Trump administration proposes six-figure price tag for new H-1B visas
The Trump administration unveiled a proposal on Monday to codify an unprecedented fee of more than $100,000 for cap-subject H-1B petitions for highly skilled foreign workers, replacing a charge first imposed by presidential proclamation last year that has thus far been blocked by a federal court. The Department of Homeland Security’s proposed rule would charge $103,265 as an additional fee for every H-1B petition subject to the annual statutory cap, including petitions eligible for the advanced-degree exemption. The worker visas are heavily relied on in the tech, education and research industries. The fee would be used to cover the federal government’s costs of administering the legal immigration system, including actions carried out by DHS and the Department of Justice, Department of State and Department of Labor. FEDERAL JUDGE STRIKES DOWN TRUMP’S $100K H-1B VISA FEE, RULING IT AN UNCONSTITUTIONAL TAX “The proposed H‑1B fee is intended to recover the costs incurred across the federal government to adjudicate, vet, and support lawful immigration programs that otherwise must be funded by taxpayers,” U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services spokesperson Zach Kahler said in a news release. The fee, which was first temporarily imposed by President Donald Trump’s administration last year, was blocked by a federal judge in June in an order that barred the federal government from collecting the money. An appeals court is reviewing the judge’s decision while a different court considers whether a challenge to the fee by a major business group was properly rejected. The temporary fee increase expires next month, one year after it was issued. The proposed rule by DHS was posted for public inspection Monday and is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on Tuesday. It would make the $103,265 fee permanent. The charge could be finalized by the end of the year. The H-1B program allows U.S. employers to hire foreign workers with training in specialty occupations, with 65,000 of these visas offered annually under the regular cap. Another 20,000 are offered for workers with a master’s degree or higher from a U.S. institution, generally granted for up to three years but typically extendable to a total of six years. Those visas typically came with fees between $2,000 and $5,000 before Trump’s order, according to Reuters. The proposed fee would apply to all cap-subject H-1B petitions, including petitions filed for some foreign students already in the United States seeking to change to H-1B status. It would not apply to cap-exempt H-1B petitions; routine extensions for current H-1B holders generally are not subject to the annual cap. Trump has argued that the H-1B program is abused by many companies who replace American workers with cheaper foreign labor. But business groups and many U.S. companies have contended that the program is needed to address a lack of qualified American workers for certain jobs and to allow American firms to bring in the most skilled workers to support the U.S. economy. According to court filings, about 70 employers had paid the $100,000 fee on a total of 85 visa applications as of late February. FEDERAL JUDGE BLASTS RUBIO’S 75-COUNTRY VISA FREEZE AS ‘ORWELLIAN,’ STRIKES DOWN POLICY The fee is being challenged by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce of Democratic-led states and a coalition of labor unions and employers. Those complaints could be altered to challenge the rule proposed this week once it is finalized. The Trump administration has also ordered increased vetting of H-1B applicants and proposed a new visa selection process that would favor higher-skilled and better-paid workers. Earlier this month, DHS added fees of up to $4,500 to applications to extend the stay of H-1B workers or to transfer employees based in other countries to the U.S. Reuters contributed to this report.
Trump admin eyes historic mass visa revocation targeting up to 200K asylum seekers: report
The Trump administration is reportedly preparing to revoke business and tourist visas held by as many as 200,000 foreigners who have applied for asylum in the U.S. The State Department is expected to announce the sweeping action in the coming weeks, The Associated Press reported, citing internal documents and two U.S. officials. The effort would target B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 to foreigners who later sought asylum. If carried out, the move would mark the largest mass visa revocation in U.S. history and could face legal challenges, according to the outlet. FOREIGN DRUNK DRIVERS COULD FACE SWIFT BOOT OUT OF COUNTRY UNDER TRUMP’S ‘AMERICA FIRST’ CRACKDOWN “We are coordinating with DHS to identify and revoke the nonimmigrant visas of foreigners who have come to the United States claiming to be short-term visitors, but then file for asylum to stay here permanently,” State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said in a statement. Pigott did not confirm how many people could be affected, saying the revocations would occur on a “rolling basis” and the total remained “dynamic,” according to the AP. The move would not automatically lead to immediate deportations. Foreigners with pending asylum cases would generally be reclassified but would lose their status as business or tourist travelers, officials told the AP. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ORDERS GREEN CARD APPLICANTS TO LEAVE THE US, APPLY FROM THEIR HOME COUNTRIES Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said Monday that asylum should not be used to bypass immigration laws. “People in the US and all over the world are fed up with bogus asylum claims,” Landau wrote on X. “Asylum isn’t supposed to be a loophole to circumvent immigration law.” TRUMP TELLS FOREIGN STUDENTS: OVERSTAY YOUR VISA, FACE THE CONSEQUENCES B1 visas are typically issued for business travel, while B2 visas cover tourism, family visits and medical care. Currently, applicants must demonstrate that they plan to return to their home countries. The potential revocations come as the Trump administration cracks down on what it considers abuse of the immigration system. The State Department has revoked roughly 175,000 visas over the past 18 months, according to The Associated Press. The State Department could not immediately be reached by Fox News Digital for comment. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
‘Moderate’ Dem gubernatorial candidate embraced DEI budget tool, Green New Deal-style policies
Democratic socialist Francesca Hong lost Wisconsin’s Democratic gubernatorial primary earlier this month, but some of the progressive policies that define the party’s far-left flank may not have disappeared with her campaign entirely. David Crowley, the Milwaukee County executive who defeated Hong after being cast as the more moderate choice, has overseen racial-equity budgeting, expanded the county’s equity bureaucracy and urged the Wisconsin attorney general to sue fossil fuel companies for environmental-related damages. Meanwhile, Crowley has also shared ground with Hong on taxing millionaires and ambitious carbon-neutrality goals. “Milwaukee County is known for it’s beer and brats, but unfortunately it’s also the epicenter of David Crowley’s budgetary boondoggles. Under Crowley’s failed leadership, residents received their largest property tax hike in 15 years, paid higher sales taxes for everyday purchases, and saw millions of their hard-earned tax dollars set up to finance Crowley’s Green New Deal ‘Net Zero’ scam for the county,” Wisconsin native and Republican consultant Mark Bednar told Fox News Digital. “In an era where voters are increasingly focused on the economy and their pocketbooks, Wisconsinites should ask themselves, do they really want to expand Crowley’s gross mismanagement and liberal priorities to the whole state?” He continued. “I’m guessing a big Wisconsin ‘heck no.’” WISCONSIN DEMOCRATIC VOTERS CHALK SOCIALIST FRANCESCA HONG’S STUNNING LOSS UP TO ELECTABILITY CONCERNS In a recent campaign ad, Crowley touted a record of “getting things done” and “practical bipartisan solutions,” while Wisconsin Public Radio described him during the primary as a “mainstream Democratic alternative” to Hong. CBS News called him a “moderate Democrat” after his primary victory, while Axios framed Crowley’s upset as a potential revival for the Democratic Party’s center-left. But, despite being cast as the more moderate alternative, Crowley has shared several significant policy positions with Hong. Crowley himself acknowledged the policy overlap during the primary, telling supporters that “there’s many things that everybody agrees on, right?” when discussing his differences with Hong, according to WISN 12’s “UpFront,” while adding that there were also areas where the two “absolutely disagree.” Both have backed higher taxes on millionaires, a $20 minimum wage, expanded union rights and universal child care. Their climate agendas also contain a notable parallel – Hong campaigned on making Wisconsin carbon-neutral by 2050, while Crowley signed Milwaukee County’s plan to bring county operations to net-zero emissions by the same year. AOC BLASTED AS TOO MODERATE BY MAOIST DSA FACTION AS 2028 BUZZ GROWS Crowley’s record on DEI complicates his “moderate” image as well. It includes embedding a Racial Equity Budget Tool (REBT) into the state budgeting process. Milwaukee County describes the tool as a “structured racial equity lens” for departments to assess how budget decisions affect communities of color. In his 2022 budget address, Crowley said all the Milwaukee County departments had “once again” used the tool and were asked what they would do with additional funding “to specifically address racial equity.” “Racism is a public health crisis in Milwaukee County,” the county’s 2024 budget stated. “The REBT is a structured racial equity lens for Milwaukee County departments to use to critically assess the impact of budget decisions on communities of color.” Crowley’s tenure as Milwaukee County executive also transformed the county’s Office on African American Affairs into a broader “Office of Equity,” which grew the original office’s reach to “other communities of color, LGBTQ+ and people with varying abilities,” while increasing accountability for the county’s existing racial-equity goals. Climate policy has been another focus of Crowley’s tenure in Milwaukee. In April 2025, he signed Milwaukee County’s Climate Action 2050 plan, developed by his administration after the County Board adopted a carbon-neutrality goal in 2021. The plan seeks to bring county government operations to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 — the same year Hong’s statewide climate agenda called for Wisconsin to become carbon-neutral. Crowley also signed a 2022 resolution calling on Wisconsin’s attorney general to sue fossil-fuel companies and seek damages for environmental and climate harm in Wisconsin communities. And, in April, he signed legislation reaffirming Milwaukee County’s commitment to the principles and goals of the Paris Agreement amid federal climate-policy rollbacks. Crowley’s campaign and Milwaukee County’s press office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment on his record.
Trump scores Supreme Court win on mail-in voting restrictions before midterms
In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court handed the Trump administration a victory on Monday, allowing it to enforce President Donald Trump’s “election integrity” executive order restricting mail-in voting ahead of the November midterms. The high court lifted an injunction that had blocked the order in 23 states that challenged it after the administration appealed in July. The U.S. Postal Service and Justice Department said they would immediately implement the revised mail-ballot restrictions after the ruling. Most immediately, the ruling clears the path for the U.S. Postal Service to check its distribution of mail-in ballots against a list of citizens maintained by the Department of Homeland Security. But it’s also a significant political victory for the Trump administration as it has advocated against the widespread use of mail-in-voting, citing what it believes is a heightened vulnerability to tampering and voter fraud. USPS PUBLISHES RULE TO BLOCK MAIL-IN BALLOTS FROM STATES THAT DON’T PROVIDE VOTER LISTS Most recently, Trump slammed what he called a suspiciously high volume of mail-in-ballots cast for Cynthia Raman in the 2026 LA mayoral race primaries. “You know, they don’t have voting booths; everything’s by mail. I don’t think a Republican can win in California unless you pass the Save America Act,” Trump told Fox News, referring to GOP legislation to narrow the scope of mail-in voting and voter-ID requirements. “They’re going to have to get rid of mail-in voting.” Like many onlooking conservatives, Trump pointed out that, after election night, the vast majority of Democratic votes had been for Nithya Raman, creating a delayed outpouring of support. Fox News Digital has not reviewed any particular case of election fraud tied to the LA mayoral race. SPENCER PRATT LOSES GROUND TO DEMOCRAT WHILE HILTON MAINTAINS LEAD IN LATEST CALIFORNIA BALLOT BATCH DROP Even so, Trump’s original executive order looked to eliminate any ambiguity. Titled “Preserving and protecting the integrity of American elections,” it directed federal agencies to compile citizenship-based lists of eligible voters and ordered the U.S. Postal Service to deliver mail-in ballots only to people appearing on those approved lists. “Several Federal laws, including 18 U.S.C. 1015 and 611, prohibit foreign nationals from registering to vote or voting in Federal elections. Yet States fail adequately to vet voters’ citizenship, and, in recent years, the Department of Justice has failed to prioritize and devote sufficient resources for enforcement of these provisions,” the executive order reads. Where critics of the order saw a federal effort to dictate the terms of state-run elections, the court on Monday sided with the administration, stating that the way the executive order was made put requirements only on federal agencies. In essence, the order didn’t put any new requirements on the states themselves. “[It] directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to take appropriate action to create and distribute State Citizenship Lists. This provision is an internal directive from the President to a subordinate. It imposes no obligations on the States, so they ‘suffer no concrete harm from’ it, and without concrete harm, there is no standing,” the court wrote. Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented. CALIFORNIA ELECTION LIMBO FUELED BY 4 PRESSURE POINTS DRAGGING OUT VOTE COUNT, EXPERT SAYS Notably, the court stipulated that the ruling narrowly addresses the injunction that had prevented its implementation and does not speak to the lawfulness of the order itself. Further legal challenges against the order may still come down the road. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump administration touts ‘hard reset’ for American schools, vows to put parents ‘back in charge’
President Donald Trump on Monday marked the back-to-school season by promoting his administration’s school choice agenda and pledging to put parents “back in charge” of where and how their children are educated. Speaking at a White House event alongside Education Secretary Linda McMahon, students, parents and educators, Trump said his administration is working to expand school choice while removing what he called “far left extremism” from classrooms. “We’re putting the parents back in charge,” Trump said. “They’re the ones that love our children. They’re the ones that should be in charge.” Trump argued that despite how much the U.S. spends on education, student outcomes should be stronger and families need more schooling options. NEW YORK JOINS FEDERAL SCHOOL CHOICE INITIATIVE DESPITE TRADITIONAL DEMOCRAT OPPOSITION “We want every parent to have the power to send their child to a high-quality school that shares their values. It’s so important,” Trump said. The president highlighted the Education Freedom Tax Credit, which beginning in 2027, will offer taxpayers a credit of up to $1,700 for eligible donations to scholarship-granting organizations. Those organizations can provide scholarships for education-related expenses, including private school tuition, tutoring, school fees and classroom supplies. The funds can also benefit students attending public schools. The White House said nearly 52 million students could be eligible for the Education Freedom Tax Credit. DEMOCRATS AIM TO KILL SCHOOL CHOICE FROM WISCONSIN TO THE REST OF THE US Trump also highlighted changes to 529 education savings plans that allow families to withdraw up to $20,000 annually for K-12 expenses, doubling the previous limit. Several parents joined Trump at the event to describe how expanded school choice could help their families. Caleb Griffith, a North Carolina father of five who said his family includes two children with special needs, said the Education Freedom Tax Credit will give his children “access to the services they need to be successful in the most formative years of their lives.” “I want to tell you, we only get one chance to educate our children, and our children are the future of America,” Griffith said. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TARGETS HEAD START BUREAUCRACY IN MOVE ADVOCATES SAY PUTS PARENTS IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT McMahon said the administration is seeking what she described as a “hard reset” in American education, with a goal of returning “to common sense.” “This school year, American parents and students have so much to be excited about because the Trump administration is steering education back to its rightful focus, serving students so that they are prepared for successful futures,” McMahon said.
Schiff attack on Trump’s DC IndyCar race backfires after driver points out contradiction
Sen. Adam Schiff’s latest attack on President Donald Trump was challenged by an IndyCar veteran who pushed back on the California Democrat’s charge that the commander-in-chief was wasting taxpayer funds for his own “self-aggrandizing.” Schiff criticized Trump for ordering the Washington race by executive order and accused the president of using the motorsports “spectacle” to distract Americans from higher costs and policy failures. “While you struggle with the cost of gas, Trump offers you the spectacle of an IndyCar race hoping you will not notice,” Schiff said Sunday. START YOUR ENGINES: HERE IS YOUR CRASH COURSE ON THE INDYCAR FREEDOM 250 GRAND PRIX WEEKEND “More taxpayer money spent on his self-aggrandizing distractions. And you get higher taxes and higher costs,” he added, although major automotive firm Penske said it bankrolled the event. Schiff posted the criticism on X alongside video of Trump waving the green flag as FOX Sports announcer Leigh Diffey got the race underway. PRESIDENT TRUMP REPORTEDLY WILL GO ON A LAP OF HONOR AROUND THE FREEDOM 250 GRAND PRIX STREET CIRCUIT Race fans and other critics lambasted Schiff’s comments, including IndyCar driver Graham Rahal, who reminded the California Democrat that the race was privately funded and argued it benefited government coffers because thousands of spectators traveled to Washington and spent money. “No, no, Adam. He wanted you to notice and bask in the pride of being American, watch great racing and patriotism on display,” Rahal responded on X. DRIVERS JOSEF NEWGARDEN AND KYLE KIRKWOOD TALK INDYCAR’S ‘ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME’ FREEDOM 250 GRAND PRIX “Not only that, this was privately funded, not government although it drove thousands of folks to the DC area that have never been. That’s economic impact for you,” said Rahal, who finished 13th in the event. His father, Bobby Rahal, is a well-known motorsports driver and executive. Rahal also argued that the event brought visitors to Washington who might not otherwise have seen the nation’s capital. WORLD CUP ENERGY CARRIES INTO FREEDOM 250 GRAND PRIX AS GLOBAL FANS CELEBRATE AMERICA’S HISTORIC BIRTHDAY “And guess what, hundreds of thousands of Americans, blue & red, as well as fans from all over the world loved the Freedom250.” “What kind of loser posts this?” added Breitbart editor Joel Pollak. “People had fun.” KYLE KIRKWOOD HANGS ON TO WIN FREEDOM 250 GRAND PRIX IN WASHINGTON As Rahal noted, Penske Corporation picked up most of the race tab. The automotive and logistics company, based in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and Reading, Pennsylvania, is led by Roger Penske, who also owns the Team Penske racing organization with drivers in NASCAR and IndyCar. When Washington’s NBC affiliate interviewed Penske President Bud Denker at the track and asked who was paying for the Freedom250, Denker responded: “We are.” TRUMP SHOWCASES RAW AMERICAN MUSCLE IN PREVIEW OF FIRST-OF-ITS KIND AMERICA 250 GRAND PRIX “When I say vast, the only part we’re not paying is, we’re raising some revenue by having sponsors with the suites I’m building [along the course],” Denker told the outlet, adding it was not intended to be a “break-even” venture. Penske did not cover every expense. Security was handled by local and federal law enforcement, including through federal funding provided to Washington for major events, according to the NBC station. RACER STING RAY ROBB GEARS UP FOR FREEDOM 250 GRAND PRIX: ‘THIS IS MORE THAN JUST AN INDYCAR EVENT’ The White House also fired back at Schiff, saying the Democrat put his personal animus ahead of the American people. “It’s a complete disgrace that Pencil-Neck Adam Schiff is willing to trash the United States of America during its historic 250th birthday celebrations simply because he hates President Trump,” said White House spokesman Davis Ingle. “The great people of California deserve better,” Ingle said. Former electronics executive Sam Antar also responded to the senator, saying the lawmaker “apparently didn’t bother checking who actually paid for the race before blaming Trump for ‘more taxpayer money spent’.” “Schiff saw Trump, started typing, and skipped the part where you check the facts first. That’s how you end up volunteering for your own Community Note,” Antar said. Conservative commentator “Bad Hombre” replied by posting an image of then-President Joe Biden posing with attendees at a White House lawn gala featuring transgender and LGBT activists. “The race was privately funded by Penske/IndyCar, pencil neck,” Hombre said. “But now that we’re on the topic of taxpayer-funded events, why were you cool with forcing taxpayers to spend $1.3 million on this?” SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER Trump has shown support for American motorsports, praising his friendship with Penske, becoming the first president since Ronald Reagan to attend a Daytona 500 and hosting several NASCAR drivers and the circuit’s former CEO, Brian France, at campaign rallies. Fox News Digital reached out to Rahal and Schiff for further comment.
Vance’s decade-old ‘great regrets’ resurfaces as El-Sayed’s jab at second lady comes back to bite him
A decade before Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed appeared to question how JD Vance’s grandfather would have regarded Usha Vance, the vice president wrote that one of his “great regrets” was that his grandparents never got to meet his wife. “Last, but certainly not least, is my darling wife, Usha,” Vance wrote in 2016 in the acknowledgments of his memoir “Hillbilly Elegy.” He added, “… though it is one of the great regrets of my life that Mamaw and Papaw never met her, it is the source of my greatest joy that I did.” The passage was cited repeatedly on social media over the weekend as conservatives dragged the Michigan Senate candidate over his swipe at second lady Usha Vance. The controversy comes as El-Sayed fights for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat against Republican Mike Rogers, putting the Democrat’s rhetoric under a brighter spotlight as the high-stakes general election takes shape. VANCE UNLOADS ON EL-SAYED OVER SHARIA REMARKS: ‘THAT’S NOT MY GRANDPA’S DEMOCRATIC PARTY’ El-Sayed invoked Vance’s family after the vice president criticized his past comments about Sharia law at an Ohio rally this month, arguing that the Michigan Democrat represented a version of the party his grandfather — whom Vance called “Papaw” — would not have recognized. “So do we think JD is taking Usha with him back in time to meet Papaw, or no…” El-Sayed said, a remark critics called racist and interpreted as an insinuation that Papaw would not have accepted Usha because of her Indian heritage. Critics were quick to call out El-Sayed, with many questioning his attitude toward women and others pointing to Vance’s book. “Why does Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed just assume that all White midwestern grandparents are racist?” asked Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas. EL-SAYED UNDER FIRE ONLINE AFTER TAKING AIM AT USHA VANCE, FEMALE TRUMP AIDE IN WEEKEND SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS “El-Sayed is an absolute vile, abhorrent, PIG. Usha Vance is a beloved figure in our country and in my opinion Vice President Vance’s most powerful secret weapon,” said Meghan McCain. “Women in America truly love her – attack her at your own peril democrat psychopaths. It will backfire.” “If you’re a rural White American living in Michigan, just remember El-Sayed believes you’re a racist,” said commentator Ryan Girdusky. “You are a racist creep,” said journalist Emily Schrader in response to El-Sayed’s post. Fox News Digital reached out to El-Sayed and the Vance family for comment. “Hillbilly Elegy,” published in 2016, chronicled Vance’s upbringing in Middletown, Ohio, and his family’s Appalachian roots in Kentucky, with his grandparents — whom he called “Mamaw” and “Papaw” — playing central roles in the memoir and his childhood. Fox News Digital’s Peter D’Abrosca contributed to this report.
State Department blasts back at ‘rogue judge’ who overturned aggressive visa crackdown
FIRST ON FOX: The State Department tore into the “rogue judge” who overturned its freeze on immigrant visas from 75 countries after she blasted the administration’s legal rationale as “an exercise in Orwellian logic.” “American taxpayer-funded public benefits belong to Americans,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott told Fox News Digital. “President Trump has made clear that immigrants must be financially self-sufficient to protect these public benefits for American citizens.” “This rogue judge’s misguided opinion wrongfully undermines the longstanding legal authority of the Secretary of State. We will keep fighting for commonsense visa policies that put America First.” U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled Friday that the State Department could not force consular officers to deny immigrant visas to otherwise eligible applicants solely because they are nationals of one of the 75 countries covered by the policy. BIDEN JUDGE OVERRULED ON KEY TRUMP IMMIGRATION POLICY Vargas, a Biden appointee who joined the Southern District of New York bench in November 2024, previously spent more than two decades as a federal prosecutor in Manhattan. She earned her undergraduate degree from Harvard University and a law degree from Yale, then clerked for future Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor on the Second Circuit. Earlier this year, Vargas temporarily blocked Department of Government Efficiency personnel from accessing sensitive Treasury payment systems, citing privacy and cybersecurity concerns. But she later narrowed that order and allowed vetted and trained DOGE employees to access the systems. Vargas found that Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s directive required officers to deny visas even after determining an applicant was not barred under any existing provision of immigration law. She vacated the policy and visa refusals based solely on the directive, sending those cases back for further consideration. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ORDERS GREEN CARD APPLICANTS TO LEAVE THE US, APPLY FROM THEIR HOME COUNTRIES The Immigration and Nationality Act allows consular officers to deny immigrant visas to applicants they determine are likely to become a “public charge,” meaning dependent on government assistance. Consular officers are supposed to make that assessment on an individual basis. The Trump administration has revived a more expansive approach to that screening, directing officers to weigh factors including an applicant’s age, health, finances, English proficiency and potential need for long-term medical care. TRUMP SCORES MAJOR IMMIGRATION VICTORY AS JUDGE CLEARS WAY TO END TPS PROTECTIONS FOR THOUSANDS OF SOMALIS But Vargas found that the State Department went beyond that individualized review when it directed officers to refuse immigrant visas to otherwise eligible applicants from the 75 countries simply because of their nationality. Fox News Digital first reported in January that the State Department would pause immigrant visa issuances to citizens of 75 countries, including Somalia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Nigeria, Russia and Iran, while it reassessed screening procedures meant to identify applicants likely to become a public charge. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER The policy did not apply to tourist or other nonimmigrant visas. Affected applicants could still submit applications and attend interviews, but consular officers were directed to refuse immigrant visas under the pause. The ruling does not require the State Department to issue visas to any particular applicant. Consular officers may still deny a visa based on an individualized public-charge finding or another statutory ground of inadmissibility.
Clarence Thomas scorches racial litmus tests policing thought: ‘Stay Black and die’
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas rejected the idea that Black Americans should be expected to hold particular political views because of their race during a rare interview with Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. “We had this saying [that there are] only two things I have to do: stay Black and die,” Thomas told Cruz, responding to a comment about the conservative justice having an individualist streak. “That was a retort to people who had these sort of requirements for us, these these mandates for us because of our skin color … But at any rate, they think that here’s the way you’re supposed to think. Again, here’s your skin color. There’s this kind of deterministic view that you’re supposed to think this because we say so.” “And I, of course, declined that invitation. And so now that means that something, that I’m a walking contradiction because I’ve deviated from their perception of what I should think,” the justice added while speaking on the “Verdict with Ted Cruz” podcast. DEMOCRAT LAWMAKER CALLS CLARENCE THOMAS AN ‘UNCLE TOM’ AND ‘LYNCHMAN’ AFTER SUPREME COURT REDISTRICTING RULING Thomas, who is Black, grew up poor in segregated Georgia, initially living in his parents’ wooden shack in Pin Point and later in Savannah with his grandparents. As a child, Thomas was raised speaking Gullah, a creole language derived from English spoken by the descendants of African slaves. At the College of the Holy Cross, he initially embraced left-wing Black nationalism, admired Malcolm X and helped establish the school’s Black Student Union. Thomas began moving right after participating in a violent 1970 protest in Cambridge, Massachusetts, later saying his shame over the episode prompted him to reject left-wing activism and reconsider the self-reliance preached by his grandfather. CLARENCE THOMAS WARNS AMERICA: LIBERTY DIES WHEN WE CHOOSE COMFORT OVER COURAGE To further explain his point, Thomas compared efforts to dictate which ideas Black Americans should embrace to the restrictions of racial segregation. “Here’s what I’ve asked people. I said, ‘When I was a kid, the Savannah Public Library was segregated.’ I said, ‘Do you think it was right that the Savannah Public Library was segregated?’ Oh, no. You should have been able to go in,” Thomas stated. “I said, ‘What if they allowed me in but said I couldn’t go to certain floors? That would be wrong.’ I said, “What about if they said you couldn’t go to certain stacks?’ Well, that would be wrong. ‘What if they had certain books marked that were off limits to me?’ That would be wrong.” BLACK GOP CONGRESSMAN SHUTS DOWN RACE QUESTION FOLLOWING SUPREME COURT REDISTRICTING RULING “Then my question is, why is it then that you have a problem with me embracing certain ideas in certain books? What’s the difference?’ Thomas went on.
El-Sayed distances himself from Hasan Piker after disturbing remarks about Jewish Americans
Democratic Senate nominee in Michigan Abdul El-Sayed is trying to put some distance between himself and one of his top supporters, Hasan Piker, after the controversial streamer sparked a new firestorm. El-Sayed, who is facing off against former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers in battleground Michigan in a high-stakes Senate showdown, on Monday emphasized in a statement, “I want to be crystal clear, nobody speaks for this campaign besides me and my campaign spokespeople.” The statement from El-Sayed came after Piker, on his stream last week, featured an image of state Sen. Jeremy Moss, the Democratic nominee in Michigan’s 11th Congressional District. Moss, who is Jewish, has said that people are sharing a fake audio clip of him claiming that his entire reason for running for Congress is to make sure that America continues to support Israel. “If Jews in America keep putting this idea out there that they are singularly invested in Israel, eventually someone is going to come around and take action, not against the state of Israel, mind you, but against American Jews,” Piker warned. DEMOCRATS ‘WHO NEVER VOTED REPUBLICAN’ BACKING THIS GOP SENATE NOMINEE Piker, who endorsed El-Sayed for the Democratic nomination and appeared at some of the candidate’s campaign events including a primary night party in Detroit, has repeatedly stood by his numerous past comments critical of Israel over its ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza. Piker’s latest comments have been blasted by a growing number of Republicans and Democrats since they grabbed attention this past weekend. Democratic Rep. Hillary Scholten of Michigan charged that Piker is “a hack who thrives on hate.” Rogers, in a social media post on Sunday, took aim at both Piker and El-Sayed. “More calls for violence coming out of the El-Sayed campaign,” Rogers said. And he claimed, “Here is his running mate, Hasan Piker, saying that if AMERICAN JEWS support Israel, they will be violently targeted because of it.” Rogers added, “Absolutely DISGUSTING. If Abdul El-Sayed had any courage at all, he would call this out and disavow Hasan Piker once and for all. We’re waiting, Abdul…” DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB El-Sayed, in his statement, wrote, “I believe all Americans deserve the right to advocate for what they believe without fear of violence. This is particularly true for communities that have been intimidated for their beliefs in the past.” “My commitment to Jewish safety is the same as my commitment to the safety of my own daughters. Antisemitism is a scourge, and we need to address it in all its forms. And I stand against any rhetoric that puts the community at risk,” he added. In an apparent jab at Rogers and other Republicans who have repeatedly tied El-Sayed to Piker, the Democratic nominee wrote that “while politicians and pundits try to make this race about a Twitch streamer, we’re going to be talking about gas, groceries, good schools, and healthcare. Because that’s what Michiganders keep asking about.’ Responding, Rogers on Monday afternoon argued, “Abdul’s attempt at distancing himself from this violent and hateful rhetoric now that he and Hasan won the primary is the epitome of what a conman does — says one thing when it serves him and another when it doesn’t. His rhetoric is causing fear in Michigan communities, is un-American, and makes him unfit to represent our state.” A former Wayne County Health Department director, El-Sayed, if elected in November, would make history as the nation’s first Muslim senator. The epidemiologist who unsuccessfully ran for governor as an insurgent candidate in 2018 has made support for Medicare for all a major component of his campaign and has also called for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). CHECK OUT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLL IN MICHIGAN’S BLOCKBUSTER SENATE RACE But it’s El-Sayed’s stance and comments on Israel that have offended some Jewish people in Michigan, a state that also has a large Arab and Muslim population. El-Sayed used the word “bloodthirsty” to characterize Israel’s military moves in Gaza in an MS NOW interview this month and accused Israeli leadership of genocide against Palestinians. He has argued against unconditional U.S. military aid to Israel, as have other progressive politicians. And El-Sayed has repeatedly declined to directly answer whether Israel has the right to exist. But El-Sayed has also repeatedly stated that he stands “in solidarity with my Jewish sisters and brothers” to “condemn antisemitism.” After falling just 20,000 votes shy of winning the U.S. Senate election in Michigan two years ago, Rogers is urging Democrats, including Jewish voters, to cross party lines and vote for him as he makes a second straight Senate bid. WHAT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS IN THE MIDTERM RACES SHOW After a combustible and divisive Democratic Senate primary in which El-Sayed narrowly edged more moderate Rep. Haley Stevens for the nomination, Rogers is heavily courting Democrats disaffected with their left-wing nominee. A key part of Rogers’ pitch is directed toward Jewish Democrats, who are uneasy with El–Sayed’s vocal criticism of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza and who are outraged by El-Sayed’s association with Piker. “I usually vote Democrat, but I’m going to be voting for Mike Rogers,” Rabbi Asher Lopatin said as he stood next to Rogers late last week as the former congressman and former FBI agent unveiled his Democrats for Mike coalition at a campaign event on Detroit’s west side. Lopatin, a rabbi in suburban Detroit who has made trips to the Middle East in search of peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors, argued that El-Sayed “has shown contempt for the Jewish community and, frankly, for American values by making Hasan Piker, a vicious antisemite and racist, his campaign surrogate and somebody he buddies up with.” SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER Meanwhile, some Jewish leaders in Michigan are circulating an open letter urging Jewish Democrats and independents in the Great Lakes battleground state to sign their names in support of Rogers. The news was first reported this