Federal court temporarily blocks Trump admin plan to suspend refugee resettlement program
A federal court on Tuesday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from suspending a refugee resettlement program. The ruling came during a court hearing over a lawsuit brought by a group of nonprofits that receive federal funds under a congressional law. The nonprofits provide a range of social services for newly-arrived refugees in the U.S. On Monday, a judge in Seattle issued an injunction ordering the Trump administration to reinstate its contracts with refugee agencies. Tuesday’s ruling came from the three-judge panel Ninth Circuit court, which directs the administration to continue to process applications that started the process prior to Jan. 20. WHO IS JAMES BOASBERG, THE US JUDGE AT THE CENTER OF TRUMP’S DEPORTATION EFFORTS? “The motion is denied to the extent the district court’s preliminary injunction order applies to individuals who were conditionally approved for refugee status by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services before January 20, 2025,” the order states. “Executive Order No. 14163 does not purport to revoke the refugee status of individuals who received that status under the United States Refugee Admissions Program prior to January 20, 2025. In all other respects, the district court’s February 28, 2025, preliminary injunction order is stayed.” On his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order suspending refugee resettlement and ordering the Department of Homeland Security to report back in 90 days on whether resuming resettlement would be in the interests of the U.S. ‘WOEFULLY INSUFFICIENT’: US JUDGE REAMS TRUMP ADMIN FOR DAYS-LATE DEPORTATION INFO “The United States lacks the ability to absorb large numbers of migrants, and in particular, refugees, into its communities in a manner that does not compromise the availability of resources for Americans, that protects their safety and security, and that ensures the appropriate assimilation of refugees,” Trump said in his Jan. 20 order. The case had been brought by refugee groups, including International Refugee Assistance Project, HIAS, Lutheran Community Services Northwest and individual refugees. The groups argued their ability to provide services to refugees had been damaged by the Trump order. The order was one of several attempting to limit both illegal and legal immigration, including the use of parole to allow in migrants by the Biden administration. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Trump limited refugee resettlement in his first term, but President Joe Biden made moves to take in more refugees, including by increasing the refugee cap.
Wisconsinites kicked out and denied entry to this Democrat’s ‘fake town hall’
EXCLUSIVE: A Wisconsin woman was removed from a town hall hosted by Democratic Minnesota Gov. Gov. Tim Walz in Eau Claire last week after she filmed organizers blocking Trump supporters from entering. Wisconsin voter Katrina Patterson told Fox News Digital she wanted Walz to address potential cuts to Social Security and Medicare, but she was told to leave, met by law enforcement and locked outside before the town hall began. Patterson, who said she “knew that it was wrong,” filmed event organizers denying three men in “Make America Great Again” hats from entering Walz’s town hall. While she was registered for the event, Patterson only took her seat for a few minutes before she was also told to leave. “Tim Walz and the Democrats are claiming that my congressman won’t listen to his constituents, but yet we’ve got proof of them blocking Republicans from coming into their town hall,” Patterson said. “It’s really hypocritical. It makes it abundantly obvious that their town halls aren’t real. For lack of a better word, they’re fake town halls because they only want to hear from Democrats.” DEM LEADER SWINGS THROUGH GOP-HELD DISTRICTS AFTER ‘CLOWN SHOW PROTESTS’ HALTED TOWN HALLS The former vice presidential candidate was one of the first Democrats to announce town halls in Republican-held congressional districts after the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), the political campaign committee tasked with electing more Republicans to the U.S. House of Representatives, advised against town halls after ongoing disruptions by Democratic protesters discontent with President Donald Trump’s second term. TIM WALZ SAYS HE WAS JOKING WHEN HE MOCKED TESLA’S FALLING STOCK: ‘THESE PEOPLE HAVE NO SENSE OF HUMOR’ “Clearly, this political theater was designed to only engage Democrats with no real interest in listening to voters who rejected their out-of-touch agenda. Yet another embarrassing charade on Walz’s walk of shame,” NRCC spokesman Zach Bannon told Fox News Digital after Walz’s Eau Claire town hall. When Walz announced his red state tour, he framed the town halls as an opportunity for constituents in Republican districts to “make their voices heard.” “I’m hitting the road, traveling to red states across the country to lend a megaphone to the people. Your congressman may not want to listen, but they’re going to hear from us anyway,” Walz said in a post. Patterson said it’s “hypocritical” for Democrats to claim they are willing to listen when they’re blocking Republicans from entering. “They’ve got people going to some of the Republican town halls and intentionally starting chaos and trouble, and then they turn around and block Republicans from going into their town halls. It’s just horrible and hypocritical. It really is,” Patterson said. She said it felt like a “secret society” where Democrats don’t want to let in “Republicans to hear what they have to say or to speak up and give their views and opinions.” ‘CHAOS AND CONFUSION’: HOW DEMOCRATS INFILTRATED ‘THUNDEROUS’ GOP TOWN HALLS “The only reason they had to kick me out was the fact that I was catching them on camera, doing something wrong that they knew they shouldn’t do,” Patterson added. While Patterson did not get the opportunity to voice her concerns at the Walz town hall, she said Rep. Derrick Van. Orden, R-Wis., is “really reachable,” and she hasn’t had an issue getting in touch with him despite what the Democratic Party says. “Tim Walz and Democrats have been just really running him through the mud and giving him a hard time for doing virtual town halls,” Patterson said. “I watched one the other day and got to throw in some comments there. I did have one question that didn’t get answered during that one, but I’m just planning to ask him again the next time around.” Democrats launched a coordinated effort to host “People’s Town Halls” in all 50 states after disruptive protests led Republican leadership to advise against hosting in-person town halls. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) and Democratic state parties held a total of 22 events in 13 states during the first week, the DNC told Fox News Digital Friday. The events were billed as “open, inclusive and built to amplify your voice.” Walz did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Biden-era guidance encouraged use of Signal app by highly-targeted govt officials: ‘Best practice’
The federal office in charge of ensuring cybersecurity at all levels of the government cited the use of encrypted messaging app Signal as a “best practice” for “highly targeted” government officials, the Biden-era document shows. Fox News Digital found that the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) outlined in a guide for federal employees late last year that encrypted messaging platforms such as Signal better protected officials against foreign enemy hackers amid a Chinese-linked cyber breach. CISA is an office under the Department of Homeland Security’s umbrella that is charged with ensuring cybersecurity across all levels of government. Under the Biden administration in 2024, CISA released a “Mobile Communications Best Practice Guidance” for “highly targeted individuals,” who were defined as high-ranking government officials or politicians who are “likely to possess information of interest to these threat actors.” The document specifically addressed high-targeted politicos and officials, though it noted the guide was “applicable to all audiences.” “CISA strongly urges highly targeted individuals to immediately review and apply the best practices below to protect mobile communications. Highly targeted individuals should assume that all communications between mobile devices – including government and personal devices – and internet services are at risk of interception or manipulation. While no single solution eliminates all risks, implementing these best practices significantly enhances protection of sensitive communications against government-affiliated and other malicious cyber actors,” the guide reads. The document, published in December, details that highly-targeted government officials should use “end-to-end encrypted communications” as part of its “best practices” advice. End-to-end encryption is understood as a secure method of communication, where a sender’s message is encrypted and can only be decrypted by the recipient of the message. TRUMP REVEALS WHO WAS BEHIND SIGNAL TEXT CHAIN LEAK The CISA guidance specifically cited that government officials should download “end-to-end encrypted communications” platforms to their cellphones and computers, specifically citing Signal as an app to download to comply with the best practices. TRUMP OFFICIALS ACCIDENTALLY TEXT ATLANTIC JOURNALIST ABOUT MILITARY STRIKES IN APPARENT SECURITY BREACH “Adopt a free messaging application for secure communications that guarantees end-to-end encryption, such as Signal or similar apps,” the guidance states. “CISA recommends an end-to-end encrypted messaging app that is compatible with both iPhone and Android operating systems, allowing for text message interoperability across platforms. Such apps may also offer clients for MacOS, Windows, and Linux, and sometimes the web. These apps typically support one-on-one text chats, group chats with up to 1,000 participants, and encrypted voice and video calls. Additionally, they may include features like disappearing messages and images, which can enhance privacy.” Signal is an encrypted messaging app that operates similarly to texting or making phone calls, but with additional security measures that help ensure communications are kept private to those included in the correspondence. Signal’s popularity grew in the last few months, after it was discovered that Chinese-linked hackers were targeting cellphone data in the U.S., including data belonging to President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance during the campaign, Politico reported this week. “CISA is releasing this best practice guidance to promote protections for mobile communications from exploitation by PRC-affiliated and other malicious cyber threat actors,” the CISA guidance states, referring to the Chinese cyber breach in 2024. Fox News Digital reached out to CISA for additional comment or information on the use of Signal among government employees, but did not immediately receive a reply. WILL CAIN SHARES HIS TAKEAWAY ON THE ATLANTIC’S STORY ON THE TRUMP ADMIN’S ‘WAR PLANS’ TEXT The guidance was released months before the Trump administration came under fire from Democrats and other critics after it was revealed top national security officials discussed a planned strike in Yemen against terrorist forces in a Signal group chat that also included the editor-in-chief of the Atlantic. The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg published a first-hand account on Monday of what he read in the Signal group chat, called “Houthi PC Small Group,” after he was added to the chain on March 13 alongside high-ranking federal officials stretching from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to national security advisor Mike Waltz and Trump chief of staff Susie Wiles. The Atlantic’s report set off condemnation among Democratic lawmakers, who have slammed the Trump administration for risking national security by using an app to communicate about a planned attack on Iran-backed Houthi terrorists in Yemen. TRUMP NOT PLANNING TO FIRE WALTZ AFTER NATIONAL SECURITY TEXT CHAIN LEAK “This is one of the most stunning breaches of military intelligence I have read about in a very, very long time,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a floor speech on Monday. CIA Director John Ratcliffe appeared before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Tuesday morning for an annual hearing on the global threats facing the U.S., and was also grilled about the Signal group chat. The CIA chief confirmed he was in the group chat that included the Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, adding that Signal was already downloaded on his computer when he was sworn in as director in January, and that the app has a long history as a communication platform for government employees that stretched to the Biden administration. “One of the first things that happened when I was confirmed as CIA director was Signal was loaded onto my computer at, the CIA, as it is for most CIA officers, one of the things that I was briefed on very early, Senator, was by the CIA records management folks about the use of Signal as a permissible work use,” he said. “It is, that is a practice that preceded the current administration to the Biden administration,” he continued. A former Biden national security official confirmed to the Associated Press that the previous administration used Signal if a staffer was granted permission to download the app on their White House-administered phones. The staffers, however, were told to use it sparingly, according to the report. “It is my understanding that the Biden administration authorized Signal as a means of communication that was consistent with presidential recordkeeping requirements for
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Pardons from Trump
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… -HUD joins forces with DHS to ensure federal housing resources go to US citizens, not illegal immigrants -Top Dem used same app in Atlantic scandal to set up contact with Steele dossier author -Trump admin cuts additional $1M in federal funding for ‘transgender animal’ experiments President Donald Trump on Tuesday pardoned Hunter Biden’s former business associate, Devon Archer. “Many people have asked me to do this. They think he was treated very unfairly. And I looked at the records, studied the records, and he was a victim of a crime, as far as I’m concerned. So we’re going to undo that. … Congratulations, Devon,” Trump said on Tuesday ahead of signing the pardoning. Archer was a business associate of former first son Hunter Biden at Burisma Holdings. Archer was convicted in 2018 of defrauding a Native American tribe in a scheme that involved the issuance and sale of fraudulent tribal bonds. ‘PERSONAL DIGNITY’: A second judge rules against Trump’s removal of transgender troops FULL FORCE: Staffing reductions at Education Department haven’t hit FAFSA office amid Trump cuts, agency says HHS REORGINIZATION: Trump administration to shutter HHS’ long Covid office ‘NO IMPACT AT ALL’: Trump reveals who was behind Signal text chain leak LOCK THEM UP?’: ‘The View’ hosts gleeful over Trump officials’ texting debacle, suggest some should face jail time ‘CURIOUS TO ME’: Rosie O’Donnell questions validity of Trump’s 2024 election win, wants Musk’s influence ‘investigated’ MISSING CHILDREN: State Dept says data on Ukrainian orphans is ‘secure’ despite concerns it was lost following Trump funding cut ‘HAMAS’ PROPAGANDA ARM’: Israeli hostage families sue Mahmoud Khalil, ‘Hamas propaganda arm’ at Columbia University campus SENATE SPARS OVER TEXT CHAIN LEAK: CIA Director Ratcliffe hits back on Dem senator’s group chat allegations: ‘I didn’t say any of those things’ CROCKETT CRACKDOWN: Jasmine Crockett hit with House censure threat for mocking paraplegic Texas governor as ‘hot wheels’ TESLA TANTRUM: Democrat decries FBI task force to crackdown on Tesla attacks: ‘Political weaponization of the DOJ’ ‘UNDERMINE OUR WORKERS’: GOP senator threatens ‘real consequences’ if universities hire illegal immigrants ‘FUTILE EXERCISE’: House GOP push to impeach judges blocking Trump fizzles out THE LOUDEST SILENCE: Dems who railed against domestic terrorism still silent as Trump floats 20-year jail sentence for Tesla vandals ‘BOILING POINT’: Progressive grassroots group says liberal base at ‘boiling point’ over Democratic strategy to oppose Trump PAGING PAM: CT ballot fraud saga leads GOP to alert Bondi as 150 charges lodged, Dem reforms ‘miss the mark’ ‘FREE PALESTINE!’: Anti-Israel protesters interrupt Huckabee hearing, attack Trump nominee’s faith COLLEGE TRY: Teachers union sues Trump administration over $400M cuts to Columbia University BUYER BEWARE: Illegal immigrant in Texas who purchased thousands of rounds for Mexican drug cartel gets 5 years in prison FRAUD FINDERS: Nevada investigates more than 300 potential voter fraud cases from 2024 election Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Senate committee advances nomination of Dr Oz to run Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
The Senate Committee on Finance voted along party lines Tuesday afternoon to advance Dr. Mehmet Oz, President Donald Trump‘s pick to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, to a full confirmation vote. The party-line vote, which saw 14 GOP senators vote in favor of Oz’s nomination and 13 Democrats vote against it, follows two hearings by the Senate Finance Committee that probed Oz over his plans for the federal healthcare programs, his views on abortion, potential conflicts of interest in the healthcare industry and more. “Dr. Oz has years of experience as an acclaimed physician and public health advocate. His background makes him uniquely qualified for this role, and there is no doubt that he will work tirelessly to deliver much-needed change at CMS,” Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, the chairman of the committee, said Tuesday. HAWLEY SKEPTICAL OF TRUMP PICK OZ: ‘I HOPE HE’S CHANGED HIS VIEWS’ Oz graduated from Harvard University and received medical and business degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. He is a former heart surgeon who saw his fame rise through his appearances on daytime TV and 13 seasons of “The Dr Oz Show.” Oz later transitioned into politics, launching an unsuccessful bid for Pennsylvania’s open Senate seat in 2022. He ultimately lost to John Fetterman, then the state’s lieutenant governor. If confirmed by the full Senate, Oz would be in charge of nearly $1.5 trillion in federal healthcare spending. Medicare, a federal healthcare program for seniors aged 65 and up, currently provides coverage for about 65 million Americans, according to the Center for Medicare Advocacy. Medicaid, which assists people with low incomes, covers roughly 72 million Americans, according to Medicaid.gov. DR. OZ BATS BACK DEMOCRATIC ATTEMPTS TO PAINT HIM AS A ‘SNAKE OIL’ SALESMAN IN SENATE HEARING Oz’s leadership would direct decisions related to how the government covers procedures, hospital stays and medication within the federal healthcare programs, as well as the reimbursement rates at which healthcare providers get paid for their services. Earlier this month, Trump’s pick to lead the NIH and FDA, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya and Dr. Marty Makary, respectively, were also approved in committee and are awaiting full confirmation votes in the Senate scheduled for later Tuesday. It is unclear when Oz’s full Senate vote will take place. Around the same time that Bhattacharya and Makary won committee approval, Trump withdrew his nomination of former Florida Rep. David Weldon to run the CDC, over fears he did not have the GOP support to clear full confirmation. On Monday, the Trump administration named Susan Monarez, acting director of the CDC, as its new nominee.
Trump orders FBI to declassify documents from ‘Crossfire Hurricane’ Russia investigation
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Tuesday directing the FBI to immediately declassify files concerning the Crossfire Hurricane investigation, the agency probe launched in 2016 that sought information on whether Trump campaign members colluded with Russia during the presidential race. After signing the order, Trump said that now the media can review previously withheld files pertaining to the investigation – although he cast doubt on whether many journalists would do so. TRUMP FBI DIRECTOR KASH PATEL ‘INSTRUMENTAL IN UNRAVELING’ RUSSIA COLLUSION HOAX, FORMER CHAIR SAYS “You probably won’t bother because you’re not going to like what you see,” Trump said. “But this was total weaponization, it’s a disgrace. It should have never happened in this country. But now you’ll be able to see for yourselves. All declassified.” The FBI on July 31, 2016, opened a counterintelligence investigation into whether Trump, then a presidential candidate, or members of his campaign were colluding or coordinating with Russia to influence the 2016 election. That investigation was referred to inside the bureau as “Crossfire Hurricane.” FBI IGNORED ‘CLEAR WARNING SIGN’ OF CLINTON-LED EFFORT TO ‘MANIPULATE’ BUREAU FOR ‘POLITICAL PURPOSES’ The opening of the investigation came just days after a July 28 meeting during which then-CIA Director John Brennan briefed then-President Barack Obama on a purported proposal from one of Hillary Clinton’s campaign foreign policy advisers “to vilify Donald Trump by stirring up a scandal claiming interference by the Russian security service.” Clinton was the Democrat nominee for president that year. By January 2017, then-FBI Director James Comey had notified Trump of a dossier, known as the Steele dossier, that contained salacious and unverified allegations about Trump’s purported coordination with the Russian government, a key document prompting the opening of the probe. The dossier was authored by Christopher Steele, an ex-British intelligence officer, and commissioned by Fusion GPS. Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign hired Fusion GPS during the 2016 election cycle. HOUSE INTEL TRANSCRIPTS SHOW TOP OBAMA OFFICIALS HAD NO ‘EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE’ OF TRUMP-RUSSIA COLLUSION It eventually was determined that the Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee funded the dossier through the law firm Perkins Coie. Trump fired Comey in May 2017. Days later, Robert Mueller was appointed as special counsel to take over the “Crossfire Hurricane” probe and investigate whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to influence the 2016 election cycle. While Mueller investigated, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence opened its own investigation into alleged Trump-Russia collusion. Now-FBI Director Kash Patel, as chief investigator for then-House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, by February 2018 had discovered widespread government surveillance abuse, including improper surveillance of former Trump campaign aide Carter Page. Patel was an integral part of the creation of a memo released by then-Chair Nunes in February 2018, which detailed the DOJ’s and FBI’s surveillance of Page under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Nunes and Patel revealed that the infamous anti-Trump dossier funded by Democrats “formed an essential part” of the application to spy on Page. The memo referred to closed-door testimony from former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, who said that “no surveillance warrant would have been sought” from the FISA court “without the Steele dossier information.” But when applying for the FISA warrant, the FBI omitted the origins of the dossier, specifically its funding from Clinton, who was Trump’s 2016 presidential opponent. The memo also said Steele, who worked as an FBI informant, was eventually cut off from the bureau for what the FBI described as the most serious of violations, “an unauthorized disclosure to the media of his relationship with the FBI.” FLASHBACK: DNI DECLASSIFIES BRENNAN NOTES, CIA MEMO ON HILLARY CLINTON ‘STIRRING UP’ SCANDAL BETWEEN TRUMP, RUSSIA The memo noted that the FBI and DOJ obtained “one initial FISA warrant” targeting Page and three FISA renewals from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. The statute required that every 90 days a FISA order on an American citizen “must be reviewed.” The memo revealed that Comey signed three FISA applications for Page, while McCabe, former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates and former Acting Deputy Attorney General Dana Boente signed at least one. The memo was widely criticized by Democrats but was ultimately correct. The Justice Department inspector general, Michael Horowitz, reviewed the memo and confirmed the dossier served as the basis for the controversial FISA warrants obtained against Page. DESPITE ACQUITTAL, DURHAM TRIAL OF SUSSMANN ADDED TO EVIDENCE CLINTON CAMPAIGN PLOTTED TO TIE TRUMP TO RUSSIA Meanwhile, Special Counsel Robert Mueller completed his investigation into a possible Trump-Russia connection in April 2019. The extensive probe yielded no evidence of criminal conspiracy or coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia. After Mueller’s report was made public, then-Attorney General Bill Barr tapped John Durham, a U.S. attorney for Connecticut, to serve as special counsel to investigate the origins of “Crossfire Hurricane” itself. Durham, in his final report released in May 2023, said he found, after years of investigating, that the FBI did not have any actual evidence to support the start of that investigation. He also found that the Department of Justice and FBI “failed to uphold their mission of strict fidelity to the law” when it launched the Trump-Russia investigation. Durham also found that the FBI “failed to act” on a “clear warning sign” that the bureau was the “target” of a Clinton-led effort to “manipulate or influence the law enforcement process for political purposes” ahead of the 2016 presidential election. Durham was referring to intelligence about the Clinton plan to tie Trump to Russia to distract from the investigation into her use of a private email server and mishandling of classified information. FLASHBACK: DNI DECLASSIFIES BRENNAN NOTES, CIA MEMO ON HILLARY CLINTON ‘STIRRING UP’ SCANDAL BETWEEN TRUMP, RUSSIA Durham found that Brennan “realized the significance” of the intelligence that Clinton was stirring up a plan to tie Trump to Russia – so much so, that he “expeditiously” briefed Obama, then-Vice President Joe Biden, and other top national security officials. But nothing came
HUD joins forces with DHS to ensure federal housing resources go to US citizens, not illegal immigrants
Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner and Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem have forged a new inter-agency initiative aimed at ensuring federal housing funds do not go to illegal immigrants. The two secretaries signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Monday cementing the partnership, which will serve to end what they call “wasteful misappropriation” of taxpayer-funded public housing resources going to illegal immigrants rather than U.S. citizens. The new initiative will facilitate data sharing between the two agencies via newly established lines of communication, according to a press release about the effort, which added that U.S. veterans stood to benefit from the move. “American tax dollars should be used for the benefit of American citizens, especially when it comes to an issue as pressing as our nation’s housing crisis,” Turner said Monday. “This new agreement will leverage resources, including technology and personnel, to ensure American people are the only priority when it comes to public housing. We will continue to work closely with DHS to maximize our resources and put American citizens first.” HUD TERMINATES OBAMA-ERA HOUSING RULE THAT TRUMP WARNED WOULD ‘DESTROY’ HOME VALUES In total, per HUD, there are roughly 9 million people who live in subsidized housing across the country. Meanwhile, about 59% of noncitizen households – those including green card holders or illegal immigrants – use one or more public assistance programs, costing taxpayers as much as $42 billion annually, according to the Center for Immigration Studies, a group that advocates for lower immigration levels. Tens of millions of dollars – at least – went to housing for migrants, including for all-expense-paid stays at hotels for some, during the Biden administration. Some states, such as Pennsylvania and Arizona, passed measures during the Biden administration aimed at ensuring illegal immigrants do not take public housing resources from Americans who need them. President Donald Trump, shortly after his inauguration, signed an executive order calling for an end to illegal immigrants’ use of public resources. ICE NEARING HISTORIC DEAL WITH IRS TO AID IN DEPORTATIONS: REPORT “The Biden Administration prioritized illegal aliens over our own citizens, including by giving illegal aliens taxpayer-funding housing at the expense of Americans. Not anymore,” Noem said in a statement Monday. “The entire government will work together to identify abuse and exploitation of public benefits and make sure those in this country illegally are not receiving federal benefits or other financial incentives to stay illegally. If you are an illegal immigrant, you should leave now. The gravy train is over.” As part of the new initiative, HUD will provide a full-time staff member to assist with operations at the federal government’s Incident Command Center, which facilitates information sharing between agencies during national crises. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Additionally, in conjunction with the establishment of the new initiative, Turner ordered numerous federal housing programs under his purview to comply with Section 214 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1980, which bars HUD-funded service providers from providing assistance to illegal immigrants.
Trump pardons former Hunter Biden business associate Devon Archer
President Donald Trump on Tuesday pardoned Hunter Biden’s former business associate, Devon Archer. “Many people have asked me to do this. They think he was treated very unfairly. And I looked at the records, studied the records, and he was a victim of a crime, as far as I’m concerned. So we’re going to undo that. … Congratulations, Devon,” Trump said on Tuesday ahead of signing the pardoning. Archer was a business associate of former first son Hunter Biden at Burisma Holdings. Archer was convicted in 2018 of defrauding a native American tribe in a scheme that involved the issuance and sale of fraudulent tribal bonds. “We have a pardon for Devon Archer. Devon Archer was a former business partner of the Biden family,” Trump political advisor William Scharf said ahead of Trump signing the pardon. “He was prosecuted relating to a fraud investigation, but notably, the tone and tenor of that prosecution changed dramatically after he began to cooperate with congressional investigators and serve as a witness against Hunter Biden and the Biden family.” “We believe that was an injustice. And therefore, we’re asking you to pardon,” Scharf added. Archer met with Trump over the weekend at the NCAA wrestling championships in Philadelphia, where he said he received some “very encouraging words.” Fox News Digital’s Ashley Carnahan contributed to this report.
Top Dem used same app used in Atlantic scandal to set up contact with Steele dossier author
FIRST ON FOX: Mark Warner, D-Va., vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, used an encrypted messaging app to work with a lobbyist for a Russian oligarch to connect with the disgraced Steele dossier author. It’s the same app Warner bashed top Trump administration officials for using to discuss plans for a strike on the Houthis in Yemen. Somehow, Jeffrey Goldberg, The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, had been inadvertently added to the Trump administration’s chat. Afterward, Goldberg reported his experience in an article, “The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans.” The debacle quickly drew criticism over the non-secure nature of the conversation about national security matters. ‘STOP THEM!’: DEMOCRAT CLASHES WITH TRUMP SOCIAL SECURITY NOMINEE OVER DOGE ACCESS However, the app was also used by vocal critic Warner to reach former British spy Christopher Steele, Fox reported in 2017. “Signal worked great for Senator Warner when he wanted to meet with the disgraced liar Christopher Steele. It’s a little surprising Warner is pretending to be so upset about it today,” a Senate GOP leadership aide told Fox News Digital in a statement. Warner spokesperson Rachel Cohen told Fox News Digital, “The fact that Fox News is in possession of these messages demonstrates exactly why Signal shouldn’t be used to discuss classified national security material like war plans.” Steele infamously compiled a dossier of unverified information about Trump that was ultimately used by FBI and Justice Department officials during the 2016 presidential campaign to get a warrant to conduct surveillance of former Trump advisor Carter Page. However, the dossier was found to be funded through a law firm hired by the Hillary Clinton campaign and was revealed to largely contain uncorroborated and salacious rumors. CAN CONGRESS DEFUND FEDERAL COURTS WITH KEY TRUMP BUDGET PROCESS? Warner began corresponding on Signal with lobbyist Adam Waldman in March 2017, Fox News reported exclusively at the time. Waldman texted Warner, writing, “Chris Steele asked me to call you.” “Will call tomorrow be careful,” Warner replied. The two had some difficulty connecting by phone, according to the messages. Later in the month, the senator pushed Waldman for direct access to Steele. “Can you talk tomorrow want to get with ur English friend,” Warner said in one message. “I spoke to him yesterday,” Waldman had replied. However, when Warner asked for an update on contact with Steele in April, the lobbyist said, “Yes seems to have cold feet from the leaks. Said he wanted a bipartisan letter followed by written questions.” CHUCK SCHUMER FACING ‘UPHILL FIGHT’ AMID LEADERSHIP DOUBTS: ‘MATTER OF WHEN, NOT IF’ During an annual threat assessment of the U.S. intelligence community hearing Tuesday, the vice chairman opened by addressing the recent scandal in which it was revealed 18 people, including National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, were in a group chat on Signal with Goldberg. In the chat, the officials talked about an upcoming attack on the Houthis, a terrorist group in Yemen. Goldberg’s article later exposed this glaring national security vulnerability. “Two of our witnesses here today were members of a group chat that discussed highly sensitive and likely classified information that supposedly even included weapons packages, targets and timing and included the name of an active CIA agent,” Warner said, referring to CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. “It’s also just mind-boggling to me that all of these senior folks were on this line, and nobody bothered to even check security hygiene 101,” the senator remarked. BATTLE OF THE CHAMBERS: HOUSE AND SENATE TENSIONS BOIL OVER AS TRUMP BUDGET HANGS IN LIMBO “I think this is one more example of the kind of sloppy, careless, incompetent behavior, particularly towards classified information, that this is not a one-off or a first-time error,” he added, criticizing the administration. Despite the “mistake,” as President Trump called the Signal group chat with Goldberg, Waltz is “not getting fired,” he told Fox News. He added that “nothing important” was in the chat. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also posted on X about the debacle, slamming Goldberg and “his sensationalist spin.” “No ‘war plans’ were discussed,” she said, quoting the title of his article. “No classified material was sent to the thread. “As the National Security Council stated, the White House is looking into how Goldberg’s number was inadvertently added to the thread. Thanks to the strong and decisive leadership of President Trump, and everyone in the group, the Houthi strikes were successful and effective. Terrorists were killed and that’s what matters most to President Trump.”
Bipartisan bill aims to prevent Syrians with terror ties from reaching US border
A bipartisan group of House members is introducing legislation they claim would strengthen border security by identifying and tracking potential terrorists well before they reach the U.S. homeland. “Border security doesn’t begin or end at the border. Across the globe, individuals with ties to terrorist organizations pose threats to our homeland that can’t be downplayed,” Rep. Lou Correa, D-Calif., said in a release provided to Fox News Digital. “Our constituents are relying on DHS and its partners to identify these threats and address them long before they pose a tangible threat to the communities we represent.” Correa is joined by Rep. Morgan Luttrell, R-Texas, in introducing the Syria Terrorism Threat Assessment Act, which would require the Department of Homeland Security to evaluate terror threats to the U.S. homeland that could potentially originate in Syria, where recent regime change has led to a quickly evolving political situation in a country home to multiple terrorist organizations. ISRAEL FACES NEW SYRIA CHALLENGE AS IT ADJUSTS TO NEW STRATEGY AMID REGIONAL POWER STRUGGLE FOR INFLUENCE The legislation comes just two months after opposition groups in Syria toppled longtime leader Bashar Assad, who ruled the country for almost 25 years. The surprise offensive against Assad was led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, an Islamist group with ties to al Qaeda that is listed by the U.S. government as a terrorist organization. One of the group’s leaders, Ahmad al-Sharaa, has become interim leader of the country’s new government, leading to concerns about the future political direction of the country. EVANGELICAL LEADER SAYS US MUST PROTECT SYRIAN CHRISTIANS FROM ATTACKS BY JIHADI TERRORISTS Luttrell said the new legislation, which is set to be voted on in the House Homeland Security Committee on Tuesday, will require DHS to “evaluate the threat posed to the United States by individuals in Syria with ties to Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) or a Specially Designated Global Terrorist Organization (STGT).” “The United States cannot afford to turn a blind eye to the growing terrorist threats in Syria. My legislation, the Syria Terrorism Threat Assessment Act, ensures that DHS is actively identifying and assessing the risks posed by individuals with ties to terrorist organizations before they can threaten our homeland,” Luttrell said in a release to Fox News Digital.