Minneapolis-area leaders condemn ICE, call for removal amid Trump deportation campaign
Minneapolis-area leaders on Tuesday formally denounced federal immigration authorities and called for their removal from the region amid the Trump administration’s deportation campaign. The Hennepin County Administration, Operations and Budget Committee unanimously passed a resolution condemning ICE and calling for the removal of ICE personnel and assets from Minnesota. In a statement, the seven-member committee said it did “not take this action lightly.” MINNESOTA LAWSUIT OVER TRUMP’S ICE ‘INVASION’ WON’T SUCCEED: LEGAL EXPERT “It comes forward in the context of an additional 1,000 ICE agents due to arrive in the metro area during the largest deployment of DHS resources in our nation’s history, anywhere,” committee Vice Chair Debbie Goettel said. The committee framed the vote as a stand to protect residents. The board will vote to formally adopt the resolution in its Jan. 27 meeting. “We stand with our immigrant communities, our protesters and observers, and our neighbors standing together to bring accountability to this unconscionable show of force,” Goettel said. The vote came hours after President Donald Trump said his administration will withhold federal payments from sanctuary jurisdictions beginning Feb. 1. HOUSE REPUBLICAN CALLS FOR HEARING AFTER DEADLY ICE SHOOTING IN MINNEAPOLIS In a Truth Social post, Trump said sanctuary cities hamper federal immigration enforcement efforts at the expense of public safety. “And it breeds fraud and crime and all the other problems that come. So we’re not making any payment to anybody that supports sanctuary,” Trump wrote. Earlier in the week, the Department of Homeland Security said it would be sending additional federal agents to protect Minnesota immigration officers as they conduct enforcement operations while facing protesters. Minnesota has become a flashpoint in Trump’s deportation campaign following last week’s fatal shooting of Renee Good, who was shot by an ICE agent as she attempted to ram into him with her vehicle, officials said. The city of Minneapolis is suing the federal government over the law enforcement operations, which local officials said have been marked by racial profiling and excessive force.
White House says Trump gave ‘appropriate’ response after heckler confrontation caught on video at Ford plant
President Donald Trump was caught on video appearing to mouth an expletive and make an obscene gesture toward a heckler during a visit to a Ford factory in Michigan Tuesday, a moment the White House later defended as an “appropriate and unambiguous response.” The video, first published by TMZ, shows Trump briefly turning toward someone shouting from the crowd as he walked through the Ford River Rouge complex in Dearborn. In the video, Trump appears to mouth the words “f— you” twice and gestures with his middle finger. TRUMP TO CUT FEDERAL PAYMENTS TO SANCTUARY CITIES STARTING FEB 1 OVER IMMIGRATION POLICIES TMZ reported that the exchange followed a heckler shouting an insult at the president off camera. The outlet described Trump’s reaction as “flipping the bird” while continuing to walk away. White House communications director Steven Cheung defended the president’s reaction, telling Fox News Digital, “A lunatic was wildly screaming expletives in a complete fit of rage, and the President gave an appropriate and unambiguous response.” TRUMP WEARS ‘HAPPY TRUMP’ PIN ALONGSIDE AMERICAN FLAG DURING WHITE HOUSE OIL EXECUTIVE MEETING A Ford worker who identified himself as the heckler said he was later suspended from his job pending an investigation into the incident. TJ Sabula, a 40-year-old United Auto Workers Local 600 line worker at the factory, told The Washington Post that he was the person shouting at Trump during the visit and said he has been suspended pending an internal investigation. “As far as calling him out, definitely no regrets whatsoever,” Sabula told the outlet, while adding that he is concerned about the future of his job and believes he has been “targeted for political retribution” for “embarrassing Trump in front of his friends.” Sabula, who said he identifies as politically independent and has never voted for Trump, told The Washington Post that he has supported other Republican candidates in the past. He estimated that he was standing roughly 60 feet away from Trump at the time and said the president could hear him “very, very, very clearly.” Trump visited the plant as part of a scheduled appearance focused on U.S. manufacturing and the auto industry when the exchange occurred during a tour of the factory. “I don’t feel as though fate looks upon you often, and when it does, you better be ready to seize the opportunity,” Sabula said to the Washington Post. “And today I think I did that.” The White House did not specify who was shouting in the video, and Fox News Digital has not yet independently confirmed the identity of the individual who later claimed responsibility.
South Carolina GOP lawmakers introduce bill to criminalize abortion as murder
South Carolina Republican lawmakers have introduced a new bill that would criminalize abortion as murder, applying existing homicide and wrongful death laws from the moment of conception. The Prenatal Equal Protection Act, introduced in the South Carolina House of Representatives, would be the strongest anti-abortion law in state history if enacted. The legislation has been scheduled for a hearing in the South Carolina House Constitutional Laws Subcommittee on Wednesday. Supporters argue current heartbeat laws merely regulate abortion and still allow the procedure in certain cases, prompting Republican state Sen. Lee Bright to introduce the legislation as a way to extend full legal protections to unborn children. PRO-LIFE PREGNANCY CENTERS SEE CLIENT INCREASE AFTER SUPREME COURT DECISION: STUDY “These children deserve equal protection. I will be filing a bill of equal protection today. I know we’ve got hearts and minds to change,” Bright said Tuesday at a press conference at the South Carolina State House. South Carolina State Representative Rob Harris said that in 2023, the Legislature and the Governor revised the heartbeat law that regulates abortion and still allows the procedure under certain circumstances. SUPREME COURT RULES AGAINST PLANNED PARENTHOOD IN MEDICAID FUNDING DISPUTE “Incredibly, in one section of that bill, it asserts that life begins at conception, but in another section, it writes into law where, when, and how someone may legally murder a baby in South Carolina,” Harris said. The legislation would apply to all parties involved, including the pregnant woman. Republicans hold large majorities in both chambers of the South Carolina General Assembly, meaning the bill could pass if GOP lawmakers remain unified. But similar abortion legislation has previously stalled amid divisions within the GOP, raising questions about whether the bill can advance. SENATE PARLIAMENTARIAN OKS BAN ON PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERAL FUNDING IN TRUMP MEGABILL A November bill sought to further restrict abortion under existing law but stalled after some Republicans objected. The Prenatal Equal Protection Act goes much further, treating abortion as homicide from the moment of conception and applying criminal penalties, including for pregnant women — a shift supporters say is necessary to fully eliminate abortion. Supporters argue the earlier bill failed because it regulated abortion rather than abolishing it, and say incremental restrictions have repeatedly stalled or been struck down, leaving a full equal-protection approach as the only lasting solution. The new bill is backed by national anti-abortion activists who have warned Republican lawmakers they could face primary challenges if they do not support it. Critics are expected to raise concerns about criminal penalties, enforcement and constitutional issues.
Johnson: ‘No boots on the ground’ for Trump’s Greenland acquisition plans amid military speculation
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., pushed back on the idea that the U.S. would intervene militarily in Greenland, saying he does not anticipate war or U.S. troops being deployed there. Johnson told The Hill there is no declaration of war pending for Greenland and said he does not expect any boots on the ground. “We’ve been very clear. I mean, the Article 1 branch is clear. There’s no declaration of war pending for Greenland,” Johnson said. “It’s just not a thing. I don’t anticipate any boots on the ground anywhere, anytime soon.” Johnson echoed the foreign policy objectives of President Trump, noting the administration views Greenland as strategically important to U.S. interests. STEPHEN MILLER DISMISSES THE IDEA DENMARK WOULD FIGHT FOR GREENLAND, CLAIMS IT SHOULD BE PART OF THE US “Look, there are negotiations. There is interest in Greenland. For U.S. interests, America’s first interest,” Johnson said. “It has to do with national security and critical minerals and many other reasons. And we’ve long acknowledged that,” he added. Trump has made acquiring Greenland a key strategic and national security objective, warning last week that if the United States does not acquire the territory, superpowers Russia or China could move in. He said Sunday the U.S. must acquire Greenland — not lease it — arguing the Arctic territory lacks adequate defenses and warning that Russia or China would move in if Washington does not act, a move he said is critical to U.S. and NATO security. Greenland has rejected Trump’s repeated advances, and on Tuesday the island’s prime minister said the country would prefer to remain part of Denmark rather than become a U.S. territory. “We face a geopolitical crisis, and if we have to choose between the U.S. and Denmark here and now then we choose Denmark,” Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said while appearing alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen at a joint press conference in Copenhagen. TRUMP ADMIN REPORTEDLY CONSIDERS PAYING EACH GREENLAND RESIDENT UP TO $100K AMID US TAKEOVER TALKS “We stand united in the Kingdom of Denmark.” Johnson’s comments come as bipartisan lawmakers move to restrict any unauthorized U.S. military action against NATO allies amid growing debate over Trump’s remarks about Greenland. Rep. Bill Keating, D-Mass., is leading legislation that would block funding for military action taken without congressional approval, arguing the effort is aimed at preventing U.S. intervention against allied nations. “This isn’t just about Greenland. This is about our security,” Keating said. The push follows Trump’s statement Friday that the U.S. would act on Greenland “whether they like it or not,” raising alarm among European leaders over a potential violation of NATO’s collective defense commitments. The developments also come as Denmark’s foreign minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, and Greenland’s foreign minister, Vivian Motzfeldt, are expected to meet Wednesday with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance at the White House, according to Reuters. Fox News’ Greg Norman and Landon Mion, as well as Reuters contributed to this report.
11 House Dems buck party to side with Republicans in reversal of Biden-era shower regulation
The House of Representatives voted 226-197 along bipartisan lines Tuesday to reverse Biden-era regulations on shower heads, a move Republican lawmakers framed as a quick and easy way to return choice to homeowners. “Washington bureaucrats have gone too far in dictating what happens in Americans’ own homes,” Rep. Russell Fry, R-S.C., the sponsor of the legislation, said of his bill. “This is about defending consumer choice, pushing back on regulatory overreach and standing up for commonsense policy.” WHITE HOUSE ‘LASER FOCUSED’ ON AFFORDABILITY AS TRUMP SOFTENS TARIFF STRATEGY Asked what his thoughts were on the bill, Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine., kept his thoughts simple. “Shower pressure is a good thing,” Golden said. Golden was one of 11 Democrats who joined Republicans to pass the Saving Homeowners from Overregulation with Exceptional Rinsing Act, or SHOWER Act. The bill looks to codify an executive order President Donald Trump issued in April of last year, directing the Department of Energy to repeal the way the Biden administration interpreted water pressure in showers. Under current law, shower heads can only produce a set amount of pressure. That Biden-era regulation interpreted that to mean that the combined flow of showers with multiple nozzles had to stay below that bar. In other words, the more shower heads, the less pressure the individual nozzles could have. JOHNSON WARNS OF ‘UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES’ IN TRUMP’S CREDIT CARD RATE CAP IDEA Rep. John McGuire, R-Va., characterized it as a way Democrats had gone out of their way to create unnecessary restrictions. “It seems like the Democrats want to tax you out of existence and overregulate you. So, [the bill] is a step in the right direction. Less regulation,” McGuire said. Fry, the sponsor of Tuesday’s bill, said the legislation would reinstate what he viewed as the common interpretation of what a “shower head” meant to most audiences. “That rule was widely criticized as overreach and emblematic of a broader regulatory agenda targeting everyday household appliances,” Fry said in a statement. “The SHOWER Act is a smart fix that reaffirms each shower nozzle is just that — its own shower head — and should be treated accordingly under the law.“ Rep. Brett Guthrie, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, echoed the comments from Fry. MIKE JOHNSON SAYS HOUSE GOP WORKING FULL STEAM AHEAD ON TRUMP’S ‘AFFORDABILITY AGENDA’ “For far too long, federal regulations and red tape have limited consumer choice and forced Americans to live with limited water pressure,” Guthrie said. “By codifying how different nozzles are categorized, the SHOWER Act offers a commonsense fix that will allow households to choose what meets their needs, not what Washington mandates.” The bill now heads to the Senate, where it must receive the support of at least seven Democrats before making its way to President Trump’s desk.
Looming war powers Senate vote ramps up pressure on Hawley after MAGA backlash
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., is facing backlash from the MAGA base after voting with Democrats and a small group of Republican senators to advance a war powers resolution related to Venezuela — marking a break with President Donald Trump. On Wednesday, the Senate is expected to hold a full vote on the resolution that would limit Trump’s ability to conduct future military operations against Venezuela without Congressional approval, teeing up a test for Hawley with MAGA and its base. The vote comes after Trump announced Jan. 3 that the U.S. military carried out a successful operation in Venezuela, capturing dictatorial president Nicolás Maduro and his wife. The couple is now being held in a New York City jail on sweeping narco-terrorism conspiracy and drug trafficking charges. The operation set off condemnation among Democrats who took issue with Trump ordering the mission and strike on Venezuela without prior congressional approval. HOUSE REPUBLICANS RIP SENATE WAR POWERS PUSH AS ‘POLITICAL THEATER’ AFTER TRUMP’S VENEZUELA RAID Days later, on Jan. 8, the Senate advanced a bipartisan war powers resolution by a 52–47 vote that would require the president to seek congressional authorization before engaging U.S. armed forces in “hostilities within or against Venezuela.” The procedural vote set up a full Senate vote slated for Wednesday. Hawley joined Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska; Rand Paul, R-Ky.; Susan Collins, R-Maine; and Todd Young, R-Ind., in voting with Democrats to require Trump obtain congressional approval prior to military action in Venezuela, sparking condemnation and surprise from the MAGA base on social media earlier in January. “The Republicans who sided with Democrats today on the War Powers resolution are STUPID & WEAK,” former campaign aide Alex Bruesewitz posted to X following the procedural vote. “It came as no surprise to see Rand Paul, Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, or Todd Young vote against President Trump, they’ve all shown clear signs of Trump Derangement Syndrome in the past.” Bruesewitz added that he was “surprised and disappointed” by Hawley for aligning “himself with the anti-Trump faction and Democrats, particularly since he represents Missouri, one of the most staunchly pro-Trump states in the nation.” “Shameful,” he added. Hawley previously defended his procedural vote by framing it as a constitutional issue rather than a rebuke of the administration. “My read of the Constitution is that if the President feels the need to put boots on the ground there in the future, Congress would need to vote on it,” Hawley posted to X explaining the vote. Fox News Digital spoke to a longtime Republican campaign operative working on midterm races, who said Hawley has broken with the administration over a handful of issues, and compared him to former Republican Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, who frequently take shots at the president and his policies and draw media attention. DEMOCRATS’ OWN WORDS BACK UP TRUMP ACTION IN VENEZUELA, TOP INTEL LAWMAKER SAYS “It seems like every other month he does something that’s opposed to the president and the party more broadly,” the source said. Trump needs two of the five Republicans to switch their positions ahead of Wednesday’s vote. The president put the five senators on notice following the procedural vote, warning on social media that they “should never be elected to office again.” “This Vote greatly hampers American Self Defense and National Security, impeding the President’s Authority as Commander in Chief,” he wrote earlier in January. “In any event, and despite their ‘stupidity,’ the War Powers Act is Unconstitutional, totally violating Article II of the Constitution, as all Presidents, and their Departments of Justice, have determined before me.” MAGA allies echoed Trump’s Truth Social message in their own posts, describing Hawley as a “RINO” whose political career is allegedly teetering over the vote. “President Trump ERUPTS on the Republican senators who just voted to approve the War Powers resolution that would rein in his Venezuela operations, says NEVER ELECT THEM AGAIN,” Eric Daughtery posted to X Jan. 8. “Remember this in November. Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, Josh Hawley, and Todd Young should never be elected to office again! We are sick of compromised GOP dirtbags going against our President,” another MAGA-aligned social media account, Farm Girl Carrie, posted. Hawley told Fox News Tuesday, when asked how he plans to vote, that he’s spoken with Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and DOJ officials about his top concern of having American troops on the ground. He said they “assured me there are no ground troops in Venezuela” and that there “are not going to be ground troops in Venezuela.” “My big concern has been ground troops in Venezuela and, making sure that if there’s going to be ground troops in Venezuela, (which) I would hope we would not do, that Congress authorizes that. But I will tell you, I’ve talked to the president. I talked to the secretary of state. I talked to the Department of Justice here in the last few days and have had tremendous conversations in the Secretary of State, who I just talked to recently, assured me there are no ground troops in Venezuela. There are not going to be ground troops in Venezuela,” he said. “The administration will notify Congress, will seek congressional approval where necessary.” Hawley has drawn Trump’s ire before, including during a fight over Hawley’s stock-trading ban proposal in July. Trump, who previously said he liked the idea “conceptually,” accused Hawley of siding with Democrats to block a GOP-backed effort tied to reviewing Nancy Pelosi’s stock trading. “Why would one ‘Republican,’ Senator Josh Hawley from the Great State of Missouri, join with all of the Democrats to block a Review, sponsored by Senator Rick Scott, and with the support of almost all other Republicans, of Nancy Pelosi’s Stock Trading over the last 25 years. The information was inappropriately released just minutes before the Vote — Very much like SABOTAGE!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. Hawley has also broken with the administration on domestic policy, repeatedly criticizing Medicaid reforms
Mamdani, President Trump have been texting at least twice a week — as unlikely bromance blossoms: sources
Hey, you up? Mayor Zohran Mamdani and President Trump have been exchanging “friendly” missives at least twice a week — as the unlikely bromance between the socialist and conservative commander-in-chief continues to blossom, The Post has learned. ‘JUST SAY YES’: TRUMP CUTS IN AS NYC MAYOR-ELECT MAMDANI DODGES ON CALLING HIM A ‘FASCIST’ AT OVAL OFFICE The former Astoria lawmaker and the Queens native have semi-regularly been chatting via text since their chummy White House meeting in November, discussing a wide range of topics, from the toppling of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro and zoning red tape in Big Apple real estate, according to sources. Insiders with knowledge of the conversation described the tone of the texts as “friendly.” MAMDANI CALLS ICE DETENTION OF NYC EMPLOYEE ‘ASSAULT ON OUR DEMOCRACY’ “It wouldn’t make practical, political sense for them to scream at each other — in public or private,” one politico said, while also noting, “Of course, they can’t appear too cozy.” The source added: “Mamdani would be smart to kiss Trump’s ass … Especially when the federal government can withhold billions from the city.” The budding relationship and the regularity with which the two chat personally are a marked departure from previous interactions between presidents and New York City mayors in recent history. MAMDANI STRONGLY CONDEMNS TRUMP’S CAPTURE OF VENEZUELAN LEADER MADURO AS ‘ACT OF WAR’ Even Mamdani’s predecessor Mayor Eric Adams, who cozied up to Trump and rushed down to DC in the middle of the night to attend his inauguration last year, had to connect with the president through intermediaries. Andrew Kirtzman, CEO of the strategic communications firm KSX, said it was “remarkable that Trump feels so comfortable with [Mamdani].” “He hated (Bill) de Blasio, the last left-wing mayor, and probably felt estranged from the city because of it,” he said. “He seems to feel an emotional connection with Mamdani. The mayor must be totally amazed by what’s happening.” Asked how this might play with Mamdani’s base of Democratic Socialists of America members who despise the Republican White House, Kirtzman said he believed they’d likely give the lefty mayor a pass. “I think the left understands this is purely transactional from Mamdani’s perspective,” he said.
Delhi-NCR shivers at 3°C, Gurugram dips below zero for 2nd day, air quality remains ‘very poor’; IMD issues alert for Punjab, Haryana
The IMD indicated that yellow alerts will remain in place until January 17, signalling a prolonged spell of biting cold across the region. The impact was stark on the ground, with massive ground frost and ice formation reported across Gurugram’s outskirts for the second consecutive morning.
West Bengal Nipah virus scare: Two nurses ‘very critical’, all you need to know about causes and symptoms
Two nurses from a private hospital in Barasat, West Bengal, are in critical condition with suspected Nipah virus infection. Samples have been sent to AIIMS Kalyani for confirmation as authorities step up surveillance, contact tracing, and precautionary measures.
Germany allows visa-free transit for Indians, here is what it means
A transit visa is a short-term permit that allows travellers to pass through a country for a layover, en route to their final destination. To obtain this visa, travellers must provide proof of onward travel and demonstrate that they do not intend to stay in the country for an extended period.