Texas Education Agency moves to correct 4,200 errors in Bible-infused curriculum
State Board of Education members criticized the publishing errors and postponed their vote on the agency’s request until their next meeting.
Dan Patrick lists property tax cuts, preventing Sharia law among priorities for 2027 session
Patrick’s initial five-item to-do list also included assessing risks posed by hostile foreign entities to the grid’s supply chain and preventing fraud in Texas’ health and human services.
Texas A&M eliminates women’s and gender studies degree program
University leaders also said six courses were canceled and 48 exceptions were granted under new rules on race and gender.
Democrats hold out hope to flip red Texas Senate seat in Saturday’s special election
Democrat Taylor Rehmet had an unexpectedly strong performance in the November special election to win the solidly red seat. He faces Republican Leigh Wambsganss in the runoff.
Hundreds of Texas public school students walk out to protest ICE killings
Some students walked out of schools Friday afternoon to join demonstrations throughout the country condemning the actions of immigration enforcement officials.
Government shuts down again after Democrats revolt over DHS funding
The federal government is shutting down for the second time in six months after Congress failed to reach an agreement on the yearly budget in time. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is expected to notify federal agencies to begin shutdown preparations as early as just after midnight on Jan. 31 Unlike last time, however, the government is only entering a partial shutdown this weekend. That’s because Congress was able to pass legislation fully funding some areas — the Department of Agriculture, the legislative branch, and the Department of Justice, for instance — while a majority of federal spending is still not set. Senate Democrats walked away from a bipartisan deal to fully fund the federal government for the remainder of fiscal year FY 2026 amid fallout over President Donald Trump’s surge of federal law enforcement in Minneapolis. GRAHAM BLOCKS TRUMP-BACKED SPENDING PLAN, CALLS IT A ‘BAD DEAL’ AS SHUTDOWN NEARS Federal officers shot and killed two U.S. citizens in the Midwest city during separate demonstrations against Trump’s immigration crackdown. In response, Democrats threatened to hold up a massive federal funding bill that also includes dollars for the departments of War, Labor, Health and Human Services, Transportation and others unless funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) were stripped out. That means a prolonged shutdown could fuel airline delays, risk active duty troops missing paychecks, and even limit some Medicaid and Medicare services. Senate Democrats struck a new deal with the White House that would fund all but DHS through Sept. 30, which is the majority of federal spending. DHS would be kept running with a two-week extension of current spending levels to give Congress time to hash out a compromise that would include stricter guardrails on immigration enforcement agencies under the department’s purview. President Donald Trump lauded the funding truce, which he struck with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., in a post on Truth Social. He urged Republicans to support it, and warned that the “only thing that can slow our Country down is another long and damaging Government Shutdown.” Still, it was a bitter pill for some Senate Republicans who were already frustrated with the underlying, original package. A handful were angered over the billions in earmarks attached to the legislation. And Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., was enraged by the House’s inclusion of a provision that would allow senators to sue for up to $500,000 if their phone records were subpoenaed by former Special Counsel Jack Smith. DEMS’ DHS SHUTDOWN THREAT WOULD HIT FEMA, TSA WHILE IMMIGRATION FUNDING REMAINS INTACT “You jammed me, Speaker Johnson. I won’t forget this,” Graham said. “I got a lot of good friends in the House. If you think I’m going to give up on this, you really don’t know me.” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., was able to quell opposition and advance the modified package with the help of Senate Democrats. Though the deal passed through the Senate, it still must be taken up in the House. The House passed the original federal funding plan that Democrats walked away from in late January but must vote again after the Senate’s modifications. That means the duration of this shutdown will hinge on how long it takes House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to corral Republicans and Democrats around the legislation next week.
Left-wing activists storming synagogue use knee pads, adult diaper to mock Dem congressman over ICE vote
Left-wing activists disrupted an event at a Jewish temple in New York this week while Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi was speaking, protesting his vote in favor of a government spending bill that included increased funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The demonstrators, affiliated with the activist group Climate Defiance, interrupted Suozzi on Wednesday night at the temple on Long Island, unleashing a barrage of crude theatrics and profane insults, according to the New York Post. “We confronted Congressman Tom Suozzi,” Climate Defiance posted to X. “He is one of seven Democrats casting the decisive votes to increase ICE funding by $10,000,000,000. Hideous, grotesque, fascist-loving coward, this man has blood on his hands. We will not forgive and we will not forget.” Video of the disruption, which has amassed millions of views online, shows activists heckling the congressman with props such as adult diapers and knee pads while mocking his support for additional funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the New York Post reported. AOC VOICES SUPPORT FOR ANTI-ICE SHUTDOWN, DECLINES TO PARTICIPATE One demonstrator taunted Suozzi by holding up an adult diaper and saying, “I know you voted to increase ICE funding, so I wanted to get something for you. This is an adult diaper for when you pee yourself in front of Donald Trump. You’re the type of leader we need right now. Someone who soils themselves when the fascists are at our door.” Another displayed knee pads saying, “I actually have some gifts — I have some kneepads for you — you can use these while you b— Donald Trump.” A third individual said, “As a Jewish man, I have never felt safer than when there is a masked Gestapo in the street, so thank you, Congressman Tom Suozzi, for funding ICE.” Comedian and activist Walter Masterson appeared to be thrown out of the temple during the disruption while attempting to read aloud the names of individuals he said had died in ICE-related incidents. DHS PUNCHES BACK AT MOULTON FOR ‘INCITING RIOTERS’ WITH ‘GROSS’ ICE REMARKS “Nine people were killed by ICE this month, and you’re throwing me out while I’m reading their names? How f—ing dare you!” Masterson shouted. Days after the vote, Suozzi publicly apologized for supporting the DHS spending package, which included roughly $10 billion in additional funding for ICE, Politico reported. The apology followed intense backlash from fellow Democrats and came after the fatal shooting of 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents in Minnesota, according to the New York Post. LOOMING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN THREATENS SERVICE MEMBERS, FEMA, TSA AMID ICE IMPASSE “I failed to view the DHS funding vote as a referendum on the illegal and immoral conduct of ICE in Minneapolis,” Suozzi said in a statement. “I hear the anger from my constituents, and I take responsibility for that. I have long been critical of ICE’s unlawful behavior and I must do a better job demonstrating that.” Suozzi joined six other Democrats in crossing party lines to help Republicans narrowly pass the DHS funding measure in a 220–207 vote, Politico reported. Suozzi and Climate Defiance did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
US approves massive arms sales to Israel and Saudi Arabia for more than $15 billion amid Middle East tensions
The U.S. State Department late Friday announced it had approved two arms sales to Israel and Saudi Arabia worth $6.67 billion and $9 billion. The sales come as the Trump administration moves forward with its peacekeeping plan in Gaza and amid the threat of U.S. military strikes in Iran. Thirty Apache helicopters with rocket launchers make up the largest part of the sale to Israel, along with 3,250 light tactical vehicles, power packs for armored personnel carriers and a number of light utility helicopters. The State Department said the sale would “enhance Israel’s capability to meet current and future threats by improving its ability to defend Israel’s borders, vital infrastructure and population centers.” ISRAEL SET TO REOPEN GAZA’S RAFAH BORDER CROSSING WITH EGYPT FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE MAY 2024 “The United States is committed to the security of Israel, and it is vital to U.S. national interests to assist Israel to develop and maintain a strong and ready self-defense capability,” it said. Saudi Arabia will receive 730 Patriot missiles and related equipment that “will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a major non-NATO ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Gulf Region,” the department said. “This enhanced capability will protect land forces of Saudi Arabia, the United States and local allies and will significantly improve Saudi Arabia’s contribution” to the integrated air and missile defense system in the region. On Thursday during a Cabinet meeting, President Donald Trump and his Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, said they believe Hamas will disarm under a U.S.-backed Gaza ceasefire plan as it enters its second phase. But regional analysts have warned the terror group has no intention of disarming and could even block Trump’s Gaza plan altogether. “Hamas will do all the possible and creative maneuvers and manipulations in order to keep its power and influence in the Gaza Strip,” professor Kobi Michael, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies and the Misgav Institute, told Fox News Digital. “The Israel Defense Forces are the only entity that can disarm Hamas.” Fox News’ Emma Bussey and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Saudis won’t let the US use its bases or airspace for an attack on Iran, senior Gulf official reveals
As President Donald Trump weighs his options on a possible military strike on Iran, a senior Gulf official told Fox News Saudi Arabia will not allow the U.S. to use its airspace or bases for such an attack. A high-ranking government figure from a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) state told Fox News that the “U.S. hasn’t shared objectives or plans” regarding Iran with Gulf allies despite recent high-level Saudi meetings in Washington aimed at gaining clarity. “We said this as friends, [we] want to make sure they understand our position and our assessment in general. And we want to understand the U.S. assessment with as much clarity as possible,” the senior official said. “I’d like to get full clarity, and we did not get there.” Regarding U.S. military movements for a strike on Iran, the official said, “The plan is something other than using Saudi airspace.” TRUMP SAYS IRAN ALREADY HAS US TERMS AS MILITARY STRIKE CLOCK TICKS The official said the U.S. is welcome in Saudi Arabia, especially regarding Operation Inherent Resolve, the ongoing U.S.-led campaign against ISIS. Yet, the Saudi position now is “consistent” with what it was during the 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran in April 2024, the official said. “Saudi Arabia wouldn’t allow airspace to be used to target Israel, Houthis, Iran. The position is the same now. Saudi Arabia wouldn’t allow airspace to be used in a war Saudi Arabia is not a part of,” the official said. Trump said Friday that the United States has directly communicated expectations to Iran as pressure mounts for Tehran to accept a nuclear deal, even as Iranian officials publicly signal interest in talks. Asked whether Iran faces a deadline to make a deal, Trump suggested the timeline had been conveyed privately. “Only they know for sure,” he said when pressed that the message had been delivered directly to Iranian leaders. Trump also tied the growing U.S. naval presence in the region explicitly to Iran, saying American warships “have to float someplace” and “might as well float near Iran” as Washington weighs its next steps. AS IRAN WEAKENS, QUESTIONS GROW OVER MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN’S REGIONAL AMBITIONS Despite the president’s words that Iran wants to make a deal, the official cautioned that “Iran always wants to make a deal, but the question is what kind of deal? Is it acceptable to the U.S.? “We don’t see it coming together at this moment,” the official said. “Everybody knows the U.S. is bringing capabilities to the region in general to deal not with whatever the plan is but whatever the ramification of the plan is.” Regarding the success of future U.S. actions in Iran, the official said, “There is always a problem whether you make a decision or don’t. There’s a balance of … future in the Middle East. We advise the U.S. on a better outcome at the end, using all means, including diplomatic means, and advise Iranians too. … We understand that we’re all in this — the U.S., Iran and others — and we hope for better results.” The official said that, in the Gulf allies’ assessment, the Trump administration’s strikes on Iran’s nuclear assets heavily degraded their capabilities so that they are “not in the same situation as before.” TRUMP SAYS IRAN CALLED ‘NUMEROUS’ TIMES TO MAKE DEAL AS CARRIER ENTERS MIDDLE EAST WATERS That being said, they believe an “off ramp could be reached by Iranians doing the right thing.” “We want a prosperous country that supports their people. That’s what we think we should all be doing. Iran has real economic potential, energy. A lot of talent in Iran and especially abroad who live in other countries. … There’s a way to get out of it, and Iran could be a very constructive actor in the region and important actor in the region. I hope that they get there because the Iranian people deserve a lot.” Though the U.S. has not shared its objectives or plans, the source said, “I hope that outcome is for a more stable Middle East, more prosperous.”
DHS fires back after Dem accuses ICE of ‘needlessly’ detaining boy with father after mom refused to take him
Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois is accusing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement of “needlessly” detaining a 5-year-old child with his illegal immigrant father after the agency said his mother refused to take custody. In an X post featuring pictures of 5-year-old Liam Ramos, Duckworth, a second-term senator, wrote that “Trump’s ICE snatched this bright, happy 5-year-old from his driveway.” “They shipped him 1,300 miles to suffer, without his mother, in a squalid Texas detention center. And now he’s growing ill. Democrats are fighting to end this cruelty,” she wrote. “Liam is not a criminal. Let him go.” DEM GOVERNOR DUCKS QUESTION ON ‘MONSTER’ ILLEGAL ALIEN WHO FRACTURED 8-YEAR-OLD’S SKULL WITH ROCK ATTACK However, Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin posted a statement from Dr. Sean Conley, acting director of DHS’ Office of Health Security and chief medical officer, in which he addressed the child’s condition. Conley said that a pediatrician examined Ramos and “found no medical concerns.” “It is standard policy to provide medical care from the moment an alien enters ICE custody. This includes medical, dental and mental health intake screening within 12 hours of arriving at each detention facility, a full health assessment within 14 days of entering ICE custody or arrival at a facility and access to necessary medical appointments and 24-hour emergency care. This is the best healthcare many of these individuals have received in their entire lives,” said Conley. The doctor added that “ensuring the safety, security and well-being of individuals in our custody is a top priority at ICE.” He said illegal aliens are “provided with three meals a day that are certified by dieticians, including pediatric considerations.” In response, Duckworth told Fox News Digital, “The Trump administration suggesting that needlessly keeping a 5-year-old in federal custody is in his best interests is appalling. “Detaining children like this is cruel, no matter what Trump’s DHS says,” said Duckworth. “The best thing they can do for Liam is return him to his mother.” WATCH: HARDCORE SOCIALIST GROUPS STAGE-MANAGE ANTI-ICE PROTEST IN WASHINGTON Ramos was taken into custody along with his illegal immigrant father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, by federal immigration authorities Jan. 20 in a suburb of Minneapolis. They are both being held at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in South Texas. Federal authorities were trying to take Conejo into custody in Minneapolis last week when he fled and left Ramos, who was arriving home from preschool, the Department of Homeland Security said. Some ICE officers remained with the boy while others chased down Conejo, who was apprehended soon after. ICE officers made multiple attempts to have Ramo’s mother, who was inside her home, take custody of her son, but she refused, DHS said. MINNESOTA AG KEITH ELLISON DENIES ICE DEAL AMIDST IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN DEBATE McLaughlin said “officers even assured her she would not be taken her into custody,” but “the alleged mother refused to accept custody of the child. The father told officers he wanted the child to remain with him.” “Following the mother’s abandonment of the child, officers abided by the father’s wishes to keep the child with him. Father and son are together at Dilley [Immigration Processing Center],” DHS said in an X post. Conejo entered the U.S. illegally in December 2024 and was released into the U.S. by the Biden administration, DHS said. The family’s attorney said he had a pending asylum claim allowing him to stay in the country. A federal judge on Tuesday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from deporting Arias and his child.