Texas appoints Fort Worth ISD conservator to oversee transition to state control
Christopher Ruszkowski will monitor district operations and ensure academic improvement while the state appoints a board of managers, the education commissioner said.
Texas applies for $1 billion in federal funding for rural health initiatives
Texas wants a piece of the $50 billion Congress approved for rural health in the One Big Beautiful Bill earlier this year.
Texas AG Ken Paxton sues Galveston ISD for not displaying Ten Commandments in classrooms
A federal judge has barred 11 school districts from implementing the state law, calling it unconstitutional. Paxton has ordered all other districts to display the Ten Commandments.
This November is COPD Awareness Month: Take Action in Texas to Improve Health, Policy, and Lives
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affects an estimated 30 million Americans, yet half remain undiagnosed. In Texas, the burden is especially high — both in human and economic terms. As November marks COPD Awareness Month, the COPD Action Alliance urges Texans to not only raise awareness but also advocate for stronger policies that improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment
Rep. Al Green switches congressional districts in bid for reelection
The veteran lawmaker whose current district was redrawn to benefit Republicans would face the winner of the 18th Congressional District special election runoff.
Federal judge rules Trump’s Portland National Guard deployment unconstitutional in permanent injunction
A federal judge on Friday ruled that the Trump administration’s attempt to deploy National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon, was unconstitutional. On Sunday, U.S. District Court Judge Karin Immergut, a Trump appointee, temporarily extended an order blocking the administration from deploying troops to The Rose City, saying the government failed to justify the move. In the Sunday evening order, Immergut temporarily blocked “Defendant Secretary of Defense [Pete] Hegseth from implementing” memorandums that authorized the federalization and deployment of National Guard members from Oregon, Texas and California into Portland. The injunction remained in effect until Friday. WHITE HOUSE REBUKES ‘EGREGIOUS’ COURT ORDER BLOCKING TROOP DEPLOYMENTS AMID PORTLAND UNREST Friday’s 106-page ruling makes the order permanent. It followed a three-day trial over whether protests at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Portland warranted use of the military domestically under federal law. The administration said the troops were needed to protect federal personnel and property. PORTLAND POLICE ACCUSE FEDERAL TROOPS OF INFLAMING ANTI-ICE PROTESTS, WHICH CITY CLAIMS HAVE NOT BEEN VIOLENT Immergut said in the ruling the “evidence demonstrates that these deployments, which were objected to by Oregon’s governor and not requested by the federal officials in charge of protection of the ICE building, exceeded the President’s authority” because he wasn’t able to demonstrate there was a rebellion or threat of rebellion that couldn’t be enforced without the military. The judge added that “even giving great deference to the President’s determination, the President did not have a lawful basis to federalize the National Guard.” Immergut called the order unconstitutional, saying that it violated the 10th Amendment, “which ‘reserves to the States’ any powers not expressly delegated to the federal government in the Constitution.” The city of Portland and state of Oregon had sued the administration over the deployment in September after Hegseth sent 200 troops to the city. The administration can appeal the decision. The administration also faces a temporary injunction in Chicago, where a judge has barred the administration from deploying troops.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to a potential procedrual vote on an interim spending bill
Fox has learned that Senate Republicans are hopeful that just enough Senate Democrats may be willing to join with them to help break a filibuster on a test vote to fund the government through sometime in January. This proposal would also fund the Department of Agriculture and Department of Veterans Affairs, plus, Congress until Sept. 30, 2026. ‘TWISTED IRONY’: DEMOCRATS RISK BETRAYING THEIR OWN PET ISSUES WITH GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN GAMBLE If Republicans are able to coax enough Democrats to vote yes, the Senate could vote as early as tomorrow to break a filibuster on this combination bill. That would require 60 yeas. However, what is unclear is the status of Obamacare subsidies. Democrats have balked at the lack of a concrete remedy to spiking health care premiums. “They’re looking for an off-ramp,” said one Senate source familiar with the Democrats’ thinking. THUNE SAYS ‘WHEELS CAME OFF’ AS REPUBLICANS MULL NEXT SHUTDOWN MOVE Fox is told that air traffic control and flight delays are a major consideration in the thinking of the Democrats. It is believed that the Senate GOP leadership is reluctant to force a vote related to the combination spending bill on the floor without a guarantee it could break a filibuster. One Senate source told Fox it would be “bad form at this stage” to endure a failed procedural vote on a plan which Republicans believe is the only way out of the government shutdown cul-de-sac. OPTIMISM FADES AS SENATE DEMOCRATS DIG IN, HOLD OUT OVER OBAMACARE DEMANDS Moreover, a break by these Democrats without an agreement on health care would be a blow to progressives and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). It would also mark the first true progress toward re-opening the government. If enough Democrats are yeas, Fox is told the Senate could take a test vote on Saturday night. By the book, if the Senate breaks the filibuster, the Senate may not be able to take a final vote on the package until sometime Monday or Tuesday. But Fox is told there is a distinct possibility that Democrats could yield back time to expedite the process. If the Senate were to approve the deal, it’s on to the House. But the House’s disposition is unclear on this legislation. And the House would not even consider this plan until the middle of next week at the earliest. However, if the House aligns with the Senate, the government would re-open — at least for a couple of months.
FIRST ON FOX: California’s top public university under fire for ‘LatinX’ and ‘Pilipinx’ race-based scholarship
Cornell Law professor William A. Jacobson, founder of the Equal Protection Project, has filed a federal civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Education‘s civil rights office accusing the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) of running more than a dozen scholarships that exclude students based on race, sex or national origin. The 13 programs named in the complaint include awards limited to “LatinX” freshmen, “Pilipinx” students, “undocumented undergraduates,” and female-only applicants. The filing claims those criteria violate Title VI and Title IX of federal civil-rights law, which bar discrimination by federally funded schools. “That race- and sex-based discriminatory scholarships exist at a major and highly visible public university is shocking,” Jacobson told Fox News Digital. “UCLA should know better than to run scholarships or programs that treat students differently based on race, color, national origin, or sex.” UC BERKELEY CLASS FOCUSES ON HOW ‘RACIAL SUPERIORITY’ SHAPES IMMIGRATION LAW, ANTI-ICE RHETORIC The UCLA Latino Alumni Association scholarship states it was created for “incoming LatinX freshmen and transfer students,” while a Pilipino Alumni Association award is for students “who indicate their membership in the Pilipinx community.” The Undocumented Alumni Association Scholarship restricts eligibility to undocumented students, and the Raza Women’s Alumni Scholarship gives preference to “incoming Latina freshmen and transfer students.” That language stands in contrast to remarks by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who said earlier this year that “no one says Latinx.” Despite the governor’s disavowal of the term, UCLA, part of the UC system he oversees, still uses “LatinX” as an official eligibility label in a taxpayer-funded scholarship. Other programs cited include two scholarships for students of Armenian descent and a Deloitte Foundation award that supports “meritorious female students.” The complaint argues that UCLA’s use of racial or sex-based criteria “violates federal law and the university’s own nondiscrimination policies.” The filing asks federal officials to investigate and, if necessary, suspend UCLA’s federal funding until the programs are changed. UCLA’s scholarship portal contains a statement defending its process for “identity-conscious” awards. ELITE CALIFORNIA COLLEGES FACE TITLE VI COMPLAINT OVER DEI-LINKED SCHOLARSHIPS “UCLA administers all identity-conscious financial aid and scholarships in compliance with federal, state, and university regulations,” the statement says. “Identity-conscious awards may include a preference for a student’s race, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, color, ethnicity, or national origin… The pooled application process allows students to be considered for multiple scholarships and is used in determining the source of a recipient’s aid, but not their eligibility, receipt, or amount of financial aid.” Jacobson said UCLA’s policies still cross a legal line. “Creating educational opportunities based on race, color, national origin, or sex violates Titles VI and IX of the Civil Rights Act,” he said. “It’s time for higher education to focus on the inherent worth of every student rather than categorizing them by identity groups.” The complaint, filed Nov. 7, 2025, asks the Education Department to open a formal investigation and enforce compliance with federal law. UCLA and Newsom’s office have not yet responded to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
House Dem reveals why she hijacked Speaker Johnson’s presser with viral outburst
Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., defended her interruption of Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson’s press conference that went viral this week, arguing her rage was justifiable because Johnson has been unwilling to negotiate with Democratic Party leaders to reopen the government. GOP lawmakers have argued the two warring parties could agree to a budget resolution and negotiate public healthcare subsidies Democrats are holding out for down the road. But Houlahan said she disagreed despite Democratic Party Senate leader Chuck Schumer unveiling a plan Friday afternoon to extend the Obamacare subsidies in question for just a year and develop a committee to negotiate further how to handle the subsidies once the government is open. “Because I believe that he’s our speaker, the speaker of the House, and it’s important that he do his job,” Houlahan responded when asked why she decided to interrupt Johnson’s press conference. “And as near as I can tell, in the more than 40 days [of the government shutdown], he hasn’t picked up a phone call and tried to speak to more than half of the country.” “Democrats could end this in the Senate if they would just pass the CR and then handle healthcare separate. Why do you see these as connected?” the congresswoman was asked. SCHUMER, DEMS UNVEIL ALTERNATIVE SHUTDOWN PLAN, ASK FOR ONE-YEAR EXTENSION TO OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES “I believe them to be inextricably connected,” Houlahan responded. “This is literally the healthcare — the livelihood and ability of people to thrive in our country — and I think this is the time to have this conversation.” Houlahan added that the Trump administration “has been slowly strangling the American people” and said that by shutting down the government it is “trying to complete the job.” “Over the last nine months, this administration has been slowly strangling the American people,” she said. “Shutting back down the government by itself and now it’s trying to complete the job.” When pressed further, Houlahan’s staff stepped in and said she needed to go and could not answer any more questions. THUNE SAYS ‘WHEELS CAME OFF’ AS REPUBLICANS MULL NEXT SHUTDOWN MOVE The Democrat went viral earlier this week when House Speaker Johnson’s press conference outside the Capitol building briefly descended into chaos when she got into a heated exchange with the speaker demanding he meet with her caucus to end the shutdown. Houlahan was jeered at, and, at a certain point, Johnson told her to respect his free speech rights. “You should respect free speech,” Houlahan clapped back. “I’m asking you a question if you’re ready to have a conversation with the other side. You represent all of us. You are the speaker for all of us, sir.” Johnson attempted to take a question from a reporter, but he said, “I can’t hear you because we have someone who doesn’t respect the rights of their colleagues.” Meanwhile, Houlahan kept shouting over the speaker even as he tried to call order. “You have an obligation not just to speak lies to the American people. You have an obligation to call the leadership of both parties and bring us together and solve this problem together,” she yelled. The following day, Houlahan participated in a Democratic Party press conference of her own on the steps of the Capitol, during which no interruptions appeared to take place, according to recordings posted online. Houlahan referred to the viral moment between her and the speaker as a “dialogue” during her comments. “I like to think of it as a dialogue more than a confrontation,” she said. “He reminded me and the American people that he has literally not sat down and talked to Democratic leaders since before the shutdown. They refuse to sit down with us, and they refuse to tell the American public the truth.”
Supreme Court blocks lower court order forcing Trump administration to fully fund SNAP program
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a temporary block on Friday on a lower court’s order requiring the Trump administration to fully fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program amid the government shutdown. The decision came shortly after a federal appeals court on Friday denied a Trump administration request to temporarily block the lower court ruling. On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Jack McConnell rejected the administration’s effort to only partially fund the benefits program for some 42 million low-income Americans for November as the shutdown drags on, giving the government 24 hours to comply. “People have gone without for too long,” McConnell said in court. DOJ ACCUSES FEDERAL JUDGE OF ‘MAKING MOCKERY OF THE SEPARATION OF POWERS’ IN SNAP APPEAL After the appeals court ruling, the Trump administration filed the emergency appeal to SCOTUS late Friday. “Given the imminent, irreparable harms posed by these orders, which require the government to transfer an estimated $4 billion by tonight, the Solicitor General respectfully requests an immediate administrative stay of the orders pending the resolution of this application by no later than 9:30pm this evening,” an administration spokesperson told Fox News. New York Attorney General Letitia James responded to the Supreme Court decision Friday, calling it a “tragedy.” “This decision is a tragedy for the millions of Americans who rely on SNAP to feed their families. It is disgraceful that the Trump administration chose to fight this in court instead of fulfilling its responsibility to the American people,” she said in a statement. The Supreme Court ruling came after the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Friday said it is working to comply with a judge’s order to fully fund the program for November. In a letter sent to all regional directors of the SNAP program on Friday, Patrick Penn, deputy undersecretary for USDA’s Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services, said, “FNS is working towards implementing November 2025 full benefit issuances in compliance with the November 6, 2025, order from the District Court of Rhode Island.” He added, “Later today, FNS will complete the processes necessary to make funds available to support your subsequent transmittal of full issuance files to your EBT processor.” TRUMP SAYS SNAP BENEFITS WILL ONLY RESUME WHEN ‘RADICAL LEFT DEMOCRATS’ OPEN GOVERNMENT Penn said the department would keep regional directors “as up to date as possible on any future developments and appreciate your continued partnership to serve program beneficiaries across the country. State agencies with questions should contact their FNS Regional Office representative.” He scolded the Trump administration for failing to comply with the order he issued last week, which required the U.S. Department of Agriculture to fund the SNAP benefits programs before its funds were slated to lapse on Nov. 1, marking the first time in the program’s 60-year history that its payments were halted. The judge also said Trump officials failed to address a known funding distribution problem that could cause SNAP payments to be delayed for weeks or months in some states. He ordered the USDA to tap other contingency funds as needed. DOJ ACCUSES FEDERAL JUDGE OF MAKING ‘MOCKERY OF THE SEPARATION OF POWERS’ IN SNAP APPEAL “It’s likely that SNAP recipients are hungry as we sit here,” McConnell said Thursday. Trump administration officials said in a court filing earlier this week that they would pay just 65% of the roughly $9 billion owed to fund the SNAP program for November, prompting the judge to update his order and give the administration just 24 hours to comply. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “The evidence shows that people will go hungry, food pantries will be overburdened, and needless suffering will occur,” McConnell said. “That’s what irreparable harm here means.” Fox News’ Breanne Deppisch contributed to this report.