Civil rights groups file lawsuit seeking to block Texas law allowing cops to arrest illegal migrants
A coalition of civil rights groups filed a new lawsuit on Monday seeking to halt parts of a Texas law that would allow police officers in the Lone Star State to arrest migrants suspected of crossing into the U.S. across the U.S.-Mexico border illegally. The law is set to take effect next week after a federal appeals court vacated a lower court ruling last week that had prevented its enforcement since 2024. In that ruling, he appeals court vacated an injunction that had blocked the law, finding that the plaintiffs did not have standing to sue. Senate Bill 4 established a state-level crime for entering the country illegally and authorized state magistrates to order certain individuals to leave the country if they are convicted. Courts have long maintained that immigration enforcement has historically been treated as the responsibility of the federal government, but Texas Republicans attempted to challenge that precedent when they approved S.B. 4. TEXAS BILL REQUIRING SHERIFFS TO COLLABORATE WITH ICE GIVEN INITIAL APPROVAL BY STATE HOUSE The Texas Civil Rights Project, American Civil Liberties Union and ACLU of Texas argued that the law is unconstitutional, noting that immigration law is exclusively the responsibility of the federal government and that federal law should preempt the state law. The groups are attempting to block four provisions of S.B. 4 — the creation of a crime for re-entering the country illegally, even if a person has since obtained legal status such as a green card; granting state magistrates authority to issue deportation orders; the creation of a crime for failing to comply with a magistrate’s deportation orders; and the requirement that magistrates continue a prosecution even if a person has a pending immigration case under federal law, such as an asylum claim. “Our fight against S.B. 4 isn’t over until justice wins,” Kate Gibson Kumar, an attorney at the Texas Civil Rights Project, said in a statement. “S.B. 4 is not only unconstitutional, but a vile law that uses our Texas resources to harm communities across our state. The Texas Civil Rights Project will keep fighting to protect Texas communities from the wrath of S.B. 4.” Cody Wofsy, deputy director of the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, argued that S.B. 4 is “cruel and illegal,” adding that the groups “will keep fighting it until it is permanently struck down.” “Every court to have reached the merits of laws like S.B. 4 has found them to be unconstitutional,” he said. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. The law is scheduled to go into effect on May 15 unless another court takes action. “S.B. 4 would transform our police and judges into immigration agents — threatening neighbors who have families here, who have lived here for years, even those who have legal status,” said Adriana Piñon, legal director at the ACLU of Texas. “Immigration enforcement is exclusively the federal government’s arena, and no state has ever claimed the power Texas threatens to wield here. We are taking this back to court to defend our Texas communities.” TRUMP DOJ DROPS BIDEN-ERA CHALLENGE TO TEXAS BORDER SECURITY LAW Monday’s lawsuit is the latest legal challenge to the Texas law, which was passed by state lawmakers amid an uptick in migrant crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border during the Biden administration. Another lawsuit had been led by some of the same advocacy groups that filed Monday’s challenge. The Biden administration also initially sought to halt the law in 2024 before the Trump administration terminated the Department of Justice’s involvement in the lawsuit last year as part of the president’s mass deportation agenda.
Rudy Giuliani’s primary care provider gives update on his condition
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is breathing on his own after being taken off a ventilator, his doctor said, adding he has “9 lives” following a dramatic turnaround from a dire condition. Dr. Maria Ryan told Fox News correspondent Danamarie McNicholl that Giuliani began feeling ill after returning from a trip to Paris, with his breathing deteriorating to the point that he required hospitalization and was placed on a ventilator. Ryan said his condition turned critical, prompting a priest to be called to his bedside to perform last rites. By Tuesday, however, his condition had improved enough for doctors to remove him from the ventilator. He is now breathing independently and able to speak, though he remains in critical but stable condition. RUDY GIULIANI HELD IN CONTEMPT OF COURT IN 2020 ELECTION DEFAMATION CASE “He’s a fighter — the way he was yesterday in such a critical condition, he did have a priest come anoint him,” Ryan told Fox News. “And all the prayers from around — it’s like a miracle. This guy’s got 9 lives, today he’s doing much better.” Ryan said she expects Giuliani to make a full recovery. A spokesperson for Giuliani also pointed to his health history following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, when he was exposed to debris while responding at Ground Zero, later leading to a diagnosis of restrictive airway disease. BERNARD KERIK, FORMER NEW YORK POLICE COMMISSIONER AND 9/11 FIGURE, DIES AT 69 In a video shared on X, Ted Goodman said Giuliani is now “breathing on his own” and remains in “critical but stable condition.” “Mayor Rudy Giuliani is the ultimate fighter,” Goodman said. The update comes after Giuliani was hospitalized with severe breathing issues, prompting concern about his condition. His team had previously said he was in critical but stable condition. RUDY GIULIANI HOSPITALIZED IN CRITICAL BUT STABLE CONDITION: “HE’S FIGHTING” Giuliani, 81, has faced a number of health challenges in recent years but has remained active in public life. He previously made headlines after being seriously injured in a car crash in New Hampshire in August 2025. Authorities said the vehicle he was riding in was struck from behind on Interstate 93 in Manchester, leaving him with a fractured thoracic vertebrae, multiple lacerations and other injuries. Despite those setbacks, Giuliani returned to work and continued to appear publicly in the months that followed. Ryan said the latest improvement marks a turning point in his recovery, though doctors will continue to monitor his condition closely in the coming days. Fox News Digital’s Charles Creitz contributed to this report.
Video shows Dem candidate dodging Trump violence question as campaign issues response
New Jersey Democratic congressional candidate Rebecca Bennett walked away from questions about political violence against President Donald Trump in a video circulating online, as a person with her repeatedly told the questioner to “get a life.” The video was shared by the Libs of TikTok account and shows a man approaching Bennett and asking whether she condemns attempts to harm the president. Bennett does not respond and continues walking as a woman accompanying her addresses the questioner. “Excuse me, Mrs. Bennett, do you think that people should stop trying to kill the president?” the man is heard asking. As he continues, the woman accompanying Bennett can be heard attempting to drown him out by singing. REPUBLICANS CRITICIZE DEM CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE’S ’86 47′ POST AS CALL FOR ‘POLITICAL VIOLENCE’ “Oh my God. Dude, get a life. Get a life, dude,” the person says in the video. Bennett is then seen walking away and heading toward a vehicle, partially obscured at times by a blue sign, as the questioning continues. Bennett’s campaign told Fox News Digital that she “has and always will condemn political violence against President Trump.” PATRICIA HEATON URGES ‘FRIENDS ON THE LEFT’ TO TONE DOWN EXTREME RHETORIC AFTER WHCD SHOOTING The campaign also pointed to a post Bennett shared on X on April 26. “Last night’s attack at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner was an act of political violence, and I condemn it unequivocally,” Bennett wrote. “Political violence has no place in our democracy.” “I’m grateful to the Secret Service agents and law enforcement officers who responded with extraordinary courage, who acted immediately to neutralize the threat,” she added. “Their bravery kept hundreds of people safe last night, and I’m relieved that everyone went home to their families.” DEM IN TRUMP DISTRICT RACE SCRUBS SOCIAL MEDIA OF POSTS PRAISING PROGRESSIVES: ‘SCAM ARTIST’ “My thoughts are with everyone who was at the dinner last night.” The Navy veteran and current member of the Air National Guard made news last year as a Democrat running for Congress who positioned herself as a moderate in a bid to unseat sitting Republican Thomas Kean Jr. in a pro-Trump district. A Fox News Digital review of Bennett’s X account — created in July 2011 and converted from @BigRedBecks to @RebeccaForNJ07 — shows several deleted posts that appear to diverge from that “moderate” label, including praise for progressive Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren. “Love her,” Bennett wrote in a now-deleted post about Warren in 2019. Bennett also deleted posts praising former Vice President Kamala Harris after she was announced as then-former Vice President Joe Biden’s running mate in 2020. During the civil unrest that followed the death of George Floyd in 2020, Bennett wrote in a now-deleted post that she agreed with a comment from former Obama campaign strategist David Plouffe calling for investigations into law enforcement responses. Fox News Digital’s Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.
Florida GOP candidate reveals why ‘amazing’ fundraising haul and key Trump moves suggest midterm ‘optimism’
Scott Singer, the former Republican mayor of Boca Raton and a candidate for Congress in Florida, is touting a significant campaign fundraising haul while outlining to Fox News Digital the reasons why he believes there is reason for optimism for the GOP in November. Singer’s first-quarter fundraising numbers in the 2026 cycle showed him significantly outraising incumbent Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., by a nearly 3-to-1 margin, along with slightly more cash on hand, despite being a first-time candidate. As a result of Florida’s new redistricting push, Singer recently announced he will be running in the redrawn 25th congressional district, and it is unclear which district Moskowitz will decide to run in, but Singer tells Fox News Digital he is “very pleased” with the financial support he’s gotten from almost 3,600 contributors “We’re very pleased that we had an amazing fundraising quarter, one of the best of any Republican challenger in the nation,” Singer said. “I think it’s going well because people are really enthused about our candidacy. I think people are ready for change. They’re upset with the progress of Congress.” GOP LAWMAKER RALLIES AROUND TRUMP’S TAX-CUT CAMPAIGN AS COMPETITIVE 2026 HOUSE RACE LOOMS: ‘BIG ISSUE’ With most pundits predicting a tough time for Republicans in the upcoming midterms as they attempt to hold a razor-thin majority in the House and tight majority in the Senate along with historical headwinds, Singer says he sees “great reason for optimism” as he campaigns in his race. “We have a strong economy, the strongest we’ve had in years, record growth in GDP inflation before the latest blip, which is temporary because of the Iran conflict,” Singer explained. “Inflation was at the lowest level we had for years and voters understand that it was the one unchecked runaway inflation under President Biden that put us in this situation.” VOTERS SAY REPUBLICANS OUTDO DEMOCRATS ON THESE KEY ISSUES: FOX NEWS POLL Singer continued, “President Trump and the administration have done so much to bring prices down across the board, and cutting regulations will continue to do that. The biggest tax cut in American history is reaching American taxpayers right now, with huge refunds going to individuals and the average refund for 12 million small businesses of $7,000 and that was done with every Democrat in Congress voting against it.” Singer told Fox News Digital the GOP is now the “party of the middle” class thanks to tax-cutting policies for tips and overtime, and said he believes those “real benefits” will continue to take effect over the next year. “I think people are going to be more optimistic,” Singer said. “If you look at so many objective indicators and not the panic that some media outlets put out there, things are great and when you interview voters and ask them about policies, they lean more to the right. They support the Republican agenda. That’s why I feel very optimistic, and I think other candidates, if we focus on the agenda and less on what the media would have us buy into comments about personality, it really affects what we’re doing on paychecks and what we are doing on the border.” Republicans currently hold a razor-thin majority in the U.S. House of Representatives heading into the 2026 midterms, one of the narrowest controlling margins in nearly a century, with Democrats widely believed to be holding an edge, especially given the party in power historically sees losses in midterm elections. Aggressive redistricting by both parties in states across the country has complicated the situation even further. Democrats have been hammering President Trump and the Republican Party on high gas prices and the economy, and a spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee pushed back on the Republican agenda in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Florida Republicans knew they couldn’t win on their cost-raising, billionaire-first, wildly unpopular agenda that’s crushing working families and small businesses, which is why they’re desperate to gerrymander the maps and rig the midterms,” DCCC spokesperson Nebeyatt Betre said. “Any Republican who claims the GOP’s price-spiking policies are popular only proves the fact they have no idea what voters are feeling right now.”
GOP challenger Joe Kaufman to run in Florida’s 25th district; will face either Moskowitz or Wasserman Schultz
Joe Kaufman knows what it’s like to lose a close race in a historically Democratic District. In fact, in the 2024 election cycle, Kaufman ran in the closest congressional race in the state, narrowly losing in the 23rd district to incumbent Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., a two-term congressman who has sought to build a moderate profile. Florida has just completed its redistricting process, and this time around, Kaufman is confident that he can win, despite the Republicans facing headwinds. Kaufman confirmed to Fox News Digital that in 2026, he will be running in the new 25th district. Former Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer will also be running in the 25th district in the GOP primary. Moskowitz said on Monday that if he runs, it will be in the 25th District, while it appears that incumbent Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., who would be seeking her 12th term in Congress, is also weighing running in the same district. DEMOCRAT PRAISES STEVE SCALISE FOR QUICK ACTION DURING WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER SHOOTING Kaufman brings a battle-tested strategy and message to the race, on the heels of his near-victory in 2024: “Yes, we had 48% of the vote. It was the closest race in all of Florida and the highest percentage of any Republican to ever run for that seat. But back then, I got in very late in the game and this time around our numbers are much better, and we’ve been able to form those coalitions that we needed to last time. We’ve done that now, and I will win this seat this time.” Kaufman bills himself as a “terrorist hunter” and brings strong foreign policy credentials to the table. “I do counter-terrorism research, writing and lectures.” He says he’s been involved in “the shutdown of terrorist charities and the imprisonment of terror-related individuals. Recently, I led the shutdown of a pro-Hamas conference that was to take place in Coral Springs, and the organizers, including CAIR and the South Florida Muslim Federation, they were upset, so they sued me and the Marriott Corporation in federal court. They sued us not once, but twice and I’m proud to say that we won not once, but twice.” “He says in regard to foreign policy, “I’ve been very involved these past few years in what’s been taking place. 17 years ago, I was honored to co-found a group called Cyrus Force with his majesty, Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, who we believe is going to be soon to be a future leader of Iran.” Despite being a foreign policy hawk, Kaufman is opposed to putting troops on the ground in Iran. “No, I don’t support ground troops, at least not from the United States. I don’t want to see what took place in wars past happen here with seeing Americans come back in body bags. I feel the same way about our friends in Israel. “But there are third parties that want to get involved, and I say, give them the green light to do so. So, if there’s any ground troops…they shouldn’t be from America or Israel. It should be from these third parties.” Kaufman is a strong advocate for vocational training in high school, and a critic of the Affordable Care Act. “Well, for one thing, I support putting vocational training in all of the high schools in America. And it’s a project I want to initiate as a congressman. Too many kids today are staying home with their parents after they graduate high school. They need to have real job skills so they could make money, get out of their parents’ homes, be able to have their own families, and eventually, purchase their own house of their own. “Also, I don’t like the Affordable Care Act. It was never affordable. It’s been taking hundreds of billions of dollars in subsidies, thanks to the Democrats. And I think we need a new health care system that costs the American government less and costs the American taxpayer less and better quality. And I think we could have that without Obamacare.” OBAMACARE PREMIUMS SET TO SPIKE AGAIN AS BIDEN ADMINISTRATION FACES 2026 RATE HIKE PRESSURE Historically, the party of the incumbent president loses seats in midterm elections the vast majority of the time. In what is widely believed to be a difficult year ahead for Republicans, Kaufman acknowledges the current engagement in Iran and the lingering effects of Biden-era inflation as challenges. “Well, a lot of it has to do with the war overseas, but I believe that that’s going to be short term. I think that’s, that’s going to end soon. Also, with regards to inflation, we’re still dealing with the Biden years where Joe Biden initiated very heavy inflation for our country. “And thank you, President Trump, for doing the things that would bring inflation down. So I’m looking forward to low inflation, better affordability and very soon an end to the war, and results overseas that allow us to have peace in the Middle East and more peace in world.” Kaufman says the Democratic Party is fundamentally broken, and Republicans can win on messaging in 2026. “Well, the Democrats, they’ve allowed people, an untold amount of people, to cross our borders, some of which have been terrorists and members of terror cells. They’ve hurt the values in the United States. They’ve destroyed our healthcare system with an Affordable Care Act that was never affordable. They’ve done everything possible to destroy our nation, and we need to make that change.”
Woman objected to trans sex offender roommate — then she was sent back to prison, legal group says
FIRST ON FOX: A woman was allegedly sent back to a federal prison after objecting to rooming with a biological male sex offender at a Rhode Island halfway house, according to a public records request obtained by Fox News Digital. The conservative America First Legal asked the Bureau of Prisons on Monday in a public records request, obtained by Fox News Digital, for information about the re-incarceration of Sarah Cavanaugh, who had been serving out the remainder of her sentence at Houston House, a halfway house in Rhode Island operated by the nonprofit Community Resources for Justice. The request raised concerns about whether Bureau of Prisons contractors were complying with President Donald Trump’s day-one directive that agencies make sure biological men are not detained in women’s prisons, part of the administration’s broader effort to tighten policies surrounding transgender people. “Men should not share intimate spaces with women; this includes in our federal prisons,” Emily Percival, AFL senior counsel, said in a statement. “The BOP has a duty to provide for the safekeeping, care, and protection of federal inmates.” BLUE STATES CALLED OUT BY WOMEN’S GROUP FOR IGNORING RISKS POSED BY TRANSGENDER INMATES Percival accused the Bureau of Prisons of “[shirking its] duty when it allowed its contractor to send a woman back to prison after she raised concerns with sharing a room with a biological male convicted of a heinous sex crime.” Cavanaugh, who had been sentenced to about six years in prison in 2023 for a stolen valor conviction, was transferred to Houston House by the Bureau of Prisons after the agency determined she was a good candidate for the move. While there, Cavanaugh learned last August that she would be assigned a new roommate named Haley Lynn Rose, according to AFL’s records request. After searching the name online, Cavanaugh discovered the individual was named Anthony Ninfo, a male who pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography in 2024. Cavanaugh raised concerns with staff, expressing discomfort about sharing a room with a man convicted of a sex offense, AFL’s filing said. Staff told her to follow up with the facility’s management, but the following day she was instead given an accusatory incident report charging that she had violated conditions of being at the halfway house, according to AFL. The incident report said, according to AFL, that Cavanaugh created “a hostile environment for the [transgender felon], and [overstepped] boundaries by inquiring about the gender identity, genitalia, charges, and room assignment of another Houston House resident.” TRUMP IS RETURNING SANITY TO THE GENDER CONVERSATION The report stated that “asserting [sic] preferences regarding room assignments is inappropriate.” As a result of the incident, Cavanaugh’s placement at the halfway house was revoked, and she was returned to prison for six months, AFL said. The legal group wrote in its complaint that the alleged incident was at odds with Trump’s executive order titled “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government,” which states that only two sexes exist and that inmates must be separated by sex. The case comes amid ongoing legal challenges from civil rights groups over the implementation of Trump’s order. While some provisions have faced lawsuits, courts have allowed certain aspects affecting prison housing policies to move forward. Citing the Freedom of Information Act, AFL asked the Bureau of Prisons for records related to staff interactions with Cavanaugh, the incident report issued to her, actions taken against her, and the Bureau of Prisons’ contractual relationship with Houston House. The Bureau of Prisons said in a statement to Fox News Digital that it could not provide more information on Cavanaugh because of privacy reasons. “For privacy, safety, and security reasons, the BOP does not release information regarding the conditions of confinement for any incarcerated individual,” a BOP spokesperson said. “However, we can share that the BOP is committed to ensuring the safety and security of all individuals in our population, our employees, and the public. Humane treatment of the men and women in our custody is a top priority. The BOP is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity, impartiality, and professionalism in the operation of its facilities.” Fox News Digital reached out to the Houston House and Community Resources for Justice for comment.
Warren pushed ‘free and easy’ IRS filing system, but docs reveal what she used instead
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., didn’t use the free government tax-filing system she had spent years promoting when it became available in her state, records show. As far back as 2016, Warren pushed for a free IRS online tax preparation and filing service, a precursor to what became Direct File. The senator touted it as a way for taxpayers to save time and money. When Direct File launched a pilot program serving Massachusetts for the 2024 tax-filing season, however, Warren’s publicly released tax return indicated that she opted to use a private accountant instead. Warren was ineligible to use Direct File during the 2024 tax-filing season because she chose not to take the standard deduction that year. The standard deduction under the program is a restriction critics say illustrates why the program was too limited to serve many taxpayers. “The Direct File pilot program has been a huge win for taxpayers,” Warren said in April 2024. “This year, thousands of taxpayers saved hours of their time and the $150 typically spent on TurboTax and other junk filing fees — money that could be spent on groceries or rent … I’m excited to continue to work with the IRS and the Treasury Department to permanently extend and expand this free and easy tax filing solution for Americans.” HAWLEY, WARREN TEAM UP TO BACK TRUMP, CRACK DOWN ON DEFENSE CONTRACTOR PAYOUTS Warren has characterized herself as one of the top legislative architects of the Direct File system. “For years, Senator Warren has been the Direct File program’s biggest champion — yet her own tax returns show she hired a private accountant,” David Williams, president of the Taxpayer Protection Alliance (TPA), a right-of-center fiscal advocacy group, told Fox News Digital. “Direct File was ill-equipped to handle investment, property and interest income — limiting the tax credits and deductions Americans deserve. At its core, the government would not have any incentive — as the tax preparer, collector, and auditor — to maximize those deductions,” he added. The Trump administration moved to suspend Direct File in 2025, and the IRS later told states the program would not be available for the 2026 filing season. Even after her own return showed she used a private accountant and not Direct File for the 2024 tax-filing season, Warren continued to push for the system. On April 15, Tax Day 2026, Warren took a recently-introduced bill to the Senate floor seeking to revive the program. “Filing your taxes should be easy and free … Let’s save people time and money, and show the American people that government can work for them,” Warren said. SEN WARREN UNLOADS ON TRUMP’S FED NOMINEE KEVIN WARSH IN EXPLOSIVE HEARING SHOWDOWN Usage of the Direct File was low during the 2024 tax-filing season, with only 161,042 of the estimated 19 million eligible Americans submitting returns through it, according to an IRS report. Among those who did use the service, however, 90% rated their experience as “excellent” or “above average,” according to the IRS. Large majorities of respondents reported that Direct File was easy to use and had high quality customer service support. The TPA, however, says that 25% of Direct File users rated their experiences negatively, citing its analysis of user responses obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request. THE SIMPLE TAX HABIT THAT COULD SAVE YOU THOUSANDS OVER YOUR LIFETIME Critics of Direct File, such as conservative economist Stephen Moore, have argued that allowing the IRS, which has an incentive to maximize tax revenue, to prepare taxes for Americans creates a conflict of interest and that the program isn’t truly free, given its administrative costs. Proponents like the left-of-center advocacy group Public Citizen, meanwhile, argue that eliminating filing costs could save taxpayers billions of dollars per year at a relatively minor public expense. Firms such as Intuit and H&R Block lobbied aggressively to kill Direct File, which many believed would cut into their profits. Warren’s office did not respond to multiple requests for comment sent Monday.
Trump surgeon general pick sparks backlash, splits MAHA movement
President Donald Trump’s new nominee for surgeon general is exposing divisions in the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, the health-focused coalition elevated inside the administration by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “The new surgeon general nominee, Dr. Nicole Saphier, may have a great pro-life testimony, but she gets an F when it comes to all things MAHA,” said Turning Point USA health and wellness podcaster Alex Clark — a comment shared by other MAHA activists like Kelly Ryerson, an anti-pesticide advocate also known online as “Glyphosate Girl.” “DOGE the Surgeon General!!! We want medical freedom!!!! If not Casey – we take no one!” added Vani Hari, also known online as “Feed Babe” and a prominent figure inside the MAHA movement. She recently told The Atlantic that failing to confirm Means would “ruin the soul of MAHA.” TRUMP SURGEON GENERAL NOMINEE CONFIRMATION HEARING POSTPONED AS SHE GOES INTO LABOR After Trump’s initial pick for surgeon general, Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, was withdrawn in 2025, Trump selected Casey Means, a Stanford-trained physician, wellness author and entrepreneur, and vocal MAHA proponent who was close to Kennedy as he helped develop the Trump administration’s health agenda. Means’ nomination was withdrawn Thursday, and she was replaced with radiologist and former Fox News contributor Dr. Nicole Saphier amid a stalled confirmation process leading up to the eventual pivot. Trump announced that Means’ nomination would be withdrawn from his Truth Social platform Thursday and replaced with Saphier amid the stalled confirmation process, in part caused by Means’ pregnancy during the process and the need for extensive vetting, a source familiar with the nomination told Fox News Digital. Minutes before Trump announced the pivot to Saphier on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump called Means “a strong MAHA Warrior, at the recommendation of Secretary Kennedy, who understands the MAHA Movement better than anyone.” Kennedy also praised Means as news was coming down that she would be replaced by Saphier. Meanwhile, the pair also lambasted moderate U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., Chairman of the Senate’s powerful health committee in charge of getting the surgeon general nomination approved, for allegedly sabotaging Means’ nomination. RFK JR. ‘WRONG’ ABOUT VACCINATIONS, GOP SENATOR SAYS Delays and concerns about Means’ qualifications and views on vaccines, among other things, slowed down the process, until, according to a source familiar with the confirmation process, it was determined that not enough support would be garnered to secure Means’ appointment. Saphier has been described by Trump as “an INCREDIBLE COMMUNICATOR” who “will do great things for our Country,” and Kennedy has also publicly supported Saphier’s nomination. But MAHA activists became alarmed by the decision to withdraw Means’ nomination. Clark described Saphier as a “catastrophic mistake” at a time when the MAHA coalition is “very fragile.” “She is one of the most pro-vaccine advocates in medicine, even defending Hep B on the first day of life,” Clark wrote on X. “My position isn’t to replace Dr. Saphier. It’s to completely DOGE the Surgeon General role. If we don’t, we risk accelerating the loss of one of the most activated voting blocs the GOP is already watching slip away.” “Doge the SG!!!!” Hari said in a post on X Sunday, lamenting that the pivot is just “more of the same.” “We’re seeing a system that protects itself,” she added, according to The Washington Post. “A system that says it wants change but recoils the moment real change shows up.” REMOVING ONE FOOD INGREDIENT FROM YOUR HOME IS FIRST STEP TO ‘DOING MAHA,’ INFLUENCER SAYS “I am so proud of Casey, and the way she conducted herself during this process,” her brother, Calley Means, another early leader within the MAHA movement said on X before laying into Cassidy. “I am also proud to work for the Trump admin, who has marshaled the disruptive MAHA message and driven victories against dark forces personified by Bill Cassidy.” Fox News Digital reached out to Saphier for comment on the criticism that she is not skeptical enough of vaccines, but did not hear back. White House spokesperson Kush Desai said Saphier has been “an outspoken voice” against “intrusive COVID-19 mandates, the politicization of science, and the federal government’s role in America’s chronic disease epidemic.” “She will be a powerful asset … to deliver on every facet of (the president’s) MAHA agenda.” Others aligned with the MAHA world appeared less concerned with Means’ departure, such as the Independent Medical Alliance, which is anti-pesticide, promotes questions about vaccine efficacy and supported two of Kennedy’s picks for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s vaccine advisory panel. TRUMP FDA NOMINEE TURNS VACCINE QUESTION ON DEM, RECALLING CONTROVERSIAL BIDEN DECISION Dr. Joseph Varon, the group’s president and chief medical officer, said Saphier was “exactly who America needs,” describing her as “a real doctor, treating real patients, who has the spine to tell the truth even when it’s unpopular.” Dr. Robert Malone, a leading contrarian to COVID-19 vaccine mandates and lockdown measures and a supporter of the broader MAHA movement, described Saphier as “moderate-MAHA” in a blog on his Substack. Malone also attempted to assuage fears Saphier is too pro-vaccine. “This is the part MAHA readers care about most, and it is the part where Saphier’s record is most genuinely mixed,” Malone wrote on his blog. “She is pro-individual-vaccine on the merits. She is supportive of parental autonomy on schedule. She is critical of universal pediatric mandates absent benefit data. She is explicitly sympathetic to MAHA’s vaccine-safety-surveillance reform agenda,” he continued. “She is not, in any reading I can construct from the documentary record, an anti-vaccine voice in the medical-freedom register that, say, Children’s Health Defense operates in. She is also not, in any reading I can construct, a CDC-establishment-defending voice of the kind Cassidy is looking for.” Kennedy, known for being a vaccine skeptic, faced backlash when he attempted to make formal changes to the U.S. childhood vaccine schedule — changes ultimately blocked by the courts. Fox News Digital reached out to MAHA
DOJ sentences pair in $522M DNA testing fraud scheme after suspect tried to flee US
FIRST ON FOX: Two men were sentenced Monday for charges related to orchestrating a sprawling $522 million fraud scheme that targeted Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers — using kickbacks, fake medical orders and DNA samples collected from patients across the country. Reyad Salahaldeen, 57, of Buford, Georgia, was sentenced to 12 years and 7 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud. Mohamad Mustafa, 28, of Duluth, Georgia, was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to paying illegal health care kickbacks, according to the Justice Department. “Under the guise of health care, these two fraudsters attempted to steal more than half a billion dollars from taxpayers,” the Justice Department said. Federal prosecutors said the scheme led to roughly $84 million in payouts from Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers, highlighting the scale of fraud authorities say is draining taxpayer-funded health programs and driving a broader federal crackdown. JURY CONVICTS FORMER NFL PLAYER KEITH J GRAY IN $328 MILLION MEDICARE FRAUD SCHEME INVOLVING KICKBACKS The scheme relied on a network of marketers who targeted individuals — many covered by Medicare — and persuaded them to take genetic tests by promoting them as free or medically important screenings, including for cancer risk. Prosecutors said the tests were often not medically necessary and were ordered by medical providers who had not treated the patients and did not use the results in their care. That allowed the laboratories to bill government health programs for costly tests that would not otherwise have been approved, officials said. Both men were also ordered to pay substantial restitution. Salahaldeen was ordered to repay more than $84.5 million, while Mustafa must pay more than $64.3 million. Salahaldeen also was ordered to forfeit more than $3 million from bank accounts, along with a 2019 GMC Yukon and properties in Texas and Georgia. Mustafa was born in the United States, while Salahaldeen is a Palestinian national who became a lawful permanent resident in 2004, according to officials. The scheme ran from 2018 through August 2020 and used a network of marketers making telemarketing calls, door-to-door outreach and health fairs to collect DNA samples and insurance information from patients. Court documents say Salahaldeen controlled multiple laboratories across New Jersey, Georgia and Texas, including Express Diagnostics and BioConfirm Laboratories. Prosecutors said marketers were paid illegal kickbacks to obtain genetic testing orders from medical providers who had not treated the patients and did not use the results in care. Authorities said Salahaldeen falsified requisition forms, letters of medical necessity and other records to make the tests appear legitimate. MAN CHARGED IN $90M MEDICARE FRAUD SCHEME; DOJ SAYS SUSPECT MAY HAVE ENTERED US ILLEGALLY Mustafa, who co-controlled some of the laboratories, helped carry out the scheme by paying kickbacks and creating sham contracts and invoices to disguise illegal payments as legitimate marketing services. In total, the labs billed roughly $522 million in fraudulent claims. Government health programs and private insurers paid out approximately $84 million, officials said. Authorities said Salahaldeen attempted to evade arrest after learning of the charges, traveling from North Carolina to Texas and attempting to cross into Mexico using another person’s identification before being apprehended at the border. A TIMELINE OF THE ‘LARGEST COVID-19 FRAUD SCHEME’ IN THE UNITED STATE Federal officials say many of the largest schemes are no longer isolated — but driven by organized networks coordinating across multiple states. Authorities have pointed to major cases in recent years, including a COVID-19 pandemic-era fraud scheme in Minnesota that prosecutors allege siphoned more than $240 million in federal funds meant to feed children. That case, known as Feeding Our Future, has led to dozens of charges and sentences of up to 28 years in prison. Prosecutors say the scheme relied on shell nonprofits, fake meal counts and falsified records — tactics similar to those used in the genetic testing fraud case. The case is part of a broader federal crackdown on health care fraud. Eleven additional co-conspirators — including marketers, nurse practitioners and doctors — already have been sentenced, receiving penalties ranging from probation to nearly four years in prison. Justice Department officials said the case reflects an intensified push to combat fraud under Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, chaired by Vice President JD Vance. Since 2007, the DOJ’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program has charged more than 6,200 defendants responsible for over $45 billion in fraudulent billing, according to the department. Attorney information for Salahaldeen and Mustafa was not immediately available.
FIRST ON FOX: Powerful House Ways and Means chair throws hammer down on ‘foreign-aligned influence network’
FIRST ON FOX: Congress’s powerful Ways and Means Committee is expanding its investigation into an alleged “foreign-aligned influence network” that happened to be at the heart of the anti-American, pro-communist protests unleashed on the country’s streets on May Day. Just after 1 p.m. on Friday, a black minivan pulled up to the curb on Union Square East in Lower Manhattan, and David Chung, organizing director of a national nonprofit, the People’s Forum, started quickly unpacking megaphones and bright yellow pre-made protest signs, including the message, “TRUMP IS THE SYMPTOM. CAPITALISM IS THE DISEASE. SOCIALISM IS THE CURE!” Below the denunciation of the U.S. free enterprise system was the name “PARTY FOR SOCIALISM AND LIBERATION,” a self-declared Marxist communist group that worked closely with the People’s Forum as part of a network of 600 groups with $2 billion in collective funding behind protests on May 1, known as May Day. The scene repeated itself in cities across the country, with foot soldiers from the Party for Socialism and Liberation’s Washington, D.C., chapter among the first to arrive for May Day protests, pulling identical bright yellow pre-made signs out of a black Subaru Outback parked on 21st Street NW. 600 GROUPS WITH $2B IN REVENUE MOBILIZE 3,000 MAY DAY PROTESTS IN A ‘RED-BLUE’ ALLIANCE, PROBE FINDS Fox News Digital has now learned that House Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith is escalating an investigation into an alleged malign influence of Neville Roy Singham, an American-born Marxist tech tycoon living in Shanghai, funding the People’s Forum and two other pro-communist, pro-China nonprofits headquartered in the U.S., BreakThrough BT Media Inc. and Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research, which regularly publish pro-China propaganda criticizing the U.S. as the “belly of the beast” and an “imperialist” power. On Monday, Smith sent letters, obtained by Fox News Digital, to the three groups, raising “significant concerns” about “foreign influence or control” in the U.S. and the “financing arrangements and the structure of a foreign-aligned influence network, not protected speech or association.” According to a Fox News Digital investigation published into the so-called “House of Singham,” the wealthy tech mogul has pumped a documented $278 million into a network of nonprofits, including the three groups, since 2017, pressing anti-American, pro-communist ideology in the U.S. and globally. Smith repeatedly describes the three groups as part of an “interconnected network of organizations,” telling each nonprofit, “The Committee is considering whether legislative or regulatory reform is necessary to ensure that tax-exempt status is not used to facilitate or obscure foreign influence across an interconnected network of organizations.” POWER COUPLE OF CHAOS: HOW A TYCOON AND ACTIVIST BUILT A ‘REVOLUTIONARY BASE’ AT THE HOUSE OF SINGHAM While the congressional investigation isn’t a direct response to the May Day protests, the deepening investigation reveals a wider concern among lawmakers and Trump administration officials in the Treasury, Justice and State departments. They tell Fox News Digital they are concerned that overseas interests are exploiting U.S. nonprofit laws to create an infrastructure and industry that asserts “foreign malign influence” in the U.S., operating through tax-exempt organizations, donor-advised funds, shell companies, fiscal sponsorships and media platforms. In his letter to the People’s Forum, Smith alleged that Singham and his wife, CodePink co-founder Jodie Evans, had funneled money into groups “through shell companies and donor-advised funds that, by design, obscure the true source of contributions.” REVOLUTIONARY TOURISM: INSIDE THE $600M MARRIAGE OF DARK MONEY AND FAR-LEFT AGITPROP The Missouri Republican lawmaker has ordered each organization to turn over internal documents related to the investigation by May 18, including communications with Singham, records of foreign-linked donations exceeding $5,000, contracts tied to fiscal sponsorship arrangements, communications with foreign principals and lists of grant recipients located outside the U.S. The letters to the People’s Forum, BreakThrough and Tricontinental reveal a congressional strategy in which lawmakers on the Senate Judiciary Committee, the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Oversight Committee have been trying to use their jurisdiction over tax-exempt organizations to examine whether nonprofit law is equipped to deal with the infrastructure that influence-peddlers allegedly build to bankroll activism, amplify propaganda and influence elections. At a hearing earlier this year into the role of malign foreign influence in the U.S., Smith rebuked the groups for “sowing discord” in the country. Smith’s letters also show the common defense mounted by the groups, whose lawyers argue that the inquiry is political, exceeds the committee’s jurisdiction, improperly invokes the Foreign Agents Registration Act, called FARA, and threatens First Amendment rights. Smith rejected those arguments, writing that “none of those challenges withstands scrutiny.” TOP GOP SENATOR CALLS OUT CODE PINK, THE PEOPLE’S FORUM ALLEGEDLY PUSHING CCP PROPAGANDA IN US According to the letters, Washington, D.C., attorney Andrew Herman is representing BreakThrough and Tricontinental, along with Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, executive director of the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund, a far-left 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Washington, D.C., that is also representing the People’s Forum. Herman and Verheyden-Hilliard didn’t respond to requests for comment. According to digital records, the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund shares the same address at a Florida Avenue NW townhouse that is used by the ANSWER Coalition, a self-described communist group that also operates out of the People’s Forum headquarters on W. 37th Street in Midtown Manhattan. When approached outside the People’s Forum in late January, People’s Forum Executive Director Manolo De Los Santos, ANSWER Coalition and Party for Socialism and Liberation co-founder Brian Becker and BreakThrough editor-in-chief Ben Becker refused to answer questions about Singham’s funding to their groups. De Los Santos is a researcher at Tricontinental. MAY DAY DEMONSTRATIONS EXPECTED TO DRAW THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AS LEFT-WINGERS PROTEST ‘BILLIONAIRES’ At the center of the congressional investigation is the influence of Singham. In 2017, Singham sold Thoughtworks, a company that he established, to a private equity firm, Apax Partners, for an estimated $785 million. He then used cash from the sale to build a network of nonprofits that promulgates anti-American Marxist ideology. A spokeswoman for Apax Partners told Fox News Digital that