Illegal immigrant learns fate after using stolen identity to vote in US elections for decades
Carlos Felipe Jaramillo-Grajales, a criminal illegal alien from Colombia, was recently sentenced to three years behind bars for identity theft and lying about his citizenship status — a falsification that, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), he used to participate in U.S. elections over a period spanning roughly 20 years. “Because of his fraud, he was able to obtain a driver’s license and vote in our elections,” DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in a statement. “DHS will always fight to protect the integrity of our elections, because election security is national security. Only Americans should be electing American leaders,” he continued. His Friday sentencing comes as lawmakers in Washington, D.C. have wrestled over whether new legislation is needed to shore up voter verification that demonstrates the lengths some aliens have gone to secure state ID. SCHUMER SAID ‘DEMOCRATS SUPPORT VOTER ID’ — THEN EVERY SENATE DEMOCRAT VOTED AGAINST GOP BILL It’s a pattern that Mullin highlighted in a letter to secretaries of state in California, New Jersey, Nevada and Pennsylvania earlier this year. According to his findings, as many as 190,830 noncitizens registered to vote in California, for instance. In Jaramillo-Grajales’ case, he first began the scheme by using the name, date of birth and Social Security number of a U.S. citizen to obtain a passport in March 2003. Once he had secured that credential, he used the false information to obtain a Florida driver’s license and register to vote. He would go on to cast a ballot in the 2020 election and others, according to DHS. Investigators also explained that he had used the stolen identity for other purposes. “This criminal illegal alien spent years exploiting a stolen identity of a United States citizen to obtain government documents [and] claim benefits,” Tim Hemker, a special agent with Homeland Security Investigations, said. CALIFORNIA ACCUSED OF BLOCKING FEDERAL VOTER ROLL AUDIT AS DOJ ESCALATES PROBE OF ELECTION FRAUD CLAIMS In one instance, Jaramillo-Grajales used his false name in June 2017 to secure lawful permanent residence for his fiancée, who later became his wife. DHS framed Jaramillo-Grajales’s conviction as a part of a broader effort to crack down on illegal aliens fabricating information to vote or secure U.S. benefits. The agency noted cases like that of Marian Chariton, an alien from Slovakia, who had illegally voted in the 2022 election in New Jersey after falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen. It similarly pointed to Jose Ceballos, an alien from Mexico who pleaded guilty to three counts of disorderly election for falsely claiming to be a citizen in Kansas. “Thanks to the hard work of the men and women of HSI, along with our federal partners, this criminal is out of our communities and, at the end of his sentence, will be removed from our country,” Mullin said. NONCITIZEN EX-KANSAS MAYOR PLEADS GUILTY TO ILLEGALLY VOTING MULTIPLE TIMES According to the Florida U.S. attorney’s office, Jaramillo-Grajales’ case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), and the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.
LA gun owners stuck waiting years for concealed carry permits score major DOJ victory
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) has slashed lengthy concealed carry permit delays after a Department of Justice (DOJ) lawsuit accused the agency of leaving thousands of applications in limbo and forcing some gun owners to wait nearly three years for action. The turnaround prompted the DOJ to end its landmark lawsuit against LASD, with federal officials announcing Thursday that the sheriff’s department is now meeting California‘s permitting deadlines after adding personnel and new processing software. The case put one of the nation’s largest law enforcement agencies at the center of the Trump administration’s push to enforce Second Amendment rights, with the DOJ calling the outcome a “huge win” for Los Angeles County residents and gun owners. INSIDE TRUMP’S UNPRECEDENTED BATTLE PLAN TO EXPAND SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS THROUGH JUSTICE DEPARTMENT The agreement marks the conclusion of a case the DOJ touted when it was filed in September 2025 as its first-ever affirmative lawsuit brought in support of gun owners’ Second Amendment rights. At the time of the lawsuit, applicants were waiting an average of more than nine months to receive decisions on their permits, the DOJ alleged. LASD has since “drastically” reduced those waits and is now complying with California’s statutory deadlines, the DOJ said. “The sheriff acknowledged the problem and devoted substantial additional resources, including new processing software and additional personnel, to cutting waiting times dramatically,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division said. “We applaud their efforts and are happy to be able to bring this litigation to a successful conclusion!” CIVIL LIBERTY ADVOCATES SUE BLUE STATE OVER ‘SHOW YOUR PAPERS’ GUN LAW The settlement caps a battle that began in March 2025, when the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division opened a pattern-or-practice investigation into whether the nation’s largest sheriff’s department was effectively denying residents their constitutional right to bear arms through excessive permitting delays. The DOJ said at the time that it had received numerous complaints about the department’s handling of concealed carry applications. Federal officials pointed to a court case in which applicants had faced waits of roughly 18 months. The investigation escalated into a federal lawsuit on Sept. 30, 2025. Federal prosecutors alleged that between January 2024 and March 2025, LASD received 3,982 applications for new concealed carry licenses but had approved just two as of May 2025. TRUMP’S PUSH FOR NATIONAL CONCEALED CARRY RECIPROCITY WOULD PROTECT GOOD GUYS WITH GUNS Approximately 2,768 applications remained pending, while another 1,210 had been withdrawn, according to the complaint. The federal government alleged applicants waited an average of 281 days before LASD took action on its applications, while the median delay was 372 days. Some applicants had waited as long as 1,030 days — nearly three years. California law requires licensing authorities to provide applicants with an initial approval or denial within 90 days. The DOJ argued those delays amounted to a “pattern or practice” of depriving people of their constitutional rights, alleging LASD was effectively forcing some applicants to abandon their efforts to obtain a permit. MARYLAND SYNAGOGUE SUES COUNTY OVER LAW RESTRICTING CONCEALED CARRY NEAR HOUSES OF WORSHIP “The Second Amendment protects the fundamental constitutional right of law-abiding citizens to bear arms,” former Attorney General Pam Bondi said when the lawsuit was filed. “Los Angeles County may not like that right, but the Constitution does not allow them to infringe upon it.” The federal action followed separate litigation brought by the California Rifle & Pistol Association, Gun Owners of America, Gun Owners of California, the Second Amendment Foundation and individual gun owners challenging California and local concealed carry restrictions. That case resulted in a preliminary injunction that included allowing qualifying non-California residents to apply for concealed carry permits. California subsequently changed its law to permit qualifying non-residents to apply, and LASD’s current application portal includes an option for out-of-state applicants. The DOJ’s case also came amid a broader effort by the Trump administration to use federal civil rights enforcement to protect Second Amendment rights. DOJ SUES DENVER OVER BAN ON ‘ASSAULT WEAPONS’ AS CITY’S DEM MAYOR SAYS IT ‘WILL NOT BE BULLIED’ The Civil Rights Division has since established a dedicated Second Amendment Section, which has pursued challenges involving firearms laws and permitting practices in several jurisdictions. Under the settlement announced Thursday, LASD will maintain procedures designed to ensure concealed carry applications are processed under objective standards and without lengthy delays. The DOJ credited Sheriff Robert Luna’s department with putting additional personnel and new technology toward eliminating the backlog. The DOJ said its Second Amendment Section will continue accepting complaints from current and prospective gun owners who believe state or local governments have infringed their right to keep or bear arms. Fox News Digital reached out to the LASD for comment, but did not immediately receive a response. Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.
Harvard, NYU among 30 universities hit with Pentagon foreign-tie audit deadline
The Pentagon on Monday ordered 30 American universities to conduct audits of their financial and research ties to foreign entities or risk losing federal research funding. The institutions must review the identified foreign collaborations and assess any exposure of “sensitive or export-controlled research.” “The Department of War has zero tolerance for academic partnerships that compromise our national security,” said Emil Michael, Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering. “Institutions that receive funding from American taxpayers must uphold the highest standards of research security, and these mandated audits will ensure accountability across the board.” According to a U.S. official, the schools subjected to the audit are: Georgetown University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of California, Berkeley, University of California, San Diego, University of Texas at Austin, Emory University, Harvard University, Oklahoma State University, Penn State University, University of California, Los Angeles, University of Cincinnati, University of Minnesota, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, University of South Carolina, University of Southern California, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Bryant University, Cornell University, Drake University, Duke University, Illinois Institute of Technology, Johns Hopkins University, New York University, Northeastern State University, Tahlequah (Oklahoma), Portland State University, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Stony Brook University, University of Delaware and University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. FOREIGN ROBOT BAN TARGETS CHINA OVER SECURITY FEARS The institutions must also implement plans to mitigate actions that violate national security protocols and, if necessary, terminate “problematic partnerships.” They are required to report their findings to the War Department by Aug. 31. Fox News Digital has reached out to the DOW and all 30 schools. “Universities are critical partners in executing a wide range of Department of War research programs, and the Department must therefore ensure that our research investments are well protected from foreign exploitation,” said Dr. Joseph Jewell, Assistant Secretary of War for Science and Technology. SCOPE OF CCP-BACKED CHINESE EXCHANGE PROGRAM INSIDE AMERICAN SCHOOLS UNCOVERED IN SWEEPING REPORT The audits target foreign entities named under Section 1286 of the Fiscal Year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act. The list identifies 130 academic and research institutions located in China, Russia, and Iran, which engage in “activities that increase the likelihood of U.S. government-funded research and development efforts being misappropriated.” A recent report said Harvard University failed to safeguard research collaborations with Chinese institutions, noting that researchers affiliated with the Ivy League school co-authored more than 140 publications with other researchers affiliated with a group of Chinese universities. Harvard also reportedly received more than $600 million from China under the federal Section 117 foreign-gift disclosure system—more than any other American university, according to the Education Department dashboard cited in the report from the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. LAWMAKERS RAISE ALARM OVER NEVILLE ROY SINGHAM’S $278M NETWORK SPREADING CCP PROPAGANDA IN THE U.S. China has used outputs from U.S. artificial intelligence models to train its defense capabilities, Reuters reported in July. In recent years, many universities and colleges across the United States have shut their doors to their China-tied Confucius Institutes amid concerns over the centers’ funding connection to Beijing. Lawmakers have also raised alarms over tech mogul Neville Roy Singham’s $278 million network accused of spreading Chinese Communist Party propaganda in the U.S. The self-described goal of the institutes is to offer instruction to students on Chinese language and culture. A 2023 watchdog report detailed the rapid decline of Confucius Institutes at American colleges, which dropped from approximately 100 to fewer than five in just four years. The primary drivers for the closures were federal funding limitations established by National Defense Authorization Acts and increasing government pressure.
Declassified FBI docs reveal Swalwell had sex with ‘Fang Fang’ multiple times
Disgraced former Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., admitted to FBI agents that he had “physical relations” with suspected Chinese intelligence operative Christine “Fang Fang” Fang on a “handful of occasions,” newly declassified FBI records show. The records, which were declassified by President Donald Trump and released by the White House Government Transparency Task Force Monday, detail two FBI interviews with Swalwell — one at an Oakland field office in May 2015 and another at the same location in March 2016 — conducted as part of a broader investigation examining Fang Fang’s involvement with illicit campaign contributions, funneling interns to Swalwell’s office and other activity. During the first interview, Swalwell told agents he had “physical relations” with Fang Fang on a “handful of occasions,” with their last physical encounter occurring in March 2015. Swalwell, meanwhile, joined Congress in 2013. In the second interview, Swalwell described multiple encounters, including one in which Fang Fang arrived at his apartment banging on his door and the two subsequently “hooked up” after Swalwell had taken a powerful sleep medication. The former congressman indicated he had little recollection of the event. The records indicated they “probably” occurred before Swalwell was elected to Congress. CUBA BUILT COVERT NETWORK INSIDE AMERICA THROUGH SPIES, ACTIVISTS AND UNIVERSITIES, STATE DEPT ALLEGES “FANG left after a couple hours. Swalwell barely remembers the event because he had taken Ambien prior to FANG arriving,” stated an interview summary from the FBI. Swalwell told investigators he considered his physical relationship with Fang Fang “casual,” while maintaining that the two “never dated” and “never had a romantic relationship.” He also told agents he believed Fang “may have wanted a more romantic relationship,” according to the 2015 interview summary. “Swalwell had a drink with Fang a couple weeks after they first met in 2012. He had physical relations with Fang on a handful of occasions, but never dated her or had a romantic relationship. March 2015 was the last time Swalwell had physical relations with Fang,” the documents say. “Swalwell considered their physical relationship to be casual, but believed that Fang may have wanted a more romantic relationship.” IRAN MINES US TROOPS’ SOCIAL MEDIA AS MILITARY CONSIDERS SEIZING CELLPHONES The documents, which were first reported on by Just the News, were declassified as part of the administration’s broader efforts to combat foreign threats to U.S. elections and other political systems. They provide a much more detailed look at Swalwell and Fang Fang’s relationship, which had remained publicly murky for years as Swalwell refused to say several times whether their interactions were sexual or romantic, and described the allegations as GOP attacks. Beyond the revelations about Swalwell’s intimate relationship with Fang Fang, the records show the FBI said financial records indicated Fang Fang used conduits to conceal herself as a prohibited foreign-national source and orchestrated conduit contributions to Swalwell’s campaign at least twice in 2013 and at least twice more in 2014. They also show Fang Fang referred prospective interns to Swalwell’s political operation. During his 2016 FBI interview, Swalwell told agents he viewed anyone Fang Fang put forward for an internship as coming through the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association, or APAPA, an organization with which Fang was reportedly connected. SCOPE OF CCP-BACKED CHINESE EXCHANGE PROGRAM INSIDE AMERICAN SCHOOLS UNCOVERED IN SWEEPING REPORT The internship referrals were one component of the FBI’s broader inquiry. An investigative memo said agents were examining allegations that Fang Fang facilitated access to Swalwell and internships in his congressional office in exchange for campaign contributions. However, the FBI ultimately said it did not find evidence that Swalwell committed federal corruption violations or participated in a quid-pro-quo scheme. Swalwell was removed as a subject of the investigation in 2017, but the bureau did indicate it found evidence that Fang Fang herself violated federal election laws involving foreign-national and conduit contributions. The declassified files revealed that the FBI had previously tried to cultivate Fang Fang as a confidential source under the codename “RUSTY THUMBS,” as agents suspected she had ties to China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS), including her parents who were reportedly considered known Chinese intelligence officers. Fang also repeatedly encouraged Swalwell to visit China, according to the records. During his 2016 FBI interview, Swalwell told agents that Fang “would generally mention that SWALWELL should go to CHINA,” and said she extended a China invitation to someone in his orbit at a November 2014 election-night party. By the time of that 2016 interview, Swalwell told agents he had cut off contact with Fang Fang after first meeting with the FBI about the matter. Agents had given him a defensive briefing in late April 2015 about foreign-intelligence targeting and specifically discussed Fang Fang and her connections. Fox News Digital reached out to Swalwell and his attorneys for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
El-Sayed aide likens GOP opponent’s campaign to ‘KKK cross burning’ over video with Ford pickup
A recent campaign video released by Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mike Rogers in Michigan left one of his opponent’s staffers feeling triggered. Rogers on Sunday released a video of himself riding shotgun in a red antique Ford pickup truck, which had two American flags affixed to the tailgate. The video shows Rogers smiling and waving from the passenger’s seat as the truck breezes down the road. Toby Keith’s “American Ride” accompanies the video. “Gotta love this American Ride! There’s no better way to do the Woodward Dream Cruise!” said a post from Rogers accompanying the video online. FOX NEWS POLL: A SENATE BATTLE LOOMS IN MICHIGAN But one staffer for Abdul El-Sayed, the far-left socialist-adjacent Democrat running against Rogers, did not find the bit of Americana to his liking. “Mike Rogers’ campaign has the aesthetics of a 1960s white flight suburb and a KKK cross burning,” Mason Pressler, who serves as a El-Sayed’s political manager in the northern part of Michigan, said on X. Rogers’ campaign seized on the post, accusing Pressler of thinking that “driving a Michigan-made Ford truck is akin to the KKK.” The campaign also added “Old Ford trucks” to its running list of things it says El-Sayed hates. El-Sayed’s communications director, Roxie Richner, explained to Fox News Digital that Pressler’s views are not representative of the campaign as a whole because Pressler’s X bio explicitly states that his posts are his own opinions. BIDEN-WORLD VETERAN ISSUES STARK WARNING ABOUT ABDUL EL-SAYED AS HE CROSSES PARTY LINES She did not return a follow-up request for further comment on the post from El-Sayed’s campaign aide. The Democratic candidate has been dogged for his particular brand of left-wing politics, even by some members of his own political party who believe he is too far left. El-Sayed during his campaign has campaigned and partied with socialist streamer Hasan Piker, who is known for saying “America deserved 9/11,” praising Mao Zedong and Communist China, arguing that capitalists should be murdered in the streets and spewing a litany of antisemitic comments. The far-left candidate also argued against the Second Amendment in videos discovered among the 100 he hid from public view from his YouTube channel. In an unearthed essay, he drew a parallel between President Donald Trump and Osama Bin Laden. MICHIGAN SENATE RACE: EL-SAYED’S TIES TO EXTREMIST FUEL ANTISEMITISM CONCERNS AMONG JEWISH VOTERS Fox News Digital previously reported that El-Sayed has received more than $100,000 in campaign cash from 41 people who work for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a designated a terrorist organization by the United Arab Emirates and formally designated or labeled as such in Florida and Texas. El-Sayed’s sister, Eman Abdelhadi, has also been revealed as a socialist University of Chicago professor who was arrested last year for allegedly spitting on a police officer during an anti-ICE protest outside the Broadview, Illinois immigrant detention facility. Fox News Digital’s Andrew Mark Miller and Kiera McDonald contributed to this report.
Trump meets teen lifeguard and boy saved in viral ocean rescue at Oval Office
President Donald Trump praised a teenage California lifeguard as a hero during a Monday meeting at the White House, after the 16-year-old rescued a 10-year-old boy in a viral ocean rescue. Trump met with Ryder Williams, 16, and his family, as well as Nathaniel Rai—who was swept into the ocean by a wave—and his family. The rescue drew national attention when it was captured on video. “It’s an honor to be with Ryder Williams,” Trump said in the Oval Office. “I understand he was a winner right from the time they first saw him as a lifeguard. He saved this young gentleman who I had a long talk with.” BEACH HERO JUMPS INTO THE WATER AFTER SPOTTING 3 GIRLS IN DANGER OF DROWNING Trump praised Williams, saying, “What you did was incredible and everybody saw it.” He said the teen was an inspiration for young Americans. Williams, a California State Parks lifeguard, was on duty when Rai was pulled into the water just before the July 25 rescue. Williams rushed to get ahold of the boy, who was being pounded by rough waves until another lifeguard came and helped pull them both to shore. The rescue went viral, catching the eye of Eric Trump, before President Trump issued a White House invitation to Williams. “In those dangerous moments that we have, we always try to fall back on our training,” Williams, who aspires to become a firefighter, told reporters. “We are trained so well by many to handle that situation as best we can.” MAN, WOMAN KILLED IN RIP CURRENT AS LIFEGUARD SHORTAGE LEAVES DANGER ZONES IN BEACH DESTINATION “I hope that everybody can take away from this and try to help more people. Try to look out for everybody around you and just try to help everybody out as much as you can,” he added. Nathaniel’s father, Sumit Rai, who was also in the Oval Office, thanked Williams, saying he’s “beyond grateful” for the rescue of his son. The teen’s action showed how important lifeguards are, Trump said. “Maybe lifeguards don’t get the credit they deserve,” he said.
House Democrat investigated over alleged ‘inappropriate sexual contact’ with staffer
The House Ethics Committee is investigating a sitting Democratic lawmaker over allegations of sexual misconduct. The committee, which acts as the House of Representatives’ internal watchdog, announced Monday that it is investigating Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., over allegations including “inappropriate sexual contact with a House staffer.” Gomez told Fox News Digital in a statement that he “made personal mistakes outside my marriage” but added that his extramarital relations were consensual and that he did not break any laws. He’s the latest House lawmaker to be accused of misconduct or harassment in relation to aides on Capitol Hill, an issue that’s rocked Congress and forced a new reckoning over rules of engagement for lawmakers in Washington. CAPITOL HILL SEX SCANDALS TRIGGER NEW PUSH TO REDRAW THE LINE FOR LAWMAKERS Gomez, who has been in Congress since 2017, is known as a founder and chair of the Congressional Dads Caucus. According to its website, the caucus was created to “ensure that dads step up at home and in the halls of Congress.” Gomez is a married father of one. He told Fox News Digital in a statement on the investigation, “Although my actions were consensual in nature and haven’t violated the law or House Ethics rules, that doesn’t diminish the impact that these mistakes have made on those I care about the most. I take full responsibility and have committed myself to working through the pain privately with my wife and family. I sought professional assistance to help re-center and heal my relationships and move forward with honesty, transparency, and respect. I continue to do this work. “I have and continue to sincerely apologize to my family, friends, and the people that I have the privilege to serve. I am deeply sorry to my wife for the pain and embarrassment that I have brought into our lives. Her sacrifices and support are central to my ability to serve, and I can only feel gratitude for her grace and strength,” Gomez said. He added that he would cooperate with the committee in its probe, but would not say anything further out of respect for his family and the investigatory process. More information was not immediately provided by the Ethics Committee, which typically operates in secrecy until it releases its final findings on a given matter. It did note that the allegations are not evidence of wrongdoing. REPUBLICAN LAWMAKER WELCOMES HOUSE ETHICS PROBE INTO SEXUAL MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS AGAINST HIM For example, the panel released an explosive report this summer that detailed sexual harassment accusations against Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C., targeting two young staffers who worked in his office. The committee recommended censuring Edwards, a form of punishment that’s largely symbolic with no practical effects. The resulting blowback, however, pushed Edwards to drop his re-election bid despite denying any wrongdoing. The New York Post reported earlier this year that Gomez was seen kissing a “much younger” congressional aide in the summer of 2023.
Mike Johnson taunts Hakeem Jeffries for losing Dems’ civil war ‘in his own backyard’
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is capitalizing on Democrats’ internal civil war as he crisscrosses the country in a bid to keep the House majority for Republicans in November. During a campaign stop in Virginia Beach on Monday, Johnson name-checked House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., as he described the wave of socialist-linked primary wins in Jeffries’ home state. “It’s a fascinating thing to see the Democrat Party, they’re in the midst of, now, an open civil war. Truly, they don’t know who they stand, what they stand for, or who stands with them. They don’t have a leader,” Johnson said. It comes after candidates linked to the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and endorsed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani toppled establishment-backed candidates, including two sitting House Democrats. JOHNSON TURNS DEMOCRATS’ SOCIALIST CIVIL WAR INTO NEW WEAPON FOR MIDTERMS “Hakeem Jeffries is the top leader, the Democrat leader in the House. But he lost his slate of candidates in his own backyard,” Johnson said. “Several weeks ago, you saw Mamdani endorsed a slate of radical far-left candidates, DSA-approved and endorsed candidates, and they all won. And one of those races was in the Bronx, in Hakeem Jeffries’ own backyard.” The specific race Johnson was referring to saw Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairman Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y., defeated by socialist Darializa Avila Chevalier in New York’s 13th Congressional District. The area spans parts of the Bronx and Upper Manhattan. In the 10th Congressional District, encompassing part of western Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan, former DSA member Brad Lander defeated Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y. SOCIALISM VS CAPITALISM: HOUSE DEMS CLASH OVER WHAT NY ELECTION RESULTS MEAN FOR PARTY Both incumbents were endorsed by Jeffries, as is usually the case. Both Chevalier and Lander were backed by Mamdani, himself a DSA member. Socialist Claire Valdez, also a Mamdani-backed candidate, won a Brooklyn- and Queens-area House seat being vacated by Rep. Nydia Velázquez. Jeffries did not endorse in that race, but it’s notable that Velázquez’s chosen successor lost. Jeffries’ own district sits entirely in Brooklyn. Despite that, however, neither Chevalier nor Valdez has publicly backed Jeffries to remain House Democrats’ leader. It’s a microcosm of the wider fight playing out across the country between the establishment party and a far-left insurgency. The war has proved to be a boon for Republicans who are facing an uphill battle to keep their razor-thin House majority. 100 DAY SPRINT TO THE MIDTERMS KICKS OFF AS REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS CLASH FOR CONTROL ACROSS THE COUNTRY Johnson, who was in Virginia campaigning for endangered House Republican Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Va., compared Democrats to a “rudderless ship.” “But the thing that is so, I think alarming — let me use that word, alarming, for the American people — is that you have open Marxists who are winning primaries in that party,” Johnson said before referencing the DSA’s own platform. HAKEEM JEFFRIES CONFRONTED ON ‘YOU’RE NEXT’ CHANTS FOLLOWING NY DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST VICTORIES “The challenge is coming from people who, you know, they put their platform out, they published it. They want to abolish the border. They want to abolish all prisons in America. They want to abolish the U.S. Senate. They want to remove the president. They want to expand the House and make it a unicameral governing body over the country. Why? Because they believe that over two or three cycles, they’ll be able to bring a wave of Marxists, communists into the Congress and take it over.” When reached for a response, a spokesperson for Jeffries referred Fox News Digital to an exchange between the House Democratic leader and NBC’s “Meet the Press” host Kristin Welker on Sunday. “I expect that there will be at least 220 members of the House Democratic Caucus when we take back the majority, if not a number much greater than that,” Jeffries said in response to a question about challengers from the left toppling incumbents. “We as House Democrats are committed to fighting for an affordable America every day, every week, every month until we solve this crisis.”
NYC drivers shell out $9 congestion toll. City admits it failed to improve air quality
A lofty New York City toll slapped on drivers in an effort to reduce congestion and improve air quality produced nearly no change in pollution after its first year, according to the city’s own analysis. The New York City Health Department’s report, released Friday, examined four traffic-related pollutants inside Manhattan’s Congestion Relief Zone since the $9 toll was implemented last year. Researchers found that the city’s overall pollution levels remained largely unchanged, with no statistically significant improvement attributable to the toll. Still, officials in the Big Apple touted the study as the city’s most comprehensive look at congestion pricing’s effect on air quality to date. MAMDANI’S AFFORDABILITY REVOLUTION STUMBLED AS RENT COSTS SOAR TO RECORD HIGHS They pointed to reduced traffic, public transit improvements, less traffic noise and other benefits as positive outcomes from the toll being implemented in January 2025. All similar things that New York Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul hailed in a June 2023 speech when she backed congestion pricing. Despite an 11% drop in traffic since implementation, the Health Department said vehicles account for only about 10% of the city’s pollution, meaning fewer cars alone is not expected to significantly improve overall air quality. Unlike many parts of the country, where cars and trucks are a major source of air pollution, New York City’s emissions come largely from other sources. The city’s dense concentration of buildings, which burn fuel for heat and hot water, along with emissions from restaurants and power plants that supply the most populated U.S. city with electricity, are reasons for its poor air quality. Findings in the recent report could backfire and provide fresh ammunition to critics who have blasted congestion pricing as an expensive burden on commuters, small businesses and working families in America’s largest city. The New York City Health Department and Hochul’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. MAMDANI’S RENT FREEZE, TAX HIKES A ‘ONE-TWO WEALTH DESTRUCTION PUNCH,’ ECONOMISTS WARN New York City’s congestion pricing toll applies to passenger vehicles entering the Congestion Relief Zone in Manhattan at or below 60th Street. The lofty $9 toll applies to E-ZPass users once a day during peak hours, which are weekdays from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., and weekends from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. All other off-peak hours require a $2.25 toll. Those who do not have E-ZPass could face toll-by-mail rates that are about 50% more than the typical charge. President Donald Trump and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy have been among the program’s most prominent opponents, with Duffy previously calling the toll a “slap in the face to working class Americans and small business owners.” The Trump administration also attempted to withdraw federal approval for the Biden-era program, but a federal judge ruled in March that the effort was unlawful. Following that ruling, Gov. Hochul called congestion pricing a “once-in-a-lifetime success story,” saying its first year brought “reduced gridlock, faster trips, safer streets, and cleaner air” while generating funding for mass transit upgrades. “Congestion pricing is legal, it works, and it is here to stay,” Hochul said in a March 3 statement. For now, the toll remains, traffic is down, but the city’s first-year data show no statistically significant improvement in air quality. Some online critics pounced on the findings, dragging up a 2023 speech where Hochul promised: “With congestion pricing New Yorkers have a lot to lose. How about 15 to 20% fewer vehicles in the central business district every single day? Less noise, less honking, less gridlock.” “How about less air pollution, lower carbon emissions, lower speeds, fewer crashes?” she went on. “I don’t mind losing that.” “Kathy Hochul’s congestion pricing did not significantly improve air quality in Manhattan like she promised it would. Who could’ve possibly seen this coming?” wrote the popular right-wing X account called Libs of TikTok. Another account noted: “Hochul looked right into the camera and swore this toll would scrub the air and let kids with asthma breathe easier. When they wrap a new tax in an environmental bow, the only thing that ever improves is the government’s balance sheet.”
ICE calls out ‘depraved freak’ illegal immigrant deported after heinous crime in Dem-run state
The Department of Homeland Security called out a “depraved freak” sex offender and illegal immigrant whom the agency said it recently deported after he abused his own daughter in Democrat-run Virginia Records from the Albemarle County Circuit Criminal Division show Mexican national Marcelo Vasquez Reyna was convicted in March after pleading guilty to a charge involving a parent violating a child between the ages of 15 and 17. The incident took place in 2018. He was sentenced to five years and six months in prison, with five years of the sentence suspended. Local outlet ABC 7 reported that Vasquez Reyna was arrested in March following his conviction. The outlet said he was also charged with attempted rape and abduction. In an X post, DHS wrote that “ICE has DEPORTED Marcelo Vasquez-Reyna, a depraved freak who sexually abused HIS OWN DAUGHTER.” ICE NABS ILLEGAL ALIENS CONVICTED OF CHILD SEX CRIMES AND METH TRAFFICKING IN NATIONWIDE ENFORCEMENT SWEEP The agency added that “criminals like this sicko have NO sanctuary in our nation.” The Daily Progress reported that Vasquez Reyna was repeatedly arrested on charges of groping his teenage daughter and attempting to rape her using force, causing her to live in fear of further attacks. The deportation comes as parts of Virginia have seen a series of violent and sexual crimes involving illegal immigrants. Fairfax County, north of Albemarle County, has seen several high-profile cases. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged a detainer in July asking Fairfax County officials not to release Nehemia Noel Fuentes-Banegas after DHS said he ambushed a Fairfax County police officer Tuesday. ICE LODGES DETAINER FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ACCUSED OF TRYING TO DISARM VIRGINIA POLICE OFFICER DHS said officers responded to a report of a man who left a home in Annandale following an argument while armed with two knives. As officers searched a wooded area, DHS said Fuentes-Banegas emerged from the brush, grabbed an officer’s gun and attempted to disarm him. Fairfax County police said one officer fired his service weapon while a second officer simultaneously deployed a department-issued Taser. Police said the bullet grazed Fuentes-Banegas’ shoulder. Another high-profile case involved Israel Flores Ortiz, an illegal immigrant who was 18 at the time and was accused of groping several underage girls at a Fairfax County high school. FIRST ON FOX: DOJ SUES SPANBERGER’S VIRGINIA OVER LAWS KNEECAPPING FEDERAL AGENTS AS MASK WAR ESCALATES SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger has faced criticism for her handling of illegal immigrant crime. On her first day in office, Spanberger rescinded an executive order by her predecessor, Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, directing state law enforcement agencies to assist federal immigration enforcement authorities. She also ordered state and local law enforcement agencies to terminate all 287(g) agreements with ICE and signed an order prohibiting ICE from using state property as a staging area, processing location or operations base for federal civil immigration enforcement activities. Fox News Digital reached out to Spanberger’s office, the Albemarle County Police Department and the Albemarle County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office for comment.