DOJ accuses courts of undercutting executive power in high-stakes Supreme Court border case
The Department of Justice will argue Tuesday that lower courts are undermining the federal government’s ability to manage the southern border in a closely watched Supreme Court case about how migrants make asylum claims. DOJ lawyers wrote in court papers ahead of the arguments that an appeals court was wrong to restrict the government’s ability to limit how it processes migrants into the country. The lawyers said the ruling stripped the executive branch of a necessary tool, first used during the Obama administration, to respond to surges of illegal migration, which the Trump administration has sought to curb after officials encountered more than 10 million migrants at the border during the Biden administration. “Administrations of both major parties have opposed the decision, which deprives the Executive Branch of a critical tool for addressing border surges and preventing overcrowding at ports of entry,” the DOJ lawyers wrote. “This Court should reverse.” The case, Noem v. Al Otro Lado, centers on whether migrants who are stopped on the Mexican side of the U.S.–Mexico border can be treated as having “arrived in the United States” under the Immigration and Nationality Act. If they can be designated as having arrived in the country, they would be entitled to apply for asylum, which would require border officials to process their asylum claims. USCIS HALTS ‘ALL ASYLUM DECISIONS’ AFTER DC SHOOTING OF NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS The DOJ lawyers, led by Solicitor General John Sauer, argued that the immigration law’s language was clear. “In ordinary English, a person ‘arrives in’ a country only when he comes within its borders,” they wrote. “A person does not ‘arrive in the United States’ if he is stopped in Mexico.” BORDER CROSSINGS PLUMMET TO HISTORIC LOWS; TRUMP’S ENFORCEMENT POLICIES YIELD BIG RESULTS The case stems from a lawsuit brought in 2017 by the immigrant rights group Al Otro Lado and more than a dozen unnamed asylum seekers. The plaintiffs challenged the practice of “metering,” which was first used during the Obama administration and allowed U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers to turn migrants away, saying border facilities were over capacity and that they should come back later. ‘TRUMP EFFECT’ TOUTED AS SOUTHERN BORDER NUMBERS STAY LOW, INCLUDING NEW RECORD Immigration law requires the United States to allow migrants arriving at the border to claim asylum by saying they fear persecution in their home country. Once they make the claim, a legal process begins, and, if the claim is granted, the migrant is given a pathway to live and work legally in the United States. Border hawks have argued the asylum system is rife with abuse as migrants make meritless asylum claims at the border and then never show up for their hearings. The plaintiffs’ lawyers said in court papers that metering was an unlawful “turnback policy.” “Petitioners zero in on a single preposition—the word ‘in’— to urge an interpretation that renders the rest of the statutory text non-sensical,” they wrote. Unlike prior administrations, when the United States saw influxes of illegal migration, President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown has drastically curbed arrivals at the southern border. But the DOJ lawyers argued that the executive branch should have the option to practice metering if needed without judicial interference. A ruling in the case is expected by the summer.
Mullin confirmed as DHS chief as lawmakers near solution on shutdown standoff
The Senate confirmed Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., as the ninth Homeland Security secretary, capping a sprint to replace embattled outgoing Secretary Kristi Noem. It also caps off a 13-year career in Congress that began in the House and saw Mullin score a seat in the Senate in 2021 where he became the de facto bridge between both chambers, helping to build trust between the House and Senate during last year’s push to pass the “big, beautiful bill.” Ahead of the vote he arrived flanked by his family, and was excited to cast his final vote on himself. Mullin, who was picked by President Donald Trump earlier this month to lead the Department of Homeland Security, was confirmed on a largely party-line vote. Sens. John Fetterman, D-Pa., and Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., joined nearly every Republican to clinch his nomination. Heinrich said he bucked his party because he has seen that Mullin — who co-chairs the Senate Legislative Branch spending committee with him — “is not someone who can simply be bullied into changing his views.” MULLIN’S CONFIRMATION SURVIVES KEY TEST VOTE AS DHS REMAINS SHUT DOWN “And I look forward to having a secretary who doesn’t take their orders from Stephen Miller,” Heinrich said. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., was the only Republican to vote against Mullin, citing their chilly relationship and Mullin’s past comments that his 2017 assault was “justified.” Mullin’s confirmation also saw the close of a whirlwind month in which Noem was reassigned after an explosive pair of hearings on Capitol Hill, as well as the deaths of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, who were fatally shot by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. SCHUMER GAMBIT FAILS AS DHS SHUTDOWN HITS 36 DAYS AND AIRPORT LINES GROW Still, Noem’s ousting and Mullin’s ascension have done little to shift Senate Democrats from their position. They continue to demand sweeping reforms to ICE and have so far blocked funding to the agency five times, along with several GOP attempts to temporarily extend funding to DHS. The path to ending the shutdown appeared to become more complicated over the weekend. Both sides began meeting for the first time during the shutdown, with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., characterizing the talks as “productive.” However, Trump threw a wrench into negotiations Sunday night, writing on Truth Social: “I don’t think we should make any deal with the Crazy, Country Destroying, Radical Left Democrats unless, and until, they vote with Republicans to pass ‘THE SAVE AMERICA ACT.’” GOP SENATOR’S GAMBIT EXPOSES FALSE DEM CLAIMS ABOUT SUPPORTING VOTER ID “In other words, lump everything together as one, and VOTE!!! Kill the Filibuster, and stay in D.C. for Easter, if necessary,” Trump said. That comes after Thune suggested to the president that Republicans could carve out ICE and Customs and Border Protection funding from a broader DHS package and instead fund those agencies through budget reconciliation. Canceling recess may be a hard sell in the upper chamber, given that votes this past weekend were plagued by absences. When asked if he would cancel the upcoming two-week break, Thune said, “We’ll see.” A cohort of Senate Republicans met with Trump ahead of Mullin’s confirmation vote. Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., told reporters after that the meeting went “really well.” When asked if Republicans had a solution to end the closure, she said, “We do.” Still, Senate Democrats remain unified in their opposition to the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act. “We’re ready to meet with the White House today to keep talking,” Schumer said. “In fact, we were going to meet this morning with Tom Homan. But apparently the White House pulled that meeting because of Donald Trump’s temper tantrum. They’re all scrambling around there in the White House. They don’t know what to do.”
Top House Dem dismisses probe into Jasmine Crockett’s security guard killed in SWAT standoff
A top House Democrat is pushing back on calls for a probe into Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, hiring a wanted fugitive as a security guard before he was fatally shot in a standoff with SWAT officers. “I don’t know if that’s the House’s place to investigate,” Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., told Fox News Digital in a recent interview. Diamon-Mazairre Robinson, 39, who used the alias “Mike King” while employed by Crockett, was shot and killed by Dallas SWAT officers earlier in March after a standoff in a hospital parking garage. Police were responding to an active warrant for him after allegedly impersonating law enforcement and recovered 11 firearms during the operation, some of which were stolen. “It depends if she was using campaign money or House resources, but that’s something for House Administration [Committee] to deal with if that’s the case,” Aguilar added. CROCKETT WARNS OF NATIONWIDE PROTESTS OVER ICE SHOOTING: ‘STATE-SANCTIONED EXECUTION’ Crockett’s office paid King at least $6,300 for security services in 2025, according to a Fox News Digital review of Crockett’s members representational allowance (MRA). The congresswoman’s House campaign account also doled out $340 to King for security services in March 2025, according to Federal Election Commission filings. The MRA funding bucket — made up of taxpayer dollars — is effectively an operating budget for each lawmaker to pay staff, cover security expenses, and handle other operational costs. Fox News Digital reached out to the House Administration Committee for comment. JASMINE CROCKETT UNDER FIRE AFTER REPORTEDLY HAVING ARMED GUARDS REMOVE ‘WHITE GIRL’ REPORTER FROM RALLY Crockett has denied any wrongdoing and said her office followed every House protocol while employing Robinson, who she claimed did not raise any suspicions while a member of her security detail. “There was never any reason to suspect that he wasn’t who he held himself out to be,” Crockett said in a statement released by her office. Rather, Crockett has blamed “shortcomings” in the vetting process that failed to verify Robinson’s identity or catch his lengthy rap sheet, including multiple arrests for theft and violating probation. “We are fortunate that this is someone who used those loopholes without malice,” Crockett said, adding that a preliminary review showed that Robinson had not committed any violent crimes. Crockett dismissed questions about whether she knew about Robinson’s criminal history before hiring him during a recent interview with Fox News Digital. “I’m going to refer you to my page,” the Texas Democrat said, referring to her social media post. “I made a statement and I said there would be no additional statements. You need someone to read it for you? I can find someone to do that.” JASMINE CROCKETT SUGGESTS GOP RIGGED HER DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY ELECTION: ‘THIS IS WHAT REPUBLICANS LIKE TO DO’ House GOP leadership has voiced openness to a probe, but cautioned that lawmakers are still learning details about the incident. “I need to get the facts on did he have a background check … but there are processes in place,” House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., told Fox News Digital. “We’ll look at the possible need to tighten that up.” Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., chairman of the House Oversight Committee, did not answer definitively when asked by Fox News Digital whether Republicans planned to investigate the incident, saying he was still reviewing the matter. Aguilar said he did not expect Republicans to launch a formal investigation, citing Crockett’s loss in the Texas Senate primary against state legislator James Talarico, D-Texas. “Jasmine didn’t win, so I assume that they’re probably not going to be focused on her as much,” Aguilar said, referring to House Republicans. Rep. James Walkinshaw, D-Va., said the incident is likely to spark conversations among lawmakers about scrutinizing the vetting process lawmakers use for security personnel. “We need to tighten up the processes around members hiring security,” Walkinshaw told Fox News Digital. Crockett’s office did not respond to a request for comment about how Robinson was vetted before being hired as a member of her security detail.
Political traffic signals: waiting for the light to change on the Hill
A phalanx of reporters and photographers trailed House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, out of the Capitol and across the Capitol grounds last Thursday morning. The Trump administration planned to ask Congress for an additional $200 billion to cover the cost of the war in Iran. Passing such a plan might be dicey. Especially vaulting the 60 vote barricade in the Senate. But House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Arrington were already touting a “reconciliation” bill for this year to approve some of the GOP’s domestic policy priorities ahead of the midterms. Reconciliation is inoculated from a Senate filibuster. And other Republicans may be on board with the extra $200 billion if it’s tucked into a reconciliation package which tackles other subjects. “I think reconciliation is probably going to be the only vehicle that we put anything in because the Democrats aren’t going to support it,” said Arrington, briskly traversing a set of congressional steps near the plaza, bound for Independence Avenue. “I don’t think they’ll support the supplemental for the operating needs for our military while they’re in conflict.” “The Senate seems kind of suspect of trying to do this,” yours truly followed up as the gaggle of reporters and photographers trekked the Capitol grounds toward the street. PENTAGON SEEKS AT LEAST $200B FROM CONGRESS FOR IRAN WAR “The Senate is going to be suspect and slow to be motivated. Which is why the House is the little engine that can. And when the little engine that can, does, then the Senate and other people follow. The House has to lead,” replied Arrington. “We led in the first reconciliation bill. It wouldn’t have been as big or beautiful if we didn’t do our job on the tax cuts. On the spending cuts. On the energy reforms. On the generational welfare reforms.” The scrum edged closer to Independence Avenue in the shadow of the Longworth House Office Building. “I’ve got to walk across here. I’m late for a meeting. Y’all can follow me,” instructed Arrington, to the press, pivoting into the crosswalk just as the traffic light changed to green. THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO CONGRESS’ OPTIONS ON HAMSTRINGING TRUMP’S WAR POWERS IN IRAN Three journalists followed the Texas Republican into the street. However, your trusty journalist (and Wayne Elementary School Safety Town participant) remained on the corner. Two cars and a bus accelerated. “Wait! Careful! Careful! Careful! Careful! Careful! Careful!” I hollered. Arrington and the others scurried back to the curb. “See, you lead. They follow. But they may die,” observed Arrington. “Are you going to lead the Senate right into a crosswalk with traffic?” I inquired. Arrington pivoted – both back to the curb and to policy – as cars and scooters whizzed by. “I think my counterpart, (Senate Budget Committee Chairman) Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., understands that the only train leaving the station for the bigger vision for our military will be a reconciliation bill,” said Arrington. It’s unclear whether Arrington switching to railroads and locomotives was the best rhetorical shift considering the close call on the street. But Arrington may be right. It will be challenging to pass anything substantial for the rest of this Congress. And perhaps zippering the $200 billion for the war into a reconciliation measure with other policy sweeteners could be the most palatable option to Republicans. “We have to continue to look at offsetting,” said Rep. Tony Wied, R-Wis. “I think it should be offset,” said Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn. “It is expensive,” conceded House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Mike Bost, R-Ill., about the spending request. REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: GOP PUSHES ELECTION SECURITY BILL DESPITE SLIM ODDS, AS TRUMP PRESSURE LOOMS But offsets come from cuts. And lawmakers don’t like to slash programs important to their jurisdiction, state or district. “A lot of the VA stuff, that’s like the third rail in politics. You don’t cut that,” said Bost. What could contribute to an offset? Arrington suggested Republicans should turn to the time-tested Washington law firm of “Waste, Fraud and Abuse” to mitigate the cost of the war. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., replied “no” when asked about the supplemental spending request. “It is skyrocketing prices of everything across the board, and Congress didn’t even approve. And so to have the audacity to come to Congress to fund a war that we have not even voted for it – not only is it illegal, it is insulting,” said Ocasio-Cortez. I asked about whether it was dangerous for lawmakers to leave American troops in the lurch when they’re exposed to hostilities abroad. “They should have thought about that before they entered a conflict without Congress,” said Ocasio-Cortez. “They told everybody that it was just a quick in and out strike and now they have found themselves in a disaster. And we cannot enable this kind of reckless and illegal behavior.” Ocasio-Cortez is hinting at the ultimate Congressional authority: power of the purse. Lawmakers are charged with approving 12 spending bills to run the government each year. A supplemental spending package – say for war, terrorism, recovery from natural disasters or economic stimulus – is a “13th” spending bill. It’s plopped on top of the customary 12. Lawmakers could really hamstring the war in Iran if they decide to pull the funding. The White House scored about $1 trillion from Congress in Fiscal Year 2026 for the military. President Trump’s request for the Pentagon for Fiscal Year 2027 – still unapproved – is $1.5 trillion. That’s a 50 percent increase. That particular ask of Congress came before the $200 billion ask for the war in Iran. DEMS’ POTENTIAL 2028 HOPEFULS COME OUT AGAINST US STRIKES ON IRAN The president has sent mixed signals as to whether the war is “ending.” A reporter asked President Trump if he still needed the $200 billion. “It’s always nice to have. It’s a very inflamed world. And the Democrats inflame it,” replied the president. But it’s generally believed that the Pentagon needs the money because it’s burned through so
Johnson turns up heat on Schumer as DHS shutdown drags on, airport delays mount
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is ratcheting up pressure on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Democrats in the upper chamber as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown creeps into a sixth week with no end in sight. House GOP leaders are poised to hold votes Thursday on a pair of bills aimed at putting Democrats on the spot for the shutdown, Fox News Digital has learned. Johnson is having the House vote for a third time on funding DHS through the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30. The bill is based on a bipartisan deal struck earlier this year, but Democrats walked away from it en masse in protest of President Donald Trump’s strategy to crack down on illegal immigration. The second measure is a nonbinding resolution led by Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Pa., expressing support for all agencies under DHS’s purview. DHS SHUTDOWN TIED FOR SECOND-LONGEST EVER AS DEMS AGAIN BLOCK FUNDING AMID AIRPORT CHAOS, TERRORISM CONCERNS It comes as the DHS shutdown, now in its 38th day, is wreaking havoc for airline travelers across the country. Major airports in Houston, New Orleans, New York City, and other areas are seeing hours-long delays caused by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) staffing shortages, with scores of TSA agents calling out of work amid missed paychecks due to the shutdown. TSA agents are poised to miss their paychecks this Friday, the second full pay period missed of the ongoing shutdown. The TSA is one of several agencies that operate under DHS, along with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), among others. EXCLUSIVE: HOUSE REPUBLICANS TO HOLD HEARING ON DHS SHUTDOWN RISKS AMID TRAVEL SURGE “Anyone waiting for hours just to miss their flights will not soon forget, and Republicans are going to continue reminding Americans that it’s the Democrats putting their safety at risk just to protect criminal illegal aliens,” a House GOP leadership aide told Fox News Digital on Monday. “The problem for Democrats in their latest shutdown is they are hurting American citizens in an effort to protect criminal illegals and reopen our border, as evidenced by their own words and bills they are pushing to defund Customs and Border Patrol.” Negotiations on funding DHS have ground to a halt with Republicans rejecting key demands from Democrats for ICE and CBP reforms — specifically requiring judicial warrants for immigration operations and banning agents from wearing face masks — as non-starters. Trump also recently threw a wrench in the talks by demanding Republicans not accept any offer from Democrats until left-wing lawmakers agree to advance an unrelated election integrity measure called the SAVE America Act. In the Senate, at least a handful of Democrats are needed to overcome a filibuster and advance any DHS funding legislation. The House, which operates on a simple majority, passed congressional negotiators’ initial DHS funding bill twice — and will likely do so a third time on Thursday. The third iteration of the bill is being led by Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz. “This standoff has gone on long enough,” Ciscomani told Fox News Digital on Monday. “The men and women who keep our country safe here at home are a critical part of our national security—they need to get paid, now. These professionals should never be caught in the middle of political games, yet that’s exactly what has happened. It’s shameful.” The nonbinding resolution honoring DHS is also likely to pass, but it’s unclear how much Democratic support it would get. “Instead of joining the bipartisan majority in supporting full funding for DHS, including commonsense reforms like body cameras and de-escalation training, Democratic leadership is afraid of the radical ‘Defund ICE’ movement and unwilling to compromise in order to protect the American people,” Mackenzie told Fox News Digital. “This situation is unacceptable, and it must end immediately.” Democrats have tried to push legislation to fund DHS except for agencies related to Trump’s immigration crackdown, efforts that have been shunned by the GOP. Both Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., have argued that ICE’s controversial operations in Minneapolis and other blue cities are reason enough to block any proposal that funds further immigration operations.
300-plus Angel Families jump into Markwayne Mullin’s DHS nomination fight in unequivocal terms
A group giving a voice to victims impacted by illegal immigrant crime says that more than 300 families who have been the victim of weak border policies are urging members of Congress to support the nomination of Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., to serve as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. The American Border Story (TABS), which works to give a platform for those who have lost loved ones as the result of crimes committed by individuals who are unlawfully present in the United States, wrote a letter to GOP Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Monday, shortly before the Senate is expected vote to confirm Mullin. “For the families we represent, border security is not an abstract policy debate,” TABS said in its Monday letter. “Senator Mullin has demonstrated a clear understanding of these stakes. Throughout his time in Congress, he has consistently engaged on issues related to border security, public safety, and the operational challenges facing federal and local authorities. Just as importantly, he has shown a willingness to listen directly to impacted families and elevate their concerns in policy discussions. We believe Senator Mullin would bring to the Department of Homeland Security strong leadership, practical experience, and a clear commitment to protecting American communities.” TOP TSA WATCHDOG BACKS TRUMP’S ICE AIRPORT MOVE AS SHUTDOWN SNARLS TRAVEL The group praised Mullin’s background, “coupled with his direct engagement on border-related issues,” and said that the families they represent “are not focused on politics.” “They are focused on ensuring that no other family has to endure the same tragedy,” the letter concluded, adding that their consensus is Mullin understands “that responsibility” and “the seriousness” that the role DHS Secretary demands. The U.S. Senator from Oklahoma survived a key test vote this weekend, largely along party lines, on his way to becoming the next Homeland Security Secretary. Sens. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., and John Fetterman, D-Pa., were the only Democrats who strayed from the party line and voted to confirm Mullin. DHS SHUTDOWN TIED FOR SECOND-LONGEST EVER AS DEMS AGAIN BLOCK FUNDING AMID AIRPORT CHAOS, TERRORISM CONCERNS Tapped by President Donald Trump for the role, Mullin still has one more vote to go, and likely won’t be confirmed until Monday evening at the earliest. Should Mullin survive the final confirmation vote, he will replace DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, who Trump fired following explosive hearings on the Hill and after the deaths of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti during immigration operations in Minnesota. He would take the reins of an agency that is currently shut down, as Senate Democrats, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., have blocked DHS funding five times in their quest to get stringent reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Mullin has suggested he would be willing to put limits on some ICE activity, such as requiring a judicial warrant for the agency to go into houses, or places of business. “Judicial warrants will be used to go into houses, into place of businesses, unless we’re pursuing someone that enters in that place,” Mullin said amid questions about his confirmation. “I have not mixed words with that, and I haven’t changed my opinion about that.”
Virginia Dem admits redistricting push aims to ‘stop Trump’, not about ‘fairness’
A top Virginia Democrat appeared to admit that state Democratic lawmakers’ effort to redraw the commonwealth’s congressional map is more about stopping President Donald Trump and his agenda than about ensuring fairness for voters in the Old Dominion. A referendum drafted by Richmond’s Democratic majority and set to go before voters in April would allow the assembly to redraw Virginia’s congressional map in a way that Richmond Democrats signaled would draw out four of five Republican congressmen and draw the populations of most new districts from dense, left-wing Fairfax County. In comments to NBC News, Rep. Donald Beyer, an Alexandria-Fairfax Democrat, appeared to admit redistricting’s true purpose while commenting on early voting figures that appeared to lean in the GOP’s favor. Beyer said the redistricting effort is “not a done deal by any means” and that Democrats need to “effectively make the case that even though this seems unfair in Virginia, it’s totally fair for America, for those of us who believe that taking back the House is the most significant thing we can do to stop Donald Trump.” NEW DEM STAR’S QUICK HARD-LEFT TURN AFTER ‘MODERATE’ CAMPAIGN WON HER COVETED RESPONSE TO TRUMP: LAWMAKER “Don said the quiet part out loud,” Virginia House Minority Leader Terry Kilgore, R-Gate City, told Fox News Digital on Monday. “This is manifestly unfair for the Commonwealth of Virginia. We’re a 51-49 state, not a 90-10 state. If they’re willing to silence nearly half the Commonwealth’s voters in the name of ‘fairness,’ what else are they willing to do?” Kilgore said. His legislative seat in the far southwest would sit in the sole Republican-favored congressional district under the new map. “Last November, Democrats sold Virginians a fake ‘affordability’ agenda that is false, a total hoax, and a con job,” Senate Minority Leader Ryan McDougle, R-Hanover, said. “Now they are back at it, trying to shove another partisan power grab down our throats, this time wrapped in the phony label of ‘fairness,’” he told Fox News Digital. Fox News Digital reached out to Beyer for further comment and to Gov. Abigail Spanberger for her take on his admission. 5 VIRGINIA CONGRESSMEN: DEMOCRATS ARE REJECTING VOTERS TO GERRYMANDER OUR STATE The text of the amendment facing voters next month asks whether the Constitution of Virginia should be amended to allow the General Assembly to temporarily adopt new congressional districts to restore fairness in the upcoming elections. The tagline “restore fairness” has become a clarion call for critics who claim exactly what Beyer appeared to admit: that the definition of “fairness” used is questionable at best. “Representative Beyer said the quiet part out loud. This isn’t about fairness, transparency, or representing Virginians,” Rep. Ben Cline, R-Va., said. His Shenandoah Valley district stands to be chopped into several Fairfax-connected pieces under the new map. “It’s about political power and Democrats’ determination to rig the map to ‘take back the House.’ When Democrats admit they’re willing to defend an unfair process in Virginia for the sake of national political power, it exposes exactly what’s driving this effort, and it has nothing to do with the people they’re supposed to represent,” Cline told Fox News Digital. Five of Virginia’s 11 congressional districts would originate in Arlington or Fairfax counties and encompass meticulously drawn swaths of the state’s conservative interior, including one district ridiculed for resembling a lobster or scorpion, as it begins at the Potomac River and winds southwest through Democratic suburbs before splitting into two halves. One half includes rural Greene, Rockingham, and Augusta counties closer to West Virginia, while the other stretches down the Zachary Taylor Highway into Goochland and Powhatan counties west of Richmond. In turn, a likely Democrat-majority district would form, narrowly connecting the independent cities of Harrisonburg, Staunton, and Waynesboro within Rockingham and Augusta counties and linking them via conservative areas like Nelson County with Lynchburg and Roanoke far to the south. Beyer’s current district would likely become the new 8th and stretch down the west bank of the Potomac River through current Rep. Rob Wittman’s, R-Va., rural 1st District in the Northern Neck, collecting nearly a dozen small red counties in the state’s oyster country anchored by the deep-blue city. The only Republican deemed safe under the map would be Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Va., in the far southwest, which would become an overwhelmingly Republican seat. Rep. Jennifer Kiggans’ evenly split Eastern Shore and Hampton Roads district would draw in just enough urban and suburban population to potentially turn blue. Since early voting began this month, yard signs emblazoned with “VOTE NO” have begun popping up in several red counties threatened by the new map, including Culpeper, Shenandoah, Highland, Orange, and Page, home to Luray Caverns. “VOTE YES” signs were, in turn, observed in rural Clarke and suburban Prince William counties over the weekend.
Top Dems assert there’s risk ICE agents could ‘kill’ travelers under Trump airport plan
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said that the Trump administration’s decision to deploy ICE agents to airports will create “chaos,” implying that airline passengers could be killed by ICE agents. Jeffries shared his reservations about ICE agents patrolling airports with CNN host Dana Bash on “State of the Union” on Sunday. “The last thing that the American people need is for untrained ICE agents to be deployed at airports all across the country, potentially to brutalize or in some instances kill them,” Jeffries said. “We have already seen how ICE conducts itself,” Jeffries continued. “These are untrained individuals when it comes to doing the current job they have, for the most part, let alone deploying them in close proximity in highly sensitive situations at airports across the country.” MASK-FREE ICE AGENTS BEGIN PATROLLING US AIRPORTS; TRUMP FLOATS NATIONAL GUARD His comments come shortly after Trump’s “border czar, Tom Homan, told Bash the Trump administration will deploy federal immigration agents to airports. The move follows TSA worker shortages causing long security lines. TSA agents have either quit or called out of work in response to missed paychecks due to the partial government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security. On Monday, ICE agents were deployed to 14 airports, including New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia Jeffries said Republican lawmakers “would rather force TSA agents to work without pay, inconvenience millions of Americans all across the country and now potentially expose them to untrained ICE agents and create chaos at airports throughout the land, rather than get ICE agents under control.” SCHUMER GAMBIT FAILS AS DHS SHUTDOWN HITS 36 DAYS AND AIRPORT LINES GROW Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., expressed a similar sentiment in an X post, alleging that people will die because of ICE’s presence at airports. “ICE agents at airports will only aggravate delays & lines — disrupting checks, interrogating travelers, dragging parents from children, detaining citizens, brutalizing families, shooting & even killing,” Blumenthal wrote. “Brutal, lawless tactics common in communities across the country by masked, unidentified agents, violating basic rights—no way to help TSA or travelers,” Blumenthal continued. Those comments came after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said on the Senate floor that Trump’s plan to deploy ICE agents was “asking for trouble.”
DNC’s suggestive post about Mamdani’s pothole blitz leaves social media speechless: ‘Wtf is this???’
A graphic published by the Democratic National Committee’s official Instagram account on Sunday shocked social media users for suggestive phrasing and sexual innuendos it used to describe New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s work on fixing the city’s roads. “HOLES FILLED,” the post read in bold blue-and-white lettering, framed over the picture of Mamdani. The post included additional text, explaining that the graphic had to do with the city’s infrastructure. “As of March 20, 66,000 holes filled in Mayor Mamdani’s pothole blitz,” the full phrase read. MAMDANI MOVES TO SIDELINE NYC POLICE WITH NEW SAFETY OFFICE UNDER SWEEPING OVERHAUL That didn’t stop viewers online from marveling over the word choice. “How did this make it through approvals!?!?!?” one Republican strategist said, reacting to the image. “Hahahah wtf is this???” Tim Pool, a podcast host, said in his own post. The image left some users wondering if the post had been made in earnest. “Are you f—— kidding me?” another user wrote As of Monday, the post remained in place. The image comes as Mamdani tries to make good on promises to improve New York City infrastructure. In addition to telling voters he would focus on the city’s roads, Mamdani made national news for commitments to enhance free public transportation, create as many as 200,000 new affordable housing units and renovate over 500 schools. NYC MAYOR MAMDANI’S WIFE LIKED SOCIAL MEDIA POST CALLING OCT 7 SEXUAL VIOLENCE INVESTIGATION A ‘HOAX’: REPORT The post on Sunday isn’t the first time the DNC has posted images of Mamdani accompanied by sexual double-entendres. In at least two other instances, the account has followed the same format: a picture of Mamdani overlaid with bold white lettering set against a blue background. “Every street across all five boroughs PLOWED in New York City as of Feb. 24,” another one of their posts read from earlier this year. One more about snowfall also followed a similar tone. “16 INCHES of snowfall in New York City as of Feb. 23,” the DNC wrote. That instance drew one Instagram commenter to quip that “they know what they did there.” In the post about the potholes, some onlookers praised Mamdani for his work while ignoring the phrasing of the post. MAMDANI’S ETSTATE TAX PLAN COULD DRIVE WEALTH OUT OF STATE, CRITICS WARN “Mayor Mamdani, you are relentless,” a Dem strategist wrote. “Greatness,” Democratic influencer Jack Cocchiarella wrote on X. But those praises drew criticisms of their own. “I don’t think the sexual puns about Mamdani is going to win over many voters,” a popular far-left activist account posted on X. “You’re celebrating potholes getting filled? Isn’t that one of the basic functions of a city’s government?” another observer wrote. The office of Mamdani did not respond to a request for comment on the image and whether they believed its language was appropriate. Fox News Digital also reached out to the DNC.
Alito gives lawyers plain-English lesson on meaning of ‘day’ as Supreme Court weighs late-ballot fight
Justice Samuel Alito emphasized the literal meaning of the word “day” as the Supreme Court heard arguments Monday about whether states can legally accept late-arriving ballots that are postmarked by Election Day. “We have lots of phrases that involve two words, the last of which, the second of which is ‘day,’ Labor Day, Memorial Day, George Washington’s birthday, Independence Day, birthday and Election Day, and they’re all particular days,” Alito, an appointee of former President George W. Bush, said. Alito added, “If we start with that, if I have nothing more to look at than the phrase ‘Election Day,’ I think this is the day in which everything is going to take place, or almost everything.” The justice’s remarks came after the Republican National Committee sued over a Mississippi law that allows mail ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted if they are received five days after that day. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit sided with the RNC in the case in 2024, leading Mississippi to ask the Supreme Court to weigh in. ELECTION INTEGRITY GROUPS PRESS SUPREME COURT TO REQUIRE BALLOTS BY ELECTION DAY Alito was among multiple conservative justices on Monday who appeared skeptical of Mississippi’s law and intent on striking it down. A decision is expected by the summer and would likely affect more than a dozen states that accept postmarked ballots after Election Day. While some of the justices seemed persuaded that Election Day should be viewed as a single and final day in an election cycle, Chief Justice John Roberts, a George W. Bush appointee, and Justice Elena Kagan, an Obama appointee, raised concerns that if the interpretation of Election Day was strictly upheld by the court, then early voting might also be affected. “If ‘day’ includes a period after a particular day of the election, does it include a particular day before the day of the election?” Roberts asked Mississippi Solicitor General Scott Stewart. “Or does your logic require a different consideration?” Former U.S. Solicitor General Paul Clement, a prominent conservative lawyer, argued in support of the RNC, saying the original meaning of an election involved the “combined action” of offering up a vote and an election official receiving the vote. RNC GETS DAY AT SUPREME COURT TO CHALLENGE LATE-ARRIVING MAIL BALLOTS “All agree that elections for federal office have to end on the day of the election specified by Congress, and all agree that you can’t have an election unless you receive ballots, and there must be some deadline for ballot receipt,” Clement said. “Nonetheless, Mississippi insists that ballots can trickle in days or even weeks after Election Day. That position is wrong as a matter of text, precedent, history and common sense.” The case comes as President Donald Trump has made election security a top focus. The RNC and several election integrity groups that weighed in on the case argued that the Supreme Court should ban late-arriving ballots, except for military ballots, because they sow distrust in elections. “Today’s oral arguments in Watson v. RNC clearly show where the Supreme Court should come down: state laws that count ballots received after Election Day violate federal law, expose elections to delays, invite fraud, and fuel public doubt in the democratic process,” Jason Snead, executive director of the Honest Elections Project, said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. At least 14 states and Washington, D.C., currently count ballots received after Election Day if postmarked on time. A ruling upholding the 5th Circuit could invalidate those policies and require ballots to be in election officials’ hands by the close of polls, a decision that is expected to affect the 2026 midterms. Critics say election officials could still be counting mail ballots in some states even if the ballots are all received by Election Day because of states’ individual tabulating processes. Military and overseas ballots, which are governed by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, would likely remain unaffected. Since the 2024 midterm elections, four Republican-controlled states, Kansas, Ohio, Utah and North Dakota, have moved to require receipt by Election Day. Fox News’ Bill Mears contributed to this report.