Georgia moves to drop 2020 election interference case against Trump
The state of Georgia moved to drop all remaining charges in the 2020 election interference case against President Donald Trump and his co-defendants. “The political persecution of President Trump by disqualified DA Fani Willis is finally over. This case should never have been brought. A fair and impartial prosecutor has put an end to this lawfare,” Trump’s lead Georgia defense counsel Steve Sadow said in a statement. “This entire case, from the initiation of the District Attorney’s investigation in 2021 to the present, is without precedent,” noted Peter J. Skandalakis, who took the case over after Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis was disqualified from handling it. “Never before, and hopefully never again, will our country face circumstances such as these.” This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. Fox News’ Samantha Daigle and David Lewkowict contributed to this report
DHS brass slam Virginia Beach principal accused in ‘chilling’ plot to lure, ambush ICE agents
FIRST ON FOX: Top brass at the Department of Homeland Security told Fox News Digital the agency’s Investigations unit is now on the case of a Virginia educator and his brother accused of plotting to attack ICE, potentially with explosive rounds. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said Wednesday that Kempsville High School assistant principal John Wilson Bennett and his older brother Mark Booth Bennett were overheard at a Vietnamese restaurant in Virginia Beach allegedly conspiring to go to Nevada and plan attacks on ICE agents in retribution for what they claimed to be “kidnapping[s]” of civilians during recent immigration enforcement operations. “It’s chilling that a human being, much less a child educator, would plot to ambush and kill ICE law enforcement officers—offering such specifics as to getting a high-caliber rifle that would pierce the law enforcements’ bullet proof vests,” McLaughlin said, after Fox News Digital originally reported on the adult brothers’ arrest days ago. “Thanks to Homeland Security Investigations and our partners, these men are behind bars.” FLORIDA MAN NABBED BY HOMELAND SECURITY FOR ALLEGEDLY MAKING ONLINE DEATH THREATS AGAINST ICE ‘GESTAPO’ John Bennett has been faculty at the school, located in the inland part of Virginia Beach, since 2009. The school told local press that he is currently on leave. McLaughlin said DHS worked with law enforcement at all levels after an off-duty Norfolk police officer overheard the men at a Vietnamese restaurant in Virginia Beach on Nov. 17 discussing plans to “kill police officers and ICE agents,” with Mark Bennett allegedly saying he was planning to meet like-minded people in Las Vegas, where he would also purchase firearms with explosive rounds. Two days later, Mark Bennett was arrested at Norfolk International Airport en route to Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, to connect to Las Vegas. John Bennett was also arrested that day. FBI DIRECTOR KASH PATEL VOWS JUSTICE AFTER DHS AGENT’S VEHICLE RAMMED IN CHICAGO McLaughlin said the case is indicative of the more-than 1,150% increase in assaults against ICE agents and 8,000-fold spike in death threats as they go about their daily work defending the homeland. “They risk their lives every single day to remove the worst of the worst, including murderers, rapists, pedophiles, terrorists, and gang members. From bounties placed on their heads for their murders, threats to their families, stalking, and doxxing online, our officers are experiencing an unprecedented level of violence and threats against them and their families,” McLaughlin said. Happy O’Brien, Mark Bennett’s attorney, disputed the recounting of events, reportedly saying his client was instead flying to Nevada for a F1 (Formula One) motorsports event with his child, according to the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot. O’Brien reportedly compared the restaurant conversation to something out of the NBC sitcom “Seinfeld” – where Jerry Seinfeld’s and Jason Alexander’s characters would often have varying degrees of existential conversations while having coffee at “Monk’s.” Both Bennetts were charged with conspiracy to commit malicious wounding. Fox News Digital’s Adam Sabes contributed to this report.
Showdown for the House: Democrats, Republicans brace for high-stakes midterm clash
Democrats, energized by their convincing victories earlier this month in the 2025 elections, are betting those results foreshadow a House flip in next year’s midterm showdowns. The party out of power needs a net gain of just three seats to grab back the majority from the Republicans, who’ve controlled the House for nearly three years. And the party in power, which nowadays is clearly the Republicans, traditionally faces political headwinds in the midterm elections. At stake: the success of President Donald Trump‘s second-term agenda. “We’ll take back the House in 2026,” Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chair Rep. Suzan DelBene of Washington state told Fox News Digital. DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS, GO ALL IN ON FINAL CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION SHOWDOWN OF THE YEAR But for Republicans, aiming to protect their fragile majority, the magic number is also three. “The only number I’m concerned about is three. We have three Republicans in seats Kamala Harris carried,” said Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina, chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee. He pointed to districts carried during the 2024 presidential election by then-Vice President Kamala Harris. HOUSE GOP CAMPAIGN CHAIR WANTS TRUMP ‘OUT THERE ON THE TRAIL’ IN MIDTERM BATTLE FOR MAJORITY And Hudson, in a Fox News Digital interview, highlighted that Democrats have “13 sitting in seats Donald Trump won. They’ve got 21 more sitting in seats that Donald Trump barely lost. So there, there are only a few seats up for grabs this time, most of them are Democrat seats.” The most recent national polls indicate Democrats with the upper hand in the 2026 battle for the House majority. But DelBene cautioned, “We take nothing for granted.” And Hudson was optimistic that Republicans would “grow our House majority.” High prices and out-of-control cost of living were key issues that boosted Trump and Republicans in the 2024 elections, as they won back the White House and Senate majority and kept control of the House. But what a difference a year makes. Democrats, with an across-the-board focus on affordability, overperformed at the polls as they enjoyed sweeping ballot box success earlier this month. Democrats scored double-digit gubernatorial wins in blue-leaning but competitive New Jersey and Virginia, and convincing victories in high-profile showdowns in battlegrounds Georgia and Pennsylvania and left-tilting New York City and California. “It was clear that when folks are talking about the biggest issues affecting their communities, and right now, affordability, with the rising costs people have seen as a result of the policies put in place by this administration and Republicans in Congress, they rejected that,” DelBene said as she pointed to the 2025 election results. DEMOCRATS DOUBLE-DOWN ON THIS KEY ISSUE “Absolutely, we saw that in governor’s races like Virginia and New Jersey, but [also] in races across the country,” she added. The most recent Fox News national poll was another warning sign for Trump and the GOP. Three-quarters of voters questioned in the survey viewed the economy negatively, and large numbers of respondents, including Republicans, said their costs for groceries, utilities, healthcare and housing have gone up this year. The poll indicated that voters blame the president, with nearly twice as many pointing fingers at Trump than former President Joe Biden, when asked who is responsible for the current economy. Only 38% of those questioned gave the president a thumbs-up to how he’s handling the economy. And Trump’s overall approval rating, at 41%, was the lowest of his second term in office in Fox News polling. “Affordability is still the number one issue for families. Housing, food, health care, child care, energy costs all going up directly as a result of policies put in place by Republicans in Congress and Donald Trump. And they promised to lower costs on day one,” DelBene said. SETTING THE STAGE: WHAT THE 2025 ELECTIONS SIGNAL FOR NEXT YEAR’S MIDTERM SHOWDOWNS Pointing to last year’s elections, she said, “That was their big message. They were going to lower costs. It has been a big broken promise, and people are feeling that and and that’s had a big impact and will continue. People want folks who are going to stand up to them for them, not just be blindly loyal to the president.” Hudson, asked about the political impact of the cost of living, took aim at the former president. “There are challenges out there with the economy, because Biden broke it, and House Republicans, working with President Trump, are going to fix it, and we’re working very hard to do that,” he said. “Certainly, we could always improve the way we communicate with our voters about it,” he added. “But we are laser-focused on the issues that matter to them. You know, it’s the cost of things, it’s the security in their neighborhood, it’s a secure border. We are very focused on that, and we’ve delivered a lot of things that are going to make their lives better.” DEMOCRATS SEE MANDATE AFTER 2025 WINS — REPUBLICANS SAY IT’S A MIRAGE And looking ahead to next year, he added, “Come tax season, a lot of families are going to be really happy to see they’ve got a lot more take-home pay, and that’s because of Donald Trump and House Republicans.” The DCCC, in its messaging, has tied vulnerable House Republicans to Trump. DelBene argued that it’s “Republican policies that are hurting American families, the tariffs that Donald Trump has put in place that have raised costs for families across the country, their ongoing work to gut healthcare across this country.” And she charged that the “policies that they have prioritized have been favoring the wealthy and the well-connected, tax breaks for the wealthy and the well-connected, but hurting working families across the country. People are feeling that, and we’re going to continue to call that out.” Hudson called the 2025 elections a “wake-up call” for GOP voters and that he wants Trump “out there on the trail” in next year’s midterms. Plenty of Republicans have downplayed the Democrats’ high-profile victories, noting they largely took place in
US envoy gave Russian aide tips on how to sell Ukraine deal to Trump: report
U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff gave a senior Kremlin official tips on how to sell a Ukraine peace deal to President Donald Trump, a report said. Witkoff spoke by phone to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s top foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov on Oct. 14, advising him on how Putin should bring up the topic with the U.S. president, according to Bloomberg. “We put a 20-point Trump plan together that was 20 points for peace, and I’m thinking maybe we do the same thing with you,” Witkoff was quoted by Bloomberg as saying, in reference to the Trump administration’s Gaza peace deal. During the phone call, which lasted about five minutes, Witkoff said he had a deep respect for Putin and that he had informed Trump that he believed Russia has always wanted a peace deal for Ukraine, Bloomberg reported. TRUMP TOUTS ‘TREMENDOUS PROGRESS’ BUT SAYS HE’LL MEET PUTIN AND ZELENSKYY ‘ONLY WHEN’ PEACE DEAL IS FINAL Witkoff mentioned that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was visiting the White House in mid-October and that Putin could speak to Trump ahead of that meeting, the report added. “Zelenskyy is coming to the White House on Friday,” Witkoff said, according to a recording of the phone call obtained by Bloomberg. “I will go to that because they want me there, but I think, if possible, we have the call with your boss before that Friday meeting.” Witkoff suggested that Putin congratulate Trump on the Gaza peace deal and say that Russia backed it and that he respects Trump as a man of peace, Bloomberg reported. “Here’s what I think would be amazing,” Witkoff reportedly added. “Maybe he says to President Trump: you know, Steve and Yuri discussed a very similar 20-point plan to peace and that could be something that we think might move the needle a little bit. We’re open to those sorts of things.” Bloomberg also reported that Ushakov said Putin “will congratulate” Trump and say “Mr. Trump is a real peace man.” UKRAINE AGREES TO PEACE DEAL, US OFFICIAL SAYS When asked about the Witkoff phone call, Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Tuesday that he hadn’t heard the audio. “I haven’t heard it. No, but it’s a standard thing, you know, because he’s going to sell this to Ukraine. He’s got to sell Ukraine to Russia. That’s what he’s, that’s what a dealmaker does. You got to say, look, they want this. You’ve got to convince him of this. You know, that’s a very standard form of negotiation,” Trump said. “I haven’t heard it, but I heard it was standard negotiations. And I would imagine he’s saying the same thing to Ukraine because each party has to give and take,” Trump continued. “This war could go on for years and Russia has got a lot more people and a lot more soldiers,” the president also said. “So I think if Ukraine can make a deal, it’s a good thing. I think it’s great for both, frankly. I think it’s great for both.” White House communications director Steven Cheung told Fox News Digital on Wednesday that, “This story proves one thing: Special Envoy Witkoff talks to officials in both Russia and Ukraine nearly every day to achieve peace, which is exactly what President Trump appointed him to do.” Ushakov told Russian media on Wednesday that details about his conversation with Witkoff should not have been leaked, describing the situation as “unacceptable,” according to Reuters. It added that Ushakov said the leak was aimed at hindering discussions between the U.S. and Russia and that he would be raising the matter with Witkoff. On Tuesday, Ukraine agreed to the peace deal that would see an end to the war with Russia, a U.S. official told Fox News. Some minor details of the agreement are still to be sorted out, the official said. Lt. Col. Jeff Tolbert, a spokesman for U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, had told Fox News that Driscoll and his team met with Russian officials in Abu Dhabi on Monday and Tuesday to discuss the framework for a Ukraine peace deal. A U.S. official told Fox News that the Ukrainian delegation was also in Abu Dhabi and was in contact with Driscoll and his team. Fox News’ Ashley Carnahan and Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report.
Universities, school districts nationwide call for ‘decolonizing’ Thanksgiving: ‘Day of mourning’
As families across the U.S. gather on Thanksgiving to celebrate one of the nation’s most cherished national holidays, some educators and schools are lamenting the day, pushing back on its “colonial” roots, and incorporating diversity, equality and inclusion DEI into the holiday. At the University of California, Davis, the California History-Social Science Project, which describes itself as “Resources & professional learning for K-12 history-social science,” hosted a Zoom event called “Decolonizing Thanksgiving in the Classroom.” “We will discuss reframing classroom practices and rituals about Thanksgiving,” the event description explained. “Centering perspectives from Turtle Island (a name for North America used by some indigenous people) will help us decolonize Thanksgiving and spark new conversations about how to authentically make meaning of this holiday with our students.” Earlier this month, Washington University in St. Louis, an institution that has long been criticized over its DEI policies, put out a press release promoting an event that “highlights and honors the way different cultures recognize and understand Thanksgiving, both as part of their history and as a tradition brought into the present day.” CLICK HERE FOR MORE CAMPUS RADICALS COAST TO COAST The event was described as a way to “actively contribute to inclusive and equitable practices that influence individual and systemic change.” On Tuesday, Massachusetts Institute of Technology students are invited to the “4th annual Thanksgiving Myth-busting” event that is aimed at “continuing our exploration of the narratives justifying land grabs via colonialism” and includes a viewing of the TV show “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” Part of that effort, according to the invitation, includes students traveling in rental cars to the National Indigenous Day of Mourning (NDOM) rally in Plymouth, Massachusetts, at the location of the Mayflower’s landing. In a statement, an MIT spokesperson told Fox News Digital the school is closed on Thursday and Friday in honor of Thanksgiving. “In the same way that individuals are free at MIT to express their views, they are free to observe holidays as they wish, pray as they choose, share their ideas about holidays, and, yes, watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer if that’s what they freely choose to do,” the spokesperson said, adding that “the views expressed by an individual are their own and do not reflect those of MIT or the wider community on campus.” At the University of Massachusetts, the school referred to Thursday as a “Day of Mourning” in an announcement on its Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility website. “The National Day of Mourning is an annual demonstration, held on the fourth Thursday in November, that aims to educate the public about Native Americans in the United States, notably the Wampanoag and other tribes of the Eastern United States; dispel myths surrounding the Thanksgiving story in the United States; and raise awareness toward historical and ongoing struggles facing Native American tribes,” the announcement says. UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA SITE WARNS OF A ‘WHITENESS PANDEMIC,’ URGES WHITE PARENTS TO ‘RE-EDUCATE’ Earlier this month, the University of Maryland School of Public Policy hosted a talk called “Harvesting the Truth: Colonial Disruptions of Indigenous Food Systems & the Myths of Thanksgiving.” Students attending Albuquerque Public Schools in New Mexico were sent a November Indigenous Education update explaining that “many native people do not celebrate” Thanksgiving because it is a “reminder of the genocide of millions of Native people, the appropriation of Native lands, and the erasure of Indigenous cultures.” The school district also referred to Thanksgiving as a time of “mourning” for some. The Berkeley Unified School District in California also used the term “mourning” in its “Rethinking Thanksgiving Teaching Guide” while asking the community to consider the “painful legacy” and “nuanced perspectives” of the day. Paul Runko, senior director of Strategic Initiatives at Defending Education, told Fox News Digital, “Thanksgiving is meant to bring people together, not to divide students or cast blame over heritage. It is an opportunity for students, parents, and teachers to celebrate America, build unity in their communities, and share a meal with family and friends.” “236 years ago, President George Washington urged Americans to set aside a day to give thanks for the blessings and abundance of our nation. Presidents throughout our history have continued that tradition, reminding us each Thanksgiving to pause and reflect with gratitude.”
Giving thanks: Republican lawmakers express gratitude for ICE workers in DHS video
As Americans around the nation prepare to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, the Department of Homeland Security posted a video on social media that features a montage of Republican lawmakers expressing their gratitude for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement workers. Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa noted that with Thanksgiving approaching, she wanted to provide her “heartfelt thanks to the great men and women of ICE.” “This Thanksgiving, I thank you for your service, and for deporting the illegal invaders who’ve flooded our communities,” Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee said. DHS SAYS FOUR HOUSE DEMOCRATS ‘CHOSE TO STAND WITH CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIENS’ AFTER VISITING ICE DETAINEE The DHS post on X that features the video reads, “This Thanksgiving, we’re grateful to the dedicated men and women of @ICEgov who are working through the holiday to keep our communities safe. From the halls of Congress, thank you for your continued service and commitment.” The video, which also includes House Speaker Mike Johnson and various other Republicans, comes as President Donald Trump’s administration has been conducting an illegal immigration crackdown around the country. WAR ON BADGES: HOUSE GOP TARGETS ANTI-POLICE RHETORIC AMID ICE ATTACKS The Department of Homeland Security has noted a spike in reported assaults against ICE this year compared to last year. SANCTUARY POLITICIANS’ RHETORIC LED TO 1,150% SURGE IN VIOLENCE AGAINST ICE AGENTS: DHS CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “From January 21, 2024, through November 21, 2024, there were only 19 reported assaults against ICE law enforcement, while in the same timeframe in 2025 there were 238 reported assaults. This is a 1,153% increase in assaults,” a DHS release noted.
Muslim groups, other leaders demand Abbott rescind CAIR’s ‘terrorist’ designation: ‘Defamatory’
A group of Muslim and interfaith leaders are urging Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, to reverse his proclamation designating the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as a “foreign terrorist organization.” Texas’s designation is state-level only. It does not carry the legal force of a federal Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) listing, which only the U.S. State Department can issue. Abbott’s proclamation, therefore, does not trigger federal terrorism penalties or authorities. The leaders of several Muslim groups held a news conference on Tuesday to denounce the governor’s proclamation, which also labeled CAIR as a “a transnational criminal organization.” The groups called on the governor to retract his labeling of the civil rights group, calling it defamatory, destructive and dangerous, according to Fox 4. MUSLIM CIVIL RIGHTS GROUP CAIR SUES TEXAS OVER ABBOTT’S ‘TERRORIST’ DESIGNATION This comes after CAIR filed a lawsuit against Texas over the governor’s declaration, arguing that it violates both the U.S. Constitution and state law. CAIR argues the order violates its First Amendment rights and due-process protections, and that Texas overstepped its authority because terrorism designations fall under federal, not state, jurisdiction. “The governor is attempting to punish the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization simply because he disagrees with its protected First Amendment rights to criticize a foreign state that is conducting genocide. This is not only contrary to the United States Constitution, but finds no support in any Texas law,” Mustaffa Carroll, the executive director for CAIR Dallas Fort Worth, said at the news conference on Tuesday. “You know that CAIR has condemned Hamas attacks. You know that CAIR has spent 31 years fighting terrorism and bigotry. You know that the terrorism boogeyman you invoke is nothing more than a tired, formulated playbook to stoke fear of Muslims,” Marium Uddin of the Muslim Legal Defense Fund said on Tuesday. Leaders from other faiths, including Jewish voices, also spoke out against Abbott’s label. “We stand steadfast in solidarity with our comrades in CAIR and in unwavering support in their lawsuit against Abbott’s false and unconstitutional proclamation,” Jewish Voice for Peace’s Deborah Armintor said. State Rep. Terry Meza, a Democrat, added that the governor’s words “are not just wrong, they’re dangerous. Making comments like this is dangerous to our Muslim community.” TEXAS GOV ABBOTT DECLARES CAIR, MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD AS TERRORIST GROUPS, PREVENTING LAND PURCHASES The lawsuit is ongoing, and it remains unclear whether a court will uphold Abbott’s order or strike it down as exceeding state authority. The governor’s decree bars CAIR from buying land in the Lone Star State under a new statute aimed at curbing purchases tied to “foreign adversaries.” Abbott’s order also extended the “terrorist” label to the Muslim Brotherhood, despite the federal government never classifying either group that way.
Rep. Swalwell sues Trump official over mortgage fraud allegations: ‘A gross abuse of power’
Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., accused a top housing official of secretly pulling Democrats’ private mortgage records and weaponizing them to trigger federal criminal probes, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday. In the suit, filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., Swalwell claimed that Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte abused his position to obtain the mortgage records of numerous Democrats, which he used in criminal referrals to the Department of Justice (DOJ). The civil suit argued that the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) did not have the authority to obtain, use or leak private data belonging to several prominent Democrats, who are widely viewed as staunch critics of President Donald Trump. “Today I have filed a civil lawsuit against FHA Director Bill Pulte for violating the Privacy Act and First Amendment,” Swalwell said in a statement. “Director Pulte has combed through private records of political opponents. To silence them.” REPUBLICANS FEUD OVER ‘ARCTIC FROST’ ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURE, BUT CRITICS OFFER NO CLEAR ALTERNATIVE According to the lawsuit, Pulte “abused his position” by scouring government-sponsored databases for the private records of a number of Democrats, including Swalwell, which he then used “to concoct fanciful allegations of mortgage fraud” that he referred to the DOJ for prosecution, the lawsuit stated. The DOJ opened a probe into Swalwell on Nov. 13 over alleged mortgage fraud. The lawsuit stated that Pulte claimed in his referral to the DOJ that Swalwell falsely claimed his D.C. home as his primary residence on a mortgage agreement to help secure more favorable loan terms. But the California Democrat’s suit described the allegations in the referral as a “gross mischaracterization of reality” that represents “a gross abuse of power that violated the law.” “The allegations in Pulte’s referral are patently false,” the suit argued. The DOJ probe came as Swalwell set his sights on a higher office, announcing last week that he is launching a campaign for California governor in 2026. The lawsuit claims that the release of his personal information has harmed his reputation ahead of his gubernatorial campaign and forced him to “expend personal resources” as he fights the DOJ probe. LAWYERS FOR COOK, DOJ TRADE BLOWS AT HIGH-STAKES CLASH OVER FED FIRING Swalwell added in his complaint that the “widespread publication of information about the home where his wife and young children reside has exposed him to heightened security risks and caused him significant anguish and distress.” Swalwell claims in his suit that his political views have “earned him the ire of President Trump.” The lawsuit points to additional referrals FHFA made to the DOJ involving political figures who are seen as critics of Trump, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Lisa Cook, a member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, arguing that there is a pattern of political retaliation. A federal judge threw out the indictment against Letitia James on Monday. Swalwell argued that Pulte’s “unlawful actions” were intentional and represented “a purposeful attack on core democratic norms and reflect a base desire to achieve exactly what the First Amendment and the Privacy Act exist to prevent: the use of government machinery to chill and silence the government’s critics.” Swalwell is seeking damages, a declaration that FHFA violated federal law and an injunction forcing the agency to retract its referral. Pulte and the Federal Housing Finance Agency did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
DHS says four House Democrats ‘chose to stand with criminal illegal aliens’ after visiting ICE detainee
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Tuesday accused several House Democrats of meeting with a criminal illegal immigrant at an ICE detention facility, calling the visit a move in which they “chose to stand with criminal illegal aliens over American citizens.” According to the department, four House Democrats — Reps. Juan Vargas, Mike Levin, Sara Jacobs and Scott Peters — visited the ICE San Diego Field Office on Monday and requested to speak with the Honduran national, who has been accused of kidnapping and abusing his spouse. “Democrats once again chose to stand with a criminal illegal alien over American citizens,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “This criminal illegal alien these Democrat lawmakers met with has been charged with kidnapping and domestic abuse.” Peters’ office told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that the lawmakers did not specifically request to speak with that detainee. The members reportedly asked to speak with “any detainee” during their oversight visit and were brought Rojas-Molina. The office added that DHS did not present any evidence that the detainee was convicted of such crimes. DHS TORCHES ‘BAMBOOZLED’ DEMS FOR CALLING ICE CRACKDOWN ‘VICIOUS LIES’ “The members asked weeks ago to conduct an oversight visit, ensuring that due process is followed and everyone is being afforded their legal rights,” Communications Director Lena Jacobson said. “They were finally allowed to do so yesterday. They did not ask to speak with Mr. Rojas-Molina. There were three detainees present. The members asked to speak with any detainee. This is the person who ICE presented to them. DHS has not provided any evidence to Rep. Peters’ office to show Mr. Rojas-Molina was convicted of the crimes they allege he committed.” McLaughlin described the representatives as “sanctuary politicians” who “continue to smear” efforts made by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to remove offenders from the country. “These sanctuary politicians continue to smear law enforcement and falsely claim ICE is not targeting the worst of the worst. It’s disgusting that these sanctuary politicians continue to do the bidding of criminal illegal aliens.” Dennis Mauricio Rojas-Molina, who was deported from the U.S. a decade ago, was arrested in May on charges of kidnapping and spousal battery. In the summer of 2015, during the Obama administration, Rojas-Molina was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol near Lukeville, Arizona, but was later released into the country. An immigration judge issued a final order of removal several months after his arrest, and he was deported Oct. 14, 2015. He subsequently reentered the United States illegally at an unknown date and time. SENATE DEM DICK DURBIN ACCUSES TRUMP ADMIN OF ‘TERRORIZING PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES’ In a video posted to Rep. Mike Levin’s X account on Monday featuring all four lawmakers at a news conference, Levin confirmed they had visited a detainee who was recently arrested, though he did not name the individual. He noted that the man has two children — ages 11 and 5. “Folks like him need a path to stay,” Levin said of the detainees the representatives visited. “They need a path to legal status so that they can continue to work hard and contribute positively to our economy. … We need to treat them better than this.” Fox News Digital reached out to Reps. Juan Vargas, Mike Levin and Sara Jacobs for more information. DHS added that ICE continues to arrest the “worst of the worst” criminal illegal immigrants despite Democrats’ claims that the department is not prioritizing offenders, citing Rep. Sara Jacobs’ post on X Monday stating, “ICE isn’t going after criminals; they’re targeting your neighbors and friends.” “Seventy percent of the illegal aliens arrested by ICE have criminal convictions or pending charges in the United States,” DHS said, adding that the department continues to focus its enforcement efforts on murderers, rapists, gang members, pedophiles, terrorists and other dangerous individuals. The department also emphasized that the figure does not reflect those wanted for crimes in other countries, those with Interpol notices or those facing human rights-related violations.
NYC Council welcomes new mayor with bill that would dramatically raise salaries for city officials
Zohran Mamdani and other top New York City officials could see their salaries jump under a proposed 16% pay hike that council members are hoping to push through soon, according to reports. A bill introduced by Councilwoman Nantasha Williams, D-Queens, would raise members’ salaries from $148,500 to $172,500, the New York Post reported Tuesday. If passed, the pay hike would also apply to the new mayor, public advocate, comptroller and borough presidents. It would put Mamdani’s pay at nearly $300,000, up from the current $258,000, the outlet said. NYC MAYOR-ELECT MAMDANI ASKS SUPPORTERS FOR $4M TO FUND TRANSITION, VOWS NO WEALTHY DONORS Other top officials, such as the comptroller, public advocate, and borough presidents, would see comparable increases. The legislation would be introduced this week with a hearing by year’s end, allowing the next City Council to vote in January for a swifter approval. Council members last received a raise in 2016. Interestingly, it was Mamdani who built out a platform centered on affordability for working-class New Yorkers. FOX NEWS’ MARTHA MACCALLUM TO INTERVIEW NEW YORK MAYORAL CANDIDATE ZOHRAN MAMDANI The Ugandan-born 34-year-old pledged free buses, rent freezes on rent-stabilized apartments, universal childcare and city-run grocery stores during his campaign for New York City mayor. He also campaigned on a gradual increase of the minimum wage to $30 an hour by 2030. Mamdani has said these proposals would be funded primarily by raising taxes on wealthy individuals and large corporations. As a state assembly member in 2022, Mamdani also voted for a pay raise for state legislators. MAMDANI LAUGHS OFF CRITICISM THAT HIS TAX HIKE PROPOSALS WILL COMPEL NEW YORKERS TO FLEE The latest NYC pay hike plans were originally headed for Mayor Eric Adams’ desk, but that schedule was shelved, according to the Post. “If we have a hearing on the bill this year, we don’t need a hearing on it next year. It’s pre-considered,” Williams told The Post. When the outlet asked her if the council would pass the pay hike bill in January, Williams responded, “That’s the goal.” A source also said that the pay hike legislation puts Mamdani in a predicament. He could veto the bill or approve a law “making New York more affordable for the political class,” the source said. Fox News Digital has reached out to Zohran Mamdani for comment.