Border czar Homan meets with Minnesota officials following immigration operation tensions
Border czar Tom Homan met with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey Tuesday as the Trump administration shakes up its federal immigration crackdown following two fatal shootings and subsequent protests in the Twin Cities. The meetings came after President Donald Trump on Monday replaced Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino with Homan to lead operations in Minnesota, days after 37-year-old Alex Pretti was fatally shot by a Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis. “Today I met with Governor Walz, Mayor Frey, and top law enforcement officials to discuss the issues on the ground in Minnesota,” Homan said in a post on X. “We all agree that we need to support our law enforcement officers and get criminals off the streets. While we don’t agree on everything, these meetings were a productive starting point and I look forward to more conversations with key stakeholders in the days ahead.” Homan added that Trump emphasized that he wants American cities to be “safe and secure for law-abiding residents — and they will be.” TRUMP HAS ‘VERY GOOD’ CALL WITH MINNEAPOLIS MAYOR FREY, ANNOUNCES BORDER CZAR HOMAN MEETING Following his meeting Tuesday morning with Homan, Walz said he reiterated the need for “impartial investigations” into the recent shootings in Minneapolis involving federal agents, while calling for “a swift, significant reduction in the number of federal forces in Minnesota” and “an end to the campaign of retribution against Minnesota.” “The Governor and Homan agreed on the need for an ongoing dialogue and will continue working toward those goals, which the President also agreed to yesterday,” Walz’s office said in a statement, adding that it tasked the Minnesota Department of Public Safety as the primary liaison to Homan to address his priorities. Frey said he and Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara had a “productive conversation” with Homan. JUDGE THREATENS CONTEMPT FOR ICE LEADER, ORDERS HIM TO APPEAR IN COURT “I reiterated that my main ask is for Operation Metro Surge to end as quickly as possible,” Frey wrote on X. “Public safety works best when it’s built on community trust, not tactics that create fear or division. 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 said he 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,” adding that city leaders “will continue to stay in conversation with Mr. Homan and his team.” Following the departure of Bovino in Minnesota — the face of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown — a White House official told Fox News Digital earlier Tuesday that claims the administration is “backing down” in Minnesota are incorrect. TRUMP SAYS WALZ WANTS TO ‘WORK TOGETHER’ AS MINNEAPOLIS TENSIONS FLARE AFTER FEDERAL SHOOTING Trump said during an appearance on Fox News Tuesday that the shake-up is not a “pullback.” “I don’t think it’s a pullback. It’s a little bit of a change,” he said. “You know, Bovino is very good, but he’s a pretty out there kind of a guy. And in some cases that’s good, maybe it wasn’t good here.” Trump said Monday he spoke with Walz after Pretti was shot and killed on Saturday, noting that the Minnesota governor was “very respectfully” open to deporting “any and all criminals that they have in their possession.” The president also spoke with Frey on Monday, who said after their call that Minneapolis “will continue to cooperate with state and federal law enforcement on real criminal investigations — but we will not participate in unconstitutional arrests of our neighbors or enforce federal immigration law.” Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment. Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton contributed to this report.
Iowa man stops Trump at restaurant with unexpected request before speech
President Donald Trump paused during a restaurant stop in Iowa after a patron asked if he could pray for him ahead of the president’s remarks near Des Moines. Video shared on X by White House aide Margo Martin shows the moment unfolding inside the Machine Shed restaurant, where a man from the crowd addressed Trump directly. “Can I pray for you real quick?” the man asked. “Absolutely! Come on. Let’s go,” Trump replied, bowing his head as the man began to pray. TRUMP TELLS MARCH FOR LIFE PROTECTING THE UNBORN IS ‘BATTLE’ THAT ‘MUST BE WON’ The brief prayer thanked God for the president and asked for wisdom, discernment, peace and protection, as others in the restaurant joined in. “Lord God, we give thanks for this president,” the man said during the prayer, “Lord, thank you for him and the potential. Thank you for continuing wisdom, we pray for discernment. Pray for hope, we pray for more peace, Lord.” The prayer from the restaurant patron drew several “Amens” from the surrounding crowd. TRUMP HITS THE ROAD TO SELL ECONOMIC WINS, AS REPUBLICANS BRACE FOR HIGH-STAKES MIDTERM SHOWDOWN The unscripted moment occurred as Trump made a stop at the Iowa restaurant before heading to deliver a speech in the Des Moines area to kick off his 2026 midterm campaign. The video shows patrons standing nearby as the prayer concluded, followed by applause and words of praise: “Amen, praise God.” The White House has recently shared a national invitation to prayer and spiritual re-dedication ahead of the United States’ 250th anniversary. In a statement released by the administration, Trump encouraged Americans to pray for the nation and its people, saying the country has long been “sustained and strengthened by prayer.” Trump added that as the nation prepares to mark 250 years since its founding, Americans should “rededicate ourselves to one nation under God.” The White House was contacted for additional context on the stop and the timing of the visit.
Ben & Jerry’s co-founder calls for ICE to be ‘defunded and disbanded’: ‘This is not freedom’
Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Ben Cohen called for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to be “defunded and disbanded” after the second fatal shooting this month of an American in Minneapolis involving federal immigration agents. Cohen said he initially planned to create an ice cream honoring Renee Nicole Good, the 37-year-old woman shot and killed by ICE agent Jonathan Ross on Jan. 7 in Minneapolis, but that he did not have it in him to make the treat after Border Patrol agents on Saturday fatally shot Alex Pretti, also 37, while he was recording immigration enforcement operations in the same city. Pretti, an ICU nurse, appeared to be attempting to assist a woman agents had knocked down when he was sprayed with an irritant, pushed to the ground and beaten, according to video and witness accounts. An agent was later seen pulling Pretti’s lawfully owned firearm from his waistband before other agents fired several shots, killing him. “I was prepared to make a special ice cream today to memorialize and celebrate the life of Renee Good, but now that Alex’s murder makes it clear that the murder of Renee and the government’s lies were not a mistake but standard operating procedure, I just don’t have it within me,” Cohen said in a video posted to X. JUDGE THREATENS CONTEMPT FOR ICE LEADER, ORDERS HIM TO APPEAR IN COURT “We all live in Minneapolis now, because Minneapolis is only the beginning of what they have in mind. They’re coming for anyone, anywhere who doesn’t submit,” he continued. “A brazen, arrogant, masked militarized force loyal only to Trump and immune from prosecution.” Cohen asserted that people in the U.S. must “submit” to the Trump administration or risk being killed by federal agents for exercising their First Amendment rights. “Submit or be murdered. Video them and be murdered. Protest and be murdered, or at least be placed on a list of domestic terrorists and investigated,” he said. TIM WALZ COMPARES MINNESOTA ICE ACTIONS TO HOLOCAUST AND ANNE FRANK: ‘HIDING IN THEIR HOUSES’ “This is not freedom,” he added. “This is not the right to free speech or the right to protest. This is not America. This is sheer cruelty. This is the beginning of the end of the land of the free, unless we make it the home of the brave, unless we’re brave enough to stand up for justice, to stand up for our neighbors, to stand up for compassion.” Cohen then called for ICE, which was formed in 2003 following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, to be dissolved and to restore the Immigration and Naturalization Service, which handled immigration issues before the attacks. “ICE must be defunded and disbanded,” he said. “Before 2001, ICE did not even exist. Immigration issues used to be handled by the INS, the Immigration and Naturalization Service, which was part of the Department of Justice. And it was just.” “Let’s go back to that,” Cohen suggested. The ice cream creator also appeared to take issue with Republicans who publicly speak about their Christian values while they also defend efforts to target immigrants in the U.S. “You know, I don’t get it. They say this is a Christian nation. What did he mean when he said, ‘I was a stranger, and you welcomed me?’ ‘Love thy neighbor.’ ‘What you do to the least of these you do to me,’” Cohen said, quoting the Bible.
Trump launches midterm push in Iowa, warns losses would derail agenda: ‘We gotta win’
President Donald Trump kicked off an aggressive midterm push Tuesday night in Iowa, warning supporters that losing control of Congress would jeopardize his tax cuts, border policies and broader second-term agenda as he urged Republicans to turn out and “win the midterms.” “If we lose the midterms, you’ll lose so many of the things that we’re talking about, so many of the assets that we’re talking about, so many of the tax cuts that we’re talking about, and it would lead to very bad things,” Trump said during remarks that framed the 2026 midterm elections as a test of his presidency. Speaking after Reps. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, and Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, Trump said holding both chambers of Congress was critical to advancing his agenda. NEW MAGA COALITION LED BY SEAN SPICER TARGETS VOTING DEMOGRAPHIC THAT WILL BE CRUCIAL IN 2026 MIDTERMS “We got to win the midterms. That means Senate. And it means House. We gotta win,” he told the crowd. Trump explicitly cast the Iowa stop as the opening act of his midterm campaign, arguing that presidents who fail to campaign aggressively often lose ground in off-year elections. “I’m here because we’re starting the campaign to win the midterms. We have got to win the midterms,” he said. “The midterms are very important. We’re going to really work hard on winning the midterms.” The president warned that a Democrat-led Congress would reverse his economic and border policies, telling supporters that control of Capitol Hill would determine whether his priorities survive. “If they won, this country would be cratering right now,” Trump said as he contrasted Republican and Democrat candidates. “We have candidates that roll with common sense. Not this craziness.” Trump repeatedly tied the midterm stakes to his economic record in his speech, touting what he described as a dramatic turnaround in inflation, investment and job growth since returning to office. “Today, just after one year of President Trump, our economy is booming. Incomes are rising. Investment is soaring. Inflation has been defeated,” he said. “Our border is closed, totally closed.” REPUBLICAN SENATORS HIT BORDER, TOUTING TOUGHER SECURITY AND TAX CUTS, IN 2026 KICKOFF Trump credited tariffs and trade policy for increased domestic investment, saying his administration had secured what he called “commitments for a record-breaking $18 trillion.” He also praised companies like John Deere for expanding U.S. manufacturing and touted tax provisions he said would benefit seniors, tipped workers and employees who work overtime, pointing to “no tax on tips,” “no tax on overtime” and “no tax on Social Security for our seniors.” At several points, Trump returned to immigration as a defining midterm issue, arguing that border security and deportation policies would be undone if Republicans lost control of Congress. “The worst is open borders,” he said. “We can never forget what that group of morons did to this country. We can never forget. And we’ve got to win the midterms.” DAVID MARCUS: WHY REPUBLICANS DESPERATELY NEED A TRUMP-CENTERED MIDTERM CONVENTION Trump acknowledged the historical challenges facing the party in power during midterm elections but said aggressive campaigning could overcome them. “Even if you’re a good president … whoever wins the presidency has a hard time with the midterm,” Trump said. “But I campaigned hard. We got it. We got to win the midterms.” Trump closed the political portion of his remarks with a direct call to action, urging supporters to mobilize to protect his agenda and elect Republican candidates up and down the ballot. “So, remember that you got to get out, and you got to vote,” he said. The Iowa stop is part of a broader push by the White House to put the president on the road regularly ahead of the 2026 midterms. Administration officials have said Trump plans to make weekly appearances in states with key congressional races as Republicans work to defend narrow House and Senate majorities, with a particular focus on motivating core GOP voters who don’t always turn out in off-year elections or when the president’s name isn’t on the ballot. The president made clear that he views the elections not as a referendum on Congress but as a vote on the future of his presidency. “We got to win them,” he said of GOP candidates. “We have great candidates. Again, Senate and House. We got to win them.” The White House referred Fox News Digital to President Trump’s remarks. Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser and Emma Colton contributed to this reporting.
Virginia judge voids redistricting push, rules lawmakers overstepped authority
A Virginia circuit court judge has struck down a General Assembly-approved redistricting amendment, ruling lawmakers overstepped their authority during a 2024 special legislative session and violated constitutional requirements tied to elections and voter notice. In a sweeping ruling issued Tuesday, Tazewell County Circuit Court Judge Jack S. Hurley Jr. invalidated actions taken to advance the proposed constitutional amendment, blocking it from moving forward and barring it from being submitted to voters. The lawsuit focused on whether lawmakers could take up a redistricting-related constitutional amendment during a special session initially convened to address budget matters and whether the General Assembly followed its own rules when expanding the scope of that session. “Certainly, both houses of the Commonwealth’s legislature are required to follow their own rules and resolutions,” Hurley wrote. TRUMP TURNS UP THE HEAT ON RED STATE REPUBLICANS BLOCKING NEW CONGRESSIONAL MAPS Hurley found lawmakers improperly added redistricting to the list of issues allowed during the special session without the required unanimous consent or supermajority vote. As a result, the court ruled the joint resolution proposing changes to how congressional and legislative districts are drawn fell outside the limits lawmakers themselves set when the special session was called. “The Court FINDS that adding… [a] joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Virginia related to the reapportionment or redistricting violated… the General Assembly’s own call to the Governor for the 2024 Special Session, and the Court ORDERS that any such action is void, ab initio,” Hurley wrote. REPUBLICANS APPEAL JUDGE’S DECISION REJECTING NEW YORK CITY GOP DISTRICT LINES The decision also addressed when a constitutional amendment may be validly advanced under Virginia law, rejecting arguments that an election occurs only on Election Day rather than during early voting. Hurley noted that more than 1 million Virginians had already cast ballots in the 2025 House of Delegates elections before lawmakers voted on the amendment. “For this Court to find the election was only on November 4, 2025, those one million Virginia voters would be completely disenfranchised,” Hurley wrote. REDISTRICTING BATTLES BREWING ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS PARTIES COMPETE FOR POWER AHEAD OF 2026 MIDTERMS The ruling further found lawmakers failed to comply with a state law requiring proposed constitutional amendments to be publicly posted and published ahead of the next election. Because those steps were not taken, the court ruled votes cast during the 2026 regular session could not count as the constitutionally required second approval. “Therefore, the Court FINDS that the provisions of… the Code of Virginia have not been complied with, and therefore all votes on the proposed Constitutional Amendment… are ineffective as being a ‘SECOND’ VOTE OF THE General Assembly,” Hurley wrote. Hurley issued both temporary and permanent injunctions blocking further action on the amendment. The ruling delivers a major setback to lawmakers seeking to alter Virginia’s redistricting process and underscores limits on legislative power during special sessions.
Ilhan Omar sprayed by unknown substance after man charges her at Minneapolis town hall
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., was sprayed with an unknown substance by a man that charged her while she was speaking at a town hall in Minneapolis on Tuesday night. Omar was immediately pulled away by her security and the unidentified man was tackled and restrained. Omar appeared to be shaken, but largely unharmed. “We will continue. These f–king a–holes are not going to get away with this,” Omar shouted as the room reacted. “It smells terrible,” a member of her entourage said as she urged her to stop and get checked out. THOUSANDS MARCH THROUGH MINNEAPOLIS, SWARM TARGET CENTER DEMANDING ICE REMOVAL FROM MINNESOTA The incident happened as Omar was hosting her first in-person town hall meeting of the year in North Minneapolis. TRUMP DEPLOYS BORDER CZAR TOM HOMAN TO MINNESOTA AS ICE OPERATIONS FACE VIOLENT CHAOS Omar was speaking about immigration policy when the incident happened, just as she called for a transparent investigation and legal action against Immigration and Customs Enforcement, followed by the abolition of the agency. “We must abolish ICE for good,” Omar said, adding that Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem must resign or “face impeachment.” After briefly stepping back amid the disruption, Omar returned to address the audience, telling the packed room she intended to continue. ANTI-ICE AGITATORS CLASH WITH FEDERAL AGENTS AT MINNEAPOLIS HOTEL, AS AGENTS DEPLOY TEAR GAS, FLASHBANGS “We’re going to keep talking,” she said, insisting that she be allowed to continue for at least 10 minutes before she is checked out. “We are Minnesota strong, and we will stay resilient in the face of whatever they might throw at us,” she added. Omar went on to reiterate her calls for accountability within the Department of Homeland Security in the wake of the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. ‘SORRY, TRUMP’: ILHAN OMAR FIRES BACK AFTER TRUMP TARGETS HER IN TRUTH SOCIAL POST “It is important for me to continue to lead my Democratic colleagues in demanding her resignation,” she said of Noem. “If she does not resign we are going to introduce articles of impeachment,” she added. “During her town hall, an agitator tried to attack the Congresswoman by spraying an unknown substance with a syringe,” Omar’s spokesperson said following the incident. “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 spokesperson added. “I’m ok. I’m a survivor so this small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work. I don’t let bullies win,” Omar later wrote on X. “Grateful to my incredible constituents who rallied behind me. Minnesota strong.” A statement from United States Capitol Police (USCP) also confirmed that, “a man is in custody after he decided to assault a Member of Congress – an unacceptable decision that will be met with swift justice.” “We are grateful for the rapid response of onsite security and our local law enforcement partners. We are now working with our federal partners to see this man faces the most serious charges possible to deter this kind of violence in our society,” the statement said. Fox News Digital’s Bradford Betz contributed to this report.
New details to Congress reveal guns used, bodycam footage in fatal Border Patrol shooting of Minnesota nurse
The Trump administration sent a notification to Congress Tuesday, providing a “preliminary review” of the fatal Border Patrol shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti, including the timeline of events leading up to the incident and new details about the officers who opened fire. Pretti, a U.S. Veterans Affairs ICU nurse, was shot and killed Saturday by Border Patrol agents while recording federal immigration operations in Minneapolis. Video appeared to show him attempting to help a woman knocked down by agents, when he was sprayed with an irritant, pushed to the ground and beaten. Footage showed an agent pulling Pretti’s suspected gun, a 9 mm pistol, from his waistband before other agents fired nearly a dozen shots in his direction. BIDEN SPEAKS OUT AGAINST IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN IN MINNESOTA, SAYS IT GOES AGAINST AMERICAN VALUES The report, compiled by the Border Patrol’s Office of Professional Responsibility Investigative Operations Directorate, noted two federal agents fired at Pretti. One Border Patrol agent fired his CBP-issued Glock 19, and a second officer fired his CBP-issued Glock 47. The report also confirmed there was body-worn camera footage of the shooting, though it is unclear if it will be released to the public. Border Patrol agents (BPA) and Customs and Border Protection officers (CBPO) were conducting enforcement actions near the intersection of Nicollet Avenue and 26th Street in Minneapolis Saturday morning as part of Operation Metro Surge. The report noted several civilians in the area were “yelling and blowing whistles.” BPAs and CBPOs allegedly made several verbal requests for the civilians to stay on the sidewalks and out of the roadway, but tensions rose at about 9 a.m., when a CBPO was confronted by two women blowing whistles. The officer allegedly ordered the women to move out of the roadway, but they did not move. NATALIE PORTMAN BLASTS TRUMP IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN AS ‘WORST OF THE WORST OF HUMANITY’ As seen on witness video, the CBPO pushed the women, and one of them ran to Pretti. After attempting to move the woman and Pretti out of the road, the CBPO deployed his pepper spray toward the pair. Officials said Border Patrol agents tried to take Pretti into custody, but he “resisted,” and a struggle ensued. During the struggle, an unidentified Border Patrol agent yelled, “He’s got a gun!” multiple times, according to the report. BORDER PATROL INVOLVED IN ARIZONA SHOOTING, ONE PERSON INJURED, LOCAL AUTHORITIES SAY About five seconds later, the two federal agents opened fire. After the shooting, a Border Patrol agent confirmed he had Pretti’s gun and subsequently “cleared and secured” the gun in his vehicle, according to the report. At about 9:02 a.m., CBP personnel cut Pretti’s clothing and provided medical aid by placing chest seals on his wounds. Roughly three minutes later, Minneapolis Fire Department Emergency Medical Services personnel arrived and assumed primary medical care for Pretti. Officials said he was transferred to an ambulance at about 9:14 a.m., and he was taken to the Hennepin County Medical Center. FRENCH NBA STAR VICTOR WEMBANYAMA SPEAKS OUT AFTER BORDER PATROL-INVOLVED SHOOTING: ‘HORRIFIED’ Pretti was pronounced dead at the medical center at about 9:32 a.m. An autopsy will be conducted by medical personnel from the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office, according to the report. Border Patrol’s investigative unit will request the official findings upon completion. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and CBP did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.
Senate GOP critics say Noem ‘needs to go’ amid fallout from Minneapolis shootings
A pair of Senate Republicans are demanding that Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem lose her job in the wake of a pair of fatal shootings in the midst of the agency’s immigration operations in Minnesota. Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., are no strangers to being critical of the Trump administration, and have again broken from their party in calling for Noem to either step aside or be fired by President Donald Trump. They join several Senate Democrats who have demanded accountability for the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good in the midst of DHS’ immigration operations in Minneapolis, Minn. It also comes as Senate Democrats are threatening to shut the government down in their bid to sideline the DHS funding bill. SENATE REPUBLICANS TEE UP KEY SHUTDOWN TEST VOTE AS DEMOCRATS DIG IN ON DHS FUNDING When pressed on whether Noem should resign, Murkowski noted that she voted for her confirmation last year. “I think the President needs to look at 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. Trump on Tuesday said that Noem was doing a “very good job.” “The border is totally secure,” Trump told reporters outside of the White House. “You forget, we had a border that I inherited where millions of people were coming through. Now, we have a border where no one is coming through.” When asked if she would be stepping down, he said “no.” THUNE STEAMROLLS DEMS’ DHS REVOLT AS FETTERMAN DEFECTS, SCHUMER UNDER PRESSURE Tillis, who has made a habit of going after Trump officials in the last several months and accusing them of giving the president bad policy advice, was more biting in his assessment of Noem’s performance, and extended that breakdown to White House Deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, who similarly accused Pretti of being a domestic terrorist. He charged that “people like Noem are squandering” Trump’s ability to codify policy and open the door to a discussion on immigration reform — something both sides of the aisle have desired for some time. “I don’t know if it’s lost yet, but if it is an opportunity lost, I put it squarely on the shoulders of people like Noem and Stephen Miller,” Tillis said. “Those two people told the president, before they even had any incident report whatsoever, that the person who died was a terrorist. I mean, that is amateur hour at its worst.” DEMS’ DHS SHUTDOWN THREAT WOULD HIT FEMA, TSA WHILE IMMIGRATION FUNDING REMAINS INTACT When asked about Noem’s choice to label Pretti as a domestic terrorist, Murkowski said that the DHS head has an “obligation to control these situations that are under her jurisdiction, and she has not done so.” Murkowski contended that accountability in the situation goes all the way to the top rung of leadership. “I think you have a secretary right now who needs to be accountable to to the chaos and some of the tragedy that we have seen,” Murkowski said. And Tillis, when asked if Noem should be removed from her position, said “100%,” but stopped short of supporting impeachment. “I’m not going to get into impeachment,” Tillis said. “I think it should be a management decision. She needs to go.” Fox News Digital reached out to DHS.
Texas Gov Greg Abbott halts H-1B visas through 2027 after ‘egregious schemes’ allegedly displaced workers
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday halted new H-1B visa petitions by state agencies and public universities as the state investigates potential program abuse. In the letter, the governor cited reports of cases in which U.S. workers were allegedly displaced by lower-paid foreign labor. “In the most egregious schemes, employers have even fired American workers and replaced them with H-1B employees, often at lower wages,” Abbott wrote. STATE DEPARTMENT REPORTEDLY ORDERS VISA DENIALS TIED TO SPEECH CENSORSHIP AS TRUMP TEAM SLAMS EUROPE “Rather than serving its intended purpose of attracting the best and brightest individuals from around the world to our nation to fill truly specialized and unmet labor needs, the program has too often been used to fill jobs that otherwise could—and should— have been filled by Texans,” he added. Abbott said the pause will give state and federal officials time to enact reforms while Texas continues investing heavily in education and workforce training to meet labor demands without relying on the visa program. LABOR UNIONS SUE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OVER SOCIAL MEDIA MONITORING OF VISA HOLDERS The move comes after President Donald Trump in September alleged that while the visa program was intended to supplement the U.S. workforce, it has since been used to replace American workers. “The large-scale replacement of American workers through systemic abuse of the program has undermined both our economic and national security,” Trump wrote in a Sept. 19 proclamation. Abbott’s order requires state agencies and public universities to submit a report to the Texas Workforce Commission by March 27, detailing their H-1B filings, current visa holders, countries of origin, job classifications, visa expiration dates, and efforts to recruit qualified Texas residents. The freeze will remain in effect until May 31, 2027, unless approved in writing by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Dems see opening in key Senate race as bitter GOP infighting continues: ‘Last remaining strategy’
A longtime Democratic strategist said the choice between the leading candidates in Texas’ critical U.S. Senate race is “very stark” as Republican infighting continues in the bitter primary contest. Longtime Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn is facing off against state Attorney General Ken Paxton and Houston-area Rep. Wesley Hunt in the state’s GOP primary race. Whichever candidate emerges victorious will then face either rising Democratic state Rep. James Talarico or progressive firebrand Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett in November. Both Texas Senate seats have been red for over three decades. Democrats, however, believe they have a shot at flipping the seat this year, which would be devastating for the GOP’s chances of retaining a majority in the Senate. Eric Koch, the founder of Downfield Strategies, told Fox News Digital that despite Cornyn being the incumbent, he believes Paxton has the edge in the primary race. HOUSE CANDIDATE PREDICTS HISTORIC RISE OF ‘NEW GENERATION’ IN CONGRESS AS PARTIES TARGET KEY DEMOGRAPHIC “Ken Paxton clearly has the momentum in this primary because he’s the MAGA choice for Senate in Texas,” he said. Koch added that “the contrast in this race is going to be very stark if it’s Paxton v. Talarico.” “One is a fresh face who is working on reaching voters from across the political spectrum, while the other is a career politician with a long history of corruption,” he said. Paxton has served as Texas’ top attorney since 2015, with a brief suspension in 2023 during an impeachment process over alleged abuse of power. He was ultimately acquitted of all charges and reinstated. Paxton has called the process a political witch hunt by the GOP establishment. Cornyn, who has served in the Senate since 2002 and holds several key committee seats, including the Senate Judiciary and Intelligence committees, has the endorsement of major bodies like the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Despite this, he is slightly behind Paxton in a recent hypothetical matchup by Emerson College Polling. The poll shows Paxton leading at 27%, with Cornyn in a close second at 26% and Hunt trailing at 16%, with 29% still undecided. Though behind in the polls, Hunt, an Army veteran serving his second term in Congress, believes he stands the best chance to replace Cornyn and keep the seat red. Hunt told Fox News Digital Cornyn’s “time has come to an end, and nearly everyone recognizes that reality, except for him.” ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS RACK UP $1B-PLUS IN TEXAS HOSPITAL COSTS IN FISCAL YEAR 2025; TOTAL LIKELY HIGHER: REPORT Hunt knocked Cornyn for repeatedly turning down debate offers from him, saying, “If Sen. Cornyn is truly serious about pursuing a fifth term, which is absurd in its own right, then it is time for him to come out of hiding and defend his record on a debate stage.” In another jab, Hunt said Cornyn’s “last remaining strategy was to cling to a Trump endorsement,” which, he said, “is not coming.” “What I am offering is a new generation of leadership. Sen. Cornyn, now nearing 74, is offering the same thing Texans have endured for 24 years: establishment politics with very little to show for it,” he said. Matt Mackowiak, senior advisor for the Cornyn campaign, dismissed the jabs, calling the two-term congressman “Woke Wesley” and saying he “isn’t a serious candidate or person, as evidenced by the fact that he can’t even show up to vote this year despite House Republicans having a razor-thin majority.” According to a GovTrack analysis of Hunt’s voting record reviewed by Fox News Digital, he has missed 44 out of 48, over 90%, of the House’s votes this January. GovTrack said that over the course of Hunt’s tenure in Congress, he has missed just over 20% of roll call votes, significantly higher than the median of 2% among the lifetime records of representatives currently serving. GOP LAWMAKER’S ABSENCE NEARLY HANDS DEMOCRATS WIN ON TRUMP WAR POWERS Aiming his fire at Paxton, Mackowiak said, “We look forward to the head to head contest after March 3 with home-wrecking ethical disaster Ken Paxton, where he will finally be held accountable for his failures, poor judgment and self dealing.” Paxton, meanwhile, called Cornyn “an old man everyone sees shuffling around D.C. and knows is going to be fired soon.” Paxton told Fox News Digital “the only people happy he’s running yet again are the illegals he’s fought to give amnesty to, the Democrats trying to destroy the Second Amendment and the members of the Cornyn Crime Family making a fortune by leveraging John’s position in the Senate.” On the Democratic side of the aisle, JT Ennis, a spokesperson for the Talarico campaign, also weighed in, telling Fox News Digital Talarico “helped lead the fight to impeach Ken Paxton,” and he “just unveiled a comprehensive anti-corruption agenda outside Ken Paxton’s office.” Ennis vowed that “when James is the Democratic nominee, he’ll prosecute the case against Paxton’s corruption every single day until we defeat him this November.” Crockett’s campaign did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. According to Emerson College Polling, Talarico is leading Crockett by a significant margin, 47% to 38%, with 15% undecided.