DHS says 8% of Nicaragua’s entire population illegally entered US under Biden
The Department of Homeland Security revealed large percentages of foreign countries whose total national populations illegally entered the U.S., noting the majority of crossings occurred between February 2021 to January 2025. The countries in which most nationals live in the U.S. are Nicaragua, Cuba, Haiti and Honduras, according to data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). “During the Biden era – 8% of the ENTIRE population of Nicaragua illegally entered the US,” DHS posted to X. “This is in ADDITION TO 7% of Cuba, 6% of Haiti, and 5% of Honduras.” The total number of illegal migrants from the various countries is in the multimillions, and DHS blasted the Biden administration for allegedly turning “America into a dumping ground for criminals from the third world.” NOEM SLAMS DEMS BLOCKING DHS FUNDING BILL CITING TSA, FEMA, COAST GUARD: ‘I HOPE THEY COME TO THEIR SENSES’ The department’s finger-pointing at Biden has been a central theme of Secretary Kristi Noem’s and DHS’s position, and the Trump administration continues deportation efforts amid criticism from Democrats in Washington and across the country. During an interview along the southern border in Eagle Pass, Texas, earlier this month, Noem touted efforts that led to what the White House says is the “the most secure border in the history of this nation.” “In just a year’s time, we’ve gone from this type of a situation under the previous administration to safety,” Noem told Fox News Digital during an exclusive interview. “Thousands of people died [at the border] because Joe Biden and the Democrats decided to cut the fence and allow an invasion to happen that partnered with the cartels to bring in unprecedented drugs and trafficking and sex trafficking, children being abused.” BORDER CROSSINGS HIT 55-YEAR LOW — AFTER DEMOCRATS SAID REFORM WAS THE ONLY FIX “This was immediately stopped when President Trump came in,” Noem added. Noem and her department have faced intense scrutiny from Democrats and some Republicans over immigration enforcement tactics following the deadly shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minnesota. Trump campaigned on the promise of deporting the millions of illegal migrants who entered under Biden, and Noem asserted that Democrats critical of enforcement measures now were ignoring the real humanitarian concerns posed by the border crisis under the last administration. “Those Democrats, every day, who talk about detention centers, who talk about our enforcement operations in the United States, where were they when this crisis was going on?” Noem questioned. “A hundred times more people were dying here at this border because of what they were doing, and they never said a word.” ICE REVEALS ‘WORST OF THE WORST’ ARRESTS IN JUST ONE DAY AFTER ROUNDING UP ‘THUGS’ CONVICTED OF VILE CRIMES In Washington, a partial government shutdown over DHS funding continues, with Democrats demanding new policies for ICE operations and Noem and her department remain determined to deport illegal migrants. Roughly 90% of DHS employees are deemed essential, and are required to work without pay. ICE is already almost entirely funded through previous provisions in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” and other legislation. Border czar Tom Homan said during an interview with CNN that the shutdown will have “no impact” on immigration enforcement operations currently taking place in the U.S. “[Democrats] have chosen to act against the American people for political reasons, and now we have FEMA workers, the men and women of the United States Coast Guard, [the] men and women of TSA who keep our airports moving who will be working without paychecks for no good reason other than the Democrats wanting to pick a fight with Donald Trump,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a press briefing on Wednesday.
NORAD scrambles jets to intercept Russian bombers near Alaska
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) launched multiple U.S. fighter jets after tracking Russian military aircraft operating in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on Thursday. NORAD says it launched two F-16s, two F-35s, one E-3 and four KC-135s to “intercept, positively identify, and escort the aircraft until they departed the Alaskan ADIZ.” “The Russian military aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace,” NORAD said in a press release. “This Russian activity in the Alaskan ADIZ occurs regularly and is not seen as a threat.” Two Russian Tu-95s, two Su-35s, and one A-50 were identified in the ADIZ, though they did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace, according to NORAD. USS FORD ORDERED TO THE MIDDLE EAST, THE SECOND AIRCRAFT CARRIER BEING SENT TO THE REGION The ADIZ airspace is a designated region that requires strict identification procedures between U.S. and Russian aircraft operating in the area. It’s considered a buffer zone that acts as a boundary between the two countries. “NORAD employs a layered defense network of satellites, ground-based and airborne radars and fighter aircraft to detect and track aircraft and inform appropriate actions. NORAD remains ready to employ a number of response options in defense of North America,” NORAD said in their statement on Thursday. While this ADIZ isn’t sovereign U.S. airspace, the region is a strategic zone given its proximity to Russia. NORAD noted in their statement that the Russian activity that occurred on Thursday was not seen “as a threat.” The military response comes as Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned Iran and “all parties in the [Middle Eastern] region to exercise restraint and caution” as the U.S. continues to expand military presence overseas. WHAT AMERICA’S MOST POWERFUL WARSHIP BRINGS TO THE MIDDLE EAST AS IRAN TENSIONS SURGE “Russia continues to develop relations with Iran, and in doing so, we call on our Iranian friends and all parties in the region to exercise restraint and caution, and we urge them to prioritize political and diplomatic means in resolving any problems,” Peskov said Thursday, according to Reuters. USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, and its strike group were deployed from the Caribbean Sea toward the Middle East in early to mid-February. The massive carrier was reportedly seen transiting through the Strait of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean Sea this month. USS Gerald R. Ford joins USS Abraham Lincoln and three guided-missile destroyers that also arrived in the Middle East in February. BUILT FOR WEEKS OF WAR: INSIDE THE FIREPOWER THE US HAS POSITIONED IN THE MIDDLE EAST Alireza Jafarzadeh, deputy director of the Washington office of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), said that satellite images show that the Iranian regime is attempting to restore “2 trillion” uranium enrichment capabilities at the Isfahan complex, despite talks between the Trump administration and the Middle Eastern country. The U.S. Air Force and Navy strikes that occurred on June 22 targeted the Isfahan complex, as well as Fordow and Natanz. Fox News Digital reached out to NORAD but did not receive a response in time for publication.
Bill, Hillary Clinton to be deposed in New York for House Oversight Epstein probe
Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will be deposed by the House Oversight Committee in their hometown instead of in Washington, D.C. next week, Fox News Digital has learned. The Clintons are testifying under oath for the committee’s probe into Jeffrey Epstein. Hillary Clinton’s deposition is scheduled for Feb. 26 while Bill Clinton will sit down with congressional staff and lawmakers on Feb. 27. “The Clintons’ depositions will be held in Chappaqua, New York on February 26 and 27 as an accommodation for their schedules. The depositions are in accordance with House and Committee rules,” a spokeswoman for the House Oversight Committee told Fox News Digital. The former first couple purchased their home in Chappaqua, just north of New York City, in 1999, and it has been their main residence since leaving the White House. HOUSE PANEL MOVES TO CONSIDER CRIMINAL REFERRALS FOR THE CLINTONS Their depositions will come after months of back-and-forth with committee Republicans about various terms for the closed-door meetings. “The Clintons’ testimony is critical to understanding Epstein and [Ghislaine Maxwell’s] sex trafficking network and the ways they sought to curry favor and influence to shield themselves from scrutiny,” House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., told Fox News Digital on Thursday evening. “Their testimony may also inform how Congress can strengthen laws to better combat human trafficking. Our goal for this investigation is straightforward: we seek to deliver transparency and accountability for the American people and for survivors.” House Republicans nearly moved forward with a vote on holding them both in contempt of Congress last month after the Clintons’ lawyers ripped Comer’s subpoenas as legally invalid and a breach of separation of powers. DEMOCRATS SAY CLINTONS’ AGREEMENT TO TESTIFY UNDERCUTS SUBPOENA PUSH, WON’T BRING NEW EPSTEIN ANSWERS While some Democrats agreed with the move, the majority of them accused Comer of persecuting the Clintons on political grounds. If the votes were successful, they would both have been referred to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for prosecution. A guilty verdict for contempt of Congress carries up to one year in jail and a maximum fine of $100,000. But days before the expected vote, the Clintons’ counsel told Comer they would agree to testify. In the days since, however, both Clintons have waged a public pressure campaign demanding they get public hearings instead of a closed-door transcribed and taped interview. “I have called for the full release of the Epstein files. I have provided a sworn statement of what I know. And just this week, I’ve agreed to appear in person before the committee. But it’s still not enough for Republicans on the House Oversight Committee,” Bill Clinton posted on X this month. “Now, Chairman Comer says he wants cameras, but only behind closed doors. Who benefits from this arrangement? It’s not Epstein’s victims, who deserve justice. Not the public, who deserve the truth. It serves only partisan interests. This is not fact-finding, it’s pure politics.” Comer has said that public hearings are not out of the question, but not before depositions behind closed doors. Bill Clinton was known to be friendly with Epstein long before the federal case against him first emerged and has appeared in documents on the late pedophile released by the DOJ. But neither he nor Hillary Clinton are implicated in any wrongdoing. The Clintons are two of over a dozen people and entities who have been subpoenaed for information in the committee’s bipartisan Epstein probe. It’s not unprecedented for the committee to travel for depositions, either. Committee staff and some lawmakers were in Ohio on Wednesday to depose former Victoria’s Secret CEO Leslie Wexner, a former client of Epstein’s financial advisory firm who was named in documents released by the DOJ about the late pedophile thousands of times.
What America’s most powerful warship brings to the Middle East as Iran tensions surge
The Pentagon is deploying USS Gerald R. Ford to the Middle East, creating a rare two-carrier presence in the region as tensions with Iran rise and questions swirl about possible U.S. military action. The Ford will reinforce USS Abraham Lincoln already operating in the theater, significantly expanding American airpower at a moment of heightened regional uncertainty. While officials have not announced imminent action, the dual-carrier presence increases the Pentagon’s flexibility — from deterrence patrols to sustained strike operations — should diplomacy falter. The Gerald R. Ford is the largest and most advanced aircraft carrier ever built. Commissioned in 2017, the nuclear-powered warship stretches more than 1,100 feet and displaces more than 100,000 tons of water. It serves as a floating air base that can operate in international waters without relying on host-nation approval — a key advantage in politically sensitive theaters. Powered by two nuclear reactors, the ship has virtually unlimited range and endurance and is designed to serve for decades as the backbone of U.S. naval power projection. WORLD’S LARGEST AIRCRAFT CARRIER HEADS TO MIDDLE EAST AS IRAN NUCLEAR TENSIONS SPIKE DRAMATICALLY A typical air wing aboard the Ford includes roughly 75 aircraft, though the exact mix depends on mission requirements. Those aircraft can include F/A-18 Super Hornets, stealth F-35C Joint Strike Fighters, EA-18G Growler electronic warfare jets, E-2D Hawkeye early warning aircraft and MH-60 helicopters. In a potential conflict with Iran, several of those platforms would be central. The F-35C is designed to penetrate contested airspace and carry out precision strikes against heavily defended targets. The Growler specializes in jamming enemy radar and communications — a critical capability against Iran’s layered air defense systems. The E-2D extends surveillance hundreds of miles, helping coordinate air and missile defense. Together, they give commanders options ranging from deterrence patrols to sustained strike operations. What separates the Ford from earlier carriers is its ability to generate more sorties over time. Instead of traditional steam catapults, it uses an electromagnetic aircraft launch system, or EMALS, allowing aircraft to launch more smoothly and at a faster pace. The system is designed to reduce stress on jets and increase operational tempo. The ship also features advanced arresting gear and a redesigned flight deck that allows more aircraft to be staged and cycled efficiently. In a high-intensity scenario — particularly one involving missile launches or rapid escalation — the ability to launch and recover aircraft quickly can be decisive. While both the Ford and the Abraham Lincoln are 100,000-ton, nuclear-powered supercarriers capable of carrying roughly 60 aircraft to 75 aircraft, they represent different generations of naval design. The Lincoln is a Nimitz-class carrier commissioned in 1989 and part of a fleet that has supported decades of operations in the Middle East. The Ford is the Navy’s next-generation carrier and the lead ship of its class. The key differences are efficiency and output. The Ford was built to generate a higher sustained sortie rate using its electromagnetic launch system, along with a redesigned flight deck and upgraded power systems. In practical terms, both ships bring substantial strike capability — but the Ford is designed to launch and recover aircraft faster over extended operations, giving commanders greater flexibility if tensions escalate. IRAN SIGNALS NUCLEAR PROGRESS IN GENEVA AS TRUMP CALLS FOR FULL DISMANTLEMENT The Ford does not sail alone. It operates as the centerpiece of a carrier strike group that typically includes guided-missile destroyers, cruisers and attack submarines. Those escort ships provide layered air and missile defense, anti-submarine protection and additional strike capability. The carrier itself carries defensive systems including Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles, Rolling Airframe Missiles and the Phalanx Close-In Weapon System — designed to intercept incoming threats at close range. That defensive posture is especially relevant in the Middle East. Iran has invested heavily in anti-ship ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, armed drones, naval mines and fast-attack craft operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The Gulf region presents a dense and complex threat environment, even for advanced U.S. warships. With both the Ford and the Lincoln in theater, commanders gain more than just added firepower. Two carriers allow the U.S. to sustain a higher tempo of operations, distribute aircraft across multiple areas or maintain a continuous presence if one ship needs to reposition or resupply. Dual-carrier deployments are relatively uncommon and typically coincide with periods of heightened regional tension. The timing — as negotiations with Tehran continue — underscores the strategic message. Carriers are often deployed not only to fight wars, but to prevent them. By positioning both ships in the region, Washington is signaling that if diplomacy falters, military options will already be in place.
Madhya Pradesh: Drunk driver rams his car into 7 vehicles, injures 4 people in Indore’s MG Road area; arrested
A drunk driver rammed his car into 7 vehicles, injuring 4 people in MG Road area in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore on Thursday. The injured were treated at the hospital.
UP: RSS-backed ABVP protest against goat market, police say not illegal
ABVP activists protested a goat market in Varanasi’s Chetganj area, alleging illegal slaughter near Kashi Vishwanath Temple just a day before Ramzan.
Texas House candidates in South Texas face allegations of lying about their party affiliation
Republicans hope to flip the Rio Grande Valley state House seat, long held by Democrats.
Rep. Tony Gonzales accuses dead staffer’s husband of trying to blackmail him amid affair scandal
The Republican congressman shared on social media an email requesting a settlement of up to $300,000 in exchange for a nondisclosure agreement.
Buttigieg, Newsom, AOC top three in new 2028 poll in key presidential primary state
MANCHESTER, N.H. — Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg tops the list of potential 2028 Democratic presidential contenders in a new poll conducted in New Hampshire, which has traditionally held the first primary in the race for the White House for over a century. Twenty percent of Democratic primary voters in New Hampshire said they would vote for Buttigieg if the 2028 presidential nomination contest was held today. California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York were tied for second at 15%, with former Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democrats’ 2024 nominee, and Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona each at 10%. Everyone else was in single digits. EARLY MOVES ALREADY WELL UNDERWAY IN 2028 WHITE HOUSE RACE The University of New Hampshire Survey Center poll was released Thursday, a couple of hours before Buttigieg arrived in New Hampshire to campaign with Democrats running in this year’s midterm elections. Asked about the survey by Fox News Digital, Buttigieg noted,” I’m not on any ballot right now.” “Obviously, it feels good to be well received,” added Buttigieg, who made plenty of friends in the Granite State as he came in a close second in the 2020 New Hampshire Democratic presidential primary, slightly behind Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Buttigieg’s stop in New Hampshire was his third in an early voting state in the Democratic nominating calendar since stepping down as transportation secretary at the end of former President Biden’s administration. It follows trips last year to South Carolina and Iowa. While he mostly avoids 2028 talk, Buttigieg has said he would consider what he brings “to the table” in regard to another White House run. As he kicked off a three-day swing in key New England swing state, Buttigieg teamed up with Rep. Chris Pappas, the clear frontrunner for the Democratic Senate nomination in the race to succeed retiring Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a fellow Democrat. Shaheen’s seat is a top GOP target in the midterms. Later Thursday, Buttigieg joined the state’s other Democratic House member, Rep. Maggie Goodlander. And he was scheduled to hold more events on Friday and Saturday, including a grassroots mobilization event that was expected to draw some top New Hampshire supporters from his 2020 presidential campaign. Buttigieg is heading next week to battleground Nevada, and a source told Fox News Digital Buttigieg has plans to campaign for candidates in Ohio, Georgia and Pennsylvania in the weeks ahead. “I’m a big believer in going everywhere across the media landscape and geographically. Some are well-known places on the political map. Some are a little bit off the beaten path. All of them deserve attention,” Buttigieg told Fox News Digital. NEWSOM’S UPCOMING STOP IN KEY PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY STATE SPARKS MORE 2028 BUZZ He added that he’ll “continue to go wherever I think I can be useful in elevating attention to issues and working with candidates I believe in, and Chris Pappas is a great example of a candidate I am proud to be supporting and speaking up for.” Newsom will be next up in New Hampshire. The California governor’s tour for his new book, “Young Man in a Hurry,” will bring him to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, March 5. It will be his first stop in the state in two years. Newsom grabbed headlines this past weekend as one of a handful of potential Democratic presidential contenders to speak at the high-profile Munich Security Conference in Germany. TRUMP HAMMERS AOC MUNICH STUMBLES AS ‘NOT A GOOD LOOK FOR THE UNITED STATES’ Ocasio-Cortez was among the other Democrats in Munich. But the progressive champion, who has long been laser focused on affordability and other domestic issues, has faced intense criticism for nearly a week over a gaffe in Munich, when she asked during a panel discussion whether the U.S. should send troops to defend Taiwan from a possible invasion by China. The four-term lawmaker appeared to stall for nearly 20 seconds before offering that the U.S. should try to avoid clashing with China over Taiwan. Social media posts on the right slammed her for offering up a world salad. But it wasn’t just Republicans who critiqued Ocasio-Cortez. A veteran Democratic strategist who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely told Fox News Digital, “It is abundantly clear that AOC is not ready for prime time given her remarks in Europe.”
Red state auditor’s report flags Democratic governor’s ‘concerning’ spending on ‘luxury’ expenditures
Kentucky’s Republican auditor Allison Ball spoke to Fox News Digital this week about a report she put out flagging concerns about lavish spending in the state’s executive branch headed up by Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, who is widely believed to have presidential ambitions down the road. Ball issued a report earlier this month outlining spending by the executive branch in fiscal year 2025 entered into the state’s system and flagging issues she believes demonstrate extravagant spending of tax dollars that “needs to stop.” The “concerning expenditures” listed include $183,576 in out-of-state travel costs, including $7,632 for a limousine in Germany; a $17,013 dinner at a Kentucky distillery; and $360,000 for 75 people to attend a two-day conference within the Commonwealth. DEM GOVERNOR IN DEEP-RED STATE CALLS FOR ICE PULLOUT, TRIGGERING CLASH OVER ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY “We saw some really excessive, really worrying and questionable expenditures,” Ball told Fox News Digital. “For example, one of the things we saw is that the governor and the tourism cabinet spent about $338,000 on a nonprofit called First Saturday in May. So, for people who are not from Kentucky, the first Saturday in May is when the [Kentucky] Derby happens. So, that money actually went to events for VIPs to come in and celebrate and observe the Derby.” Ball says the spending data was all entered by the executive branch into the Commonwealth’s eMARS system, and while she understands elected officials need to spend more on security than typical citizens, she categorized much of the spending she flagged as “luxury items.” “I absolutely think the governor needs security. We want people to be safe. We don’t want anything to happen to our elected officials,” Ball explained. “But this is the time when you look at, OK, are you spending an excessive amount? And I think $7,000 for limo services in Germany, $5,000 to navigate the airport in Switzerland, hotels like in Beverly Hills, Aspen. “We even found an expenditure in the hundreds of dollars for something called the Caribou Club, which is a private club in Aspen. So, these expenses are essentially luxury items when you’re looking at where they’re at and the amount of money that’s being paid.” KENTUCKY GOVERNOR TAKES HEAT FOR CITING BIBLE TO DEFEND TRANSGENDER TREATMENTS FOR CHILDREN Fox News Digital reached out to Beshear’s office for comment but did not receive a response. “They never asked us any questions, and you have to do that if it’s an audit report,” Beshear recently told local media. “All they did was take lines, and they didn’t ask questions because if they had gotten the answers, they couldn’t have done the political attack that it was.” Ball said it’s “no surprise” when elected officials push back on reports like hers, “but my job is about transparency.” Ball’s report noted $39 million in spending by the executive branch’s advertising arms in various departments, over $7 million in out-of-state travel, over $23 million on in-state travel and over $16 million in trainings, conferences, food and trade shows. “It’s a budget year, and this is when the General Assembly is actually crafting what money they’re going to appropriate through all levers of state government. And that’s why they asked us, this is early in the process, and they wanted to know, ‘OK, what is the executive branch spending its money on?” Ball explained. “And they specifically asked us about travel. They asked about conferences. They ask us about food and beverage because those are the things usually that can get out of control quick if you’re not paying close attention. So, we’re here just to provide information.” Beshear told CNN last summer he was weighing a 2028 presidential bid, and many predict he would be a formidable candidate given his popularity governing as a Democrat in deep red Kentucky. In another CNN interview Thursday, The Hill reported that Beshear said he is still weighing a run but that he won’t make a final decision until his term as governor ends in late 2017. “We have got to do more than just beat [President] Trump,” Beshear said. “We have got to end this division. We have got to restore the American dream. We have got to bring hope back to the American people about a brighter future.”