US moves to extradite 3 alleged Tren de Aragua members to Chile
The U.S. declared that three alleged members of the violent transnational gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) are “alien enemies” and plans to extradite them to Chile, where they are wanted for numerous violent crimes, officials said Monday. The Justice Department said the three gang members were Adrian Rafael Gamez Finol, 38, Miguel Oyola Jimenez and Edgar Javier Benitez Rubio, both aged 37. All three men entered the U.S. illegally after committing “brutal” crimes, including murder, kidnapping, extortion, human and drug trafficking and other offenses, in Chile. “The Justice Department will work expeditiously to return these Alien Enemies to Chile to face justice,” the department said. Gamez Finol is a dual Venezuelan and Colombian citizen who was deported from the U.S. to Venezuela in August 2023 and later allegedly re-entered the U.S. illegally. He is currently in Texas county prison serving a sentence for human smuggling. EXCLUSIVE: GOP MOVES TO AUTHORIZE TRUMP TO WAGE WAR ON CARTELS THROUGH MILITARY FORCE Oyola Jimenez, a dual Venezuelan and Ecuadorian citizen, is in custody in Washington after Chilean authorities requested his arrest and return to Chile to stand trial on kidnapping charges. Benitez Rubio, a Venezuelan citizen, is in immigration custody in Indiana. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a written statement that the men would have already been removed if not for an injunction against the Alien Enemies Act. “In fact, we would have already removed these violent gang members to Chile to face justice were it not for the nationwide injunction imposed by a single judge in Washington, D.C., which we are challenging today in the D.C. Circuit,” Blanche said. “We hope common sense and justice will prevail.” HIGH-RANKING TREN DE ARAGUA GANGSTER MURDERED TWO AMERICAN WOMEN, CAPTURED ACROSS COUNTRY: FEDS The Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which allows deportation of natives and citizens of an enemy nation without a hearing, has been invoked three times, during the War of 1812, World War I and World War II. Chief U.S. District Judge James Boasberg of the D.C. Circuit granted a temporary restraining order preventing the deportations under the act. The Trump administration has appealed the order. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is scheduled to hear arguments on the matter on Monday afternoon. TdA is a narco-terrorism enterprise based in Venezuela. It was designated a foreign terrorist organization on Feb. 20 by the Department of State.
Homan blasts blue state as report shows it releasing illegals charged with ‘horrific’ crimes on low bails
Following a Massachusetts law barring law enforcement cooperation with ICE, illegal child rapists and other serious criminal illegals charged with “horrific crimes” are being released on to the streets on bail as low as $500 and, in some cases, no bail at all. Responding to these releases, Tom Homan, President Donald Trump’s border czar, said that Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healy and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, both Democrats, “should be ashamed” and that despite their actions, deporting criminal illegals “will be done.” Healey has previously said that Massachusetts is not a sanctuary state. However, a 2017 ruling by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, Lunn vs. Commonwealth, bars local and state law enforcement from coordinating with ICE to assist with deportation operations. The ruling stipulates that law enforcement cannot comply with ICE detainers, forcing agencies to release criminal migrants onto the streets. Last week, Wu renewed her pledge to resist Trump’s deportation efforts, saying, “We stand with immigrants,” and “No one tells Boston how to take care of our own, not kings, and not presidents who think they are kings.” BLUE CITY MAYOR RIPPED BY LOCAL LEADERS FOR PRIORITIZING POLITICS OVER SAFETY: ‘UNDERMINING PUBLIC TRUST’ However, at least seven illegal immigrants charged with serious crimes, including child rape and fentanyl trafficking, were released by local law enforcement agencies in Massachusetts in recent months, according to CBS. The outlet reported that in one instance, a 39-year-old Honduran national named Juan Alberto Rodezno-Marin, who was charged with indecent assault and battery on a person over 14, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, masked armed robbery and assault to rape, was released on his own recognizance without having to pay bail. According to an ICE statement, immigration officials had previously arrested and removed Rodezno-Marin twice for illegally re-entering the U.S., in 2008 and 2009. Despite these crimes and an ICE detainer being filed against him, the Middlesex Superior Court released Rodezno-Marin in December. He was not arrested by ICE until a month later. He is currently in ICE custody. DEMOCRAT MAYOR BLASTED FOR VOWING TO MAKE MAJOR CITY ‘SAFE HAVEN’ FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS Meanwhile, ABC reported the Worcester County Jail released two illegal immigrant inmates charged with child rape on bail of just $500. Another illegal immigrant, Jose Fernando-Perez, a 49-year-old Guatemalan national charged with three counts of forcible rape of a child and three counts of aggravated rape of a child, was released in 2022 on a $7,500 bail with just an order to “stay in his home.” Fernando-Perez was finally arrested by ICE on Feb. 2 of this year. At the time, Patricia Hyde, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting field office director, said Fernando-Perez’s “horrific crimes against a minor in our commonwealth” made him “exactly the type of alien we are targeting with our ‘worst first’ policy.” In northeastern Massachusetts, the Lawrence District Court released another Honduran national, 19-year-old Stivenson Omar Perez-Ajtzalan, on $7,500 bail despite pending charges of aggravated rape of a child with a 10-year age difference. BLUE SANCTUARY STATE OPERATING AS ‘CONTROL’ CENTER FOR VICIOUS MIGRANT GANG: ACTING DEA CHIEF CBS reported that two other inmates charged with cocaine and fentanyl trafficking were released with bail amounts of $500 and $4,000. While speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in February, Homan issued a stark warning to Boston and Massachusetts leaders, saying, “You said you doubled down on not helping the law enforcement officers of ICE. I’m coming to Boston, and I’m bringing hell with me.” Today, Homan renewed his criticism of Massachusetts and Boston’s anti-ICE policies and announced ICE arrested a total of 370 illegal immigrants in the Boston area during a five-day joint federal agency operation last week. “I made a promise at CPAC that I was going to Boston after reading about numerous illegal alien child rapists walking the streets of Boston and Massachusetts,” he wrote on X. “Mayor Chu [sic] later testified that I was lying. Well, I traveled to Boston last Tuesday, as promised, and we kicked off a five day operation with ICE, FBI, ATF, DEA, US Marshals and DSS. These incredible men and women arrested a total of 370 Illegal aliens in Boston and surrounding areas.” PRESIDENT TRUMP COMFORTS MOTHER WHOSE SON DIED OF FENTANYL POISONING: ‘UP THERE WATCHING YOU’ Homan said that a majority of the 370 illegals were “significant criminals,” including four wanted for murder as well as drug traffickers, child sex predators and “numerous other violent public safety threats.” “ICE had to find and arrest these illegal alien rapists because Massachusetts and Boston are sanctuaries that refuse to cooperate with ICE. They would rather release these animals back into the community rather than honor ICE detainers or notify ICE when they are scheduled to be released,” he said. “These officers and agents made the neighborhoods of Boston and Massachusetts much safer. They risked their own safety by arresting these criminals on the street, rather than a jail.” CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE “Releasing public safety threats back into the public, rather than working with ICE at the jails, puts the public at great risk,” he continued. “President Trump’s ‘all of government effort’ to arrest and remove the WORST FIRST is making our communities safer every day. President Trump is a Game Changer who is keeping his promises to the American people. Much more to do, but it will be done!” EXCLUSIVE: GOP MOVES TO AUTHORIZE TRUMP TO WAGE WAR ON CARTELS THROUGH MILITARY FORCE Speaking with Fox News Digital, Logan Trupiano, a representative for the Massachusetts Republican Party, said that while both Healey and Wu “utilize emotion and try to make this an issue of empathy … they’re not utilizing any empathy when they’re allowing illegal immigrants who were arrested for heinous crimes, particularly crimes against children, and released back in the community to re-offend.” “It’s absolutely egregious, absolutely ridiculous, and there’s no decent argument against [deporting criminal illegals],” said Trupiano. “All they’re really doing is just attacking the Trump administration and mischaracterizing the
Top GOP governor makes key endorsement in border state gubernatorial race: ‘Deeply honored’
EXCLUSIVE: Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is endorsing Karrin Taylor Robson in the Arizona 2026 gubernatorial Republican primary. Robson is seeking to unseat Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs in what’s expected to be one of the most competitive races in the country. “I am proud to join President Trump in endorsing Karrin Taylor Robson for Governor. Karrin is the conservative outsider and business leader Arizona needs. I know she will join me in partnering with the Trump Administration to secure our borders, create a strong economy, and say NO to the Woke Agenda. Join me in supporting Karrin today!” Sanders said in an exclusive statement to Fox News Digital. REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS CAN’T WAIT FOR TRUMP TO UNLEASH PROSPERITY IN THE STATES Sanders was a press secretary for President Donald Trump during his first term, and then followed in her father Mike Huckabee’s footsteps and became governor in 2023, succeeding Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson. “I am deeply honored to have Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ support. Her leadership in Arkansas and her dedication to President Trump’s America First agenda is an example for every Governor in the country to follow. I’m thrilled she’s joining President Trump in supporting my campaign to deliver results for Arizona by defeating radical Katie Hobbs, locking down our border, and building a stronger, safer state,” Robson said in response to the endorsement. SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS ON TARIFF THREAT: TRUMP IS TIRED OF AMERICA GETTING RIPPED OFF At Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest in December, Trump said he planned on backing her campaign if she jumped in. “Are you running for governor? I think so, Karrin, ’cause if you do you’re gonna have my support, OK?” Trump said during his speech. In 2022, she mounted a primary bid for the governor’s office and narrowly lost to Republican Kari Lake, who serves as a senior advisor to the U.S. Agency for Global Media. Lake and Robson had a bitter primary battle in 2022, but Robson ultimately endorsed both Trump and Lake in their 2024 general election bids. ‘I WILL NOT REST’: BORDER STATE GUBERNATORIAL HOPEFUL LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN WEEKS AFTER TRUMP BACKED HER Rep. Andy Biggs, who also supports Trump, threw his hat into the ring, and he’s racked up the endorsements of fellow Republican Arizona Reps. Eli Crane and Paul Gosar, as well as Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert. Critics of Robson believe that Biggs will have a better shot of winning over the Republican base and hope that the president will have a change of heart. Meanwhile, there’s a long way until the primary, which is scheduled for Aug. 4, 2026. It’s unclear if any other major contenders will enter the race on either side. Cook Political Report ranks the general election race as a toss-up. Other statewide offices, including secretary of state and attorney general, will be up for grabs as well in the battleground state that Trump won in 2024.
Youngkin efforts lead slew of VA colleges to nix DEI, as Hokie alums reportedly push back
FIRST ON FOX: Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Monday praised the domino effect of Virginia colleges nixing their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) departments and initiatives, just weeks after President Donald Trump issued a nationwide order to that effect. “Discriminatory DEI policies are being dismantled across Virginia’s colleges and universities,” Youngkin told Fox News Digital. “This is a win for common sense, for civil rights, and for students and faculty at some of the world’s most premier institutions of higher learning we proudly have in Virginia. I am pleased our college and university boards continue to prioritize merit-based opportunity over race-based discrimination.” Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, along with Virginia’s community college system, Longwood University in Farmville, and Radford University in Radford, all announced or passed resolutions Friday to end such policies. DEI CHARGED CLAIMS FLY OVER CONTRACT FOR MILITARY SCHOOL’S LEADER AS LAWMAKER DEMANDS ETHICS PROBE Those announcements follow the Old Dominion’s “flagship” university, UVA – founded by President Thomas Jefferson himself – which made its move on March 7 along with its satellite institution, UVA-Wise, near the Kentucky border. Youngkin has been one of few governors publicly leading such efforts to bring an end to DEI practices at educational institutions. Sources familiar with Youngkin’s work said Virginia – where the governor is uniquely limited to one consecutive term by law – will see the effects of the Republican’s board of visitors appointments at colleges across the commonwealth for many years after he leaves office in January. Youngkin added in a recent interview with Fox News’ Laura Ingraham that Virginia is leading the way on “ending illegal discrimination and restoring merit-based opportunity.” The governor made education a priority issue in his administration, telling the Ronald Reagan Foundation last year that proper schooling is the “bedrock to attaining the American dream.” As for the newest DEI departures, Virginia Tech in Blacksburg is also primed to end DEI by midweek – with its board expected to vote Tuesday on the matter. Virginia Tech is considered the commonwealth’s flagship land-grant university and the collegiate anchor of Southside Virginia. VCU’s resolution read that the college will continue to be an “open-admission institution” for every learner, and that its mission seeks to “give everyone the opportunity to learn and develop the right skills so lives and communities are strengthened.” It shuttered all systems, programs, procedures and initiatives that failed to comply with federal civil rights protections, across its 23 institutions. UVA ENDS DEI Longwood did the same, as well as blocking out any use of third-parties to try to circumvent the new prohibitions, according to an appendix in the college’s resolution. The VCU Board of Visitors’ vote favored ending its Division of Inclusive Excellence, but it was not unanimous. Two former Gov. Terry McAuliffe appointees – Edward McCoy and the Rev. Tyrone Nelson – joined two Youngkin appointees – Dr. Clifton Peay and Gurpreet “P2” Sandhu – in voting “nay.” Virginia Tech’s quarterly board meeting was listed for 1 p.m. ET on Tuesday at an inn in Montgomery County, as some critics said it should be made more public. “Permissible programs” affected by the potential end to its DEI department will be moved to “a new organizational home,” according a copy of the resolution published by the Augusta Free Press paper of the Staunton-Waynesboro area. The paper separately reported that an alumni group is warning against adopting the resolution, warning future students would not have the same opportunities as past graduates. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The Hokie alums are also demanding a town hall-style meeting to address the issue and be able to speak with administrators. Dr. Tekisha Dwan Everette, vice president of the Trust for America’s Health policy organization in Washington, D.C., and a Hokie alum, told the paper she and others are “deeply disappointed and concerned about the tactics used to challenge Virginia Tech’s commitment to creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive learning environment.” The petition itself will be delivered to Virginia Tech President Timothy Sands, and reads in part that “DEIAB programs are not only valuable—they are essential to ensuring that Virginia Tech remains a place where all students, regardless of their background, have a chance to succeed and make meaningful contributions to society.” Christopher Newport University in Newport News, the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, James Madison University in Harrisonburg and George Mason University in Fairfax are all set to hold board meetings in April. Fox News Digital reached out to Virginia Tech for comment.
RFK Jr.’s former running mate rules out 2026 CA governor run, hints at activism: ‘Watching closely’
Nicole Shanahan, Silicon Valley philanthropist and Robert F. Kennedy’s running mate during his 2024 presidential race, has ruled out a gubernatorial run in California for the 2026 election to replace the termed-out liberal Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. Shannahan made the announcement Friday on Steve Hilton’s podcast when asked about her priorities in the Golden State. “My priorities are and, you know, Steve, I’m just gonna share with you now; I’m giving you the exclusive. I’m not running for governor in 2026,” Shanahan told Hilton, a Fox News contributor. SCORCHED-EARTH SHANAHAN: RFK JR’S FORMER RUNNING MATE THREATENS POLITICAL WAR AGAINST CONFIRMATION OPPONENTS “I believe that my job in 2026 is to get people to break out of their political orthodoxy, to think about what is really in the best interest of California,” she said. “I am not a Democrat, I am not a Republican, I am an independent, and I’m here to support the revival of California.” She continued, saying “now is the time for people to step up” and that she will be “watching closely” and “supporting” individuals who “continue to be brave enough to stand up against harmful political ideology to do what is right for the people.” Shanahan has been involved in several political efforts in California, including being a major donor in the effort to recall Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. TRUMP SURROGATE CORRIN RANKIN PICKED TO LEAD BLUE STATE’S GOP: ‘MAKE CALIFORNIA GREAT AGAIN’ As Kennedy faced high-stakes congressional confirmation hearings to lead the Health and Human Services (HHS) Department, Shanahan singled out several senators, warning that she would financially support primary challengers if they voted against his confirmation as secretary. “Dear U.S. Senators, Bobby may play nice; I won’t,” she wrote in a post on X. WHO IS NICOLE SHANAHAN? MEET THE WEALTHY ENTREPRENEUR RFK JR SELECTED AS HIS VP RUNNING MATE Several candidates have announced their intentions to run for governor of California in the 2026 election, while others are still considering their options. Katie Porter, the former liberal congresswoman, has launched her bid, focusing on advocating for working families and opposing former President Trump’s policies. Eleni Kounalakis, California’s lieutenant governor, has officially entered the race, seeking to continue Newsom’s policies. Other candidates include Chad Bianco, the Riverside County sheriff who is running on the Republican ticket. Bianco’s platform centerson law enforcement issues and border security. Former Vice President Kamala Harris is also rumored to be considering a 2026 run, and her decision could have a major impact on the race, particularly among Democratic voters.
Democrats on possible Biden political reemergence: ‘his time has passed’
Former President Joe Biden may want to be back in the political arena to try and help the Democratic Party emerge from the wilderness. However, it does not appear that many Democrats are overly receptive to the offer from the 82-year-old former president, whom many blame for last November’s stinging election setbacks, when the party lost control of the White House and Senate and fell short in winning back the House majority from the GOP. “As far as Biden’s position within the current state of the Democratic Party, I think his time is over. I think his time has passed. The train has sort of moved on,” a Democrat strategist who asked for anonymity to speak more freely told Fox News. Biden met last month with Ken Martin, the newly elected chair of the Democratic National Committee, to offer his help, a source with knowledge confirmed to Fox News last week. Word of the meeting and Biden’s offer to help fundraise or campaign for the party was first reported by NBC News. POLL POSITION: DEMOCRATIC PARTY’S NUMBERS PLUNGE TO ALL-TIME LOWS The offer of assistance by the former president comes as recent polling indicates the Democratic Party brand is in desperate need of repair. The party’s favorable rating sank to all-time lows in separate national polls conducted this month by CNN and NBC News. Those numbers followed a record low for Democrats in a Quinnipiac University survey in the field in February. Additionally, the latest Fox News National poll, which was released last week, indicated Congressional Democrats’ approval rating at 30%, near an all-time low. CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING, ANALYSIS, AND OPINION ON FORMER PRESIDENT BIDEN While some Democrats praise Biden for his past accomplishments, including during his single term in the White House, many say it is time to move on as the party aims to rebound. “President Biden did a lot of remarkably great things for this country,” longtime Democratic consultant John MacNeil told Fox News. “I’m sure there is still some love left for him.” However, MacNeil, who was part of the leadership of Unite the Country, a pro-Biden super PAC that helped boost the then-former vice president to victory in the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries, pointed to the 2024 election and noted that Biden “is unfortunately and unfairly the guy who’s going to get pegged for the loses.” Joe Caiazzo, a veteran Democratic strategist who served on the 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns of Sen. Bernie Sanders, told Fox News that “there is an appetite for a message anchored in economic populism wrapped in a desire for broad system change. Following November’s results, it is more than fair to say that folks are looking towards the future.” WHAT THE LATEST FOX NEWS NATIONAL POLL SAYS ABOUT CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS Others, who asked to remain anonymous, were more blunt. A longtime Democratic Party bundler and fundraiser argued that “Biden was never a very good fundraiser. Never. He always had difficulty raising money and really didn’t like doing it.” There is still plenty of anger directed at Biden, who dropped his 2024 re-election bid last July, a couple of weeks after a disastrous debate performance against then-former President Donald Trump reignited serious questions and deep concerns over Biden’s physical and mental stamina to handle another four years in the White House. Biden was succeeded at the top of the Democrats’ 2024 ticket by then-Vice President Kamala Harris, with less than four months until Election Day. A national Democrat strategist who was close to the 2024 Biden campaign told Fox News that “it defies belief that the man who cost the Democratic Party the White House, the Senate and the House, believes that he is going to be the Democratic Party savior, but this is also the same person who tried to convince America that he wasn’t too old to continue as President of the United States.” One person who appears enthusiastic about the potential prospect of Biden re-entering the political arena is Trump, who has repeatedly blasted the former president in speeches, interviews and on social media in the two months since returning to power. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “I hope so,” Trump told reporters on Friday when asked about the possibility of a more visible political role for his predecessor.
Supreme Court hears pivotal Louisiana election map case ahead of 2026 midterms
The Supreme Court heard arguments Monday on whether Louisiana lawmakers can use race as a factor when drawing congressional maps, a closely watched case that could impact voters nationwide in the 2026 midterms. At issue is whether the state’s congressional map, updated twice since the 2020 census, is an illegal racial gerrymander. It has faced two federal court challenges – first, for diluting minority voting power under the 1965 Voting Rights Act, and most recently, for potentially violating the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment and the 15th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The high court, which agreed to take up the case last fall, is expected to hand down its decision by late June. JUDGES SAY THEY’LL REDRWA LOUISIANA CONGRESSIONAL MAP THEMSELVES IF LAWMAKERS CAN’T During oral arguments, the justices focused closely on whether Louisiana’s redistricting efforts were narrowly tailored enough to meet constitutional requirements and whether race was used in a way that violates the law, as plaintiffs have alleged. Louisiana Solicitor General Benjamin Aguiñaga argued that the state’s latest map protected political stability, including preserving leadership positions like the U.S. House speaker and majority leader. “I want to emphasize that the larger picture here is important – because in an election year we faced the prospect of a federal court-drawn map that placed in jeopardy the speaker of the House, the House majority leader and our representative on the Appropriations Committee,” Aguiñaga said. “And so in light of those facts, we made the politically rational decision: we drew our own map to protect them.” Louisiana’s congressional map has twice been challenged in federal court since it was updated in the wake of the 2020 census, which found that the state’s Black residents now totaled one-third of Louisiana’s total population. The first redistricting map, which included just one district where Black voters held the majority, was invalidated by a federal court (and subsequently, by the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals) in 2022. Both courts sided with the Louisiana State Conference of the NAACP and other plaintiffs, who argued that the map violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act by diluting the voting power of Black voters in the state. NEW MAJORITY-BLACK LOUISIANA HOUSE DISTRICT REJECTED, NOVEMBER ELECTION MAP STILL UNCERTAIN Lawmakers were ordered by the court to adopt by January 2024 a new state redistricting map. That map, S.B. 8, was passed and included the creation of a second majority-Black voting district in the state. But S.B. 8 was almost immediately challenged by a group of non-Black plaintiffs in court as well, after they claimed issue with a new district that stretched some 250 miles from Louisiana’s northwest corner of Shreveport to Baton Rouge, in the state’s southeast. They argued in the lawsuit that the state violated the equal protection clause by relying too heavily on race to draw the maps, and created a “sinuous and jagged second majority-Black district based on racial stereotypes, racially ‘Balkanizing’ a 250-mile swath of Louisiana.” The Supreme Court agreed last November to take up the case, though it paused consideration of the arguments until after the 2024 elections. Meanwhile, Louisiana officials argued in court filings that non-Black voters failed to show direct harm required for equal protection claims or prove race was the main factor in redrawing the map. JUDGES V TRUMP: HERE ARE THE KEY COURT BATTLES HALTING THE WHITE HOUSE AGENDA They also stressed that the Supreme Court should clarify how states should proceed under this “notoriously unclear area of the law” that pits Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act against equal protections, describing them as two “competing demands.” Officials have cited frustrations over repeatedly redrawing maps, and the prospect of being ordered back to the drawing board once again, and asked the court to “put an end to the extraordinary waste of time and resources that plagues the States after every redistricting cycle.”
Bush-era Education secretary wary about FAFSA disruptions as department faces dismantling
Plans to dismantle the Department of Education could rattle operations for incoming college students launching into enrollment season, according to former President George W. Bush’s Education secretary. While President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to scale down the Department of Education, he also promised that programs that oversee financial aid and resources for children with special needs would remain in place. They would, instead, fall under other agencies, he said. However, Margaret Spellings, who oversaw the agency from 2005 to 2009, said shuttering and realigning certain functions of the Education Dept. would not be a seamless transition – and it is unclear whether there is enough staffing to properly process all the necessary materials as students commit to colleges for the fall. “It’s college enrollment season, and are our universities – as the customer service part of that operation – going to be able to timely get information about financial aid packages and so on?” Spellings, now the president and CEO of the Bipartisan Policy Center, asked Fox News Digital. “Will half the people be able to do all the work? Time will tell. So that’s an immediate concern.” TRUMP STILL NEEDS CONGRESS’ HELP WITH PLAN TO ABOLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT The Department of Education’s Office of Federal Student Aid processes over 17.6 million Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms annually, according to its 2024 report. Additionally, the office previously employed roughly 1,400 personnel. However, given the dramatic cuts to staffing, it is unclear how many are currently assigned to that office. Prior to signing the executive order to overhaul the Education Dept., the agency also moved to cut staffing by roughly half. Spellings also predicted transferring the different functions of the Education Dept. to other agencies would prove “disruptive,” because it would involve potentially training new employees and merging various data systems. As a result, she cautioned, it could detract from focusing on student achievement. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SIGNIFICANTLY DISMANTLED IN NEW TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDER “I fear we’ll take our eye off the ball, which is keeping student achievement before us, as opposed to harmonizing data systems, reassigning employees, training new ones who know nothing about the purpose of the thing,” Spellings said. “Whether there’s evidence that the Department of Labor or [the Department of Health and Human Services] are a vanguard of good management – it’s a little bit of a head scratcher to me.” Spellings pointed to the creation of the Department of Homeland Security in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks to bolster national security efforts and prevent additional terrorist attacks, which Bush signed into law in November 2002. Ultimately, creating the new agency integrated 22 other previously existing departments or agencies, including the Coast Guard and the Customs Service and Border Patrol. However, merging all these agencies together proved a taxing endeavor, according to Spellings. STUDENT LOANS, PELL GRANTS WILL CONTINUE DESPITE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT DOWNSIZING, EXPERT SAYS “That required lots of different functions from various agencies to come together, to have common technology systems, to have visibility across work streams and so on and so on,” Spellings said. “It was complicated and time-consuming, and furthermore expensive.” Meanwhile, a Gallup poll released in February shows that Americans’ satisfaction with the state of education has declined sharply over the past decade. The poll found that only 24% of Americans are satisfied with the quality of education in the U.S. as of January 2025, compared to 37% in January 2017. Trump’s decision to nix the agency did not come as a surprise; the president has routinely discussed plans to eliminate it. Additionally, proponents of shutting down the agency have cited the “Nation’s Report Card,” the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress, released every two years, published Jan. 27. The exam tests fourth and eighth grade students and found almost stagnant math scores for eighth graders compared to 2022. Reading scores dropped two points at both grade levels. A White House fact sheet on the executive order said it seeks to “turn over education to families instead of bureaucracies” and orders Education Secretary Linda McMahon to “take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return education authority to the States, while continuing to ensure the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely.” The White House referred Fox News Digital to the Department of Education when asked for comment. The Department of Education did not immediately reply to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Trump taps personal lawyer for top role at DOJ
President Donald Trump announced Monday that he has installed his personal lawyer, Alina Habba, to serve as interim U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey – the latest in a long list of former attorneys for Trump whom he has tapped for senior roles at the Department of Justice. Trump said on Truth Social Monday that he has tapped Habba, his current White House counsel, to replace outgoing acting U.S. attorney, John Giordano, whom he said would be serving as the U.S. Ambassador to Namibia. Both promotions were announced by Trump Monday on social media. In the post, Trump praised Habba as someone who “will lead with the same diligence and conviction that has defined her career,” and said she will “fight tirelessly to secure a Legal System that is both ‘Fair and Just’ for the wonderful people of New Jersey.” JUDGES V TRUMP: HERE ARE THE KEY COURT BATTLES HALTING THE WHITE HOUSE AGENDA “Additionally, John Giordano, who has done a terrific job as the interim U.S. Attorney in New Jersey, will now be nominated as the new Ambassador to Namibia!” Trump said, before congratulating them both. Giordano, for his part, was installed as acting U.S. attorney for the district less than a month ago by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. Trump did not elaborate on his reasons for the somewhat abrupt personnel changes, and the White House did not immediately respond to Fox News’s request for comment. However, his decision to tap Habba, a longtime ally who previously served as a legal spokesperson for both Trump and his presidential super PAC, MAGA, Inc., comes as the president has moved to install or promote a long list of loyalists to senior law enforcement positions in his second White House term. WHO IS ALINA HABBA? TRUMP’S FIERCE LEGAL DEFENDER PICKED TO SERVE AS COUNSELOR TO THE PRESIDENT CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Three of the top prosecutors Trump has promoted to head up the Justice Department – U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, and Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General of the United States Emil Bove – have each represented the president in a personal capacity prior to his reelection in 2024, prompting criticism from some Democrats over the potential politicization of the department.
Trump taps White House counsel Alina Habba for top role at DOJ
President Donald Trump announced Monday that he has installed his personal lawyer, Alina Habba, to serve as interim U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey – the latest in a long list of former attorneys for Trump whom he has tapped for senior roles at the Department of Justice. Trump said on Truth Social Monday that he has tapped Habba, his current White House counsel, to replace outgoing acting U.S. attorney, John Giordano, whom he said would be serving as the U.S. Ambassador to Namibia. Both promotions were announced by Trump Monday on social media. In the post, Trump praised Habba as someone who “will lead with the same diligence and conviction that has defined her career,” and said she will “fight tirelessly to secure a Legal System that is both ‘Fair and Just’ for the wonderful people of New Jersey.” JUDGES V TRUMP: HERE ARE THE KEY COURT BATTLES HALTING THE WHITE HOUSE AGENDA “Additionally, John Giordano, who has done a terrific job as the interim U.S. Attorney in New Jersey, will now be nominated as the new Ambassador to Namibia!” Trump said, before congratulating them both. Giordano, for his part, was installed as acting U.S. attorney for the district less than a month ago by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. Habba said Monday that she is looking forward to the new role at the Justice Department, including the opportunity to crack down on corruption and move on Trump’s other top law enforcement priorities during his second term in office. “As you know, I stood by President Trump, his family, the organization, and many other clients in that state where I am born and raised, and [where] I’m raising my babies now,” Habba told reporters at the White House on Monday. “But there is corruption,” she said. “There is injustice, and there is a heavy amount of crime right in Cory Booker’s backyard. And right under Governor Murphy. And that will stop.” Habba said she looks forward to working with Bondi and others at the Justice Department to make that “we further the president’s agenda; including putting America first, cleaning up mess and going after the people that we should be going after, not the people that are falsely accused that will stop in the great state of New Jersey—starting now.” WHO IS ALINA HABBA? TRUMP’S FIERCE LEGAL DEFENDER PICKED TO SERVE AS COUNSELOR TO THE PRESIDENT CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Trump’s decision to tap Habba, a longtime ally who previously served as a legal spokesperson for both Trump and his presidential super PAC, MAGA, Inc., comes as the president has moved to install or promote a long list of loyalists to senior law enforcement positions in his second White House term. Three of the top prosecutors Trump has promoted to head up the Justice Department – U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, and Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General of the United States Emil Bove – have each represented the president in a personal capacity prior to his reelection in 2024, prompting criticism from some Democrats over the potential politicization of the department.