Trump says Putin agreed to halt Kyiv strikes for one week amid brutal cold
President Donald Trump said Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to not open fire on Kyiv, Ukraine, for one week due to the freezing weather rocking the region. “I personally asked President Putin not to fire on Kyiv and the cities and towns for a week during this,” Trump said. “It’s extraordinary cold, record-setting cold. Over there too, they’re having the same conditions. It’s a big it’s a big pile of bad weather. The worst. But it was, it really they said, they’ve never experienced cold like that.” The president held his first Cabinet meeting of 2026 Thursday, where he welcomed special envoy Steve Witkoff to the table to provide updates on his negotiations with Russia to end the war on Ukraine. Trump continued that he’s happy he made the call to Putin despite warnings to not “waste” a call to the Russian leader. RUSSIA, UKRAINE TO DISCUSS TERRITORY AS TRUMP SAYS BOTH SIDES ‘WANT TO MAKE A DEAL’ “I personally asked President Putin not to fire into Kyiv and the various towns for a week, and he agreed to do that,” Trump said. “And I have to tell you, I was very nice. A lot of people said, don’t waste that call. You’re not going to get that. And he did it. And we’re very happy that they did it.” Trump added that the agreement was a “very good thing.” Russian strikes in Kyiv, Ukraine, have hobbled the city’s energy infrastructure in recent weeks, with Reuters reporting Monday that more than 1,300 apartment buildings in Ukraine’s capital have been without heat in the chilling temperatures. The strikes also have left much of the population without electricity and running water. Witkoff said Thursday during the Cabinet meeting that negotiations have moved along productively and that the people of Ukraine are “hopeful and expecting that we’re going to deliver a peace deal sometime soon.” Witkoff and fellow administration envoy Jared Kushner joined trilateral peace talks earlier in January with Ukraine and Russia as the nations inch toward a hopeful peace deal. WITKOFF AND KUSHNER SCHEDULED TO MEET PUTIN IN MOSCOW “We had five Russian generals last Sunday in Abu Dhabi with Jared and I and Dan Driscoll. We think we made a lot of progress,” Witkoff said. “The talks will continue in about a week, but lots of good things happening. … We have a security protocol agreement that’s largely finished. A prosperity agreement that’s largely, largely finished.” ZELENSKYY HOLDING UP RUSSIA-UKRAINE PEACE PROCESS, TRUMP SAYS A monthly chart of the weather in Kyiv, Ukraine, shows it has been brutally cold similar to temperatures rocking many parts of the U.S., as winter storm Fern careened across much of the United States Saturday and Sunday. The month of January in Kyiv, Ukraine, shows the highest temperature reaching 34° Fahrenheit and the lowest hitting -5° Fahrenheit, according to weather data. The war in Ukraine has raged since the Biden administration as Russia looks to take hold of the nation and expand its footprint in Europe. The war will notch its four-year anniversary Feb. 24. Trump campaigned in part on ending the war in Ukraine, arguing it never would have unfolded if he had been re-elected during the 2020 campaign cycle. The president has noted that the war in Ukraine has been more difficult to solve than he anticipated, while touting he has ended eight other wars since he was sworn back into the Oval Office just more than one year ago.
White House blasts top House Democrat as a ‘buffoon’ after Jeffries brands Stephen Miller a ‘hateful bigot’
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., called White House deputy chief of staff for policy and Homeland Security advisor Stephen Miller a “hateful bigot,” but the White House fired back, labeling the lawmaker a “buffoon.” “Stephen Miller is one of the malignant architects of the violence and brutality DHS has unleashed on the American people,” Jeffries asserted in a Wednesday post on X. “He slandered hero nurse Alex Pretti as a would-be assassin. Why is this hateful bigot still Donald Trump’s chief immigration adviser?” Jeffries asked. SENATE DEMOCRAT DEMANDS TRUMP FIRE ‘CREEP’ STEPHEN MILLER IN EXCHANGE FOR HIS DHS FUNDING VOTE In a statement provided to Fox News Digital, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson slammed Jeffries. “Hakeem Jeffries is a buffoon who has repeatedly lied about and smeared federal law enforcement officers, including inciting violence against them by encouraging his supporters to ‘fight’ President Trump’s agenda ‘in the streets.’ No one should take anything he says seriously,” Jackson said in the statement. A senior DHS official told Fox News Digital that Miller “has been instrumental in delivering on the President’s agenda.” “At neck-breaking speed, President Trump has achieved the most secure border in American history — Stephen has been a lynchpin in those efforts,” the official added. HAKEEM JEFFRIES SAYS DEMS WILL NOT BACK FUNDING BILL FOR ‘KILLING MACHINE’ DHS EVEN IF NOEM IS FIRED The official went on to say that Miller’s “passion, patriotism and persistence helps fuel this administration in our efforts to carry out the largest deportation of criminal illegal aliens in the history of our republic.” The Trump administration has been conducting a crackdown on illegal immigrants in the U.S. Alex Pretti, a U.S. citizen, was fatally shot in Minneapolis on Saturday. CBP/BORDER PATROL AGENTS PLACED ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE AFTER DEADLY CONFRONTATION WITH ALEX PRETTI “A would-be assassin tried to murder federal law enforcement and the official Democrat account sides with the terrorists,” Miller asserted in a Saturday post on X.
Trump moves to reopen Venezuelan airspace as US seeks reset with acting government
President Donald Trump announced that the commercial airspace over Venezuela would reopen after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released an emergency notice earlier in January to block civil flight operations of U.S. aircraft in Venezuela airspace. The notice came as the U.S. conducted strikes in Venezuela and captured dictator Nicolás Maduro. The Trump administration has said that the U.S. would run Venezuela until a peaceful transition could occur and is currently working to restore diplomatic relations with Caracas, Venezuela. “I just spoke to the president of Venezuela and informed her that we’re going to be opening up all commercial airspace over Venezuela,” Trump said Thursday during a Cabinet meeting. “American citizens will be very shortly able to go to Venezuela, and they’ll be safe there and be safe. It’s under very strong control.” Trump said that he’s instructed Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and the U.S. military to open the airspace over Venezuela by the end of Thursday. RUBIO SAYS US HAS NO PLAN TO USE FORCE IN VENEZUELA — BUT WARNS ‘IMMINENT THREAT’ COULD CHANGE THAT Meanwhile, the U.S. is attempting to revitalize diplomatic relations with Venezuela following Maduro’s ouster. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers Wednesday that the U.S. is planning to re-open its embassy in Venezuela. “We have a team on the ground there assessing it, and we think very quickly we’ll be able to open a U.S. diplomatic presence on the ground,” Rubio told members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Wednesday. The U.S. Embassy in Venezuela, as well as flights between the U.S. and Venezuela, have been shuttered since 2019. Following the raid to seize Maduro, hundreds of U.S. flights to the Caribbean were canceled, including flights between the U.S. and Puerto Rico and Aruba. Following Trump’s announcement, American Airlines announced that it would resurrect direct flights between the U.S. and Venezuela. “We have a more than 30-year history connecting Venezolanos to the U.S., and we are ready to renew that incredible relationship,” Nat Pieper, American’s chief commercial officer, said in a statement. “By restarting service to Venezuela, American will offer customers the opportunity to reunite with families and create new business and commerce with the United States.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Supreme Court to review Trump petition on E Jean Carroll judgment
Supreme Court justices are set to hold a private conference on Feb. 20 to consider a slate of petitions for review, including one from President Donald Trump. The president is requesting a review of the 2023 verdict against him in a civil lawsuit brought by E. Jean Carroll. The justices could act on Trump’s petition as soon as Feb. 23, but they generally consider petitions at two or more conferences before granting them, meaning they might not announce a decision until March 2 or later, according to SCOTUS Blog. Carroll’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan, previously downplayed the likelihood the Supreme Court will intervene. “We do not believe that President Trump will be able to present any legal issues in the Carroll cases that merit review by the United States Supreme Court,” Kaplan said, according to The Associated Press. TRUMP ASKS SUPREME COURT TO OVERTURN E JEAN CARROLL CASE VERDICT In the petition, Trump’s attorneys described Carroll’s allegations as “facially implausible” and “politically motivated.” They also argued the accusations were “propped up” by a “series of indefensible evidentiary rulings” that allowed Carroll’s attorneys to present certain evidence that the Trump team found objectionable. “President Trump has clearly and consistently denied that this supposed incident ever occurred. No physical or DNA evidence corroborates Carroll’s story. There were no eyewitnesses, no video evidence, and no police report or investigation… Carroll waited more than 20 years to falsely accuse Donald Trump, who she politically opposes, until after he became the 45th President, when she could maximize political injury to him and profit for herself,” Trump’s attorneys wrote in the petition. Trump’s attorneys also suggested that Carroll’s allegations mirror the plot of a “Law & Order” episode, which they say is one of her favorite TV shows. FEDERAL APPEALS COURT UPHOLDS $83.3 MILLION E. JEAN CARROLL JUDGMENT AGAINST TRUMP They also argued that lower courts should not have admitted testimony by Jessica Leeds and Natasha Stoynoff, who alleged that the then-real estate mogul assaulted them. Leeds claimed that her assault happened on an airplane in 1979, while Stoynoff said her attack occurred at Mar-a-Lago in 2005. The attorneys say both women’s allegations present credibility issues, citing inconsistencies. They also objected to the inclusion of the infamous 2005 “Access Hollywood” tape in which Trump made lewd remarks, which became a flash point of the 2016 election. Carroll, a journalist and advice columnist, sued Trump twice after she released a book in 2019 in which she claimed that he raped her in 1996 in the dressing room of the Bergdorf Goodman department store across the street from Trump Tower. Trump has repeatedly denied Carroll’s claims and said the case was “a complete con job.” He also said that Carroll was “not my type.” “I don’t know this woman, have no idea who she is, other than it seems she got a picture of me many years ago, with her husband, shaking my hand on a reception line at a celebrity charity event,” Trump wrote on Truth Social in October 2022. Trump’s repeated criticisms of Carroll and denial of her claims led to the journalist’s defamation allegations. In May 2023, a jury found Trump was not liable for rape but was liable for sexual abuse and defamation. Carroll was awarded a total of $5 million in damages.
FBI’s Fulton County warrant sought election records, voter rolls from 2020 election
The search warrant that FBI agents executed Wednesday at an election hub in Fulton County, Georgia, authorized the seizure of election records, voting rolls and other data tied to the 2020 election, according to a copy of the warrant reviewed by Fox News. The FBI’s search of the Fulton County Election Hub and Operation Center in Union City, Georgia, appears to be the most public indication to date that the bureau could be pursuing an investigation into complaints of voter fraud in the 2020 election. Fulton County is the most populous county in Georgia and includes the capital city of Atlanta. It most notably emerged as ground zero for voter fraud complaints in the wake of the 2020 election, though the claims did not survive court scrutiny. Fox News Digital reported yesterday that FBI agents were seen entering the Fulton County Election Hub and Operation Center, a new facility that state officials opened in 2023 that was designed to streamline their election processes. JUDGE DISMISSES 2020 ELECTION INTERFERENCE CASE AGAINST TRUMP According to a copy of the warrant, FBI personnel in Fulton County were authorized to seize all physical ballots, tabulator tapes, electronic ballot images and voter rolls obtained during the 2020 election from the county’s main election facility. The FBI said in a statement that agents were executing a “court-authorized law enforcement action” at the facility. “Our investigation into this matter is ongoing so there are no details that we can provide at the moment,” they said. News of the search comes years after Fulton County emerged at the center of concerns and complaints about voter fraud in the wake of the 2020 elections, including from President Donald Trump, who lost the state to former President Joe Biden by a razor-thin margin. Despite a machine count and two recounts that confirmed the results, Trump continued to feud for years with Georgia officials and claimed that various instances of fraud had tainted the results. Most recently, Trump reiterated those complaints earlier this month during a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He said then that “people will soon be prosecuted for what they did,” though he declined to elaborate. The Justice Department sued Fulton County in December seeking access to ballots related to the 2020 lawsuit, though the FBI’s search appears unrelated. Fulton County is fighting the lawsuit and says the Justice Department has not made a valid argument for accessing the records.
‘Shocking and inappropriate’: Legal experts slam judges’ guide over climate bias claims
A gold-standard guide used by judges nationwide to address subjects they are not particularly versed in is drawing criticism over the latest edition’s inclusion of purported ideological bias focused on its climate section. Critics have said the fourth edition of the Federal Judicial Center’s Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence – which includes a foreword by Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan – appears to blur the line between neutrally educating judges and indoctrinating them with left-wing advocates’ prose. The approximately 1,600-page guide was released at the beginning of the year and includes several citations and footnotes to climate change activists and proponents, including climatologist Michael Mann and environmental law expert Jessica Wentz. CLIMATE DEADLINES COLLIDE WITH POLITICS AS DEM-LED STATES CHASE BIG OIL IN COURT BUT SPARE LOCAL REFINERS Wentz is the topline expert at the Climate Judiciary Project at the Environmental Law Institute — an entity currently under federal investigation, as Fox News Digital recently reported. “The Committee on the Judiciary is investigating allegations of improper attempts by the Environmental Law Institute (ELI) and its Climate Judiciary Project (CJP) to influence federal judges,” read a statement from House Judiciary Committee members Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Darrell Issa, R-Calif. Jordan and Issa found evidence of efforts to “influence judges who potentially may be presiding over lawsuits related to alleged climate change claims… [which] appear to have the underlying goal of predisposing federal judges in favor of plaintiffs alleging injuries from the manufacturing, marketing, use, or sale of fossil-fuel products.” SCOOP: WHITE HOUSE BACKS IMPEACHING ‘ROGUE’ JUDGES ACCUSED OF PARTISAN RULINGS A spokesperson for the institute told Fox News Digital at the time that CJP’s curriculum is “fact-based and science-first, grounded in consensus reports and developed with a robust peer review process” and that suggestions otherwise are “without merit.” Wentz, who is also a senior fellow at Columbia’s Sabin Center for Climate Law, is listed as chief author of the section, along with fellow university faculty Radley Horton, on page 1561. She served as a witness for the plaintiffs in Juliana v. U.S., where youth activists accused the U.S. government of violating their constitutional rights by failing to implement their preferred climate change policies. She also signed an amicus brief supporting the Obama administration’s environmental regulations after multiple states filed lawsuits against the EPA in 2016. Nonetheless, legal experts warned of the potential repercussions down the line of having such prominent contributors in what is supposed to be an apolitical anthology. “It is alarming to see how far the Left has gone in its blatant effort to capture the judiciary. Its feeding of trial lawyers’ climate ‘science’ to sitting judges who will decide contentious litigation in this area short-circuits our system of justice,” said Carrie Severino, a former law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and president of the Judicial Crisis Network. “When they can’t pass their extreme policies into law, they are attempting to use the courts as an end run around the legislative process,” said Severino, whose organization has helped vet judicial nominees, including Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett. Michael Fragoso of Torridon Law, former chief counsel to Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., agreed that there is rank bias throughout the climate section of the anthology. SUPREME COURT MUST FREEZE THE CLIMATE EXTORTION OF OUR ENERGY INDUSTRY “The whole section of the guide is shockingly inappropriate—and if you look at the organizational meeting at the National Academies, intentionally so,” Fragoso said. “But when you dig into it, it only gets worse. The section on attribution ‘science,’ for example, was lifted in large part by a previous article written by the two authors and Michael Burger, who is himself a climate-plaintiff lawyer.” “Given that attribution is at the heart of these lawsuits, it’s shocking that the Judicial Center would let a plaintiff lawyer ‘explain’ it to judges. It’s even worse that it’s hidden in a random footnote,” said Fragoso, who recently analyzed a key energy-related suit in Louisiana. The House Judiciary Committee previously alleged CJP’s efforts appear to have the underlying goal of predisposing federal judges in favor of plaintiffs involved in climate litigation. Mann, a climate change academic in Pennsylvania, authored a book called “The New Climate War,” and the judges’ guide cites the book to claim the energy industry has sought to deceive the public. He resigned from a role at the University of Pennsylvania in 2025 after disparaging social media comments about Charlie Kirk that invoked the Hitler Youth movement, and previously successfully sued conservative commentator Mark Steyn for $1 million over aggressive criticism of his famous “hockey stick graph” that resulted from his study of human influence on global warming over the centuries. When asked about criticisms of her role in crafting the guide, Wentz told Fox News Digital, “no comment.” Mann did not respond to a request for comment. Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
7 Republicans join Dems to block major government funding package as shutdown looms
Senate Democrats stayed true to their threat by blocking a behemoth funding package, but in a surprising turn of events, they were joined by several Senate Republicans to derail the legislation. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and his caucus made it no secret that they would obstruct the government funding process over the last several days, demanding that Republicans strip the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill from the six-bill package. But the defection of seven GOP lawmakers – Sens. Ted Budd, R-N.C., Ron Johnson, R-Wis., Mike Lee, R- Utah, Ashley Moody, R-Fla., Rand Paul, R-Ky., Rick Scott, R-Fla., and Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala. – was an unexpected development on Thursday. Senate Democrats are willing to support the five other bills in the package, however, and have reiterated that bundle would easily pass if given the chance. SENATE REPUBLICANS WEIGH DEM DEMAND TO SPLIT DHS BILL, TURN TO SHORT-TERM EXTENSION TO AVOID SHUTDOWN “Democrats are ready to avert a shutdown,” said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee. “We have five bills we all agree on. About 95% of the remaining budget. It is ready to go,” she continued. “We can pass those five bills, no problem. All Leader Thune has to do is tee them up for a vote.” But Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., sought to call their bluff and barreled forward with the key test vote, which would have opened up several hours of debate and eventually a final vote to send the package to President Donald Trump’s desk. Ahead of the vote, Thune said he hoped that conversations between the White House and Senate Democrats would produce the “the votes that are necessary to get it passed.” Thune threw cold water on Senate Democrats’ several demands for reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) making their way into the current package, too. “That’s not going to happen in this bill, but there are, I mean, there’s a path to consider some of those things and negotiate that out between Republicans, Democrats, House, Senate, White House,” Thune said. “But that’s not gonna happen in this bill.” With the six-bill package, which included major funding bills for the Pentagon and other agencies, now scuttled, Senate Republicans and the White House are looking for a plan B to keep the government open or to at least minimize the damage from a partial shutdown. SCHUMER ROLLS OUT LIST OF ICE DEMANDS AS WHITE HOUSE SAYS DEMS ‘BLOCKED’ DEAL-MAKING SESSION One option gaining momentum among Republicans would be to strip the DHS funding bill from the broader package, advance the smaller, five-bill bundle and then turn to a short-term funding extension, known as a continuing resolution (CR), for just Homeland Security. And there are ongoing negotiations among Senate Democrats and the White House on that particular idea. A White House official told Fox News Digital in a statement, “President Trump has been consistent — he wants the government to remain open, and the Administration has been working with both parties to ensure the American people don’t have to endure another shutdown.” “A shutdown would risk disaster response funding and more vital resources for the American people,” the official said. But taking that route presents several hurdles and challenges, particularly with the House out until next week. That’s because any modification to the current six-bill package would require the lower chamber to agree to it. The same is true for any CR that the Senate produces for DHS. SENATE REPUBLICANS TEE UP KEY SHUTDOWN TEST VOTE AS DEMOCRATS DIG IN ON DHS FUNDING Schumer pinned the possibility of a shutdown on Thune, arguing that if he just put the five-bill package on the floor, Senate Democrats would support it. “Well, let me tell you first, if funding lapses, it’s all because of Leader Thune,” Schumer said. “It’s on his back.” House Republicans have already signaled their unwillingness to support a modified funding package, and turning to a CR is a simmering taboo that many Republicans in the lower chamber aren’t likely to be happy with. But it’s an option that could be gaining steam with Schumer and the White House, despite Trump administration officials blaming the top Senate Democrat for canning a meeting among rank-and-file Senate Democrats and the administration on Wednesday. Turning to a CR would be an about-face for Senate Democrats, too. Last week they argued that a short-term extension for DHS would amount to a “slush fund” for Trump and the administration to use in their immigration operations with no guardrails.
Federal prosecutors charge man accused of spraying Rep Ilhan Omar at town hall
A federal criminal charge has been filed against the suspect accused of spraying a liquid on Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., during a town hall event this week. Anthony James Kazmierczak, 55, “forcibly assaulted, opposed, impeded, intimidated, and interfered with United States Representative Ilhan Omar,” says a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota and obtained by Fox News. The charge was filed by the Justice Department in Minnesota and assigned to Magistrate Judge Dulce J. Foster. Right before the attack, Omar called for the resignation or impeachment of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, following multiple fatal shootings involving federal immigration enforcement agents in Minneapolis. Kazmierczak, who was previously convicted of two DUIs, was charged at the state level with third-degree assault and was booked into the Hennepin County Jail. ILHAN OMAR BLAMES TRUMP’S RHETORIC FOR SURGE IN DEATH THREATS, INCLUDING SPRAY ATTACK The criminal complaint featured an image of the syringe that federal prosecutors said was used by Kazmierczak in the incident. It cited a Minneapolis Police Department officer as saying that a hazmat specialist “field tested the substance from the syringe and determined it was water and apple cider vinegar.” “The substance was sent to a state laboratory for further testing and analysis,” the complaint added. ILHAN OMAR DEMANDS IMPEACEMENT OF NOEM AMID DHS FUNDING BATTLE: ‘WE MUST ABOLISH ICE’ “An MPD Detective Sergeant reviewed body worn camera footage of MPD’s arrest of Kazmierczak. The detective noted that Kazmierczak made a spontaneous utterance to the effect of ‘I squirted vinegar’ at the time he was being arrested,” it continued. The complaint also said that on Wednesday, an FBI special agent interviewed a close associate of Kazmierczak who “stated that several years ago, Kazmierczak was speaking to the person on the phone about Representative Omar and said, ‘Somebody should kill that b—-,’ referring to Representative Omar.” Fox News’ Jessica Sonkin and Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.
Jordanian national arrested after boarding flight in Arizona with invalid ticket, prompting evacuation
Authorities arrested a Jordanian national in Arizona after he boarded a flight with an invalid ticket on Sunday. According to an affidavit obtained by Fox News Digital, Qais Ahmad Tillawi is being charged with interference with flight crew members and entering an airport area in violation of security requirements. Tillawi had gained entry to an international Air France flight despite having a canceled ticket and a flagged boarding pass. Police say Tillawi abandoned his rental car at the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and threw two jackets into the trash before boarding the plane. The affidavit says Tillawi was acting erratically while on the plane and alarmed the other passengers. Authorities say he refused to take his seat and began pacing the plane, which eventually had to be evacuated. INDIAN NATIONAL ALLEGEDLY STABBED 2 TEENS WITH FORK ON FLIGHT Tillawi had previously been committed to a mental hospital after a prior airport arrest. “While Tillawi was in the boarding area, an Air France passenger reported to an Air France employee that Tillawi was acting suspicious,” the affidavit reads. The plane’s captain ordered Tillawi to leave the plane, but he refused, instead typing a message on his phone that read, “Send the USA marshal.” Phoenix police were called and soon responded to the scene. Tillawi was the last person to leave the plane. The affidavit noted that Tillawi had been detained at the Dubai Airport in 2024 after similar erratic behavior. He was temporarily committed to a mental institution following the incident. TRUMP LAUNCHES PHASE 2 OF GAZA PEACE PLAN — BUT HAMAS DISARMAMENT REMAINS THE REAL TEST Police who interviewed him at the Phoenix airport said he refused to give his name or speak at all, instead using his phone to type messages. Authorities called his brother living in Jordan, who said Tillawi speaks fluent English and had attended Arizona State University.
Minneapolis mayor to visit DC to push for end of ‘unlawful ICE operations’ after Trump’s blunt warning
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey is heading to Washington, D.C. on Thursday to push for an end to “unlawful ICE operations,” his office announced. Frey’s trip to the nation’s capital comes as White House border czar Tom Homan vowed Thursday to remain in Minnesota leading Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations there “until the problem is gone.” It’s unclear if Frey will meet with the White House while he is in Washington, but he is expected to address the U.S. Conference of Mayors at 1:45 p.m. ET, before heading back home later Thursday evening. “Mayor Jacob Frey is traveling to Washington, D.C. today to attend the U.S. Conference of Mayors, where he will meet with mayors and federal lawmakers from across the country to advocate for an end to Operation Metro Surge and other unlawful ICE operations,” his office said in a statement. “During the visit, Mayor Frey will also participate in national discussions focused on how cities can work together to keep communities safe while upholding the rule of law,” it added. “Since Operation Metro Surge began in Minnesota, families have been torn apart, small businesses have suffered economic losses, and local law enforcement agencies have experienced increased strain.” BORDER CZAR TOM HOMAN VOWS TO STAY IN MINNESOTA ‘UNTIL THE PROBLEM’S GONE’ Frey said in his own statement that, “Minneapolis may be where we’ve seen one of the largest ICE deployments in the country, but it will not be the last if we fail to act.” Homan said Thursday morning that the Trump administration is working on a “drawdown plan” to decrease the presence of federal agents in Minnesota. In a Truth Social post on Wednesday, President Donald Trump said, “Surprisingly, Mayor Jacob Frey just stated that, ‘Minneapolis does not, and will not, enforce Federal Immigration Laws.’ This is after having had a very good conversation with him.” “Could somebody in his inner sanctum please explain that this statement is a very serious violation of the Law, and that he is PLAYING WITH FIRE!” Trump warned. KLOBUCHAR LAUNCHES MINNESOTA GOVERNOR BID AFTER WALZ ENDS RE-ELECTION RUN AMID MASSIVE FRAUD SCANDAL Frey responded to the president’s comments. “The job of our police is to keep people safe, not enforce fed immigration laws. I want them preventing homicides, not hunting down a working dad who contributes to MPLS & is from Ecuador. It’s similar to the policy your guy Rudy had in NYC. Everyone should feel safe calling 911,” the mayor asserted in a post on X, making an apparent reference to former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. The president issued the warning on Wednesday after Frey, who met with Homan on Tuesday, declared in a Tuesday post on X that the city will not enforce federal immigration law. Fox News Digital’s Alex Nitzberg and Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.