US lawmakers react to ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah
President Biden announced Tuesday that Israel has reached a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon that would end nearly 14 months of fighting, and while some U.S. lawmakers on both sides of the aisle congratulated efforts to reach a stop to the conflict, others suggest this is nothing but a political football. While speaking from the White House Rose Garden, Biden said Israel and Lebanon agreed to the deal, adding that Israel retains the right to defend itself should Hezbollah break the pact. “Let’s be clear. Israel did not launch this war. The Lebanese people did not seek that war either. Nor did the United States,” Biden said. “Security for the people of Israel and Lebanon cannot be achieved only on the battlefield. And that’s why I directed my team to work with the governments of Israel and Lebanon, to forge a cease-fire, to bring a conflict between Israel and Hezbollah to a close.” Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder was asked about a potential cease-fire deal during a press briefing on Tuesday and said the Department of Defense (DoD) was “very supportive” of the ceasefire. He also said the DoD plays an important role in working with partners in the Middle East region to prevent a wider conflict. BIDEN ANNOUNCES CEASE-FIRE PLAN BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HEZBOLLAH ENDING 14 MONTHS OF FIGHTING Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., who serves as the chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence called the agreement “a welcome development for the region.” “This agreement to end the war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, which has killed thousands of people, is a welcome development for the region and should increase pressure on Hamas to reach a ceasefire agreement to end the fighting and destruction in the Gaza Strip, which has already claimed so many innocent lives,” Warner said. “I applaud diplomatic efforts by the Biden administration and other international partners over many months in helping to reach this point.” THUNE THREATENS INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT WITH SANCTIONS IF IT DOESN’T DROP NETANYAHU WARRANT FOR ARREST Also weighing in on the deal was Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who said he was pleased to hear the agreement between Israel and Hezbollah had been reached. “Well done to all those involved in reaching this agreement,” he said. “I appreciate the hard work of the Biden Administration, supported by President Trump, to make this ceasefire a reality. This ceasefire will protect Israel from another October 7th and will give the people of Lebanon a break from the fighting. “My hope is that we can soon achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and allow peaceful solutions to replace endless conflict,” he added. ISRAEL ‘MOVING FORWARD’ ON POSSIBLE HEZBOLLAH CEASE-FIRE, OFFICIAL SAYS Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, on the other hand, was not so quick to congratulate the Biden administration’s efforts in reaching a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. He said Israeli allies accomplished enormous military successes over the past year against Hezbollah, resulting in the death of thousands of Hezbollah terrorists and eliminating the entire command of the Iranian-backed terrorist group. “These actions have directly contributed to vital American national security interests, including directly by liquidating terrorist leaders who had the blood of hundreds of American on their hands,” Cruz said. “Indeed, the U.S.-Israel relationship is at the core of U.S. interests in the Middle East, and American policy should be to provide unequivocal military and diplomatic support to our Israeli allies to fully ensure their security.” He then turned to the Biden administration’s tactics and timing in conjunction with President-elect Trump’s return to the White House. TRUMP, CONGRESS LOOKING TO PUT SUFFOCATING SANCTIONS ON ‘KANGAROO’ ICC OVER NETANYAHU ARREST WARRANT “The Biden administration has spent the last four years pathologically obsessed with undermining Israel and boosting Iran, including by coercing our Israeli allies to cede maritime territory to Hezbollah,” Cruz noted. “They are now using the transition period to the Trump administration and a Republican Congress to try to lock in those efforts — and to constrain the incoming administration — by establishing what they believe to be irreversible diplomatic, legal, and military policies. However, these and similar international policies are not irreversible.” Cruz and 10 other senators signed a letter saying the U.S. will re-evaluate its relationship with the United Nations and with Palestinians if Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas fulfills a pledge he made to secure the expulsion of Israel from the U.N. General Assembly. Cruz also said he joined his colleagues in vowing to act against the International Criminal Court for undermining American and Israeli interests by issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and said everyone involved in the decision should face American sanctions. He then accused Obama-Biden officials for pressuring Israeli allies into accepting the ceasefire by withholding weapons necessary to defend themselves against Hezbollah, while also threatening to facilitate a binding international arms embargo through the U.N. “Obama-Biden officials are already trying to use Israel’s acceptance of this cease-fire to ensure that Hezbollah and other Iranian terrorist groups remain intact across Lebanon, and to limit Israel’s future freedom of action and self-defense,” Cruz claimed. “Administration officials, including Secretary of State Blinken, today even downplayed Israel’s right under the cease-fire to strike terrorist groups in Lebanon when those groups pose imminent threats. “These constraints have been rejected by our Israeli allies. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that under the cease-fire Israel retains full freedom of action to counter Hezbollah if the group attacks Israel or tries to rebuild its terrorist infrastructure,” he added. “The United States should allow and assist Israel in doing so, and I am committed to working closely with the Trump administration and my colleagues in the incoming Congress to ensure they are able to do.” Fox News Digital’s Luis Casiano contributed to this report.
Trump jokingly offers child “millions” for hair during Florida golf outing
President-elect Trump on Sunday jokingly asked a child at his Florida golf club if he could buy “her hair” for “millions” of dollars. Trump was on a golf cart when he spotted the young fan with a fashionable hairdo at his West Palm Beach club. Wearing his trademark “Make America Great Again” cap and a red quarter-zip sweater, Trump said hello to other golfers before complimenting the child. NYT ADVICE COLUMN PONDERS HOW DEMOCRATS SHOULD DEAL WITH TRUMP-SUPPORTING FAMILY MEMBERS “Oh, I love that girl. I love that hair. I want her hair,” Trump said as he drove up to the child. “Can I buy your hair? I’ll pay you millions for that.” The child is asked by someone: “What were you going to tell the president?” “I voted for you,” the child is heard saying. Trump then invited the child to sit with him on the cart to take a photo. The incoming president’s trademark hairdo has sometimes been the subject of jokes and curiosity. During his first White House campaign in 2015, the then-Republican front-runner had a woman in the audience at a South Carolina rally touch his blonde locks to prove he didn’t wear a toupee. NJ GOV SAYS HE’LL ‘FIGHT TO THE DEATH’ AGAINST CERTAIN TRUMP ACTIONS Before that, he also had Barbara Walters pull on his hair during a sit-down interview to prove he was not covering a bald spot. The golf course where Trump encountered the child is the same site of the second attempted assassination of the president-elect in September. Trump was also seen golfing with his granddaughter Kai, who has said she’s out to beat his “club championship” record, the New York Post reported. The newspaper reported that the U.S. Secret Service has beefed up Trump’s security detail following two failed attempts on his life — the first on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Familiar faces, familiar places: The latest from Capitol Hill
“I’ll be seeing you in all the old familiar places,” goes the song by crooner Billie Holiday. Those who toil in Congress certainly saw a lot of old friends in the old familiar places at the U.S. Capitol recently. First, there was Vice President-elect and Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio. Vance hasn’t even been a senator for two years. Yet he’s now bound for the vice presidency at age 40. He’ll be the youngest vice president since John Breckenridge worked alongside President James Buchanan in 1857. SPRINT TO CONFIRM TRUMP NOMINEES KICKS OFF IN JANUARY But Vance hasn’t been spotted at the Capitol much since President-elect Trump drafted him as his running mate in July. Vance was at the Capitol in June for votes. Gone for Fourth of July. Then selected as running mate. Then nowhere near the Capitol for the August recess. Vance only dipped into the Capitol for a doctor’s appointment with the attending physician to Congress in September. Then there was the election. Vance didn’t parachute back to Capitol Hill right away. But he did come back last week for votes – and primarily to shuttle Mr. Trump’s cabinet nominees through a series of meetings with senators. Vance facilitated sessions between senators and defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth in his office in the Russell Senate Office Building. Other meetings were in the Strom Thurmond Room in the Senate wing of the Capitol for former Rep. and former attorney general nominee Matt Gaetz, R-Fla. At one point, Vance also took a strange diversion to the secure suite of rooms on the House side of the Capitol used by the House Intelligence Committee. It was never clear why Vance went there, who he met with or what was discussed. A scrum of reporters tried to track Vance’s whereabouts when he and his entourage disappeared from the Strom Thurmond Room. But the press corps stumbled upon someone else: former Trump Chief of Staff and former Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C. “I’m just leading a tour, guys,” said Meadows when asked if he was there to talk with Vance or work on the transition. “This is just a private visit.” OHIO CONGRESSMAN VYING TO REPLACE JD VANCE IN THE SENATE SAYS TRUMP’S AGENDA MUST BE PRIORITY ON ‘DAY ONE’ But Vance was soon back in the Strom Thurmond Room to talk with Gaetz. Gaetz resigned from Congress after the President-elect tapped him as his first attorney general candidate. The Florida Republican abruptly resigned from the House the next day. Vance escorted Gaetz into the Senate wing of the Capitol last week for individual forums with members of the Judiciary Committee. After his conclaves with senators, an ebullient Gaetz left the Capitol – departing via the House side. “Senators have been giving me a lot of good advice. I’m looking forward to a hearing. Folks have been very supportive. They’ve been saying we’re going to get a fair process. So it’s a great day of momentum for the Trump-Vance administration,” said Gaetz. “We’re going to tackle fentanyl. We’re going to ensure that we don’t have the DoJ involved in censorship any more. And make sure that we get the country back on track.” Gaetz withdrew from consideration 18 hours later. Gaetz announced that his nomination “was unfairly becoming a distraction.” He added that “there is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle.” GAETZ-GATE: NAVIGATING THE PRESIDENT-ELECT’S MOST BAFFLING CABINET PICK Colleague Alexis McAdams reported that Gaetz reached the conclusion on his own. Gaetz’s resignation letter to the House made it clear that he did “not intend” to serve in the new Congress starting in January – even though he just won re-election. So now Gaetz is a former congressman. He won’t be Attorney General and he’s a former nominee. And he won’t be a future congressman. So, chalk down Gaetz as someone who probably won’t materialize around the Capitol often in the future. Until he wants to. After all, former members are always allowed back into the building. After Gaetz bowed out of the attorney general slot, I ran over to the Senate where I followed Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, to the Hart Senate Office Building, and persuaded Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., to chat with reporters by the Senate Carriage Entrance. Once back inside, a man stood in a first floor hallway near the Brumidi Corridors, checking his phone. No one else paid him any attention. I’m not even sure other reporters had any idea who the man was. HOUSE ETHICS COMMITTEE PLANS TO DISCUSS PROBE INTO GAETZ AFTER RESIGNATION FROM CONGRESS “Glad you aren’t around here any more on a day like this?” I asked. The man chuckled and nodded in agreement. It was former Sen. David Vitter, R-La. But another former member also graced the Capitol that same day. Mostly to hector House Ethics Committee Chairman Michael Guest, R-Miss., and his preparation of a report on the conduct of Gaetz. “I said, ‘f–k it. I’ll come,’” said former Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y. And there he was. THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO POTENTIALLY RELEASING THE ETHICS COMMITTEE REPORT ON GAETZ The House expelled Santos nearly a year ago, for, well, having less credibility as to who he was than Milli Vanilli. “I’m completely, completely unrestrained from talking to you guys,” said Santos to the press corps. Santos was looking for Guest, the author of the House Ethics Committee report which ultimately led to the expulsion of the New York Republican. Santos became just the sixth member ever expelled from the House. But as an expelled member, your status around the Capitol is the same as a former lawmaker who resigned, retired or lost. You are a former member. That means Santos has access to the Capitol complex. It’s a loophole that House members said they would fix after they booted Santos – but never did. “If he runs away from me, I’ll go stand in front of his office and scream at him through his door,” said Santos of Guest.
Fox News Politics: First Order of Business
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… -Special Counsel Jack Smith’s federal Trump cases cost taxpayers more than $50 million, financials show –3 House races still uncalled 3 weeks from Election Day -Federal judge blocks Biden labor protections for foreign farmworkers Incoming border czar Tom Homan joined Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday at a key border area in Texas, and will serve meals to troops stationed there over Thanksgiving – praising the governor’s “unprecedented success” in securing the border, ahead of what is expected to be significant cooperation between the Trump administration and Abbott’s team next year. Homan and Abbott served meals to Texas National Guard soldiers and Texas Department of Public Safety troopers in Eagle Pass, Texas. Homan praised Abbott for his job. “Governor Abbott has done an amazing job. Illegal immigration in Texas is down 86%, 86% think about that. This is a model we can take across the country. We’re going to help Governor Abbott finish the job he started,” he said. Homan was appointed “border czar” by President-elect Trump this month after Trump’s election win. A former acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) director, Homan will be one of the most high-profile figures in terms of the mass deportation operation the incoming administration has planned….Read more ‘DEPORTER IN CHIEF’: Deportations higher under Obama than Trump…Read more ‘SUIT’ING UP: Dem attorneys general prepare for legal battle with Trump, after filing hundreds of challenges last term: He ‘threatens civil rights’…Read more RED WHITE & BLUE CARPET: Glenn Youngkin ‘personally invites’ new Trump admin to settle in Virginia over Maryland and DC…Read more ‘USELESS’: Tom Cotton slams ‘partisans and obstructionists’ in DOD reportedly plotting to block Trump plans…Read more ‘A LOT OF WASTE’: ‘A lot of waste’: Blackburn and Ramaswamy talk DOGE cuts…Read more HOWARD KURTZ: Why Trump dropped Matt Gaetz…Read more ‘BETRAYAL OF PARTY VALUES’: DNC union launches GoFundMe to help former staffers hit by massive layoffs after election losses…Read more CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN: Congress has just weeks to avoid a partial government shutdown after Thanksgiving…Read more FILIBUSTER: Kyrsten Sinema responds to Democrats admitting filibuster will help them stop Trump agenda: ‘Schadenfreude’…Read more LAST MINUTE: Blinken set to testify on Afghanistan withdrawal in House amid looming contempt vote…Read more ‘GENDER COMMUNISM INDOCTRINATION’: NYC elementary school blasted for teaching ‘gender identity’ course to kindergarteners…Read more READY FOR LIFTOFF: Federal judge sides with SpaceX after environmental group tried to stop rocket launches…Read more WHAT’S NEXT: What’s next for this popular Republican governor after he leaves office?…Read more Get the latest updates on the Trump presidential transition, incoming Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Trump team signs memorandum of understanding with Biden White House to formalize transition
President-elect Trump’s transition team announced on Tuesday that it has agreed to a memorandum of understanding with the Biden White House allowing the two sides to formally begin the transition of power. “After completing the selection process of his incoming Cabinet, President-elect Trump is entering the next phase of his administration’s transition by executing a Memorandum of Understanding with President Joe Biden’s White House,” Trump’s chief of staff, Susie Wiles, announced in a press release. “This engagement allows our intended Cabinet nominees to begin critical preparations, including the deployment of landing teams to every department and agency, and complete the orderly transition of power.” The press release went on to explain that the transition “will not utilize taxpayer funding for costs related to the transition” in order to be “consistent with President Trump’s commitment to save taxpayers’ hard-earned money.” HARRIS CAMPAIGN CHAIR FUMES ABOUT NARRATIVE SHE WAS AFRAID TO DO INTERVIEWS: ‘COMPLETELY BULLS—‘ The press release added that the transition will “operate as a self-sufficient organization” in a “streamlined” manner and that “security and information protections” are already built in so that “additional government bureaucratic oversight” will not be required. The transition team also said an “existing” ethics plan is in place that will be posted to the website of the General Services Administration. SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH’S FEDERAL TRUMP CASES COST TAXPAYERS MORE THAN $50 MILLION, FINANCIALS SHOW “The Transition landing teams will quickly integrate directly into federal agencies and departments with access to documents and policy sharing,” the press release stated. “Per the agreement, the Transition will disclose the landing team members to the Biden Administration.” Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment but did not immediately receive a response. Trump has been facing heat from his Democratic critics in recent weeks for not agreeing to the memorandum sooner. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., sent a letter to the GSA last week slamming the president-elect. Signing the documents means the government can now provide security clearances and briefings to incoming administration officials and the FBI can screen Trump’s picks for the Cabinet and other key posts. The agreements also provide “office space, IT equipment, office supplies, fleet vehicles, mail management, and payment of compensation and other expenses,” according to the GSA. That process is designed to uncover personal problems, criminal histories and other potential red flags that would raise questions about a nominee’s suitability for key jobs. Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman contributed to this report
Expert touts Trump’s energy sector nominations, outlines hopes for administration agenda to spark energy boom
President-elect Trump is expected by many of his supporters to preside over an energy “boom” in the United States by slashing Biden administration regulations, and one industry expert told Fox News Digital that she is encouraged by Trump’s energy sector cabinet nominees while outlining specific moves she hopes to see over the next four years. “I think the three cabinet picks that Trump has so far chosen to lead EPA, Interior and Energy are a vast improvement to who we have currently in those respective positions,” Gabriella Hoffman, Independent Women’s Forum Center for Energy & Conservation Director, told Fox News Digital. “They’re going to be taking a more tactful approach to energy development. They’re not going to be keeping things in the ground. They’re going to be prioritizing reliable energy sources like coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear even, and most recently, geothermal has also taken a renewed interest by Congress, and we will probably see geothermal as well unleashed. But also there’s going to be this balance of this energy abundant mindset with promoting land stewardship, expanding hunting and fishing opportunities, expanding ocean access, and reevaluating so-called clean energy projects that promise to be greener or are believed to be green but actually might be worse for the environment and don’t produce enough reliable energy or electricity.” Hoffman told Fox News Digital the country is going to see a “reassessment of what conservation looks like” that is “balanced out by this robust kind of development of energy here in the United States. I KNOW WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP’S ENERGY POLICY WILL BE. I USED TO RUN HIS ENERGY REGULATORY AGENCY “So it’s going to be great for the economy, we believe. As a center, we believe it’s going to lead to better national security with more energy being produced here. We’re going to be less reliant on countries that produce certain energy sources less cleanly, less environmentally friendly than we do.” In recent days, President-elect Trump has named former Republican Congressman Lee Zeldin to head the EPA, Liberty Energy CEO Chris Wright to head the Energy Department, and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum to oversee the Interior Department. Hoffman outlined several top line agenda items that her center hopes to see from the three departments. TRUMP’S PROPOSED TARIFFS COULD DRIVE UP FOOD PRICES, EXPERTS SAY “Emphasizing reliable energy production, moving away from sources that are subsidized like solar and wind to reliable sources that don’t really need to be subsidized or that are actually very plentiful and can be extracted safely and responsibly here in the United States,” Hoffman said. “Another priority is to kind of clamp down on this regulatory overreach we have seen across all three agencies. We have seen them take extreme positions with devising so-called tailpipe emissions standards, all these different green energy efficiency, household appliance directives. We’ve seen them take extreme positions on policies like the America the Beautiful Plan, or the 30 by 30 plan to protect so-called 30% of waters in lands by 2030, which is a very extreme position, not rooted in conservation whatsoever. It’s a control mechanism, not a conservation tool.” Hoffman said she anticipates a “return back to true conservation” under Trump “where you don’t see environmentalist groups suing agencies in perpetuity to block different measures of progress to go into effect.” Trump often vowed on the campaign trail to unleash an energy boom in the United States by slashing regulations and expanding drilling in the United States and Hoffman told Fox News Digital she is optimistic that will happen. ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS PRESENT DIFFERING OPINIONS OF TRUMP’S ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT APPOINTEES “Our center is very optimistic that there will be an energy boom,” Hoffman said. “It’s not going to happen overnight, but it could be seen within a couple of months. I think realistically, once we hit the six-month mark, perhaps the year-end mark if President-elect Trump is going to be able to repeal some of the Biden-Harris directives as it relates to all the climate measures, the day one executive orders are really going to be a weight off of the administrative state’s shoulders and then all other policies that emanate from that tackling the climate crisis executive order will similarly be probably clamped down.” Trump has for months vowed to “undo” the Inflation Reduction Act, the Democrats’ marquee climate and clean energy spending legislation that allocates $369 billion in subsidies aimed at re-shoring investments for electric vehicle manufacturing and battery production as well as new utility-scale wind and solar projects. Hoffman told Fox News Digital that repealing the IRA will be critical to unleashing American energy despite possible opposition from some Republicans in Congress who like certain aspects of the bill. “For gas prices, electricity prices to truly be lowered, you’re going to have to see that law terminated or repealed, because that is what invited a lot of the so-called energy or environmental inflation,” Hoffman said. “These higher prices at the pump, higher utility bills, higher food costs, because everything emanates from energy, transportation, food delivery, things of that sort. So that law really does have to be kind of called into question. And perhaps Trump will work with Congress to ensure that that is repealed.” Hoffman also explained that a focus on nuclear energy will be critical over the next four years. “It is a really safe technology, especially produced here, and we don’t want China or Russia to have an edge,” Hoffman said. Fox News Digital’s Breanne Deppisch contributed to this report.
Numbers of Afghans, Chinese coming through key migrant crossing surged since 2021: report
The number of nationals from countries like Afghanistan, China and Iran coming through a key migrant crossing linking Panama and Colombia has increased dramatically in the last four years, according to a new report by a conservative group. The report by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) – which advocates for lower levels of immigration – looked at the increase in migration through the Darien Gap in the last four years since 2021, compared to 2010-2020. The report was first obtained by Fox News Digital. Citing statistics from Panama, it found that the number of Afghans passing through increased from 98 between 2010-2020, to 8,294 between 2021 and 2024, a 8,363% increase. Meanwhile, Chinese nationals increased from 299 to 39,921. Iranian crossings increased from 14 to 935, and Syrians increased from 28 to 762. US TO PAY FOR FLIGHTS TO HELP PANAMA REMOVE MIGRANTS WHO MAY BE HEADING NORTH Overall, numbers increased in the Darien Gap from 115,758 between 2010 and 2020 to 1.18 million in 2021-2024. There have been widespread concerns about nationals from Afghanistan and China in the US. China is a geopolitical foe of the U.S., and Republicans have expressed concern about the potential for espionage or cyberattacks from CCP members who infiltrate the U.S. “There have been numerous documented instances of Chinese nationals, at the direction of the CCP, engaging in espionage, stealing military and economic secrets,” lawmakers, led by Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., said last year. Meanwhile, concerns about Afghan nationals were highlighted when authorities foiled an Election Day terror plot being planned by an Afghan national who was paroled into the U.S. as part of the evacuation after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. The report blames the crisis that has hit Panama on “open border policies” in the U.S. that “encourage migrants from all over the world to undertake a long, costly, and dangerous journey to reach the ‘El Dorado’ that is the United States.” “Migrants know that if they can somehow get to the porous borders of the U.S., they will likely be released into the country,” it argues. DARIEN JUNGLE, A TREACHEROUS ROUTE FOR MIGRANTS, BECOMES MORE ACCESSIBLE AS PANAMA SEES UPTICK IN ARRIVALS Overall, it finds that between 2021-2024, at least 760,000 nationals from “special interest” countries were encountered in the Gap – including nationals with links to Hezbollah and other terror groups. The report, citing data from Panama, found that over half of all those who crossed were adult men. The top nationalities in 2024 to cross were Venezuelans, Colombians, Ecuadorians, Chinese and Haitians. Numbers rocketed in the area from just over 6,000 in 2020 to more than 520,000 in 2023, and have since decreased to 286,000 in 2024. Panama elected a new president in May who campaigned on ending illegal migration through the area, and has since signed an accord with the U.S. Under that deal, the U.S. government would cover the costs of repatriations of those who entered through the Darien Gap. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS The agreement said the U.S. would support Panama with equipment, transportation and logistics to send migrants caught illegally entering Panama back to their countries. Meanwhile, there has been a sharp drop in migrant encounters at the U.S. border this year, including a more than 55% decrease in encounters after President Biden signed a proclamation in June limiting asylum in the U.S. President-elect Trump, meanwhile, has promised to provide additional border security and to launch a large-scale deportation operation after he is inaugurated. FAIR says in its report that Panama, even with U.S. assistance, won’t be able to fully rectify the situation at the Darien Gap. “A permanent solution to the Darién Gap crisis can only come from where the crisis originated, i.e., when American immigration policy stops inducing illegal aliens to make this dangerous trek,” it says. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Ilhan Omar blasts Harris-Walz campaign for courting Liz Cheney: ‘Huge misstep’
Controversial “squad” member Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., has explained where she thinks the Democratic presidential ticket of Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minn., went wrong. According to Omar, the campaign’s choice to embrace the endorsements of former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney and her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, was “a huge misstep.” This was especially true in battleground state Michigan, she told the Minnesota Star-Tribune, because it was where the Uncommitted Movement maintained a stronghold. TOM COTTON SLAMS ‘PARTISANS AND OBSTRUCTIONISTS’ IN DOD REPORTEDLY PLOTTING TO BLOCK TRUMP PLANS The Uncommitted Movement specifically withheld support from President Joe Biden — and then Harris — because of its disapproval of their handling of the war in Gaza. Particularly, a large population of Arabs and Muslims in Michigan believed the U.S. was not holding Israel accountable for death and destruction in Gaza. “You have the one name for my generation and generations younger than me that is synonymous with war,” Omar said of Cheney. CONGRESS HAS JUST WEEKS TO AVOID A PARTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN AFTER THANKSGIVING “It does say something about where your priorities are, even if those are not your priorities.” As part of the Harris-Walz campaign’s strategy to attract disaffected Republicans, they advertised former Rep. Cheney’s endorsement and even hosted an event with her and Harris in battleground state Wisconsin. SENATE GOP MOTIVATED TO RAPIDLY CONFIRM TRUMP NOMINATIONS AHEAD OF PARTY TRIFECTA IN WASHINGTON She also explained why she thought Harris lost the city of Dearborn, Michigan, which is home to a large Arab community. The congresswoman pointed to the fact that President-elect Donald Trump met with the Democratic mayor, but Harris and Walz were only willing to send staff. “I think that personal touch for that community made the difference,” Omar said. “We could have had that personal touch.” ‘CONVEYOR BELT OF RADICALS’: GOP SLAMMED OVER SENATE ABSENCES THAT HELPED BIDEN SCORE MORE JUDGES IN LAME DUCK Despite her past record of criticism of and opposition to Trump, Omar claimed she’d be open to collaborating with his administration. She maintained that she would still be opposing “hurtful” policies towards her constituents, though. With Trump returning to office, Omar said she is afraid that Israel will get the “green light” to “finish their genocidal war.” The Harris-Walz team did not provide comment in time for publication.
Construction trade group leaders look forward to new leadership under Trump: ‘Relief on the horizon’
Leaders from two of the nation’s top construction trade groups told Fox News Digital they are looking forward to the new Trump administration with hopes their industry will be burdened by fewer regulations and policies enacted under President Biden that they said stymied additional growth in their sector. On Monday, the Biden administration touted the addition of 1.6 million new construction and manufacturing jobs. However, Ben Brubeck, vice president of regulatory affairs for the Associated Builders and Contractors, cautioned that beneath this seemingly big announcement, “the growth can be much better if we’re in the right economic and policy environment.” Brubeck said his association’s members have broadly indicated disappointment at the opportunities available to them under various Biden administration programs, including the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IJA), the CHIPS and Science Act (CHIPS), the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). “We survey our members on a pretty regular basis, and the number of members who reported participation in the IJA- and CHIPS- and IRA- and ARPA-funded projects has been pretty — it’s been low,” Brubeck said. “It’s been less than expected.” WHITE HOUSE INSISTS BIDEN, HARRIS HAVE ‘ONE OF MOST SUCCESSFUL ADMINISTRATIONS IN HISTORY’ DESPITE 2024 LOSS Brubeck pointed to the fact that it has taken a long time for the money from these programs to be disbursed due to burdensome regulations, such as permitting requirements. He also pointed to oppressive labor policies, such as project labor agreements and increased borrowing costs as other elements that have added to less growth than could have been seen otherwise under President Biden. Brian Turmail, the vice president of public affairs and workforce for the Associated General Contractors of America, also noted the failure of Biden’s major construction investments due to regulations and review processes. BIDEN ADMIN AIMS TO PUSH TOWNS, CITIES TO ADOPT GREEN ENERGY BUILDING CODES: ‘VERY SUSPICIOUS’ “Our analysis is [the Biden administration] kind of got in their own way affecting the market, because they couldn’t help themselves but to put in so many kinds of social and environmental rules on top of their funding that they slowed down the progress they so desperately wanted to see,” Turmail said. He also pointed out that the administration “put a lot of new strings” on semiconductor plant construction that has stymied growth. Turmail and Brubeck said they have hopes growth in the construction sector will ramp up under the Trump administration as companies manage their way through federal requirements enacted under Biden and see others potentially rolled back. I HAD A JOB ON THE KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE UNTIL BIDEN FIRED ME TO SATISFY CLIMATE EXTREMISTS “The irony is that, by the time President Trump comes back into office, we do anticipate a big bump up in infrastructure construction,” Turmail said. “Because all those projects where they’ve announced funding over the last two to three years will finally clear their environmental hurdle and begin construction.” “Our federal contractors are completely on the sidelines right now for these large-scale projects, and this all started at the beginning of the year in January,” Brubeck added. “So, they’re really excited for the potential of regulatory relief on the horizon as a result of the Trump administration coming in.” The White House did not provide Fox News Digital with an on-the-record comment in time for publication.
New wall construction at Texas border kicks off with family of slain Jocelyn Nungaray watching
Texas officials took another step Tuesday morning toward fulfilling their promise of continuing construction of the southern border wall, after purchasing a 1,400-acre ranch along the Rio Grande in a critical region identified by officials as a hotspot for human trafficking, as well as weapons and drug smuggling. “It is my promise to all Texans that as land commissioner, I will do everything in my power to stop the pain and suffering that has been happening on this property,” Dawn Buckingham said during a press conference with other officials Tuesday. “The previous owner would not allow law enforcement on this ranch.” Officials will construct another mile of the wall in the coming weeks, Buckingham said, as the first panel was installed Tuesday while the family of Jocelyn Nungaray, killed by suspected illegal immigrants, looked on. BATTLEGROUND STATE RANCHER ‘OUTRAGED’ BY BIDEN STOPPING WALL CONSTRUCTION AS MIGRANTS POUR INTO US “Every day, it’s a struggle. Every day it’s hard. Some days are easier than others, but it never takes away the fact that she’s not here anymore due to the pain of people who were let in this country to do what they did to her,” Alexis – mother of Jocelyn – said during the news conference. Gov. Greg Abbott announced in 2021 funding for a state project to continue construction of a wall after the Biden administration abruptly ended the Trump-era project. Abbott has also built a floating buoy barrier in the Rio Grande. His administration has linked the barriers, and a broader effort by the state, to a drop in apprehensions. Buckingham said she has offered President-elect Trump and incoming border czar Tom Homan use of the 1,400-acre property “to construct a facility for the processing, detention and coordination efforts of what will be the largest deportation of violent criminals in our nation’s history.” Homan and Abbott greeted and served meals to Texas National Guard soldiers and Texas Department of Public Safety troopers in Eagle Pass, Texas, also on Tuesday. ‘SHUT IT DOWN’: RED STATE MAKES MASSIVE LAND BUY TO RAMP UP BORDER WALL EFFORTS AMID MIGRANT SURGE Rep. Chip Roy, also in attendance, urged his fellow Republicans to pass stricter immigration policies once Trump takes office in January. “No excuses,” he said. “Americans are dying. That is why President Trump was swept into office. That is why Republicans were given the trifecta in Washington,” Roy added. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS Fox News Digital’s Adam Shaw contributed to this report.