DOT crackdown pulls hundreds of English-illiterate, illegal immigrant truckers off roads as crashes mount
EXCLUSIVE: Federal transportation officials nabbed hundreds of truckers found not to be proficient in English, as otherwise routine stops at weigh stations led to thousands of violations amid a three-day national crackdown. The latest iteration of Operation SafeDRIVE (Distracted, Reckless, Impaired, Visibility Enforcement) ran from Jan. 13–15 on trucking corridors in 26 states and the District of Columbia and removed nearly 2,000 unqualified truckers and other drivers from the road, USDOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) told Fox News Digital. The news comes just days after a Kyrgyz national caused a deadly wreck after he failed to brake for stopped traffic on a state road in Jay County, Indiana, crossed the median and slammed into oncoming traffic. Bekzhan Beishekeev illegally used the Mayorkas-era CBP-1 app to enter the U.S. in 2023 and was later issued a CDL by PennDOT, leading DHS officials to lambast Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who in turn blamed Secretary Kristi Noem’s federal database management. DUFFY EXPOSES 54% OF NORTH CAROLINA TRUCK LICENSES ISSUED ILLEGALLY TO ‘DANGEROUS DRIVERS’ USDOT Secretary Sean Duffy told Fox News Digital that Operation SafeDRIVE saw the FMCSA partner with state law enforcement in a high-visibility enforcement and education effort, addressing unsafe drivers of all types on the nation’s highways. Operation SafeDRIVE conducted more than 8,200 inspections that led to 704 drivers being taken off the road and out of service. About 500 of those truckers were penalized for failing English proficiency standards. CALIFORNIA FATHER SAYS NEWSOM IGNORED HIM AFTER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TRUCKER LEFT DAUGHTER UNABLE TO WALK There were 1,231 total vehicles stripped of their roadworthiness and 56 people were arrested, including several for DUI/DWI and illegal presence in the United States. “Operation SafeDRIVE shows what happens when we work together with our law enforcement partners to pull unqualified drivers and vehicles off American roads,” Duffy told Fox News Digital. “We need a whole-of-government approach to ensure the Trump administration’s strong standards of safety are in place to protect American families and reduce road accidents.” ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ACCUSED IN DEATHS OF COLLEGE SOCCER PLAYER, GIRLFRIEND HAD PRIOR DWI DISMISSED: RECORDS FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs added that the operation’s main goal was public safety. “When drivers ignore the rules, operate without proper qualifications, or get behind the wheel impaired, they put all of our lives at risk,” Barrs said. “Operation SafeDRIVE demonstrates the value of focused enforcement and strong partnerships in removing these drivers and vehicles from our roads.” GRIEVING FATHER SAYS DAUGHTER’S DEATH BY ILLEGAL ALIEN SHOWS COST OF SANCTUARY POLICIES In other recent cases of illegally-present or English-nonproficient drivers causing deadly or dangerous situations, an Indian national was arrested after passing through a weigh station in Oklahoma and found to be illegally present in the country. His commercial driver’s license, issued by New York State, listed him as “NO NAME.” His identity was later confirmed to be Anmol Anmol, and he had illegally entered the U.S. in 2023 and was handed over to federal authorities under Oklahoma’s 287(g) cooperation agreement with I.C.E. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said Anmol is indicative of the kind of people issued licenses under Albany’s widescale noncooperation with federal immigration enforcement. NOEM DIGS AT AGITATORS, SANCTUARY POLITICIANS IN TOUTING ICE MISSION CONTINUES 1 YEAR INTO TRUMP’S SECOND TERM “New York is not only failing to check if applicants applying to drive 18-wheelers are U.S. citizens but even failing to obtain the full legal names of individuals they are issuing commercial drivers’ licenses to,” she said. After an Uzbek national wanted in Tashkent on terrorism charges was nabbed in Oklahoma — also wielding a PennDOT driver’s license — a similar dynamic ensued between Harrisburg and Washington, with both Shapiro and Noem blaming each other for the problem. Fox News Digital obtained a letter from Shapiro cabinet officials to Pennsylvania legislative leaders — as Democrats hold the House and Republicans the Senate — rejecting some of the claims about the situation. The letter, written by PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll, a Luzerne Democrat, and Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt, a Philadelphia Republican, called out “misstatements and ill-informed speculation” from critics. Schmidt and Carroll said the administration’s policy is not to allow illegal immigrants to receive licenses. “All non-citizens who apply for driver’s licenses … must provide PennDOT with proof of identity and must have their legal presence in this country verified through the federal Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database,” they said, citing the DHS database flagged by Shapiro and PennDOT spokeswoman Alexis Campbell in prior communications with Fox News Digital. A Noem spokesperson said at the time that the Uzbek illegal immigrant — Akhror Bozorov — had been unwisely issued a work authorization by the Biden administration, but that did not mean Harrisburg should have let him drive a bobtail — with the spokesperson dubbing Shapiro a “sanctuary politician.” The situation first came to prominence after Indian national Harjinder Singh made an illegal U-turn on Florida’s Turnpike in St. Lucie County and a sedan slammed into the rig, killing all occupants. Singh had been given a CDL by California.
Sen Tim Scott calls Trump post ‘most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House’
Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., called out President Donald Trump for a post on Truth Social on Friday, demanding that the president take it down. The post in question, which Trump put on his Truth Social Thursday night, depicted former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as monkeys or apes. Scott, the only Black member of the Senate GOP, called on Trump to remove the post. REPUBLICANS WARN DEMOCRATS’ ICE REFORM PUSH IS COVER TO DEFUND BORDER ENFORCEMENT “Praying it was fake because it’s the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House,” Scott said. “The President should remove it.” Scott found an unlikely ally in his request in Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who similarly called on Trump to take the post down. “Racist. Vile. Abhorrent. This is dangerous and degrades our country — where are Senate Republicans? The President must immediately delete the post and apologize to Barack and Michelle Obama, two great Americans who make Donald Trump look like a small, envious man,” Schumer said on X. Scott and Trump have shared a warm relationship since he ran and ultimately dropped out of the Republican presidential race last year. He now chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the Senate GOP’s campaign arm tasked with keeping Republicans’ thin majority in the upper chamber and expanding it during the 2026 midterm cycle. SCHUMER, JEFFRIES MEND RIFT, PRESENT UNITED FRONT ON DHS REFORMS AS DEADLINE NEARS Scott has rarely bucked Trump, positioning himself as a top ally to the president — he was on the short list of possible vice presidential picks before Trump ultimately tapped then Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio. THUNE BLASTS JEFFRIES, SCHUMER AS ‘AFRAID OF THEIR SHADOWS’ AS DHS FUNDING FIGHT HEATS UP However, he has recently broken with the president on the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Scott, who also chairs the Senate Banking Committee, said during an interview with Fox Business earlier this week that he didn’t believe Powell had committed a crime during his testimony to the committee last year. “I found him to be inept at doing his job, but ineptness or being incompetent is not a criminal act,” Scott said. The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Top fiery moments as Democrats clash with Treasury Secretary Bessent in chaotic Hill hearings
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was grilled by Democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill in back-to-back hearings this week that repeatedly erupted into shouting. Bessent was on the Hill to discuss the nation’s economic health but faced sharp questioning that at times derailed the proceedings. The confrontations reflected broader Democratic frustrations over President Donald Trump’s trade agenda and renewed pressure on the Federal Reserve, sharpening concerns about inflation, borrowing costs and the administration’s economic direction. Against that backdrop, cost-of-living pressures dominated the hearings, with Democratic lawmakers demanding clearer answers as Bessent defended the administration’s policies. Here are the top contentious moments from Bessent’s hearings. On Wednesday, Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., was among the first to clash with Bessent over Trump’s economic agenda, with the irate congresswoman asking at one point if someone could “shut him up.” The exchange took place during Bessent’s testimony before the House Financial Services Committee. Waters, the panel’s ranking member, pressed Bessent on the potential inflationary effects of Trump’s tariffs on U.S. consumers, repeatedly calling for a yes-or-no answer. Waters: So I ask you, Secretary Bessent, will you be the voice of reason in this administration and urge President Trump to stop waging a war on American consumers, harming housing affordability, and putting the economy at risk? Yes or no. You don’t have to explain. Bessent: Representative — Waters: Will you be the voice of reason? Will you be the voice of reason? Bessent: A study from Wharton University has shown — Waters: Reclaiming my time. Reclaiming my time. Mr. Chair, will you let him know when I ask to reclaim my time — Rep. French Hill, R-Ariz., House Financial Services Committee chairman: The time does belong to the gentlewoman from California. Bessent: Ten to 20 million immigrants — Waters: Can you shut him up? Bessent: What about the housing stock for working Americans? And can you maintain some level of dignity? Hill: The gentlewoman’s time has expired. Waters: No, my time has not expired. Hill: Your time has expired. The gentleman — Waters: The gentleman took up my time. I think you should recognize that, Mr. Chair. Hill: The gentlewoman’s time has expired. Following the contentious exchange with Waters, Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) asked Bessent to commit to pausing and fully scrutinizing any Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) licensing tied to World Liberty Financial, a Trump-linked crypto firm. He cited concerns about conflicts of interest and foreign influence that he said should be reviewed and shared with Congress. Bessent cited the OCC’s independence and declined to give a direct yes-or-no answer. Meeks : All I need to know is will you halt it and do a complete investigation and scrutiny of this licensing application? Yes or no? Bessent: No, congressman. The OCC is an independent entity and I would note congressman — Meeks: All you have to say is yes or no. Bessent: In 2006, you traveled to Venezuela — Meeks: I take that as a no. Bessent: On behalf of your donors — Meeks: I take that as a no. You do not want to answer that question. Bessent: 110 years — Meeks: I take that as a no. CAN YOU SHUT HIM UP?: WATERS AND TREASURY’S BESSENT CLASH OVER TRUMP’S ECONOMIC AGENDA Bessent: For 7 billion — Meeks: I’m asking you to do your responsibility as Secretary of the Treasury. Hill: Mr. Meeks. Your time has expired. Meeks: He went past your time, Mr. Chairman. He did not answer my question, and he went past the time. Hill: He had six seconds left to try to answer your question. Meeks: And it was a yes or no. Hill: Gentleman, the chair recognizes the gentleman — Meeks: Stop covering for the president. Stop being his flunky. Hill: Gentlemen, gentlemen — Meeks: Stop covering for the president, work for the American people. Bessent: To make a trip to Venezuela — Meeks: Don’t be a cover-up for a mob. Hill: Mr. Meeks. Mr. Bessent please — Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., sparred with Bessent during a contentious Senate Banking Committee hearing on Thursday, pressing him on President Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS over the alleged leak of his tax records. When Bessent said any payout would come from the U.S. Treasury, Gallego pushed back, arguing the cost would ultimately be borne by U.S. taxpayers. Bessent tried to interject, but Gallego continued, “I’m controlling the time here. You’re not obeying the law. You’re plundering U.S. taxpayer dollars.” In the same hearing, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., pressed Bessent to explain a joke Trump made about Federal Reserve nominee Kevin Warsh. Warren, the panel’s ranking member, asked Bessent about comments Trump made over the weekend, when he joked — or appeared to joke — about suing Warsh if he failed to lower the national interest rate. The question triggered a shouting match between the two. WARREN AND BESSENT ERUPT INTO SHOUTING MATCH OVER TRUMP’S WARSH JOKE Warren: This one should be an easy one. Mr. Secretary, can you commit right here and now that Trump’s Fed nominee, Kevin Warsh, will not be sued, will not be investigated by the Department of Justice, if he doesn’t cut interest rates exactly the way Donald Trump wants? Bessent: That’s up to the president. Can you commit that you will — Warren: I’m sorry? You can’t say that he won’t be sued if he doesn’t drop interest rates? Bessent: Can you commit that you will not hold up — Warren: And he won’t be criminally investigated? Bessent: The president also made a joke about you — one I won’t repeat. Warren: That was supposed to be a softball. That was the easy one. If this was a joke, why not just say so? Bessent: It was a joke, and he made a joke about you, too, Senator Warren. It got a lot of laughs, it got a lot of laughs. I don’t know if you want to respond to that. Warren: I do want to respond, I think the American
Republicans warn Democrats’ ICE reform push is cover to defund border enforcement
Senate Democrats are standing firm by their demands to rein in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), but Senate Republicans believe they have an ulterior motive: completely defund immigration operations across the country. “I’m really concerned that all the Democrats want to do is defund ICE,” Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital, “They want open borders. They don’t want to get rid of criminals.” Republicans argue the canary in the coal mine came last week when the Senate was advancing a Trump-backed funding deal. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., attempted to pass an amendment that would have stripped the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE of $75 billion, which was summarily defeated on the floor. SWEEPING BILL TO CRUSH SANCTUARY CITIES, PROTECT ICE AGENTS UNVEILED IN SENATE “Every single Senate Democrat voted yes,” Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said. “That’s how radical Democrats have become. The Senate rightly rejected this amendment. The Sanders Amendment exposes Democrats’ open borders goals.” That money came from President Donald Trump’s marquee “big, beautiful bill,” which shoveled billions to DHS for immigration operations, ensuring the agency is flush with cash for the next three to four fiscal years, regardless of congressional Democrats’ desires to defund it. Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., told Fox News Digital that the money from the “big, beautiful bill,” wasn’t going anywhere. Britt is leading talks for Senate Republicans over the issue. “That’s not up for negotiation,” Britt said. SCHUMER, JEFFRIES MEND RIFT, PRESENT UNITED FRONT ON DHS REFORMS AS DEADLINE NEARS “Once again, just like they did in the last shutdown, they would be putting the American people in jeopardy and at a worse place as a result of trying to win on a political posturing or political issue,” she continued. “So look, I plan on going into this with good-faith intentions, and I certainly hope that they will as well.” As the week has gone on, some Senate Republicans believed that all their counterparts wanted to do was gut ICE. When asked if he believed that Democrats’ end goal was to completely defund immigration enforcement operations, Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., told Fox News Digital, “100%.” “There’s no way we’re going to put handcuffs on ICE to limit what they can do,” Tuberville said. Senate Democrats pushed back against the assertion that they wanted to gut the agency, arguing that because of the funding already established by the “big, beautiful bill,” there was little they could actually do to defund immigration operations. “I want accountability,” Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., told Fox News Digital. “I want to make sure that there’s oversight. But right now, what I’m seeing is lawlessness and some of the actions and behaviors that should be alarming to all of us, and you know, that’s the underlying factor that we want to address.” “It’s not about some game,” he continued. Congressional Democrats coalesced around a list of 10 demands, finally unveiling their proposal late Wednesday night. It included several policies Republicans have already spurned, like de-masking ICE agents and requiring judicial warrants. THUNE BLASTS JEFFRIES, SCHUMER AS ‘AFRAID OF THEIR SHADOWS’ AS DHS FUNDING FIGHT HEATS UP Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., balked at the new proposal, and said that “there’s just a bunch of stuff in there that’s a nonstarter.” “They know that. Now maybe they had to put it in there to satisfy MoveOn.org, or some other special left-wing special interest groups,” Thune said. “But there are a few things that actually there’s probably some room to move on there to negotiate on, but a lot of that stuff, obviously just wasn’t serious.” Republicans are also mulling turning to another short-term funding patch, given that as of Thursday, their last day in session, they had just eight days left on the clock before the current continuing resolution (CR) for DHS ran out. But Democrats aren’t keen on supporting another extension — Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., warned that Thune and Republicans “shouldn’t count on our votes.” He also pushed back against grumbling Republicans, arguing that negotiations wouldn’t move along unless Republicans revealed what they wanted in return. “They have to get their act together,” he said. “We spent three days diligently, seriously coming up with a comprehensive, commonsense plan that police departments throughout the country use. Where are they?”
Shapiro fires back at DHS, says truck driver accused in deadly crash had legal status in database
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s team is disputing the Department of Homeland Security‘s (DHS) assertions about the immigration status of a semitruck driver involved in a crash that left four dead in Indiana. The driver was taken into U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody after a detainer was placed on him. DHS said the driver, Bekzhan Beishekeev, a 30-year-old national of Kyrgyzstan, came into the U.S. “illegally” using the controversial CBP One app and was later issued a commercial driver’s license (CDL) in Pennsylvania. The department confirmed to Fox News that Beishekeev entered the country on Dec. 19, 2023, at the Nogales, Ariz., port of entry, using the CBP One app and was released into the U.S. via parole by the Biden administration. “Not only was Bekzhan Beishekeev released into our country by the Biden administration using the CBP One app, but he was also given a commercial driver’s license by Governor Shapiro’s Pennsylvania. These decisions have had deadly consequences and led to the death of four innocent people in Indiana on Tuesday,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. McLaughlin then called on “sanctuary” governors to stop issuing CDLs to illegal immigrants “before another American gets killed.” SEMI-TRUCK DRIVER HELD ON ICE DETAINER AFTER 4 KILLED IN HEAD-ON CRASH Shapiro’s office argues that Beishekeev had legal status when he was issued the license in July 2025 and that he could still be eligible under a DHS database to receive one. “Every person who applies for a non-domiciled commercial driver’s license issued by PennDOT must provide proof of identify and proof of their legal presence in the United States. That information is verified by the federal Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database, administered by Kristi Noem and the United States Department of Homeland Security,” Shapiro spokesperson Alex Peterson said in a statement provided to Fox News. “The individual in question had legal status in Kristi Noem’s database when the license was issued in July 2025 and still shows as eligible to receive a license as of today. Kristi Noem should focus on minding the shop in her own agency, as her incompetence and operational failures seem to be matching the scale of her moral failures as the Secretary of Homeland Security,” Peterson added. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ALLEGEDLY RAMS ICE VEHICLE, BITES AGENTS AFTER FAILED GUN PURCHASE IN PITTSBURGH The deadly crash occurred on Feb. 3 at approximately 4:00 p.m. when Beishekeev was driving eastbound on Indiana’s State Route 67 and allegedly failed to break for a slowed semitruck in front of him, according to DHS and Indiana State Police. Beishekeev then allegedly swerved into oncoming traffic and slammed into a van carrying 15 passengers. Four people were killed in the crash. DHS said the fatal incident is being investigated by the Indiana State Police, the Jay County Sheriff’s Department and the Jay County Coroner’s Office. DHS and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) have warned about the dangers of CDL issuing practices in several states following a series of fatal crashes allegedly involving illegal immigrants. In its statement on Beishekeev, DHS noted that ICE had previously arrested another illegal immigrant who was issued a CDL in Pennsylvania. Akhror Bozorov, 31, is an Uzbek national who DHS said was wanted in his country of origin for belonging to a terrorist organization. Bozorov was arrested in Kansas on Nov. 9 while working as a commercial truck driver, using a CDL issued in Pennsylvania, according to DHS. Bozorov was allegedly granted work authorization in January 2024 under the Biden administration. Fox News’ Alexis McAdams and Fox News Digital’s Gregary Norman-Diamond contributed to this report.
RNC rolls out ‘powerful’ new TikTok strategy to win over key demographic after Trump’s 2024 success
FIRST ON FOX: The Republican National Committee is upping its social media presence and following President Donald Trump’s lead by officially launching a TikTok account, marking a strategic shift for the party as it continues to look to connect with younger voters. The RNC’s plan to make an impact on the digital front lines involves the official launch of @Republicans on TikTok, which is designed to engage a critical demographic, voters under 30 who may not follow traditional political news but rely heavily on social media for information. The move comes at the same time polling from Pew Research shows that 63% of Americans aged 18-29 use TikTok. The platform has become an essential battleground for reaching the next generation of voters. Trump has credited TikTok with being a key part of his election victory in 2024. TIKTOK AFTER THE US SALE: WHAT CHANGED AND HOW TO USE IT SAFELY “I wasn’t a fan of TikTok, and then I got to use it,” Trump said last fall. “And I became a fan, and it helped me win the election in a landslide.” The data shows that TikTok was a valuable tool for Trump and his administration. Reuters reported he amassed roughly 3 million followers in just 24 hours after joining the platform and quickly began drawing tens of millions of views. In 2025, the White House joined TikTok and quickly gained traction, racking up 5 million followers and 80 million-plus likes as of early January. In addition to launching its own account, the RNC is encouraging Republican candidates across the country to follow its lead and join the platform to engage with voters and level the playing field in a space where Democrats have historically dominated. 11 DEMOCRATS RUNNING TO KEEP BLUE-LEANING SEAT IN PARTY HANDS AS GOP HOUSE MAJORITY ON THE BRINK “President Trump proved how powerful TikTok can be and took decisive action to secure this platform for American users,” RNC Chair Joe Gruters told Fox News Digital. “Our new account will deliver America First content directly to younger voters who get their news online, and we’re encouraging Republican candidates nationwide to do the same now that the platform is safe.” Earlier this year, TikTok announced it reached a historic deal to launch a majority American-owned joint venture, a move guided by Trump and aimed at averting a potential U.S. ban on the popular social media app and hoping to alleviate concerns about China’s ability to influence Americans on the app. “I am so happy to have helped in saving TikTok! It will now be owned by a group of Great American Patriots and Investors, the Biggest in the World, and will be an important Voice,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. Gains by Trump and Republicans in courting younger voters helped the GOP win back the White House and the Senate and hold their House majority in last year’s elections. Republicans will be hoping to repeat that success in the upcoming midterms as they attempt to hold onto a razor-thin majority in the House of Representatives and a three-seat majority in the Senate despite historical trends suggesting Democrats have the advantage. “I think the President of the United States is our secret weapon. … He’s laser focused,” Gruters said in a national digital exclusive sit-down interview with Fox News last month. Pointing to Trump’s unprecedented agenda during his first year back in the White House, Gruters argued, “I think it’s going to pay huge dividends across the board, whether you’re running for governor, Senate, House or whether you’re running for a local seat.” Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
Ballot box shocker: Progressive backed by Sanders, AOC on verge of upset in Dem congressional primary
A progressive candidate backed by champions of the left, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., is close to pulling off an upset victory with votes still being counted in a Democratic congressional primary for a blue-leaning seat in New Jersey. Analilia Mejia, a progressive organizer, has a slight lead – 486 votes out of more than 61,000 counted – over former Democratic Rep. Tom Malinowski in the battle for their party’s nomination in New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District. Mejia and Malinowski are the leaders among a field of 11 Democratic candidates in the race to fill the seat left vacant after now-Gov. Mikie Sherrill stepped down after winning November’s gubernatorial election in the Garden State. ” I do think that we have emerged victorious, but I want to first make sure that every voter, every voter’s voice is heard,” Mejia said Friday at a news conference. HOUSE GOP MAJORITY SHRINKS TO JUST ONE VOTE AS JOHNSON SWEARS IN NEW HOUSE DEMOCRAT Thursday’s primary was closely watched by Democrats as an early testing ground in the debate between progressives versus the more mainstream elements of the party. And a victory by Mejia, who worked as political director on Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign, would be another major boost for the left against the establishment. She told supporters on primary night, “We have to rebuild our party, we have to rebuild what is happening in our nation. We have to reclaim our democracy. We know that our economy is rigged to suit the billionaires.” And Mejia, who during her primary campaign took aim at President Donald Trump’s unprecedented crackdown on illegal immigration, reiterated on Friday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the federal agency most visible in the aggressive tactics used in the administration’s massive deportation effort, “is completely overreaching.” “I think the fact that I was bold and unafraid to speak the truth was incredibly important. I think voters feel that they want to have a representative that actually represents them, and they cannot watch what’s happening in Minnesota, what happened in Chicago, what happened in California, what happened in Morristown across this district,” she told reporters. Malinowski, an assistant secretary of state in former President Barack Obama’s administration who later represented a neighboring congressional district in northern New Jersey from 2018 to 2022 before losing re-election, was considered the front-runner in the race heading into primary day. But Malinowski was the target of a slew of attack ads put out by a group affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which opposed Malinowski because he said he supports conditions on aid to Israel. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) jumped the gun on Thursday night, congratulating Malinowski in an email release. “Tonight, Democrat Tom Malinowski clinched victory in the New Jersey District 11 special election Democratic primary,” the DNC’s release read. Later in the evening, after taking a slight lead in the vote count over Malinowski, Meija put out a social media post showing the famous photo of then-President Harry Truman, during his 1948 election victory, holding up a newspaper with the erroneous banner headline: “Dewey Defeats Truman.” The Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) a leading group on the left, said in a statement that “Analilia Mejia’s momentous showing proves that voters, when given a choice, want Democrats with an inspiring vision who will boldly challenge powerful interests on behalf of working families.” “This is the second big congressional primary in two weeks where voters chose the more progressive candidate and made clear they want Democrats who will shake up a broken political and economic system – not just be anti-Trump,’ added PCCC co-founder Adam Green, a New Jersey native who knocked doors for Mejia and spoke at a rally with Mejia and Sanders on primary eve. The winner will face off with Randolph Mayor Joe Hathaway, the only Republican to file for the special election, which will be held on April 16. Hathaway will be considered the underdog in the race. Sherrill won re-election in the district in 2024 by 15 points, the same margin by which she carried the district in November’s gubernatorial showdown. But then-Vice President Kamala Harris won the district by just eight points in the 2024 presidential election, giving the GOP some hopes of possibly flipping the seat. The special election comes as Republicans cling to a razor-thin 218-214 majority in the House of Representatives. But the GOP may land a reinforcement in the House before the general election for the open seat in New Jersey is held. JOHNSON WARNS HOUSE REPUBLICANS TO ‘STAY HEALTHY’ AS GOP MAJORITY SHRINKS TO THE EDGE That’s because a special election is scheduled on March 10 in Georgia’s solidly red 14th Congressional District, in the race to succeed former GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. The MAGA firebrand and one-time top Trump House ally in early January stepped away from Congress a year before her term ended. A whopping 22 candidates, including 17 Republicans, are running in the Georgia showdown. According to Georgia state law, all the candidates will run on the same ballot. If no contender tops 50% of the vote, a runoff election between the top two finishers will take place on April 7. WHO TRUJMP IS BACKING IN RACE TO REPLACE MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE Trump on Wednesday endorsed Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney Clay Fuller, a Republican, in the race. Greene won re-election in 2024 to the seat by nearly 30 points, and Trump carried the district, which is located in northwest Georgia, by 37 points. There’s one more vacant seat in Congress, in California’s 1st Congressional District, following the recent unexpected death of Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa. A primary in the race to fill LaMalfa’s seat will be held on June 2, which is primary day in California. And the special general election will be held on Aug. 4. The district, in northeastern California, is solidly Republican. Fox News’ Paul Conner contributed to this story
Hegseth says US strikes force some cartel leaders to halt drug operations
War Secretary Pete Hegseth said Thursday that some cartel drug traffickers operating in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility have halted narcotics activity following recent U.S. military strikes in the Caribbean. “WINNING: Some top cartel drug-traffickers in the @SOUTHCOM AOR have decided to cease all narcotics operations INDEFINITELY due to recent (highly effective) kinetic strikes in the Caribbean,” Hegsth wrote in a post on X. Hegseth credited President Donald Trump with directing the military actions, calling the effort a lifesaving deterrent. HEGSETH SAYS DEPARTMENT OF WAR ‘WILL BE PREPARED TO DELIVER’ WHATEVER TRUMP WANTS FOLLOWING IRAN WARNING “This is deterrence through strength. @POTUS is SAVING American lives,” he wrote. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina praised the military action, writing on X, “Well done @SecWar and to all under your command. We must continue to verify and monitor. We can’t trust drug cartels.” PENTAGON WATCHDOG WARNS DRONE INCURSIONS REQUIRE ‘IMMEDIATE ATTENTION’ AT US MILITARY BASES The Trump administration has been pursuing a policy of conducting deadly attacks against vessels of alleged “narco-terrorists.” SOUTHCOM announced a strike that killed two on Thursday. US FORCES KILL TWO SUSPECTED NARCO-TERRORISTS IN EASTERN PACIFIC LETHAL STRIKE OPERATION “On Feb. 5, at the direction of #SOUTHCOM Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations. Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations. Two narco-terrorists were killed during this action. No U.S. military forces were harmed,” Southern Command noted in a post on X.
Minnesota green energy program funded by Obama fined for killing bald eagle: ‘National treasure’
Editor’s note: This story includes graphic images of the remains of an animal that some readers may find disturbing. EXCLUSIVE: The University of Minnesota is facing a proposed penalty of over $14,000 after it was discovered that a green energy initiative funded by a grant from the Obama administration was responsible for the gruesome death of an American bald eagle. The incident occurred at the University of Minnesota’s Eolos Wind Energy Research Field Station in Dakota County, Minnesota. Photos obtained by Fox News Digital show the moment a University of Minnesota wind turbine struck the bald eagle, dismembering it into three pieces and leaving a bloodied carcass on the floor below. The violation notice says the university violated the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act by killing the eagles without what is called an “incidental take permit.” As such, the university is facing a proposed civil penalty of $14,536 for illegally killing what one Department of the Interior official called a “national treasure.” HOUSE REPUBLICANS SOUND ALARM OVER CCP-LINKED FAKE RESEARCH THREATENING US TAXPAYER-FUNDED SCIENCE According to a Department of the Interior violation notice reviewed by Fox News Digital, the university was aware that bird collisions were a danger and was in the process of testing its collision detection sensors when the incident occurred. The eagle’s remains were discovered in pieces. The lower torso and tail were found by technicians first, while the head and wings were not found until over a month later. Following the incident, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sent the university a letter, urging the institution to reassess the turbine’s danger to eagles and to consider applying for a long-term permit for incidental take of eagles. However, the January notice of violation issued by the DOI does not indicate that the university has since obtained any such permit. SNOWSTORM COULD’VE SPARKED GRID CATASTROPHE IF BIDEN CLIMATE POLICIES WEREN’T REVERSED: ENERGY DEPT The Minnesota turbine is a part of the university’s Eolos Wind Energy Research Consortium, a wind-energy research collaboration. The construction of the turbine was funded by a $7.9 million grant from the Obama Department of Energy awarded in 2010, according to local outlet the Minnesota Daily. One of former President Barack Obama’s first major legislative achievements was the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), which according to a report by the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, appropriated an “unprecedented $90 billion to ‘lay the foundation for a clean energy economy of the future,’ of which the U.S. Department of Energy received $35.2 billion.” The Minnesota incident is not the only such killing to have occurred in recent years. In November, Fox News Digital reported on FWS proposing hefty fines on renewable energy company Ørsted Onshore North America for two bald eagle kills by wind turbines in Nebraska and Illinois. In January, FWS issued notice of finalized fines of a total of $32,340 for the two eagles killed by Ørsted turbines. TRUMP ADMIN PAUSING ALL OFF SHORE WIND PROJECT CONSTRUCTION DUE TO NATIONAL SECURITY CONCERNS U.S. Secretary of Interior Doug Burgum has previously criticized solar and wind projects, saying they are “destabilizing our grid and driving up prices.” “When you think about the green new scam, it was pro-China, and it’s anti-American, and it’s also unaffordable and unreliable,” Burgum said on Jesse Watters Primetime in June. Matthew Middleton, a spokesperson for DOI, commented on the killings, telling Fox News Digital that under President Donald Trump and Secretary Burgum, the department “is enforcing the law to protect these iconic birds and demand accountability from an industry that has jeopardized these protected species.” “America’s bald eagles are a national treasure, not collateral damage for costly wind experiments,” said Middleton, adding, “Wind companies will no longer get a free pass as this administration safeguards bald eagles and advances energy policies that prioritize affordability and strengthen America’s economy.” A spokesperson for the University of Minnesota confirmed to Fox News Digital that the university had received DOI’s notice and said it is “currently under review.” Ørsted did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
White House slams Democrat governor for urging public to track ICE agents with new video portal
The White House and conservatives are slamming New Jersey Democratic Gov. Mikie Sherrill after she announced her administration is launching a portal to monitor U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and alert people to their presence. Sherrill, a U.S. Navy veteran who entered office just a few weeks ago, encouraged New Jerseyans to film federal immigration enforcement operations when they see them, saying on a recent episode of The Daily Show, “We want documentation, and we are going to make sure we get it.” “We are going to be standing up a portal so people can upload all their cell videos and alert people,” she said. “If you see an ICE agent in the street, get your phone out, we want to know.” In response, Abigail Jackson, a spokesperson for the White House, remarked, “If Sherill was as committed to tracking down criminal illegal aliens as she was ICE officers, New Jersey residents would be much safer.” WHITE HOUSE ACCUSES WALZ OF UNDERMINING LAW ENFORCEMENT, BLOCKING ICE COOPERATION Jackson told Fox News Digital “ICE officers are facing a 1,300% increase in assaults because of dangerous, untrue smears by elected Democrats. “Just the other day, an officer had his finger bitten off by a radical left-wing rioter,” she said. “ICE officers act heroically to enforce the law and protect American communities, and local officials should work with them, not against them.” Sean Higgins, a spokesperson for Sherrill, framed the governor’s actions as protecting New Jerseyans from federal overreach. “Keeping New Jerseyans safe is Governor Sherrill’s top priority,” Higgins told Fox News Digital. “In the coming days, she and acting Attorney General [Jennifer] Davenport will announce additional actions to protect New Jerseyans from federal overreach.” DEM GOVERNOR DUCKS QUESTION ON ‘MONSTER’ ILLEGAL ALIEN WHO FRACTURED 8-YEAR-OLD’S SKULL WITH ROCK ATTACK While speaking on the show, Sherrill cited the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in confrontations with ICE agents in Minneapolis. She accused agents of shooting Pretti “execution style,” which she called “unacceptable.” “They have not been forthcoming,” the governor said of ICE. “They will pick people up. They will not tell us who they are. They will not tell us if they’re here legally. They won’t check. They’ll pick up American citizens.” The White House was not the only critic of Sherrill’s announcement. New Jersey Assembly Republican Leader John DiMaio ripped into the governor, saying her portal “puts everyone at risk” and continues a long trend of targeting law enforcement. “For years now, New Jersey has been moving in the wrong direction and making it harder for law enforcement to do their jobs and easier for criminals to exploit the system,” DiMaio said in a statement. “This portal continues that trend by targeting the people whose job it is to protect our communities.” NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR TO LAUNCH PORTAL FOR UPLOADING VIDEOS OF ICE TACTICS: ‘THEY HAVE NOT BEEN FORTHCOMING’ “Encouraging people to film and upload law enforcement activity risks escalating tensions and endangering both officers and the public,” he said. DiMaio pointed to recent ICE arrests in New Jersey, which he said included arrests of sex offenders who also endangered children. “ICE has taken real criminals off our streets — offenders convicted of serious crimes against children and violent acts that put innocent lives at risk,” DiMaio said. “At a time when leaders should be lowering the temperature, this piles on. It sends a message that enforcing the law is something to be shamed instead of respected.”