North Dakota senator’s son to serve 28 years in prison for crash that killed deputy
The son of U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., will spend decades in prison after he was convicted of killing a sheriff’s deputy in a crash while fleeing law enforcement. Ian Cramer, 43, will serve 28 years in prison for the death of 53-year-old Mercer County Sheriff’s Deputy Paul Martin, which took place on Dec. 6, 2023. State District Judge Bobbi Weiler sentenced Cramer to 38 years with 10 suspended, three years of probation and credit for time served. She said he probably will not serve the entire sentence since these are not mandatory minimums, according to The Associated Press. “These are not mandatory minimums, which means that you’re probably going to serve a small portion of that 28 years and be out on parole, so that’ll … give you an opportunity to have a second chance that Deputy Martin does not have, nor does his family have,” Weiler said, adding that he seek treatment for addiction and mental health. NORTH DAKOTA SENATOR SAYS SON WAS INVOLVED IN POLICE CHASE, CRASH THAT KILLED SHERIFF’S DEPUTY Mercer County State’s Attorney Todd Schwarz said Cramer admitted to using methamphetamine and bath salts the day of the incident, and was experiencing long-term effects of “taking drugs to put himself into a mentally ill state.” The day of the crash, Cramer’s mother was taking him to a hospital in Bismarck, North Dakota, because of mental health concerns. When she got out of the car, he slid over into the driver’s seat and drove off, smashing through a closed door in the hospital’s ambulance bay. Deputies confronted him in Hazen, about 70 miles away from Bismarck, but Cramer continued to drive, reaching speeds of more than 100 mph. Law enforcement deployed spiked devices, which flattened two tires, but did not stop him. The crash took place when Cramer swerved to avoid more spikes and hit Martin’s patrol vehicle head on. The deputy was pronounced dead at the hospital. NORTH DAKOTA SENATOR’S SON FACES UPGRADED CHARGE IN CRASH THAT KILLED SHERIFF’S DEPUTY Cramer initially pleaded not guilty to the charges against him in April, but changed his plea to guilty in September. The charges included homicide while fleeing a police officer, fleeing a police officer, preventing arrest, reckless endangerment, driving under suspension, possession of meth, possession of cocaine, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana. The homicide charge alone carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. Cramer’s mother, Kris, apologized in court on Monday and said she feels “responsible for what happened” the day Martin was killed, The AP reported. Sen. Cramer has said previously that his son “suffers from serious mental disorders which manifest in severe paranoia and hallucinations.” He told reporters on Monday that while he commends the officers, court and jail, he is “somewhat disappointed that mental health is so casually dismissed both by the court and by the prosecutor.” The senator, who was re-elected to a second term in November, said everyone, including his son, is aware that “they were his choices that led to this, whatever they may be, under whatever condition, choices that go back many years.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Retiring House Democrat tells Fox News she’s pushing generational change: ‘Lead by example’
As Rep. Annie Kuster of New Hampshire finishes up her tenure in the House of Representatives this week. After a dozen years of representing New Hampshire in Congress, she has a message for some of her older colleagues. “Some of my colleagues in the House of Representatives who have been in Congress for decades, and they get very comfortable in districts that are deep, deep blue. They haven’t had a challenging election in a long time,” Kuster told Fox News Digital. The 68-year-old Kuster, who won election and re-election six times in swing state New Hampshire’s competitive Second Congressional District, decided against running again for another term in 2024, partly because she felt it was time for a new generation of House Democrat leaders to take over and that she wanted to set an example. “I did want to lead by example. I felt that 12 years was a good length of time to put my shoulder to the wheel and work hard for working families and veterans and farmers and save the planet and protect women’s rights. These were all important to me. But I think the generational change that is going on in the House Democratic Caucus is really important,” she emphasized. TRUMP’S CONVINCING WIN SETS UP HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE FOR HOUSE REPUBLICANS IN 2026 Kuster pointed to the generational shift among House Democrats with the overthrow of senior committee leaders in the weeks since November’s election, when the party lost control of the White House and Senate majority and narrowly failed to regain control of the House. Pointing to some of her House Democrat colleagues in their 70s or 80s, Kuster said “they served their country well, but I don’t think there’s any shame in stepping down and saying there are other people that can do this job.” HOUSE DEMOCRAT CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE CHAIR GOES ONE-ON-ONE WITH FOX NEWS But Kuster highlighted that she was not referring to Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, who takes over in January as the top Democrat on the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The former governor, who turns 78 next month, is considering running for re-election for a fourth six-year term in the Senate when she’s up in 2026. “Let me just clarify. I’m not talking about Sen. Shaheen. I hope she will run for another term,” Kuster said. “I think she’s at the top of her game and doing an extraordinary job.” Kuster says another reason she decided against seeking re-election was due to her time-consuming efforts as chair of the New Democrat Coalition. “It’s sort of the center left, pragmatic, get the job done, work across the aisle; I call it the can-do caucus,” she said. Kuster noted that the New Democrat Coalition has “both a policy arm and a political arm, and so one of the reasons that I was stepping down is that I was doing a great deal of travel all across the country recruiting candidates to run for the House, and then raising resources and supporting their campaigns with strategy and consultants and communications, and just spending a lot of time on it, myself, welcoming them and helping them.” THESE ARE THE DEMOCRATS WHO MAY RUN FOR THE WHITE HOUSE IN 2028 Kuster highlighted that while her party suffered major setbacks in the 2024 elections, “[A]mong the New Democrat candidates, we protected 20 out of 22 current members who were challenged in tough races. We call them the front line, and we will be welcoming 25 new members of the New Democrat coalition. It’s going to be up to 110 members.” “We flipped nine seats from what we call red to blue, and most of those were won by [President-elect Donald] Trump, but our candidates outperformed the top of the ticket,” she said. Kuster said “the message that we had was successful” and that the message focused on “lowering costs, about bringing people together to get the job done. We focused in on safety and security, not just immigration and the border, but crime in the community and non-violence in the schools.” “We also talked about democracy, and we also talked about women’s reproductive health, but we really leaned in on costs and the economy and where the voters have the greatest concern. And so, it’s a message that I think will resonate,” she added. Kuster said she’s going to spend the next two years helping fellow Democrats as they reach for the House majority in 2026. “My north star is for the Democrats to win back the House,” she said. Kuster added that she wants to help “create the next generation of Democratic leaders” who advocate for a “center-left, pragmatic approach, working across the aisle getting the job done. I know from this cycle that that was very, very successful, and that’s where we won the seats.”
10 rising stars in Democrat, Republican parties expected to emerge in 2025
Several political figures on both sides of the aisle increased their profile in 2024 and are primed to become key voices in their respective parties in 2025 and beyond. Democrats suffered a major blow in 2024, in a year that saw President Biden bow out of the political race and be replaced by VP Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who lost both the Electoral College and popular vote in November. Going forward, several Democrats are expected to fill that leadership void heading into the midterms.’ Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro Shapiro was widely considered to be the strongest vice presidential candidate to join the Harris ticket this summer, and Harris received criticism for her decision to select Walz instead. Shapiro, viewed as a moderate by some, has been governor of the state since January 2023 and will face a re-election test in 2026 before any potential 2028 run. HERE ARE THE DEMOCRATS WHO MAY EVENTUALLY RUN FOR PRESIDENT IN 2028 Pennsylvania’s 19 electoral votes make it a key state in presidential elections, making Shapiro’s position as governor of that state an appealing attribute for any presidential candidate. “Probably the biggest winner on election night,” Mike Manzo of Triad Strategies told ABC 27 last month. “If 2026 turns out to be a bad midterm for the Republicans, (Shapiro’s) sitting on the top of the ticket for in Pennsylvania. You know, so if he runs away with that the following January, he’s in Iowa.” House Rep. Pat Ryan Ryan, who represents New York’s 18th Congressional District, was considered one of the most vulnerable incumbents heading into the November election but defeated his Republican challenger by 14 points in a swing district. Since the election, Ryan has been one of the most outspoken Democrats on the subject of what went wrong for his party in November. “First and foremost, if you’re using the words ‘moderate’ or ‘progressive’ you’re missing the whole f***ing point,” Ryan wrote on X. “It’s not ideological. It’s about who fights for the people vs. who further empowers and enables the elites.” “Most importantly, I told folks exactly who it was that was ripping them off, and I grounded it locally. It’s the billionaires and big corporations making record-breaking profits while the rest of us struggle.” GOP REP-ELECT OUTLINES HOW DOGE, TRUMP AGENDA WILL GET COUNTRY ‘BACK ON TRACK’: ‘NO MORE BUSINESS AS USUAL’ Ryan wrote, “It’s not enough to throw these seemingly disparate policies at people. We must articulate a unifying principle, and clearly tell folks who’s at fault. For me, it was Freedom. and Patriotism. And the fault lies with the same elites, in both parties, who’ve run this country for far too long.” Senator-elect Angela Alsobrooks Alsobrooks, who previously served as the chief executive of Prince George’s County in the suburbs of the nation’s capital, defeated popular Republican Larry Hogan by 11 points in the Maryland Senate race, becoming the first Black candidate to win a Maryland Senate race. Alsobrooks campaigned heavily on gun control and abortion and won the clear support of women, Black and Latino voters, urban voters and college graduates over Hogan, according to AP VoteCast, a sweeping survey of more than 3,700 voters in the state. Even though Alsobrooks underperformed Vice President Harris among suburban and moderate voters, majorities backed her over Hogan in the heavily blue state. “At times we struggle together, and we work to build a better future for all of our children,” Alsobrooks said after her victory in November. “And to those Marylanders whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote, but I want you to know that I hear your voice, and I will be your senator, too.” Maryland Gov. Wes Moore Maryland’s governor, Wes Moore, is also believed to be a rising voice in the Democratic Party after being elected as the state’s first Black governor in 2022. Moore, a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and a Rhodes scholar, served as a captain in the Army before spending time as an investment banker and has labeled himself a “social moderate and strong fiscal conservative.” ‘UNIFIED GOVERNMENT’: INCOMING HOUSE REPUBLICAN REVEALS AGENDA FOR NEW CONGRESS AFTER OUSTING DEM INCUMBENT Moore’s leadership was thrust into the national spotlight this year when a container ship slammed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the Baltimore harbor, causing a collapse that took the lives of six construction workers. In a post on X after the disaster, Moore said, “We are Maryland tough. We are Baltimore strong. In the face of danger, we hold out. In the face of heartbreak, we come together, and we come back stronger. That is what we’ve always done. That’s what we will continue to do.” California Gov. Gavin Newsom While Newsom is not a political newcomer, he is expected to be one of the top candidates to run for president on the Democrat side in 2028 after establishing himself as one of the top surrogates for Biden and Harris during the last presidential cycle. Newsom, who has served as California governor since 2019, is term limited once his current tenure ends in January 2027. Republicans will enter the new year with control of the White House and Congress as the party prepares for four years of Trump’s leadership, while other Republicans will rise to become leaders in the party as the attention shifts to determining which voices will shape the party in the years to come during and post-Trump’s term. KASPARIAN OF ‘YOUNG TURKS’ EXPLODES AT POSSIBILITY OF HARRIS BECOMING CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR: ‘I’M GONNA MOVE!’ Vice President-elect JD Vance Vance, 40, will be the presumptive frontrunner for president in 2028 given his position as Trump’s vice president and is expected to be one of the more prominent voices in the Republican Party over the next few years. “The vice president will be in the catbird seat. No question about it,” longtime Republican consultant Dave Carney told Fox News Digital last month. Carney, a veteran of numerous Republican presidential campaigns over the past four decades, said that Vance
How immigration and border security dominated 2024 and decided an election
Immigration and border security were two issues that dominated news coverage and political debate in 2024, likely helping to decide the presidential election, as both candidates sought to present themselves as the best to tackle a historic border crisis and the consequences of the crisis were felt across the country. In January, the U.S. remained in the throes of a migrant crisis that had exploded in 2021 and continued to roil the country throughout 2022 and 2023. In December 2023, encounters at the southern border hit a new record with more than 250,000 encounters in a single month. It was a month that saw top Cabinet officials head to Mexico to attempt to persuade Mexican officials to do more to stop the flood of migrants heading north. As the presidential race, as well as congressional races, got into full swing in the early months of 2024, it became clear that the issue was likely to dominate the news cycle. Then-candidate Donald Trump promised to launch a mass deportation operation if elected, while President Biden touted a sharp drop in encounters since the beginning of the year as he also signed an executive order limiting asylum entries in June. HOW HARRIS WAS DOGGED BY BORDER CZAR LABEL, PAST IMMIGRATION VIEWS DURING FAILED CAMPAIGN A potential breakthrough emerged in February when Republicans and Democrats announced a border security bill in the Senate. The package gained the support of the Biden administration but quickly drew opposition from conservatives as well as some liberal Democrats. The bill included increased funding for border agencies as well as an emergency authority to shut down entries at the southern border when encounters exceed a rolling seven-day average of 5,000 encounters. It would also expedite work permits for migrants and tighten asylum screening language. Conservatives said the bill would codify high-border encounters, but the Biden administration and both the Biden and Harris campaigns would cite the bill as a bipartisan solution to the crisis that former President Donald Trump was rejecting for political purposes. MIGRANT CRIME WAVE DURING BIDEN-HARRIS ADMIN UNDER SCRUTINY AMID SERIES OF ASSAULTS, MURDERS: A TIMELINE Tragically, 2024 saw a number of high-profile crimes allegedly committed by illegal immigrants, bringing the issue to the radar of even more voters. In February, the death of Laken Riley, a Georgia college student, would bring the issue of migrant crime back to the headlines. Jose Ibarra, a Venezuelan illegal immigrant who had been released into the U.S. in 2022, was charged with her murder. In July, two illegal immigrants were arrested on capital murder charges in the death of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray in Houston. The men are accused of luring her under a bridge, tying her up and killing her before throwing her body into a river. While immigration activists would point to stats suggesting that immigrants commit fewer crimes than American citizens, those talking points appeared to do little to stem the outrage about the deaths of people at the hands of illegal immigrants who conservatives argued shouldn’t have been let into the country in the first place. When President Biden announced he would not seek re-election, Vice President Harris became the nominee. Immediately, attention was drawn to her record leading the administration’s tackling of “root causes” of migration, a task that led her to be dubbed “the border czar” by some in the media and Republicans. She therefore became a target for questions over the Biden administration’s handling of the border crisis, but she faced additional pressure over her past radical positions on immigration she held during her 2019 presidential campaign. Her support for gender transition surgery for detained migrants hit the headlines and was used as a weapon against her by Republicans. She would also move away from past statements in which she called for the decriminalization of illegal border crossings and for the closing of immigration detention centers. She had also mulled ICE starting again “from scratch.” A Harris campaign adviser told Fox during the campaign that her positions have been “shaped by three years of effective governance as part of the Biden-Harris administration.” The Biden administration’s use of humanitarian parole to bring in thousands of migrants via the CBP One app, both at the southern border and by approving their travel into the U.S. from four countries, blew up during election season amid reports about how Haitian migrants were affecting towns throughout the U.S. Trump repeated claims about Haitian migrants eating cats and dogs in Ohio during the presidential debate, marking one of the more viral moments of the debate with Harris. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS While that claim was unsubstantiated, the impact of mass migration on towns in Ohio and elsewhere continued to be an issue until Election Day. With the Trump-Harris Election Day line-up set, polls consistently showed Trump with a yawning gap over Harris on suitability to handle the border crisis and illegal immigration, while voters also cited it as a top issue for them – often only second behind the economy. Harris repeatedly hammered Trump on his failure to support the bipartisan border security bill, but the gap never really closed between the two as Trump continued to assign the border crisis to her leadership as “border czar.” Trump would ultimately win the November election, and as he accepted victory, he reiterated his promise to voters. “We’re going to fix our borders. We’re going to fix everything about our country,” he said.
Learning Curve: The new players in Congress
Every two years, the period between the November election and when the new Congress begins is often the busiest swath of time for covering Congress. Reporters are trying to figure out who won their elections and who lost. The existing Congress is back, attempting to prevent a government shutdown and often plowing through a landscape of other major legislation. There are often leadership elections. For instance, Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., defeated Sen. John Cornyn, R-Tex., and Rick Scott, R-Fla., to succeed outgoing Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., as the top GOP leader in the Senate. Thune begins as Majority Leader Friday afternoon. We still don’t know how much of a struggle House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., faces returning to the Speaker’s suite. It took former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., 15 rounds before he claimed the Speaker’s gavel in 2023. Time management is a problem for me with so much going on. The new Congress starts at noon on January 3. So I spend the time between the election and the beginning of the new Congress learning, studying and memorizing the faces and biographies of as many incoming lawmakers as possible. It’s time-consuming. It’s a challenge distinguishing some rookies from one another. Even getting the names and pronunciations right. REP. VICTORIA SPARTZ DEMANDS ‘ASSURANCES’ SPEAKER JOHNSON ‘WON’T SELL US OUT TO THE SWAMP’ It’s quite a learning curve. This process intensifies during the holidays. It’s the final ramp-up to the launch of things on January 3. Some people are easier to learn than others. Sens. Andy Kim, D-N.J., and Adam Schiff, D-Calif., were household names in the House before joining the Senate. In fact, they’ve already become senators. Other new senators are high-profile because they ran in competitive races. Think Sens.-elect Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., and Dave McCormick, R-Penn. Sen.-elect Jim Justice, R-W.V., didn’t face a challenging race to join the Senate. But Justice cut a national profile before winning – as did his constant canine companion Babydog. But the real adventure is learning all of the new House Members. The House is an enormous place. 435 people. Some new faces stand out in the House. But many are obscure. And it’s especially hard to learn some of them if they didn’t encounter a competitive race or were relative unknowns. The House begins with 62 new Members plus non-voting delegates on Friday. My mission is to learn them all. My daily workout routine is a good opportunity for this. After all, the pace of Congress is kind of like a treadmill. But for my purposes, learning the freshman class is more like an elliptical. I go through the list of faces and names over and over again – as my legs churn each morning. I rotate through the entire House roster at least twice. I then carry the list to the stationary bike and study more there. Some names are more prominent than others. For instance, Rep.-elect Nick Begich III, R-Alaska, was known before the election. He defeated Rep. Mary Peltola, D-Alaska, in a close race this fall. In addition, his surname is steeped in American political history – but mostly with the Democratic Party. His uncle is former Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska. His grandfather, the late Rep. Nick Begich, D-Alaska, was killed in a 1972 plane crash with late House Majority Leader Hale Boggs, D-La. Boggs is the father of late ABC and NPR journalist Cokie Roberts. TRUMP GIVES JOHNSON ‘COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT’ AHEAD OF SPEAKERSHIP FIGHT I try to meet as many Members of the incoming freshman class as possible. But as I wrote earlier, bandwidth is limited. The freshmen all descend on the Capitol complex during this zany period after the election for orientation. There just aren’t enough minutes in the day. But I was grabbing a drink with a good friend at The Monocle, a legendary Capitol Hill watering hole, a few weeks ago. I saw former Sen. Begich walk in – but couldn’t get his attention to say hello. A few moments later, the Congressman-elect walked by. I grabbed him by the arm, introduced myself and gave him a business card. Trust me: it is easier to memorize the freshman class if you meet members in person. And I was proud of myself for being able to pick out Rep.-elect Begich in a crowd – based on my studies. I spent a little time chatting with Reps.-elect Julie Fedorchak, R-N.D., and Dave Taylor, R-Ohio. So I’m confident in knowing those members. Then there are people who left Congress – and are back. Such is the case with former Reps. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., and Cleo Fields, D-La. Stutzman served in Congress just a few years ago and is returning. Fields served in the House nearly three decades ago in the 1990s when he was in his thirties. I mentioned delegates a bit earlier. Del.-elect Kimberlyn King-Hinds, R-Northern Mariana Islands, comes to Washington as a freshman in a few days. She succeeds retiring Del. Kilili Sablan, D-Northern Mariana Islands. I have not met King-Hinds yet. But multiple photos passed around show her wearing a tropical floral headpiece. I don’t know if that’s what King-Hinds wears all the time. But such apparel would make it easier to recognize King-Hinds. For instance, the signature cowboy hat worn by Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., makes her stand out. GERMANY ACCUSES ELON MUSK OF TRYING TO INTERFERE IN ITS NATIONAL ELECTIONS Then there are the pronunciations. Not every name is as easy as Rep.-elect Tim Moore, R-N.C., or Rep.-elect Gabe Evans, R-Colo. Try Rep.-elect Suhas Subramanyam, D-Va. It’s pronounced soo-bruh-MAHN—yum. The surname of Rep.-elect Abe Hamadeh, R-Ariz., is pronounced HAMM-uh-day. And the aforementioned Julie Fedorchak says her last name fedd-ORR-check. I conscripted Fox News Radio reporter Ryan Schmelz to quiz me on the backgrounds of some of the freshman – as well as match photos with names. I had no problem guessing correctly when Schmelz showed me the photo of Rep.-elect Sarah Elfreth, D-Md. She succeeds retiring
ICE shuts down programs offering services to illegal immigrants, citing ‘immense’ costs
EXCLUSIVE: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has ended two programs that provide social services to illegal immigrants who are released into the U.S. interior, telling lawmakers that one brings “immense cost with little improvement” and that another is out of line with ICE’s mission. The agency responded to Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., and 15 members of Congress, who wrote to ICE in May asking for more information about the “Alternatives to Detention” program, which monitors illegal immigrants not in ICE detention. The agency defended the program and said it was “an efficient and effective” program for monitoring a segment of illegal immigrants on ICE’s non-detained docket. ICE only has around 40,000 beds available to it at one time, while it has a non-detained docket of nearly 7.7 million people – a number that has soared during the Biden administration. Of those, just over 181,000 are enrolled in Alternatives to Detention monitoring program, where migrants are monitored either by an app check-in or a GPS monitor. ICE DEPORTATIONS CATCH UP TO TRUMP-ERA NUMBERS IN FY 2024 AS BIDEN ADMIN COMES TO A CLOSE But in recent years, the agency has also created separate programs to offer various services and assistance to those not in detention. In the letter, the agency says that some of those programs are ending. One is the Wraparound Stabilization Service (WSS), which ICE says began in February 2020 and involves working with NGOs to offer “services that provide psychosocial and behavioral health support for vulnerable participants and their families who would benefit from additional stabilization services.” ICE says the program stopped referrals in July, and that the program was ineffective in what it sought to do, having only a 2% higher compliance rate from those who took part in services compared to those who did not. TRUMP’S TRANSITION TEAM EYES EXPANSION OF ANKLE MONITORS FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS NOT IN CUSTODY “ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations [ERO] notes the challenge with the WSS was its immense cost with little improvement,” it says. “As a result, ERO determined WSS was not cost effective enough to continue paying for these services when they did not benefit ICE or help the agency further its mission.” ICE had previously cited difficulties with the program including a cumbersome identification and referral process, a substantial increase in participants and a lack of resources. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS The agency also says it had decided in June not to continue a vendor contract for the Young Adult Case Management (YACMP) program. That program offered 18-and 19-year-old migrants legal services, screenings, referrals to social service programs and human trafficking screenings. It started in 2023 and was present in 16 cities. “In addition to fiscal limitations, a review of the program revealed that YACMP does not align with ERO’s mission or priorities. In short, ERO took steps to realign or stop using programs to address the budget challenges facing the agency,” the agency’s letter says. The letter also provided information about the operation of the ATD tracking by app or GPS, known as the Intensive Supervision Appearance Program (ISAP). ICE said that 98.6% of those with court tracking appeared at their court hearings overall, while 90.4% appeared for final hearings. As of September, 13.2% of participants were being tracked by a GPS ankle or wrist device, and the average length on the program was 511.9 days. Lawmakers had also asked about those who were charged or convicted of crimes while enrolled in ATD. The agency said that in FY 2024, there were 3,913 charges and 688 convictions for those in the program, including 10 sex offense convictions, 364 traffic offense convictions, two homicide convictions, four kidnapping convictions and 65 assault convictions. The incoming Trump administration is eyeing a substantial increase in deportations, with President-elect Trump having promised a “historic” mass deportation operation. Fox Digital also reported this month that it wants to reduce numbers not in detention, while also increasing the use of ankle monitors on those who cannot be detained. Conservatives responded to the information provided to lawmakers by calling on the new administration to scrap even more programs providing services for illegal immigrants. “ICE is a law enforcement agency not a charity. The billions of dollars DHS has wasted to bring millions of illegal aliens into the country and provide them excessive amenities should be redirected to getting every illegal alien safely back to their home country,” Lora Ries, director of The Heritage Foundation’s Border Security and Immigration Center, told Fox News Digital. Ries called the services a “boondoggle” and said “there are several other similar initiatives that must meet the same fate under President Trump.” “Instead of wasting taxpayer dollars in conflict with an agency mission, we should see a massive increase in resources for detaining and deporting illegal aliens. If you don’t support the agency’s mission, you shouldn’t get a dime,” she said.
‘Guardian Angels’ founder slams New York sanctuary city policies after woman set on fire
After announcing his citizen law enforcement group, the “Guardian Angels,” would be returning to patrol the New York subway, Curtis Sliwa is pushing back against New York Mayor Eric Adams and slamming the city’s migrant sanctuary policies, saying: “We’re in a crime crisis.” Sliwa announced the Guardian Angels would be resuming safety patrols on New York subway trains after a woman was burned to death on the New York City subway during Christmas week. The New York Post reported Sliwa saying the group would resume its patrols of the subway, walking up and down the inside of the trains “day and night.” The Guardian Angels founder called the brutal subway murder the “deadly consequences of NYC remaining a sanctuary city.” “We have 56,000 migrants identified as criminals by ICE roaming our streets, and vulnerable homeless folks left sleeping on our subways because shelters are filled and dangerous,” he said on X. “But Adams and City Hall pretend the city is safe and under control! While everyday New Yorkers see disturbing crime right before our eyes every single day!” CRITICS SPECULATE WHY BYSTANDERS FAILED TO SAVE WOMAN BURNING ON NYC SUBWAY: ‘DANIEL PENNY FACTOR’ | FOX NEWS VIDEO Recognizable by their distinctive red berets and jackets, Sliwa founded the Guardian Angels in 1979, and the group became a regular presence on the subway during many of the city’s most crime and homicide-ridden years. Currently, murders on the New York City subway are up by 60%, according to the New York Post. The outlet reported in September that eight people had been killed on subway trains in New York City, up from five during the same period in 2023. After last week’s brutal killing, Sliwa announced the Guardian Angels would be making a return to the New York subway and beefing up its presence on trains throughout the city. He said group members would be conducting wellness checks on homeless individuals and alerting police and subway authorities when there are problems. “We’re going to have to increase our numbers, increase the training and increase our presence as we did back in 1979,” said Sliwa. “We went from 13 to 1,000 back then within a period of a year. Because the need was there. The need is here now once again. We’re going to step up. We’re going to make sure we have a visual presence just like we had in the ’70s, 80’s and ’90s.” SUSPECT ACCUSED OF BURNING WOMAN TO DEATH ON NYC SUBWAY IS PREVIOUSLY DEPORTED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT Despite this, Adams’ office slammed the Guardian Angels’ announcement. Kayla Mamelak Altus, a representative for Adams, told Fox News Digital that the mayor has “surged 1,000 police officers per day into the subways, has brought down overall crime, and transit crime, delivering real action — not theatrics.” “Mayor Adams is committed to improving the lives of New Yorkers, which is why he frequently rides the subway to speak directly with everyday riders about how we can make it safer,” said Altus. “But he knows there’s still more work to be done,” Altus added. “Unlike others who only seek attention with meaningless stunts, Mayor Adams remains focused on real solutions.” MAYOR ADAMS CALLS FOR THE ‘INVOLUNTARY REMOVAL’ OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ‘A DANGER TO OTHERS’ ON THE STREETS In response, Sliwa urged Adams to station more police officers in the subway and challenged the mayor to join him in doing regular daily patrols on the subway to see how bad the problems have gotten since the surge in migrants in the city. “Head into the subway and patrol yourself,” Sliwa said, speaking directly to Adams. “I’ll match him. I go four hours a day, even with my busy schedule. The mayor has a busy schedule. He can run one patrol with his police. I’ll run a patrol with the Guardian Angels. That’s two more patrols we will have that we didn’t have before.” “We’re in a crime crisis, and the mayor should be happy to accept anybody’s help at this time,” he told Fox News Digital. “So, if we’re willing to patrol on the subways where it’s desperately needed in the cars as they’re moving, why would the mayor or anyone say it’s theatrics?” “The mayor and the governor have not met their primary responsibility, which is to provide public safety to the people in the subway,” he went on. “So, if you’re unwilling to do the job or maybe you can’t and won’t admit it, they should be welcoming all the help they can get from an organization that is renowned for 46 years of service to New Yorkers, asking nothing in return.” DR. PHIL WITNESSES TENSE HOMELESS ALTERCATION WHILE TOURING SUBWAY WITH MAYOR ADAMS CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP He said that most of the attacks are being carried out by “emotionally disturbed people” who live in the subways. “These attacks can occur anytime, anywhere, any place, to anybody, in any part of this city, and especially the subway,” he explained. “Shame on us for letting that happen. We need to rescue these people and get them mental health care. Shame on the fact that the mayor spent billions of our tax dollars housing migrants, but not our own citizens who live in the subways. The subway trains have become moving hotels. “If the mayor was doing a good job… nobody would be asking for the Guardian Angels to patrol the subways,” he added. “The people want police, and if they don’t have police, they’re more than happy to accept the service of the volunteer Guardian Angels.”
Biden closes government as ‘mark of respect’ for late former President Jimmy Carter
Following the death of former President Jimmy Carter, President Biden on Monday signed an executive order closing all executive departments and agencies of the federal government on Jan. 9. The closures, which Biden described as a “mark of respect” for the 39th president, will be in effect on the day of the late former president’s funeral. Carter will lie in state in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., before being buried at the Washington National Cathedral, according to statements from the White House and Carter Center. Biden signed a proclamation on Sunday, declaring Jan. 9 as a National Day of Mourning and ordering all American flags to fly at half-staff for the next 30 days. JIMMY CARTER, 39TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, DEAD AT 100 “I call on the American people to assemble on that day in their respective places of worship, there to pay homage to the memory of President James Earl Carter, Jr.,” Biden wrote in a statement. “I invite the people of the world who share our grief to join us in this solemn observance.” Carter, whose family owned a peanut farm in Plains, Georgia, attended the United States Naval Academy and served in both the Atlantic and Pacific fleets. He was later elected state senator, Georgia’s 76th governor and president of the United States — playing key roles in the creation of the modern Department of Education and the Department of Energy, conservation efforts, and nuclear nonproliferation. JIMMY, ROSALYNN CARTER’S HABITAT FOR HUMANITY LEGACY WILL CONTINUE, ORGANIZATION SAYS “As President, he understood that Government must be as good as its people — and his faith in the people was boundless, just as his belief in America was limitless and his hope for our common future was perennial,” according to a statement from the White House. “Guided by an unwavering belief in the power of human goodness and the God‑given dignity of every human being, he worked tirelessly around the globe to broker peace; eradicate disease; house the homeless; and protect human rights, freedom, and democracy.” Carter’s late wife, Rosalynn, stood by his side for more than 77 years.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Trump’s Vote of Confidence
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump transition, exclusive interviews and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… –2028 Watch: Here are the Democrats who may eventually jump into the next White House race -U.S. appeals court upholds Trump verdict in E. Jean Carroll defamation case -Biden admin suppressed intel officials’ views that supported COVID-19 lab leak theory President-elect Donald Trump gave his “complete” and “total” endorsement of Mike Johnson ahead of next month’s expected fight to hold onto the House speakership. “The American people need IMMEDIATE relief from all of the destructive policies of the last Administration. Speaker Mike Johnson is a good, hard working, religious man,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Monday. “He will do the right thing, and we will continue to WIN. Mike has my Complete & Total Endorsement. MAGA!!!” Trump, championing the GOP as “the Party of COMMON SENSE,” also included a warning to Republicans…Read more PICTURES OF A LIFE: Jimmy Carter: His life in pictures…Read more AIR TRAVEL FOR ALL: How former President Jimmy Carter transformed the airline industry…Read more TOP 10: Jimmy Carter nears the top of America’s ‘Most Admired Man’ list, according to Gallup…Read more HUMANITARIAN WORK: Former President Jimmy Carter remembered and praised as a humanitarian around the world…Read more ‘NIGHTMARE’: Jimmy Carter attacked by ‘killer rabbit’ highlighted presidency struggles…Read more ‘A SERVANT’S HEART’: Carter’s death spurs outpouring of tributes from state leaders of both parties: ‘A servant’s heart’…Read more ‘THANK YOU HILLARY!’: Trump hails Florida Dem’s decision to ditch party, join GOP…Read more PRICEY PROTECTION: Biden’s Defense Department announces new multi-billion-dollar aid packages for Ukraine…Read more ACHTUNG, ELON: Germany accuses Elon Musk of interfering in election…Read more ‘NOTHING WAS GAINED’: Trump accuses former Speaker Kevin McCarthy of ‘one of the dumbest political decisions made in years’…Read more HOUSE BATTLE: Trump’s convincing 2024 victory sets House GOP up for homefield advantage in 2026 midterm elections…Read more UNCONVINCED: Rep. Victoria Spartz demands ‘assurances’ Speaker Johnson ‘won’t sell us out to the swamp’…Read more PARENTAL GUIDANCE SUGGESTED: Kentucky to consider bill that would hold parents accountable for children’s gun crimes…Read more ‘OZEMPIC SANTA’: Elon Musk admits to taking controversial weight loss drug previously opposed by RFK Jr…Read more BORDER HORROR: Smugglers abandon two migrant girls at southern border with note to authorities…Read more DEI: These six states banned or limited DEI at colleges and universities in 2024…Read more **NOTE: We are publishing tomorrow, New Year’s Eve, but will not publish on New Year’s Day, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025.** Get the latest updates on the Trump presidential transition, incoming Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Elon Musk admits to taking controversial weight loss drug previously opposed by RFK Jr.
Billionaire entrepreneur and top adviser to President-elect Donald Trump, Elon Musk, touted that he has reaped the benefits of a controversial class of weight-loss drugs, after fellow top Trump adviser, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., said the trendy new class of drugs is bad for Americans’ health. “Ozempic Santa” Musk posted to X, formerly Twitter, on Christmas Day, alongside an image of himself in front of a well-decorated Christmas tree dressed as Santa Claus — but without his signature big belly. “Like Cocaine Bear, but Santa and Ozempic!” In a follow-up post, Musk clarified that he is taking the brand-name version called Mounjaro, but said the clunky name didn’t “have the same ring to it.” ‘MRS. DOUBTFIRE’ STAR DOWN 120 POUNDS AFTER WEIGHT-LOSS DRUG MAKES HIM FEEL ‘LIKE A NORMAL PERSON’ Musk has been tapped by Trump — along with former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy — to head the soon-to-be Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) aimed at cutting down on wasteful government spending and red tape. Meanwhile, Kennedy is Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services and, if confirmed, Trump has given Kennedy permission to “go wild on health” as long as he doesn’t interfere with Trump’s domestic energy goals. Musk’s social media post over the holidays turned heads, considering Kennedy has expressed opposition to semaglutide. Originally developed as a diabetes medication, semaglutide has been used more widely in recent years for its appetite-suppressing effects. “There’s a huge push to sell this to the American people,” Kennedy said of the semaglutide medication Ozempic when asked about his thoughts on the medication in October by Fox News’ Greg Gutfeld. “They make this drug in Denmark, and in Denmark they do not recommend it for diabetes, or for obesity. They recommend dietary and behavioral changes.” “They’re counting on selling it to Americans because we are so stupid and so addicted to drugs,” Kennedy added. He also concluded that the U.S. could solve the obesity crisis in America “overnight” if they just had access to, and ate, better quality food. WEIGHT LOSS DRUGS COULD SHAKE UP FOOD INDUSTRY Kennedy has run on a platform to “Make America Healthy Again,” but Ozempic, he says, will not help in those efforts. Musk, however, has said that “nothing would do more to improve public health” than making Ozempic more widely available. During President Joe Biden’s final days in office, his administration proposed expanding Medicare and Medicaid coverage for semaglutides to make them more widely available for those who want to reap the weight-losing benefits of the drug. Besides Musk, Kennedy could also potentially clash with Trump’s pick to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Dr. Mehmet Oz, who has also expressed support for drugs like Ozempic. “I think the amount of good done by these medications by helping people lose weight and improve their cardiovascular system — and it might have long-term benefits in a lot of other areas as well, where obesity causes inflammation — is massive,” Oz said last year in a video posted to his Instagram account. CHEAP OZEMPIC KNOCK-OFFS HAVE RISEN IN POPULARITY – BUT ARE THEY SAFE? Kennedy, who very well could become Oz’s boss if they are both approved by the Senate, appeared to scale back his criticism of the new weight-loss drug amid his efforts to court support for his nomination from members of Congress. “The first line of response should be lifestyle. It should be eating well, making sure that you don’t get obese,” Kennedy said during a quick interview with CNBC on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, before adding that anti-obesity drugs like Ozempic “have a place” in the American medical community. Representatives for Musk, Kennedy and the Trump transition team did not provide a comment to Fox News Digital for this story.