US Supreme Court grills Trump administration over birthright citizenship
Washington, DC – Justices at the US Supreme Court have questioned lawyers representing the administration of US President Donald Trump and those challenging his effort to end birthright citizenship in the country. The hearing on Thursday represented the first time the top court in the United States has heard a case related to Trump’s January 20 order seeking to do away with the more-than-century-old policy, which grants citizenship to nearly all infants born on US soil, regardless of their parents’ legal status. It was not immediately clear when the court would issue a ruling in the case, although an outcome could take weeks. It also remained unclear if the justices would address the underlying constitutionality of Trump’s order, or if they would only rule on the narrower question of whether lower federal court justices are empowered to block the implementation of the order nationwide. Still, demonstrators and lawmakers who gathered outside of the Washington, DC courthouse said any ruling challenging birthright citizenship would corrode the national fabric of the US. Advertisement “We are here at the highest court in the land because a fundamental promise of America is under attack. And we are here to say not on our watch,” Ama Frimpong, the legal director of CASA, told those gathered in protest. “All persons born in the US are citizens of the US,” Frimpong said. Legal experts have also said a ruling limiting federal courts’ ability to order a “national” or “universal” injunction to block Trump’s executive actions would in and of itself be transformative. “That question, in a normal sense, would already shake the legal foundation of the country: whether lower courts have the right to order nationwide injunctions,” said Al Jazeera’s Heidi Zhou-Castro from outside the courthouse. “But it’s the second question that really people are focused on, and that is if Trump has the power to cancel birthright citizenship for the children born to undocumented immigrants and certain visa holders visiting the US,” she said. “Now it is up to the justices whether they want to go in either of those directions.” ‘Catch me if you can kind of regime’ Over two hours of questioning, lawyers for the Trump administration, as well as those representing states and individuals who have challenged Trump’s order, addressed matters both of constitutional grandeur and legal minutia. Solicitor General John Sauer began by laying out the Trump administration’s broad argument that the US Constitution’s 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, has been incorrectly interpreted since then. The amendment, Sauer argued, “guarantees citizenship to the children of former slaves, not to illegal aliens or temporary visitors”. Advertisement Trump also reiterated that position in a Truth Social post ahead of the hearing, saying birthright citizenship makes the US a “STUPID Country” that incentivises people to visit to have children. Sauer also took aim at the three federal judges who have ruled in favour of separate lawsuits challenging the law’s constitutionality. Plaintiffs in those cases include 22 state attorneys general, immigrant rights organisations, and individuals affected by the rule. Sauer argued that the judges’ decisions should only apply to the plaintiffs in the cases, and not the entire nation. Liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor questioned whether the broader constitutional question could be unpicked from the narrower question of the judges’ reach, saying the president’s order violates “by my count, four established Supreme Court precedents”. That included the 1898 Supreme Court case, United States v Wong Kim Ark, which first established that the 14th Amendment applies to immigrants, she said. Other justices questioned the implications of a scenario where the court ruled that the judges could not issue “national injunctions” in the case, without answering the underlying constitutional question. Legal scholars have noted that this could create a situation where Trump’s end to birthright citizenship would not apply to states and individuals who successfully challenged his order in court. That would mean birthright citizenship – at least temporarily – would end in 28 other states if they do launch their own challenges. Advertisement “Does every single person that is affected by this EO [executive order] have to bring their own suit?” Justice Elena Kagan questioned. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said the Trump administration’s argument turns the US justice system into a “catch me if you can kind of regime”. Under that, “everybody has to have a lawyer and file a lawsuit in order for the government to stop violating people’s rights”. Adblock test (Why?)
Tim Kaine’s attempt to force Salvadoran report on human rights falls flat
A vote to force the Trump administration to produce a report on El Salvador’s human rights practices, spearheaded by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., failed by a roll call vote of 45-50 on Thursday. Kaine, along with co-sponsors Sens. Chuck Schumer of New York, Chris Van Hollen of Maryland and Alex Padilla of California, all Democrats, cited powers granted by the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to put forward a privileged resolution – which required a vote regardless of GOP opposition – to compel the administration to provide such details. Speaking to reporters when he announced the vote, Kaine said that if passed, it would freeze foreign assistance to the Salvadoran government if the Trump administration were to balk. “I also send a message to the government of El Salvador,” Kaine said during his remarks, breaking into Spanish midway. NOT A MARYLAND MAN: GOP BLASTS DEMOCRAT SENATOR FIGHTING FOR RETURN OF SALVADORAN NATIONAL “You might think it’s cute right now to grab attention by a bromance with President Donald Trump. He’s going to be a president for poco más (a short time) – tres años más (three more years).” Continuing in Spanish, Kaine said the two countries will always have relations, before transitioning back to English to say that the U.S. will not soon forget “you violating the human rights of American citizens – you’re wrong.” On the Senate floor Thursday, Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said Senate Democrats are “voting once again to defend illegal immigrant criminals. They seem to like to do that. It’s hard to believe, but it’s true.” “They’re going to come to this floor today, and they’re going to line up to express their blind loyalty and belligerent support for illegal immigrant criminals,” said Barrasso, who, as majority whip, is the second-most-senior Republican. KAINE BREAKS INTO SPANISH AS DEMS FORCE VOTE TARGETING TRUMP-BUKELE ALLIANCE OVER DEPORTATIONS “No Democrats are going to be able to answer the question – How does allowing MS-13 gang members to roam free in our communities make America safer?” Fox News Digital reached out to Kaine for comment, and his office did provide a copy of the resolution. Van Hollen, who took a junket to El Salvador to attempt to bring deported suspected gang member Kilmar Garcia to Maryland – where his family lives – said Trump has failed to comply with the order to facilitate his return. “We will use this resolution to force accountability,” said Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, a House supporter of the resolution, although Kaine said it does not require their blessing. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Van Hollen, who took a junket to El Salvador to attempt to bring Garcia to Maryland – where his family lives – said Trump has failed to comply with the order to facilitate his return. Both Trump and Bukele appeared to agree in an Oval Office meeting last month that returning Garcia would be “preposterous” and that the court order did not quite say what critics said it did.
Far-left congresswoman revives ousted ‘Squad’ Dem’s reparations push for Black Americans: ‘We are awake’
A member of the House of Representatives’ progressive “Squad” is reviving legislation aimed at giving reparations payments to Black Americans for slavery. Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., reintroduced a resolution Thursday that, if passed, could give federal dollars to the descendants of enslaved people brought from Africa to the United States. Former Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., who lost her 2024 primary to a more moderate Democrat, introduced the reparations bill in the last Congress. Bush’s bill, unveiled in May 2023, called for $14 trillion to be put toward reparations payments for descendants of slavery in the United States, but it did not go anywhere. “We say to the rest of America: If you are truly committed to justice, as you try to say you are, you cannot look away. You cannot turn your back on the demand for reparations, because until there is repair, there will be no justice. And where there is no justice, we will continue to fight. We’re not going anywhere. We are awake. We are organized, and we will win. Reparations now,” Bush said alongside progressive Democrat Reps. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., at Lee’s announcement. HOUSE DEMOCRAT TO INTRODUCE REPARATIONS PUSH, DECLARES ‘MORAL OBLIGATION’ TO SEND TRILLIONS TO BLACK AMERICANS Pressley reintroduced a reparations bill during Black History Month this year with Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., rejecting the “unprecedented onslaught against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives from the Trump Administration.” HOUSE DEMS REINTRODUCE REPARATIONS LEGISLATION: ‘WE REFUSE TO BE SILENT’ “Trump’s policies are nothing but anti-Blackness on steroids,” Pressley said Thursday before adding, “This America wants to make America Jim Crow again, and then some.” “Reparations are a necessary step towards true equity in our country, and a more just future. There is an opportunity for Congress to confront our nation’s racist history of slavery and White supremacy. We must provide the descendants of enslaved Black families with the reparations they were promised,” Tlaib added. It’s an effort mounted by progressive Democrats every year, but one that has little chance of passing. That’s especially true for the 119th Congress, which is controlled by Republicans while President Donald Trump is also in the White House. One longtime GOP lawmaker, House Science Committee Chair Brian Babin, R-Texas, even introduced legislation earlier this year to pull federal funding from state and local jurisdictions that enacted reparations policies. “We know there will be pushback,” Lee said Thursday, adding, “Reparations are a proposal to level the playing field, but the only way we could ever have a level playing field is by remedying the harms that have been done by the system.” But Lee signaled on Wednesday that the long odds would not deter her. “When we think about the debt that is owed through our country . . . the Trump administration and the Republican Party talks a lot about paying our debts. This is one of them,” Lee told Fox News. The Pennsylvania progressive argued that the U.S. government crafted policies that intentionally disadvantaged Black Americans. “They were not theoretical, but they were harms from government policies and practices and laws. There were real laws that were on the book that caused systemic disadvantages. They created systemic advantages for other people. So you can never have equal footing until you remedy that,” Lee said.
Dems’ poll numbers are in the toilet, but veteran strategist James Carville says ‘we’re winning elections’
Despite a flurry of polling so far this year indicating the Democratic Party’s favorability sinking to record lows, veteran Democrat strategist and pundit James Carville remains optimistic, as he points to recent ballot box victories by his party. “You can’t discount people winning elections,” Carville told Fox News Digital on Thursday. Carville spoke the day after a new survey from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research was the latest to spell trouble for the Democratic Party, six months after they suffered setbacks up and down the ballot at the hands of now-President Donald Trump and Republicans. The Democratic Party has been in the political wilderness since last November’s elections, when Republicans won back control of the White House and the Senate and defended their fragile House majority. And Republicans made gains among Black and Hispanic voters as well as younger voters, all traditional members of the Democratic Party’s base. ON THE RISE; NEW POLL INDICATES TRUMP’S APPROVAL RATINGS EDGING UP According to the survey, only about one-third of Democrats are very or somewhat optimistic about the future of the Democratic Party. That’s a steep decline from last July, when around six in 10 Democrats said they were optimistic. The survey, conducted May 1-5, points to an increase in optimism among Republicans, with 55% more optimistic about the future of the GOP, up from 47% last summer. HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLLING Since Trump’s return to power earlier this year, an increasingly energized base of Democrats is urging party leaders to take a stronger stand in pushing back against the president’s sweeping and controversial agenda during the opening months of his second administration. And their anger is directed not only at Republicans, but also at Democrats they feel aren’t vocal enough in their opposition to Trump. And that’s fueled the plunge in the Democratic Party’s favorable ratings, which have hit historic lows in several recent surveys. The Democrats’ ratings stood underwater in the most recent Fox News national poll at 41% favorable and 56% unfavorable in a survey conducted April 18-21. That’s an all-time low for the Democrats in Fox News polling. And for the first time in a decade, the party’s standing was lower than that of the GOP, which stood at 44% favorable and 54% unfavorable. The figures were reversed last summer, when Fox News last asked the party favorability question in one of its surveys. The Democratic Party’s favorable ratings were well in negative territory in a Pew Research national survey – 38% favorable, 60% unfavorable – conducted in early April and at 36% favorable, 60% unfavorable in a Wall Street Journal poll in the field a couple of weeks earlier. And national polls conducted in February by Quinnipiac University and in March by CNN and by NBC News also indicated the favorable ratings for the Democratic Party sinking to all-time lows. Confidence in the Democratic Party’s congressional leadership sunk to an all-time low, according to a Gallup poll conducted early last month. The confidence rating for Democrats’ leadership in Congress stood at 25% in the survey, which was nine points below the previous low of 34% recorded in 2023. And the semi-annual Harvard Youth Poll, which was released late last month, indicated that approval ratings for Democrats in Congress among Americans aged 18-29 nosedived. “I don’t doubt any of that’s true,” Carville told Fox News. “But there’s one thing: We’re winning elections left and right as we’re talking about how the Democratic number or image is low.” John Ewing, Jr., a Democrat, this week ousted a longtime Republican mayor in Omaha, Nebraska, a blue dot in a reliably red state. Ewing will become Omaha’s first Black mayor. Last month, the Democrat-aligned candidate comfortably defeated the Republican-aligned candidate in a Wisconsin state Supreme Court election. The high-profile and expensive campaign grabbed plenty of national attention and outside money. Democrats have also performed very well so far this year in special elections, including flipping red state Senate seats in Iowa and Pennsylvania. In addition to looking back, Carville also pointed ahead to November’s gubernatorial election in Virginia, where Democrats hope to win back the governor’s office in Richmond. “Let’s see what’s going to happen in Virginia,” said Carville, who first grabbed national attention for his work as a lead strategist on former President Bill Clinton’s successful 1992 presidential campaign. And Carville predicted that “we’re going to win that.”
Amid India-Pakistan tension Jaya Kishori penned an emotional note: ‘I felt his presence…’
Her simple massage resonated with many as people felt the situation was like the Mahabharat, a great battle with difficult challenges.
As the Rio Grande runs dry, South Texas leaders look to new water supplies to sustain growth
Leaders hope to treat groundwater and capture more rain as the water from one of the nation’s most iconic rivers becomes less reliable.
Trump weighs in on SCOTUS birthright citizenship case: ‘The dysfunction of America’
President Donald Trump weighed in on the birthright citizenship case being argued in front of the Supreme Court Thursday, insisting the law originally was intended to benefit the descendants of slaves, not illegal immigrants. “Birthright Citizenship was not meant for people taking vacations to become permanent Citizens of the United States of America, and bringing their families with them, all the time laughing at the ‘SUCKERS’ that we are!” Trump wrote in a post Thursday morning on his Truth Social platform as the arguments were being heard. “The United States of America is the only Country in the World that does this, for what reason, nobody knows — But the drug cartels love it!” Trump added that birthright citizenship, which was adopted as a constitutional amendment in 1868, was primarily intended to benefit the babies of slaves. SUPREME COURT TAKES ON BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP: JUSTICES APPEAR OPEN TO CONSERVING STATUS QUO “It had nothing to do with Illegal Immigration for people wanting to SCAM our Country, from all parts of the World, which they have done for many years,” Trump said in his post. “It had to do with Civil War results, and the babies of slaves who our politicians felt, correctly, needed protection. Please explain this to the Supreme Court of the United States.” Trump cited the birthright citizenship issue as “yet another point that leads to the dysfunction of America.” “We are, for the sake of being politically correct, a STUPID Country but, in actuality, this is the exact opposite of being politically correct, and it is yet another point that leads to the dysfunction of America. ‘EVERY COURT HAS RULED AGAINST YOU’: SUPREME COURT JUSTICE ELENA KAGAN SPARS WITH U.S. SOLICITOR GENERAL JOHN SAUER IN BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP CASE’ While the case being heard Thursday resulted from disputes against the president’s effort to end birthright citizenship, the issue of whether it is permissible for lower courts to permanently block Trump’s executive actions will hinge on the justices’ decision. Through universal injunctions, lower federal courts can bar authorities from enforcing a Trump executive order. It is unclear when the justices’ final ruling will come out. It could take weeks or it could take just several hours if they decide to issue an emergency ruling.
Trump weighs in on SCOTUS case that’s making U.S. look like ‘SUCKERS’
President Donald Trump weighed in on the birthright citizenship case being argued in front of the Supreme Court Thursday, insisting the law originally was intended to benefit the descendants of slaves, not illegal immigrants. “Birthright Citizenship was not meant for people taking vacations to become permanent Citizens of the United States of America, and bringing their families with them, all the time laughing at the ‘SUCKERS’ that we are!” Trump wrote in a post Thursday morning on his Truth Social platform as the arguments were being heard. “The United States of America is the only Country in the World that does this, for what reason, nobody knows – But the drug cartels love it!” Trump added that birthright citizenship, which was adopted as a constitutional amendment in 1868, was primarily intended to benefit the babies of slaves. SUPREME COURT TAKES ON BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP: JUSTICES APPEAR OPEN TO CONSERVING STATUS QUO “It had nothing to do with Illegal Immigration for people wanting to SCAM our Country, from all parts of the World, which they have done for many years,” Trump said in his post. “It had to do with Civil War results, and the babies of slaves who our politicians felt, correctly, needed protection. Please explain this to the Supreme Court of the United States.” Trump cited the birthright citizenship issue as “yet another point that leads to the dysfunction of America.” “We are, for the sake of being politically correct, a STUPID Country but, in actuality, this is the exact opposite of being politically correct, and it is yet another point that leads to the dysfunction of America.” ‘EVERY COURT HAS RULED AGAINST YOU’: SUPREME COURT JUSTICE ELENA KAGAN SPARS WITH U.S. SOLICITOR GENERAL JOHN SAUER IN BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP CASE’ While the case being heard Thursday resulted from disputes against the president’s effort to end birthright citizenship, which is the right for any child born in the U.S. to automatically acquire citizenship, the issue of whether it is permissible for lower courts to permanently block Trump’s executive actions will hinge on the justices’ decision. Through universal injunctions, lower federal courts can bar authorities from enforcing a Trump executive order. The birthright citizenship case was set in motion after Trump signed a Day One executive order, meant to go into effect Feb. 19, reinterpreting the 19th-century amendment. But shortly after the order was signed, legal challenges ensued and Democratic-appointed federal judges began blocking the president’s action. Meanwhile, appeals of those decisions from the Trump administration failed before the Supreme Court decided to take up the case. It is unclear when the high court’s justices’ final ruling on the birthright citizenship case will come out. It could take weeks, or it could take just several hours if they decide to issue an emergency ruling right away.
UAE’s president bestows highest civilian honor on Trump
The leader of the United Arab Emirates gifted President Donald Trump his country’s highest civilian honor on Thursday. “In recognition of President Donald Trump’s exceptional efforts to strengthen the longstanding ties of friendship and strategic partnership between the United Arab Emirates and the United States of America, I am honored to announce that His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan bestows the Order of Zayed upon President Trump,” a woman was heard before Trump was presented the award. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the “Order of Zayed is considered the highest civilian honor granted by the UAE, and is bestowed upon world leaders and heads of state.” “The award bears the name of the UAE’s Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed, whose legacy of humanitarianism, international cooperation and the pursuit of peace continues to have an impact throughout the world today,” the ministry added. TRUMP MAKES HISTORIC UAE VISIT AS FIRST US PRESIDENT IN NEARLY 20 YEARS Trump on Thursday arrived in the United Arab Emirates for his final stop on his Middle East trip this week in a visit that marked the first time a U.S. president has traveled to the nation in nearly 20 years, following President George W. Bush’s trip in 2008. TRUMP SIGNS AGREEMENTS WITH QATAR ON DEFENSE AND BOEING PURCHASES In March, the UAE pledged a $1.4 trillion investment in the U.S. economy over the next decade through AI infrastructure, semiconductor, energy and American manufacturing initiatives, including a plan to nearly double U.S. aluminum production by investing in a new smelter for the first time in 35 years. On the eve of the president’s visit to the Middle Eastern nation, the State Department also announced a $1.4 billion sale of CH-47 F Chinook helicopters and F-16 fighter jet parts to Abu Dhabi. Fox News’ Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.
Social media giant hit with scathing ad campaign amid anger over AI chatbots sexually exploiting kids
A nonprofit parents coalition is calling on multiple congressional committees to launch an investigation into Meta for prioritizing engagement metrics that put children’s safety at risk. The call is part of a three-pronged attack campaign by the American Parents Coalition (APC), launched Thursday. It includes a letter to lawmakers with calls for investigations, a new parental notification system to help parents stay informed on issues impacting their kids at Meta and beyond, and mobile billboards at Meta D.C. and California headquarters, calling out the company for failure to adequately prioritize protecting children. APC’s campaign follows an April Wall Street Journal report that included an investigation looking into how the company’s metrics focus has led to potential harms for children. FBI TARGETS 250 SUSPECTS IN ‘764’ NETWORK OF ONLINE PREDATORS MANIPULATING KIDS INTO VIOLENT, EXPLICIT VIDEOS “This is not the first time Meta has been caught making tech available to kids that exposes them to inappropriate content,” APC Executive Director Alleigh Marre said. “Parents across America should be extremely wary of their children’s online activity, especially when it involves emerging technology like AI digital companions. This pattern of bad behavior from Meta shows they cannot be trusted to self-correct, and we are urging Congress to take meaningful action in holding Meta accountable for not prioritizing child safety.” The April Wall Street Journal investigation not only reported on internal concerns that Meta was skirting ethical lines to make its AI chatbot system more advanced, but also shared how the report’s authors tested out the system themselves. The reporters’ test conversations found that Meta’s AI chatbot systems engaged and sometimes escalated sexual discussions – even when the chatbot knew the user was underage. The investigation found that the AI chatbot could also be programmed to simulate a minor’s persona while engaging with the end-user in a sexually explicit conversation. In some instances, the test conversations were able to get Meta’s chatbot to speak about romantic encounters in the voice of Disney movie characters. META LAUNCHES COMMUNITY NOTES FOR FACEBOOK TO REPLACE FACT-CHECKING “The reporting referenced in this letter doesn’t reflect how people actually experience these AIs, which for teens is often in valuable ways, like helping with homework and learning new skills,” a Meta spokesperson told Fox News Digital in response to the campaign. “We recognize parents’ concerns about these new technologies, which is why we’ve put additional age-appropriate guardrails in place that allow parents to see if their teens have been chatting with AIs, and to place time limits on our apps. Importantly, we don’t allow AIs to present as under 18s and we prohibit sexually explicit conversations with teens.” Per the Journal’s reporting, which Meta contests, the company made multiple internal decisions to loosen guardrails around its chatbots to make them as engaging as possible. Meta reportedly made an exemption to allow “explicit” content within its chatbot as long as it is in the content of romantic role playing. At the same time, Meta has taken steps to help improve its product safety for minor users, such as the introduction of Instagram’s “Teen Accounts” with built-in safety protections that came out in 2024 amid increased scrutiny over the company’s AI. In April, Meta announced the expansion of these accounts to Facebook and Messenger. On these accounts, minors are prohibited from conversations about sexually explicit content with chatbots. Meta also has parental supervision tools built into its AI chatbot system that are supposed to show parents whom their kids are talking to on a regular basis, including chatbot, and has tools to shut down accounts exhibiting potential suspicious behavior tied to child sexual exploitation. Coinciding with APC’s campaign attacking Meta, the group launched a new website titled “DangersofMeta.com” with links to APC’s letter to members of Congress, images of the mobile billboards they are deploying, a link to the new “lookout” notification system, and recent articles about Meta’s work pertaining to children’s safety.