Texas Weekly Online

FLASHBACK: Far-left activist who organized Minnesota church storming praised convicted cop killer

FLASHBACK: Far-left activist who organized Minnesota church storming praised convicted cop killer

A far-left activist who organized the storming of a Christian church on Sunday to protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement previously praised convicted law cop killer Assata Shakur. Nekima Levy Armstrong, who, according to her website, is a civil rights lawyer and “scholar-activist,” helped to organize the storming of Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Sunday. Armstrong posted a video of the protest, which she referred to as “our demonstration.” The video showed dozens of agitators streaming into the church and shouting anti-ICE slogans. Armstrong claimed that a pastor associated with the church is also involved with ICE. In the post, she wrote, “It’s time for judgment to begin and it will begin in the House of God!” ANTI-ICE AGITATORS OCCUPY MINNESOTA TARGET STORE, DEMAND RETAILER STOP HELPING FEDERAL AGENTS Armstrong is a former law professor turned full-time activist. In several posts on her Facebook page, she espouses far-left views and activism. She has also been a key organizer of the boycotts against Target over its decision to scale back its diversity, equity and inclusion programs. In an opinion piece published in The Minnesota Star Tribune in July, Armstrong advocated for a boycott of Target, accusing the store of having “rolled back its DEI efforts, pulled inclusive displays from shelves and aligned itself with the very forces attacking democracy and racial progress.” In a September 26 post, Armstrong had high praise for Shakur, who was convicted of the murder of State Trooper Werner Foerster in 1977. Armstrong called her “a brave, wise, powerful, and revolutionary Black woman.” OMAR, MINNEAPOLIS MAYOR ACCUSE TRUMP ADMIN OF UNLEASHING ‘POLITICAL RETRIBUTION,’ ‘INVASION’ WITH ICE ACTIVITY Shakur, whose birth name was Joanne Chesimard, died in Havana on Sept. 25, decades after breaking out of prison and escaping to the communist island. She was a member of the Black Liberation Army, which the FBI describes as “one of the most violent militant organizations of the 1970s.” Shakur was convicted of the murder of the state trooper, who left behind a wife and 3-year-old son, during a shootout on the New Jersey Turnpike in 1973. She was found guilty of first-degree murder, armed robbery and other crimes, and was sentenced to life in prison. She escaped from prison in 1979 and lived underground before surfacing in Cuba in 1984. The FBI and the New Jersey attorney general each offered a $1 million reward for her capture, and in 2013, she was added to the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorists List. CONVICTED COP KILLER ASSATA SHAKUR, AN FBI MOST WANTED TERRORIST, DEAD IN CUBA, COMMUNIST REGIME SAYS In her post, Armstrong wrote, “We will continue to recite the Assata Shakur chant at the end of protests and demonstrations in her memory,” adding the hashtag “#AssataTaughtMe.” Fox News Digital reached out to Armstrong for comment but did not receive an immediate response. 

Faith returns to the public square during Trump’s second term, Christian leader says

Faith returns to the public square during Trump’s second term, Christian leader says

President Donald Trump is garnering praise from a prominent faith leader who says the White House is reinforcing the religious revival growing across America as churches report growing attendance and younger parishioners. “There’s causality from the culture into politics and from politics that influences the culture, and I think we’re seeing that duality play out,” JP De Gance, founder and president of Communio, a non-profit ministry that trains churches on how to evangelize, told Fox News Digital. “Religious non-affiliation had been growing for about 40 years, and it’s flatlined over the last four years. That’s a real change in trends.” De Gance said that Communio had heard anecdotally that churches across the country have seen major increases in new member classes.  TRUMP TO SPEAK AT MUSEUM OF THE BIBLE ON RELIGIOUS LIBERTY IN EDUCATION In the case of Texas A&M, De Gance said there were currently 420 students enrolled in the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) class, with approximately 100 or more adult baptisms expected, something he said was “really unusual.” OCIA classes are meant for adults looking to enter the Catholic Church. Regarding Protestant denominations, Communio is seeing an “increase in small and intimate church settings,” De Gance said. The faith leader said that the White House has not only been reacting to a growing interest in faith, but is also embracing it more publicly than prior administrations. He also stated that he sees a “huge difference” in the Trump administration’s approach to faith versus that of the Biden administration. “When you look at the Biden administration, his final Easter celebration had a proclamation of ‘Transgender Day’ instead of an Easter proclamation,” De Gance noted, referring to former President Joe Biden‘s acknowledgment of Transgender Day of Visibility. In 2024, Easter Sunday fell on the same day. “I think you had a last administration that was seen by a lot of people of faith as being actively hostile to faith, and now I think a view that there’s an openness and an interest by the current administration to more embrace faith in their work and in their actions,” De Gance added. TRUMP GATHERS CEOS FOR UNPRECEDENTED FAITH, ECONOMY MEETING TO RENEW US ‘SPIRITUALLY AND FINANCIALLY’ The Trump administration has not been quiet about faith and even created an entity to represent faith-based communities. In February 2025, Trump signed an executive order establishing the White House Faith Office, which was meant to “empower faith-based entities, community organizations, and houses of worship to better serve families and communities,” according to the White House. The office is led by senior advisor Paula White and faith director Jenny Korn. For Holy Week, Trump issued a proclamation on behalf of himself and first lady Melania Trump that put faith front and center. “This Holy Week, Melania and I join in prayer with Christians celebrating the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ — the living Son of God who conquered death, freed us from sin, and unlocked the gates of Heaven for all of humanity,” the proclamation read. “We pray that America will remain a beacon of faith, hope, and freedom for the entire world, and we pray to achieve a future that reflects the truth, beauty, and goodness of Christ’s eternal kingdom in Heaven.” DR MARC SIEGEL: WHY GEN Z IS TURNING BACK TO GOD, MIRACLES AND REAL-WORLD COMMUNITY Trump also issued a faith-filled message for Christmas, saying that he and the first lady “send our warmest wishes to all Americans as we share in the joy of Christmas Day and celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.” The president included a brief retelling of the Christmas story and prayers for “an outpouring of God’s abiding love, divine mercy, and everlasting peace upon our country and the entire world.” The Trump administration has also invoked faith in times of tragedy, from the flooding at Camp Mystic in Texas to the shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minnesota and the assassination of Charlie Kirk. “These are times where a president can be a comforter in chief, and I think it’s appropriate for the president, members of the administration to not compartmentalize and shelve their faith in these moments,” De Gance said. “I think when there are times of great suffering, I think that it’s an opportunity to also embrace our faith.” As Trump enters the second year of his second term and America approaches its 250th birthday, De Gance says many are looking to see the administration continue to reaffirm the role that religion plays in American life. “I think American Christians would love to see the president, the White House continue, or find ways to embrace the core pillars that made this country so excellent on the world stage,” De Gance told Fox News Digital. “In this 250th anniversary, I think it’s a time where we can reflect and see that the American founding was grounded in sort of core cultural pillars that allowed self-governance to exist.” De Gance emphasized the importance of strong families and Americans maintaining connections to faith communities, saying Christianity served as a “core bedrock” at the nation’s founding. Fox News Digital spoke to Communio’s founder before Sunday’s incident at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minn., made headlines over the weekend. Anti-ICE agitators disrupted a worship service, chanting slogans including “ICE Out” and “Justice for Renee Good,” a reference to the woman shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis earlier this month. The Trump administration responded swiftly, with the Justice Department launching an investigation into potential violations of federal law. Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that she spoke to the pastor of the church and affirmed that “attacks against law enforcement and the intimidation of Christians are being met with the full force of federal law.” In response to Sunday’s incident in St. Paul, De Gance provided a statement to Fox News Digital asserting that “the government’s responsibility is to protect those freely exercising these God-given rights and to

Dem Senator Warner admits Biden ‘screwed up’ the border, but claims ICE now targeting noncriminals

Dem Senator Warner admits Biden ‘screwed up’ the border, but claims ICE now targeting noncriminals

Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., acknowledged on Monday that the Biden administration “screwed up” when it comes to securing the southern border while also criticizing the Trump administration for arresting mostly migrants who have no criminal record. During an appearance on Fox News’ “Special Report,” Warner was asked if he agreed with new Virginia Rep. Abigail Spanberger’s move to end state law enforcement collaboration with ICE to capture illegal immigrants with criminal records. Warner responded by citing records showing that 75% of the people arrested by ICE in Virginia have no criminal record, even as the federal government continues to claim it is targeting the “worst of the worst” in its efforts to carry out President Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda. “They may have come across illegally into our country, but 75% of the people to have been arrested have no further criminal record,” he said. JEFFRIES SAYS DHS SECRETARY NOEM ‘SHOULD BE RUN OUT OF TOWN’ AMID ICE SHOOTING BACKLASH Pressed on whether Virginia should work with ICE on the people who do have criminal records, Warner admitted the Biden administration “screwed up the border” but that targeting those with criminal records is not what is happening now under Trump. “Let’s potentially work on those who have criminal records,” he said. “But that is different than what’s happening right now, and the Biden administration screwed up the border, I’ll be the first to acknowledge that, but the idea of masked ICE agents picking up moms dropping off their kids, folks going to work and, as we’ve seen at least in the circumstance in Minnesota, sometimes where kids are being left in the car after their parents that may or may not have been actually criminals are being picked up.” “I just think there ought to be a collaborative effort, and so far, at least based upon what I’ve seen in Minnesota, there is virtually no collaboration between local law enforcement and ICE, and I believe that is due to the ICE tactics,” the senator continued. This comes amid protests over an incident earlier this month in Minneapolis, where Renee Nicole Good, a U.S. citizen, was fatally shot by ICE agent Jonathan Ross, who fired into the driver’s windshield and open window from the side of the vehicle and subsequently exclaimed “f—ing b—-” as the car crashed into another parked vehicle. Democrats and local residents have condemned the shooting as a murder and called for Ross’ prosecution, while the Trump administration and Republican lawmakers have defended the incident by arguing that it was a justified shooting. A week after that shooting, an ICE agent shot an alleged illegal immigrant in the leg during an arrest attempt. The Department of Homeland Security claimed the agent fired at the suspect because he was “fearing for his life and safety” after the individual resisted arrest and “violently assaulted the officer.” MINNESOTA FACULTY UNION CALLS FOR ‘ECONOMIC BLACKOUT’ TO PROTEST ICE OPERATIONS IN MINNEAPOLIS “I think everybody’s got a First Amendment right to protest, but I don’t think those protests should include or involve disrupting religious services. That seems inappropriate. I do know that in Minneapolis, at least from what I’ve read, they’ve got about 3,500 ICE agents there, overwhelming the local cops at about 800,” Warner said. “I believe that local law enforcement is pretty damn good at going after actual criminals,” the Virginia Democrat added. “But when we have ICE agents, I’ve seen in my state, sitting outside a courthouse, when somebody comes to do their hearing as they try to get legal status in our country, and they get picked up because they did the right thing in reporting in, I’m not sure that’s the system we ought to be having at this point.”

Trump says media focuses too much on Minnesota ICE coverage, not enough on corruption allegations

Trump says media focuses too much on Minnesota ICE coverage, not enough on corruption allegations

President Donald Trump says there is too much media attention on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minnesota and not enough scrutiny of what he calls widespread corruption and stolen taxpayer money in state government. Trump argued on Truth Social that the imbalance in coverage reflects misplaced priorities, saying the focus on immigration enforcement distracts from what he described as more consequential allegations of corruption and misuse of public funds by Minnesota officials. “In Minnesota, there is too much media attention on ICE, who have removed some of the worst murderers and criminals in the World, people let into our Country by Crooked Joe Biden’s horrendous Open Border Policy, and not enough attention paid to the staggering sums of money stolen from the State by corrupt Minnesota politicians,” Trump said in the post. Trump did not cite specific cases or dollar figures, though his comments come as Minnesota Democrats have faced scrutiny in recent years over spending programs and ethics questions, while ICE enforcement actions have drawn protests and legal challenges in the state. MIKE DAVIS: WHAT IS HAPPENING IN MINNESOTA IS WHY WE HAVE THE INSURRECTION ACT Federal prosecutors have accused Minnesota of losing potentially billions of dollars to fraud across multiple government programs, including child care subsidies, food assistance and autism services. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison have disputed the scale of the alleged losses. They’ve accused Republicans in the federal government of exaggerating the figures for political purposes, while acknowledging the state is reviewing how funds were improperly obtained and distributed. The political fallout from the fraud allegations led Walz earlier this month to drop a bid for a third term as governor. TRUMP ASSERTS ILHAN OMAR SHOULD BE JAILED OR BOOTED TO SOMALIA Congress has also opened an investigation through the House Oversight Committee. Chairman James Comer, a Republican from Kentucky, told Fox News Digital earlier this month the probe could serve as a blueprint for examining similar cases in other states. Trump returned to the issue Sunday in a separate social media post, accusing Minnesota Democrats of using federal law enforcement operations to divert attention from what he described as massive fraud within the state. Posting on Truth Social, Trump said federal agents in Minneapolis and St. Paul were targeting violent criminals. ILLEGAL ALIEN WITH 24 CONVICTIONS AMONG ‘WORST OF THE WORST’ ARRESTED IN MINNESOTA ICE OPERATION: DHS “ICE is removing some of the most violent criminals in the World from our Country, and bring them back home, where they belong. Why is Minnesota fighting this? Do they really want murderers and drug dealers to be ensconced in their community? The thugs that are protesting include many highly paid professional agitators and anarchists. Is this really what Minnesota wants?” Trump wrote. Trump also singled out Walz and Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Democrat, accusing them of deflecting attention from the alleged fraud. “They don’t mind because it keeps the focus of attention off the 18 Billion Dollar, Plus, FRAUD, that has taken place in the State!” Trump wrote. “Don’t worry, we’re on it!”  Federal law enforcement officers have faced protests and harassment from demonstrators in Minnesota in recent weeks, according to authorities. Federal prosecutors are also examining whether Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey took actions that impeded law enforcement efforts.

Maryland Democrat’s bill seeks to ‘digitally unmask’ ICE agents after fatal Minneapolis shooting

Maryland Democrat’s bill seeks to ‘digitally unmask’ ICE agents after fatal Minneapolis shooting

A Maryland Democrat is pushing to strip anonymity from ICE agents accused of violent or unconstitutional misconduct, proposing a new “digital unmasking” process that he says would preserve identifying data, so victims can pursue accountability in court. The bill is being introduced by Maryland State Delegate David Moon, a Democrat and longtime Judiciary Committee leader, who says the measure is designed to ensure victims can identify federal agents accused of serious misconduct while limiting access to court-ordered civil rights or criminal cases. “I’m introducing a bill to ‘digitally unmask’ anonymous ICE agents involved in violent or unconstitutional misconduct,” Moon said in a post on X. “Maryland would use widely available technology to preserve identifying data so victims can seek justice in court for serious, credible cases.” The legislation would establish a process allowing courts to order the preservation and disclosure of digital information that could identify federal agents accused of violent or unconstitutional misconduct, targeting cases in which agents operate without visible identification during enforcement actions. HOCHUL ENDORSES LEGISLATION TO ALLOW NEW YORKERS TO SUE ICE AGENTS: ‘POWER DOES NOT JUSTIFY ABUSE’ It defines “identifying digital data” broadly to include license plate information, cell tower and cell phone data, GPS and location data, image search results, StingRay records, facial recognition data and any other recoverable digital information that could help confirm an agent’s identity. The bill limits access to that data to serious cases, requiring a court order issued in a civil lawsuit alleging violations of constitutional rights or in a criminal proceeding involving the alleged misconduct. PHILADELPHIA’S THREAT TO PROSECUTE ICE COULD TRIGGER LANDMARK COURT FIGHT OVER AUTHORITY, EXPERTS WARN Under the proposal, the law would take effect Oct. 1, 2026, giving state agencies and courts time to establish procedures for preserving and handling the covered digital records. Moon did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the legislation. TRUMP ACCUSES TIM WALZ AND ILHAN OMAR OF USING ICE PROTESTS TO DISTRACT FROM MASSIVE STATE FRAUD Moon introduced the bill a day after 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan. 7. Cellphone video of the encounter has sparked widespread reaction from officials and lawmakers, as federal authorities moved quickly to defend the ICE agent involved in the shooting. Federal officials have said the agent acted in self-defense after Good drove her vehicle toward him, with the Department of Homeland Security describing her actions as “an act of domestic terrorism.” Democrats and some local residents have sharply criticized the fatal shooting, condemning it as unjustified and urging that those responsible be held to account, with several lawmakers calling for an investigation and prosecution in the wake of widespread protests.

UN chief accuses US of ditching international law as Trump blasts global bodies

UN chief accuses US of ditching international law as Trump blasts global bodies

United Nations (U.N.) Chief António Guterres warned that the U.S. has sidelined international law in favor of raw power — a sharp critique delivered in a BBC interview as President Donald Trump continues to question the value of such global institutions. Guterres told BBC Radio 4 that U.S. foreign policy reflects what he described as a belief that “the power of law should be replaced by the law of power,” arguing that Washington increasingly relies on its influence rather than international norms. “Indeed, when one sees the present policy of the United States, there is a clear conviction that multilateral solutions are not relevant and that what matters is the exercise of the power and the influence of the United States and sometimes, in this respect, by the norms of international law.” His remarks follow recent U.S. intervention in Venezuela and Trump’s public insistence that the U.S. must own Greenland, as well as Trump’s long-standing skepticism toward the United Nations and other global bodies.  TRUMP ADMIN WARNED TO TAKE FRONT SEAT AS UN CHIEF RACE SHIFTS LEFT, BOOSTING ANTI-US CONTENDERS Guterres’ comments also come as parts of the U.N. are reducing their presence in the U.S. The U.N. Development Program Monday announced it will relocate nearly 400 New York–based positions to Europe, moving most of those jobs to Germany and Spain. Trump repeatedly has questioned the value of the U.N., telling world leaders during the 2025 General Assembly that the organization “did not even try” to help end conflicts he claimed his administration resolved independently. Guterres claimed the organization he leads was “extremely engaged” in trying to help bring an end to global conflicts but conceded “the big powers have stronger leverage” and admitted the organization struggles to compel compliance with its charter. Critics of the U.N. have long argued that the body is ineffective, politically biased and disproportionately funded by the United States, while allowing rivals such as China and Russia to wield veto power on the Security Council. TRUMP ORDERS US WITHDRAWAL FROM 66 ‘WASTEFUL’ GLOBAL ORGANIZATIONS IN SWEEPING ‘AMERICA FIRST’ CRACKDOWN Guterres also renewed calls to reform the Security Council, arguing it no longer reflects the modern world and has become gridlocked by vetoes used to advance national interests — including by the U.S. and Russia in conflicts such as Ukraine and Gaza. He was also critical of the fact that “three European countries” were permanent members, arguing the current composition does not “give voice to the whole world.” Trump took his own criticisms directly before the U.N. Security Council in September 2025. “Not only is the U.N. not solving the problems it should, too often, it is actually creating new problems for us to solve,” he said in a speech.  “All they seem to do is write a really strongly worded letter, and then never follow that letter up… empty words don’t solve war.” Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment on Guterres’ statements and has yet to receive a reply.