Democrats push bill blocking ICE near polling places — despite clear constitutional conflict
Virginia Democrats are pushing legislation that would prohibit federal immigration enforcement near polling places, a move Republicans say is unconstitutional and sets up a direct conflict with federal law governing the arrest and detention of illegal immigrants. At issue is House Bill 1442, patroned by Del. Alfonso H. Lopez, D-Shirlington, which would bar “any person” from enforcing federal immigration laws within 40 feet of polling places, election board meetings or recount facilities — a restriction critics argue Virginia has no authority to impose on federal agents under the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause. The bill from Lopez, who represents a deep-blue district just south of Washington, D.C., is one of several Democratic-backed measures targeting federal immigration enforcement since the party took full control of state government last month. In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, House Minority Leader Terry Kilgore, R-Gate City, suggested the bill won’t hold legal water even if passed due to federal supremacy. HOUSE OVERSIGHT PROBE PUTS MINNESOTA ELECTIONS UNDER SCRUTINY OVER NONCITIZEN VOTING CONCERNS “Ignoring the obvious constitutional problem of having a state tell the federal government what it can do, this bill makes it clear that Democrats not only want illegal immigrants voting, Democrats think they’re already voting and want them to continue,” Kilgore said. The longtime lawmaker cited the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution, which declares federal statutes the “supreme law of the land” and maintains precedence over conflicting state laws that attempt to usurp federal authority. In that regard, 8 U.S.C. § 1226 says an “alien may be arrested and detained pending a decision on whether the alien is to be removed from the United States,” while Section 287(a) — of which the oft-cited subsection 287(g) is a part — permits agents to “interrogate, without warrant, any alien or person believed to be an alien concerning his or her right to be, or to remain in the United States.” Those two sections would run directly counter to Lopez’s bill. When asked for a response to the legislation, a DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital the agency is not planning any operations targeting polls — but said it’ll be business-as-usual if an individual illegal immigrant finds themselves near one. “ICE conducts intelligence-driven targeted enforcement, and if a dangerous criminal alien is near a polling location, they may be arrested as a result of that targeted enforcement action,” the spokesperson said. Since Virginia Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger took office last month, Democrats led by Senate leader L. Louise Lucas and House Speaker Don Scott, both of Portsmouth, have spearheaded several left-wing proposals anchored by their redrawn congressional map that likely unseats every Republican in the state except Rep. Morgan Griffith of the heavily rural southwest. Lopez, whose biography mentions that his father was a “former undocumented” immigrant from Venezuela, previously supported legislation to make ballot drop boxes permanent and to make DREAMers eligible for college financial aid, according to his campaign website. CONSERVATIVES RIP VIRGINIA GOVERNOR’S ‘MODERATE’ LABEL AFTER RADICAL LAUNDRY LIST OF DAY 1 MOVES “Virginia Democrats just gave away the game on illegal alien voting,” the Virginia Senate Republican Caucus said in response to the new bill. “Now why would Democrats be concerned about illegal aliens being arrested near polling locations?” read a statement from the caucus, which is led by Sens. Ryan McDougle of Hanover and Mark Obenshain of Rockingham. Local ABC News affiliate reporter Nick Minock asked a similar question on social media: “Why would an illegal immigrant be within 40 feet of a polling place if they’re not supposed to vote in Virginia elections?” DEMOCRATS PUSH ANTI-ICE BILLS NATIONWIDE AFTER DEADLY MINNEAPOLIS SHOOTING Lopez’ bill isn’t the only one targeting election-day procedures: State Sen. Barbara Favola, D-Ballston, put forth a bill extending the deadline for Virginia absentee ballots to be received to three days after an election at 5PM ET. Another bill from Virginia State Del. Cia Price, D-Newport News, would prohibit hand-counting paper ballots “for any reason or purpose not specifically authorized by law.” DEMS BLASTED FOR TRYING TO ‘DEPORT’ ICE FROM SWING COUNTY, REFERENCING ‘BLOOD MONEY’ RENT Price’s bill requires ballot-scanners be used instead, as several critics cried foul over the fact that hand-counting ballots moots any claims that machinery or technology could be “hacked” as has arisen in recent elections. In comments to the Daily Signal, former Rep. Dave Brat, R-Va., rebuked the bills and tied federal supremacy to what’s happening in Minnesota. “Minneapolis right now is rioting all across the streets because local law enforcement won’t cooperate with the federal,” he said. “Everywhere where the local does cooperate with the federal, there’s peace and quiet and harmony.” Other “bad bills” cited by Republicans include a bevy of bills creating new niche sales taxes, bans on gas-powered leaf-blowers à la New Jersey, expanding ranked-choice voting à la New York City, several Second Amendment-related taxes and removal of a “grandfather” provision for certain otherwise legally held firearms. Fox News Digital reached out to Lopez for comment.
Backlash erupts after Ohio Democratic AG candidate posts about ‘killing’ Trump: ‘Absolute psychopath’
A Democratic candidate for attorney general in Ohio sparked immediate backlash over a Facebook post explaining his plan to “kill Donald Trump.” “I want to tell you what I mean when I say that I am going to kill Donald Trump,” Elliot Forhan, Democratic candidate for Ohio attorney general and a former state representative, posted on Facebook Monday. Forhan continued, “I mean I’m going to obtain a conviction rendered by a jury of his peers at a standard of proof beyond a reasonable doubt based on evidence presented at a trial conducted in accordance with the requirements of due process resulting in a sentence duly executed of capital punishment.” “That is what I mean when I say I am going to kill Donald Trump.” WEST VIRGINIA LIBRARIAN ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY RECRUITING PEOPLE ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO ASSASSINATE TRUMP Forhan’s comment quickly sparked strong pushback on social media. “Absolutely psychopath, aka moderate Democrat,” conservative commentator Dave Rubin posted on X. “Democrat candidate for Ohio AG who said he’s going to kiII President Trump also posted this when Charlie was ass*ssinated,” conservative influencer account LibsofTikTok posted on X. “He’s an evil deranged psycho.” “People with TDS are a lot like drug addicts,” conservative commentator Robby Starbuck posted on X. “The high of impeachment declarations and jail just don’t give them the same high anymore. Now we have Democrats running on killing the President. This guy belongs in an insane asylum.” Some called for Ohio Democrats to disavow Forhan and others highlighted Democratic attorney general Jay Jones being recently elected in Virginia despite calling for the murder of his political opponent. ‘ASSASSINATION CULTURE’ IS ON THE RISE, ESPECIALLY AMONG WOMEN, STUDY WARNS “Democrats, your silence is telling,” Ohio Republican treasurer candidate Jay Edwards posted on X, calling the comment “unhinged.” “Dr. Amy Acton and Sherrod Brown—disavow this extremist now, or admit you’re okay with this violent hate in your party.” “That is normalizing political murder,” Ohio Republican attorney Mehek Cooke posted on X. “We will never vote for death.” Ohio State Auditor Keith Faber, running for attorney general as well, called the post “vile.” Faber posted on X, “I’m calling on @amyactonoh to renounce Democrat candidate AG Elliot Forhan’s VILE comment that he’s going to ‘kill Donald Trump.’ (months after celebrating Charlie Kirk’s assassination). Turn down the rhetoric.” Fox News Digital reached out to Acton’s campaign for Ohio governor and Brown’s campaign for Senate but did not immediately receive a response. Forhan previously faced criticism last year over a social media post where he said “F— Charlie Kirk” shortly after the conservative activist was murdered on a college campus. In a statement to Fox News Digital, Forhan did not withdraw the comment and said he is running for attorney general to “apply the law equally to everyone” including the president. “If Donald Trump tries again to end American democracy, then as Ohio attorney general I will hold him accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” Forhan said. Forhan continued, “On the other hand, the views expressed by my Republican opponent in a recent op-ed are no more than those of a simple Trump thug. He does not believe in the truth or the rule of law. He asks Ohioans to disbelieve what they saw with their own eyes, that an ICE officer killed Renee Good without justification, shooting her twice in the face after he was clear of her vehicle. Keith Faber wrote, ‘In Minneapolis, ICE agents were doing their jobs.’ Was the ICE officer who shot Alex Pretti 10 times doing his job? No. ICE is not enforcing the law. They are breaking the law. Mr. Faber is telling Ohioans that, if elected, he will let Trump get away with murder. Ohio voters should take Mr. Faber at his word.”
Senate Democrat demands Trump fire ‘creep’ Stephen Miller in exchange for his DHS funding vote
A Senate Democrat offered his vote to keep the government open in exchange for a top Trump official’s firing. Senate Democrats are in the midst of coalescing around a package of restrictions and reforms that they want to impose on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as part of their quest to rein in the agency’s powers. Though there are several bipartisan restrictions baked into the current DHS funding bill, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and his caucus are largely unified in their opposition to the legislation following the fatal shootings of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti during immigration operations in Minnesota. SENATE REPUBLICANS TEE UP KEY SHUTDOWN TEST VOTE AS DEMOCRATS DIG IN ON DHS FUNDING While he and his colleagues work to find the exact guardrails they want to put onto DHS, Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., upped the ante on what it would take to get his vote: firing White House deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller, who also serves as Homeland Security advisor to President Donald Trump. “We all know who’s really running things in this White House,” Gallego said in a post on X. “Stephen Miller is the brains behind the most unhinged and depraved policies we’ve seen in generations.” “Americans are tired of his insane, extremist vision for this country,” he continued. “It’s time for him to go. Trump needs to fire him. Now. No funding DHS with that creep calling the shots.” GRAHAM PUSHES BACK ON TILLIS’ CRITICISM OF NOEM, MILLER FOR LABELING MAN KILLED BY BORDER PATROL A ‘TERRORIST’ Senate Republicans are actively trying to get their colleagues across the aisle to play ball and recognize that negotiating now could make a difference compared to their tactics during the previous government shutdown. Still, Senate Democrats are furious with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Miller. It remains to be seen whether the pair still having jobs is a determining factor in how Democrats vote. Miller and Noem have both come under scrutiny for their handling of the fatal shootings in Minneapolis, particularly their comments in the aftermath of Pretti’s death, when they labeled him a domestic terrorist. And while the White House runs damage control on the situation, some Republicans are ready for the duo to go, too. Sens. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, want Noem to resign or be fired. DEMS’ DHS SHUTDOWN THREAT WOULD HIT FEMA, TSA WHILE IMMIGRATION FUNDING REMAINS INTACT Tillis turned his ire to both Noem and Miller and charged that accusing Pretti of being a domestic terrorist and then relaying that message to Trump was “amateur hour at its finest.” When asked if Noem should be removed from her position, Tillis said, “100%,” but stopped short of supporting impeachment, which is gaining momentum among House Democrats. “I’m not going to get into impeachment,” Tillis said. “I think it should be a management decision. She needs to go.” And Murkowski noted that while she voted to confirm Noem, Trump needs to re-examine who “he has in place as the secretary of Homeland Security.” “I would not support her again, and I think it probably is time for her to step down,” she said.
Medical watchdog challenges key study used to justify DEI health policies: ‘Scientifically unsound’
A prominent medical watchdog group is pushing back against a widely cited study claiming racially diverse medical facilities improve outcomes for Black patients, arguing the research is being used to justify race-based diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies despite failing to prove its central claim. Do No Harm, a nonprofit organization focused on opposing ideological influence in medicine, released a report Tuesday disputing a recent study by economists Michael Frakes and Jonathan Gruber that suggests increasing the share of Black physicians in military medical facilities leads to better outcomes for Black patients. The Do No Harm study takes issue with the findings by alleging several flaws, including that Frakes and Gruber’s “The Effect of Provider Diversity on Racial Health Disparities: Evidence from the Military” measures changes in health outcomes when patients are transferred to bases with different proportions of Black doctors, but argues it never directly measures whether Black patients treated by Black doctors fare better than those treated by non-Black doctors. The report stresses that the authors’ design looks at facility-level shares of Black physicians rather than one-to-one patient-doctor racial matching. WATCHDOG FINDS DEI, CRT BAKED INTO ACCREDITATION RULES FOR HUNDREDS OF UNIVERSITY SOCIAL WORK PROGRAMS In a press release, Do No Harm summarizes their critique into three core problems with the study: it never actually tests whether Black patients fare better when treated by Black doctors, it downplays findings showing Black patients achieve their best outcomes when treated by non-Black doctors at facilities with more Black physicians, and it relies on speculative explanations for those results while failing to rule out non-racial factors that could account for the outcomes. “We cannot allow politically motivated activists to push debunked racial theories that have no positive impact on patient care,” Jay Greene, director of research for Do No Harm, said in the press release. “Studies like this are designed to codify DEI doctrine to pave the way for re-establishing affirmative action and enshrining race-based hiring. The report ignores the very question it purports to answer: whether black patients actually fare better with black doctors. Our report systematically exposes the study’s shoddy methodology and baseless conclusions. Americans of all races and backgrounds deserve high-quality medical research, not political ideology disguised as science.” BLUE-STATE UNIVERSITY SPARKS OUTRAGE WITH ‘DECOLONIZING MEDICINE’ COURSE CHALLENGING THE ‘WHITE BODY’ STANDARD Do No Harm argues that the new study appears designed to influence judicial and policy debates, noting that Frakes and Gruber themselves say their findings could shape discussions about affirmative action in medical school admissions amid pending court decisions. The Do No Harm critique concludes that, on the basis of the evidence presented by Frakes and Gruber, there is not a scientifically supported case for using racial concordance as a rationale for maintaining racial preferences in medical education and hiring. “Advocacy groups wishing to maintain racial preferences in medical hiring will almost certainly cite the Frakes and Gruber study in future court cases and legislative debates about the issue,” the report’s conclusion reads. “Frakes and Gruber consciously produced their study with this use in mind. But as is often the case with advocacy-oriented research, this study is not a reliable basis for making policy decisions. The Frakes and Gruber study appears scientifically rigorous and is authored by economists from high-status universities, but a closer examination of its methods, results, and motivation reveal it to be scientifically unsound and an abuse of academic authority.” Fox News Digital reached out to Frakes and Gruber but did not receive a response.
Trump White House readies school choice tax credit as some Dem states push back. Here’s where it stands
FIRST ON FOX: The White House unveiled a new website page and map of the U.S. showing which states have not opted into a federal school choice tax credit set to begin in 2027 — singling out a handful of Democrat governors labeled “failures” for resisting the new program. “President Trump is lowering the cost of education for American families, but children in your state will not benefit unless your governor takes action,” the new website states. “Thanks to the Working Families Tax Cut Act, parents choosing the private, charter, or public school that best meets the needs of their child will soon have financial help.” The Trump administration is pushing states to “opt in” to a new federal K-12 scholarship tax credit created under the “big, beautiful bill,” warning families could miss out if their governors don’t take action. The Department of Education celebrated Monday that 23 states have so far opted in to a program the department called the “largest national expansion of education freedom in history and provides families with more affordable education options.” HOUSTON SCHOOL DISTRICT TRYING TO WOO PARENTS WHILE LOSING STUDENTS AMID SCHOOL CHOICE COMPETITION Under the Education Freedom Tax Credit, taxpayers can get up to $1,700 back as a federal tax credit by donating that money to approved Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs) instead of sending it to Washington in income taxes. Those SGOs then turn the donations into K-12 scholarships and other education help families can use for a broad range of costs tied to public, private or charter schools. “Beginning January 1, 2027, Americans can reduce their tax burden by contributing to an approved Scholarship Granting Organization,” the new website explains. “While anyone in America can take advantage of this tax credit next year, families cannot receive a scholarship if their governor blocks their state’s participation. Your voice is critical to ensure governors know about their responsibility to ensure that every family has affordable access to the best education for their child’s individual needs.” Among the governors highlighted on the page as resisting include: Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers. “Urge Your Governor to Opt-In to Your Child’s Future,” the new website continues, before listing a handful of Democratic state leaders branded with the label “failure.” Colorado Gov. Jared Polis became the first Democrat to opt into the program in December 2025, telling local media he “would be crazy not to” while citing that “it’ll empower more parents to be able to afford that after-school program or the summer program that they want for their kid.” Democrats have often resisted school-choice expansions, arguing they can siphon money from public schools and weaken accountability — concerns amplified by teachers unions and some education advocates. MAJOR CITY SCHOOL DISTRICTS LOSING STUDENTS AS PARENTS SEEK BETTER OPTIONS The new website page also includes a map of the U.S. showing which 23 states have opted-in and which 27 have not. It was released amid National School Choice Week, which runs from Jan. 25 through Jan. 31. The Education Department said, as part of its celebrations for the week, that it’s making an aggressive school-choice push in Trump’s second term — including touting a record $500 million charter school investment, backing the Education Freedom Tax Credit, and nudging states to use federal funds and waivers to expand parent options and turn around low-performing schools. TRUMP ADMIN CUTS RED TAPE AS IOWA JOINS EFFORT TO RETURN EDUCATION TO STATES Trump has framed school choice and parental rights as a central priority of his second-term education agenda, which has worked to decentralize the federal government’s control of public education and shift power back to the states and parents. “I want every parent in America to be empowered to send their child to public, private, charter, or faith-based school of their choice,” Trump said in 2025. “The time for universal school choice has come. As we return education to the states, I will use every power I have to give parents this right.”
Ilhan Omar backed by House Republicans after Minnesota town hall attack
House Republicans are coalescing around progressive “Squad” member Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., after she was attacked during a town hall in Minneapolis on Tuesday night. “This is totally unacceptable. I am glad Rep. Omar is okay,” Rep. Pete Stauber, R-Minn., wrote on X in response to a video of the incident. It’s a rare show of bipartisanship in the face of political violence that has become common in recent years amid increasingly volatile rhetoric on both sides. Support for Omar came from both conservative and moderate Republicans after a man appeared to confront her and spray a substance on her before he was quickly subdued at her public event. REP MAXWELL FROST ALLEGEDLY ASSAULTED AT SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL IN RACIALLY-CHARGED INCIDENT “Political, religious, and ideological differences never justify violence,” Rep. Nathaniel Moran, R-Texas, wrote of the attack. “Those who resort to violence to make a political point should understand that such actions only undermine the very rights that form the foundation of our Republic.” Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Mich., noted that political violence against members of Congress had been escalating for some time. “The assault on Congresswoman Omar is disturbing and unacceptable, and the attacker must be prosecuted and punished to the full extent of the law,” he said in his own statement. “This attack is the latest of thousands of acts and threats of violence directed against Congress over the past year, resulting in a 57% increase just since 2024.” GUNFIRE, ARSON AND VANDALISM: TRACKING POLITICAL VIOLENCE IN AMERICA Moderate Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., similarly said Wednesday morning, “I condemn the attack on Rep. Ilhan Omar that occurred yesterday.” “We always have the right to free speech and to petition the government, but political violence must be dealt with sternly. The criminal here needs to spend some time behind bars,” Bacon said. And Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., noted she “deeply disagreed” with Omar but said she was “deeply disturbed” by the attack. “No elected official should face physical attacks. This is not who we are,” Mace said. It comes in addition to a slew of Democrats condemning the incident, though several immediately sought to blame President Donald Trump and the GOP for previously criticizing the progressive Minnesota lawmaker. “Trump’s hateful, dangerous rhetoric fuels this kind of political violence, and we must all reject it,” said Rep. Rob Menendez, D-N.J. And Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., wrote on X, “It is not a coincidence that after days of President Trump and [Vice President] Vance putting Rep. Omar in their crosshairs with slanderous public attacks, she gets assaulted at her town hall.” The attack occurred minutes after Omar’s town hall began, and despite being urged to wrap up the event, she continued until the end. Her office released a statement afterward, “During her town hall, an agitator tried to attack the Congresswoman by spraying an unknown substance with a syringe. Security and the Minneapolis Police Department quickly apprehended the individual. He is now in custody. The Congresswoman is okay. She continued with her town hall because she doesn’t let bullies win.” The suspect who attacked her was arrested and charged with third-degree assault.
Privacy concerns, discrimination, doctor pushback: the compliance traps looming behind sex-separated sports
Amid the headlines about transgender athletes participating in women’s sports and whether athletics should be separated by biological gender, there is a hidden battle brewing behind the scenes that could interrupt efforts to maintain biological differences in sports. School districts and athletic institutions have already faced hurdles regarding how to verify biological sex. While much of the focus has been on overturning the Biden administration’s Title IX definition of sex interpretation, once that happens, liberal school districts or leaders hoping to keep athletic eligibility by gender identity can dig their heels in with legal arguments about privacy, questions about verification mechanics, claims of discrimination, and, in some cases, doctors have refused to verify gender for the sake of athletic eligibility arguing the scope of the duties went beyond their purview. “I anticipate we are going to see this more in the future,” Title IX attorney and expert Sarah Perry told Fox News Digital. Meanwhile, John Bursch, from the Christian legal foundation Alliance Defending Freedom, told Fox News Digital that the looming concern over sex-verification for sports is “overblown.” TRUMP CALLS OUT SUPREME COURT JUSTICES AFTER TRANS ATHLETE HEARING: ‘SHOULD LOSE A LOT OF CREDIBILITY’ “Trans activists continually bring up made-up concerns like this so that they can continue justifying allowing males in girls’ and women’s sports,” Bursch said. As Bursch noted, the conundrum has reared its head recently in a handful of the 27 states that have imposed sex-separated athletics mandates. In Idaho, one of the earliest states to adopt a sex-separation sports mandate, the courts struck down a law requiring athletes to verify their gender if questioned by someone else, arguing it targets women for invasive and intrusive medical procedures that males would not be subject to. A similar issue in Florida played out in 2024 after a parent was investigated by county officials for allegedly sneaking their transgender child onto a female sports team. Even though the state’s law does not have a sex dispute provision for individuals, school district enforcement investigations still can. In that case, the courts argued that Florida’s law requiring verification was not discriminatory, however. The case was eventually dismissed. Meanwhile, pressure on the Sunshine State’s high school athletic association has also led to it removing questions from its physical evaluation forms that had been there for decades, according to local reporting. TRUMP DECLARES ‘WE GOT MEN OUT OF WOMEN’S SPORTS’ AS SUPREME COURT DELIBERATES LANDMARK CASES In Arizona, a dispute over the legitimacy of a birth certificate has led a school to suggest expensive chromosome testing to verify their gender. The mother told a local Arizona news outlet that it was a misprint they didn’t notice until registering their son for school, noting that for a busy mom, it was not her top priority. Her son was physically removed from the middle of his high school basketball tryouts. The family ultimately got an amended birth certificate and a doctor’s sign-off clarifying the legal change and the boy’s eligibility to play on the boy’s basketball team. But school officials stood firm and ruled he was still ineligible to play. The family was told they could undergo chromosomal testing that would cost thousands of dollars. Doctors were less willing to be helpful in Nevada, where the state’s interscholastic athletics association began requiring physicians to identify and sign-off on an athlete’s gender. A group of doctors subsequently argued that the information they were being asked to provide went beyond “the purpose of a sports medical clearance” and should come from “the students or families directly.” “Additionally, it is imperative that patients are able to consult with their physicians confidentially to address all aspects of their physical, emotional, sexual, and mental health,” a letter the group of 18 doctors sent to the Nevada state high school athletic association added. “This confidentiality is crucial to ensure that students feel safe and supported in discussing sensitive health issues without concern that this information will be s hared with non-medical institutions or individuals. Breaching this confidentiality could undermine the trust between patients and their healthcare providers ultimately impacting the quality of care they receive.” But, despite the potential tripwires, both Perry and Bursch pointed to the Constitution’s supremacy clause barring any change in the Biden-era Title IX interpretation which still remains amid various ongoing legal battles. Perry also noted that there is no requirement forcing school districts or education institutions to take federal dollars, but said that once they do “it is very clear that representations of contrary legal obligation are not sufficient to violate federal civil rights law.” The Supreme Court heard oral arguments earlier this month that analysts have suggested show that the court is open to upholding state-level mandates requiring athletic eligibility be determined by biological sex. “We are going to see these questions ultimately, I believe, in the end, reach the Supreme Court before the Trump administration’s last day,” Perry said. “These are questions about preemption, about the Supremacy Clause, about the operation of states’ rights versus federal civil rights obligations, and they’re going to take a while to litigate.” Perry pointed to deadlocks in Maine and California where trans-rights advocates are standing behind state law in order to defend allowing sports to remain separated by gender identity and not biological sex.
Trump warns Minneapolis mayor he’s ‘playing with fire’ after immigration enforcement conversation
President Donald Trump asserted that Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey “is PLAYING WITH FIRE,” issuing the warning in a Truth Social post on Wednesday morning. “Surprisingly, Mayor Jacob Frey just stated that, ‘Minneapolis does not, and will not, enforce Federal Immigration Laws.’ This is after having had a very good conversation with him,” the president said in the post. “Could somebody in his inner sanctum please explain that this statement is a very serious violation of the Law, and that he is PLAYING WITH FIRE!” Trump warned. ‘MOB MENTALITY’ ENDANGERS OFFICERS AMID ANTI-ICE UNREST AND CHAOS IN MINNEAPOLIS, RETIRED COPS WARN Frey responded to the president’s comments. “The job of our police is to keep people safe, not enforce fed immigration laws. I want them preventing homicides, not hunting down a working dad who contributes to MPLS & is from Ecuador. It’s similar to the policy your guy Rudy had in NYC. Everyone should feel safe calling 911,” the mayor asserted in a post on X, making an apparent reference to former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. The president issued the warning on Wednesday after Frey, who met with Trump’s border czar Tom Homan on Tuesday, declared in a Tuesday post on X that the city will not enforce federal immigration law. “Today, Chief O’Hara and I met with Border Czar Homan and had a productive conversation. I reiterated that my main ask is for Operation Metro Surge to end as quickly as possible. Public safety works best when it’s built on community trust, not tactics that create fear or division,” Frey noted in a Tuesday post on X. BORDER CZAR HOMAN MEETS WITH MINNESOTA OFFICIALS FOLLOWING IMMIGRATION OPERATION TENSIONS “I shared with Mr. Homan the serious negative impacts this operation has had on Minneapolis and surrounding communities, as well as the strain it has placed on our local police officers,” Frey added in another post. “I also made it clear that Minneapolis does not and will not enforce federal immigration laws, and that we will remain focused on keeping our neighbors and streets safe. City leaders will continue to stay in conversation with Mr. Homan and his team,” he noted in another post. TRUMP HAS ‘VERY GOOD’ CALL WITH MINNEAPOLIS MAYOR FREY, ANNOUNCES BORDER CZAR HOMAN MEETING U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti were fatally shot by federal authorities in Minneapolis this month amid the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigrants.
Anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ protest organizers target Minneapolis-St Paul for next flagship demonstration
A group that organized two nationwide “No Kings” protests last year is planning its next large-scale national demonstration on March 28, with a particular focus on Minnesota, which has emerged as ground zero for anti-immigration enforcement demonstrations over the last few months. The anti-Trump protest is being organized by Indivisible, a liberal grassroots group, that said demonstrations are expected across the country that day. The group said the upcoming event — referred to as “No Kings 3” — will include coordinated protests nationwide, with a flagship march planned in the Twin Cities. ANTI-ICE AGITATORS ARRESTED OUTSIDE MINNESOTA HOTEL AS POLICE DECLARE UNLAWFUL ASSEMBLY: ‘NO LONGER PEACEFUL’ “We expect this to be the largest protest in American history,” Ezra Levin, co-executive director of the nonprofit Indivisible, told The Associated Press ahead of Wednesday’s announcement. He predicted that as many as 9 million people could turn out. “This is in large part a response to a combination of the heinous attacks on our democracy and communities coming from the regime, and a sense that nobody’s coming to save us,” Levin said. Minnesota has emerged as a flash point in the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown following the deployment of roughly 3,000 federal agents to the state, which organizers described as the largest single immigration enforcement operation of the president’s second term. Organizers said plans for the spring demonstrations were already underway before recent immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota, but the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good during encounters with federal agents in recent weeks reshaped the event’s focus. MINNESOTA SHAKEUP SHIFTS LEADERSHIP NOT STRATEGY, WHITE HOUSE SAYS, PUSHING BACK ON ‘RETREAT’ CLAIM The protests have been a focal point for outrage over what organizers describe as President Donald Trump’s attempts to consolidate and expand his power. Last year’s protests unfolded in two nationwide rounds. Organizers said more than 7 million people demonstrated during a second round on Oct. 18, with protests held in about 2,700 cities and towns across all 50 states. The first major “No Kings” protests took place on June 14, 2025, with demonstrations organized in nearly 2,000 locations nationwide, following unrest tied to federal immigration raids and the deployment of National Guard and Marine units to Los Angeles. Levin said Indivisible and allied groups plan to continue organizing beyond major protest days, including nationwide training sessions aimed at monitoring immigration enforcement activity. “This isn’t about Democrats versus Republicans,” Levin said. “This is about whether we have a democracy at all.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump pressures Iran to ‘come to the table’ as ‘massive’ US armada draws near
President Donald Trump urged Iran to “come to the table” as the U.S. deploys a “massive armada” to the region on Wednesday. Trump confirmed that the USS Abraham Lincoln and its strike group are deploying as a direct threat to the Iranian regime. The president said a major attack may be necessary of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s regime does not make a deal with the U.S. “A massive Armada is heading to Iran. It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose. It is a larger fleet, headed by the great Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln, than that sent to Venezuela. Like with Venezuela, it is, ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Hopefully Iran will quickly ‘Come to the Table’ and negotiate a fair and equitable deal – NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS – one that is good for all parties. Time is running out, it is truly of the essence! As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL! They didn’t, and there was ‘Operation Midnight Hammer,’ a major destruction of Iran. The next attack will be far worse! Don’t make that happen again,” he added. SECRET SERVICE AWARE AFTER IRANIAN STATE TV AIRS TRUMP THREAT FEATURING PHOTO OF BUTLER ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT Iran’s mission to the United Nations responded to Trump’s post within hours, vowing to defend itself. “Last time the U.S. blundered into wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, it squandered over $7 trillion and lost more than 7,000 American lives. Iran stands ready for dialogue based on mutual respect and interests—BUT IF PUSHED, IT WILL DEFEND ITSELF AND RESPOND LIKE NEVER BEFORE!” the statement read. Trump said earlier this week that Tehran appears willing to negotiate amid the U.S. military buildup. In a Monday interview with Axios, Trump suggested that Tehran had reached out on “numerous occasions” and “want[s] to make a deal.” “They want to make a deal. I know so. They called on numerous occasions. They want to talk,” the president told the outlet. ISRAELI UN AMBASSADOR SENDS STARK WARNING TO IRAN AMID GROWING UNREST According to U.S. officials, also cited by Axios, any potential agreement would need Tehran to remove all enriched uranium, cap its long-range missile stockpile, a change in support for regional proxy forces, and cease independent uranium enrichment, terms Iranian leaders have not agreed to. The Abraham Lincoln entered CENTCOM waters on Monday The U.S. military buildup comes amid widespread unrest inside Iran following protests that began Dec. 28. According to a recent report from Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), the confirmed death toll from the protests has reached 5,848, with an additional 17,091 deaths under investigation. Khamenei has been sheltering in a fortified underground facility, according to Iran International. This is a developing story. Check back soon for updates.