DHS fires back after Dem lawmaker claims she was ‘pushed aside and pepper sprayed’ during ICE raid
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Friday pushed back against accusations from Arizona Democratic Rep. Adelita Grijalva, who claimed she was pepper sprayed during an immigration raid in Tucson. In a post on X, Grijalva said she was “pushed aside and pepper sprayed” after identifying herself as a member of Congress while seeking information from officers during a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) operation near the Taco Giro restaurant. “ICE just conducted a raid by Taco Giro in Tucson — a small mom-and-pop restaurant that has served our community for years,” Grijalva wrote. “When I presented myself as a Member of Congress asking for more information, I was pushed aside and pepper sprayed.” DHS ARRESTS DOZENS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WITHIN 24 HOURS OF LAUNCHING NEW ORLEANS OPERATION In a separate post, Grijalva called ICE a “lawless agency” that is “operating with no transparency, no accountability, and open disregard for basic due process.” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin swiftly fired back at Grijalva’s claims, saying she was never directly sprayed but merely in the “vicinity of someone who was.” “If her claims were true, this would be a medical marvel,” McLaughlin said. “But they’re not true. She wasn’t pepper sprayed. She was in the vicinity of someone who was pepper sprayed as they were obstructing and assaulting law enforcement.” THIRD AFGHAN NATIONAL FROM BIDEN-ERA PROGRAM ARRESTED IN A WEEK BY ICE AGENTS IN VIRGINIA: DHS McLaughlin also said two law enforcement officers were “seriously injured” during the incident. “In fact, 2 law enforcement officers were seriously injured by this mob that [Grijalva] joined,” she added. “Presenting oneself as a ‘member of Congress’ doesn’t give you the right to obstruct law enforcement. More information forthcoming.” The clash also prompted the Congressional Progressive Caucus — which includes nearly 100 Democratic lawmakers — to call for a congressional investigation. DEM-BACKED ‘DIGNITY’ BILL COULD STRIP ICE OF DETENTION POWERS, ERASE IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, CRITICS WARN Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., a deputy chair of the caucus, denounced the incident as a “disgusting display of violence” against Grijalva and warned that it reflects “a dangerous moment for American democracy.” The dispute unfolded a day after DHS announced it had rounded up at least a dozen criminal illegal immigrants — including “child sex offenders, domestic abusers, and violent gang members” — during Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis. “No matter when and where, ICE will find, arrest, and deport ALL criminal illegal aliens,” McLaughlin said. DHS and Grijalva did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman contributed to this report.
Texas AG Paxton sues EPIC City developers after probe finds alleged fraud, misleading Muslim-only marketing
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit on Friday against the East Plano Islamic Center (EPIC), Community Capital Partners (CCP) and several associated leaders, accusing them of running an illegal securities and land development scheme tied to a proposed 400-acre community known as “EPIC City.” The lawsuit, filed in Collin County, follows a monthslong investigation and a referral from the Texas State Securities Board. The state alleges the defendants raised tens of millions of dollars while violating securities laws, misleading investors about the project’s nature and location, and misrepresenting how funds would be used. “The leaders behind EPIC City have engaged in a radical plot to destroy hundreds of acres of beautiful Texas land and line their own pockets,” Paxton said. “I will relentlessly bring the full force of the law against anyone who thinks they can ignore the rules and hurt Texans.” According to the Verified Petition, CCP sold investment interests for $40,000 to $80,000, despite failing to register the securities or qualify for federal exemptions. MUSLIM DAD, SONS ALLEGEDLY DROWNED TEEN OVER ‘WESTERN’ LIFESTYLE, REFUSING TO WEAR HEADSCARF The state claims the group broadly solicited investors through meetings, social media and online promotions, which is activity not allowed under the exemptions they claimed. Investigators also allege the developers failed to take reasonable steps to verify purchasers were accredited investors, with documentation missing or inadequate for a number of buyers. The petition says the project was advertised as being “in the heart of Josephine, Texas,” even after the city told developers in February 2025 that the land was not within its limits or utility district. Marketing materials allegedly continued to make the claim. FEDERAL JUDGE ALLOWS TEXAS AG TO CHALLENGE HARRIS COUNTY BAIL REFORMS: ‘UNLEASHING CRIMINALS’ The state further points to alleged promotional materials that appeared to target Muslim buyers, including early website language and videos describing EPIC City as the “epicenter of Islam in North America.” Paxton’s office also alleges CEO Imran Chaudhary publicly promised he would take “not a cent” in salary, but later signed a contract paying him $360,000 a year through a separate company, a compensation arrangement not disclosed in written offering materials. Investigators allege more than $1 million in investor funds were withdrawn for general operating expenses, exceeding what offering documents described. Texas Securities Commissioner Travis Iles claims EPIC entities sold securities without meeting registration or exemption requirements and referred the matter to Paxton after identifying “flagrant” violations. Paxton first announced his investigation in March, and sought the referral in October after uncovering additional concerns. FEDERAL JUDGE RULES LAW REQUIRING DISPLAY OF TEN COMMANDMENTS IN TEXAS CLASSROOMS UNCONSTITUTIONAL Paxton is asking the court to halt all fundraising tied to the project, freeze assets, appoint a receiver, correct public statements and impose civil penalties of up to $20,000 per violation. The suit also seeks the return of investor funds. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP EPIC City, since rebranded as “The Meadow,” was marketed as a master-planned development spanning Hunt and Collin counties. Court filings show hundreds of investors purchased units. Fox News Digital has requested comment from EPIC, CCP and Paxton’s office. The full lawsuit can be read here.
Tim Walz slams Trump for calling Minnesota’s Somali community ‘garbage’: ‘Unprecedented’
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, criticized President Donald Trump on Thursday for describing the state’s Somali community as “garbage.” Walz said Trump’s statements of contempt for the state’s Somali community were “unprecedented for a United States president.” “We’ve got little children going to school today who their president called them garbage,” the blue state governor said. Minnesota has the largest Somali population in the country, with about 84,000 people in the Minneapolis and St. Paul area of Somali descent. Nearly 60% of Somalis in the state were born in the U.S., while 87% of the foreign-born Somalis are naturalized U.S. citizens. TREASURY SECRETARY LAUNCHES PROBE INTO MINNESOTA TAX DOLLARS ALLEGEDLY FUNDING AL-SHABAAB TERRORISTS Trump’s comments about Somalis in the state have intensified after the City Journal, a conservative news outlet, claimed last month that taxpayer dollars from defrauded government programs have been sent to the Somali militant group al-Shabab, an affiliate of al-Qaida. The alleged ringleader of the fraud scheme is white, but dozens of people in the Somali community have reportedly been involved. On Thanksgiving, Trump said Minnesota was “a hub of fraudulent money laundering activity” and that he was terminating Temporary Protected Status for Somalis in the state. On Tuesday, the president said at a Cabinet meeting that he did not want Somali immigrants to remain in the U.S. “We can go one way or the other, and we’re going to go the wrong way if we keep taking in garbage into our country,” he said. During the meeting, he also called Somalia-born Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., “garbage” and said Somalia “stinks.” On Wednesday, Trump said Minnesota had become a “hellhole” because of the Somali community. “Somalians should be out of here,” he told reporters. “They’ve destroyed our country.” The Trump administration launched immigration enforcement operations targeting migrants living among Minnesota’s Somali community. “Demonizing an entire group of people by their race and their ethnicity, a very group of people who contribute to the vitality — economic, cultural — of this state is something I was hoping we’d never have to see,” Walz told reporters during a briefing on the state’s budget. “This is on top of all the other vile comments.” Republican legislative leaders have been reluctant to condemn Trump’s remarks, although some did suggest he went too far. They also contended that the dispute would not have happened if Walz had acted more effectively to stop fraud in social service programs. ILHAN OMAR PRESSED TO EXPLAIN HOW FRAUD IN MINNESOTA GOT ‘SO OUT OF CONTROL’ “In no way do I believe any community is all bad. Just like I don’t believe any community is all good. What we need to do is call the fraudsters in any community accountable for their actions and stop it here in the state of Minnesota,” Republican Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, who is running for governor and hopes to secure Trump’s endorsement, told reporters. Republican state Sen. Eric Pratt, who is running for the congressional seat being vacated by Democrat U.S. Rep. Angie Craig, also would not defend the president’s comments. “It wasn’t said the way that I would have said it,” Pratt said. “But what I will say is, I share the president’s frustration in the amount of fraud and corruption that’s effectively gone on in the state. I mean, it’s really put a black eye on the state, and we are in the national news for all the wrong reasons.” Trump and Walz have repeatedly hurled insults at each other in the past, including the president hitting the Minnesota Democrat as “grossly incompetent,” a “mess” and “re—-ed” and the governor calling Trump a “wannabe dictator,” a “cruel man” and a “bad human being,” and ICE under the administration a “modern-day Gestapo.”
ICE operation in Minneapolis arrests seven ‘worst of the worst’ criminal illegal aliens
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) arrested seven more criminal illegal immigrants, including “pedophiles, gang members and drug traffickers” during Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Friday announced its latest “worst of the worst” list, with offenders coming from Somalia, Venezuela, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic and Guatemala. “Governor Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey protected these criminals at the expense of the safety of Americans,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. “President Trump and Secretary Noem have a clear message for criminal illegal aliens: LEAVE NOW. If you don’t, we will find you, arrest you, and deport you.” The arrests included Abdi Gelle Mohamed and Sahal Osman Shidane of Somalia, who DHS said were convicted of sexual abuse of a minor and sexual conduct of a victim aged 13–15 years old, respectively. ICE ARRESTS MULTIPLE AFGHAN NATIONALS WITH CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS RELEASED INTO US BY BIDEN-ERA PROGRAMS: DHS Mukhtar Mohamed Ali, also from Somalia, was convicted of robbery and domestic assault, the DHS said. DHS said Andriu Javier Padron-Chacare from Venezuela is a Tren de Aragua gang member convicted of theft who was previously deported. Job Catani Cardenas of Ecuador was convicted of domestic assault, and Humberto Disla Sarita of from the Dominican Republic was convicted of conspiracy to import at least 50 kilograms of cocaine, the DHS said. ICE NABS CHILD RAPISTS, GUN-TOTING ROBBERS AS ASSAULTS ON OFFICERS RISE 1,153% An illegal immigrant from Guatemala, Ernesto Vides-Cabrera, was convicted of driving under the influence and assault, according to DHS. The arrests came after DHS said Thursday it rounded up at least a dozen illegal immigrants in Minneapolis, including five Somali nationals, six from Mexico and one from El Salvador. The Justice Department also filed federal charges this week against Abdimahat Bille Mohamed, 28, a convicted sex offender in Minnesota who allegedly kidnapped and raped a woman he met on Snapchat in September. He had been sentenced in May in two unrelated sexual assault cases, but a judge allowed him to serve no prison time under a plea agreement. Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman contributed to this report.
FAA investigates airlines for potential flight cut compliance violations during government shutdown
The Federal Aviation Administration this week told airlines it will investigate whether they complied with orders from the Trump administration during the record-long government shutdown to cut flights. The orders came in November after the shutdown had been going for a month and airports were facing shortages of air traffic control workers. The emergency order affected 40 major airports in the U.S. and fluctuated between cuts of 3% to 6% for each airline before the shutdown ended on Nov. 12. NATION’S ‘MOST STRESSFUL’ AIRPORT CALLED OUT IN STUDY FOR POOR CHECK-IN TIMES, DEPARTURE DELAYS In a letter sent Monday to U.S. airlines, the FAA warned that they could face $75,000 fines for each flight over the allotted limit during the shutdown. Airlines have 30 days to prove they complied with the required cuts. Air traffic controllers, like most other government workers, weren’t paid during the 43-day shutdown, and many missed work, sparking safety concerns. The FAA lifted the restrictions Nov. 16, four days after the shutdown ended. Despite the shutdown still being in effect Nov. 14 — when 6% flight cuts were required — only 2% of flights were actually cut, according to Cirium, a flight analytics firm. The cuts also had a major financial impact on airlines, with Delta reporting that it lost $200 million between Nov. 7 and Nov. 16 when the order was in effect. More than 10,000 flights were canceled in the U.S. during the nine-day period. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump signs off on nationwide vaccine schedule review as CDC withdraws infant hep B guidance: ‘Fast track’
President Donald Trump ordered a sweeping federal review of every childhood vaccine recommendation in the United States Friday, just hours after a CDC advisory committee voted to end its long-standing guidance for infants to receive the hepatitis B vaccine at birth, calling the rule unnecessary for healthy newborns. “Today, the CDC Vaccine Committee made a very good decision to END their Hepatitis B Vaccine Recommendation for babies, the vast majority of whom are at NO RISK of Hepatitis B, a disease that is mostly transmitted sexually, or through dirty needles,” Trump wrote. The president also critiqued what he sees as a vaccine schedule that requires “far more than is necessary.” “The American Childhood Vaccine Schedule long required 72 “jabs,” for perfectly healthy babies, far more than any other Country in the World, and far more than is necessary,” the president added. “In fact, it is ridiculous! Many parents and scientists have been questioning the efficacy of this “schedule,” as have I!” GOP SENATOR CALLS CDC’S HEPATITIS B VACCINE CHANGE ‘A MISTAKE’ THAT WILL MAKE AMERICA SICKER Trump announced he signed a memo directing HHS to ‘fast track’ the current American vaccine schedule. “I have just signed a Presidential Memorandum directing the Department of Health and Human Services to “FAST TRACK” a comprehensive evaluation of Vaccine Schedules from other Countries around the World, and better align the U.S. Vaccine Schedule, so it is finally rooted in the Gold Standard of Science and COMMON SENSE!” Trump wrote. Trump closed his message by reiterating his support for his HHS Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., writing, “I am fully confident Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and the CDC, will get this done, quickly and correctly, for our Nation’s Children.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. This is a developing story, check back later for updates.
ICE arrests Azerbaijani national with multiple criminal convictions, including animal cruelty, arson
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced Friday agents arrested an illegal immigrant from Azerbaijan, who has multiple convictions for crimes, including cruelty to animals. Rafael Vladimirovi Sarkisyan of Azerbaijan was arrested by ICE Los Angeles Nov. 25 and will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings, according to officials. Sarkisyan was previously convicted of cruelty to animals, causing a structure fire and manufacturing a controlled substance, ICE wrote in a statement. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ACCUSED OF GRABBING ICE OFFICER’S TASER WHILE SHOUTING ‘ALLAHU AKBAR’ DURING ARREST It is unclear when he arrived in the country or where he entered. The U.S. Department of State issued a travel advisory May 21 advising U.S. travelers to exercise increased caution in Azerbaijan “due to terrorism.” FEDERAL AGENTS FORCED TO RETREAT ON SLASHED TIRES AFTER IMMIGRATION RAID CONFRONTATION IN SANCTUARY CITY “Terrorist groups continue to plan attacks and are a risk in Azerbaijan,” according to the advisory. “Terrorists may attack with little or no warning. They may target: Tourist locations; transportation centers (airports); markets and shopping malls; local government buildings; hotels, clubs and restaurants; places of worship; parks; major sporting and cultural events; educational institutions; and other public areas.” There are also concerns in the former Soviet-era Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast and surrounding territories due to landmines after armed hostilities in 2023. President Donald Trump was praised in August for a U.S.-brokered peace accord that ended three decades of war and hostility in the South Caucasus.
Melania Trump gives uplifting message about Santa to young kids at hospital
First lady Melania Trump met with young kids at Children’s National Hospital Friday, wishing them “a lot” of presents from Santa. “I’m sure Santa will visit all of you this Christmas and bring you a lot of toys,” the first lady told the nearly dozen patients between 4 and 11 years old gathered at the Washington, D.C.-area hospital. “I wish you all a very merry Christmas and Happy New Year. “I wish you a lot of strength and love“. Trump also spoke with each child in attendance after reading the book “How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney?” and visited other children in the hospital’s hematology and oncology wings. GUCCI HEIRESS LAUNCHES NEW ‘UNITY’ HANDBAG WITH PROCEEDS BENFITING MELANIA TRUMP’S ‘FOSTERING THE FUTURE’ Before she left, an excited little girl with a red bow in her hair ran up to Trump to give her a hug before shyly speaking with her for a minute. The first lady was also joined at the event by Santa and Mrs. Claus, and the hospital room was festively bedecked with Christmas trees and presents. The first lady brought her own gifts for the children, including Christmas ornaments that said “Be Best” on them, a reference to her public awareness campaign from her first term that focused on children’s well-being. FIRST LADY MELANIA TRUMP DECORATES THE WHITE HOUSE FOR CHRISTMAS: ‘HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS’ Santa also gifted Trump a coin that said “Believe” and “Merry Christmas.” Trump told the children that President Donald Trump “is sending love and best wishes as well.” “Visiting Children’s National during the Christmas season is a tradition I cherish, and I am grateful for the opportunity to return again this year,” she said before she left. “Spending time with these brave children and their families is a reminder of the strength, hope and love that define the holiday spirit. I want to thank the dedicated doctors, nurses and staff at Children’s National for the exceptional care they provide during the holiday season and every day.” The tradition of first ladies visiting children in hospitals during the Christmas season started with former President Harry Truman’s wife in the 1940s. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Capitol Hill revolt threatens Trump’s Venezuela playbook
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening … -Trump rewrites national security playbook as mass migration overtakes terrorism as top US threat -SCOTUS to review Trump order on birthright citizenship –Dem state election board under fire after ICE-arrested superintendent surfaces on voter rolls Congress wants to seize the reins and take greater control of U.S. military action in the Caribbean with the Trump administration’s strikes in the region’s waters coming under intense scrutiny. While some lawmakers have been questioning the legality of strikes the administration says aim to cut down on the flow of drugs into the U.S., the attacks have attracted heightened scrutiny amid revelations that U.S. forces conducted a second strike killing alleged drug smugglers on Sept. 2 after a first strike left survivors. Lawmakers have voiced concerns about the legality of that strike. From introducing new legislation restricting funds for the Trump administration’s operations in the region to urging the White House to release video footage of the second strike, there is mounting interest from Democrats and some Republicans to reassert their power to formally initiate military conflict…READ MORE. MAP WARS: Red state moves forward on Trump-backed push for new congressional map LUXURY FOR A CAUSE: Gucci heiress launches new Unity handbag with proceeds benefiting Melania Trump’s “Fostering the Future” NEW BLUEPRINT: Trump national security blueprint declares ‘era of mass migration is over,’ targets China’s rise VENEZUELA FLASHPOINT: Expert reveals what it would take for Trump to deploy troops to Venezuela: ‘Possibility of escalation’ HEALTH SHIFT: GOP unveils plan for Trump Health Freedom Accounts to replace Obamacare subsidies with state waivers ABORTION STANDOFF: Abortion restrictions create major roadblock for bipartisan Obamacare subsidy deal in Senate CRUISE TRAGEDY: FBI weighing state or federal charges against 16-year-old Anna Kepner in cruise ship homicide case: lawyer PIPE BOMB SHOCKWAVES: FBI director suggests “sheer incompetence” or “negligence” in Biden administration’s handling of pipe bomb case CONFESSION CLAIM: D.C. pipe bomb suspect admitted to planting the devices, expressed doubts about 2020 election outcome: source EPSTEIN FILES: Federal judge orders unsealing of Epstein case grand jury records MENENDEZ FALLOUT: Disgraced ex-Sen. Bob Menendez banned from holding any public office in New Jersey Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Dem-backed ‘dignity’ bill could strip ICE of detention powers, erase immigration enforcement, critics warn
After more than 120 House Democrats signed onto a bill from a top progressive lawmaker to seek what they define as “dignity” for federal immigration detainees, critics sounded the alarm that the legislation could forever transform how illegal immigrants are treated in the U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., is spearheading the Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act, along with fellow Evergreen State lawmaker Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee. They say it would curb the “shocking surge” of allegedly wrongful detentions and inappropriate conditions, particularly at jails run by private companies under government contract. Critics vociferously objected to that suggestion in exclusive comments to Fox News Digital Friday. “This legislation isn’t aimed at improving conditions for migrants navigating the U.S. immigration system. It would instead end the federal government’s ability to enforce immigration law entirely,” members of the Day 1 Alliance, the main trade association representing longtime federal and state contractors in the criminal justice and immigration spaces, warned. ICE SIT-IN ‘PHOTO OP’ BY MARYLAND DEMS BLASTED BY DHS CHIEF NOEM Day 1 Alliance members said that, for more than three decades, both Republican and Democratic congresses and administrations have respected the “limited yet valued” role their members play in working toward a better immigration enforcement system. The Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act would lead to the repeal of mandatory detention for those captured by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), according to a summary posted by Jayapal, and create a presumption of release, imposing a higher burden of proof to detain primary caregivers and “vulnerable populations.” It also would phase out the use of private detention centers, like those Day 1 Alliance members may work in or with, by about 2029. DEM CONGRESSWOMAN DENIES RHETORIC INCITED ANTI-ICE VIOLENCE, DOUBLES DOWN ON CONDEMNING AGENCY In apparent response to Democrats being iced out of ICE centers earlier in 2025, including a case in Newark, New Jersey, where Rep. LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., was accused of accosting officers, it also would mandate that the Department of Homeland Security admit members of Congress to detention facilities for unannounced inspections. Another case in Baltimore involved that city’s congressman, Democratic Rep. Kweisi Mfume, joining others downtown to protest to the press about not being allowed full access to the Charm City’s Department of Homeland Security installation. “Contractors operate under strict federal oversight and standards set by the U.S. Congress,” Day 1 Alliance members told Fox News Digital of the implications about the proposed changes. SENATE DEM DICK DURBIN ACCUSES TRUMP ADMIN OF ‘TERRORIZING PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES’ “They do not make arrests, do not decide the length of detention and play no role in determining the legal status of individuals in their care.” The members said contractors work to provide humane housing, proper meals and quality medical care for all in their ward. Jayapal said Thursday the Trump administration has caused a “shocking surge in the detention of people who have committed no crimes.” “As Trump has struck down legal pathways and made it nearly impossible to come to or stay in this country, even for those who have been here for decades, this will only continue to get worse,” Jayapal said. “We must pass this legislation to protect dignity and civil rights in America.” Smith added that the U.S. is witnessing “appalling conditions” and a “clear disregard for basic human rights” of detainees. “No one should be subjected to overcrowded cells, denied medical care or held in facilities that profit off of human suffering,” he said, echoing his Seattle neighbor in saying the bill would provide proper oversight. DHS SAYS FOUR HOUSE DEMOCRATS ‘CHOSE TO STAND WITH CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIENS’ AFTER VISITING ICE DETAINEE Homeland Security officials torched the new bill later Friday. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News Digital Jayapal’s claims of overcrowding, mistreatment and wrongful detention are “false.” “ICE has higher detention standards than most U.S. prisons that hold actual U.S. citizens,” she said. “It is a longstanding practice to provide comprehensive medical care from the moment an alien enters ICE custody,” she continued. “This includes medical, dental and mental health intake screening within 12 hours of arriving at each detention facility, a full health assessment within 14 days of entering ICE custody or arrival at a facility and access to medical appointments and 24-hour emergency care. This is the best healthcare many aliens have received in their entire lives. Meals are certified by” dietitians. McLaughlin added that ICE deaths in custody are at a rate of less than 1%, lower than any previous administration’s record. She praised House Speaker Mike Johnson’s “big, beautiful bill” as the facilitator of ICE improving detention conditions since President Donald Trump took office. “Ensuring the safety, security and well-being of individuals in our custody is a top priority at ICE,” she said A release from Jayapal’s office cited a figure of 66,000 people detained since Trump took office and claimed nearly three-quarters did not have any criminal convictions, an assertion immigration officials have rejected. There were 123 listed Democratic co-sponsors, including several lawmakers representing areas ICE and USBP have pinpointed for mass enforcement activities. Rep. Alma Adams of Charlotte; Troy Carter of New Orleans; Steve Cohen of Memphis, Tennessee; Jesus Garcia of Chicago; Robin Kelly of Chicago; Bennie Thompson of Jackson, Mississippi; and Sydney Kamlager-Dove and Ted Lieu of Los Angeles are all among the bill’s hundred-plus signatories. Fox News Digital reached out to Jayapal, Smith and the Department of Homeland Security for additional comment on the pushback.