The history of White House Christmas trees, including Theodore Roosevelt’s ‘ban’ of the holiday tradition
Presidents past and present have displayed breathtaking Christmas trees at the White House. Former President Benjamin Harrison is credited by the White House Historical Association as the first to display a Christmas tree in the White House, having placed one in the Second Floor Oval Room in 1889. That first known Christmas tree to be displayed in the White House was adorned with candles for Harrison’s grandchildren, according to the White House Historical Association. PRESIDENT FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT SOLD CHRISTMAS TREES TO LOCAL RESIDENTS ON HIS OWN ESTATE IN THE 1930S It is believed that when Theodore Roosevelt took office in 1901, the Christmas tree tradition was absent throughout his presidency. The answers to whether the Christmas tree was “banned” during this time, and why, are not explicitly clear. According to History.com, Roosevelt “banned the Christmas tree from the White House,” with “environmental reasons” possibly to blame. The National Christmas Tree Association echoed a similar idea, noting on their website that in 1901, Roosevelt tried to stop the practice of having Christmas trees in homes because of concern about the destruction of forests. According to the Forest History Society, the tradition of a Christmas tree at the White House was one not established until the 1920s, with presidents prior to Roosevelt making a decision to have a tree and others choosing not to. AMERICANS TRAVEL TO FAMILY-OWNED CHRISTMAS TREE FARMS TO PICK THE PERFECT PINE: ‘PEOPLE LOVE IT’ During the early days of the Christmas tree, it was mainly those families with young children who chose to display and decorate one in their homes, according to the source. The White House Historical Association described the alleged Roosevelt ban on Christmas trees at the White House as a “myth,” with little evidence to support the claim other than the simple fact that the family chose not to put up a tree. The Roosevelt’s did celebrate Christmas with many popular traditions like gift exchanges, attending church service and enjoying a lovely meal as a family, but chose not to put up a tree, according to the source. Though, in 1902, young Archibald “Archie” Roosevelt, the president’s son, sneakily put a miniature tree in a closet of the White House that he decorated and proudly presented to his family. WHITE HOUSE SELECTS NORTH CAROLINA FAMILY’S CHRISTMAS TREE FARM TO PROVIDE 2024 TREE After that, according to the White House Association, the president allowed the tradition to continue. Many researchers have provided the reason for Roosevelt not having a large tree on display during his presidency as one connected to his conservationism, but according to the White House Association, it was because the Christmas tree tradition was simply one not practiced by the family. It was several years later, in 1912, when the very first Christmas tree was put up on display in the Blue Room by former President William H. Taft’s children, according to the source, as a means to surprise their parents when they returned from being away. It was during former President Dwight Eisenhower’s presidency when the Christmas tree found a home in the Blue Room consistently by first lady Mamie Eisenhower. This was continued by first lady Jacqueline Kennedy, according to the White House Association. Kennedy was also responsible for the tradition still held today of decorating the Blue Room tree with a theme, which she began in 1961. The initial Christmas tree theme chosen by Kennedy was the “Nutcracker Suite” ballet. The 2024 White House theme chosen by first lady Jill Biden was a “Season of Peace and Light,” according to WhiteHouse.gov. Another modern tradition that has withstood the test of time is the annual National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, which was started in 1923 by former President Calvin Coolidge. The tree lit in 1923 was a 48-foot Balsam fir, according to the National Christmas Tree Lighting website. Beginning in 1966, the National Christmas Tree Association has provided a Christmas tree to be displayed in the Blue Room of the White House. The 2024 White House tree came from the family-owned and operated Cartner’s Christmas Tree Farm in Newland, North Carolina.
Gov Abbott unveils new campaign exposing horrific dangers of illegal immigration
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced a new billboard campaign on Thursday to warn potential illegal immigrants about the “horrific” reality of human trafficking, violence and danger facing them if they attempt to illegally enter the U.S. Abbott said the state is placing dozens of billboards with warnings in several languages throughout Mexico and Central America. “We’re here to expose the truth to immigrants who are thinking about coming here, the truth about the traffickers who assault so many of the women and children along the way,” the governor said. “The message is: Do not risk a dangerous trip just to be arrested and deported.” Abbott, who recently made another trip to the border with the incoming border czar, Tom Homan, also emphasized that the new Trump administration will “prioritize for deportation illegal immigrants who have been arrested.” INCOMING BORDER CZAR HOMAN ISSUES WARNING IN TEXAS TO DEMS OPPOSING TRUMP DEPORTATIONS: ‘DON’T TEST US’ Billboards will be written in Spanish, Russian, Chinese and Arabic, and will be placed along migrant travel routes. The governor made his announcement at a ranch on the southern border. He was standing by a burned “rape tree,” where property owners have said migrant women were routinely raped. Abbott said the billboards “tell the horror stories of human trafficking” and “inform potential illegal immigrants about the reality of what will happen to them if they try to enter Texas illegally.” One billboard written in Spanish depicts a little girl and simply asks: “How much did you pay to have your daughter raped?” ‘SHUT IT DOWN’: RED STATE MAKES MASSIVE LAND BUY TO RAMP UP BORDER WALL EFFORTS AMID MIGRANT SURGE Another depicts a pregnant woman and says: “Your wife and daughter will pay for their trip with their bodies.” Abbott criticized governments and private groups who “make it sound like it may be harmless going into the state of Texas,” and said the state is trying to “provide reality facts for immigrants thinking about coming here to save their lives, to save them from sexual assault, save them from being arrested and let them know there are consequences if they take any further steps to come to the state of Texas.” “This is tough medicine, but we want no more rape trees in Texas,” said Abbott. “Do not make the dangerous trek to Texas.” The governor went on to lament the historic surge in illegal immigration under the Biden administration, saying: “It’s a deadly situation, a horrific situation, a horror that we fully expect to end beginning in about a month when President Trump takes office and shuts down the border and restores safety and normalcy to the immigration process.”
Fox News Politics: Musing About a Speaker Musk
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… –What to expect as Republicans try to salvage spending package, avoid government shutdown –Georgia appeals court disqualifies DA Fani Willis and her team from Trump election interference case –Paris Hilton-backed bill aimed at stopping abuse at child treatment facilities heads to Biden’s desk The chaotic collapse of the continuing resolution spending bill is putting House Speaker Mike Johnson’s, R-La., leadership under the spotlight and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has floated the idea of replacing him with Elon Musk, President-elect Trump’s pick to co-chair his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Paul took to Musk’s X on Thursday morning to pitch the idea of the tech billionaire taking the House speaker’s gavel, noting that the speaker does not need to be a sitting member of Congress. “The Speaker of the House need not be a member of Congress… Nothing would disrupt the swamp more than electing Elon Musk… think about it… nothing’s impossible. (not to mention the joy at seeing the collective establishment, aka ‘uniparty,’ lose their ever-lovin’ minds),” wrote Paul, a staunchly libertarian conservative on fiscal matters…Read more COMPETING PRIORITIES: Biden sets economy-wide climate target: reducing emissions 61-66 percent in 2035 from 2005 levels…Read more HEADING FOR THE EXIT: Where’s Biden? Lame-duck president slammed for ‘quiet quitting’ amid major government funding battle…Read more ‘BAD DAYS’: Biden admin officials noticed stamina issues in president’s first few months in office: report…Read more ‘ENTIRELY DEAD’: Trump cheers disqualification of ‘corrupt’ Fani Willis, says case is ‘entirely dead’…Read more KENNEDY CAUCUS: ‘Make America Healthy Again’ caucus launched by Sen Marshall after RFK Jr meeting…Read more THREAT TO SAFETY: DOJ seeks to block Jan. 6 defendants from attending Trump inauguration…Read more TURF WAR: House GOP campaign chair says Trump victory means ‘we’re going to be on offense’ in ’26 midterms…Read more CLOCK IS TICKING: Trump issues new spending bill demands with government shutdown looming…Read more ‘GOING ON OFFENSE’: Tim Scott’s Senate campaign arm staff revealed ahead of crucial 2026 swing state races…Read more ‘DOES NOT HAVE MY VOTE’: Massie comes out against Johnson retaining speaker’s gavel: ‘He does not have my vote’…Read more TECH REVOLUTION: Experts praise long-awaited AI report from Congress: ‘A thoughtful and forward-thinking framework’…Read more BACK TO WORK: DOGE Caucus leader Joni Ernst eyes relocation out of DC for third of federal workers…Read more SHUTDOWN SHOWDOWN: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to What Happened to the Interim Spending Bill…Read more SHUTDOWN BASICS: Here’s what happens during a partial government shutdown…Read more TRUMP’S TAKE: Johnson will ‘easily remain speaker’ if he does this one thing, president-elect says…Read more MCCONNELL HAS THOUGHTS…: ‘America first’ vs. ‘America last’: What does Trump’s return mean for US foreign policy?…Read more ‘SHOOTING FROM THE HIP’: Some House Republicans privately furious at Elon Musk after government shutdown talks implode…Read more ‘PRESIDENT MUSK’: Dems complain the Tesla chief is running the show on GOP spending drama…Read more PORK BARREL SPENDING: Here’s what’s in the spending bill that’s drawing the ire of Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy…Read more FIRST ON FOX: Alex Soros and Huma Abedin hold star-studded engagement party at Anna Wintour’s home…Read more ‘WOKE’ IS BROKE: State revamps curriculum, bans ‘woke garbage’ to teach all aspects of Obama-Biden-Trump era…Read more ICE HEATS UP: ICE deportations catch up to Trump era in FY 2024 as Biden era comes to a close…Read more ABORTION CIVIL WAR: Texas launches high stakes abortion pill lawsuit likely bound for Supreme Court…Read more Get the latest updates on the Trump presidential transition, incoming Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
‘Cascade of harm’: Cuomo threatens defamation lawsuit against former aide who accused him of sexual harassment
Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday submitted a notice that he would be filing a defamation lawsuit against a former aide, who previously filed a federal lawsuit against him for sexual harassment, claiming that she defamed him through the process. “The nature of this action is to recover compensatory and punitive damages for the serious injuries and losses that Governor Cuomo has suffered and will continue to suffer as a result of the December 9, 2024 false statement by Bennett and her agents that Governor Cuomo ‘sexually harassed’ Bennett,” a legal notice filed by Cuomo against Charlotte Bennett on Thursday reads. “Bennett’s agents tweeted this statement on December 9, 2024 with the headline: “Debra Katz and Charlotte Bennett issued statements on news that Bennett voluntarily dismissed her lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in the SDNY against Andrew Cuomo, who sexually harassed her.” Bennett reposted her agents’ tweet, which has garnered more than 90,000 views. The December 9 Defamatory Statement – which was intended to be and was widely disseminated and which was made in the wake of Bennett and her agents’ numerous prior public accusations against Governor Cuomo – was false and defamatory, and Bennett made it knowing full well that it was false and intending to cause harm to Governor Cuomo.” Bennett was one of several women to accuse Cuomo of sexual harassment, which ultimately contributed to his resignation in 2021. CHRIS CUOMO SAYS HE VOTED FOR BROTHER, FORMER NY GOV. ANDREW CUOMO, FOR PRESIDENT: ‘HE DIDN’T WIN’ “I would never want to be unhelpful in any way, and I think given the circumstances, the best way I can help now is if I step aside and let government get back to governing, and therefore, that’s what I’ll do,” Cuomo said at the time while denying the allegations against him and arguing that state investigators from the office of Attorney General Letitia James were biased against him. “I have slipped and called people ‘honey, ’sweetheart’ and ‘darling.’ I mean it to be endearing, but women found it dated and offensive,” Cuomo said at the time. “I take full responsibility for my actions. I have been too familiar with people. My sense of humor can be insensitive and off-putting.” “In my mind, I’ve never crossed the line with anyone, but I didn’t realize the extent to which the line has been redrawn,” he added. “There are generational and cultural shifts that I just didn’t fully appreciate. And I should have, no excuses.” Bennett dropped her lawsuit against Cuomo, which she filed in 2022, this December on the eve of her deposition in the case. FORMER NY GOV. ANDREW CUOMO REFERRED TO DOJ FOR PROSECUTION BY HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE: REPORT “Since Ms. Bennett filed suit in federal court in September 2022, former Governor Cuomo has used every opportunity to harass our client with an astonishing number of invasive discovery requests and outrageous statements in pleadings to embarrass and humiliate her,” Bennett’s lawyer, Debra Katz, said in a statement as the lawsuit was dropped on Dec. 9. “These include requests for medical records for unrelated specialists, including gynecologists, optometrists, and others, as well as medical records dating back more than ten years ago from when she was a minor.” “This fishing expedition was designed to dig up material to smear our client and distract from the fact that Mr. Cuomo did, as the New York Attorney General’s Office concluded after a lengthy investigation, sexually harass Ms. Bennett and at least 11 other women. It is also important not to lose sight of the fact that before engaging in his multi-year, multi-million dollar legal war against Ms. Bennett – funded by N.Y. State taxpayers – Mr. Cuomo apologized for his behavior. At a March 2021 press conference, he apologized for ‘making anyone feel uncomfortable’ and for ‘whatever pain I caused anyone,’ and said, ‘I acknowledge some of the things I have said have been misinterpreted as an unwanted flirtation. To the extent anyone felt that way, I am truly sorry about that.’ His apologies were empty.” Richard Azzopardi, a rep for Cuomo, praised Bennett’s decision to drop the case at the time, saying that her claims “falsely smeared” the former governor “for years.” “Ms. Bennett’s decision to drop her baseless lawsuit should be viewed as a complete capitulation and a desperate attempt to avoid being confronted with the mountains of exculpatory discovery – including contemporaneous texts and videos that the AG’s office never obtained – that completely refute her claims against Governor Cuomo,” he said, in a statement to Fox News Digital. “After falsely smearing Governor Cuomo for years, Ms. Bennett suddenly withdrew her federal lawsuit on the eve of her deposition to avoid having to admit under oath that her allegations were false, and her claims had no merit,” he said. “If New York State does give in to her public pressure campaign and settles, it will not be on the merits and should require the public release of all the evidence so that New Yorkers finally know the truth: Governor Cuomo never sexually harassed anyone.” Katz pushed back against Cuomo’s notice of claim in a statement to the Times Union, saying it has “no merit.” “There is a long history of using defamation lawsuits to silence and punish accusers of sexual harassment,” Katz said. “It is shameful that Mr. Cuomo has apparently now chosen to go down that path.” Fox News Digital reached out to Katz for comment but did not immediately receive a response. Cuomo’s notice alleges that Bennett “cynically used” conversations with Cuomo to “advance” her career and that her “false allegations materially contributed to a cascade of harm to Governor Cuomo.” Fox News Digital’s Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report
House Republicans agree on Plan B government funding bill with Trump’s debt limit increase
House Republicans have struck a deal on a backup plan for averting a government shutdown by the Friday deadline. Multiple sources told Fox News Digital that the deal would extend current government funding levels for three months and also suspend the debt limit for two years – something President-elect Trump has demanded. Trump praised the deal minutes after Fox News Digital reported its contents. The deal also includes aid for farmers and roughly $110 billion in disaster relief funding for Americans impacted by storms Helene and Milton. It would also include certain health care provisions minus reforms to the Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) system that some Republicans and Democrats were pushing for – but others vehemently opposed. Trump said of the deal, “Speaker Mike Johnson and the House have come to a very good Deal for the American People. The newly agreed to American Relief Act of 2024 will keep the Government open, fund our Great Farmers and others, and provide relief for those severely impacted by the devastating hurricanes.” “All Republicans, and even the Democrats, should do what is best for our Country, and vote ‘YES’ for this Bill, TONIGHT!” he wrote. It comes after conservatives led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy torpedoed Speaker Mike Johnson’s initial government funding plan on Wednesday, prompting fears of a partial government shutdown right before the holidays. GOP hardliners were furious about what they saw as unrelated measures and policy riders being added to the bill at the last minute. House Republicans began negotiations for a “clean” bill, known as a continuing resolution (CR), but those were also upended when Trump urged GOP lawmakers to pair a CR with action on the debt limit – which was expected to be a contentious battle in the first half of next year. Musk and Ramaswamy also lent their voices to the fight, with Musk calling on any Republican who supported the deal to lose their House seats. The original plan, which was bipartisan, was declared “dead” by House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., as he left the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday night. This story is breaking and will be updated…
ICE nabs several migrants convicted of child molestation, one convicted murderer, in blue state suburbs
EXCLUSIVE: Baltimore ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations officials on Thursday arrested eight migrants, including four convicted of child molestation and one murderer, in suburban Maryland. The arrests happened during an exclusive Fox News ride-along with the government agency. One of the migrants apprehended was convicted of sexual abuse of a minor and exposing himself in public several times. Another migrant, from the Philippines, was previously convicted of molesting a 10-year-old girl. According to ICE, the one migrant convicted of murder was living in the U.S. on a permanent visa status. MIGRANT CRIME PROBLEM ‘COURTESY’ OF BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, DEMOCRATIC PARTY: REP. PETE SESSIONS “The people we are out for are the worst of the worst,” Baltimore field office Director Matthew Elliston told Fox News’ David Spunt. “It’s not the average person who is in the country illegally. If we are targeting you, there is a reason.” The goal is simple for the Baltimore ICE Field Office: arrest and then deport as many illegal migrants with criminal records as possible. ICE agents’ goal at the start of the day was to capture eight targets, and all eight targets are now in custody. Now all eight of those migrants are behind bars and await hearings in front of immigration judges and potential deportation. FIVE THINGS TO WATCH FOR ON IMMIGRATION AND BORDER SECURITY IN 2025 According to ICE data obtained by the House Homeland Security Committee in September, there are at least 650,000 criminal illegal immigrants on the agency’s “non-detained docket,” meaning they are free in the U.S. interior. Of those, 14,944 are murderers and over 20,000 have been convicted of sexual assault. Although not officially a sanctuary state, Maryland, which is led by Democratic Gov. Wes Moore and a majority Democratic state assembly, is considered immigrant friendly. The city of Baltimore, meanwhile, has an official policy that does not allow law enforcement to ask residents about their immigration status. ICE data indicates that Baltimore ERO arrested 570 migrants with either a criminal conviction or a pending criminal charge in fiscal year 2024.
DOJ seeks to block Jan. 6 defendants from attending Trump inauguration
Attorneys at the Department of Justice are urging federal judges to reject petitions from at least two Jan. 6 defendants who are asking that they be allowed to return to the nation’s capital for President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. Cindy Young, convicted of four misdemeanors for her involvement in the riot at the Capitol, and Russell Taylor, who pleaded guilty to a felony conspiracy charge, both petitioned the courts to allow them to return to Washington, D.C., despite provisions of their sentences requiring them to stay away. “Contrary to Young’s self designation that she ‘poses no threat of danger to the community,’ Young presents a danger to the D.C. community, including the very law enforcement officers who defended the Capitol on January 6, 2021,” U.S. attorneys said in response to Young’s petition. The federal attorneys cited calls from Young “for retribution against those involved in January 6 prosecutions” and argued that she has failed “to recognize the seriousness of her actions.” FBI SHOULD PROBE ‘POTENTIAL’ LIZ CHENEY ‘WITNESS TAMPERING’ IN JAN 6 MATTER, HOUSE REPUBLICANS SAY A request from Taylor, who was invited to attend the inauguration by members of Utah’s congressional delegation, is also being challenged by attorneys at the Department of Justice who argue that the serious nature of his crimes should preclude him from being able to “return to the scene of the crime.” “He is asking for the Court to bless his desire to return to the scene of the crime, and the Court should not look past his criminal conduct the last time he was on Capitol grounds,” the U.S. attorneys wrote in a filing to U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth. The attorneys added in their court filing that, while they had granted previous travel requests to other defendants involved in the Capitol siege, those approvals were to support people’s continued employment, and the requests did not involve travel to the nation’s capital. TRUMP INAUGURATION: DC POLICE CHIEF EXPECTING ‘4,000 POLICE OFFICERS TO ASSIST US’ However, another Jan. 6 defendant, Eric Peterson, who was convicted of a misdemeanor in November for his involvement in the Capitol riot but has yet to be sentenced, was given approval by U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan to travel to the District for Trump’s swearing-in ceremony, according to Peterson’s criminal case docket. Notably, the docket did not include any responses from the Department of Justice urging Chutkan to deny Peterson’s request. There remains uncertainty around whether Trump will pardon any, some, or all of those defendants who were convicted of crimes as a result of their involvement in the U.S. Capitol siege that occurred in 2021. Trump has said at times that pardons will be reserved for those who remained peaceful on that fateful day; however, at other points he has suggested a blanket pardon for all those who were convicted. One thing that Trump has been steadfast on is that the pardons will come quickly following his inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025. The Department of Justice declined to comment for this story.
ICE deportations catch up to Trump-era numbers in FY 2024 as Biden admin comes to a close
Deportations by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) caught up to levels seen during the Trump administration in Fiscal Year 2024, just as the number of illegal immigrants not in ICE detention soared to new highs. The annual ICE report released Wednesday shows that ICE deported 271,484 illegal immigrants to 192 different countries in fiscal year 2024. Of those, 32.7% had criminal histories and 237 were known or suspected terrorists. It’s a significant increase from more than 142,000 deported in FY 23, and around 72,000 in FY 2022. In FY 2020, the last year of the Trump administration and which coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, there were around 185,000 deportations and in FY 2019 there were 267,000 deportations. TRUMP’S TRANSITION TEAM EYES EXPANSION OF ANKLE MONITORS FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS NOT IN CUSTODY However, those numbers also include removals of those encountered by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the border, which typically make up the vast majority of ICE deportations. Of removals of those arrested in the interior by ICE itself, just 47,000 illegal immigrants were deported, compared to 44,255 last fiscal year and 28,204 in FY 2022. That compared to 62,739 in FY 2020 in the last full year of the Trump administration and 85,958 conducted in FY 2019, nearly double that of FY 2024. ICE says that its resources were strained by having to shift staff and attention to the southern border to help with the migrant crisis, as well as an increase in those released into the interior. “In addition, ERO detailed significant numbers of its personnel to support DHS efforts for managing irregular migration at the Southwest Border over the past several fiscal years, further straining ERO’s finite resources,” the report says. Consequently, it says the number of arrests by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) dropped in FY 2024. “In FY 2024, ERO arrested 113,431 noncitizens — a 33.5% decrease from FY 2023, when ERO conducted a total of 170,590 arrests,” the report said. “Although shifts in arrest numbers are driven by multiple complex factors, many of ERO’s resources throughout FY 2024 were concentrated on processing and removing noncitizens at the Southwest Border, limiting interior law enforcement actions. This focus on border cases impacted routine interior enforcement operations.” Both ICE arrests and the number of deportations of those arrested by ICE are expected to increase under the next administration, which has indicated it intends to drop the restrictions put on ICE during the Biden administration and launch a “historic” mass deportation campaign. ‘STANDING BY TO HELP:’ RED STATE REVEALS PLAN TO PURCHASE BORDER WALL MATERIALS TO STORE FOR TRUMP That promise was a centerpiece of Trump’s 2024 campaign and his team are already making concrete steps towards that goal. It has already drawn resistance from some Democrats, but also some support from others in cities that have been overwhelmed by the massive migrant influx that the country has seen since 2021. The scope of that challenge is emphasized by the ICE report, which shows that the number of illegal immigrants on ICE’s non-detained docket has exploded during the Biden administration to nearly 7.7 million, more than doubling what it was when Trump left office. It was at 3.2 million at the end of FY 2020. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS The non-detained docket is made up of illegal immigrants in deportation proceedings, who are not in ICE custody, but who may be in federal, state or local custody or in forms of monitoring. This includes illegal immigrants who were caught and released at the border and are waiting for their court dates, as well as illegal aliens who have already been ordered deported by a DOJ immigration judge after already having their cases heard. Fox has previously reported that there are over 1.4 million illegal immigrants in the US with final orders of removal, meaning they have been ordered deported but are still in the U.S. The report revealed that ther were more than 701,000 Venezuelan illegal immigrants on ICE’s non-detained docket, but only 1,470 were in ICE detention. Meanwhile, despite a surge into the U.S. of more than 500,000 unaccompanied migrant children into the U.S. during the Biden administration, just 411 were removed in FY 2024, an increase from the 212 in FY 2023. For comparison, more than 4,000 were removed in FY 20202.
‘America first’ vs. ‘America last’: What does Trump’s return mean for US foreign policy?
As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to return to the White House next month, what sort of foreign policy can Americans expect during his second stint in the Oval Office? Trump will pursue an “America first foreign policy,” J. Michael Waller, senior analyst for strategy at the Center for Security Policy, suggested during an interview with Fox News Digital, describing Biden’s approach as “America last.” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is advocating for the soon-to-be commander in chief to significantly increase military spending in a bid to build up the nation’s “hard power.” The long-serving lawmaker is also warning against an isolationist approach to foreign policy, asserting in a piece on Foreign Affairs that “the response to four years of weakness must not be four years of isolation.” MCCONNELL WARNS RFK JR. TO STEER CLEAR OF THE POLIO VACCINE “Trump would be wise to build his foreign policy on the enduring cornerstone of U.S. leadership: hard power. To reverse the neglect of military strength, his administration must commit to a significant and sustained increase in defense spending, generational investments in the defense industrial base, and urgent reforms to speed the United States’ development of new capabilities and to expand allies’ and partners’ access to them,” McConnell contended. “To pretend that the United States can focus on just one threat at a time, that its credibility is divisible, or that it can afford to shrug off faraway chaos as irrelevant is to ignore its global interests and its adversaries’ global designs,” he argued. Waller, who authored the book “Big Intel,” explained that America-first foreign policy does not mean isolationism. “It means for the United States to define its national interests very strictly,” without suggesting that every crisis around the globe is “of vital, existential interest to our country,” he noted. Waller opined in Foreign Affairs that McConnell was seeking to “maintain the uniparty consensus for the United States’ present global commitments that are stretching us beyond our means … without even stepping back to reassess what is really in our national interests and how can we best marshal our resources to ensure them.” Fox News Digital attempted to reach out to request comment from McConnell, but did not receive a response. US ‘CLOSER THAN EVER’ TO REACHING HOSTAGE DEAL BECAUSE OF TRUMP, GOP REP SAYS Trump has tapped Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., for secretary of state, a choice Waller graded as a “really good pick.” Regarding the ongoing Ukraine–Russia conflict, Rubio has said that the U.S. is funding a “stalemate war.” Trump has called for a ceasefire. “There should be an immediate ceasefire and negotiations should begin. Too many lives are being so needlessly wasted, too many families destroyed, and if it keeps going, it can turn into something much bigger, and far worse,” he declared in a post on Truth Social. FETTERMAN MEETS WITH TRUMP NOMINEES, PLEDGES ‘OPEN-MIND AND AN INFORMED OPINION’ FOR CONFIRMATION VOTES Trump has also called for the release of hostages in the Middle East, warning in a post on Truth Social that if they are not released by when he assumes office, “there will be ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East, and for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against Humanity. Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America,” he declared.
Here’s what happens during a partial government shutdown
When the federal government shuts its doors, Americans get a glimpse at a long-debated question in Washington: How much government is too much? Here’s what happens during a partial government shutdown, which typically happens when Congress has failed to pass new bills authorizing spending. Federal agencies and services deemed “nonessential” can expect to halt their operations, while “essential” services continue to function. Examples of “essential” agencies include national security, Border Patrol, law enforcement, disaster response and more. What’s more, funding for certain programs, like Social Security, and some agencies such as the Postal Service, operate separately from the yearly appropriations process. HOUSE GOP LEADERS SCRAMBLE FOR PLAN B AFTER TRUMP, MUSK LEAD CONSERVATIVE FURY AGAINST SPENDING BILL A shutdown lasting less than two weeks would likely have minimal impact, as federal employees would still receive their paychecks on schedule. Longer shutdowns, meanwhile, are usually accompanied by retroactive pay for government workers and congressional staff. As a result, the actual effects of a shutdown tend to be far less severe than how it’s typically described. Partial government shutdowns can also be seen as an opportunity by some lawmakers to address unsustainable federal spending. The U.S. national debt exceeds $35 trillion, and many argue that allowing the government to function indefinitely without addressing wasteful spending is irresponsible. Shutdowns can thus force Congress to make decisions about funding priorities and eliminate bloated programs. MATT GAETZ REPORT BY HOUSE ETHICS COMMITTEE TO BE RELEASED The federal government’s fiscal year runs from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30, requiring Congress to pass a set of appropriations bills by the end of September to fund operations. If Congress fails to act, legal safeguards prevent executive agencies from spending money without legislative approval, effectively limiting government functions. The annual congressional budget process begins in early February, when the president submits a budget proposal to Congress, offering recommendations for federal spending across all areas of government. By mid-April, Congress is expected to adopt a budget resolution that establishes overall spending limits and guidelines. Throughout late spring and summer, House and Senate Appropriations Committees work on drafting 12 bills to allocate funding for specific federal agencies and programs. These bills must be passed by Congress by Sept. 30 to prevent a partial government shutdown. The deadline to pass a continuing resolution (CR), which is a temporary funding patch, is 11:59:59 pm ET on Friday. Without one, the federal government enters a partial shutdown on Saturday, Dec. 21.