Immigration once fueled Trump’s 2024 win — now sagging approval tests GOP grip on Congress
It was a top issue at the ballot box in 2024 that boosted President Donald Trump and Republicans to sweeping victories. But in the wake of new political backlash over Trump’s unprecedented illegal immigration crackdown, the latest polling on the issue raises warning signs for Republicans and suggests immigration may come back to take a bite out of the GOP in this year’s midterm elections, as the party defends its slim House and Senate majorities. National Republican Congressional Committee Chair Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina told Fox News Digital that when it comes to the issue of immigration, “I think it’s going to be very helpful for us going into the election.” But new polling — conducted before Thursday’s announcement that the Trump administration was winding down the massive deployment earlier this year of masked federal immigration agents in Minnesota, but after last month’s fatal shootings by those agents of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti — suggests otherwise. SIGNIFICANT DRAWDOWN: BORDER CZAR MAKES MAJOR IMMIGRATION ANNOUNCEMENT The president’s approval on immigration stands at 38% in an AP-NORC poll conducted Feb. 5-8. That’s a drop from 49% last March, just over a month into the president’s second term in the White House. A similar 38% gave the president a thumbs up on immigration in the most recent Quinnipiac University poll, which was in the field Jan. 29-Feb. 2. That’s down from 44% in mid-December. WHAT THE LATEST FOX NEWS NATIONAL POLLING SHOWS And Trump stood at 40% approval in the latest NBC News Decision Desk poll, a drop from 49% last April. The survey questioned respondents from Jan. 27-Feb. 6. And the most recent Fox News national poll, conducted Jan. 23–26, indicated the president’s approval on handling border security at 52%-47%, but his approval on immigration underwater at 45%-55%. A common theme in all these polls: while Republicans continue to strongly support the president and their party on immigration, independents are joining Democrats in strongly disapproving. The Trump administration announced on Thursday that it was unwinding its immigration operation in Minnesota, amid ongoing protests and continued opposition from top Democrats in the blue-leaning state. “A significant drawdown has already been underway this week, and will continue to the next week,” border czar Tom Homan said. But he added that “as a result of our efforts here, Minnesota is now less of a sanctuary state for criminals.” MORE THAN HALF SAY HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY KRISTI NOEM NEEDS TO GO: POLL Pointing to Trump’s swift actions a year ago, veteran Republican strategist Colin Reed noted that “shutting down the southern border was such a major accomplishment and achieved so quickly and effectively that many voters have forgotten just how bad things got under the Biden Administration.” “It’s an issue that resonated powerfully across the political spectrum, and one that should and can be a political tailwind heading into November,” he added. But Reed highlighted that “regardless of the cause, the recent events in Minnesota were not helpful to the White House or Republican brand, and they were wise to change course and bring down the temperature.” The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has highlighted the president’s sagging approval ratings on immigration and polls showing rising disenchantment with the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. DNC chair Ken Martin, in a statement Thursday to Fox News Digital, charged that the Trump administration had created “political theater, flooding communities with masked agents and creating a culture of fear where Americans across the country and across the political spectrum are afraid to go to the grocery store or to pick up their kids at school.” “Americans don’t support what ICE is doing, and the DNC will continue to hold this administration accountable, highlighting these horrendous assaults by ICE and marching towards the midterms to put a check on the abuses of this administration,” Martin emphasized. But Hudson is taking aim at what he calls a false narrative from the mainstream media. “There’s a whole lot of that coming out of the mainstream media right now, and it’s just not true,” he told Fox News Digital. “People are going to feel more secure at home because of these efforts. President Trump’s doing the right thing.” The new AP/NORC poll indicates Republicans with a slight edge over Democrats on the immigration issue. Asked if immigration will still be a winning issue in the midterms, the House GOP campaign chief said: “It’s a promise made, a promise kept, that we are getting these dangerous criminals out of your neighborhood.”
Trump administration threatens 7-Eleven partnership after federal agents denied service at Minneapolis store
FIRST ON FOX: The Trump administration demanded answers from 7-Eleven’s COO following an altercation where U.S. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino and federal agents were denied service at a Minneapolis gas station in late January. Michael Lynch, deputy administrator of the General Services Administration, sent a letter to Doug Rosencrans, 7-Eleven’s COO, on Feb. 5 requesting any information from a potential internal investigation into the altercation. Lynch noted that a federal government partnership could be in jeopardy between the Trump administration and the world’s largest international chain of convenience stores. “As 7-Eleven, Inc./Speedway LLC locations accept the GSA SmartPay fleet card for fuel and other authorized purchases on behalf of Federal fleets —i ncluding those operated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security — these actions raise concerns about the ability of Federal vehicle operators to access necessary fuel and services at convenient locations,” the letter reads. DEPUTY AG DETAILS ‘MASSIVE UNDERGROUND FRAUD NETWORK’ ALLEGEDLY BEHIND MINNEAPOLIS ANTI-ICE PUSH A viral video captured by conservative activist Cam Higby posted on Jan. 21 shows Bovino leaving a Speedway gas station, a chain which is owned by parent company 7-Eleven, followed by a manager who said, “I don’t support ICE, and nobody here does.” GSA said in the letter that “the reported refusal appears to have encompassed both in-store purchases and potential fuel transactions.” According to the GSA’s website, the Fleet Card is issued “to pay for fuel and maintenance for your GSA Fleet-leased vehicle,” and says the card is accepted at 95% of U.S. fuel stations in all 50 states, U.S. territories and Canada. CONSERVATIVE IMMIGRATION EXPERTS SPLIT ON WHETHER TRUMP IS ‘BACKING DOWN’ IN MN ICE FIGHT It is a mandatory requirement for all non-tactical federal vehicles to be purchased through the GSA’s Fleet program. GSA also requested information related to training or policies that 7-Eleven has regarding the acceptance of fleet cards. The denial is just one of many from venues whose owners and managers have tied their personal, political views to their businesses. Earlier this year, the GSA removed a Hampton Inn Lakeville in Minneapolis from the list of approved lodging locations for federal employees after immigration agents were denied stay even after Hilton’s corporate leadership said the issue had been resolved. FROM OBAMA AWARD TO MINNESOTA OP: WHY TRUMP TAPPED TOM HOMAN FOR ON-THE-GROUND CRACKDOWN A McDonald’s in downtown Minneapolis also brandished a sign on the front door saying ICE and CBP agents were not welcome at the fast-food restaurant. McDonald’s corporate arm later told Fox News Digital that it had instructed the franchisee to remove it. At one restaurant near the site near where Renee Good was killed, a sign denying immigration agents was bright and bold on the front door, and employees inside the breakfast spot were wearing clothing with anti-ICE messaging. While 7-Eleven did not respond to Fox News Digital’s inquiry regarding the letter from the Trump administration requesting information, the GSA noted that it would consider stripping the massive chain of its Fleet program partnership. “GSA values its partnerships with merchants who support Federal operations and appreciates your prompt attention to this inquiry,” the agency said in the letter. “Timely cooperation will assist in determining whether any program-related actions are warranted and in ensuring continued reliable service for Federal fleets.”
DHS shutdown looms as Johnson navigates GOP divide over stopgap solutions
A partial government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is all but guaranteed unless the Senate rams through a short-term extension of current funding levels sometime on Thursday. But avoiding a DHS shutdown means the same measure must also pass the House of Representatives, where success will depend on delicate political maneuvering by Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to persuade a House Republican Conference with varying ideas of what a path forward should look like. “It would have to be for 60 or 90 days, I would think,” said Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus. “I don’t know what’s going to happen in 30 days, I don’t know what’s going to change.” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., is expected to unveil a stopgap funding measure for DHS called a continuing resolution (CR), which would extend the department’s current budget for a yet-unknown amount of time. ICE SHUTDOWN FIGHT MIGHT RESTRICT FEMA, COAST GUARD TO ‘LIFE-THREATENING’ EMERGENCIES It comes after Democrats walked away en masse from a bipartisan deal to fund DHS through the end of fiscal year (FY) 2026 over what they saw as insufficient guardrails on agencies responsible for President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minneapolis and elsewhere. Congress has funded 97% of the federal government through FY2026 at this point. But DHS is a vast department with a broad jurisdiction that includes the U.S. Coast Guard, the Secret Service, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) — all of which will see varying levels of disruptions if a shutdown happens. Republicans largely want to avoid such a situation but have made clear they believe that its effects would fall squarely on Democrats’ shoulders. DEMOCRATS SPLIT ON SHIELDING COAST GUARD, SECRET SERVICE AS DHS SHUTDOWN THREAT NEARS Conservatives like Norman favor an extended CR, arguing that it would fund Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at a higher level than the initial bipartisan funding deal would have while removing Democrats’ negotiating leverage for more guardrails on those agents. House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., told Fox News Digital last week that he would support a full-year CR for DHS to “make sure that FEMA is funded and TSA is funded, and stop the drama.” Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., similarly said on Wednesday, “I think we’d like to push it out as far as we can so we can avoid the constant uncertainty for the agency.” THUNE BLASTS JEFFRIES, SCHUMER AS ‘AFRAID OF THEIR SHADOWS’ AS DHS FUNDING FIGHT HEATS UP “As long as this hangs up in the air, let’s say you do it for three, four months, the Democrats are gonna want a pound of flesh to help pass whatever it is. And I think that’s gonna weaken the efforts of … immigration enforcement,” Crane told Fox News Digital. House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., told reporters earlier this week that he would favor a mid-length CR over something shorter. “If we do two weeks and they leave for a week, it’s really a one-week CR. Nothing’s going to happen when that many important people are gone. So I think four weeks makes a lot more sense,” Cole said. But committee member Rep. John Rutherford, R-Fla., panned the idea of a CR altogether. “CRs don’t work. CRs are not without pain. It disrupts a lot of your supply chain and purchasing and acquisition,” he told Fox News Digital. “I can’t believe they’re even thinking about it.” Rutherford, a former sheriff, argued that a shutdown or CR would harm critical national security operations during a year that’s expected to see a host of high-security events in the U.S. like America’s 250th anniversary celebration, the FIFA World Cup and others. Johnson declined to share his thoughts on CR length when asked by Fox News Digital on Tuesday, but emphasized the House GOP’s position that the Senate should take up the bipartisan bill that Democrats initially walked away from. “I’m not going to prejudge the length of it or what it should be. I’m very hopeful. I mean, we still have time on the clock. When there’s a will, there’s a way. And if they can come to an agreement on this and get it done, that will behoove the whole country,” Johnson said. House GOP leaders will likely need nearly all Republicans on board to pass a CR for DHS, with many Democrats warning they will not support any funding for the department without seeing proof of critical reform. Jeffries would not go into specifics about what he would support or oppose in terms of DHS funding during his weekly press conference on Monday, but he suggested to reporters that a simple stopgap funding bill with no changes to ICE funding was out of the question. “ICE is out of control right now. The American people know it, and ICE clearly needs to be reined in,” Jeffries said. “Our position has been clear. Dramatic changes are needed at the Department of Homeland Security before a DHS funding bill moves forward. Period. Full stop.”
Harris praises Minneapolis resistance to immigration enforcement as ‘beautiful example’ for country
Former Vice President Kamala Harris said Minneapolis’ resistance to recent immigration enforcement efforts “is such a beautiful example” for the United States. Harris made the remark Wednesday night during a stop of her book tour at the Macon City Auditorium in Georgia, where she also said, “There are moments where we just must be intolerant and say we’re not having that.” “In Minnesota, in what we’ve been seeing in Minneapolis, is such a beautiful example. To your point, look at what’s been happening where folks in the community, who don’t necessarily know each other. They’re coming out with their whistles and blowing their whistles to alert people in the community about what might be happening that is a threat to the members of the community, they’re pulling out their smartphones, their cell phones, and they’re taking the video, and they’re looking out for their neighbors,” Harris told a crowd of about 300 attendees. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for comment. REPUBLICAN LAWMAKER SHOCKED AFTER ANTI-ICE SHERIFF WAS STUMPED BY ‘FIFTH-GRADE CIVICS’ QUESTION Harris also said at one point during the event that she was there to “advocate intolerance.” “And in this moment, where so many people are rightly and understandably feeling fear and anxiety, we got to take back our power. We got to take back our power and, and I’m seeing increasingly that, I think, after the shock of witnessing some of the stuff that we’ve been seeing is wearing off, people are kind of done,” Harris said. “They’re like, ‘I’m just, I’m not going to tolerate this.’ And I am here to advocate intolerance. We teach intolerance for so many good reasons about so many things, and we must maintain that. But you understand what I’m saying, there are moments where we just must be intolerant and say we’re not having that,” she added. HOMELAND SECURITY HAMMERS DEMOCRAT GOVERNOR’S PORTAL TO TRACK ICE AGENTS Harris spoke for more than an hour, discussing a range of topics including her upbringing, the current political landscape and what the future holds for her. While she never mentioned President Donald Trump by name, she referenced him several times, referring to “him,” “this man” and “this administration.” Harris also said it is “critically important that we stand up and fight for the principles that we hold deep and the ideals upon which we were founded.” Fox News’ Andre Tinoco contributed to this report.
Homan announces Operation Metro Surge to conclude in Minnesota
President Donald Trump’s border czar Tom Homan announced Thursday that the administration will conclude Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota. Homan told reporters during a news conference at the Bishop Whipple Federal in Minneapolis that the operation succeeded in reducing public safety threats with “unprecedented levels of coordination” from state officials and local law enforcement. “As a result of our efforts here, Minnesota is now less of a sanctuary state for criminals,” Homan said. “I have proposed, and President Trump has concurred, that this surge operation conclude,” he continued. WHITE HOUSE REAFFIRMS ANY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CAN BE DEPORTED AS TRUMP TEAM ZEROES IN ON ‘WORST OF THE WORST’ Homan said “a significant drawdown” of immigration agents was already underway, and will continue through next week. The border czar announced last week that 700 federal officers would leave Minnesota, though 2,000 officers will remain. He cited improved cooperation with jails and said a complete drawdown was the goal, but it was “contingent upon the end of illegal and threatening activities against ICE.” Homan said Thursday that a “small footprint of personnel” will remain for a period of time, while he will also remain on the ground to oversee the operation’s drawdown and success. FEDS SHIFT TO TARGETED IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT IN MINNEAPOLIS UNDER HOMAN “Additionally, federal government personnel assigned to conduct criminal investigations into the agitators, as well as the personnel assigned here for the fraud investigations, will remain in place until the work is done,” Homan said. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, told reporters later Thursday that he had spoken with Homan following the news conference, saying that Homan assured him that federal agents would be leaving. “We will help you get to the airport. We will clear the roads to get you to the airport,” Walz said. “I will come over and pack your damn bags if that’s what it takes.” Federal authorities say the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement sweeps focused on the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area have led to the arrest of more than 4,000 people. Homan took over the Minnesota operation in late January after the second fatal shooting by federal immigration agents and amid growing political backlash and questions about how the operation was being run. Fox News Digital’s Rachel Wolf and Fox News’ Brooke Taylor, along with The Associated Press contributed to this report.
DEI, climate agenda advanced through progressive-backed lawsuits, new report claims
EXCLUSIVE: A new report from Alliance for Consumers (AFC) argues that progressive, often climate-change-related, activism and aligned trial lawyers are increasingly using lawsuits not to win big dollars but big changes. Since the waning years of the Obama administration, AFC said that courtrooms have become the “battleground” for the political left’s campaign to “reshape American society” through “strategic litigation.” AFC analyzed employment discrimination cases, environmental suits and corporate governance litigation and found that the outcomes, or sought-after outcomes, demonstrated a pattern of courtroom strategy meant to deliver policy changes that the left has been unable to achieve through state or federal legislation — particularly regarding DEI and climate. “If you really want to understand a substantial portion of why corporate America went really woke, there’s a story that can be told,” O.H. Skinner, AFC’s executive director, told Fox News Digital. CONSERVATIVE LEGAL GROUP TARGETS CFPB RULE MANDATING RACE, SEX DATA IN HOME LOANS Skinner said that corporate America believed President Barack Obama would be followed by “President Hillary Clinton” — demonstrating continuity in many of these policy fields — leading to people leaving civil service jobs to join corporate HR and legal departments and bring their policy goals with them. He alleged that officials in Washington signaled companies could face scrutiny if they did not align with emerging DEI priorities. “That’s describing a world where through government lawsuits, but also through private lawsuits, a lot of pressure was being brought on corporate America,” said Skinner, whose previous work included time with the Arizona attorney general’s office under Mark Brnovich, who led the state’s largest consumer-protection lawsuit against Google over location tracking. JUDICIAL RESEARCH CENTER CUTS CLIMATE SECTION FROM JUDGES’ MANUAL AFTER FOX NEWS DIGITAL REPORT Skinner compared the strategy to “plaintiff-shopping” in class-action litigation, where a firm may be paid millions in settlement while it “negotiates a coupon for you” for the applicant-plaintiffs. One of the firms cited in the study — which Skinner noted as alleged proof of its political persuasions — had filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump and former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani on behalf of Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., citing the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871 after Jan. 6. AFC’s report cited a 2019 shareholder-derivative suit brought by Cohen-Milstein against Alphabet — Google’s parent — on behalf of New York union pensioners, alleging it breached fiduciary duties and covered up a data breach and sexual harassment allegations. The statement from Cohen-Milstein on the suit alleged Alphabet “fostered” a misogynistic “‘brogrammer’ culture,” and later celebrated the settlement “fundamentally altering Alphabet’s workforce policies,” including a $310 million “financial commitment to DEI initiatives” and its position toward “workplace equity.” AFC found the lawsuit “functioned as a tool for advocacy groups to push a comprehensive expansion of the DEI agenda at one of the biggest companies with a massive budgetary commitment, all through litigation rather than legislative action or shareholder demand.” Cohen-Milstein did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. JIM JORDAN PRESSED TO SUBPOENA CLIMATE GROUP ACCUSED OF ‘JUDICIAL MANIPULATION’ Skinner’s team also cited a case in which the Obama Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) allegedly did an end run around legislators and established new DEI practices at another major company through aggressive litigation. Bass Pro/Outdoor World agreed to pay $10.5 million and provide “other significant relief” to settle a hiring discrimination suit brought by Obama’s EEOC, according to the agency. The administration claimed Bass Pro Shops discriminated against minority applicants, but instead of a strictly cash settlement, it reached agreements to mandate EEO training, affirmative diversity outreach and the appointment of a DEI director, according to AFC’s research. In an ongoing climate-related suit — in which Honolulu is suing Sunoco via the Sher-Edling firm — the Hawaiian capital reportedly alleged public nuisance claims and sought to hold oil companies responsible for climate damages. AFC’s report found the suit seeks not only monetary damages for “climate-related infrastructure costs,” but also disgorgement of profits, climate-mitigation actions and other corporate reforms. “These cases attempt to use courts to impose climate policy, effectively putting judges in charge of energy and climate regulation rather than elected legislatures and administrative agencies with technical expertise,” the report said. Fox News Digital reached out to Sher-Edling. FOX NEWS DIGITAL REPORT SPURS 22 AGS TO URGE EXPANDED HOUSE PROBE INTO ALLEGED JUDICIAL BIAS In another case, red-state government employees were granted access to transgender health care after a staff accountant surnamed Rich and other plaintiffs sued over a health plan that denied coverage of transgender care. A $365,000 settlement was lodged and split among the defendants and an LGBTQ-rights group, while Georgia agreed to make sweeping policy changes to cover transgender care — something that would have typically gone through the legislature and likely failed with a Republican majority in charge. The main litigant in that case was the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF) — which has now merged into Advocates for Trans Equality (ATE). ‘SHOCKING AND INAPPROPRIATE’: LEGAL EXPERTS SLAM JUDGES’ GUIDE OVER CLIMATE BIAS CLAIMS “Strategic litigation by advocacy organizations successfully bypassed Georgia’s legislative process to impose highly contested healthcare policy through judicial decree, demonstrating how activist organizations achieve policy goals through courts rather than democratic processes,” AFC found in its reporting analysis. ATE did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Impact litigation has long been used by advocacy groups across the political spectrum to advance policy goals through the courts. Right-leaning groups have also been successful in forging settlement agreements that secure policy-related outcomes rather than strictly cash settlements. In CRPA v. LASD, a district court ruled that members of a Second Amendment advocacy group may apply for non-resident concealed-carry permits in California. The 2025 case saw a judge rule in favor of the California Rifle and Pistol Association, requiring Sacramento to accept permit applications from any out-of-state resident who is a member of a number of Second Amendment organizations. Skinner told Fox News Digital that the tide, at least at the
IRS erroneously shared confidential immigrant taxpayer data with DHS: court filing
The Internal Revenue Service improperly disclosed the confidential taxpayer information of thousands of people with the Department of Homeland Security as part of the agencies’ controversial agreement to share immigrant data to help identify those living in the country illegally, according to a new court filing. The Treasury Department, the IRS and the Department of Homeland Security finalized a deal last spring to allow taxpayer data to be shared with immigration authorities to help them find illegal immigrants. The agreement, which led to the resignations of top IRS officials, authorized Immigration and Customs Enforcement to submit names and addresses of illegal immigrants to the IRS for cross-verification against tax records. In a declaration filed Wednesday, IRS Chief Risk and Control Officer Dottie Romo said the IRS was able to verify roughly 47,000 of the 1.28 million names ICE requested that were then disclosed to the immigration enforcement agency. SECOND FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS IRS FROM SHARING ADDRESSES WITH ICE The IRS gave ICE additional address information for under 5% of those names, potentially violating privacy rules created to protect taxpayer data. The tax-collecting agency said it recently discovered the mistake and is working with other federal agencies to resolve the matter. Romo said the Treasury notified DHS last month of the error and asked for its assistance in “promptly taking steps to remediate the matter consistent with federal law,” which includes “appropriate disposal of any data provided to ICE by IRS based on incomplete or insufficient address information.” MINNESOTA SUES TRUMP ADMIN OVER SWEEPING IMMIGRATION RAIDS IN TWIN CITIES The agreement last year between the IRS and DHS sparked litigation against the Trump administration and broke a longstanding IRS policy that encouraged immigrants to pay taxes even if they are not in the U.S. legally by assuring them that their data was safe. A lawsuit was filed against Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on behalf of several immigrant rights groups shortly after the agreement was signed. Last week, a federal judge ordered the IRS to stop disclosing residential addresses to ICE, marking the second ruling blocking the IRS-DHS agreement. In November, a different federal judge blocked the IRS from sharing information with DHS, saying the IRS illegally disseminated the tax data of some migrants over the summer, violating a taxpayer confidentiality law. Advocate groups expressed concern that the potential unlawful release of taxpayer records could be used to maliciously target U.S. citizens and violate their privacy. “Once taxpayer data is opened to immigration enforcement, mistakes are inevitable and the consequences fall on innocent people,” Tom Bowman, policy counsel for the Center for Democracy & Technology, told The Associated Press. “The disclosure of thousands of confidential records unfortunately shows precisely why strict legal firewalls exist and have — until now — been treated as an important guardrail.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Federal Judge releases four illegal immigrants convicted of murder, sex crimes from ICE Custody
A federal judge in Louisiana has released four illegal immigrants with lengthy rap sheets that include convictions for murder and child sex crimes from law enforcement custody earlier this month. On Feb. 6, Judge John deGravelles, an Obama appointee who sits on the bench for the Middle District Court of Louisiana, granted the four defendants release from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, the Department of Homeland Security said. “The ramifications will only be the continued rape, murder, assault, and robbery of more American victims,” said Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Releasing these monsters is inexcusably reckless. President Trump and Secretary Noem are now enforcing the law and arresting illegal aliens who have no right to be in our country.” EXCLUSIVE: ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT RELEASED UNDER BIDEN ‘CATCH-AND-RELEASE’ ALLEGEDLY KILLS DRIVER IN POLICE CHASE “We are applying the law as written,” she added. “If an immigration judge finds an illegal alien has no right to be in this country, we are going to remove them. Period.” The four defendants include Ibrahim Ali Mohammed, an Ethiopian citizen convicted of sexual exploitation of a minor. An immigration judge issued him a final order of removal on Sept, 5, 2024. He was released into the United States by the Biden administration. DHS HONORS ILLINOIS WOMAN WHOSE CORPSE WAS ALLEGEDLY ABUSED BY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT FREED UNDER SANCTUARY LAWS Luis Gaston-Sanchez, from Cuba, has convictions for homicide, assault, resisting an officer, concealing stolen property, and two counts of robbery. An immigration judge issued a deportation order for him on Sept. 24, 2001. Ricardo Blanco Chomat, also a Cuban citizen, has convictions for homicide, kidnapping, aggravated assault with a firearm, burglary, robbery, larceny, and selling cocaine. A deportation order was issued for him on March 27, 2002. Francisco Rodriguez-Romero was previously convicted of homicide and a weapons offense. He was ordered to be deported on May 30, 1995. In Sept. 2025, DHS announced a partnership with Louisiana to expand ICE detention space at the Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as Angola Prison. The facility, dubbed the “Louisiana Lockup,” houses some of the criminal illegal immigrants arrested by ICE. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Middle District Court of Louisiana for comment.
Trump threatens ‘consequences’ after 6 House Republicans voted to reverse his Canada tariffs
President Donald Trump is threatening to back election challengers against the six House Republicans who joined Democrats in voting to reverse his tariffs on Canada. The president sent out an ominous warning to GOP lawmakers in the House and Senate just before his agenda suffered a blow on Capitol Hill Wednesday evening. “Any Republican, in the House or the Senate, that votes against TARIFFS will seriously suffer the consequences come Election time, and that includes Primaries!” Trump posted on Truth Social. He argued that the trade deficit was reduced significantly while U.S. financial markets hit significant high points because of his tariff policies. TRUMP’S TARIFFS COULD BE UNDONE BY ONE CONSERVATIVE DOCTRINE: ‘LIFE OR DEATH’ “In addition, TARIFFS have given us Great National Security because the mere mention of the word has Countries agreeing to our strongest wishes,” Trump continued. “TARIFFS have given us Economic and National Security, and no Republican should be responsible for destroying this privilege.” Democrats successfully got a vote on a measure to reverse Trump’s national emergency at the northern border using a mechanism for forcing votes over the objections of House majority leadership called a privileged resolution. TRUMP’S SIGNATURE TARIFFS HANG ON KEY QUESTION ABOUT CONGRESS’ POWER BEFORE SUPREME COURT The six Republicans who voted in favor of the measure were Reps. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash.; Kevin Kiley, R-Calif.; Don Bacon, R-Neb.; Jeff Hurd, R-Colo.; and Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa. One Democrat, Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, voted with the majority of Republicans on the matter. It passed 219-211. It’s not clear how much impact Trump’s threat will have, however. Neither Newhouse nor Bacon is running for re-election in the 2026 midterms, and Trump is already endorsing a primary challenger against Massie. Kiley, whose district was heavily altered by California Democrats’ new congressional map, has not yet said whether he will run for re-election or where he will do it. He told Fox News Digital when asked for a response to Trump, “This was a resolution regarding the emergency declared by the president over fentanyl from Canada. Congress has an obligation under the National Emergencies Act to evaluate every six months if the emergency still exists. Canada has now significantly cracked down on fentanyl, so there’s no basis to extend the emergency another six months.” Fitzpatrick and Hurd are both well-liked incumbents in their districts, which are top targets for Democrats come November. Hurd told Fox News Digital his constituents were “directly affected by these policies.” “Today’s vote is grounded first and foremost in the Constitution. Article I gives Congress the authority to regulate commerce with foreign nations and to levy tariffs. Over time, Congress has delegated limited authority to the executive branch, particularly in matters involving national emergencies. But those delegations were never intended to serve as a permanent vehicle for sweeping, long-term trade policy,” he added. “If we normalize broad emergency trade powers today, we should expect that a future president — of either party — will rely on the same authority in ways many of us would strongly oppose. Institutional consistency matters. The Constitution does not shift depending on who occupies the White House. My responsibility is to defend the separation of powers regardless of political convenience.” Trump signed an executive order in February 2025, enacting an additional 25% tariff on most goods from Canada and Mexico. Energy from Canada was subject to an additional 15% tariff. At the time, the White House said it was punishment for those countries’ unwillingness to do more to stop the flow of illegal immigrants and illicit drugs into the U.S. Opponents of Trump’s tariff strategy have criticized his moves against Canada in particular, arguing it was unjustly harming one of the closest allies and trading partners of the U.S. to the detriment of Americans. But Republicans who voted against the legislation pointed out that Trump said the fentanyl crisis was the reason for issuing the emergency in the first place, adding the drug was still killing Americans. The legislation now heads to the Senate, where Republicans have voted to rebuke Trump’s tariff strategy in the past despite similar warnings from the president.
Illegal alien youth coach could face death penalty after allegedly murdering, raping teen player
Child sex charges continue to pile up against an illegal alien soccer coach accused of sexually attacking and murdering one of his players. Mario Edgardo Garcia-Aquino, 44, an illegal immigrant “gotaway” from El Salvador, faces more child sex charges after he was charged with raping and murdering a teen boy he coached. He was also charged with sodomy and oral copulation with a minor under 16. Garcia-Aquino, after entering the United States, established himself in the San Fernando Valley as a soccer coach. His work managing these teams made him a visitor of Whitsett Fields Park in North Hollywood, where youth soccer games are played and where Garcia-Aquino allegedly met 13-year-old Oscar Hernandez, who he allegedly sexually assaulted and then murdered. ICE ARRESTS MURDERERS, PEDOPHILES DURING SUPER BOWL WEEKEND AS AGENTS SAY HALFTIME SHOW ‘DEMONIZED’ THEM The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed nine more child sex charges against Garcia-Aquino this week — eight counts of sodomy of a person under age 16 and one count of oral copulation of a minor under 16, according to an amended complaint obtained by Fox News Digital. Garcia-Aquino reportedly pleaded not guilty to the additional charges through his attorney, according to local media reports. Fox News Digital inquired with the LA County Public Defender’s Office but did not receive a response in time for publication. The LA County District Attorney’s Office, which is prosecuting the case against Garcia-Aquino, declined to comment further on the ongoing case. A complaint from the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Los Angeles indicates that, on March 28, Garcia-Aquino murdered 13-year-old Oscar Hernandez while sexually assaulting him. The same complaint also accuses Garcia-Aquino of a second sexual assault and rape of a child in December 2022. PRITZKER JOINS CHORUS OF DEM GOVERNORS BOYCOTTING WHITE HOUSE DINNER AFTER SNUB IGNITES ‘CHAOS’ A separate case involving an alleged sexual assault by Garcia-Aquino on Feb. 22, 2024, was also reportedly added to the case later. He allegedly assaulted this minor numerous other times between September 2022 and July 2023, according to the complaint. Now, as the charges pile up against the illegal immigrant soccer coach, he could face the death penalty. “Thirteen-year-old Oscar ‘Omar’ Hernandez was an innocent child who was exploited and killed by this depraved illegal alien who should have never been in this country,” the Department of Homeland Security said last year. “Under President Trump and Secretary Noem’s leadership, child predators, pedophiles and murderers will be hunted down and removed from America’s communities.” Hernandez was reportedly last seen leaving his home in Sun Valley to meet the soccer coach, according to family members, but he was later found dead along the side of a road. In one of the other cases, involving the sexual assault of a 14-year-old boy, Garcia-Aquino reportedly “befriended” a family through a local soccer program and the teen’s parents eventually let the teen stay the night at Garcia-Aquino’s home, officials say. The murdered boy’s brother told CBS News that he believed Garcia-Aquino targeted families who did not have the proper legal status to live in the United States.