EXCLUSIVE: Fed timeline challenges reports of migrant baby facing immigration judge alone
FIRST ON FOX: A federal timeline provided by officials overseeing unaccompanied migrant children challenges reports that a 1-year-old boy was left to navigate immigration court without counsel, showing that legal service providers intervened to secure representation following an initial hearing. Addressing media reports highlighting toddlers appearing before immigration judges, Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) Acting Director Angie Salazar and Senior Advisor John Fabbricatore pushed back on headlines alleging systemic gaps in child legal representation, arguing that contractor failures and lack of invoice oversight created the initial court lapses. “We don’t have this big movement where we have a bunch of 1-year-olds who are going to court,” Fabbricatore told Fox News Digital. SEX CRIMINALS, GANG MEMBERS ABUSED CHILD IMMIGRATION PROGRAM TO ENTER US, DHS REVEALS According to ORR timeline records obtained by Fox News Digital, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers first encountered the 1-year-old boy and his 17-year-old mother near Naco, Arizona, on June 25. The child was accompanied by his mother at all court proceedings. The critical gap occurred in July under the agency’s former contractor, the Acacia Center for Justice, records show. On July 1, Acacia completed legal orientation and consultation for the mother and child, but failed to file an E28 notice of appearance before the immigration court. Consequently, during the child’s first scheduled court hearing on July 8, no attorney was present — not even as a friend of the court — despite Acacia holding an active federal legal services contract at the time. The federal legal services contract with Acacia officially ended July 31. FORMER USCIS OFFICIAL, ACCOMPLICE CHARGED IN ALLEGED $960K CITIZENSHIP BRIBERY SCHEME Following the end of the Acacia contract, the agency transitioned legal service oversight to the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI), which officially initiated legal services Aug. 5. During an Aug. 7 appearance, the mother and child were granted additional time to obtain counsel, while USCRI representatives attended subsequent hearings on Aug. 17 and Aug. 28 as a friend of the court. On Aug. 31, a motion was filed by the friend of the court and mother requesting court-appointed counsel at government expense, which was later denied by the immigration judge. Progress continued into September as child advocates were officially appointed on Sept. 23, and USCRI filed a formal E28 notice of appearance on Sept. 25 to become the attorney of record. On Sept. 29, USCRI officially represented both mother and child in immigration court. The judge subsequently granted a continuance on Oct. 2, leading into a follow-up hearing scheduled for Friday. Officials explained that the July breakdowns highlighted the core reason the administration terminated Acacia’s multimillion-dollar contract, which was awarded under the Biden administration in November 2023. According to federal contract records on USAspending.gov, the Department of Health and Human Services had awarded the Acacia Center for Justice a $356.3 million bridge contract for legal services for unaccompanied children. Of that total award, more than $236.9 million had been outlaid prior to the contract’s dissolution. The network previously provided counsel to roughly 20,000 migrant children across the U.S., according to its website. “I knew we were signing off on every invoice that we were receiving for legal services to the tune of $20-plus million sometimes each month,” she told Fox News Digital. “So it made no sense to me that legal service providers were saying kids were unrepresented for a lack of funding.” “I tried to understand who was represented before,” she added. “I tried to understand what we were paying for under this direct representation, but the invoices we received were completely redacted. There is no way I could ever know exactly what service was provided during the month.” Fox News Digital has reached out to the Acacia Center for Justice for comment. The contract funded a slew of services, including legal screenings, representations and presentations on the rights of migrant children in detention. Following the dissolution of the Acacia contract, the ORR entered into a $20 million contract with USCRI, which expires Dec. 31. “So USCRI was showing up in court as a friend of the court to ensure that there was at least somebody present in case Acacia did not show up,” Fabbricatore said. “Now, as those cases are being looked at, USCRI is able to go in and actually meet with these children and then represent them in a follow-up hearing. So there may be some hearings where a child shows up, and initially they don’t have representation, but USCRI will be there, identify that child, and then be able to move forward in the future as a representative for that child.” WOMAN EXPOSED RUNNING VISA FRAUD SCHEME SPANNING YEARS, POSING AS IMMIGRATION OFFICER Salazar emphasized that ORR officials track which children are represented by which lawyers on specific dates, noting that the agency respects attorney-client privilege. “The former provider refused to give us those measurables,” Fabbricatore said. “They refused to give us the alien registration number so we could determine what cases they were actually representing. They didn’t want to give that. They refused to give that, and that was a holdup for us because we needed to know who was actually being represented so we can ensure that every kid at least had their legal orientation and had a legal representative that was talking to them.” HUNDREDS OF JAILED ILLEGAL ALIENS RELEASED BACK ONTO BLUE-STATE STREETS DESPITE ICE DETAINERS, RECORDS SHOW Salazar noted that about 2% of migrant children in ORR custody are under the age of 5. Another 85% are ages 13 to 17, with 62% falling into the 16-to-17 bracket. “What we said to our new grantee (USCRI): ‘We want you in 100% of the hearings where kids in our care are showing up to their immigration hearings,’” she said. “That is happening. I think we’re at like 98%.” Fabbricatore added there are currently 1,690 migrant children in ORR custody. “Under Biden, they had 22,000 in care a day. So it’s a very vast difference,” he said. “We’ve
White House blasts Biden border policies ahead of Trump Florida visit, citing brutal hammer killing
EXCLUSIVE – The White House is highlighting the brutal hammer killing of a Florida mother as President Donald Trump prepares to headline a midterm rally in Fort Myers on Friday, with a spokesperson telling Fox News Digital that the case demonstrates the consequences of former President Joe Biden’s border policies. Trump is scheduled to speak at 2 p.m. at Florida Gulf Coast University’s Alico Arena ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections. The White House is pointing to the killing in the same city as it prepares to put a spotlight on the president’s immigration enforcement record. “A few short months ago, an illegal alien barbarically killed a woman outside of a gas station in Fort Myers by hitting her on the head with a hammer multiple times,” White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis told Fox News Digital exclusively. DEM-LED PUSH TO EXTEND PROTECTIONS FOR HAITIANS FACES OUTRAGE AFTER BRUTAL HAMMER KILLING “This heinous murderer was RELEASED into the country by the Biden administration. Not only did the Biden administration release him into the country, but they then gave him Temporary Protected Status. This is the result of Democrats open-border policies. If you import the third world, you become the third world.” Trump previously condemned the killing in an April Truth Social post, calling the surveillance video “one of the most vicious things you will ever see” and blaming the Biden administration for allowing the suspect into the country. “This one killing should be enough for these Radical Judges to STOP impeding my Administration’s Immigration Policies,” Trump wrote at the time. The remarks refer to the brazen killing of a Florida mother in April. Haitian national Rolbert Joachim is accused of repeatedly striking the woman in the head with a hammer outside a Fort Myers gas station. ICE-LED FLORIDA OPERATION NETS 500 — INCLUDING ILLEGAL ALIENS ACCUSED OF MURDER, CHILD ABUSE, CARTEL TIES According to the Department of Homeland Security, surveillance video showed the suspect smashing the woman’s windshield before approaching her and repeatedly striking her in the head with a hammer in broad daylight. The victim, a gas station clerk and mother of two teenage daughters, died in the attack. Fort Myers police enlisted Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to help locate Joachim, who was subsequently arrested on Mango Street, DHS said. The department said Joachim entered the United States in August 2022 and was released into the country under the Biden administration. A federal judge issued a final removal order against him that year, but he later received Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which expired in 2024. The designation allows eligible foreign nationals from certain countries to remain and work temporarily in the United States because of conditions in their home countries. It does not provide permanent residency. TRUMP ADMIN MARKS 15 STRAIGHT MONTHS WITH ZERO BORDER RELEASES AS APPREHENSIONS PLUNGE 94% The White House is putting a spotlight on the case as Trump prepares to address supporters in southwest Florida, a region that has delivered strong election results for the president. Trump carried Florida in all three of his presidential campaigns, expanding his statewide winning margin from roughly one percentage point in 2016 to more than 13 points in 2024. In Lee County, home to Fort Myers, Trump won 63.6% of the vote in 2024, compared with 35.3% for former Vice President Kamala Harris, according to official county election results. The White House says Trump’s immigration crackdown has led to 17 straight months without releases at the border and the deportation of more than 3 million people who were in the United States illegally. DHS said in April that ICE had lodged an immigration detainer against Joachim following his arrest and that he would face deportation regardless of the outcome of his criminal case. Prosecutors later announced they would seek the death penalty against Joachim, according to local reporting. Friday’s rally comes as Trump continues to hit the campaign trail supporting Republican candidates across the country ahead of the midterm elections.
Trump sidelines sweeping Russia sanctions as GOP allies warn pressure on Putin is slipping
President Donald Trump is holding back on sweeping new economic penalties Congress handed him to squeeze Russia. He is betting that keeping those sanctions in reserve will help bring Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table, a strategy drawing criticism from Republican allies amid questions about whether Moscow believes he will ever use them. Over roughly a week, the administration waived most of the new Russia sanctions and tariffs enacted last month while separately easing restrictions on Russian diesel exports, moves one foreign policy expert described as Trump’s most significant effort yet to unwind economic pressure on Moscow. “It’s probably the biggest effort that the Trump administration has made to start unwinding the U.S. sanctions architecture that’s been in place against Russia since 2022 or even earlier in some cases,” Hal Brands, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, told Fox News Digital. TRUMP TRIES DIFFERENT APPROACH WITH RUSSIA TO BRING AMERICANS RELIEF AMID ONGOING WAR WITH UKRAINE Trump argues that imposing the new penalties could drive Russia away from peace negotiations. But Brands said repeatedly holding back economic punishment risks convincing Putin that Washington is unwilling to follow through on its threats. “The threat of imposition may lose some credibility if over a period of time you’ve demonstrated that you would prefer not to impose those penalties in the first place,” Brands said. REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS BREAK WITH TRUMP ON DIESEL DEAL WITH RUSSIA The decision has drawn criticism from Republicans who helped advance the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, including Trump allies who worked with his White House to pass it. Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., who played a leading role in passing the legislation and joined Trump in the Oval Office when he signed it last month, said Tuesday the administration should be turning up economic pressure on Moscow. “It is my belief that we need to use economic firepower to help drive Putin to the table,” Britt told Semafor. “I believe that Russia is at the darkest point that they’ve been at in this entire war, and now is the time for us to turn up the pressure.” Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., said Congress had coordinated the legislation’s timing with the White House, making Trump’s decision to waive most of its new penalties particularly surprising. “This was an act of Congress that we had worked with the White House on,” Capito said. “We had timed this to when the president and the White House felt it was a good time to move forward with this, where it could be effective.” Other Republicans were more blunt in their criticism. “Beyond irresponsible,” Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., wrote on X. “What part of enforcing a law passed 86-11 by the Senate does the President and his advisors not understand?” “It’s unconscionable that this administration is capitulating to a Russian dictator who illegally invaded Ukraine and butchers innocent civilians every single day,” he added. Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., the lead sponsor of the legislation named for her late brother and a Trump-endorsed candidate, said she would “choose to keep the pressure on Russia” because “I don’t trust Putin and I don’t trust Russia.” The Graham Act, signed into law in September, provided for steep tariffs targeting Russia and major purchasers of Russian energy, along with sanctions on Russian financial institutions and foreign entities doing significant business with them. Congress also included presidential waiver authority, which Trump invoked to put most of the law’s new Russia penalties on hold. Brands said including a waiver was not necessarily a mistake, even if it ultimately allowed Trump to avoid imposing the penalties lawmakers had sought. “It’s really tough to craft a sanctions or tariffs bill that forces the president to do something, and typically you don’t want to do that because there are always circumstances one can imagine in which you might want to be able to waive sanctions,” he said. Trump has defended his decision as necessary to keep Putin at the negotiating table. “My decision on Russia is a very simple one. I am in the process of negotiating Peace in the war between Russia and Ukraine, and don’t want to do anything that will drive, foolishly, Russia away from the bargaining table,” Trump wrote Sunday. In his formal certification to Congress, Trump said imposing the Graham Act penalties now “would impede ongoing U.S. efforts to negotiate a durable and comprehensive peace.” He left open the possibility of imposing them later to “incentivize resolution” of the war. Brands acknowledged that holding sanctions in reserve can give a president bargaining power, but questioned whether Putin believes Trump is prepared to follow through. “The challenge is that it’s been clear for about 18 months now, since Lindsey Graham started pushing this bill in the first place in the early parts of 2025, that the president simply doesn’t have much appetite for squeezing the Russian energy export system to the degree that people like the late Senator Graham envisioned and desired,” Brands said. The administration has separately eased existing restrictions to allow more Russian diesel onto the market, a move intended to relieve pressure on global fuel prices. Trump has criticized Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries, arguing they are straining diesel markets. Energy Secretary Chris Wright has described sanctions relief as a “carrot” that could encourage Russia to de-escalate. Brands said the immediate financial benefit to Moscow from diesel relief is probably “fairly marginal.” The more consequential decision, he argued, was Trump’s refusal to activate the broader sanctions and tariffs Congress authorized. “There’s a potential for pretty serious pressure to be exerted if he had used both the sanctions authorities and essentially the secondary tariff authorities to go after purchasers of Russian energy products overseas,” Brands said. Such measures could “put a fairly significant squeeze on the Russian war economy” while discouraging other countries from doing business with Moscow, he added. Brands acknowledged that squeezing Russian energy exports could further
Trump pushback, Biden ‘disaster’ and gender surprise: 5 key moments from Kansas Senate debate
Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., and Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton sparred over President Donald Trump, immigration, Iran, transgender athletes, artificial intelligence and personal controversies during a contentious Kansas Senate debate Wednesday night. The hourlong showdown came less than two weeks before Election Day as Marshall seeks a second term and Hamilton, a longtime pastor, tries to become the first Democrat elected to the U.S. Senate from Kansas since 1932. The race has drawn increased national attention as Republicans and Democrats battle for control of the Senate, with Trump traveling to Kansas earlier this week to campaign for Marshall â a topic touched on during the debate. Here are five moments that stood out from Wednesday night’s debate. SLEEPER SENATE RACE EMERGES AS UNEXPECTED HEADACHE FOR REPUBLICANS AHEAD OF MIDTERMS The debate wasted little time getting contentious, opening with questions about controversies that have fueled attacks against both candidates. Marshall was confronted with a New York Times review that found his former medical practice sued more than 700 patients over unpaid bills. “Every year we gave away $3 to $4 million of charity, but we also had a business,” Marshall responded. “We had 300 employees, we had a mortgage payment, we had electric.” Hamilton, meanwhile, was questioned about his handling of allegations involving a volunteer at his church’s summer camp who was accused of sexual abuse. Hamilton acknowledged that he should have ensured the individual did not return to the camp following an initial investigation. FROM ‘THIRD REICH’ TO âNOT THAT INFORMEDâ: SENATE DEBATES DELIVER FIREWORKS BEFORE MIDTERMS “I should have checked to make sure that he wasn’t going back,” Hamilton said. “That was a mistake on my part.” Trump became part of the debate after moderators played footage from the president’s campaign appearance for Marshall in Kansas earlier in the week. “And at this election, I’m asking you to pretend, please, that I’m on the ballot. Just pretend,” Trump told the crowd. Marshall was then asked whether Trump’s support meant Kansans should expect him to back every part of the president’s agenda. “No,” Marshall responded, saying there had been “multiple times” when he objected to Trump. Pressed to identify a specific disagreement, Marshall pointed to recent immigration enforcement in southwest Kansas and Trump’s approach to beef imports. “Just like with my wife, I can disagree with her. My wife is always right,” Marshall joked. “And President Trump is not always right.” Marshall nevertheless urged Trump voters to turn out for him, arguing that electing Hamilton could help Democrats capture the Senate. The two rivals found themselves in agreement when the moderator asked each candidate how many genders there are. “There’s two. There’s a boy and there’s a girl,” Marshall said. “I delivered 5,000 of them and almost half were boys and half were girls.” “There are two genders, male and female,” Hamilton responded. TOP TAKEAWAYS FROM JD VANCE TOWN HALL: COSTLY GAS, DC CORRUPTION, IMMIGRATION HOT TAKES AND THE WAR The candidates then turned to the debate over transgender participation in women’s sports. Hamilton said decisions over athletic eligibility should generally be made locally but was unequivocal about whether biological males should compete against females. “I have a 12-year-old granddaughter. I don’t want biological men or boys competing against her that could harm her,” Hamilton said. “It’s not a fair, fair fight.” Marshall argued that by high school, “boys need to be in boys sports, girls in girls sports,” while accusing national Democrats of pushing “transgender ideology.” Hamilton later accused Marshall of using the issue to “pick on” and “bully” people. Hamilton called for greater federal oversight of artificial intelligence and compared the emerging technology to the development of nuclear power and nuclear weapons. “We developed a Nuclear Regulatory Commission. We need to do the same thing with AI,” Hamilton said. But when the moderator pressed him to identify specific federal regulations he would support, Hamilton acknowledged he did not yet have an answer. “You know what? I’m not sure, to be honest,” Hamilton said, arguing that even experts are struggling to understand the technology’s potential dangers. Marshall advocated a “light touch” approach focused on national security, transparency, protecting children and privacy, while slamming a one-size-fits-all global order for artificial intelligence advancement. Hamilton pushed back sharply. “This is an existential â potential existential threat to the human race,” Hamilton said. “We can’t just go with a light touch and hope everybody does their best.” BIDEN CONSPICUOUSLY ABSENT FROM CAMPAIGN TRAIL AS OBAMA, HARRIS STEP UP FOR MIDTERM PUSH Hamilton sought to put distance between himself and former President Joe Biden when moderators challenged the Democrat over his claim that he would “lead from the middle.” The moderator pointed to Hamilton’s past donations to Democrats, including Biden, former Vice President Kamala Harris and Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kan., before asking him to identify a progressive policy he opposed. “The Biden policies when it came to the border were a disaster,” Hamilton responded. “I believe in strong and secure borders.” “I’m not somebody who favors the Socialist Party,” Hamilton added. “I’m somebody who stands in the middle.” Hamilton also reiterated during the debate that he would not support Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for majority leader if Democrats capture control of the chamber.
Antifa supporter charged with stealing GOP campaign signs in NY race to replace Stefanik
A New York man was arrested after he was allegedly captured on video stealing campaign signs belonging to Republican congressional candidate Anthony Constantino while driving his employer’s vehicle. Josef Marris was charged with two counts of criminal possession of stolen property, according to the Essex County Sheriff’s Office. He was also fired from East Branch Organics, according to Constantino’s campaign. Constantino, who is running in New York’s 21st Congressional District, said the alleged thefts were intended to intimidate his supporters. TRUMP ENDORSES STICKER MULE CEO WHO BATTLED OFFICIALS OVER 100-FOOT PRO-TRUMP SIGN FOR STEFANIK’S HOUSE SEAT “My campaign has lost more than $100,000 to sign theft and vandalism,” Constantino told Fox News Digital. “There are now multiple attempts to intimidate my supporters by people who are clearly pro-crime and pro-violence. The media needs to stop pretending this is a both-sides problem.” Constantino’s campaign alleged that Marris carried out the thefts on behalf of Democratic candidate Blake Gendebien. Gendebien’s campaign did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. TOP ELECTION SCHEMES ROILING KEY MIDTERM RACES AS BOTH PARTIES ACCUSE RIVALS OF TRICKERY Constantino also criticized Gendebien in a post on X, writing that the Democrat “is surrounded by FAR LEFT EXTREMISTS.” WE NEED TO TALK TO COMMUNISTS BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH THEY NEED TO LEARN Marris has described himself as a communist and an Antifa supporter, according to social media posts reviewed by Fox News Digital. In April 2023, he posted an image of the three-arrow symbol, which has historically been associated with several socialist and anti-fascist movements. The symbol alone does not establish that Marris is a member of Antifa or that Gendebien’s campaign had any connection to the alleged thefts. THE BLUE WAVE LOOKS REAL UNTIL YOU LOOK A LITTLE CLOSER The incident comes as Gendebien leads Constantino in a closely watched race to succeed retiring Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., in the 21st Congressional District. One of the district’s media stations, North Country Public Radio, has flipped the congressional district from “solid” Republican to “likely” Republican.
Trump’s MAGA faithful send warning to Republicans ahead of high-stakes midterm elections
SIOUX CITY, Iowa — President Donald Trump‘s loyal base of supporters still have his and Republicans’ back in Iowa, but some are growing concerned over lingering issues, like the economy and gridlock in Congress, as Election Day nears. Trump and Republicans ran on a platform of lowering inflation, halting “forever wars” and repairing an economy that they say was wrecked by former President Joe Biden and his administration. But prices are still high, and the war in Iran is still ongoing, causing a spike in fuel prices that have stuck around heading into Nov. 3. Outside of Trump’s rally in Sioux City, Iowa, where the president was set to rile up support for Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, in a tightening Senate race against Iowa state Rep. Josh Turek, his supporters who spoke with Fox News Digital still backed Republicans but expressed hope that change would soon come. VOTERS PREPARE TO WEIGH-IN ON TRUMP’S ECONOMY AS COSTS CONTINUE TO SURGE Beth Fitzl, an Iowa voter, said of Trump that she didn’t “agree with everything he does, but in the end, he’s here for us.” “This is the way I see it,” Fitzl told Fox News Digital. “He’s like the Packers, OK? They may be getting in deep, but they always pull it off in the end, and I truly think he’s going to do something to turn it around. I really think he’s going to pull something to turn it around.” Chuck Jones, a veteran and Purple Heart recipient who made the trek from Minnesota for the Iowa rally, was frustrated about the divisive, tribal nature of politics. He told Fox News Digital that “these politicians, they’re fighting for one thing on one side, and other people are fighting for something on the other side, but there’s nobody sitting at the table in the middle.” TRUMP VOTERS REVEAL THEIR BIGGEST FEAR HEADING INTO MIDTERMS — AND IT’S NOT RISING PRICES When asked if Republicans and Trump needed to do something different should they hold onto control of Washington, D.C., after the election, Jones said, “Well, I think it’s time that we’re going to have to show some difference, because people aren’t happy with the way things have been in the last few years.” “And we’re going to have to do something about it and decisively show the American public that you can get it done and get it done correctly,” he said. “They’re going to have to work together instead of fighting each other.” Hinson’s race is one of six toss-ups that Republicans in the Senate are trying to hold onto. She and Turek are vying for Republican Sen. Joni Ernst’s seat after she opted to retire from the upper chamber last year. Their race, like others during this cycle, has become surprisingly close, given that Trump won the state in 2024 by roughly 13 points and has won it each time he’s been on the ballot. THUNE MAKES BOLD PREDICTION ABOUT REPUBLICANS’ SENATE CHANCES AS GOP PULLS MILLIONS FROM KEY RACES Dawn Stanley, an Iowa voter who has voted for Trump in each of the last three elections, still planned to support him and Hinson. She told Fox News Digital that Turek hadn’t “showed up” for Iowa and noted that he’d been absent from the state legislature “42% of the time” — Turek missed 261 votes between January and May of this year while on the campaign trail. Still, her biggest frustration with Republicans was their inability to pass the SAVE America Act, voter ID and election security legislation that has been consistently blocked by Senate Democrats. “I really do think it comes down to the SAVE Act,” Stanley said. “I really do, because we can’t have all these Democrats in there and bringing over all these illegals who are going to vote for those people and have chaos. That’s what it is.” “The United States is in chaos and I really believe it’s because of the illegals and the Islamic terrorists that are coming over,” she continued. “And just look at what’s going on in France. I mean, it’s terrible. And I don’t want that for our country, and that’s what Trump can stop. And that’s why we need to bring in all the conservatives that we can.” Others were concerned about Democrats regaining power and feared that Republicans may not show up on Nov. 3 to support GOP candidates. “We need to get the people out to vote,” Kurt, who traveled from South Dakota for the rally, told Fox News Digital. “Republican people need to get out the vote. They stay home too much. This is a war to be won with the Left, as far as I’m concerned.”
‘I basically snapped’: New Jersey mayor charges at resident during chaotic council meeting
A New Jersey Republican mayor charged toward a resident during a chaotic township council meeting this week and had to be physically restrained as he shouted threats at the man, dramatic video shows. Pemberton Township Mayor Matthew Bianchini, a Republican, rushed toward the resident during Wednesday night’s meeting before several people intervened and pulled him away. The resident, Michael Sawka, is a vocal critic of the mayor, according to WPVI-TV. “I’m getting you,” Bianchini can be heard shouting. FORMER GAMBINO ASSOCIATE TURNED NEW JERSEY COUNCILMAN ACCUSED OF RUNNING LOANSHARKING RING WHILE IN OFFICE Video of the meeting shows Bianchini lunging toward Sawka before being restrained by others in attendance. As he was removed, Bianchini could be heard shouting additional threats at Sawka, including profanity. Following the meeting, Bianchini admitted that he lost his temper. “I just basically snapped,” Bianchini told WPVI. “I hate to put it this way, but it’s a long time coming.” The mayor acknowledged that his conduct was inappropriate. SLAIN NEW JERSEY MOM’S AUTOPSY REPORT RELEASED MONTHS AFTER STABBING DEATH AT HOME “I should not have said that,” he told the station. “That was wrong. It was in the heat of the moment. I’m not gonna get anybody.” The confrontation happened while a recently fired township employee was addressing the council. Bianchini and members of his family told WPVI that Sawka and another resident made rude comments toward the mayor’s wife and daughter, who were seated in the room. Sawka can be seen gesturing toward the back of the room before making an obscene gesture toward Bianchini, shortly before the mayor charged at him. “Was it wrong? Absolutely. Was it justified? Absolutely. And I would do it again if I had to,” Bianchini said. DEMOCRATS FURIOUS AFTER POLLSTER BOOSTING FAR-LEFT CANDIDATES ADMITS FABRICATING SURVEYS: ‘ABSOLUTE SCUMBAGS’ He added, “Don’t attack my family.” Sawka denied making comments directed at Bianchini’s family and said he remained seated during the confrontation. “I’m just sitting there. I never got up. I sat there the whole time. I was calm the whole time,” he told WPVI. Sawka filed a municipal court complaint Thursday seeking assault and terroristic threats charges against Bianchini, according to WPVI. Police have not said whether they will pursue charges. Fox News Digital has reached out to Pemberton Township police for comment. The Pemberton Township Democratic Club responded to the confrontation by saying the township deserves leaders who can “stay composed and professional” and urged residents to participate in the upcoming election, in which Bianchini is seeking to retain his position. Fox News Digital has reached out to the mayor’s office for comment.
NYC votes to end nearly 170-year-old horse carriage tradition as Trump blasts ban, drivers threaten lawsuit
The New York City Council voted Thursday to ban horse-drawn carriages by June 2028, moving to end a nearly 170-year tradition after the death of a teenager in Central Park and prompting threats of legal action from carriage drivers. The council voted 40-7, with two abstentions, to approve Romanch’s Law, named after 18-year-old Romanch Mahajan, who died in June after being thrown from a runaway carriage in Central Park. The legislation would phase out the industry by June 1, 2028, while requiring Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration to develop a transition program for more than 150 active carriage drivers and other workers. The plan would include job training, career counseling and employment referrals, although financial compensation is not guaranteed. MAMDANI PRAISED OVER MOVE TO DISMANTLE CONTROVERSIAL NYC INDUSTRY — BUT INSIDERS SAY THERE’S MORE TO THE STORY President Donald Trump weighed in on the decision Thursday, criticizing the move to eliminate one of New York City’s longtime tourist attractions. “The Horse-drawn Carriage in New York City is a quintessential New York experience. So sad that, for political reasons, we will see it go!” he wrote on Truth Social. The Transport Workers Union (TWU), which represents carriage industry workers, threatened to challenge the ban in federal court and seek a temporary restraining order. Union representatives accused City Council Speaker Julie Menin of failing to adequately consult drivers whose livelihoods are at stake. MAN KILLED AFTER HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE BOLTS AND FLIPS NEAR POPULAR NEW YORK CITY TOURIST DESTINATION Opponents argued the city had failed to establish a concrete financial plan for drivers and carriage owners. An effort to delay the phaseout until January 2030 failed before the final vote. Menin defended the legislation Thursday, saying the council had strengthened worker protections and was prepared for a legal fight. “We’re very confident in the legislation. That’s why we took the time to work over the summer on the legislation,” she said at a news conference. “We made changes to legislation to beef up worker protection. We are very confident in defending this law and will vigorously defend it. I’ve already talked to Steve Banks about it and our team, and we will vigorously defend this law.” Animal rights group PETA also celebrated the vote, pledging $50,000 to help carriage horses retire as the industry winds down. The Central Park Conservancy celebrated the decision, arguing that horse-drawn carriages pose growing safety risks in a park that welcomes roughly 40 million visits annually. MAMDANI, CITY COUNCIL MOVE TO END ICONIC NYC HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE INDUSTRY AS WORKERS FACE UNCERTAIN FUTURE “In the modern era, carriages pose a serious — and even fatal — safety risk to park visitors, carriage drivers and the horses themselves. Our hearts break for the family of Romanch Mahajan, who stepped into a carriage earlier this summer and never thought he might lose his life,” the organization wrote in a press release. The Conservancy said Mahajan’s death was the ninth carriage-related incident in just over a year. The legislation also includes protections intended to prevent retired carriage horses from being sold for slaughter, while allowing owners to keep their animals. The bill now heads to Mamdani, who has expressed support for ending the industry. If signed, it would bring an end to a decades-long political battle over one of New York City’s most recognizable tourist attractions.
DOJ opens investigation into Trump ally Corey Lewandowski
The Justice Department (DOJ) has launched an investigation into longtime Trump advisor Corey Lewandowski, a source familiar with the matter told Fox News. The probe stems from a criminal referral sent to the Justice Department by the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general, marking a legal escalation for the high-profile political figure. Asked about the inquiry by reporters outside the White House, President Donald Trump said he wants his staff held accountable and that he had “heard something about it.” “All I know is I want my people to be honest,” Trump said. TRUMP’S NEW PRESS SECRETARY OUT OF A JOB JUST DAYS AFTER ROCKY DEBUT “If they’re not going to be honest, they have to be prosecuted,” Trump warned, adding that dishonesty amounts to “stealing from me as president.” “They are stealing from me. So, I want my people to be honest. And if they’re not honest, I’ll have my DOJ go and do whatever they have to do.” OBAMA-APPOINTED JUDGE AT CENTER OF TRUMP’S ANTI-WEAPONIZATION FUND CASE HIT WITH MISCONDUCT CLAIM Adam Trigg, an attorney for Lewandowski, said his client has not been contacted by the Justice Department and denies any wrongdoing. “Mr. Lewandowski has not been contacted by the Justice Department regarding any investigation, and he denies any wrongdoing when he was proudly serving his country in a voluntary capacity,” Trigg said in a statement posted on Lewandowski’s X account. Lewandowski is a longtime political ally of Trump who previously served as an advisor to former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. He also served as Trump’s first campaign manager during the 2016 presidential race before being fired that June. ‘WORST OF THE WORST’ JUDGES ARE SABOTAGING TRUMP’S IMMIGRATION AGENDA, TOP DHS OFFICIAL SAYS Lewandowski stayed close to Trump, also serving as a senior advisor during his 2020 and 2024 campaigns. After The Wall Street Journal reported that the Department of Justice was reviewing allegations of corruption and personal financial gain involving Corey Lewandowski, he said on X that the report was “another example of the kind of anonymous-source, politically driven reporting that Americans have seen time and again.” Lewandowski added he was proud of his work as a volunteer in “advancing this administration’s agenda and (remains) confident that the facts and not anonymous accusations will ultimately speak for themselves.”
Fox News Poll: Nail-biter in Maine Senate race
Maine voters are in a negative mood this election season. Only 12% say their family is better off financially compared to two years ago, and more than 6 in 10 disapprove of President Donald Trump’s job performance, including 2 in 10 Republicans. FOX NEWS POLL: TEXAS SENATE RACE GALLOPING TOWARD A PHOTO FINISH A Fox News survey of Maine likely voters finds that mood weighs on Republican Sen. Susan Collins, as 53% are concerned she votes with Trump too much. By contrast, 46% are concerned Democratic challenger Troy Jackson is too liberal. FOX NEWS POLL: GENDER GAP AND POCKETBOOK PAIN SHAPE OHIO SENATE RACE Despite those views, the horse race shows the candidates tied, with Jackson and Collins at 49% apiece. All survey interviews were completed after the candidates’ Oct. 15 debate. Collins, who first won her seat about three decades ago, is seeking a sixth term. She’s the only GOP senator running for re-election this year from a state Trump lost in 2024 (by 7 points). In 2020, Collins won by nearly 9 points. Democrats view Maine as a must-win seat in their effort to take control of the Senate. When voters are asked about control of the U.S. Senate, 53% prefer a Democratic-led Senate vs. 45% who want the Republicans to remain in charge. While almost all Jackson supporters want Democratic control (96%), Collins supporters are more divided: 89% want a GOP-led chamber, but 9% prefer Democratic leadership. Collins will need to overcome the energy on the left, as far more Democrats (79%) than Republicans (61%) say they are extremely interested in the election, which explains why Jackson is ahead by 16 points among that group. He’s up by 4 points among those who say they are “certain” to vote, and also carries the one in five Mainers who have already cast a ballot by a decisive 40 points. On the other hand, a slim majority plans to vote on Election Day, and they favor Collins by 12 points. “Collins is no stranger to outrunning her party, but Democrats hold an 18-point enthusiasm advantage,” says Mikaela Linder of Beacon Research, a Democratic polling firm that conducts the Fox News Poll with Republican Daron Shaw. “Trump’s job rating is 25 points underwater, and a majority strongly disapproves of him. Jackson has an opening if he can carry that momentum beyond his base and across the finish line.” Views of the president’s performance are a problem for GOP candidates in Maine. Currently, 37% of voters approve of the job Trump is doing as president, while 62% disapprove, including 54% who strongly disapprove. The candidates’ personal favorability ratings are both underwater. Views of Jackson are negative by 2 points (47% favorable, 49% unfavorable), and by 4 points for Collins (47%-51%). Partisan vote choice varies distinctly across key groups. Voters under 45 favor Collins by 6 points, while those ages 45 and older prefer Jackson by 3. Women support Jackson by 5 points, while men back Collins by 4. The sharpest divide is education: Mainers with a college degree pick Jackson by 23 points, while Collins leads among those without a degree by 16. Collins is ahead among those living in rural areas by 7 points, while Jackson is the pick of the smaller number of suburban voters by 18 points. For comparison, in 2020, Collins won both the voters living in rural areas and those without a college degree by 18 points each. “Republicans appear to be struggling with White rural voters this cycle, and Maine is no exception,” Shaw said. “GOP candidates desperately need these voters to show up, and need something like a 65-35 vote to overcome Democratic strength in urban areas.” Party loyalty is roughly even as 9 in 10 of each candidate’s party faithful back them, and the small subgroup of independents favors Collins by 13 points. Both Jackson (92%) and Collins (90%) supporters have a high degree of vote certainty. In Maine’s gubernatorial race, Democrat Hannah Pingree leads Republican Bobby Charles by 10 points, 49% to 39%, while independent candidate Rick Bennett takes 9%. CLICK HERE FOR CROSSTABS AND TOPLINE Unlike Jackson, whose coalition backs Pingree almost unanimously (only 8% defect), nearly one in five Collins supporters (19%) peel off to either Bennett (11%) or Pingree (8%). Conducted October 16-20, 2026, under the joint direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News Poll includes interviews with a sample of 1,689 Maine registered voters randomly selected from a statewide voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (226) and cellphones (1,035) or completed the survey online after receiving a text message (428). Results based on the registered voter sample have a margin of sampling error of ±2 percentage points and for the subsample of 1,514 likely voters it is ±2.5 percentage points. Sampling error for results among subgroups is higher. In addition to sampling error, question wording and order can influence results. Sources for developing weight targets include the most recent American Community Survey, Fox News Voter Analysis, and voter file data. Weights are generally applied to age, race, education, and area variables to ensure the demographics of respondents are representative of the registered voter population. Likely voters are based on a probabilistic statistical model that relies on past vote history, interest in the current election, intention to vote, age, education, race, ethnicity, and marital status. Results among subgroups are only shown when the sample size is at least N=100. Fox News’ Victoria Balara contributed to this report.