MAGA law group files briefs in support of Trump executive order ending birthright citizenship
America First Legal filed two amicus briefs this week in support of President Donald Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship for the children of illegal immigrants. The firm filed the briefs on behalf of House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and 17 other committee members. Despite there being nearly two dozen Democrat-run states and civil rights groups suing to stop the order and two federal judges ruling to temporarily block it, America First is arguing that there is a clear constitutional basis for denying citizenship to illegal migrants who have broken the country’s immigration laws. ‘BLATANTLY UNCONSTITUTIONAL’: US JUDGE TEMPORARILY BLOCKS TRUMP’S BAN ON BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP Trump’s order titled “Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship” states that “the privilege of United States citizenship does not automatically extend to persons born in the United States” when that person’s parents are either unlawfully present in the U.S. or when the parents’ presence is lawful but temporary. The briefs — which were filed in the federal courts for the Western District of Washington and the District of Massachusetts — argue that based on the “text and history” of the 14th Amendment, the Constitution does not confer citizenship on the children of unlawfully present aliens. The briefs claim that citizenship in the U.S. is a political right, not an automatic entitlement. The 14th Amendment was passed in 1868 and was designed to extend citizenship to African-American former slaves. The amendment states that “all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” Dan Epstein, vice president of America First Legal, told Fox News Digital that the phrase “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” means that citizens must owe their political allegiance to the U.S., not some foreign power or culture. He said that Trump’s order would restore the constitutional principle that only those who are subject to the jurisdiction of the U.S. — that is loyal, law-abiding Americans — are citizens. NUMEROUS US STATES SUE TRUMP OVER BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP EXECUTIVE ORDER AS SUPREME COURT COULD MAKE FINAL DECISION “This executive order is constitutional and legally valid,” said Epstein. “The Constitution makes clear that it is not the ‘natural born citizen clause.’ It is a ‘natural born and subject to the jurisdiction thereof clause.’ And we can’t just scratch out ‘subject to the jurisdiction thereof.’ ‘Jurisdiction thereof’ means something; it means you are a loyal subject to American jurisdiction and if you’re a disloyal subject — which is clearly someone whose parents entered here illegally — it means you don’t believe in the law.” CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE “Congress has not specifically authorized that any individual born to illegal aliens on U.S. soil is by definition a citizen. That’s nowhere in the statute,” he explained. “If Congress decided to pass a law and the courts said it was constitutional, and it said that, in fact, if you’re born on American soil, you’re a citizen, well, then, we’re bound by that law and the Supreme Courts and the federal courts affirming that. But that’s just not the law.” Epstein said that the U.S. policy of extending citizenship to anyone born on U.S. soil, including those born to illegal immigrants, breaks with American tradition and disrupts the rule of law. REPUBLICAN STATE AGS BACK TRUMP BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP ORDER IN COURT FILING: ‘TAXPAYERS ARE ON THE HOOK’ “There’s a lot that hangs in the balance here,” he explained. “If we have an interpretation of the 14th Amendment that says that anyone born here is like African-Americans who have a history of slavery or of terrible things, then we actually dilute that American tradition of enfranchising the rights of the descendants of former slaves and that is not what the 14th Amendment was designed to do.” Despite Trump’s executive order being currently blocked, Epstein said that he is optimistic that the Supreme Court will eventually rule in Trump’s favor. “My expectation is that this is a no-brainer. The law is clear, ‘subject to the jurisdiction thereof’ has to mean something,” he said. “And whether you’re looking at the legislative history of that phrase or you’re looking at how it’s been applied — even in [U.S. vs.] Wong Kim Ark, the kind of preeminent case on this — makes clear that jurisdiction means allegiance. So, it’s not a very hard question. It’s a very clear question. And the law has a very clear answer.”
House Democrat leaves congressional DOGE caucus, saying Musk is ‘blowing things up’
Rep. Val Hoyle, D-Ore., said on Thursday that she is leaving the congressional Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Caucus due to Elon Musk’s cost-cutting measures in the executive branch. Hoyle made the announcement via a statement and said her intentions on the caucus were to serve as a good steward for her constituents’ tax dollars and to make the government more streamlined and efficient. However, she said Musk’s actions, which are separate from the congressional caucus, have made that impossible, and she claimed DOGE’s work is to find funds to give tax breaks to billionaires at the expense of working people. USAID STAFFERS STUNNED, ANGERED BY TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S DOGE SHUTDOWN OF $40 BILLION AGENCY “I joined to be a voice for working people and their interests. But it is impossible to fix the system when Elon Musk is actively breaking it, so I have made the decision to leave,” Hoyle wrote on X late Thursday. “It is impossible for us to do that important work when unelected billionaire Elon Musk and his lackeys [insist] on burning down the government—and the law—to line his own pockets and rip off Americans across the country who depend on government services to live with dignity,” she wrote in an accompanying statement. The newly minted agency, a key promise of President Donald Trump‘s re-election campaign, is tasked with slashing government waste and providing increased transparency when it comes to government spending. It was created via executive order and is a temporary organization within the White House that will spend 18 months until July 4, 2026, carrying out its mission. Hoyle said she was alarmed about Musk’s team accessing sensitive Department of Treasury payment systems. She also accused his team of using intimidation tactics to “terrorize the hard-working public servants” who deliver these services. DOGE TARGETS MEDICARE AGENCY, LOOKING FOR FRAUD A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked the DOGE from obtaining access to any payment record or payment system of records maintained within the Treasury’s Bureau of Fiscal Service. On Wednesday, the Justice Department agreed in a proposed court order to limit access to the sensitive records to only two “special government employees” within DOGE, who will have read-only permission. Hoyle said that if she thought that she, or Democrats or Republicans on the caucus had any influence, then she would stay. “But, fundamentally, I don’t see how we can actually do this work when Elon Musk is blowing things up,” she told NewsNation Thursday. “It’s like trying to replace your roof when someone’s throwing dynamite through the window. “So I’m leaving the DOGE Caucus, I will continue to do the work to find efficiencies, but right now I just don’t think it’s possible with what’s happening.” DOGE has riled Democrats, particularly around USAID, and Hoyle’s announcement comes just days after DOGE targeted the agency, leading to the firing of 50 top officials and the organization being folded into the State Department. The actions came after Secretary of State Marco Rubio, acting on Trump’s executive order, paused all U.S. foreign assistance funded by or through the State Department and USAID. The 90-day pause has halted thousands of U.S.-funded humanitarian, development and security programs worldwide and forced aid organizations to lay off hundreds of employees because they cannot make payroll. DOGE has focused much of its initial work on canceling DEI programs, consulting contracts and lease terminations for federal buildings. The agency wrote on Tuesday that it canceled 12 contracts with the Government Services Administration and the Department of Education, resulting in a total savings of about $30 million. It also canceled 12 underused leases for savings of $3 million. On Monday, DOGE said it canceled 36 contracts, leading to savings of about $165 million across six agencies. DOGE posted on Jan. 28 that the group is saving the federal government around $1 billion per day, mostly by stopping the hiring of people into unnecessary positions, deletion of DEI and stopping improper payments to foreign organizations. Fox News’ Eric Revell, Greg Norman, Anders Hagstrom, Greg Wehner, Chris Pandolfo, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
John Fetterman reveals how he’ll vote on Trump’s Tulsi Gabbard and RFK Jr. nominations
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., announced that he will vote against confirming Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to serve in President Donald Trump’s cabinet. Trump tapped Kennedy to serve as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, and Gabbard to serve as Director of National Intelligence. “I have met with most of the cabinet nominees and have carefully watched their confirmation hearings. After considering what’s at stake, I have voted against moving forward to the confirmation of Ms. Gabbard and Mr. Kennedy, and will be voting NO on their confirmations,” Fetterman declared Thursday night in a post on X. PRO-LIFERS POUNCE ON FETTERMAN FOR OPPOSING ‘BORN-ALIVE ABORTION SURVIVORS PROTECTION ACT’: ‘INFANTICIDE’ Kennedy announced his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2023, before switching to an independent White House bid later that year. In 2024 he dropped out and endorsed Trump. Kennedy’s former running mate, Nicole Shanahan, replied to Fetterman’s post, calling the lawmaker — who is known for his penchant for wearing shorts and hoodies — a “lazy slob.” “Fetterman toys with the ideal of being a strong American Man, but he is a lazy slob who can’t get to the gym in spite of wearing gym clothes all day long. I do not expect someone who can’t manage to dress themself to make good decisions, let alone those as important as the health of a nation,” Shanahan declared in a tweet. SCORCHED-EARTH SHANAHAN: RFK JR’S FORMER RUNNING MATE THREATENS POLITICAL WAR AGAINST CONFIRMATION OPPONENTS “I’m not trolling. This is an honest assessment given the outfit he wore to the President of the United State’s Inauguration. What can you realistically expect from someone who treats the American people like this?” she added in another post. Gabbard, who served in Congress as a Democrat from early 2013 through early 2021, launched a presidential bid in 2019, but dropped out in 2020 and backed Joe Biden. In 2022, she announced that she was ditching the Democratic Party. And in 2024, she endorsed Trump and announced that she was joining the GOP. While Fetterman has thrown his support behind some of Trump’s nominees, he joined the rest of the Senate Democratic Caucus in voting against the confirmation of Russell Vought on Thursday. Despite Democratic opposition, Vought was confirmed in a 53-47 vote. Vought served as Office of Management and Budget director during part of the first Trump administration and is taking on the role again. RUSSELL VOUGHT CONFIRMED TO HEAD GOVERNMENT’S LEADING BUDGET OFFICE AFTER DEMS HOLD 30-HOUR PROTEST “Last year, I called out the dangers of Project 2025 and the damage it’d do to our country. Americans were assured the Trump team had no ties to it—then nominated one of its authors to lead OMB. My view has not changed and I will be a hard NO on Mr. Vought,” Fetterman said in a post on Thursday.
Rubio to visit Middle East for second trip as secretary of state after Trump suggests US takeover of Gaza
Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to the Middle East for a few days beginning next week for his second trip at the head of the State Department. Rubio will visit Israel, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia after attending the Munich Security Conference in Germany, Fox News confirmed on Thursday. While an itinerary has not yet been released, Rubio’s impending visit to the Middle East comes at a pivotal time in foreign policy, as Israel and Hamas are implementing a three-stage ceasefire agreement after 16 months of war in Gaza. During a joint news conference in the Dominican Republic with President Luis Abinader on Thursday, Rubio said President Donald Trump has offered to be part of the solution to rebuild Gaza. PANAMA PLEDGES TO END KEY CANAL DEAL WITH CHINA, WORK WITH US AFTER RUBIO VISIT Trump suggested on Wednesday that the U.S. take control of the Gaza Strip in order to rehabilitate the territory to a livable location as most of the area has been decimated and millions are displaced. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Wednesday that under Trump’s proposal, Palestinians would be “temporarily” relocated in order to successfully level and rebuild. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was on board with the proposed plan, describing it as “remarkable” and “the first good idea that [he’s] heard.” “President Trump is taking it to a much higher level,” Netanyahu said from the White House with Trump on Wednesday. “He sees a different future for that piece of land that has been the focus of so much terrorism, so much, so many attacks against us, so many, so many trials and so many tribulations. He has a different idea, and I think it’s worth paying attention to this.” RUBIO REFUSES TO VISIT SOUTH AFRICA FOR G-20 SUMMIT, ACCUSES GOVERNMENT OF ‘DOING VERY BAD THINGS’ Rubio said “there are a lot of countries in the world that like to express concern about Gaza and the Palestinian people, but very few [were] willing, in the past, to do anything concrete about it.” Gaza, which is run by Hamas terrorists, is not only uninhabitable because of the destruction from the war with Israel, but because of unexploded munitions, rockets and weapons that plague the land, Rubio said, adding that “it needs to be dealt with.” “If some other country is willing to step forward and do it themselves, that would be great, but no one seems to be rushing forward to do that and that has to happen,” Rubio said Thursday. The secretary of state said he thinks Trump proposed the Gaza takeover idea in hopes of getting a reaction from countries who “have the economic and technological capacity to contribute to a post-conflict region.” As of Friday morning, no other country has spoken out about a potential plan to rehabilitate Gaza.
FLASHBACK: Former AOC aide challenging Pelosi wore shirt depicting Nazi collaborator
A former aide to Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., was once pictured wearing a shirt that depicted a Nazi collaborator in an image that resurfaced after the “Squad” staffer announced a congressional campaign against former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. Saikat Chakrabarti managed Ocasio-Cortez’s congressional campaign in 2018, serving as chief of staff to the progressive member before leaving just one year later after publicly criticizing some Democratic lawmakers. After Ocasio-Cortez won her first election, Chakrabarti sported a shirt with the face of Nazi sympathizer Subhas Chandra Bose, an Indian nationalist who collaborated with the Nazis during World War II, during an interview to talk about the new congresswoman’s emerging political career. The video, titled “Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Chief of Staff on Acting Fast in Congress,” was shared by NowThis Impact, a progressive organization. FORMER AOC CHIEF OF STAFF ANNOUNCES RUN AGAINST PELOSI, CALLS DEMS ‘PARALYZED AND UNPREPARED’ UNDER TRUMP In a separate photo, Chakrabarti was seen wearing the same shirt with the face of the Nazi collaborator. Bose was known for his support of socialist policies in the late 1930s and early 1940s. During the Second World War, Bose struck an alliance with the “Axis Powers” of Germany, Italy and Japan, and personally met with Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini and Hideki Tojo. Chakrabarti on Wednesday announced that he plans to run for the House seat currently held by Pelosi, who will be 86 years old when she is up for re-election in the 2026 midterms. “It’s become clear to me that the Democratic Party needs new leadership,” Chakrabarti said in a post on X. “I don’t understand how DC’s Democratic leaders are so paralyzed and unprepared for this moment after living through President Trump’s first term — and after Trump and Elon warned us exactly what they planned to do.” ‘RED LIGHT’ DISTRICT REP. AOC CALLED OUT FOR IGNORING CRIME CLEANUP ON HER TURF Pelosi filed paperwork to run for a 21st term next cycle, signaling that she intends to seek re-election. While working for Ocasio-Cortez, Chakrabarti tweeted that Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kan., one of the first two Native American women to serve in Congress, enabled a racist system after she voted in favor of a Senate border bill not backed by progressives. Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
Heartland lawmakers seek to fix ‘fundamental’ roadblock for farm kids seeking student aid
Two bipartisan lawmakers from America’s agricultural heartland are putting forth legislation that would amend the federal student aid provisions to help students in farming families receive the help they need to go to school. Sens. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, and Michael Bennet, D-Colo., along with Rep. Tracey Mann, R-Kan., in the House, are forwarding the Family Farm and Small Business Exemption Act. As of late, the household contribution formula for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) “fundamentally misunderstands” how farming families operate and how agricultural assets differ from the more liquid assets of other U.S. families. FAFSA is a form typically accessible to students on Oct. 1 of each year to allow for ample time to submit financial information in advance of both state and school-specific deadlines for aid eligibility. DOGE LAWMAKER SAYS TRUMP ALREADY RACKING UP WINS The bipartisan bill would exempt farms and small family businesses from considerations in the Higher Education Act of 1965 and therefore offer a more realistic calculus for students in rural areas seeking federal aid. The new act would amend the FAFSA Simplification Act to restore the original exemption of all farmland, machinery, other operational materials and small businesses with fewer than 100 employees from being declared on the application. “No one should have to sell off the farm — or their small business — to afford college. As a farm kid myself, I know the enormous impacts grants and financial aid have on rural students’ decision to go to college,” Ernst told Fox News Digital. “I’m fighting for Iowa families, so unfair policies don’t hold them back from investing in their child’s education.” In February 2024, Ernst, her Iowa counterpart Sen. Charles Grassley, and other Heartland and Deep South lawmakers like Sens. Cindy Hyde-Smith and Roger Wicker of Mississippi wrote to Biden Education Secretary Miguel Cardona about their concerns, which appeared to go largely unanswered. DOGE SENATOR SEEKS TO ENSURE FEDS CAN CONTINUE PURSUING COVID FRAUDSTERS, DEBTORS AS IG SOUNDS ALARM They alleged Question 22 of the FAFSA application asks for the net worth of a family’s business operations, which the letter said wrongly analyzes how revenue streams for crops and livestock work — and how they can vary depending on the year. “[A]ssets cannot be cashed out to support a loan in the same capacity as traditional investments,” the letter read. Therefore, Ernst on Thursday signaled she wants to adjust the qualification formula for FAFSA, so that America’s agricultural families are able to have an equal shot at aid based on their conditions. Mann, who represents the seventh-largest congressional district in the nation that isn’t an at-large seat, said he has innumerable farm families who are in need of clear, fair FAFSA policy. “Across Kansas’ Big First and the country, net farm income has decreased by nearly 25% since 2022,” Mann told Fox News Digital. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “Between navigating record-levels of inflation and skyrocketing input costs, our family farmers, ranchers, agricultural producers and small business owners are doing their best to make an honest living. “When young people from these families are applying for higher education financial aid, the assets tied up in the family farm or the small business should not count against them. Congress should work to make life easier, not harder, for these dedicated families and students.” Mann said he hopes the bill will even the playing field for students while “protecting the American dream for every student regardless of their parents’ career ventures.”
‘Disturbing’: Whistleblower fumes at Biden-era agency promoting DEI program as department’s ‘mission’
The now-archived website for the virtually shut down United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has a page devoted to pushing DEI which a former employee whistleblower told Fox News Digital was part of a larger Biden administration effort. “Each of us has a responsibility to address bigotry, gender discrimination, and structural racism and uphold individual dignity… This isn’t just one of our values; it’s our mission—one hand extended out to another to meet people where they are and treat others as equals,” former USAID administrator Samantha Power, who previously served multiple roles in the Obama administration, is quoted as saying on the archived websites DEI page. The website explains that the USAID was “committed to a diverse, equitable, inclusive workplace where everyone has an opportunity to thrive” and that it has implemented a DEI strategy that “commits USAID to improving and enhancing diversity throughout the Agency, enhancing inclusion and equity for everyone in the workplace, and strengthening accountability for promoting and sustaining a diverse workforce and an inclusive Agency culture.” Mark Moyar, a USAID whistleblower who worked in the department from 2018 to 2019, spoke to Fox News Digital about how Power and others in the department made DEI a top priority. AFTER DOGE CRACKDOWN ON USAID, TRUMP’S HOUSE ALLIES WANT THIS CABINET AGENCY ON CHOPPING BLOCK “Samantha Power’s emphasis on DEI was part of a larger Biden administration effort to infuse DEI into every federal agency and we saw this with very negative effects all over the place and you have people taking time off from their jobs to attend these indoctrination sessions and clearly pushing the message that people are divided into oppressor groups and victim groups and that there’s this white rage and white extremism running all over the place, which is basically not non existent,” Moyar explained. Moyar told Fox News Digital that “far left theories” were given “legitimacy” in the wake of the George Floyd movement in 2020 and that when DEI became a “central” focus at USAID it resulted in other countries taking the United States less seriously. USAID STAFFERS STUNNED, ANGERED BY TRUMP ADMIN’S DOGE SHUTDOWN OF $40B AGENCY “It’s particularly disturbing that not only were they pushing within the organization, they were actually funding DEI events all over the world, you know, DEI comic books or DEI workshops and so I think this can only undermine our image abroad because most people outside of this country recognized DEI for the silliness that it is and the divisiveness that it causes,” Moyar, author of the book “Masters of Corruption: How the Federal Bureaucracy Sabotaged the Trump Presidency”, said. “We also saw this as well with women’s empowerment that everything for Samantha Power had to be viewed through a gendered lens. So you had all these gender consultants as well as DEI consultants taking huge amounts of taxpayer money to do this sort of analysis. And I don’t think they really have anything to show for it and I think you’ll find what we found in other places where this has been pushed, that DEI only makes things worse. It divides people and group tensions between groups are worse than they were before.” USAID found itself on the chopping block in recent weeks as part of President Trump’s plan to rid the federal government of waste along with his campaign pledges to rid DEI from the federal bureaucracy. “For decades, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has been unaccountable to taxpayers as it funnels massive sums of money to the ridiculous — and, in many cases, malicious — pet projects of entrenched bureaucrats, with next-to-no oversight,” the White House said Monday. Musk has meanwhile slammed the agency as a “viper’s nest of radical-left marxists who hate America,” and reported in an audio-only message on X on Sunday that “we’re in the process” of “shutting down USAID” and that Trump reportedly agreed to shutter the agency. Democrats have slammed the Trump administration’s efforts on USAID. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., accused Trump of starting a dictatorship while she protested outside USAID headquarters on Monday. “It is a really, really sad day in America. We are witnessing a constitutional crisis,” Omar said. “We talked about Trump wanting to be a dictator on day one. And here we are. This is what the beginning of dictatorship looks like when you gut the Constitution, and you install yourself as the sole power. That is how dictators are made.” Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton contributed to this report
Michigan sheriff who took off helmet, marched with protesters in 2020, launches bid to replace Gov. Whitmer
A high-profile sheriff in Michigan announced his bid to run for governor, replacing Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. First elected sheriff of Michigan’s Genesee County in 2020, Chris Swanson’s announcement on Thursday marks his full leap into politics after speaking at the Democratic National Convention last August. The race is shaping up to be one of the most fiercely contested political battles of 2026. Swanson first gained national attention in May 2020, just days after the police custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis sparked nationwide protests against racial injustice. He famously took off his riot gear and marched alongside demonstrators after telling them: “I want to make this a parade, not a protest.” His bid comes as the Democratic Party seeks a new kind of candidate who can address top voter concerns such as immigration and public safety, issues Swanson plans to make central to his campaign. NEWSOM CHANGES TONE ON TRUMP FROM CAMPAIGN RHETORIC WITH FEDERAL WILDFIRE RECOVERY FUNDS AT STAKE Swanson formally announced his bid at Mott Community College, his alma mater, in Flint on Thursday night. He was joined by a packed house of more than 400 supporters from across the state. “When there’s a challenge, we will solve it. When there’s a crisis, we will bring calm. When there’s an opportunity, we will seize it,” Swanson said. “I believe everyone has value. Michigan has value. It’s why I’ve always tried to find ways to help and bring people together. I believe that together, we are tough enough to win for Michigan.” OUT OF POWER: DEMOCRATS DISORIENTED IN FIGHT AGAINST TRUMP AGENDA In entering the race, Swanson joins Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson in the Democratic primary, with Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II mulling a potential bid. On the Republican side, Aric Nesbitt, the top GOP state Senate leader, has announced his candidacy. U.S. Rep. John James ais lso considered to be a potential contender. Detroit’s once-Democratic Mayor Mike Duggan further shook up the race by entering as an independent. Swanson has never won a race outside of Genesee County and he will be competing in the primary against Benson, who has won multiple statewide races and raised millions of dollars. Swanson remains largely unknown outside his county, which is about 70 miles northwest of Detroit. The sheriff’s appeal as a non-traditional candidate could resonate in a battleground state like Michigan, where winning requires broad, cross-party support. In the 2024 election, Swanson was reelected with 65% of the vote in Genesee County — running nearly 14 percentage points ahead of Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris. Swanson’s decision to remove his riot gear and march alongside protesters at a demonstration in Flint following Floyd’s May 2020 death sparked national attention and praise from prominent Democrats, including Whitmer and former President Barack Obama. He said this month that police had planned for a different response, but “as I was walking up, I thought, there’s got to be a better way.” TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDER TO DEPORT HAMAS SYMPATHIZERS ON CAMPUSES PROMPTS STUDENT NEWSPAPER TO DELETE NAMES It also helped propel him to an appearance at the Democratic National Convention in August, where he wore his sheriff’s uniform and endorsed Harris in a brief speech. The appearance was a rare show of law enforcement support for the then-vice president. Sheriffs in Michigan and across the country frequently aligned themselves with President Donald Trump during his tough-on-crime, anti-illegal immigration presidential campaign. Swanson’s background could boost his appeal in a general election, especially as immigration remains a top voter concern. However, he may face challenges in the Democratic primary, where some in the party have made calls to “defund the police” and reform law enforcement. “It’s time that we have a different type of candidate coming through the system, not just the next one up,” said Swanson. “People, I think, are hungry for something new and fresh. Certainly the party is. And I’m that person.” Swanson’s gubernatorial bid was first announced in The Associated Press.
US seizes second plane owned by Venezuelan government in Dominican Republic, citing evasion of sanctions
An aircraft used by a state-owned Venezuelan natural gas company to evade U.S. sanctions and export control laws for the benefit of the regime of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was seized in the Dominican Republic Thursday, authorities said. The seizure of the Dassault Falcon 2000EX aircraft used by Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA), the sanctioned Venezuelan state-owned oil and natural-gas company, came as Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited the Caribbean nation for talks with its president. “The seizure of this Venezuelan aircraft, used for evading U.S. sanctions and money laundering, is a powerful example of our resolve to hold the illegitimate Maduro regime accountable for its illegal actions,” Rubio wrote on X. “With the Dominican Republic and our regional partners, we will continue to counteract any scheme to evade U.S. sanctions.” TRUMP OFFICIAL TRAVELS TO VENEZUELA IN PUSH FOR MADURO REGIME TO TAKE BACK TREN DE ARAGUA GANG MEMBERS The seizure stemmed from a 2019 executive order during President Donald Trump’s first term in office in an effort to prohibit American citizens from engaging in transactions with anyone who worked for or on behalf of PdVSA. In January 2020, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) identified 15 aircraft that fell under the order. PdVSA bought the plane from the U.S. in July 2017 and exported it to Venezuela, where it was registered under tail number YV-3360, the Justice Department said. Despite sanctions being levied on PdVSA, the plane was still serviced and maintained on multiple occasions using parts from the U.S., authorities said. The service included a brake assembly, electronic flight displays and flight management computers, all in violation of U.S. export control and sanctions laws. “The use of American-made parts to service and maintain aircraft operated by sanctioned entities like PdVSA is intolerable,” said Devin DeBacker, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Justice Department, along with its federal law enforcement partners, will continue to safeguard our national security by identifying, disrupting and dismantling schemes aimed at procuring American goods in violation of our sanctions and export control laws.” DHS SEC. NOEM ANNOUNCES END TO TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS FOR VENEZUELAN MIGRANTS Among its uses, the plane was allegedly used to take Venezuelan Oil Minister Manuel Salvador Quevedo Fernandez, who is also sanctioned, to an OPEC meeting in the United Arab Emirates and has been used to transport senior members of the Maduro regime. The aircraft was used in a continuation of the regime’s misappropriation of PdVSA assets, the DOJ said. In September, a plane owned by Maduro was also seized in the Dominican Republic. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) flew the Dassault Falcon 900EX back to the United States soon after. “Asset forfeiture is a powerful law enforcement tool, which we will continue to use aggressively to deter, disrupt and otherwise combat criminal activity,” said U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Byrne. Maduro began his third six-year term as president last month despite widespread skepticism over the legitimacy of his election victory. International and domestic critics question the fairness of the electoral process. Maduro claimed victory by more than 1 million votes. However, opposition candidate Edmundo González is widely believed to have won by a landslide.
Fired Federal Election Commission leader rants on social media after removal by Trump: ‘This isn’t it’
President Donald Trump fired the U.S. Federal Election Commission Commissioner and Chair Ellen Weintraub, sending her a letter regarding her “removal.” Trump took office Jan. 20, and since then has taken on a massive government makeover, sidelining and firing hundreds of top agency officials and civil servants as he attempts to install more loyalists and downsize the bureaucracy. Weintraub, like many others, was in Trump’s crosshairs, but she did not appear to be standing down. “Received a letter from POTUS today purporting to remove me as Commissioner & Chair of [the FEC],” Weintraub wrote Thursday in a post on X. “There’s a legal way to replace FEC commissioners — this isn’t it. I’ve been lucky to serve the American people & stir up some good trouble along the way. That’s not changing anytime soon.” HOUSE GOP DEMANDS FEC PROBE ‘POTENTIALLY ILLEGAL’ ACTBLUE FUNDRAISING AS DEM PLATFORM HAULS HARRIS MILLIONS Along with her post, Weintraub posted a copy of the letter from the White House. “Dear Commissioner Weintraub,” the letter states. “You are hereby removed as a Member of the Federal Election Commission, effective immediately. Thank you for your service on the Commission.” The letter was dated Jan. 31, 2025, and signed by Trump. FEC CHAIR: TRUMP IS ‘DAMAGING TO OUR DEMOCRACY’ WITH ‘BASELESS’ VOTER FRAUD ALLEGATIONS Weintraub took aim at President Trump in 2019, when she said his “baseless” claims about voter fraud were “damaging to our democracy.” She criticized the president during an appearance on CNN and claimed he was spreading information for which he had no proof. “I think it is damaging to our democracy,” Weintraub told host John Berman, “to spread information like that if there is no proof.” Weintraub insisted there was no evidence of rampant voter fraud in 2016, responding to Trump’s repeated claims to the contrary. Fox News Digital’s Joshua Nelson contributed to this report.