Five things to watch for on immigration and border security in 2025
Immigration and border security were hot topics in 2024 as the Biden administration continued to tackle the historic migrant crisis at the southern border, migrant crime made headlines across the country, and both topics were top priorities for voters ahead of the November election. In 2025, those topics are likely to remain key issues. Here are five things to watch in 2025: BORDER STATE OFFERS TRUMP MASSIVE PLOT OF LAND TO AID MASS DEPORTATION OPERATION President-elect Trump has promised to launch a historic mass deportation program next year. He has expressed openness to declaring a national emergency and using military assets in order to get it done. His team have already started looking at how to expand detention near major metropolitan areas. His border czar, Thomas Homan, has promised that national security and public security threats will be the priority, but no illegal immigrant is off the table. The Trump administration increased deportations significantly up until 2019 before COVID-19 hit the U.S., so it is expected to move in that direction again. Trump may need to rally Congress for additional resources, a task made easier by Republican control of the House and Senate, and will need to overcome potential lawsuits filed against any policies he introduces. At the congressional level, expect a push for a sweeping bill like H.R.2 — the Republican border bill passed in 2023 that would limit asylum significantly while providing additional resources at the border. Officials in multiple Democratic states have already previewed their resistance to the deportation push by the Trump administration. Denver Mayor Mike Johnston said recently he was prepared to go to jail over his opposition to Trump’s deportation plan. Meanwhile, governors in Massachusetts, Illinois and Arizona have all said that they won’t co-operate with deportations. Trump officials say they don’t need their assistance, only for them to step aside as federal authorities do their job. But it will be something to watch to see if Democratic officials merely do not assist the administration, or if that turns to active resistance. Mexico plays a crucial role in securing the U.S.-Mexico border, with lower levels of encounters at the U.S. border often coinciding with crackdowns at Mexico’s southern border. That was on display in 2024, as numbers lowered at the border after Biden administration officials met with Mexican officials in December 2023. The two countries had previously come to an agreement by which the U.S. would allow in migrants via parole programs, while Mexico would consequently accept a certain number of non-Mexican returns back from the U.S. But with President-elect Trump having promised to end those programs, it is unclear to what extent Mexico will continue to co-operate. Trump has promised to impose a significant 25% tariff on goods from Mexico if it does not halt the flow of illegal immigrants across the border. It’s a similar tactic by which Trump got Mexico to agree to the 2019 expansion of the remain-in-Mexico policy. But will it work? Will Mexico keep the traffic heading north low, or will it reduce its enforcement? That will be a question answered in 2025. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS Congress has struggled to find consensus on border security and immigration, something that has frustrated multiple administrations. President Biden and former President Barack Obama were thwarted in their efforts to get Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform, while President-elect Trump struggled to get lawmakers to provide funding for the wall at the southern border. Now, Republicans hold the House and Senate, but by thin margins. So it is unclear if Trump will ever see a sweeping bill similar to the House Republicans’ border bill that passed the chamber in 2023 come to his desk. Trump can do a great deal by executive action, but his mass deportation plan will require additional funding from Congress. To what extent Congress acts on those requests could determine how successful that effort, along with additional security at the southern border to stop migrants from entering the U.S. in the first place, will be. While illegal immigration is in the spotlight after the historic crisis at the southern border, it will likely be a key issue in the next administration, with some keen for additional restrictions on not only the use of humanitarian parole but also visas like the H-1B visa tech worker program and the H-2A agricultural worker program. Additionally, whether the administration will have another go at trying to re-implement its public charge rule, which limited legal immigrants from receiving green cards if they had been reliant on some forms of welfare and are deemed to be likely to be reliant on welfare if they receive permanent residency. The administration is expected to reduce the numbers coming in via parole, which was expanded significantly under the Biden administration, and is also expected to reduce the annual refugee cap. President-elect Trump and others in his future administration — including billionaire Elon Musk — have said at times they want more immigration, but only legal immigration. “I want a lot of people to come into our country, but I want them to come in legally,” Trump said in October. But some in Trump’s base want lower levels of immigration overall, including legal immigration. Which side of the argument wins will become clearer as 2025 rolls on.
Present and Accounted For: House Republicans’ small majority could make attendance a priority
It’s long been said that Congress is a lot like school. What’s the first thing they do in school? Take attendance. That is one thing which they usually don’t do in Congress. But they might next year. FAMILIAR FACES, FAMILIAR PLACES: THE LATEST FROM CAPITOL HILL Figuring out who is present and accounted for and who is out will emerge as one of the most dramatic daily events on Capitol Hill. It is always about the math on Capitol Hill. But the 119th Congress will really be about the math. Every day in the House will hinge on who’s sick. Who has a parent/teacher conference. Whose plane was delayed due to snow. Who is just playing hooky and isn’t reliable. Who was giving a speech downtown, got caught in traffic and just didn’t make it back in time. Whose kid is starring in the school play. Whose aunt died. President Trump and House Republicans have big plans for their 2025 legislative agenda. But the miniscule size of the GOP majority could temper those expectations on a daily basis. It will be interesting to see what Republicans can execute. Republicans will likely begin the new year with a 219-215 majority. So 434 seats. There is one vacancy as former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., resigned. That’s a margin of four seats. But it in reality, it means the GOP majority can only tolerate one Republican defector on each roll call vote without needing help from the other side. One Republican “nay” is 218-216. But two Republican rebels produces a 217-217 tie. By rule, ties lose in the House. But the beginning of the new Congress on January 3 could represent the Halycon days for the House Republican Conference. Reps. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., and Michael Waltz, R-Fla., intend to resign in January to join the Trump Administration. Stefanik is up for United Nations Ambassador and requires confirmation for that post. The President-elect tapped Waltz to serve as National Security Advisor. That position is not subject to Senate confirmation. So the Republican majority will dwindle to 217-215. At that point, Republicans can’t lose any votes to pass their agenda. THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO GAETZ’S STATUS IN THE HOUSE AND THE ETHICS COMMITTEE REPORT That is a problem for House Republicans who regularly had a squadron of defectors – ranging from keeping the government open to even impeaching Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. This could even spell problems for House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., returning to the Speaker’s suite. Johnson must win an outright majority of all House members voting when the new Congress convenes on January 3 to become Speaker. He’ll have a bit of a cushion when the new Congress starts. But it won’t be much. House Republicans still suffer from political PTSD after the 15 rounds it took to elect former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., early last year. Yes. There will be special elections to fill the seats of Gaetz, Stefanik and Waltz. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has already called a special election for the Gaetz seat for April 1. You can’t make this stuff up. The other special elections are months away because Stefanik and Waltz haven’t resigned yet. In fact, if Stefanik is confirmed and resigns in late January, it may be May before there’s a special election in her seat – based on New York law and discretion afforded New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D). The results in special elections sometimes produce “special” results. The usual electorate periodically stays home and the opposite party captures those seats in off-cycle elections. So, even though these are “Republican” seats, there’s no guarantee that Republicans will automatically prevail. But if things go according to plan, Republicans will have those seats back in a few months, with a comparatively robust 220-215 majority. That means Republicans can lose up to two votes on any major issue. But there are always absences. Always resignations. And this isn’t limited to the Republican side of the aisle. SPRINT TO CONFIRM TRUMP NOMINEES KICKS OFF IN JANUARY There have long been concerns about the health and attendance of 79-year-old Rep. David Scott, D-Ga., the top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee. Scott faced criticism earlier this year over a lack of public appearances and interviews. 76-year-old Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., is the top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee. Grijalva vowed that this term would be his last after suffering from cancer. The illness sidelined Grijalva for months. He missed more than 300 roll call votes on the floor between February and this fall and did not conduct interviews. Late Reps. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Tex., Bill Pascrell, D-N.J. and Donald Payne Jr., D-N.J., were all in office when they passed away this year. Late Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., died in 2023. Democrats make a lot of noise right now about the agenda of President-elect Trump. It will be incumbent on Democrats to have full attendance to oppose Republicans and generally make life miserable for the majority. But Democrats can only do that if they show up. All the time. Such was the case when House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., had the votes of every House Democrat on each roll call for Speaker in January and October of last year. Only Rep. David Trone, D-Md., missed a couple of votes because he underwent a surgical procedure. But Trone returned to Capitol Hill later that evening to vote. Rep. Al Green, D-Tex., was hospitalized this past February. But Green came to the Capitol in a wheelchair in February to help torpedo the initial effort to impeach Mayorkas. Republicans had three defectors on their side. Green’s vote fresh from a hospital gurney forced the GOP effort to fail on the floor and try again. One factor which was a challenge for the GOP was the health of House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La. Scalise was diagnosed with cancer last year and was out the first part of 2023. Scalise has now recovered. But his absence hamstrung
Biden seen holding anti-Israel book during Black Friday shopping excursion
President Biden on Friday picked up a copy of a book that described Israel as a colonial power in the face of Palestinian resistance despite his repeated support for the Jewish state. Biden was spotted by the press leaving Nantucket Bookworks holding a copy of “The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance, 1917-2017” by Columbia University professor emeritus Rashid Khalidi, the New York Post reported. “I do not speak to the Post (or the Times for that matter), so this is not for publication, but my reaction is that this is four years too late,” Khalidi told the Post of Biden holding his book. The newspaper noted it did not agree to any terms conditioning Khalidi’s response as off the record or on background. ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTERS ARRESTED IN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING Fox News Digital has reached out to Khalidi and the White House. The book argues that “the modern history of Palestine can best be understood in these terms: as a colonial war waged against the indigenous population, by a variety of parties, to force them to relinquish their homeland to another people against their will.” It was not clear if Biden purchased the book or if it was given to him. Khalidi, who is of Palestinian and Lebanese descent, called the first Trump administration a “mouthpiece” for Israel and has criticized Israel over the humanitarian toll in Gaza after Hamas killed about 1,200 people inside Israel Oct. 7, 2023, in addition to kidnapping hostages, including Americans. “It’s perfectly unclear, reading the Israeli press, what their political objective is. I mean, ethnic cleansing. That’s not a political objective. They’re doing that. They’re driving the population of the Northern Gaza Strip into the Southern Gaza Strip. But what their political objective is, is, to me, entirely unclear, in the writings of, as far as one can tell, from the Israeli press,” he said on the “Intercepted” podcast in November 2023. Biden has repeatedly declared his support for Israel but has been criticized by Israeli supporters for putting conditions on U.S. aid to the Middle East ally and pausing shipments of heavy munitions to Israel earlier this year. Meanwhile, pro-Palestinian supporters, who nicknamed Biden “Genocide Joe,” have increasingly criticized him and Netanyahu over civilian casualties in Gaza. Biden has also reportedly criticized his Israeli counterpart behind closed doors, the Post reported. The book, published in 2020 before Trump brokered relationships between Israel and five Muslim countries, criticized Trump for moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem and recognizing Israel’s annexation of the Golan Heights, which it captured from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day war. In the book, Khalidi wrote about Israel’s alleged discriminatory policies against Palestinians. “Settler-colonial confrontations with indigenous peoples have only ended in one of three ways: with the elimination of full subjugation of the native population, as in North America; with the defeat and expulsion of the colonizer, as in Algeria, which is extremely rare; or with the abandonment of colonial supremacy, in the context of compromise and reconciliation, as in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Ireland,” he wrote. He also praised the first intifada by Palestinians against Israel, which occurred from 1987 to 1993 and left more than 2,000 people dead, the Post wrote. “The First Intifada was an outstanding example of popular resistance against oppression and can be considered as being the first unmitigated victory for the Palestinians in the long colonial war that began in 1917,” the book says.
Canadian PM Justin Trudeau visits Trump at Mar-a-Lago amid steep tariff threats: report
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has flown to Florida to meet with President-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago club after Trump threatened to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian products. A person familiar with the matter said Trudeau will have dinner with Trump. The official was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter and spoke on condition of anonymity. Canadian Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc accompanied Trudeau on the trip. Trudeau’s visit comes days after Trump threatened to impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico on the first day of his presidency over failures by both nations to curb the flow of illegal immigrants and illicit drugs from those countries into the United States. Fox News Digital has reached out to Trump’s representatives. MEXICAN PRESIDENT MIGHT BE CHANGING VIEW ON US AS TRUMP WIN SENDS WARNING TO RULING SOCIALISTS “Right now a Caravan coming from Mexico, composed of thousands of people, seems to be unstoppable in its quest to come through our currently Open Border,” he wrote Monday on Truth Social. “On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders.” On Wednesday, Trump spoke with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo. He said Sheinbaum agreed to “stop Migration through Mexico, and into the United States,” following a productive discussion over the phone. Sheinbaum has promised to raise tariffs on U.S. goods if Trump followed through with his threat. Trump has previously urged America’s neighbors to the north and south to do more to prevent illegal migration into the U.S. and to combat the flow of illegal drugs, in particular fentanyl. Shortly after Trump’s tariff promises, Canadian officials said the country places the “highest priority” on border security. “Our relationship today is balanced and mutually beneficial, particularly for American workers,” Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister, Chrystia Freeland, and Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc said in a joint statement. “Today, Canada buys more from the United States than China, Japan, France, and the U.K. combined. Canada is essential to US domestic energy supply, and last year 60 percent of U.S. crude oil imports originated in Canada.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Popular gun manufacturer thanks Elon Musk after being suspended by Facebook
After its Facebook account was suspended, the popular American gun manufacturer Smith & Wesson thanked Elon Musk and X for supporting free speech amid what it called ongoing attacks against the First and Second Amendments. Andy Stone, a representative for Facebook’s parent company, Meta, told Fox News Digital that the account jad been suspended in error and that it has since been restored. In a Friday post on X, however, Smith & Wesson emphasized the importance of Musk’s stance on free speech, criticizing Meta for suspending their account after the platform flagged several of its posts for promoting the sale of weapons. Founded in 1852 in Norwich, Connecticut, today Smith & Wesson is based in Maryville, Tennessee, and is one of the most recognized gun brands in America, reporting $535.8 million in sales in the 2024 fiscal year. Smith & Wesson said that “despite our extensive efforts and resources spent on trying to adhere to Facebook’s ever-changing community guidelines on firearms, our account was suspended indefinitely on Friday, November 22nd, 15 years after its original creation.” ELON MUSK PLEDGES SUPPORT FOR THE SECOND AMENDMENT: ‘TYRANTS’ DISARM THE PEOPLE The manufacturer shared a screenshot of the suspension notice it had received from Facebook in which the platform said several posts dated Nov. 22, 13 and July 18 violated the rules on promoting weapons. Facebook’s commerce policy prohibits the promotion of buying, selling and trading of weapons, ammunition and explosives. However, according to Facebook’s parent company Meta’s website, there is an exception for legitimate brick-and-mortar and online retailers, though their content is still restricted for minors. ZUCKERBERG SAYS ‘ESTABLISHMENT’ ASKED FACEBOOK TO CENSOR COVID MISINFO THAT ENDED UP TRUE: ‘UNDERMINES TRUST’ Although its account has since been reinstated, Smith & Wesson encouraged its 1.6 million Facebook followers and fans to “seek out platforms” that represent the “shared values” of free speech and the right to bear arms. “In an era where free speech and the right to bear arms are under constant attack, we want to thank Elon Musk and X for supporting free speech and our constitutional rights guaranteed by the 1st and 2nd Amendments,” said Smith & Wesson. Musk responded to the post by saying, “[we] believe in the Constitution.” He also pointed out that X had resumed allowing users to post the gun emoji after it was replaced by a water gun by Twitter in 2018. The National Association for Gun Rights, which is a Second Amendment advocacy group with over 4.5 million activists, also chimed in, saying, “Thank you for giving us a place to shelter in this storm of Constitution-hating companies.” In a separate post, the association called X one of the last holdouts for free speech and gun rights. “It is becoming clear that X is one of the last major bastions of 2A and Firearms content on social media,” said the group, adding, “the noose is slowly tightening everywhere else, seeking to squeeze us out entirely.” This article was edited to reflect new information from Meta about the Smith & Wesson account being suspended in error.
Fox News Politics: Giving Thanks
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… -op 5 biggest political turkeys ripped by conservatives in 2024 -Connecticut House Democrats report being targeted by bomb threats on Thanksgiving -Biden thankful for smooth transition of power, urges Trump to ‘rethink’ tariffs on Canada and Mexico Several liberal figures called on conservatives and President-elect Donald Trump supporters to give thanks to illegal immigrants on Thanksgiving, suggesting they acknowledge a large portion of migrants were the ones who harvested and packed their entrées enjoyed on Thursday. “Everyone at the dinner table today, especially MAGA, please give thanks to the undocumented immigrants that picked and packed the food you’re enjoying,” said former Obama Housing & Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro. “They deserve our grace. Happy Thanksgiving,” the former San Antonio mayor added. Castro’s post was lambasted by respondents, who rhetorically asked which crops were being picked by the migrants flooding New York City and Chicago, while others suggested the characterizations were “racist” assumptions about farmworkers…Read more TRANS IN MILITARY?: Trump team dismisses reports he will discharge trans in military: ‘No decisions on this issue have been made’…Read more COMMON UNDERSTANDING: Trump says Mexico will stop flow of migrants after speaking with Mexican president following tariff threats…Read more ‘RADICAL LEFT LUNATICS’: Trump delivers Thanksgiving message to ‘Radical Left Lunatics’…Read more MEDIA SHAKEUP: Inside how podcasters helped make Trump close the deal with young male voters…Read more STILL HOT: Political betting markets still have plenty of action despite end of election season…Read more IOWA RACE: Iowa Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks beats Dem challenger in state’s 1st Congressional District…Read more GAME PLAN: New Republican Governors chair, pointing to campaign battles ahead, touts ‘our policies are better’…Read more CALIFORNIA RACE: Democrat Derek Tran unseats Rep. Michelle Steel in California’s 45th Congressional District…Read more GIANT CUTS: Top auto giants reporting job, factory cuts amid heightened push into EV market…Read more BUS RIDE BACK HOME: Texas could bus migrants to directly to ICE for deportation instead of sanctuary cities under proposed plan…Read more ‘HUGE WIN’: Federal court of appeals just ruled that Texas has the right to build the razor wire border wall…Read more EVACUATION DAY?: What is Evacuation Day? The forgotten holiday that predates Thanksgiving…Read more CANADIAN ‘EMPIRE’?: New York lawmaker suggests NYS, New England secede to Canada over Trump…Read more Get the latest updates on the Trump presidential transition, incoming Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Ukraine to seek NATO invitation in Brussels next week
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha is urging NATO leaders to invite Ukraine to join the Western military alliance during a meeting in Brussels next week, according to a letter sent to alliance leaders—reflecting the country’s frenzied push to gain membership in the alliance in the final days of Biden’s presidency. The letter, first reviewed by Reuters, comes as Ukraine has re-upped its request for NATO membership to help put an end to Russia’s war, including a recent uptick in attacks on its energy infrastructure. It also comes as the Biden administration has granted Ukraine new permissions to fight back against Russia in their final months in office. In the letter, Ukraine’s foreign minister acknowledged his country’s ongoing war with Russia prohibits Kyiv from joining NATO right now. But he argued that an invitation for membership in Brussels would be a powerful show of force—and a major symbolic blow—to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has long opposed the idea of their membership in NATO. “We believe that the invitation should be extended at this stage,” Sybiha said in the letter. “It will become the Allies’ adequate response to Russia’s constant escalation of the war it has unleashed, the latest demonstration of which is the involvement of tens of thousands of North Korean troops and the use of Ukraine as a testing ground for new weapons,” he added. Also on Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy used an interview on Sky News to up the public pressure for NATO leaders to extend his country a membership offer. Speaking Friday to Sky News’s Stuart Ramsay, the Ukrainian president suggested that NATO could extend membership to the territory of Ukraine still under its control to help accelerate the NATO memberhsip process and wind down Russia’s war as quickly as possible. “If we want to stop the hot phase of the war, we need to take under the NATO umbrella the territory of Ukraine that we have under our control,” he told Ramsay. NATO should “immediately” cover parts of the country that are under Ukrainian authority, he said, stressing that it it something Ukraine needs “very much otherwise he will come back,” in apparent reference to Russian President Vladimir Putin. DNC UNION LAUNCHES GOFUNDME TO HELP FORMER STAFFERS HIT BY MASSIVE LAYOFFS AFTER ELECTION LOSSES Ukraine would face many hurdles in attempting to join NATO, despite assurances from the alliance that it is on an “irreversible path” to membership. That’s because Ukraine lacks two key requirements for NATO membership: territorial integrity and the absence of ongoing conflict. Currently, Russia controls roughly 20% of Ukrainian territory, Rebekah Koffler, a strategic military intelligence analyst and author of “Putin’s Playbook,” told Fox News Digital in an interview Friday. Any country hoping to gain membership “cannot have ongoing conflict because of Article 5,” Koffler said. For Russia,”it is a red line for Ukraine to be part of NATO,” Koffler added, since Russian President Vladimir Putin considers Ukraine part of Russia’s strategic security perimeter. NATO members are also split over the idea of accepting Ukraine. “Those who are against it are concerned about Article 5 obligations: admitting Ukraine into NATO would automatically place the United States and the entire NATO alliance at war with Russia because of the collective defense clause,” Koffler said. The State Department said Friday that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had spoken by phone to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Sybiha to discuss battlefield updates and incoming U.S. security assistance in wake of recent Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. On the call, officials said, Blinken “briefed the Foreign Minister on U.S. goals for sustainable support for Ukraine, to be discussed at upcoming diplomatic engagements with NATO and through the Ukraine Defense Contact Group.” The press release stopped short of detailing any further overtures to Ukraine. Still, Ukraine’s push for membership comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his administration brace for the many unknowns of a second Trump presidency. Trump has long expressed skepticism of NATO, and suggested as recently as this year that he could end the war between Russian and Ukraine “in a day.” TRUMP’S AG PICK HAS ‘HISTORY OF CONSENSUS BUILDING’ While Ukraine’s push for NATO membership is not new, the timeline for leaders to approve their bid has taken on new urgency, as the war nears its third year and as President-elect Trump prepares to take office again. NATO membership was included as one of the first— and most important—steps in Zelenskyy’s multi-part “victory plan” to help win the war against Russia. The outline, which his administration published in October, suggested that Ukraine could put an end to the war with Russia as early as 2025, if the country’s requests are granted for more weapons and the continued ability to carry out military operations on Russian soil. Any country hoping to gain membership “cannot have ongoing conflict because of Article 5,” Koffler said. For Russia,”it is a red line for Ukraine to be part of NATO,” Koffler added, since Russian President Vladimir Putin considers Ukraine part of Russia’s strategic security perimeter. President Joe Biden, for his part, has used his final weeks in office to authorize new permissions for Ukraine in the ongoing war with Ukraine. Earlier this month, the Biden administration granted Ukraine new permission to use U.S.-supplied long-range weapons to strike targets inside Russian teritory. Later, they also signed off on the transfer of anti-personnel mines to bolster Ukrainian army defenses in the east.
Dem leader condemns Thanksgiving bomb threats against liberal lawmakers after Team Trump targeted
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries condemned several threats, mostly focused on lawmakers from Connecticut, targeting members of his caucus, just days after numerous threats were made against President-elect Trump’s cabinet selections. Jeffries, D-N.Y., confirmed in a statement Friday that several Democrats were targeted with threats ranging from pipe bombs in their mailboxes to “swatting” — or filing a false police report on another person’s behalf that often results in a SWAT team being dispatched. All of the threatening messages were signed “MAGA,” Jeffries said, adding law enforcement found no ordnance at any of the targeted lawmakers’ homes. “America is a democracy. Threats of violence against elected officials are unacceptable, unconscionable and have no place in a civilized society. All perpetrators of political violence directed at any party must be prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” he said. TOP DEM: ‘UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRATION’ IS A THREAT TO NATIONAL SECURITY “House Democrats will not be deterred or intimidated from serving the people by violent threats. We have been in close communication with the Sergeant at Arms office and it is imperative that Congress provide maximum protection for all Members and their families moving forward.” After Jeffries spoke out, Rep. Seth Magaziner, a Democrat from neighboring Rhode Island, announced on Friday afternoon that his home had been targeted, as well. Magaziner said Providence police responded quickly and no one was harmed. Sen. Christopher Murphy, D-Conn., had his home targeted by a bomb threat. A spokesperson said it appeared to be part of a “coordinated effort.” Five other Democrats from the Constitution State received similar threats, including Reps. Joe Courtney, John Larson, Rosa DeLauro, Jahana Hayes and James Himes. CT DEM SAYS IT’S CLEAR HUNTER BIDEN BROKE THE LAW “There is no place for political violence in this country, and I hope that we may all continue through the holiday season with peace and civility,” said Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee who replaced Sen.-elect Adam Schiff, D-Calif. Prior to that spate of threats, Trump’s U.N. ambassador-designate Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., said she was traveling home to her North Country district for Thanksgiving when she was informed of a threat against her home. Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla. — Trump’s initial choice for attorney general — also received a threat. Former Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y. — Trump’s nominee to lead the Environmental Protection Agency — said his home was subjected to a “pro-Palestinian-themed” pipe bomb threat. Zeldin is Jewish. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Former Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, R-Ore., whom the president-elect tapped for Labor secretary, said her Oregon home was targeted, as was that of former San Diego Chargers cornerback Scott Turner, whom Trump named to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Trump nominees including Cantor-Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick, America First Policy Institute President Brooke Rollins and former Fox News host Pete Hegseth also received threats. In a statement, the FBI said it is aware of “numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees, and we are working with our law enforcement partners.” “We take all potential threats seriously and, as always, encourage members of the public to immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement,” it said. Fox News’ Kevin Ward contributed to this report.
Top NY Dem ridiculed for floating secession to Canada over Trump return: ‘Lead the way’
A powerful New York State Democrat made waves when she suggested the Empire State “think outside the box” like President-elect Donald Trump is with his mass-deportation plans and potentially secede to Canada, or at least battle the feds if they try to strip federal funding from the state. New York state Democratic Sen. Liz Krueger suggested to Politico if Trump follows through with a reported threat to slash federal funding from “sanctuary” jurisdictions, Albany could return fire against Washington for holding back some or all of the more than $360 billion it annually sends to the Treasury. “We’re talking a lot of money. We’re talking money we couldn’t possibly replace unless we started sending the feds a lot less money,” the state Senate Finance Committee chairwoman told Politico, noting the feds similarly fund billions in New York Medicaid subsidies. Krueger was also asked about a recent comment about joining America’s neighbor to the north now that Trump is president-elect. “If Trump won, yes,” she told City & State NY prior to the election, regarding having her state join neighboring Quebec and Ontario as its own “southern province.” NEW YORK RIPE FOR TRUMP’S TAKING: NYSGOP CHAIR Meanwhile, a top official in the New York Republican Party suggested Friday that Krueger have at it. “Liz Krueger is a completely unserious person,” said David Laska, communications director for the NYSGOP. “She should feel free to lead the way and expatriate: New Yorkers won’t miss her bloviating,” Laska told Fox News Digital. On X, George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley posted an image of CSA Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendering at Appomattox Court House in Appomattox, Virginia, at the end of the Civil War. “While perhaps tempting for many, State Sen. Liz Krueger is not the first to ‘think outside the box’,” Turley wrote. “Apparently, when elections don’t go your way, the solution is to plant the Maple Leaf flag in America,” wrote the conservative X aggregator site Twitchy. “I’ll treat you to a one-way ticket to Montreal on the climate-friendly Amtrak,” wrote political strategist and former New York Post reporter Candice Giove. Krueger had headlined a Monday climate change demonstration with Democratic Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz. “Your elitist proposal to leave the U.S. and become a Canadian province is an insult to my uncle, who died for our nation. It’ll be the best $122 spent,” Giove said, posting a screenshot of the latest fare for the national railroad’s “Adirondack” service. EVACUATION DAY: THE FORGOTTEN THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY THAT ORIGINATED IN NEW YORK WITH GEORGE WASHINGTON Krueger had suggested New York’s fellow liberal New England neighbors band together and become the newest Canadian province since icy Nunavut split from the Northwest Territories in 1999. “I thought I would suggest to Canada that instead of us all trying to illegally cross the border at night without them noticing, which is pretty hard because there’s a lot of us, that they should instead agree to let us be the southeast province, a new province of Canada, and I offered, even though I hadn’t gotten agreement from other states yet, that I thought New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, would combine and be a great new province as the southeast province of Canada.” She said she loves the U.S. and that Trump winning a second term is not her fault or that of New York – which ultimately awarded its electors to Vice President Kamala Harris. Krueger said at the time that “basically everybody” in the northeastern states is a progressive Democrat in the vein of Canadian liberal leadership. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Krueger also reportedly received “unofficial responses” from Canadians who characterized the idea as “sellable in Ottawa.” However, in remarks to Fox News Digital later Friday, Krueger said her secession idea was a “joke, of course.” “But what is actually deadly serious is the threat from Donald Trump to take away tens of billions of dollars in federal money from New York and other states that didn’t support him in the election,” Krueger said. “And those Trump cuts will affect all New Yorkers, whether they voted for him or not. They could impact healthcare coverage for millions of people, thousands of manufacturing jobs, transportation infrastructure that millions of New Yorkers rely on – the list goes on. So, though obviously New York is not going to become part of Canada, we will need to think outside the box to try to protect New Yorkers from Trump’s vindictive and destructive policies.” Tom Homan, Trump’s “border czar”-designate and an upstate New York native himself, told “The Ingraham Angle” this week that people who say they will stand in the way of mass deportation proceedings will fail. “I’m going to do this job – the men and women of ICE are going to do this job – you’re not going to stop us,” said Homan, who hails from the Fort Drum area. “If you impede us there’s going to be consequences,” Homan warned. During the election, Trump pledged to “save” New York and saw thousands gather for a rally at Madison Square Garden. In Manhattan, Reuters reported Trump only won a single voting precinct called Two Bridges – between the Manhattan Bridge and Brooklyn Bridge – near both Chinatown and the “Five Points” immortalized in Martin Scorsese’s “Gangs of New York.” The area is reportedly 80% Asian American. Meanwhile, other New York Democrats blamed some within their own party for Harris’ loss instead of lambasting Trump. Rep. Ritchie Torres of The Bronx recently said Trump can thank the “far left” for his win, suggesting progressives delving into “absurdities” like “from the river to the sea” and “Latinx” alienated many minority voters who would typically vote Democrat.
Liberals call for ‘MAGA’ to ‘give thanks to undocumented immigrants’ on Thanksgiving
Several liberal figures called on conservatives and President-elect Donald Trump supporters to give thanks to illegal immigrants on Thanksgiving, suggesting they acknowledge a large portion of migrants were the ones who harvested and packed their entrées enjoyed on Thursday. “Everyone at the dinner table today, especially MAGA, please give thanks to the undocumented immigrants that picked and packed the food you’re enjoying,” said former Obama Housing & Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro. “They deserve our grace. Happy Thanksgiving,” the former San Antonio mayor added. Castro’s post was lambasted by respondents, who rhetorically asked which crops were being picked by the migrants flooding New York City and Chicago, while others suggested the characterizations were “racist” assumptions about farmworkers. Others replied by saying this Thanksgiving they are “thankful for Tom Homan” – Trump’s incoming border czar. NEARLY 200 GROUPS URGE BIDEN TO RELEASE MIGRANTS, CLOSE HOLDING CENTERS Meanwhile, on MSNBC, Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., was asked about migrant farmworkers who may not have legal status in the U.S. Host Jonathan Capehart reported Thanksgiving costs were down 5% over 2023 and that nearly half of farmworkers are noncitizens. “There’s no indication that Donald Trump would exempt agricultural workers from his calls for mass deportation when he takes office,” Capehart told Garcia. “Donald Trump ran a whole campaign centered around denigrating and sometimes outright lying about immigrants… Immigrant labor is a key part of the American economy, and that includes immigrants who pick so much of the food that all of us will eat tomorrow and on Thanksgiving.” ECONOMY, BORDER, ABORTION DIVIDE BIDEN’S HOMETOWN Garcia said he “completely agrees” with the pundit, adding that team Trump’s rhetoric has been “frankly un-American and shameful and would harm the economy.” Garcia added that many food service workers also lack legal status and that it would be wrong to ignore their contributions this Thanksgiving. “So the idea that we’re going to have mass-deport all of these workers that we depend on that our families depend on is absolutely crazy. It’s inhumane, it is un-American,” he said, adding mass deportations of those workers would badly hurt the economy. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “I think it’s really quite shameful what’s actually happening right now. I hope Americans push back on it, and especially this Thanksgiving, are thinking about all these people that are just asking to be here just so they can work and provide for their families and quite frankly, provide for the country.” Actor and occasional Trump critic John Fugelsang posted on X that when the Wampanoag Native Americans fed the pilgrims who landed in present-day Massachusetts, “they had no idea they’d just invented a social safety net for undocumented immigrants.” In that vein, a meme circulated on X depicting a pilgrim accepting a roasted turkey from a Native American with the caption, “Thanksgiving: Celebrating the day Americans fed undocumented immigrants from Europe.”