP CRYPTO CHIEF SAYS WE ARE IN THE ‘GOLDEN AGE’ FOR DIGITAL ASSETS, ‘CLEARING THE DECK’ OF BIDEN BARRIERS Protesters gathered outside the club holding signs that said “stop crypto corruption” and “no corrupt fools.” “The past administration made your lives miserable,” Trump was also quoted by the New York Times as saying, in reference to President Biden’s regulations against cryptocurrency. “There is a lot of sense in crypto. A lot of common sense in crypto,” Trump reportedly added. “And we’re honored to be working on helping everybody here.” According to participants’ posts on social media, Trump spoke for about half an hour before dancing to the song “YMCA.” Despite the White House insisting that Trump would be attending the event “in his personal time,” he stood behind a lectern with the presidential seal. HOUSE DEMOCRATS STORM OUT OF CRYPTOCURRENCY HEARING, ALLEGING TRUMP ‘CORRUPTION’ Three days before Trump took office on Jan. 20, he announced the creation of the $TRUMP meme coin, describing as a way for his supporters to “have fun.” Trump’s meme coin saw an initial spike in value, followed by a steep drop. Its creators, which include an entity controlled by the Trump Organization, have made hundreds of millions of dollars by collecting fees on trades, according to the Associated Press. Critics have raised concerns that the president’s connection with cryptocurrency ventures could open the door to conflicts of interest and influence peddling. TRUMP LAUNCHES HIS OWN CRYPTOCURRENCY MEME COIN When asked by a reporter Thursday if “anyone in the White House or in the White House counsel’s office advise the president against holding this sweepstakes, whereby people who spent the most money on his Trump coin would then have access to the president at this time”, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump “is abiding by all conflict-of-interest laws that are applicable to the president.” “And I think everybody, the American public, believe it’s absurd for anyone to insinuate that this president is profiting off of the presidency,” she added. “This president was incredibly successful before giving it all up to serve our country publicly. And not only has he lost wealth, but he also almost lost his life. He has sacrificed a lot to be here, and to suggest otherwise is, frankly, completely absurd.” The biggest investor in Trump’s meme coin, Chinese billionaire Justin Sun – who spent more than $40 million — told the New York Times outside of the event Thursday that “I’m very excited to meet him and discuss about crypto’s future.” Among those protesting outside the golf club were Sen. Jeff Merkley, a Democrat from Oregon. “This is the crypto corruption club,” Merkley was quoted by the Times as saying. “This is like the Mount Everest of corruption.” FOX Business’ Eric Revell and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Harvard sues Trump administration over termination of student visa program
Harvard is taking the Trump administration to court over its decision to terminate the university’s student visa program. Harvard said the policy will affect more than 7,000 visa holders — nearly a quarter of the student body — and is a “blatant violation of the First Amendment, the Due Process Clause, and the Administrative Procedure Act,” per its court filing. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) moved to terminate the program after Harvard allegedly failed to provide it with the extensive behavioral records of student visa holders the department requested. DHS offered Harvard 72 hours on Thursday to come into compliance with the request and re-enter into the visa program. As of now, Harvard may no longer enroll foreign students in the 2025–2026 school year, and existing foreign students must transfer or lose their legal status to reside in the U.S. before the next academic year begins. University President Alan Garber said a motion for a temporary restraining order to put the policy on pause while their court case against it plays out would be filed next. FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FROM TERMINATING INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS’ LEGAL STATUS “It is the latest act by the government in clear retaliation for Harvard exercising its First Amendment rights to reject the government’s demands to control Harvard’s governance, curriculum, and the “ideology” of its faculty and students,” Harvard wrote in its complaint. The records requested include any footage of protest activity involving students on visas and the disciplinary records of all students on visas in the past five years. Requested records also include footage or documentation of illegal, dangerous or violent activity by student visa holders, any records of threats or the deprivation of rights of other students or university personnel. Harvard called the new policy “pernicious” and accused the Trump administration of departing from “decades of settled practice and come without rational explanation.” It claimed the policy was “carried out abruptly without any of the robust procedures the government has established to prevent just this type of upheaval to thousands of students’ lives.” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said on Thursday that in April she requested the records related to visa-holding students and Harvard’s counsel did not provide adequate information to meet the demand. After the DHS general counsel asked again for the information, Harvard provided an “insufficient, incomplete and unacceptable response,” she said. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION BEGINS NEW WAVE OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENT VISA REVOCATIONS: ‘NO ONE HAS A RIGHT TO A VISA’ “Consequences must follow to send a clear signal to Harvard and all universities that want to enjoy the privilege of enrolling foreign students, that the Trump administration will enforce the law and root out the evils of antisemitism in society and campuses,” said Noem. In April, Harvard took action to prepare for the potential of the drastic policy change, announcing it would allow foreign students to accept admission to both Harvard and a foreign university as backup amid the Trump administration’s threats to move to block Harvard’s authorization to host them. Typically, students must accept enrollment at Harvard by May 1 and can’t commit to another university. At least a dozen Harvard students have had their authorization to study in the U.S. revoked over campus protest activity. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Congress Tuesday the administration has probably revoked “thousands” of student visas by this point and would “proudly” revoke more. It’s the latest development in the brewing battle between the Trump administration and some of the nation’s most prestigious universities. The administration already has frozen close to $3 billion in federal funding to the university, largely dedicated to research, and launched investigations across the departments of Justice, Education and Health and Human Services. They claim Harvard has not adequately responded to campus antisemitism in protests or moved to root out diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices.
Judge temporarily pauses Trump move to cancel Harvard student visa policy after lawsuit
A court has temporarily paused the Trump administration’s move to cancel Harvard’s student visa program. Harvard filed suit against the Trump administration over the policy, and a judge granted its request for a temporary restraining order to preserve status quo while the case plays out in court. Judge Allison Burroughs, a 2014 Obama appointee, set a hearing for 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday in Boston federal court. Harvard said the policy will affect more than 7,000 visa holders — nearly a quarter of the student body — and is a “blatant violation of the First Amendment, the Due Process Clause, and the Administrative Procedure Act,” per its court filing. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) moved to terminate the program after Harvard allegedly failed to provide it with the extensive behavioral records of student visa holders the department requested. DHS offered Harvard 72 hours on Thursday to come into compliance with the request and re-enter into the visa program. As of now, Harvard may no longer enroll foreign students in the 2025–2026 school year, and existing foreign students must transfer or lose their legal status to reside in the U.S. before the next academic year begins. University President Alan Garber said a motion for a temporary restraining order to put the policy on pause while their court case against it plays out would be filed next. FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FROM TERMINATING INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS’ LEGAL STATUS “It is the latest act by the government in clear retaliation for Harvard exercising its First Amendment rights to reject the government’s demands to control Harvard’s governance, curriculum, and the “ideology” of its faculty and students,” Harvard wrote in its complaint. The records requested include any footage of protest activity involving students on visas and the disciplinary records of all students on visas in the past five years. Requested records also include footage or documentation of illegal, dangerous or violent activity by student visa holders, any records of threats or the deprivation of rights of other students or university personnel. Harvard called the new policy “pernicious” and accused the Trump administration of departing from “decades of settled practice and come without rational explanation.” It claimed the policy was “carried out abruptly without any of the robust procedures the government has established to prevent just this type of upheaval to thousands of students’ lives.” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in response to the suit, “This lawsuit seeks to kneecap the President’s constitutionally vested powers under Article II.” “It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enroll foreign students and benefit from their higher tuition payments to help pad their multibillion-dollar endowments,” she said. “The Trump administration is committed to restoring common sense to our student visa system; no lawsuit, this or any other, is going to change that.” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said on Thursday that in April, she requested the records related to visa-holding students, and Harvard’s counsel did not provide adequate information to meet the demand. After the DHS general counsel asked again for the information, Harvard provided an “insufficient, incomplete and unacceptable response,” she said. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION BEGINS NEW WAVE OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENT VISA REVOCATIONS: ‘NO ONE HAS A RIGHT TO A VISA’ “Consequences must follow to send a clear signal to Harvard and all universities that want to enjoy the privilege of enrolling foreign students, that the Trump administration will enforce the law and root out the evils of antisemitism in society and campuses,” said Noem. In April, Harvard took action to prepare for the potential of the drastic policy change, announcing it would allow foreign students to accept admission to both Harvard and a foreign university as backup amid the Trump administration’s threats to move to block Harvard’s authorization to host them. Typically, students must accept enrollment at Harvard by May 1 and cannot commit to another university. At least a dozen Harvard students have had their authorization to study in the U.S. revoked over campus protest activity. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Congress Tuesday the administration has probably revoked “thousands” of student visas by this point and would “proudly” revoke more. It is the latest development in the brewing battle between the Trump administration and some of the nation’s most prestigious universities. The administration has already frozen close to $3 billion in federal funding to the university, largely dedicated to research, and launched investigations across the departments of Justice, Education and Health and Human Services. They claim Harvard has not adequately responded to campus antisemitism in protests or moved to root out diversity, equity and inclusion practices. Fox News’ Bill Mears contributed to this report.
VIDEO: Gang-rape accused flash victory sign, ‘celebrate’ in massive procession after being released on bail
In a shocking development, seven accused in the 2024 Hangal gang-rape case, after getting bail, took out a roadshow and engaged in celebrations. A disturbing video of the celebrations came to light on Friday, raising serious concerns.