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Border Patrol commander returns to Chicago as agents deploy pepper balls in immigrant neighborhood

Border Patrol commander returns to Chicago as agents deploy pepper balls in immigrant neighborhood

A senior Border Patrol commander who became the face of the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown returned to Chicago Tuesday, prompting protests as agents fired pepper balls and detained several people. Border Patrol chief Gregory Bovino’s appearance in Chicago marks the most visible escalation in Operation Midway Blitz since early fall, drawing backlash from immigrant advocates and state leaders who said the Trump administration failed to warn them that the commander or additional agents were being redeployed to the area. Border agents were captured on video Tuesday in the predominantly Mexican-American neighborhood of Little Village deploying pepper balls and detaining a man, according to The Associated Press. Bovino’s emergence in Chicago came a month after he was reassigned to enforcement missions in New Orleans and North Carolina. HOMAN CONFIRMS TEXAS NATIONAL GUARD ‘ON THE GROUND’ IN ILLINOIS, WARNS ANTI-ICE RHETORIC FUELING ‘BLOODSHED’ Operation Midway Blitz was launched in September in honor of Katie Abraham, who was killed in a drunk driving hit-and-run allegedly caused by Julio Cucul-Bol, an illegal immigrant from Guatemala. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the goal of the operation was to “target criminal illegal aliens terrorizing Americans in sanctuary Illinois.” “As we said a month ago, we aren’t leaving Chicago, and operations are ongoing,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, according to The Associated Press. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker told reporters Tuesday he was not notified that Bovino and additional Border Patrol agents were returning to Chicago, adding he doesn’t know how long the agents will stay. DHS BLASTS CHICAGO MAYOR FOR COMPARING RAID LEADER TO SEGREGATIONISTS, ACCUSING HIM OF ‘TERROR’ “I’m so proud of the people of Illinois for doing as they have, which is to protect their neighborhoods and their neighbors, to do the right thing,” Pritzker said. “And, so, I think we’re in a much better position.” Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said he was aware that Bovino had returned to Chicago. “We have learned that federal agents are once again indiscriminately targeting individuals — without warrants — and intentionally showing up in public spaces to intimidate and instill fear, including at a Teamster picket line and a Little Village community organization,” Johnson wrote on X, adding that “these tactics are destabilizing, wrong, and must be condemned.” Last week, Pritzker signed a bill aimed at protecting illegal immigrants in the state from deportation by creating new safeguards at several locations, including courthouses, hospitals, college campuses and other public buildings. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

HHS probes Minnesota’s use of billions in federal social service funds amid fraud concerns: report

HHS probes Minnesota’s use of billions in federal social service funds amid fraud concerns: report

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has launched a review into how Minnesota used billions of dollars in federal social service funding, requesting detailed records from Gov. Tim Walz’s administration and other state entities after reports raised questions about whether portions of the money were misused, according to letters first obtained by the New York Post. The letters were sent Monday by Alex Adams, assistant secretary for the Administration for Children and Families, to Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and a nonprofit involved in administering Head Start programs, the Post reported. According to the Post, Adams said HHS is attempting to determine whether federal safety-net funds were diverted or mismanaged and whether such misuse might have “been used to fuel illegal and mass migration” into Minnesota. Adams told the outlet the review is focused on “accountability for American taxpayers” and on ensuring federal benefit programs were not compromised. LABOR SECRETARY ANNOUNCES ‘STRIKE TEAM’ GOING TO MINNESOTA TO INVESTIGATE RAMPANT FRAUD The Post reported that Minnesota received more than $8.6 billion in ACF funding between fiscal years 2019 and 2025 through more than 1,000 federal grants. In fiscal year 2025 alone, the state received over $690 million for safety-net programs under President Biden, according to federal spending records reviewed by the Post. In the letters, Adams requested what the Post described as a “comprehensive list” of all state entities that received ACF funding during that period, along with detailed administrative data. The information sought includes recipient names, addresses, dates of birth and, where applicable, Social Security numbers and immigration A-numbers, the Post reported. Adams told the Post that HHS has “legitimate reason to think that they’ve been using taxpayer dollars incorrectly,” citing recent fraud investigations and allegations involving Minnesota’s Department of Human Services. According to the Post, the letters referenced public statements from hundreds of DHS employees alleging warnings of fraud were disregarded and whistleblowers faced retaliation. TRUMP CABINET OFFICIAL CALLS ON WALZ TO RESIGN OVER MASSIVE FRAUD SCANDAL IN SCATHING LETTER: ‘SHAME ON YOU’ The review comes amid heightened scrutiny of Minnesota’s handling of federal funds following multiple high-profile fraud cases. Federal prosecutors have charged dozens of individuals in connection with the Feeding Our Future scheme, in which more than $250 million intended for child nutrition programs was diverted for luxury purchases and real estate. Many of those charged had ties to nonprofits serving Minnesota’s Somali community. The Post also cited Pew Research Center data showing Minnesota’s unauthorized migrant population increased by roughly 40,000 people between 2019 and 2023, reaching an estimated 130,000 residents, or about 2% of the state’s population. According to the Post, the ACF review includes several major federal programs, including the Community Services Block Grant, Social Services Block Grant, Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, Title IV-E Foster Care, Refugee Cash and Medical Assistance, the Child Care and Development Fund, and Parents in Community Action, a Head Start grantee. “The Trump Administration has made clear its commitment to rooting out fraud, protecting taxpayer dollars, and ensuring program integrity across all federal benefit programs,” Adams wrote in the letters, according to the Post. “This information is necessary for ACF to conduct a thorough review of program operations and to assess the extent of any irregularities that may have occurred.” Fox News Digital reached out to Gov. Walz, Mayor Jacob Frey and HHS for comment but did not receive an immediate response.

Trump declares ‘Venezuelan regime’ a foreign terrorist organization, orders oil tanker blockade

Trump declares ‘Venezuelan regime’ a foreign terrorist organization, orders oil tanker blockade

President Donald Trump on Tuesday ordered a total blockade of oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela, declaring the Nicolás Maduro regime a foreign terrorist organization and accusing it of using stolen U.S. assets to finance terrorism, trafficking and other criminal activity. “Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South America,” Trump said on Truth Social. “It will only get bigger, and the shock to them will be like nothing they have ever seen before – Until such time as they return to the United States of America all of the Oil, Land, and other Assets that they previously stole from us. “The illegitimate Maduro Regime is using Oil from these stolen Oil Fields to finance themselves, Drug Terrorism, Human Trafficking, Murder, and Kidnapping,” he continued. “For the theft of our Assets, and many other reasons, including Terrorism, Drug Smuggling, and Human Trafficking, the Venezuelan Regime has been designated a FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION. US–VENEZUELA SHOWDOWN THREATENS TO JOLT GAS PRICES — WHAT COULD SPARK A SURGE “Therefore, today, I am ordering A TOTAL AND COMPLETE BLOCKADE OF ALL SANCTIONED OIL TANKERS going into, and out of, Venezuela,” Trump added. “The Illegal Aliens and Criminals that the Maduro Regime has sent into the United States during the weak and inept Biden Administration, are being returned to Venezuela at a rapid pace. America will not allow Criminals, Terrorists, or other Countries, to rob, threaten, or harm our Nation and, likewise, will not allow a Hostile Regime to take our Oil, Land, or any other Assets, all of which must be returned to the United States, IMMEDIATELY.” Trump announced Wednesday that the U.S. had seized an oil tanker called the “Skipper” off the coast of Venezuela, sharply escalating U.S. tensions with the nation. The tanker was seized for allegedly being used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi. US SET TO SEIZE TENS OF MILLIONS IN VENEZUELAN OIL AFTER TANKER INTERCEPTION, WHITE HOUSE SAYS The “Skipper” is a vessel that secretly ferries oil in defiance of sanctions, while also being part of an armada of roughly 1,000 tankers that quietly navigate global sea routes to move oil from sanctioned countries like Russia, Iran and Venezuela, according to the administration. The so-called “ghost ships” sail under foreign flags to obscure their origins, repeatedly change names, shift ownership through shell companies, disable transponders to evade tracking and conduct mid-sea transfers to mask their cargo. The “Skipper” was loaded with an estimated 1.8 million barrels of oil earlier in December before transferring an estimated 200,000 barrels just before its seizure, Reuters reported. ‘GHOST SHIPS’ FERRYING ILLICIT OIL HAVE SAILED INTO TRUMP’S CROSSHAIRS The oil on the tanker is likely worth $60 million to more than $100 million, based on current average oil prices. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for any additional comment on the estimated price tag of the oil but did not immediately receive a reply.  The U.S. military has carried out strikes on suspected drug trafficking boats near Venezuela since September as part of Trump’s mission to end the flow of drugs into the nation. There have been at least 22 strikes on suspected narcotraffickers near Venezuela, killing 87, since September. The boat strikes are viewed as part of a U.S. pressure campaign on Venezuela likely aimed to not only curb the flow of drugs, but also to oust Maduro as leader of the oil-rich nation.  Fox News Digital’s Amanda Macias contributed to this report.

GOP poised to overtake Democrats on voter rolls in key swing state after years of Dem dominance

GOP poised to overtake Democrats on voter rolls in key swing state after years of Dem dominance

Democrats have been dealing with declining voter rolls in a number of states, but one key battleground state in particular appears to be on the verge of flipping from a state that, for decades, has had more registered Democrat voters to one with more registered Republicans.  There were almost three-quarters of a million more registered Democrats in North Carolina than Republicans 10 years ago. As of today, that difference is just over 1,000, according to the latest count by the North Carolina State Board of Elections. “Voters across North Carolina are rejecting the Democrats’ failed agenda and choosing Republican leadership,” Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., said. “This shift didn’t happen overnight, it’s the result of years of good common sense Republican governance and our focus on offering serious solutions on the issues that matter to the people.” CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS WIDEN 2026 BATTLEFIELD, ZERO IN ON NEW HOUSE REPUBLICAN TARGETS  Earlier this year, ahead of the slate of elections that took place in November that saw Democratic Party wins virtually across the board, including multiple candidates who ran under the ‘socialist’ banner, a New York Times analysis found that between 2020 and 2024 Democrats lost about 2.1 million registered voters across 30 different states that keep track of voter registration data. Meanwhile, the analysis found that Republicans gained about 2.4 million. In total, this amounted to a deficit for the Democratic Party of 4.5 million registered voters just over the last four years. In North Carolina, specifically, between 2005 and 2015, the difference in the number of registered Republicans and Democrats in North Carolina remained mostly steady, with a difference of about 670,000 give or take in 2005 and 2015, respectively. But, beginning in 2015, that deficit started to shrink.    Five years later, in 2020, the difference was a little under 380,000 in favor of Democrats, before their lead shrunk to just 1,216, according to the North Carolina Board of Elections’ latest voter roll records.  “The reality is that bad Democrat policies coming out of Washington are driving voters away from the party here at home,” former Republican National Committee chairman and North Carolina Republican Senate candidate Michael Whatley said.  DESANTIS WARNS GOP FACES ‘ISSUE’ KEEPING TRUMP VOTERS ENGAGED IN FUTURE ELECTIONS “Insane policies supported by Roy Cooper and pushed by DC Democrats like Bernie Sanders and Kamala Harris are completely out of step with North Carolinians,” he said. “Democrats couldn’t win Senate races here even when they had a cash advantage and a huge voter-registration edge. Now they’ve lost that registration advantage too, and voters are making it clear they’re done with failed Democrat leadership.” In response to North Carolina’s trend of growing Republican voters, versus its decline in Democrat voters, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) pointed to the GOP’s overall share of registered voters, which has statistically declined, while the number of unaffiliated voters has increased. However, the increase in unaffiliated voters has impacted both Republicans and Democrats’ overall vote share, with Democrats witnessing a much sharper drop in overall registered voters across the last decade, compared to Republicans, the data shows.   “Despite their repeated attempts at gerrymandering the state to subvert the will of the voters, Republicans have not managed to increase their share of registered voters in nearly four decades,” Madison Andrus, the DCCC’s regional spokesperson covering North Carolina, told Fox News Digital when reached for comment on North Carolina’s changing voter rolls. “Now, with this latest scheme top of mind, voters across the state are souring on Republicans’ failing agenda that has led to higher grocery prices, more expensive health care, and greater difficulty making ends meet. Republicans have abandoned North Carolina’s working families and people are taking notice.” But according to Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters, North Carolina “is undergoing a historic shift” and Democrats’ advantage has “crumbled.” “Voters rejected Kamala Harris last year, and they’re continuing that trend as they turn away from the failed policies of Roy Cooper and Josh Stein,” Gruters said.