7 Republicans join Dems to block major government funding package as shutdown looms
Senate Democrats stayed true to their threat by blocking a behemoth funding package, but in a surprising turn of events, they were joined by several Senate Republicans to derail the legislation. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and his caucus made it no secret that they would obstruct the government funding process over the last several days, demanding that Republicans strip the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill from the six-bill package. But the defection of seven GOP lawmakers – Sens. Ted Budd, R-N.C., Ron Johnson, R-Wis., Mike Lee, R- Utah, Ashley Moody, R-Fla., Rand Paul, R-Ky., Rick Scott, R-Fla., and Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala. – was an unexpected development on Thursday. Senate Democrats are willing to support the five other bills in the package, however, and have reiterated that bundle would easily pass if given the chance. SENATE REPUBLICANS WEIGH DEM DEMAND TO SPLIT DHS BILL, TURN TO SHORT-TERM EXTENSION TO AVOID SHUTDOWN “Democrats are ready to avert a shutdown,” said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee. “We have five bills we all agree on. About 95% of the remaining budget. It is ready to go,” she continued. “We can pass those five bills, no problem. All Leader Thune has to do is tee them up for a vote.” But Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., sought to call their bluff and barreled forward with the key test vote, which would have opened up several hours of debate and eventually a final vote to send the package to President Donald Trump’s desk. Ahead of the vote, Thune said he hoped that conversations between the White House and Senate Democrats would produce the “the votes that are necessary to get it passed.” Thune threw cold water on Senate Democrats’ several demands for reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) making their way into the current package, too. “That’s not going to happen in this bill, but there are, I mean, there’s a path to consider some of those things and negotiate that out between Republicans, Democrats, House, Senate, White House,” Thune said. “But that’s not gonna happen in this bill.” With the six-bill package, which included major funding bills for the Pentagon and other agencies, now scuttled, Senate Republicans and the White House are looking for a plan B to keep the government open or to at least minimize the damage from a partial shutdown. SCHUMER ROLLS OUT LIST OF ICE DEMANDS AS WHITE HOUSE SAYS DEMS ‘BLOCKED’ DEAL-MAKING SESSION One option gaining momentum among Republicans would be to strip the DHS funding bill from the broader package, advance the smaller, five-bill bundle and then turn to a short-term funding extension, known as a continuing resolution (CR), for just Homeland Security. And there are ongoing negotiations among Senate Democrats and the White House on that particular idea. A White House official told Fox News Digital in a statement, “President Trump has been consistent — he wants the government to remain open, and the Administration has been working with both parties to ensure the American people don’t have to endure another shutdown.” “A shutdown would risk disaster response funding and more vital resources for the American people,” the official said. But taking that route presents several hurdles and challenges, particularly with the House out until next week. That’s because any modification to the current six-bill package would require the lower chamber to agree to it. The same is true for any CR that the Senate produces for DHS. SENATE REPUBLICANS TEE UP KEY SHUTDOWN TEST VOTE AS DEMOCRATS DIG IN ON DHS FUNDING Schumer pinned the possibility of a shutdown on Thune, arguing that if he just put the five-bill package on the floor, Senate Democrats would support it. “Well, let me tell you first, if funding lapses, it’s all because of Leader Thune,” Schumer said. “It’s on his back.” House Republicans have already signaled their unwillingness to support a modified funding package, and turning to a CR is a simmering taboo that many Republicans in the lower chamber aren’t likely to be happy with. But it’s an option that could be gaining steam with Schumer and the White House, despite Trump administration officials blaming the top Senate Democrat for canning a meeting among rank-and-file Senate Democrats and the administration on Wednesday. Turning to a CR would be an about-face for Senate Democrats, too. Last week they argued that a short-term extension for DHS would amount to a “slush fund” for Trump and the administration to use in their immigration operations with no guardrails.
Federal prosecutors charge man accused of spraying Rep Ilhan Omar at town hall
A federal criminal charge has been filed against the suspect accused of spraying a liquid on Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., during a town hall event this week. Anthony James Kazmierczak, 55, “forcibly assaulted, opposed, impeded, intimidated, and interfered with United States Representative Ilhan Omar,” says a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota and obtained by Fox News. The charge was filed by the Justice Department in Minnesota and assigned to Magistrate Judge Dulce J. Foster. Right before the attack, Omar called for the resignation or impeachment of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, following multiple fatal shootings involving federal immigration enforcement agents in Minneapolis. Kazmierczak, who was previously convicted of two DUIs, was charged at the state level with third-degree assault and was booked into the Hennepin County Jail. ILHAN OMAR BLAMES TRUMP’S RHETORIC FOR SURGE IN DEATH THREATS, INCLUDING SPRAY ATTACK The criminal complaint featured an image of the syringe that federal prosecutors said was used by Kazmierczak in the incident. It cited a Minneapolis Police Department officer as saying that a hazmat specialist “field tested the substance from the syringe and determined it was water and apple cider vinegar.” “The substance was sent to a state laboratory for further testing and analysis,” the complaint added. ILHAN OMAR DEMANDS IMPEACEMENT OF NOEM AMID DHS FUNDING BATTLE: ‘WE MUST ABOLISH ICE’ “An MPD Detective Sergeant reviewed body worn camera footage of MPD’s arrest of Kazmierczak. The detective noted that Kazmierczak made a spontaneous utterance to the effect of ‘I squirted vinegar’ at the time he was being arrested,” it continued. The complaint also said that on Wednesday, an FBI special agent interviewed a close associate of Kazmierczak who “stated that several years ago, Kazmierczak was speaking to the person on the phone about Representative Omar and said, ‘Somebody should kill that b—-,’ referring to Representative Omar.” Fox News’ Jessica Sonkin and Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.
Jordanian national arrested after boarding flight in Arizona with invalid ticket, prompting evacuation
Authorities arrested a Jordanian national in Arizona after he boarded a flight with an invalid ticket on Sunday. According to an affidavit obtained by Fox News Digital, Qais Ahmad Tillawi is being charged with interference with flight crew members and entering an airport area in violation of security requirements. Tillawi had gained entry to an international Air France flight despite having a canceled ticket and a flagged boarding pass. Police say Tillawi abandoned his rental car at the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and threw two jackets into the trash before boarding the plane. The affidavit says Tillawi was acting erratically while on the plane and alarmed the other passengers. Authorities say he refused to take his seat and began pacing the plane, which eventually had to be evacuated. INDIAN NATIONAL ALLEGEDLY STABBED 2 TEENS WITH FORK ON FLIGHT Tillawi had previously been committed to a mental hospital after a prior airport arrest. “While Tillawi was in the boarding area, an Air France passenger reported to an Air France employee that Tillawi was acting suspicious,” the affidavit reads. The plane’s captain ordered Tillawi to leave the plane, but he refused, instead typing a message on his phone that read, “Send the USA marshal.” Phoenix police were called and soon responded to the scene. Tillawi was the last person to leave the plane. The affidavit noted that Tillawi had been detained at the Dubai Airport in 2024 after similar erratic behavior. He was temporarily committed to a mental institution following the incident. TRUMP LAUNCHES PHASE 2 OF GAZA PEACE PLAN — BUT HAMAS DISARMAMENT REMAINS THE REAL TEST Police who interviewed him at the Phoenix airport said he refused to give his name or speak at all, instead using his phone to type messages. Authorities called his brother living in Jordan, who said Tillawi speaks fluent English and had attended Arizona State University.
Minneapolis mayor to visit DC to push for end of ‘unlawful ICE operations’ after Trump’s blunt warning
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey is heading to Washington, D.C. on Thursday to push for an end to “unlawful ICE operations,” his office announced. Frey’s trip to the nation’s capital comes as White House border czar Tom Homan vowed Thursday to remain in Minnesota leading Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations there “until the problem is gone.” It’s unclear if Frey will meet with the White House while he is in Washington, but he is expected to address the U.S. Conference of Mayors at 1:45 p.m. ET, before heading back home later Thursday evening. “Mayor Jacob Frey is traveling to Washington, D.C. today to attend the U.S. Conference of Mayors, where he will meet with mayors and federal lawmakers from across the country to advocate for an end to Operation Metro Surge and other unlawful ICE operations,” his office said in a statement. “During the visit, Mayor Frey will also participate in national discussions focused on how cities can work together to keep communities safe while upholding the rule of law,” it added. “Since Operation Metro Surge began in Minnesota, families have been torn apart, small businesses have suffered economic losses, and local law enforcement agencies have experienced increased strain.” BORDER CZAR TOM HOMAN VOWS TO STAY IN MINNESOTA ‘UNTIL THE PROBLEM’S GONE’ Frey said in his own statement that, “Minneapolis may be where we’ve seen one of the largest ICE deployments in the country, but it will not be the last if we fail to act.” Homan said Thursday morning that the Trump administration is working on a “drawdown plan” to decrease the presence of federal agents in Minnesota. In a Truth Social post on Wednesday, President Donald Trump said, “Surprisingly, Mayor Jacob Frey just stated that, ‘Minneapolis does not, and will not, enforce Federal Immigration Laws.’ This is after having had a very good conversation with him.” “Could somebody in his inner sanctum please explain that this statement is a very serious violation of the Law, and that he is PLAYING WITH FIRE!” Trump warned. KLOBUCHAR LAUNCHES MINNESOTA GOVERNOR BID AFTER WALZ ENDS RE-ELECTION RUN AMID MASSIVE FRAUD SCANDAL Frey responded to the president’s comments. “The job of our police is to keep people safe, not enforce fed immigration laws. I want them preventing homicides, not hunting down a working dad who contributes to MPLS & is from Ecuador. It’s similar to the policy your guy Rudy had in NYC. Everyone should feel safe calling 911,” the mayor asserted in a post on X, making an apparent reference to former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. The president issued the warning on Wednesday after Frey, who met with Homan on Tuesday, declared in a Tuesday post on X that the city will not enforce federal immigration law. Fox News Digital’s Alex Nitzberg and Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.
House Republicans push election overhaul with voter ID, mail-in ballot changes ahead of midterms
House Republicans are rolling out a massive election overhaul package ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, including new voter ID requirements as well as limitations on how and when votes are cast. The Committee on House Administration is unveiling new legislation on Thursday called the Make Elections Great Again (MEGA) Act, which would impose new federal standards on national elections across the U.S. The sprawling bill includes key portions of the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, a measure that was led by Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, in the House. It comes as the Senate sees a renewed pressure campaign led by Elon Musk and others to take up that legislation. “Americans should be confident their elections are being run with integrity — including commonsense voter ID requirements, clean voter rolls, and citizenship verification,” Committee on House Administration Chairman Bryan Steil, R-Wis., said in a statement. SUPREME COURT SAYS ILLINOIS CONGRESSMAN CAN SUE OVER STATE MAIL-IN VOTING LAWS He said the bill’s guardrails “will improve voter confidence, bolster election integrity, and make it easy to vote, but hard to cheat.” Like the SAVE Act, the legislation would include mandatory proof of citizenship when a person registers to vote for the first time. Casting a ballot in federal elections would also require a photo ID. Progressive Democrats and groups like the League of Women Voters have argued that photo ID laws disenfranchise minority voters, while the Heritage Foundation pointed out that it’s shown to be popular across multiple public polls. CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS WIDEN 2026 BATTLEFIELD, ZERO IN ON NEW HOUSE REPUBLICAN TARGETS Steil’s elections bill would also ban ranked-choice voting in federal races, require states to use auditable paper ballots rather than electronic slips, and impose stronger requirements on voter list maintenance to ensure rolls are up to date. New guardrails on mail-in ballots include a ban on universal mail-in ballots — meaning voters would have to specifically request one to receive it — while also requiring mail-in ballots to be received by Election Day to count and banning “ballot harvesting” by third parties aiming to deliver them to poll centers. The new legislation comes ahead of what’s expected to be a difficult midterm election season for Republicans. Historical trends dictate that the first midterms after power changes hands in Washington normally see that party in power suffer losses, but GOP leaders are publicly optimistic that they can reverse that trend. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House to ask whether it supports Steil’s bill but did not hear back by press time.
Snowstorm could’ve sparked grid catastrophe if Biden climate policies weren’t reversed: Energy Dept
EXCLUSIVE: The electric grid kept the lights on for much of the country hit by the weekend’s massive snowstorm chiefly because the Trump administration broke from Biden-era plans, keeping five major coal-fired power plants online and allowing grid providers to draw in more fossil fuel-based energy in vulnerable areas. The Energy Department made the claims in exclusive comments to Fox News Digital, as officials said multiple megawatts of power were made additionally available from otherwise taboo hydrocarbons. Secretary Chris Wright issued several emergency orders over the weekend and through Tuesday that permitted power plants to operate beyond levels set by EPA regulations and considered the ceiling prior to President Donald Trump’s second term, a source familiar with the situation told Fox News Digital. LIZ PEEK: TRUMP WHITE HOUSE FIRED UP ABOUT KING COAL’S RETURN TO POWER Five such plants were on track to be closed under the Biden-era push to pivot from fossil fuels to green energy, the official said, adding that the Trump administration was prepared to give energy producers leeway to push more power online to reduce risks of blackouts. The Trump administration saved 17 gigawatts of coal power that were going to be forcibly shut down as well, Fox News has learned. “We told grid providers: if your energy demand reaches a critical level… let us know,” the official said, adding that there is a direct correlation between the power being saved up and what was needed to keep the lights on as states from Alabama to Vermont were hammered with wintry weather and deep freezes. As the storm approached, Wright informed grid operators to be prepared to use more than 35 gigawatts of unused backup generation nationwide, sourced from anywhere from data centers to big-box stores, bypassing prior environmental regulations by emergency order. That gave a wide buffer against blackouts and hundreds of millions in emergency costs for Americans — as 1 gigawatt is enough to power Wright’s hometown Denver metro area alone. TRUMP ADMIN RELAUNCHES KEY COUNCIL AFTER BIDEN ADMIN SHUTTERED IT: ‘IGNORANCE AND ARROGANCE’ “How power sources perform during peak electricity demand reveal their true value,” Energy Department press secretary Ben Dietderich told Fox News Digital. “Across the country, wind and solar generation plummeted while natural gas, coal and oil plants did the majority of the work keeping the lights on during the storm. According to DOE data, the Biden administration’s support for forcibly closing reliable coal and natural gas plants had America on track to see blackouts increase 100 times over by 2030.” “Thankfully, President Trump was elected and has already prevented the forced closure of five coal plants and more than 17 gigawatts of reliable coal power,” Dietderich added. CONGRESS REPEALED THE GREEN NEW DEAL. CAN TRUMP FINISH THE JOB? Dietderich said the Trump administration and Wright continue to be committed to “unleashing” affordable and reliable energy that works — “whether the wind is blowing or the sun is shining,” a common administration reference to the unreliability of those forms of green energy when those natural power sources aren’t present. As the storm approached, Wright remarked that the Trump administration “will not stand by and allow the previous administration’s reckless energy subtraction policies and bureaucratic red tape put American lives at risk.” The structure of the department’s emergency preparations is also meant to save American lives, he said. TRUMP MOCKS ‘ENVIRONMENTAL INSURRECTIONISTS’ AS AMERICANS BRACE FOR MASSIVE WINTER STORMS: ‘GLOBAL WARMING?’ In that regard, wind and solar power only accounted for 10% of the energy utilized across the storm’s path. Hydrocarbons and coal, by contrast, provided 68% of the power in those same areas, a power source often maligned on the left. The department noted that in New England — where renewable and green energy sources are often put on the proverbial pedestal — nearly two-thirds of the energy utilized was sourced from hydrocarbon-based or coal-fired power. American coal power itself provided enough electricity for 30 million homes across the storm’s path, the department said. Fox News Digital reached out to President Biden’s representatives for comment.
Ecuador complains to Trump admin, alleging ICE agent sought to enter Minneapolis consulate
Ecuador’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it submitted a “note of protest” to the U.S. government after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent allegedly tried to enter its consulate in Minnesota this week. In a post on X about the “attempted incursion” in Minneapolis on Tuesday, the ministry said, “Immediately, consular officials prevented the ICE officer from entering the consular headquarters, thereby guaranteeing the protection of the Ecuadorians who were at the consular headquarters at that time and activating the emergency protocols issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility,” according to a translation. “In light of the above, the Chancellor of the Republic immediately presented a note of protest to the United States Embassy in Ecuador to ensure that acts of this nature are not repeated in any of the consular offices of Ecuador in the United States,” the Ministry added. The Department of Homeland Security, ICE and the State Department did not immediately respond Thursday to requests for comment from Fox News Digital. VIDEO APPEARS TO SHOW ALEX PRETTI SPITTING AT FEDERAL AGENTS, VIOLENTLY DAMAGE SUV DAYS BEFORE FATAL CBP SHOOTING “I saw the officers going after two people in the street, and then those people went into the consulate, and the officers tried to go in after them,” a witness told Reuters. ICE ENDED MAINE ENFORCEMENT SURGE, GOP SENATOR SAYS, CITING NOEM A video of the alleged attempt shows a man inside the facility rushing to the door, saying, “This is the consulate of Ecuador, you are not allowed to enter.” “Relax, I did not enter. . . . If you touch me, I will grab you,” another voice is then heard saying. The man inside the facility then closes the door. Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., said the “attempt by ICE agents to force their way into the Ecuadorian Consulate represents yet another outrageous and unacceptable disregard for the rule of law by the Trump Administration’s Department of Homeland Security.” “Diplomatic facilities are protected for a reason. Any effort by U.S. law enforcement officials to enter another country’s diplomatic facility without permission is not only unlawful, it risks setting a profoundly dangerous precedent that could put American diplomats, servicemembers, and their families abroad at risk,” he added.
Dem LA councilman to stand trial on felony corruption charges, judge rules
A Los Angeles city council member will stand trial on felony public corruption charges after a judge ruled that prosecutors presented sufficient evidence to proceed, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said Wednesday. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Shelly Torrealba ordered Curren Price, a Democrat representing the city’s 9th District, to answer to all 12 felony counts, including embezzlement of government funds, conflict of interest and perjury, following a six-day preliminary hearing. “This is a significant step toward holding L.A. Councilmember Curren Price accountable for years of alleged corruption,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said in a statement. “Our Public Integrity Division has been prepared to go to trial since the charges were originally filed. The rules are clear: elected officials cannot enrich themselves at the expense of their constituents, cannot lie on disclosure forms and cannot vote on matters in which they have a conflict of interest,” he added. CALIFORNIA MAN ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY STEALING MILLIONS IN HOMELESS FUNDS Price’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Prosecutors allege the councilman improperly voted on city projects that financially benefited his wife and failed to disclose those conflicts on required state forms. They also say he embezzled approximately $33,800 in city funds from 2013 to 2017 and used his position in city government to award city lease agreements and more than $2 million in federal COVID-19 grants to the nonprofit Home at Last, a paying tenant of Urban Healthcare Project, where Price served as CEO at the time of the votes. FORMER GAVIN NEWSOM CHIEF OF STAFF CHARGED IN $225K FRAUD AND CORRUPTION SCHEME, DOJ SAYS Price has denied any wrongdoing, and his arraignment is scheduled for March 13. LA CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT NURY MARTINEZ FACES CALLS TO RESIGN AFTER RACIST REMARKS EMERGE IN LEAKED AUDIO The city council member was initially charged in 2023 with five felony counts of embezzlement of government funds, two felony counts of conflict of interest and three felony counts of perjury. An amended complaint filed in August 2025 added two more felony conflict of interest counts, alleging that the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles and LA Metro paid Price’s wife more than $800,000 while he voted to award the agencies multimillion-dollar contracts. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said if convicted, Price faces a maximum sentence of 11 years and four months, including up to nine years and four months in state prison and up to two years in county jail.
EXCLUSIVE: Senate bill targets Minnesota-style ‘runaway fraud’ to force scammers to repay taxpayers
EXCLUSIVE: Iowa Republican Sen. Joni Ernst is introducing legislation Thursday targeting fraud in federal programs — a proposal that would set early-warning tripwires to flag suspected scams and push agencies to claw back taxpayer dollars, Fox News Digital has learned. “It’s absolutely unacceptable that the fraud running rampant in Minnesota could end up costing taxpayers more than $9 billion,” Ernst told Fox News Digital. “My Putting an N to Learing about Fraud Act will ensure this never happens again by putting more safeguards in place to detect scams early and require the recovery of any money ripped off from taxpayers.” Ernst’s office said the bill is designed to hit fraud on two fronts: tightening rules around childcare payments and creating new spike alerts in healthcare programs to flag suspicious surges early, while also pushing the federal government to recover improper payments. If passed, the bill would force state plans tied to federal childcare dollars to pay providers based on documented attendance — not just enrollment — to prevent taxpayer money from going out for care that never happened. MINNESOTA FRAUD CASE IS ‘CANARY IN THE COAL MINE’ FOR GOVERNMENT SYSTEMS — INCLUDING ELECTIONS, LAWYER WARS It also underlines that states can reimburse providers after services are delivered rather than paying upfront. Providers taking federal funds would have to track attendance and keep those records for seven years, making them available for audits by the Department of Health and Human Services, the attorney general and the comptroller general. On the healthcare front, the legislation would create new notification requirements tied to abrupt jumps in health billings and costs. States would be required to notify Health and Human Services when the amount being paid for a service increases by more than 100% in a year, or if the number of providers seeking payment increases by 100% in a year. GOP SENATORS LAUNCH TASK FORCE TO CRACK DOWN ON FRAUD TIED TO MINNESOTA SCANDAL Beyond early detection, the bill aims to force agencies to claw back funds either swindled from taxpayers or received in error. It would direct the Office of Management and Budget to issue guidance to federal agencies to ensure improper payments are recovered and require inspectors general to report annually the amount of improper payments recovered by each agency. MINNESOTA FRAUD WHISTLEBLOWER SAYS ‘LACK OF GUARDRAILS WAS PRETTY SHOCKING’ The legislation follows the sweeping fraud scandal that continues to plague Minnesota. Dozens of arrests have been made, most of whom are from the state’s large Somali population, as investigators uncover hundreds of millions of dollars in alleged fraud swindled from taxpayers through welfare and social services programs. Federal prosecutors have said the fraud could total $9 billion. “The swindlers in Minnesota and everywhere else soon are going to ‘lear’ the hard way that in the era of DOGE, crime no longer pays,” Ernst added in a comment to Fox News Digital, referring to the viral “Quality Learing Center.” The misspelled Quality “Learing” Center daycare sign became a focal point of the fraud scandal after YouTube journalist Nick Shirley dug into alleged fraud in Minnesota. Fox News Digital learned that Ernst will also name Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as the January recipient of her office’s “Squeal Award” for “failing to stop the runaway fraud in his own backyard.” Ernst awards various lawmakers and government fraud scandals themselves the Squeal Award each month to spotlight “out of control waste.” The governor dropped out of his re-election effort earlier in January amid the fallout of the fraud scandal. Walz, who has served as governor since 2019, took ownership of the fraud as it occurred under his watch, but argued multibillion-dollar figures were “sensationalized” by Republicans. “Whoever is in charge. Unlike the president, I’m governor now (and) whether these programs happen before we got here or afterwards, it doesn’t matter. We’re here now. We’re the ones fixing it. You have my guarantee on this, that I certainly will have this thing fixed,” Walz said earlier in January. Fox News Digital reached out to his office on Thursday morning for additional comment. Ernst has long positioned herself as a leading Senate watchdog on waste and fraud, working with both Congress and the Trump administration to flag questionable spending. She launched and leads the Senate Department of Government Efficiency caucus as President Donald Trump readied to reclaim the Oval Office, which works to snuff out government spending, reduce bureaucracy and enforce transparency, producing more than $15.1 billion in real savings.
Border czar Tom Homan vows to stay in Minnesota ‘until the problem’s gone’
White House border czar Tom Homan vowed Thursday to remain in Minnesota leading Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations there “until the problem is gone.” Homan made the statement during a Thursday morning news conference, his first since President Donald Trump sent him to the Twin Cities earlier this week. He said the administration is working on a “drawdown plan” to decrease presence of federal agents in the state. The border chief said he had a “very productive” meeting with Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison on Wednesday. Ellison agreed to notify ICE when local jails were releasing violent illegal aliens, a major request from federal law enforcement. “One ICE agent can arrest one bad guy when he’s behind the safety and security of a jail when he’s behind bars and we know he doesn’t have weapons,” Homan said. “But when you release that public safety threat illegal alien back into the community–We have a job to do. We’re going to arrest him, so we’re going to find him.” MINNESOTA AG KEITH ELLISON DENIES DON LEMON, ANTI-ICE PROTESTERS VIOLATED FACE ACT AS DOJ MULLS CHARGES “So now what happens is now we’ve got to arrest somebody on his turf where he has access to who knows what weapons. Now we’ve got to send a whole team out,” Homan explained. GREGG JARRETT: IF WALZ IS CHARGED IN MINNESOTA FRAUD SCANDAL, HIS BEST DEFENSE IS INCOMPETENCE Homan went on to demand that the “hostile rhetoric” and threats against ICE officers has to stop, vowing that agents will remain in the Twin Cities to do their jobs. “President Trump wants this fixed and I’m going to fix it with your help,” Homan said. Trump deployed Homan to Minnesota after heated clashes between anti-ICE agitators and federal agents across the Twin Cities. The unrest resulted in the deaths of two U.S. citizens, Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, at the hands of law enforcement. The Trump administration has accused Minnesota leaders of encouraging harassment of federal law enforcement, singling out Ellison, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. This is a developing story. Check back soon for updates.