Trump administration revokes more than 100,000 visas in first year back
FIRST ON FOX: The State Department revoked more than 100,000 foreign visas in 2025, more than twice that of 2024 in the final year of President Joe Biden’s administration. The figure is an all-time record, and follows on President Donald Trump’s day one executive order on foreign vetting. In 2024, the department revoked 40,000 visas. The majority of the revocations were for business and tourist travelers who overstayed their visas. But some 8,000 students and 2,500 specialized workers also lost their legal status. A department spokesperson said a majority of the students and workers who lost their visas had criminal encounters with law enforcement. TRUMP STATE DEPARTMENT ORDERS GLOBAL VISA CRACKDOWN UNDER REVIVED ‘PUBLIC CHARGE’ RULE Among specialized workers, half of the revocations were based on drunken driving arrests, 30% for assault, battery or confinement charges, and the remaining 20% were revoked for theft, child abuse, substance abuse and distribution, and fraud and embezzlement charges. Nearly 500 students lost visas for drug possession and distribution and hundreds of foreign workers lost visas because they were believed to be abusing children, according to a department spokesperson. In August 2025, the Trump administration announced it was reviewing all 55 million foreigners who have valid U.S. visas. State Department principal deputy spokesperson Tommy Piggott added that the administration would continue its aggressive enforcement posture through its new “continuous vetting center.” “The Trump administration will continue to put America first and protect our nation from foreign nationals who pose a risk to public safety or national security,” he said. The department also has enforced stricter standards for obtaining U.S. visas. In November 2025, Fox News Digital first reported the department would enforce a “public charge” rule, denying visas to applicants deemed likely to rely on public benefits. That included health reasons — putting older and overweight people under greater scrutiny — English competency, finances or other potential needs for long-term care.
Marco Rubio emerges as key Trump power player after Venezuela operation
Early in the second Trump administration, analysts openly wondered how long Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s relationship with President Donald Trump would last. Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, has long embraced a Cold War–inflected, hawkish approach to foreign policy that initially appeared at odds with Trump’s worldview. Trump had been deeply skeptical of U.S. involvement in Ukraine and surrounded himself with prominent anti-interventionist voices, including Vice President JD Vance and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. Shortly after Trump won the election in 2024, Pete Hegseth, then set to become secretary of war, described himself as a “recovering neocon.” TRUMP’S VENEZUELA STRIKE SPARKS CONSTITUTIONAL CLASH AS MADURO IS HAULED INTO US But in 2026, Rubio sits at the apex of his career, emerging as one of the most influential figures in Washington. He holds two additional titles: national security advisor and head of the National Archives. The last person to serve as the nation’s chief diplomat and national security advisor was Henry Kissinger, widely seen as the architect of foreign policy during the Nixon administration. “He’s just really smart, really effective, and he’s succeeded at everything he’s done,” Matt Kroenig, a former Pentagon official and current vice president at the Atlantic Council think tank, told Fox News Digital. “He doesn’t see his job as containing Trump. He understands who the boss is and channels those instincts into constructive directions.” The man of many hats has pursued the fall of Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro for nearly a decade. “I think that U.S. armed forces should only be used in cases of national security threats,” Rubio said in a 2018 interview with Univision. “I think there is a strong argument that can be made right now that Venezuela and Maduro’s regime have become a threat to the region and to the U.S.” On Jan. 3, Rubio got his wish, when special operators descended on Caracas, Venezuela, to snatch the dictator of 12 years and his wife from their bed. Maduro appeared to sense the danger early. In a message to Trump, he warned that Rubio “wants to stain your hands with blood — with South American, Caribbean, Venezuelan blood,” as the U.S. kicked off a campaign of airstrikes on drug traffickers in the Caribbean in September 2025. Trump likely didn’t need much convincing. “Trump was very focused on Venezuela in the first term,” Kroenig said. “I think he probably saw the outcome of the first term was not what he wanted.” Though Maduro’s vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, was recently sworn in, Trump has asserted that the U.S. will “run” Venezuela. VANCE SAYS CROCKETT ‘DOESN’T KNOW WHAT SHE’S TALKING ABOUT’ ON VENEZUELA MADURO OPERATION Less than a year ago, media outlets portrayed Rubio as crowded out of diplomatic negotiations, with envoys like Steve Witkoff running point on Iran, Gaza and Ukraine. Vanity Fair reported that Rubio was “frustrated” by being “sidelined” on foreign policy decisions, while The Atlantic ran a profile of Witkoff calling him “the real secretary of state.” Brian Hook, the architect of Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran during the first term, at one point appeared poised for a senior role after leading the 2024 State Department transition team. Instead, Trump ultimately dropped Hook, as he did former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. “Brian Hook from the Wilson Center for Scholars… YOU’RE FIRED!” Trump wrote on Truth Social in January 2025. That trajectory shifted months later when Trump launched airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Now, Rubio has become the most visible public face of the U.S. mission in Venezuela, appearing on television to clarify Trump’s remarks about the U.S. “running” the country. Rubio said Washington would rely on economic leverage and strategic tools — including sanctions enforcement and oil quarantines — to shape a transition. He also laid out a phased plan for stabilization and recovery centered on controlled oil sales, underscoring his role as the administration’s principal explainer after the capture of Maduro. Rubio’s visibility reflects the moment. Trump’s most consequential moves in recent months, from Venezuela to Iran, have unfolded abroad rather than around domestic initiatives like affordability and job creation. “The members of President Trump’s national security team who have always executed Venezuela policy, including Vice President Vance, Secretary Rubio, Secretary Hegseth, General Caine, Director Ratcliffe, and Deputy Chief of Staff Miller, will continue to execute Venezuela policy,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital. “Secretary Rubio has done a great job advancing President Trump’s foreign policy agenda as Secretary of State and National Security Advisor, as exemplified by this latest action arresting narcoterrorist Nicolas Maduro,” she went on. “He is a team player and everyone loves working with him in the West Wing.” Vance and Gabbard have been far less visible on foreign policy. RUBIO FIRES BACK AT ‘CONFUSED’ CBS HOST OVER QUESTIONING OF MADURO OPERATION’S SCOPE Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and other senior Trump advisors sat alongside the president at Mar-a-Lago as he monitored Operation Absolute Resolve, the mission to capture Maduro. Vance participated remotely by video from Ohio due to increased security concerns, according to a Vance spokesperson. Gabbard, who previously criticized U.S. military intervention in Venezuela, played no public role in the lead-up to the operation. Less than two days before it began, she posted a series of photos on X from Hawaii. In 2019, Gabbard wrote that the United States “must stay out of Venezuela.” After the operation, she praised its execution, writing: “President Trump promised the American people he would secure our borders, confront narcoterrorism, dangerous drug cartels, and drug traffickers. Kudos to our servicemen and women and intelligence operators for their flawless execution.” “It is unfair to focus on DNI Gabbard’s past views, given other Trump administration officials have also previously voiced disagreement on policy or even slammed the President directly,” an administration official told Fox News Digital, adding that Gabbard provided the president intelligence for the Venezuela operation. Vance, meanwhile, has focused much of his public messaging on
Republican senator vows to block Trump Fed nominee over Powell investigation
A Senate Republican again plans to act as a roadblock to President Donald Trump, this time against any potential replacement for Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., announced that he would block any future nominee to serve as chair of the Fed following the revelation that Powell was under criminal investigation for testimony he gave regarding the renovation at the Federal Reserve. “If there were any remaining doubt whether advisors within the Trump Administration are actively pushing to end the independence of the Federal Reserve, there should now be none,” Tillis said on X. “It is now the independence and credibility of the Department of Justice that are in question.” FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIR POWELL UNDER CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION OVER HQ RENOVATION “I will oppose the confirmation of any nominee for the Fed — including the upcoming Fed Chair vacancy — until this legal matter is fully resolved,” he continued. Tillis’ decision comes with weight — as a member of the Senate Banking Committee, he would get an immediate say on who does and doesn’t pass muster to be the next chair of the Federal Reserve. And that’s a reality that will likely soon play out, given that Powell’s term as chair expires in May, though he is still slated to stay on the central bank’s board of governors until 2028. It’s also not the first time he’s stood directly in the path of Trump. Tillis last week announced that he would be blocking all future Department of Homeland Security (DHS) nominees until DHS Secretary Kristi Noem appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee. A DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital, “Secretary Noem testified on Capitol Hill less than a month ago and remains committed to transparency and continued engagement with Congress.” GOP SENATOR BLOCKS TRUMP DHS NOMINEES UNTIL NOEM TESTIFIES BEFORE SENATE “While the Department does not currently have any nominees pending before the Senate, we hope senators will refrain from holding President Trump’s appointments in a way that could compromise our national security,” they said. The lawmaker’s line in the sand came after the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia launched an investigation into Powell over testimony he gave before the Senate Banking Committee last June regarding the renovation of the central bank’s Washington headquarters. The probe is focused on whether Powell lied to lawmakers about the scope of the project. It comes after a year of tension between Powell and Trump, who has long sought to replace him atop the central bank. And notably, the renovation of the Federal Reserve’s building in the District is not on the taxpayer dime, but rather its own coffers. “This new threat is not about my testimony last June or about the renovation of the Federal Reserve buildings,” Powell said in a video statement. TRUMP BLASTS GOP WAR POWERS DEFECTORS, SAYS THEY ‘SHOULD NEVER BE ELECTED TO OFFICE AGAIN’ “The threat of criminal charges is a consequence of the Federal Reserve setting interest rates based on our best assessment of what will serve the public, rather than following the preferences of the President,” he continued. “This is about whether the Fed will be able to continue to set interest rates based on evidence and economic conditions, or whether instead monetary policy will be directed by political pressure or intimidation.” Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., the top ranking Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee, similarly panned the criminal investigation into Powell and charged that Trump sought to “install another sock puppet to complete his corrupt takeover of America’s central bank.” “Trump is abusing the authorities of the Department of Justice like a wannabe dictator, so the Fed serves his interests, along with his billionaire friends,” Warren said in a statement. “This Committee and the Senate should not move forward with any Trump nominee for the Fed, including Fed Chair.” The Fed tweaked interest rates in December, dropping them by 0.25%, marking the third straight time the central bank slashed rates. Still, the cut was not enough for Trump, who demanded a sharper drop. In the aftermath, Trump said that he would seek a new Federal Reserve chair that would slash interest rates “by a lot.” “I’ll soon announce our next chairman of the Federal Reserve, someone who believes in lower interest rates, by a lot, and mortgage payments will be coming down even further,” Trump said.
Trump says Greenland’s defense is ‘two dog sleds’ as he pushes for US acquisition of territory
President Donald Trump said the U.S. must acquire Greenland — not lease it — arguing the Arctic territory lacks defenses and warning that Russia or China would move in if Washington does not act, a move he said is critical to U.S. and NATO security. While speaking with reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night, Trump was asked about Greenland and whether the U.S. had made an offer to acquire the territory from Denmark. “I haven’t done that. Greenland should make the deal because Greenland does not want to see Russia or China take over,” he said. “Basically, their defense is two dog sleds. You know that? You know what their defense is? Two dog sleds. “In the meantime, you have Russian destroyers and submarines, and China destroyers and submarines all over the place,” Trump continued. “We’re not going to let that happen, and if it affects NATO, then it affects NATO. But, you know, they need us more than we need them, I will tell you that right now.” DENMARK SUMMONS US ENVOY OVER ALLEGED COVERT GREENLAND INTERFERENCE OPERATIONS The president was also clear that his administration is not talking about leasing Greenland short term, but only about acquiring the Danish territory. “If we don’t do it, Russia or China will, and that’s not going to happen when I’m president,” Trump said. The remarks followed renewed pushback from Greenland’s leadership, which rejected calls from Trump and members of his administration for the U.S. to take control of the island. TOP CANADIAN OFFICIALS TO VISIT GREENLAND AMID INTERNATIONAL FEARS AS TRUMP EYES NATO-LINKED TERRITORY Several Trump administration officials have echoed the president’s position, arguing that Greenland’s strategic location makes U.S. control a national security imperative. Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and four party leaders said Friday night that the island has no interest in becoming part of the U.S. or Denmark, according to The Associated Press. Greenland, a self-governing Danish territory and longtime U.S. ally, has repeatedly dismissed Trump’s suggestions that the U.S. should acquire the island. NEW TRUMP ADMIN ENVOY SAYS US WON’T ‘CONQUER’ GREENLAND, EMPHASIZES TALKS WITH LOCALS AS DENMARK BALKS AT MOVE “We don’t want to be Americans, we don’t want to be Danes, we want to be Greenlanders,” the leaders said, adding that Greenland’s “future must be decided by the Greenlandic people.” The statement also criticized Washington’s rhetoric toward the island. “As Greenlandic party leaders, we would like to emphasize once again our wish that the United States’ contempt for our country ends,” it said. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned last week that Trump’s annexation comments could threaten NATO itself, saying any U.S. military action against a NATO ally would effectively end the alliance and the security framework that has existed since World War II. “If the U.S. chooses to attack another NATO country militarily, then everything stops,” Frederiksen told Danish broadcaster TV2. Nielsen underscored that position the same day, writing in a Facebook post that Greenland is “not an object of superpower rhetoric.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump says Iran ‘starting to’ cross US red lines as protesters die in government crackdown
President Donald Trump said Sunday that Iran is “starting to” cross U.S. red lines, citing reports of civilian deaths and warning that any attack on American interests would be met with overwhelming force as his administration weighs what he called “very strong options.” Trump spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One while traveling from Palm Beach, Florida, back to Washington, D.C., after being asked whether Iran had crossed a threshold that would trigger a response. “They’re starting to, it looks like, and there seem to be some people killed that aren’t supposed to be killed,” the president said. “These are violent — if you call them leaders, I don’t know if their leaders or just if they rule through violence. And, we’re looking at some very strong options. We’ll make a determination.” Some protesters were killed in a stampede while others were shot, Trump later said, adding that he receives hourly briefings and will decide based on ongoing reports. EXILED IRANIAN CROWN PRINCE URGES TRUMP TO HELP AS PROTESTS AGAINST ISLAMIC REGIME INTENSIFY: ‘MAN OF PEACE’ The comments came just days after Trump warned the U.S. would respond forcefully if the Iranian regime escalates its crackdown. “Iran’s in big trouble,” he said. “It looks to me that the people are taking over certain cities that nobody thought were really possible just a few weeks ago. We’re watching the situation very carefully.” EXILED IRANIAN PRINCE SAYS REGIME ‘VERY CLOSE TO COLLAPSING’ AMID NATIONWIDE UNREST Trump added, “We’ll be hitting them very hard where it hurts. And that doesn’t mean boots on the ground, but it means hitting them very, very hard where it hurts.” Protests had spread to at least 190 cities across Iran by Saturday, according to the National Council of Resistance in Iran. ARMED IRANIAN PROTESTERS BATTLE POLICE IN TEHRAN STREETS AS TRUMP WARNS OF FORCEFUL US RESPONSE The Associated Press reported Sunday that activists claimed at least 544 people have been killed, with more feared dead. Tehran also warned that the U.S. military and Israel would be considered “legitimate targets” if the U.S. intervenes to protect demonstrators. More than 10,600 people have been detained during the more than two weeks of protests, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which the AP noted has been accurate during previous unrest. The group said 496 of those killed were protesters and 48 were members of security forces. Authorities also imposed a sweeping internet blackout this week, largely cutting Iran off from the outside world as anti-regime protests spread and officials escalated threats of harsh punishment. Fox News’ Efrat Lachter and Brie Stimson, as well as The Associated Press, contributed to this report.
Trump’s motorcade route adjusted after Secret Service finds ‘suspicious object’ at Palm Beach airport
A suspicious object discovered during a security sweep at Palm Beach International Airport ahead of President Donald Trump’s departure from Mar-a-Lago in Florida on Sunday prompted the U.S. Secret Service to adjust the presidential motorcade route, the White House said. The discovery did not disrupt Trump’s travel schedule, officials said, as agents evaluated the item and made security adjustments out of an abundance of caution. “During advance sweeps of PBI Airport, a suspicious object was discovered by USSS,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. “A further investigation was warranted and the presidential motorcade route was adjusted accordingly.” PROSECUTORS PRESENT FINAL WITNESS TYING RYAN ROUTH TO TRUMP’S GOLF CLUB AND GUN PURCHASE The latest security concern follows a separate incident months earlier, when the U.S. Secret Service discovered a suspicious hunting stand positioned with a direct line of sight to where Trump exits Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport. That find was made in October, when agents located the elevated stand but did not find anyone in the surrounding area. TONY HAWK, TAIWAN AND A FLASHLIGHT: TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT SUSPECT’S BIZARRE DEFENSE “Prior to the President’s return to West Palm Beach, USSS discovered what appeared to be an elevated hunting stand within sight line of the Air Force One landing zone,” FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox News Digital at the time. “No individuals were located at the scene. The FBI has since taken the investigatory lead, flying in resources to collect all evidence from the scene, and deploying our cell phone analytics capabilities.” A law enforcement source later told Fox News Digital the stand appeared to have been in place for “months” before it was discovered. PROSECUTORS TO WRAP TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT CASE AS DEFENSE READIES WITNESSES The hunting stand incident came just weeks after Ryan Routh was found guilty of attempting to assassinate Trump on his Palm Beach golf course, where prosecutors said he had established a sniper’s nest hidden in bushes along a fence line. That case followed an earlier assassination attempt in which Trump was shot in the ear during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.
Jacob Frey tells critics ‘sorry I offended their delicate ears’ after ICE f-bomb controversy
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey on Sunday defended the profanity-laced remarks he made last week after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent fatally shot a driver during an enforcement operation. Last Wednesday, Frey told ICE officials to “get the f— out of Minneapolis,” sharply criticizing federal authorities for operating in a city that did not welcome the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration agenda. His comments drew widespread criticism, with some authorities asserting that the driver aggravated the situation and prompted an officer to open fire in self-defense. “To those that are offended, I’m sorry I offended their delicate ears,” Frey said during NBC News’ “Meet the Press.” Frey added that while he has a responsibility as mayor to help defuse heated situations, he argued that his explicit comments do not outweigh the fact that someone was killed. DHS DEPLOYING HUNDREDS MORE FEDERAL AGENTS TO MINNEAPOLIS, NOEM ANNOUNCES “Of course, I bear responsibility to bring down the temperature,” he added. “That’s part of my role as mayor. And by the way, protests here in Minneapolis are peaceful. We had, I don’t know, 10,000 or so people that were protesting and marching yesterday. And virtually all of it was a very peaceful expression of First Amendment rights.” “But as far as who inflamed the situation, you know, I dropped an f-bomb,” Frey said. “And they killed somebody. I think the killing somebody is the inflammatory element here, not the f-bomb, which I’m sure we’ve all heard before.” MAYOR JACOB FREY TELLS ICE TO ‘GET THE F‑– OUT OF MINNEAPOLIS,’ REJECTS DHS SELF‑DEFENSE STATEMENT Earlier Sunday morning, Frey again reaffirmed his earlier remarks in a post on X – this time omitting the expletives – writing, “Today is a good day for ICE to get out of Minnesota.” A federal ICE agent in Minneapolis shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good on Wednesday after her vehicle was stopped on a residential street, partially blocking the roadway during a federal enforcement operation. The shooting has prompted widespread backlash and protests, with federal officials calling Good’s actions an attempt to run down officers in an act of “domestic terrorism,” while witnesses and local leaders claimed that Good was attempting to leave the area as ICE agents surrounded her.
US used sonic weapon on Venezuelan troops, report shared by Leavitt claims
A viral story from a man claiming to have witnessed the U.S. operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro states that the U.S. used sonic weapons during the mission to incapacitate opposing forces. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt shared the eyewitness interview on X, encouraging her followers to read the statement. The witness in the interview claims to be a guard who was serving at the Caracas military base where the U.S. captured Maduro. “We were on guard, but suddenly all our radar systems shut down without any explanation,” the witness said. “The next thing we saw were drones, a lot of drones, flying over our positions. We didn’t know how to react.” The witness then described watching roughly 20 U.S. soldiers deploy out of roughly eight helicopters over the base. RUBIO DEFENDS VENEZUELA OPERATION AFTER NBC QUESTIONS LACK OF CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL FOR MADURO CAPTURE “They were technologically very advanced,” the guard said. “They didn’t look like anything we’ve fought against before.” “We were hundreds, but we had no chance,” he said. “They were shooting with such precision and speed; it felt like each soldier was firing 300 rounds per minute.” The witness then describes the U.S. deploying some sort of sonic weapon against Venezuelan forces. VANCE SAYS CROCKETT ‘DOESN’T KNOW WHAT SHE’S TALKING ABOUT’ ON VENEZUELA MADURO OPERATION “At one point, they launched something; I don’t know how to describe it,” he said. “It was like a very intense sound wave. Suddenly I felt like my head was exploding from the inside.” “We all started bleeding from the nose,” he added. “Some were vomiting blood. We fell to the ground, unable to move. We couldn’t even stand up after that sonic weapon — or whatever it was.” “Those twenty men, without a single casualty, killed hundreds of us,” the witness claimed. “We had no way to compete with their technology, with their weapons. I swear, I’ve never seen anything like it.” The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital when asked whether Leavitt’s sharing of the post constituted confirmation of its veracity. The Pentagon also did not immediately respond when asked if the U.S. deployed sonic or energy weapons in Venezuela.
DHS deploying hundreds more federal agents to Minneapolis, Noem announces
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem said Sunday the government is sending additional federal agents to Minnesota to protect immigration officers and continue enforcement operations amid rising tensions following the fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen. Noem told “Sunday Morning Futures” host Maria Bartiromo that DHS will be sending hundreds more agents on Sunday and Monday to Minneapolis to allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol agents to do their work “safely.” “If they conduct violent activities against law enforcement, if they impede our operations, that’s a crime, and we will hold them accountable to those consequences,” she said, referring to clashes between some protesters and federal agents outside an ICE facility and the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building over the weekend. The protests, which have spread to other cities, including Los Angeles, Portland and New York, come after an ICE officer fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good, who DHS alleges “weaponized her vehicle” and “attempted to run a law enforcement officer over.” EXPERT WARNS PAINTING SLAIN ANTI-ICE ACTIVIST AS ‘GEORGE FLOYD 2.0’ WILL FAIL Video of the shooting has become a political flashpoint, with some saying it supports the government’s position that the agent acted in self-defense and others saying the footage calls into question DHS’ explanation and raises broader concerns about the use of force by ICE officers. The shooting remains under federal investigation. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey wrote in an op-ed in The New York Times that the Trump administration pushed a “false narrative” about the shooting and demonized Good. NEW VIDEO SHOWS MINUTES LEADING UP TO DEADLY MINNEAPOLIS ICE SHOOTING “The chaos that ICE and the Trump administration have brought to Minneapolis made this tragedy sadly predictable,” he wrote. “I’ve watched multiple videos, from multiple perspectives — it seems clear that Ms. Good, a mother of three, was trying to leave the scene, not attack an agent,” he added. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News Digital on Thursday that since Operation Metro Surge began, DHS law enforcement has arrested more than 1,500 individuals, including alleged murderers, pedophiles, rapists, and gang members across Minnesota. “Every single day our law enforcement officers put their lives on the line to arrest the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens from American communities,” McLaughlin said. “We will not let rioters slow us down from making Minnesota safe again—something Governor Walz and Mayor Frey REFUSED to do.”
Federal judge blocks Trump administration from enforcing mail-in voting rules in executive order
A federal judge in Washington state on Friday blocked the Trump administration from enforcing key parts of an executive order that sought to change how states administer federal elections, ruling the president lacked authority to apply those provisions to Washington and Oregon. U.S. District Judge John Chun held that several provisions of Executive Order 14248 violated the separation of powers and exceeded the president’s authority. “As stated by the Supreme Court, although the Constitution vests the executive power in the President, ‘[i]n the framework of our Constitution, the President’s power to see that the laws are faithfully executed refutes the idea that he is to be a lawmaker,’” Chun wrote in his 75-page ruling. FEDERAL APPEALS COURT RULES AGAINST TRUMP’S BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP EXECUTIVE ORDER White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital in a statement: “President Trump cares deeply about the integrity of our elections and his executive order takes lawful actions to ensure election security. This is not the final say on the matter and the Administration expects ultimate victory on the issue.” Washington and Oregon filed a lawsuit in April contending the executive order signed by President Donald Trump in March violated the Constitution by attempting to set rules for how states conduct elections, including ballot counting, voter registration and voting equipment. DOJ TARGETS NONCITIZENS ON VOTER ROLLS AS PART OF TRUMP ELECTION INTEGRITY PUSH “Today’s ruling is a huge victory for voters in Washington and Oregon, and for the rule of law,” Washington Attorney General Nick Brown said in response to the Jan. 9 ruling, according to The Associated Press. “The court enforced the long-standing constitutional rule that only States and Congress can regulate elections, not the Election Denier-in-Chief.” Executive Order 14248 directed federal agencies to require documentary proof of citizenship on federal voter registration forms and sought to require that absentee and mail-in ballots be received by Election Day in order to be counted. The order also instructed the attorney general to take enforcement action against states that include such ballots in their final vote tallies if they arrive after that deadline. “We oppose requirements that suppress eligible voters and will continue to advocate for inclusive and equitable access to registration while protecting the integrity of the process. The U.S. Constitution guarantees that all qualified voters have a constitutionally protected right to vote and to have their votes counted,” said Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs in a statement issued when the lawsuit was filed last year. “We will work with the Washington Attorney General’s Office to defend our constitutional authority and ensure Washington’s elections remain secure, fair, and accessible,” Hobbs added. Chun noted in his ruling that Washington and Oregon do not certify election results on Election Day, a practice shared by every U.S. state and territory, which allows them to count mail-in ballots received after Election Day as long as the ballots were postmarked on or before that day and arrived before certification under state law.