Socialist Mayor Mamdani bashes ICE after chaotic protest leads to arrests: ‘Cruel and inhumane’
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani ripped into U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after a crowd of anti-ICE demonstrators attempted to disrupt the arrest of an illegal immigrant accused of assault and drug possession, according to a local outlet. Mamdani, a prominent socialist and immigrant politician, told Gothamist on Sunday that he had not seen videos circulating online of the anti-ICE protesters at the hospital, but said, “I’ve said time and time again, ICE raids are cruel and inhumane.” He added, “They do nothing to serve in the interest of public safety,” per the outlet. Nine demonstrators were detained Saturday night after protests erupted in Brooklyn’s Bushwick neighborhood over ICE’s arrest of Chidozie Wilson Okeke, an illegal immigrant from Nigeria with previous arrests on assault and drug possession charges, according to the Department of Homeland Security. ANTI-ICE DEMONSTRATORS DETAINED AFTER PROTESTING ARREST OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT FACING ASSAULT, DRUG CHARGES Mamdani was not the only New York City politician to criticize the ICE operation. Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso posted on X that “ICE’s presence in Bushwick is deeply alarming.” He encouraged followers to report federal agents, writing, “If you see ICE in your neighborhood, call or text the Hands Off NYC hotline.” Reynoso applauded the demonstrators, writing, “To our neighbors who quickly mobilized last night, thank you for making it loud and clear that ICE is not welcome in Brooklyn.” Democratic state Sen. Julia Salazar, who represents Brooklyn, also posted on X encouraging residents to report ICE agents’ presence. She also called it “concerning” that so many New York Police Department officers were deployed for what she called “clearly a justified gathering by local residents.” According to DHS, Okeke refused to comply with ICE agents’ commands to exit his car and attempted to hit them with the vehicle. He is accused of being “physically combative” and attempting to punch and elbow ICE agents. PROTESTS ERUPT AS ICE AGENTS RAID NYC CHINATOWN STREET VENDORS ALLEGEDLY SELLING COUNTERFEIT GOODS “Our officers followed their training and used the minimum amount of force necessary to make the arrest,” DHS said in a statement. After his arrest, Okeke was taken to Wyckoff Heights Medical Center for a medical evaluation. Okeke “remained non-compliant during the medical evaluation, throwing himself to the floor and screaming,” DHS said, adding that he was eventually cleared by medical staff. Okeke entered the U.S. on a tourist visa in 2023 and overstayed his visa that required him to leave the country by Feb. 26, 2024, DHS said. Video shows ICE agents dragging Okeke out of the hospital following his medical evaluation. During the medical evaluation, a crowd of anti-ICE protesters gathered outside the hospital. DHS said the group damaged several ICE vehicles and assaulted agents, causing minor injuries. New York City Councilmember Sandy Nurse, a Democrat, posted on X that she was among the crowd of protesters on Saturday night from 11 p.m. to 3 in the morning. She referred to the arrest as a “kidnapping,” writing, “We did not have any information about the person ICE had detained, although we tried many times to get information.” She observed that through coordination with the NYPD, ICE was able to transport the arrestee back into federal vehicles and depart. Nurse thanked the New Yorkers “who dropped everything and showed up to demand ICE out of our neighborhood.” She also encouraged locals to report ICE agents’ presence in the area. NEW YORK CITY ICE RAID NETS 9 ARRESTS OF ILLEGAL ALIENS FROM WEST AFRICA, 4 PROTESTERS ALSO ARRESTED Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani for comment. Fox News Digital also reached out to Reynoso, Salazar and Nurse for comment. Mamdani has previously said on ABC’s The View, “I am in support of abolishing ICE.” “What we see is an entity that has no interest in fulfilling its stated reason to exist,” he continued. “We’re seeing a government agency that is supposed to be enforcing some kind of immigration law, but instead what it’s doing is terrorizing people — no matter their immigration status, no matter the facts of the law, no matter the facts of the case.” Of the nine people taken into custody on Saturday night, eight were arrested and charged with resisting arrest, obstructing governmental administration, reckless endangerment and criminal mischief, the NYPD said. One person was issued a summons and released.
6 months to midterms: The Senate seats that could tip the balance of power
With six months to go until this year’s midterm elections, the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) chair, Sen. Tim Scott, says he believes the GOP can not only hold but expand its current 53–47 majority. “There’s no doubt the climate has gotten more and more difficult by the day,” Scott, R-S.C., acknowledged in a recent Fox News Digital interview. But he emphasized he remains “incredibly optimistic” heading into the midterms as he defends the GOP’s Senate majority. Republicans — as the party currently in power — were already up against traditional political headwinds that lead to a loss of congressional seats. Add to that the challenging climate fueled by persistent inflation, rising gas prices tied to what polls show is an unpopular war with Iran and President Donald Trump’s underwater approval ratings. Scott’s rival and counterpart at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, is optimistic that Democrats can flip the chamber. Gillibrand, D-N.Y., told Fox News Digital earlier this year she sees “all the makings of a blue wave.” DEMOCRATS BUILD MIDTERM MOMENTUM BUT REPUBLICANS STILL IN DRIVER’S SEAT IN SENATE MAJORITY BATTLE Here’s a look at the 10 Senate seats most likely to flip and potentially flip the balance of power in the chamber. Republican Sen. Susan Collins is running for re-election for a sixth six-year term in blue-leaning Maine. Collins is the only Republican senator running for re-election this year in a state that then-Vice President Kamala Harris carried in her 2024 presidential election defeat to Trump. And Collins has seen a deterioration of her poll numbers among Mainers from her last re-election six years ago. But Collins, who has long been a top DSCC target, has proven tough to beat. STRATEGY SESSION: TRUMP TEAM HUDDLES ON MIDTERM MESSAGING Facing Collins will likely be veteran and oyster farmer Graham Platner, the all-but-certain Democratic nominee after two-term Gov. Janet Mills dropped out of the race last week. Platner is backed by progressive champions Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. Republican groups supporting Collins are already blasting Platner over controversial comments he made over a decade ago on Reddit about rape, and a well-publicized tattoo on his chest that resembled a Nazi symbol. Republicans are defending an open seat in the southeastern battleground state, with GOP Sen. Thom Tillis retiring at the end of this year. Democrats landed their top recruit when former two-term Gov. Roy Cooper launched a Senate campaign last summer. Cooper enjoys tons of name ID in North Carolina and is 6-0 when running statewide races. Republicans are rallying around former Republican National Committee (RNC) Chair Michael Whatley, who has the president’s backing. The Cook Report, a top nonpartisan political handicapper, recently shifted the race from toss-up to lean Democrat. Democrats scored another major recruiting victory when former longtime Sen. Sherrod Brown announced he would challenge Republican Sen. Jon Husted. A former lieutenant governor, Husted was appointed to the Senate a year ago after then-Sen. JD Vance stepped down to serve as vice president. Ohio, once a premier general election battleground, has turned red over the past decade, and Democrats view Brown as their only competitive candidate in the race to serve the final two years of Vance’s term. Brown lost re-election in 2024 by roughly four points while Trump carried Ohio by 11 points. But the Cook Report last month shifted its ranking from lean Republican to toss-up, noting that “even recent GOP polling” has indicated the race is all knotted up. Republicans view first-term Sen. Jon Ossoff as the most vulnerable Democrat seeking re-election in 2026. But Ossoff has built a massive war chest while the GOP faces a nasty three-way primary battle for its nomination in the crucial southeastern battleground state. The Cook Report recently shifted the race in Georgia from toss-up to lean Democrat. The GOP’s aiming to flip an open seat in battleground Michigan, where Sen. Gary Peters is retiring. Former Rep. Mike Rogers, who won the 2024 GOP Senate nomination in Michigan but narrowly lost to Rep. Elissa Slotkin, is making a second straight bid and is the all-but-certain GOP nominee. Democrats are dealing with a three-way fight between center-left Rep. Haley Stevens, state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, a self-described “pragmatist,” and progressive physician Abdul El-Sayed, who is backed by Sanders. The primary has already exposed numerous Democratic Party divisions and provided Rogers, who is backed by Trump, with plenty of ammunition, and the nominee won’t be decided until August. Democrats were given a big boost in the red-leaning state when former Rep. Mary Peltola announced in February that she would challenge GOP incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan. Peltola lost re-election 15 months ago in the at-large district that covers the entire state by three points, while Trump carried Alaska by 11 points. Longtime Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas is in the middle of a competitive and combustible GOP nomination runoff battle against state Atty. Gen. Ken Paxton. Trump, to date, has stayed neutral in the runoff, which will be held in late May. Cornyn enjoys the backing of Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and the NRSC, which worries that the seat would be vulnerable if Paxton, who has plenty of political baggage, wins the primary. The Democrats, who are eyeing the seat in the right-leaning state, nominated state Rep. James Talarico, a rising star in the party. Talarico hauled in an eye-popping $27 million in fundraising the first three months of this year. Republicans are hoping to flip the long-held Democratic Senate seat in New England’s only swing state, thanks to the retirement of Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the first woman in the nation’s history to be elected governor and senator. Four-term Rep. Chris Pappas is expected to capture the Democratic Senate nomination in the state’s early September primary. There’s a primary race on the Republican side between two former senators seeking a return to Capitol Hill. Former Sen. John E. Sununu, an older brother to former Gov. Chris Sununu, has the backing
Blanche turns the tables on Comey indictment critics: ‘Rest assured’ case goes beyond Instagram post
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche insisted Sunday that the indictment against former FBI Director James Comey rests on more than just an “8647” Instagram picture, saying new evidence would come to light in court to support the government’s claim that Comey’s post amounted to a criminal threat against the president. Blanche provided the remarks during a “Meet the Press” interview as he was grilled about the credibility of the high-profile case and whether it was politically motivated. The charges hinge on whether prosecutors can prove the former FBI director’s intent, a key legal threshold. Blanche signaled the Department of Justice will present broader evidence in court to support the charge while rejecting claims the prosecution was driven by President Donald Trump’s past clashes with Comey. “You prove intent like you always prove intent,” Blanche said. “You prove intent with witnesses. You prove intent with documents, with materials. … This is not just about a single Instagram post. This is about a body of evidence that the grand jury collected over the series of about 11 months.” The term “86” is understood as slang to get rid of someone or something, rooted in restaurant usage for an unavailable item or refused customer. Prosecutors allege that, paired with “47” — a reference to Trump as the 47th president — Comey’s post amounted to a threat. HOW JAMES COMEY’S INDICTMENT COULD GO SOUTH FOR THE DOJ Blanche noted that threatening the president was a common criminal charge. But he said the DOJ does not prosecute everyday mentions of “8647,” such as paraphernalia featuring the numbers being sold on Amazon, and that other factors were in play in Comey’s case. “Rest assured that the career assistant United States attorneys in North Carolina, the career FBI agents, the career Secret Service agents that investigated this case didn’t just look at the Instagram post and walk away…. So I am not permitted to get into the details of what the grand jury heard or found,” Blanche said. “But rest assured that it’s not just the Instagram post that leads somebody to get indicted.” The DOJ brought two charges against Comey in federal court in North Carolina last week alleging an Instagram post he made last year of seashells on the beach amounted to a threat to harm or kill Trump. The post prompted an outcry from social media users, who accused Comey of threatening Trump, his longtime political nemesis, leading Comey to immediately delete the image and issue an apology. Comey said at the time he did not realize the number “86” was associated with violence. FORMER FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY MEETS WITH SECRET SERVICE AFTER CONTROVERSIAL ’86 47′ POST Then-Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem responded by announcing that U.S. Secret Service would investigate the post, and Comey voluntarily met with federal agents at the time for an interview, though no charges were brought. The case marks the Justice Department’s second recent prosecution of Comey, after a separate indictment alleging he lied to Congress was tossed on procedural grounds. The DOJ is appealing that decision. Blanche was also questioned over whether Comey was charged because Trump explicitly called for the DOJ to bring criminal charges against him and other political foes in a Truth Social post last fall, calling them “guilty as hell” and saying “JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!” “Do the American people think that nothing was done on those cases until President Trump posted that Truth in September?” Blanche asked. “No, these are ongoing investigations.” The latest indictment against Comey has faced widespread criticism as Democrats and some Republicans argue the charges present a free speech problem and do not rise to the “true threat” standard established by the Supreme Court. Comey’s attorney said in court that he plans to ask the judge to toss out the charges because they were selective and vindictive. Still, the DOJ and Trump allies are standing firmly behind the charges as they warn critics to wait to hear evidence before jumping to conclusions. Comey’s arraignment is slated for May 11 in Greenville. Fox News Digital reached out to the DOJ and Comey’s lawyer for comment.
Rashida Tlaib’s new ‘Unhoused Bill of Rights’ would protect homeless camping
Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., introduced legislation last week that would significantly expand rights for the homeless and overhaul how the government treats Americans living on the streets by siphoning billions from defense spending. The “Unhoused Persons Bill of Rights” calls for government-led intervention to end homelessness over the next three years and introduces more than a dozen protections for homeless people. If passed, Tlaib‘s legislation would include freedom of movement for homeless people in public spaces, affordable housing, “livable” wages, universal healthcare and panhandling. Under the resolution, homeless individuals would have the “right to uninhibited access” to public parks, transportation, facilities, sidewalks, buildings, restrooms and other spaces — meaning they could legally set up camp in such public spaces. LEFTIST LAWMAKERS WANT TO MAKE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS A NATIONWIDE CRISIS The homeless population would also be given the right to internet access and the necessary technology to achieve that. A spokesperson for Tlaib did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment regarding how that provision would work in practice. While the resolution is nonbinding, meaning it does not carry the force of law, Tlaib’s recommendations indicate how the left could push for changes to homeless policy if Democrats retake power in Washington after the 2026 midterms. Tlaib’s proposal would, however, grant the homeless population “freedom from harassment” by law enforcement, private businesses, property owners and “housed residents.” Specifically, homeless individuals would be given protections against “banishment” from private property, which the Michigan Democrat’s measure characterizes as a violation of an individual’s “fundamental civil and human rights.” The homeless population grew to more than 771,000 in January 2024, its highest-ever recorded level, according to a Housing and Urban Development (HUD) report released that year. EX-‘SQUAD’ DEM APPEARS TO BE LEANING ON RADICAL ACTIVIST AT CENTER OF DAMNING TLAIB REPORT IN COMEBACK BID Several provisions of Tlaib’s resolution appear to directly challenge a Supreme Court ruling in 2024 that made it easier for cities to crack down on homelessness by allowing local ordinances to enforce bans against camping on public property. More than 100 local governments across the United States prohibited homeless camping following the court’s decision, NPR reported. Tlaib’s measure sharply criticizes state and local governments that have banned “panhandling, loitering, sleeping in tents or vehicles,” among other activities associated with the homeless population. The resolution also directs the federal government to achieve a long-shot goal of ending the “unhoused crisis” by 2029. Among Tlaib’s recommendations is requiring the Trump administration to siphon off at least $168 billion in defense spending to “permanently end and prevent” individuals from experiencing homelessness. Her resolution does not specify what the nearly 20% of annual defense spending would be used for. “Having access to a safe place to live is a human right,” Tlaib said in a statement upon introducing the legislation. “Every year, Congress passes another record-breaking military budget, and President Trump just requested a $1.5 trillion Pentagon budget this year. Experts say it would cost a fraction of this to end homelessness in our country.” Tlaib’s measure is similar to a resolution first introduced by former Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., in 2021. Bush, a one-time member of “the Squad,” is mounting a comeback bid to reclaim her St. Louis-based House seat in November’s midterm elections.
Big Tech joins forces with Trump admin to unleash patriotic birthday push into homes nationwide
Google is partnering with the Trump administration to launch a nationwide “Making of the Nation” initiative with immersive technology aimed at spotlighting American history as the U.S. approaches its 250th anniversary. “Making of the Nation — America at 250 — is an extraordinary initiative combining technology and storytelling that invites every American, and every person on the planet, to explore the genius of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and other historic documents that have been the foundation of American Freedom for 250 years,” White House Domestic Policy Council director and leader of the White House Task Force 250 Vince Haley told Fox News Digital. The National Archives and White House Task Force 250 launched the “Making of the Nation” online exhibit with Google Arts & Culture on Monday. The programming is a hybrid experience that uses AI, interactive storytelling and 3D digital galleries to bring founding-era documents and artifacts to life. RARE, HISTORIC US DOCUMENTS TRAVELING COUNTRY ON ‘FREEDOM PLANE’ AHEAD OF AMERICA’S 250TH ANNIVERSARY A core hub will digitalize documents, artifacts and stories of America’s inception, from Benjamin Franklin’s experiments to George Washington’s personal items and curated war stories of battles during the Revolutionary War, such as Valley Forge. The collaboration is bringing the “Founder Museum” to American homes everywhere, digitalizing the exhibit to showcase those individuals who helped build the nation. TRUMP TO CREATE TASK FORCE TO PLAN ‘EXTRAORDINARY CELEBRATION’ FOR 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF AMERICA’S INDEPENDENCE “President Abraham Lincoln famously reflected that America’s political and economic success was owed to the Declaration’s implicit principle of ‘Liberty to All’, which he observed ‘gives hope to all — and by consequence, enterprise, and industry to all.’ As Lincoln put it: ‘No oppressed people will fight and endure, as our fathers did, without the promise of something better than a mere change of masters,’” Haley said. “Thanks to a partnership between the National Archives, National Park Service, White House Task Force 250, and Google Arts & Culture, a new generation of freedom lovers here and around the world can follow in Lincoln’s footsteps and discover anew the sacred principles that will ensure American success for the next 250 years and beyond,” Haley added. The U.S. National Archives partnered with NotebookLM to make more than 180,000 documents accessible to the public, highlighting a wide range of historical insights — from leaders’ personal letters to Benjamin Franklin’s scientific writings. America’s birthday comes at a time when patriotism is down nationwide, with a 2025 Gallup Poll finding only 41% of adults reporting they are extremely proud to be an American, while 17% are very proud to be an American. President Donald Trump has vowed to turn the nation around under his second term, including touting his mission to make America “the hottest country in the world,” saying the nation was “dead” under former President Joe Biden’s term. Trump established a “Task Force 250” last year to focus on patriotic celebrations, planning various patriotic events and educational activations across the country. Google Arts & Culture vice president and founder Amit Sood said in a press release that “History is a living narrative belonging to us all.” “As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, we are proud to join this initiative to bring America’s founding story to life in a way that invites everyone, everywhere to experience it. This is a moment to reflect on the stories and heritage that define us,” added Sood.
Congress ignores key deadline as Republicans ready ‘restraint’ on Trump’s war in Iran
Congress left Washington, D.C., without flexing its legal muscle against President Donald Trump’s Iran war, despite growing concern among Republicans about what comes next in the Middle East. The 60-day deadline, enshrined into law by the War Powers Act Resolution, requires that Congress authorize or halt the war. That mark came and went Friday while lawmakers were back home. While Senate Democrats have voted six times in lockstep to handcuff Trump’s war powers in Iran, Republicans broadly have not wanted to interfere with the administration’s plans. DEMOCRATS FAIL TO SHATTER REPUBLICANS’ RESOLVE ON EVE OF CRUCIAL IRAN DEADLINE Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said he didn’t see a desire from most Republicans to take action on the deadline and noted that lawmakers were getting “readouts from our military leadership on a somewhat regular basis” to guide their decision-making. Still, some Republicans want to put guardrails on Trump when Congress returns. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, has been working on an Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) that she described as more than an authorization, but also a “restraint.” HEGSETH TESTIFIES AT SENATE AS IRAN WAR’S $25B PRICE TAG AND 60-DAY WAR POWERS DEADLINE LOOM “If we pass this 60-day mark from the start of hostilities with still a lack of a credible plan and information from the administration, it is one — it is something that I intend to introduce once the Senate reconvenes here,” Murkowski said. Trump wrote to congressional leaders on Friday that he never needed their say-so and noted that hostilities in Iran — despite scant skirmishes and an ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz — had been “terminated.” “On April 7, 2026, I ordered a two-week ceasefire,” Trump wrote. “The ceasefire has since been extended. There has been no exchange of fire between the United States Forces and Iran since April 7, 2026. The hostilities that began on February 28, 2026, have terminated.” AFTER THIRD ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT, DEBATE GROWS OVER WHETHER TRUMP ATTACK WARRANTS ANOTHER INVESTIGATION Democrats contend that a ceasefire doesn’t mean that the war is over. “The ceasefire just means bombs aren’t dropping,” Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., told Fox News Digital. “It doesn’t mean that the war’s not on. I mean, we’re still using the U.S. Navy to block anything going into and out of any port in Iran. That’s war. We would consider — if somebody was doing it to us, that’s war.” Without action from Congress on last week’s deadline, the Trump administration now has 30 days to wind down military actions in Iran absent authorization from lawmakers. If the administration doesn’t follow through with that requirement, Democrats have signaled taking legal action. But some don’t see that as a winning strategy, given the likelihood that the Supreme Court would side with Trump. “It’s hard for me to imagine them constraining this president and his war-making power in any way,” Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said. “So I would not want the country to have to rely on this Supreme Court.”
GOP sen secures historic sheriff backing, including one Dem flip and ‘clean sweep’ Independent support
FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Jon Husted has secured a record-breaking 75 endorsements from Ohio’s 88 county sheriffs, marking the largest show of support from law enforcement in the state’s history, including a “clean sweep” of Independent sheriffs and a show of support from across party lines. “They’ve seen at the national level people like Sherrod Brown denying the border crisis, when millions of people poured across our border who were unvetted,” Husted told Fox News Digital. “That included people who were bringing drugs and human trafficking.” He explained his belief that the immigration and crime policies put in place under the Biden administration made law enforcement hesitant to support Brown, Husted’s Democratic opponent in November who is aiming to return to the Senate after being ousted in 2024 after 18 years in the chamber. Local sheriffs feel abandoned by previous federal policies, according to Husted. “They would tell me that they would arrest people who were in the country illegally, they would have them in their jails, they would call Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and ICE would just say ‘let them go,’” Husted claimed. HUSTED FILES FOR 2026 SENATE RACE, LAUNCHING AGGRESSIVE STATEWIDE RE-ELECTION PUSH Husted argued that the current return to pro-enforcement policies in the Trump administration has changed the game for those on the ground. “These are the people on the front line,” Husted said. “That’s what they experience. They know the difference between where Sherrod Brown is on those issues… and where I’ve been. Now they see the opposite. When they arrest somebody who has committed a crime, who’s in the country illegally, they just call ICE, ICE comes and gets them, and they do the process of deportation.” The list of officials backing Husted includes a sheriff who previously stood with Husted’s opponent, Sherrod Brown. Wood County Sheriff Mark Wasylyshyn, who endorsed Brown in the last cycle, is now firmly behind Husted. “Jon Husted has proven he will stand up for law enforcement,” Wasylyshyn said in a press release. “In this race, he’s earned my support. I’ve seen his leadership, and I’m confident he will continue to support those of us working to keep our communities safe.” Additionally, the sheriff from Brown’s home county of Richland is supporting Husted. Husted also framed the issue of crime as a struggle for everyday Ohioans, noting that “working families” don’t have the luxury of private security like some of the high-profile celebrity critics of crime crackdowns. BLUE CITY’S STAGGERING 40% VIOLENT CRIME DROP A ‘BLUEPRINT FOR OTHER CITIES,’ LAW ENFORCEMENT EXPERT SAYS “If you’re, you know, a working family of four, you make $80,000 a year, you don’t live in a gated community with officers and security,” Husted said. “You live in neighborhoods where, in many cases, criminals try to come and steal cars, bring drugs and things like that. And they don’t want that. That’s why working families support law and order. They support the rule of law. They want people to follow the law, and they want law enforcement to enforce the law.” The senator’s campaign pointed to Husted’s long-standing record of funding law enforcement. Throughout his service, he led efforts to invest more than $274 million into Ohio law enforcement for body cameras, training and wellness programs. He also pioneered the creation of a statewide law enforcement recruitment hub to address critical staffing shortages. “Jon Husted has been an ally to law enforcement when others have turned their backs,” said Van Wert County Sheriff Thomas Riggenbach. “He has always stood with those of us on the front lines, making sure we have the resources and support we need to do our jobs.” For Husted, the endorsements are more than just numbers; they are a validation of his career-long alignment with police. “I’ve been behind the police my whole life,” Husted said. “They’re on the front lines of fighting crime, and they know I’ve always had their backs. I support them, and they support me—and together, we’ll keep Ohio safe.” Fox News Digital reached out to the Brown campaign for comment. The Ohio Senate race is viewed as a key battleground because Democrats see it as a winnable pickup that could erode the GOP’s narrow 53–47 majority, while Republicans need to hold it to prevent their already slim margin from tightening further.
DOJ investigates Illinois schools over secret gender transitions, ideology
President Donald Trump’s Justice Department is continuing its investigatory crackdown on left-wing ideology in schools, homing in on one of the biggest blue states renowned for its activist teachers unions. The DOJ announced an investigation into 36 Illinois school districts over whether they allowed parents to opt their children out of instruction involving sexual orientation and gender ideology (SOGI). “What we’ve learned is that Illinois has a comprehensive sex education and LGBTQ education regime for its public schools, and it appears that it does not allow for parental opt-outs, so these are mandatory topics,” Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon told Fox News in an exclusive interview. “If the schools are mandating this and not allowing parents the opportunity to opt out of content that may be inappropriate for them based on religion or values, they would be afoul of that Supreme Court precedent,” Dhillon said. “And so we have reason to believe that these school districts in Illinois are not obeying the law, and we’re going to look into that.” EDUCATION DEPT LAUNCHES 18 TITLE IX PROBES AFTER SCOTUS HEARS ARGUMENTS IN EFFORTS TO PROTECT WOMEN’S SPORTS The review will also examine whether districts are encouraging or facilitating student gender transitions without parental notice or consent, including through name and pronoun policies or school clubs focused on gender identity. “This Department of Justice is determined to put an end to local school authorities keeping parents in the dark about how sexuality and gender ideology are being pushed in classrooms,” Dhillon wrote in a statement, announcing the investigation. “Supreme Court precedent leaves no doubt: parents have the fundamental right and primary authority to direct the care, upbringing, and education of their children. “This includes exempting their children from ideological instruction that contradicts their values or decisions about their children’s health and best interests.” The Dhillon-led Civil Rights Division announced Thursday it has opened investigations into the 36 public school districts to determine whether they have included SOGI content in any class from pre-K through 12th grade. If so, DOJ says investigators will examine whether schools notified parents of their right to opt their children out of that instruction. ILLINOIS SCHOOL FACES CRIMINAL DOJ REFERRAL AFTER ALLEGATIONS OF FORCING GIRLS TO CHANGE WITH TRANS STUDENT The Illinois school districts are recipients of hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxpayer funding, which could be at risk if civil rights violations are found. Dhillon told Fox News the inquiry will go beyond classroom instruction and examine whether districts are encouraging or facilitating gender transitions without parental notice or consent, including through policies involving students’ names, pronouns or participation in school clubs focused on gender identity. “Illinois is just pushing these radical agendas,” Dhillon told Fox News, adding that school districts are often left “in a rock and a hard place” and that federal court intervention may be necessary to “stop this illegal practice.” SENATORS UNVEIL BILL TO COMBAT FINANCIAL AID FRAUD BY ‘GHOST STUDENTS’ The DOJ said the investigations will also assess whether the districts limit access to single-sex intimate spaces — including bathrooms and locker rooms — and girls’ sports teams based on biological sex. The department said the districts under review receive federal funding and will be examined for compliance with Title IX and Supreme Court precedent on parental rights. “Children have rights and parents have rights, and we’re here to enforce those rights,” Dhillon vowed to Fox News. The districts named by DOJ include Atwood Heights School District 125, Bloomington Public Schools District 87, DeKalb Community Unit School District 428, Elmwood Park Community Unit School District 401, Freeport School District 145, Noble Network of Charter Schools, North Chicago Community Unit School District 187, Oak Lawn-Hometown School District 123, Reavis Township High School District 220, Thornton Fractional Township High School District 215 and Will County School District 92, among others. The probe marks the latest development in federal scrutiny of Illinois education policy. Last year, federal officials opened a Title IX investigation involving the Illinois Board of Education and Chicago Public Schools over allegations tied to policies allowing transgender students to access bathrooms and locker rooms consistent with their gender identity. Fox News’ Mike Tobin contributed to this report.
Bernie Sanders campaigns with controversial Michigan Senate candidate
As part of his “Fighting Oligarchy” tour, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., rallied Sunday in Detroit, Michigan, with U.S. Senate hopeful Dr. Abdul El-Sayed and U.S. House hopeful state Rep. Donavan McKinney. Sanders said the nation needs leaders in D.C. with “the guts to take on the political establishment of both political parties, to take on the oligarchs and economic establishment. That’s why we need Dr. Abdul El-Sayed in the Senate.” El-Sayed advocates for policies including “Medicare-for-all” and the abolition of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), points which he hammered home during remarks at the event. MICHIGAN DEMOCRATIC SENATE CANDIDATE CLAIMS ISRAEL ‘JUST AS EVIL’ AS HAMAS Sanders endorsed El-Sayed for governor in 2018, but the candidate lost the Democratic gubernatorial primary that year to Gretchen Whitmer. He is currently running in the Democratic U.S. Senate primary in Michigan. Other prominent contenders include U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., and state Sen. Mallory McMorrow. DEM SENATE PRIMARY ERUPTS IN KEY STATE AS CANDIDATE TEAMS UP WITH RADICAL STREAMER: ‘AMERICA DESERVED 9/11’ McKinney also supports establishing “Medicare-for-all” and abolishing ICE. He is running in the Democratic primary in Michigan’s 13th Congressional District, challenging incumbent U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Mich. FAR-LEFT HOUSE DEM PUSHES LAND REPARATIONS FOR DESCENDANTS OF AMERICAN SLAVES Sanders said during the event that “over the last six, eight years, we have elected dozens of great members of Congress, strong progressives who are standing up and fighting for the working class. And I certainly hope that Donavan McKinney will join that group.”
Pritzker calls for criminal investigations into ICE agents over ‘Midway Blitz’ conduct
Illinois Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker is urging state officials to pursue criminal investigations into federal immigration enforcement agents involved in Operation Midway Blitz, citing a report released by a commission he created to investigate federal agents’ conduct during the months-long investigation. Pritzker’s Thursday press conference unveiling the Illinois Accountability Commission’s recommendation to pursue criminal investigations into ICE and other federal agents came just over a month after he first vowed to seek criminal charges against Trump administration officials and law enforcement officers he said had “broken the law.” “Our communities and our people were subjected to an unprecedented campaign of harassment, intimidation and brutality,” Pritzker said at the news conference. “They deployed tear gas and smoke grenades against peaceful protesters and peaceful crowds and in peaceful neighborhoods. They committed flagrant and egregious abuses of power and force that went unchecked.” CHICAGO RESIDENT FIRES BACK AT LIBERAL GOVERNOR’S PLEDGE TO SHIELD MIGRANTS FROM ICE RAIDS The report was compiled by eight members who were appointed to the commission by Pritzker. Members of the commission include retired judges, a retired law enforcement official, former prosecutors and a nonprofit leader. The report pinpointed more than a dozen incidents involving federal agents as alleged instances of misconduct that warrant further investigation, including the death of Silverio Villegas González, an illegal immigrant from Mexico who was shot and killed by ICE agents. The more than 150-page report accused the Trump administration of lying about the motivation behind Operation Midway Blitz and that it “distorted key facts about events involving federal immigration agents.” “High-level White House, DHS and other federal officials enabled and encouraged misconduct by ICE and CBP agents during Operation Midway Blitz by urging agents to ‘go hard,’ defending and mischaracterizing incidents of use of force, shielding agents from accountability, lifting safeguards, and effectuating harmful policies,” the report alleged. The report alleged that federal agents engaged in “unconstitutional uses of force” which consisted of “extreme physical force, indiscriminate use of chemical agents, shootings, beatings, and other violent acts.” ILLINOIS GOV. JB PRITZKER MOVES TO BOYCOTT EL SALVADOR FOR AIDING TRUMP OVER KILMAR ABREGO GARCIA’S DETENTION “Governor Pritzker continues to refuse to do his job to protect his citizens from illegal alien crime and instead chooses to smear our law enforcement,” Department of Homeland Security Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said. “Where is the investigation into his own policies that allowed Sheridan Gorman’s killer to be released from jail to go on and commit her heinous murder?” Bis slammed Pritzker’s calls for criminal prosecution as “nothing more than a political stunt.” “Federal officers acting in the course of their duties can only be investigated by other Federal agencies,” Bis said. “The states do not have the authority to run such an investigation.” Fox News Digital reached out to the White House and the Office of the Illinois Attorney General for comment.