NJ councilwoman condemns ‘ignorance’ of comparing ICE agents to Nazis during heated meeting
A New Jersey township councilwoman forcefully defended Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during a heated public meeting, criticizing disruptive protests and condemning comparisons of federal agents to Nazis as ignorant and historically offensive. Old Bridge Township councilmember Anita Greenberg-Belli made the remarks during a Jan. 27 council meeting as residents debated immigration enforcement, local police cooperation with federal authorities and protests targeting ICE operations across the country. “We have to recognize that ICE is not the problem,” Greenberg-Belli said. “There are people demonizing them when they’re doing their job trying to be safe.” Greenberg-Belli argued that restricting cooperation between local police and ICE endangers officers, families and communities by forcing federal agents to carry out arrests in neighborhoods rather than controlled settings like police stations. She said that when local law enforcement is allowed to coordinate with federal authorities, suspects can be transferred safely without agents having to go door to door, reducing the likelihood of confrontations and minimizing risks to bystanders. MOULTON SAYS ICE COMPARISONS TO NAZI GERMANY ARE NOT EXTREME IN CNN INTERVIEW “When local police are told they cannot work with ICE… that is where all this is breaking down,” Greenberg-Belli said. The councilmember also criticized protesters who, she said, cross the line from peaceful demonstration into disruption, arguing that interfering with enforcement actions escalates tensions and puts lives at risk. “When you go out and protest in that manner, peaceful protesting’s one thing – disruption is another thing,” she said. MICHAEL SHELLENBERGER: THE LEFT IS GETTING PEOPLE KILLED Greenberg-Belli further condemned protesters and public officials who have compared ICE agents to Nazis, calling the rhetoric offensive and historically inaccurate, particularly as Holocaust remembrance was referenced during the meeting. “It has no comparison with the Holocaust,” Greenberg-Belli said. “When you use that word and call these people Nazis and fascists, it just shows your ignorance. So please stop.” She contrasted immigration enforcement with the persecution of Jews during World War II, noting that Holocaust victims were stripped of their rights, property and freedom before being murdered, while individuals facing immigration enforcement retain legal options. DEMS BLASTED FOR TRYING TO ‘DEPORT’ ICE FROM SWING COUNTY, REFERENCING ‘BLOOD MONEY’ RENT Greenberg-Belli also raised concerns about the broader impacts of illegal immigration, including financial costs, fraud and election integrity, arguing the issue affects communities nationwide. “I do not like anyone getting hurt. I don’t like anyone putting themselves in harm’s way. And unfortunately, this has happened, and it’s got to stop,” Greenberg-Belli said. “But you can’t go around calling people that are doing their job – that work for the federal government, the state or local government – Nazis, when they’re doing their job: protecting communities,” she added. Fox News Digital has reached out to Greenberg-Belli for additional comments on the matter.
Trump taps Colin McDonald for newly-created role of assistant attorney general for fraud enforcement
President Donald Trump on Wednesday nominated federal prosecutor Colin McDonald to serve in the newly formed role of assistant attorney general for national fraud enforcement. McDonald is currently serving as an associate deputy attorney general at the Department of Justice. “I am pleased to nominate Colin McDonald to serve as the first ever Assistant Attorney General for National FRAUD Enforcement, a new Division at the Department of Justice, which I created to catch and stop FRAUDSTERS that have been STEALING from the American People,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. MINNESOTA FRAUD WHISTLE-BLOWER SAYS ‘LACK OF GUARDRAILS WAS PRETTY SHOCKING’ “My Administration has uncovered Fraud schemes in States like Minnesota and California, where these thieves have stolen Hundreds of Billions of Taxpayer Dollars,” he continued. Trump praised McDonald as a “very smart, tough and highly respected America First federal prosecutor who has successfully delivered justice in some of the most difficult and high-stakes cases our country has ever seen.” “Together, we will END THE FRAUD, and RESTORE INTEGRITY to our Federal Programs. Congratulations Colin — STOP THE SCAMS!” the president wrote. McDonald has been serving in the office of Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who said McDonald was “instrumental” in the federal government’s efforts to curb crime across the country. “Colin is a rockstar, who was instrumental in our team’s mission of Making America Safe Again,” Blanche wrote on X. “He is a consummate prosecutor who loves God, family, and country and will serve the President and the American people well.” HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE WIDENS INVESTIGATION INTO ALLEGED MINNESOTA FRAUD Vice President JD Vance announced the new role and the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division at the Department of Justice during a White House press briefing earlier this month, as the administration seeks to pursue a crackdown on alleged systemic fraud in federal programs, including in Minnesota and California. “Colin McDonald is widely regarded as a thorough and highly competent attorney. He has an exceptional prosecutorial track record, which we look forward to seeing him put to use in his new role as Assistant Attorney General,” Vance said at the time ahead of McDonald’s formal nomination.
Ilhan Omar demands impeachment of Noem amid DHS funding battle: ‘We must abolish ICE’
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., held a press conference alongside her fellow “Squad” lawmaker Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., during which she continued to demand retribution against federal law enforcement in the wake of two agitators in Minneapolis being fatally shot by federal immigration officials. The press conference was held one day after Omar was sprayed with an unknown substance at a town hall event she held Tuesday evening, garnering widespread news attention. In addition to calling for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to be impeached and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to be abolished, Omar also demanded the federal immigration agents involved in the recent Minneapolis shootings be prosecuted and Democrats “vote no” on a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security and ICE. ILHAN OMAR HIT WITH UNKNOWN SPRAY AND OTHER KEY MOMENTS FROM CHAOTIC MINNEAPOLIS TOWN HALL “Voting no on the funding bill is the bare minimum. Backing the resolution to impeach Kristi Noem is the bare minimum. Holding law-breaking ICE agents legally accountable is the bare minimum,” Omar told those in attendance at her presser held outside Karmel Mall in Minneapolis, where there are several Somali-owned businesses. “We must abolish ICE. This moment demands it.” Omar’s signal that she is digging in on the DHS funding bill, illustrates a broader coalition of Democrats who are largely unified in their opposition to the legislation in the wake of the federal officer-involved shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. If an agreement is not made by Saturday at midnight, a lapse in appropriations would incur, but because the date falls on a weekend, Congress will have some time to rectify any differences before the major impact of the appropriations lapse is truly felt. The White House invited Senate Democrats to discuss the various government funding options, Fox News learned, but instead of taking them up on the offer, Senate Democrat leadership unveiled a list of demands to rein in ICE agents in exchange for their votes to avert a shutdown. SENATE REPUBLICANS TEE UP KEY SHUTDOWN TEST VOTE AS DEMOCRATS DIG IN ON DHS FUNDING During Omar’s Wednesday press conference, the progressive lawmaker described the federal government’s deportation enforcement as a “federal occupation” and “state-sanctioned violence and political retribution.” “We know this is not about public safety or immigration enforcement. It is state-sanctioned violence and political retribution,” Omar said to a crowd of supporters. “What is unfolding in our state is not accidental. It is part of a coordinated effort to target black and brown immigrant and Muslim communities through fear, racial profiling and intimidation from this administration’s immigration agenda is not about law enforcement.” During the press conference, Pressley praised Omar for her “steadfast leadership” and echoed some of Omar’s phrasing. “We have an occupant in the Oval Office who traffics in hate, is hellbent on inflicting hurt and harm and trauma on everyone who calls this country home with a laser focus on our most vulnerable,” Pressley said when given the microphone at the press conference. “He has governed with malice and used Ice agents to terrorize our cities for families apart, operating with impunity. Rogue masked agents who violate people’s rights in the name of so-called law and order. Yet they detain, deport and kill our neighbors in cold blood without due process.”
Ilhan Omar blames Trump’s rhetoric for surge in death threats, including spray attack: ‘So obsessed with me’
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., on Wednesday blamed President Donald Trump for an attack in which she was sprayed with a substance by a man during a news conference, saying the commander in chief was “obsessed” with her. Speaking at the Karmel Mall in Minneapolis, Omar reiterated calls to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement the day after 55-year-old Anthony James Kazmierczak allegedly attacked the congresswoman with an unknown chemical spray. “I think my presence here should tell you that the fear and intimidation doesn’t work on me,” Omar told reporters and her supporters during a news conference. “What the facts have shown since I’ve gotten into elected office is that every time the president of the United States has chosen to use hateful rhetoric to talk about me and the community that I represent, my death threats skyrocket.” MAN ACCUSED OF SPRAYING OMAR HAS CRIMINAL RECORD AS CONGRESSWOMAN VOWS ‘A–HOLES’ WON’T WIN The progressive lawmaker said the attacks from Trump began almost immediately upon her taking office in 2019 during his first term in the White House. “I became a freshman who nobody should have actually known I existed because I wielded no power to having the most death threats of any member of Congress,” she said. “To the point where I had to have six Capitol Police officers providing 24-hour detail to me and my family. And then Biden got elected, and for four years it almost plummeted. Then he came back into office, and he resumed his vitriol. “And now my death threats are the highest of the members of Congress.” ABBY PHILLIP SAYS TRUMP IS ‘RESPONSIBLE FOR THE VITRIOL’ BEHIND ILHAN OMAR TOWN HALL ATTACKSHO Trump has repeatedly criticized Omar and other progressive lawmakers over a number of their policy positions and their opposition to his agenda. Omar then recalled Tuesday’s incident in which Kazmierczak used a syringe to squirt liquid on Omar after she called for the abolition of ICE and the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem after the fatal shootings of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis by federal agents conducting immigration enforcement operations. Kazmierczak was immediately tackled by security and remains jailed on a preliminary third-degree assault charge, authorities said. When asked about the attack on Omar, Trump suggested it may have been staged. “No. I don’t think about her,” he reportedly told ABC News. “I think she’s a fraud. I really don’t think about that. She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her.” Omar said her alleged attacker was “upset that Trump’s order to deport Somalis was not yielding enough deportations of Somalis.” “I wouldn’t be where I am at today, having to pay for security, having the government to think about providing me security if Donald Trump wasn’t in office and if he wasn’t so obsessed with me,” she said. “It is ironic that just last night he was on stage moments before I was attacked talking about me, and then when asked about my attack, he said, ‘I don’t think about her.’” Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House.
Fox News Poll: 59% of voters say ICE is too aggressive, up 10 points since July
While more than half of voters approve of the job President Donald Trump is doing on border security, a new Fox News survey finds a majority disapproves of how he is handling immigration and a growing number view the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency’s tactics as “too aggressive” — including significant portions of the president’s coalition. In addition, there is disagreement about how well ICE is carrying out its core mission. Twenty-nine percent of voters say ICE’s enforcement practices “almost always” reflect Trump’s pledge to focus on illegal immigrants with criminal records, 25% think that happens “most of the time,” 19% say “sometimes,” and 27% “not very often.” More Republicans (45%) than Democrats (17%) and independents (15%) think ICE is “almost always” keeping the pledge. At the same time, there is a backlash against the agency’s methods. Fifty-nine percent of voters characterize ICE as “too aggressive,” a 10-point increase since July 2025. This sentiment is increasingly defined by a shift in the center: the perception of ICE as too aggressive is up 14 points among Whites without a college degree, 19 points among moderates, and 22 points among independents. A similar shift is seen among right-leaning groups, including Trump voters (+9 more aggressive), Republican women (+14), and non-MAGA Republicans (+23). FOX NEWS POLL: VOTERS SAY GO SLOW ON AI DEVELOPMENT — BUT DON’T KNOW WHO SHOULD STEER When those saying ICE is too aggressive are asked to specify their concerns, they are more likely to point to tactics rather than targets: 44% say “using too much force,” while 23% say the agency is “targeting the wrong people.” Another 29% volunteer it’s both. FOX NEWS POLL: VIEWS ON THE YEAR ENDING ARE MERRIEST SINCE 2020 The survey was conducted from Friday through Monday (January 23-26); on Saturday, during a Minneapolis protest, federal agents fired shots that killed Alex Pretti. Border security remains Trump’s best issue, and currently the only one where he receives a net positive job rating: 52% of voters approve. That’s up 1 point from 51% in December, but down from a record high of 57% approval in September. Some 17% of Democrats approve of Trump on border security compared to 9% on immigration. Among Republicans, it’s 89% and 85% approval respectively. Forty-five percent of voters approve of the president’s job performance on immigration, while 55% disapprove. That’s unchanged since last month. His highest immigration approval was 48% in July 2025. In trends going back to early in Trump’s first term, only once has his disapproval rating on immigration been below 50% and that was 48% in April 2025. “This poll demonstrates something we’ve noted for a long time — border security and immigration are often distinct issues,” says Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who conducts the Fox News Poll with Democratic counterpart Chris Anderson. “Republicans in general, and the president in particular, are seen as effective when it comes to border security. But public sentiment is more complicated when it comes to handling immigrants in the U.S. illegally.” Currently, 44% approve of Trump’s overall job performance, while 56% disapprove — the same marks he received in December. Support for abolishing ICE has doubled since 2018, rising from 18% to 36%. Much of the increase comes from White voters (+20 points), women (+21), independents (+22), and Democrats (+34). Opposition to abolishing the agency held steady at 42%, while the share saying they are unsure dropped from 39% to 22%. Views are split on whether local governments should be required to collaborate with ICE: 49% favor requiring cooperation, 50% oppose it. The level of support for cooperation among Republicans (85%) is matched by opposition among Democrats (83%). Independents are against cooperation by a 30-point margin (34% favor, 64% oppose). CLICK HERE FOR CROSSTABS AND TOPLINE Conducted January 23-26, 2026, under the direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News survey includes interviews with a sample of 1,005 registered voters randomly selected from a national voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (106) and cellphones (645) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (254). Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points. Sampling error for results among subgroups is higher. In addition to sampling error, question wording and order can influence results. Weights are generally applied to age, race, education, and area variables to ensure the demographics are representative of the registered voter population. Sources for developing weight targets include the most recent American Community Survey, Fox News Voter Analysis, and voter file data. Fox News’ Victoria Balara contributed to this report.
Fox News Poll: Donald Trump starts 2026 with 44% approval
New year, same take. Voters say the economy is in bad shape, that President Donald Trump’s policies haven’t helped, that he isn’t spending enough time on the economy and that things are unlikely to get better this year. That’s according to a new Fox News survey released Wednesday. The poll finds a 54% majority thinks the country is worse off today than it was a year ago compared to 31% who say it is better off. That 23 percentage-point deficit comes from most Democrats (84%) and independents (71%) saying the U.S. is worse off and a smaller majority of Republicans saying the country is better off (61%). FOX NEWS POLL: VOTERS SAY GO SLOW ON AI DEVELOPMENT — BUT DON’T KNOW WHO SHOULD STEER On a personal level, only one quarter of voters say they are better off financially than they were a year ago, and more than 4 in 10 say the administration’s economic policies have hurt them, about twice the share who say they’ve been helped. Another 4 in 10 think the policies have had no effect. While the number who say they’ve been hurt by Trump’s policies is down 3 points since November, it’s up 22 points compared to his first term (in December 2018). Three in 10 give the economy positive ratings, but most, 7 in 10, say it is in bad shape. This is exactly how voters rated the economy last January. To top it off, more voters think the economy will get worse this year rather than better by a 13-point margin (45% worse vs. 32% better). That contrasts with views from a year ago when they were more likely to see the economy getting better by 2 points. Part of the shift is driven by fewer Republicans feeling optimistic now (58% vs. 63% a year ago). “The president faces two difficult obstacles — the virtually unanimous and intractable opposition of Democrats and the stubbornness of high prices,” says Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who helps conduct Fox News polls with Democrat Chris Anderson. “Republican officeholders think the economic benefits of the One Big Beautiful Bill will kick in later this year, which will be critical for GOP prospects in the midterm elections.” Approval of Trump’s overall job performance stands at 44%, unchanged since December. He receives 85% approval among all Republicans and 97% among Republicans who identify as MAGA supporters. Disapproval of the president is at or near all-time highs among White voters (54%), moderates (70%), and independents (78%). Trump’s current approval rating is the same as former President George W. Bush’s at this point in his second term (44%) and two points higher than former President Barack Obama’s (42%). Part of voter dissatisfaction comes from thinking the president is focused on the wrong things. About 4 in 10 say Trump is spending too much time on foreign policy and almost half feel the same about immigration and border security. By contrast, 7 in 10 think he is not spending enough time on the economy, including nearly half of Republicans and most Democrats and independents. FOX NEWS POLL: VIEWS ON THE YEAR ENDING ARE MERRIEST SINCE 2020 When asked to say in their own words what Trump’s top priority should be as president, voters are most likely to say the economy or prices. “Resigning” also comes in near the top, as that’s what the largest share of Democrats and many independents say should be his No. 1 task. Still, Democrats, Republicans and independents agree they want Trump to prioritize the economy over immigration and foreign policy. That contributes to the president’s ratings remaining low on inflation (35% approve), tariffs (37% approve) and the economy (40% approve). His marks are also underwater on healthcare (37% approve-62% disapprove) and immigration (45-55%), as well as foreign policy (39-61%), Greenland (31-67%), Russia (38-61%), Ukraine (40-59%), Iran (41-57%) and Venezuela (42-57%). Border security continues to be Trump’s only net positive job rating, as a majority of 52% approves. That’s about the same as it was in November (53%) and December (51%). However, it’s down from a high of 57% approval in September. Poll-pourri — Majorities oppose U.S. military intervention to affect regime change in Iran (59%) and Cuba (64%), and also oppose acquiring Greenland, whether by purchase (65%) or takeover (72%). — Opinion divided on using military force to bring Venezuelan President Maduro to the U.S. to face drug charges; 51% of voters approve vs. 48% disapprove. Approval stands at 72% among those who have served in the military. — Voters have a clear preference for checks and balances regarding military engagement, as 62% think the U.S. Congress should have the final say in authorizing any action, while 36% say that power should be with the president. Views among those who have served in the military are more closely divided: 52% say Congress should have the final say vs. 47% the president. — Military veterans have positive views of Trump’s foreign policy as a whole (+16 net approve), as well as on his handling of Venezuela (+21), Iran (+15), Ukraine (+10) and Russia (+2). — Fifty-five percent of voters say the U.S. position in the world is worse than it was a year ago, 30% think it’s better now, while 15% say it’s the same. Republicans (59% better), Trump voters (58%), and conservatives (54%) are the only groups with more than half saying the country’s position is better. CLICK HERE FOR CROSSTABS AND TOPLINE Conducted January 23-26, 2026, under the direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News survey includes interviews with a sample of 1,005 registered voters randomly selected from a national voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (106) and cellphones (645) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (254). Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points. Sampling error for results among subgroups is higher. In addition to sampling error, question wording and order can influence results.
Turning Point USA backs Trump Accounts program with ‘dollar-for-dollar match’ for eligible employee newborns
Turning Point USA and another nonprofit founded by Charlie Kirk will match the federal government’s $1,000 contribution to Trump Accounts, a program created with the intention of giving newborns a financial head start in life, for its employees. Erika Kirk, the CEO who leads the nonprofit that advocates for conservative causes, said Wednesday that TPUSA and Turning Point Action, a political advocacy group, would honor her late husband “through a company-sponsored dollar-for-dollar” match of the federal government’s $1,000 contribution established for every eligible employee’s newborn baby. “Charlie spoke so often about the importance of young families and having children, and his face would light up every time he learned about a Turning Point employee welcoming a newborn into their family,” she wrote on X. “We’re proud to stand with @POTUS in supporting families and investing in the future of America.” DELL FOUNDER SAYS $6.25B ‘TRUMP ACCOUNTS’ DONATION IS ‘SMARTEST INVESTMENT’ IN CHILDREN’S FUTURES Trump Accounts included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) are slated to launch on July 4. Under the terms of the program, every American child born between Jan. 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2028, will receive $1,000 from the U.S. Treasury. That money is then invested in the stock market by private firms, and the child can access the funds when they turn 18. “For the first time ever, we’re going to give every newborn American child a financial stake in the future, a head start in life and a fair shot at the American dream,” President Donald Trump said Wednesday at a Treasury Department event. TRUMP SAYS TARIFF-FUNDED DIVIDEND PAYMENTS FOR AMERICANS WILL BEGIN NEXT YEAR The accounts can be established by an authorized adult, who can be a parent, guardian, adult sibling or grandparent, as long as they have a valid Social Security number. However, a Social Security number is not required to make contributions of up to $5,000 annually. “Business leaders and philanthropists across the country are answering the President’s call to action by investing in America’s children via Trump Accounts. TPUSA, led by the wonderful Erika Kirk, continues to do what’s right for America by helping the next generation of Americans build wealth and realize the American Dream,” White House spokesperson Kush Desai told Fox News Digital. The accounts are an opportunity to give the next generation of Americans a nest egg and the proper financial footing once they grow into adulthood. He also called on employers to match Trump Account contributions. “Every president in modern history has left our children with nothing but debt,” Trump said. “But under this administration, we’re going to leave every child with real assets and a shot at financial freedom.” Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to federal pay dates to watch if there’s a partial government shutdown
There is an old trick which may help you divine the length of a prospective government shutdown. The signpost to watch is the pay schedule for federal workers. Let’s start with the basics. This potential partial shutdown would impact six areas of the government and hits 78 percent of all federal spending. It’s set to begin at 12:00:01 a.m. ET on Saturday, January 31. But since it’s over the weekend, some call this a “lapse in appropriations.” DEMS RELENT, SENATE SENDS $174B SPENDING PACKAGE TO TRUMP’S DESK AS SHUTDOWN LOOMS OVER DHS FUNDING For starters, that technicality of a “lapse in appropriations” is a shutdown by another name. But it does give lawmakers wiggle room to resolve the issue before 9 am ET on Monday, February 2. That’s when most federal workers return to the job. But the real barometer to watch is the federal paycheck schedule. The government last paid many federal workers on January 21. That was one day later than usual because of the Martin Luther King federal holiday. However, the next batch of checks is due to go out on Monday, February 2. This paycheck covers the work period running through Thursday, February 5. But the government cuts the checks on Monday, ahead of the completion of the pay period. CONGRESS ROLLS OUT $80B SPENDING BILL AS DEMS THREATEN DHS FUNDING AMID SHUTDOWN FEARS But, Fox is told that workers would at least receive a partial paycheck for work completed through Friday, January 30. That’s the last day that the government is funded. So those checks still go out on February 2. But they don’t cover work for next Monday through Thursday if there’s a lapse in appropriations. Any money dealing with expenditures beginning on January 31 is illegal. It’s a violation of the Antideficiency Act. The executive branch is spending money not appropriated by Congress. So the weekend gives lawmakers a bit of a breather to figure things out. And the next day to cut many federal checks doesn’t fall until Tuesday, February 17. That is one day later than usual because of Presidents’ Day on Monday, February 16. Missing any portion of a paycheck is not optimal. But the upside is that Congress and the executive branch have nearly three weeks to solve this before most federal workers miss an ENTIRE paycheck. However, there are some anomalies. Workers at the FAA (which includes air traffic controllers, but not TSA) are scheduled to be paid on Tuesday, February 3. Fox is told that FAA employees will receive a full paycheck. That’s because the FAA pay period ended on Saturday, January 24. Thus, that work was completed before the shutdown deadline and Congress appropriated money for that pay. Therefore, payment on February 3 is NOT a violation of the Antideficiency Act. That said, the next FAA pay period ends on February 7. Paychecks are due to be sent on February 17. FAA and air traffic controllers would receive a PARTIAL paycheck at that point. That’s because some work was performed prior to the shutdown. This scenario mirrors what happened during the fall shutdown. Air traffic controllers received some of their paycheck because of the staggered pay schedule. But that doesn’t diminish the paycheck PTSD from which many air traffic controllers and TSA employees suffer. They were asked to report to work during the last shutdown, doing stressful work for six weeks without getting paid. One wonders if there’s any goodwill left among those workers to show up on the job gratis since Congress and the executive branch still can’t get their acts together. SENATE DEMS REVOLT AGAINST DHS FUNDING BILL AMID MINNEAPOLIS CHAOS, HIKING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN RISK Lawmakers will watch these pay calendars closely if this gets to be a drawn-out fight. However, a minimal “partial” shutdown over the weekend provides lawmakers with a bit of cushion to find a solution. Fox is told that it’s unlikely that Republicans and Democrats achieve some sort of “breakthrough” on government funding before a likely failed test vote on the original spending bill tomorrow. Senate Democrats have now laid down their demands to rein in ICE. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., says Democrats insist on an end to roving patrols. They want a uniform code of conduct for ICE officers which is similar to local and state police. Finally, Democrats want masks off and body cameras on. After the prospective failed vote, things suddenly get real for everyone. The deadline looms and they don’t have a fix. However, the test vote gives Democrats the opportunity to put a “nay” vote on the scoreboard and show the other side – plus their progressive base – that they mean business when it comes to ICE. Congress only seems to work on a deadline. Finding an off-ramp before that 11:59:59 pm et deadline on Friday is tough. But the Senate often conducts some of its most productive business on Thursdays and Fridays – especially when staring at the specter of a weekend session. But the weekend – and the special payment schedules – give lawmakers some agility. In fact, one Democratic source told Fox that a weekend “lapse in appropriations” may help the party politically if they score the ICE reforms that Democrats want. Then they can demonstrate to their base just how far they are willing to push – again. Especially if they extract concessions from the White House. Schumer still wants Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to rip apart the six-bill spending package and treat DHS funding as a separate animal. Thune didn’t rule that out. But Thune made it clear that the “best path forward is to keep the package intact.” Thune noted that splitting the bill was challenging in the Senate. But even if the Senate is successful, the measure must return to the House – after the funding deadline. “Who knows what happens with it over there,” said Thune. Meantime, Lisa Desjardins of the PBS NewsHour asked Schumer if he was willing to “accept
Conservative icon rips teachers’ unions as schools turn into ‘propaganda agencies’
Conservative icon and academic Thomas Sowell unleashed on the current state of the education system, warning it has become a massive arm of “propaganda” with little incentive to improve as union power and friendly Democratic politics shield schools from accountability. “It’s failing to teach students how to think,” the 95-year-old economist and historian said in a podcast interview published Tuesday. “It’s failing to give them a background of knowledge of history. And it’s failing to allow them to express views that are different from what is being propagandized.” “These have become propaganda agencies, more so than educational institutions,” he added. Sowell joined the Hoover Institution’s podcast “Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson” in a more than hourlong interview that notably did not focus on Sowell’s economic expertise. Instead, it offered a sharp critique of the current education system, including reflecting on his own struggles as a youth in New York City schools before becoming one of the nation’s most treasured conservative minds. NEA INSIDER BLOWS WHISTLE ON ‘TOXIC’ CULTURE AND FAR-LEFT POLITICS INSIDE TEACHERS UNION: ‘IT’S A CULT’ Sowell’s core argument was that the education system is insulated from the kind of consequences that force correction in other arenas, such as private businesses facing punishment for poor performance with monetary losses. “Public school education, you have the almost inexhaustible amount of money from the taxpayers,” he said as to why school systems have failed students. “Private schools are becoming private more in name than in reality. They’re getting billions of dollars of taxpayers’ money and there’s very little following of what happens. So that they can keep on doing things that are wrong for generation after generation.” Basic math and reading scores among American students have been on a downward trajectory for years, with the COVID-19 pandemic and remote learning worsening the trends. Nearly half of high school seniors, for example, scored below basic in math and reading, according to the Nation’s Report Card data published in 2025. An EdChoice’s 2025 Schooling in America Survey found that 68% of Americans and 60% of parents believe K–12 education was on the wrong path. HOUSTON SCHOOL DISTRICT TRYING TO WOO PARENTS WHILE LOSING STUDENTS AMID SCHOOL CHOICE COMPETITION Sowell pointed to teachers’ unions as a major player keeping families trapped in a cycle of a failing education system. “Teachers’ unions collect billions of dollars in dues and then invest millions of dollars around the country to politicians who will protect the teachers’ unions from competition,” he said, agreeing with Robinson that the set-up is a “straightforward racket.” “We think of (schools) as noble places. Their goals are noble, but it’s amazing how many people will sell that down the river,” he said of unions. In Sowell’s 2020 book “Charter Schools and Their Enemies,” he found that charter schools are the clearest proof that the same kids, from the same neighborhoods, who are even taught in the same building, can post dramatically better results than students from traditional public schools. A charter school is a publicly funded institution that operates under a performance contract, giving it more independence over curricula and operations than traditional schools. Some Democrats, however, have stood in the way of promoting charter schools, which he said continues the cycle of promoting a failing U.S. school sytem beholden to the teachers’ unions. Sowell cited California as an example, pointing to a law he described as limiting charter schools’ ability to suspend or expel disruptive students. JOHNNY CAN’T READ — EVEN IN COLLEGE. I LEAD A UNIVERSITY AND IT’S TERRIFYING “That law can’t even offer a pretense of doing something that is educationally worthwhile,” he said. “It is doing something worthwhile to keep the charter schools from attracting more people out of the teachers’ union.” Democrats who oppose charter expansion often say charters pull students and funding from traditional district schools, weaken unionized teacher protections and raise alarms that they can operate with uneven oversight. Sowell’s critiques come as the nation celebrates National School Choice week. MAJOR CITY SCHOOL DISTRICTS LOSING STUDENTS AS PARENTS SEEK BETTER OPTIONS The Trump administration is currently pushing states to “opt in” to a new federal K-12 scholarship tax credit created under the Working Families Tax Cut Act, otherwise known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, warning families could miss out if their governors don’t take action. The tax credit is set to begin at the start of 2027. Taxpayers can get up to $1,700 back as a federal tax credit by donating that money to approved Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs) instead of sending it to Washington in income taxes. Those SGOs then turn the donations into K-12 scholarships and other education help families can use for a broad range of costs tied to public, private or charter schools. The Department of Education celebrated Monday that 23 states have so far opted in to a program the department called the “largest national expansion of education freedom in history and provides families with more affordable education options.”
Trump return to Iowa likely ahead of high-stakes midterms, GOP gubernatorial candidate says
President Donald Trump’s campaign blitz to help Republicans in the 2026 midterm elections will bring him back to Iowa just a few months before the November races, a Republican gubernatorial hopeful there said. Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, was one of several House Republicans traveling with the president during his latest stop in the Hawkeye State Tuesday, which Trump capped off with a rally-style speech in Clive in the late afternoon. The conservative Republican is also the frontrunner in the Republican gubernatorial primary there and is expected to face off against Democrat state official Rob Sand in November. SEN TIM SCOTT: REPUBLICANS JUST GETTING STARTED, BUT NEED TIME TO STOP RADICAL LEFTISTS “He’s coming back. So, we have the 250th anniversary. That’s going to be at the state fair. He’s come down for that. We’re going to have a big bash. It’s going to be exciting. That’s gonna be a big deal,” Feenstra told Fox News Digital Wednesday. “Hopefully, he comes back a few more times.” The Iowa State Fair will take place in Des Moines from Aug. 13-23, according to the event’s website. That’s roughly three months ahead of what’s expected to be a tough midterm season for Republicans across the country. History dictates that the president’s party normally suffers political setbacks during the election cycle two years after power changes hands. Meanwhile, Democrats across the country have fallen back into positioning Trump as a divisive political boogeyman. But Feenstra argued the opposite, saying Trump’s effort to stay active during the election cycle will “absolutely” benefit Republicans. TRUMP SAYS DEMOCRATS ARE ‘MEANER’ THAN REPUBLICANS, WARNS OF IMPEACHMENT IF GOP LOSES MIDTERMS “He carried Iowa by 13 points, and him engaging and stimulating the base — I mean, he turns out voters like nobody else. He had 77 million Americans that voted for him in the last election talking about making America great again. Now, he’s talking about lowering prices, making things more affordable,” Feenstra said. “He’s lowered the price on gas. He lowered the price on eggs. He’s lowered the price on a lot of pharmaceuticals. He’s lowered the price on healthcare. I mean, people are going to get the biggest refund they’ve ever had through … the Working Families Tax Cuts Act. These are all things that are really relatable to people. I think that will help turn people out.” Other House Republicans who traveled with Trump Tuesday were Reps. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, and Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, the latter of whom is running for U.S. Senate. Before the speech, they and Trump traveled to the Machine Shed, a restaurant near the rally venue, where they met with everyday Iowa voters. “They wanted their hats signed. They want their napkins signed. They wanted to talk to him about, you know, how things were, and what he has done over the last year has truly benefited them,” Feenstra said. “We had one gentleman pray with him, which I found very interesting. He just said, ‘Hey, Mr. President, will you pray with me?’ And they prayed together. So, it was just the Iowa way of life.”