State-level AI rules survive — for now — as Senate sinks moratorium despite White House pressure
The Senate is quietly winning the battle over states’ abilities to craft their own artificial intelligence (AI) regulations, but there is still a desire to chart out a rough framework at the federal level. The issue of a blanket AI moratorium, which would have halted states from crafting their own AI regulations, was thought to have been put to bed over the summer. But the push was again revived by House Republicans, who were considering dropping it into the annual National Defense Authorization Act. However, Republicans in the lower chamber have pulled back from that push, even as the White House has pressed Congress to create a federal framework that would make regulations more cohesive across the country. LAWMAKERS UNVEIL BIPARTISAN GUARD ACT AFTER PARENTS BLAME AI CHATBOTS FOR TEEN SUICIDES, VIOLENCE A trio of Senate Republicans, Sens. Josh Hawley of Missouri, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, who banded together to block the original proposal, cheered the provision’s apparent rise from the grave. Hawley told Fox News Digital that it was good news that the provision would not be included in the defense authorization bill, but warned that “vigilance is needed, and Congress needs to act.” “I mean, for everybody out there saying, ‘Well, Congress needs to act and create one standard,’ I agree with that,” he said. “And we can start by banning chat bots for minors.” Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who chairs the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation committee, initially pushed for a moratorium to be included in Trump’s One Big, Beautiful Bill. His position on the issue has been to unchain AI to give the U.S. a competitive edge against foreign adversaries like China. But that attempt was nearly unanimously defeated over the summer and stripped from the bill. And Cruz hasn’t given up. “The discussions are ongoing, but it is the White House that is driving,” Cruz told Fox News Digital. PROTECTING KIDS FROM AI CHATBOTS: WHAT THE GUARD ACT MEANS Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., acknowledged that getting the moratorium into the defense authorization bill would be difficult earlier in the week. “That’s controversial, as you know,” Thune said. “So, I mean, I think the White House is working with senators and House members for that matter to try and come up with something that works but preserves states’ rights.” Trump declared last month that the U.S. “MUST have one Federal Standard instead of a patchwork of 50 State Regulatory Regimes,” and argued that over regulation at the state level was threatening the investment, and expected growth, of AI. The White House reportedly drafted an executive order that would have blocked states from regulating AI that would have withheld certain streams of federal funding from states that didn’t comply with the order, and enlisted the Department of Justice to sue states that crafted their own regulations. So far, Trump has not taken action on the order. AI COULD DRIVE US UNEMPLOYMENT TO 20%, SENATORS WARN AS NEW BILL TARGETS JOB TRACKING Blackburn, who was the leading player in thwarting Cruz’s previous attempt to assert an AI moratorium into Trump’s marquee tax bill, also wants some kind of federal framework, but one that is designed to “protect children, consumers, creators, and conservatives,” a spokesperson for Blackburn told Fox News Digital in a statement. “Senator Blackburn will continue her decade-long effort to work with her colleagues in both the House and Senate to pass federal standards to govern the virtual space and rein in Big Tech companies who are preying on children to turn a profit,” the spokesperson said. And Johnson, another key figure in blocking the moratorium earlier this year, argued to Fox News Digital that it was an “enormously complex problem. It’s my definition of a problem.” But unlike his counterparts, he was more skeptical about Congress producing a framework that he would be comfortable with. “I’m not a real fan of this place,” Johnson said. “And I think we’d be far better off if we passed a lot fewer laws. I’m not sure how often we get it right. Look at healthcare, look at how that’s been completely botched.” “What are we gonna do with AI? Hard to say, but we just don’t go through the problem-solving process,” he continued. “And again, I’m concerned, the real experts on this have got vested interests. Whatever they’re advising is, can you really trust them?”
Democrats reveal whether they believe US citizens or drug boat traffickers are more important
As scrutiny mounts on the Trump administration’s use of force in its targeting of suspected cartel members in the Caribbean, lawmakers on Capitol Hill were asked whether they believe U.S. citizen victims or drug traffickers are more important. Republicans, such as Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., said the answer is easy. “I can’t speak for anybody else, but my top concern is American citizens, their lives, their health. So, for me, it’s an easy choice. Kill drug dealers, save Americans,” said Sheehy. Democrats, however, had less black and white opinions on the strikes. “Look, I fully support doing whatever we can within the legal means to make sure that we’re stopping drug trafficking,” said Rep. Johnny Olszewski, D-Md., adding, “We should absolutely be concerned about the victims of drug trafficking and people who have lost their lives to drug violence.” SENATE REPUBLICANS BLOCK BIPARTISAN EFFORT TO HALT MILITARY ACTION, DRUG BOAT STRIKES IN THE CARIBBEAN “We support all efforts to [interdict], arrest, hold people accountable who are trying to smuggle drugs into this country. However, we have a rule of law, and we have rules of engagement for a reason. And so, we need to make sure that we have full transparency in terms of how these strikes are happening,” Olszewski went on. He added that “if the reporting is true, it’s very likely” that the administration’s drug boat strikes are “in violation of our laws and may in fact be a war crime.” “So, it merits full investigation; it merits the details being released. And you know, again, I fully support doing all that we can to stop drug trafficking, but that means that we have to make sure that we’re doing it within the rule of law and the rules that we have in this country.” Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., pushed back on the question, asking, “Is this going to do anything to truly help them?” “Cocaine’s still flowing, the demand is still there,” Smith said, adding, “You see a drug dealer on the street, that’s a bad person. That person is selling drugs. Let’s say they’re selling actual fentanyl, not the cocaine that we’re hitting here. Would you support allowing anyone to execute that person who wants to on the spot? … You want to be tough on drug dealers. Drug dealers are bad people. Why do we need due process? Why do you need probable cause?” COMMANDER OF SEPTEMBER ATTACK BELIEVED SURVIVORS WERE CONTINUING DRUG RUN, REPORT SAYS “Don’t give me this crap about how this proves you don’t care about [selling drugs],” he said. “I care about selling drugs. I don’t want a fascist regime that gets to decide who they can kill when they want to kill them without any check on that power. That simply doesn’t make sense in the United States of America, or at least not the United States of America that I want us to have.” Meanwhile, Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., answered, “We have to do our best to disrupt drug distribution. Also, we have to invest in drug health care and drug education, et cetera. We have to do all the things. The real question is, how do you do it right?” Pressed on whether the government should be prioritizing drug victims above the traffickers, Reed responded, “I’ve commented and thank you for asking,” before walking away. SCHUMER ACCUSES TRUMP OF PUSHING US TOWARD ‘FOREIGN WAR’ WITH VENEZUELA Rep. Lou Correa, D-Calif., simply answered, “Congress has to do its job: oversight,” and walked away. Republicans, meanwhile, were much more unilateral in their responses. “If it disrupts the flow of one drug coming into West Virginia, I’m all for it,” said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va. “I come from a state that has historically had enormous drug problems. A lot of deaths from fentanyl, from overdoses,” said Capito. “So, I’m supportive of whatever the president can do to end the flow of fentanyl. And [with] the narco-terrorism, the intelligence around these strikes, from my understanding, is pretty solid.” “For too long, politicians have been satisfied to have a hundred thousand Americans die every year of drug overdoses. Finally, President Trump has stepped up to the plate and said, ‘No more,’” said Rep. Glenn Grothman. “If you’re going to attack our country, and these people know full well Americans are dying because of what they’re doing. If you’re going to attack our country, we’re going to fight back, about time,” Grothman added.
Biden says ‘we’re the United States of Amerigotit’ in latest gaffe at DC conference
Former President Joe Biden said, “We’re the United States of Amerigotit” in his latest gaffe during a speech on Friday at the International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference in Washington, D.C. Biden was urging elected officials, leaders and advocates to “continue the fight” for equality when he slurred his words. “We just have to get up. As long as we keep the faith … and remember who the hell we are. We’re the United States of Amerigotit, that’s who we are! We’re the U.S.!” Biden said. ‘THIS GUY’: SLURRING BIDEN TAKES SHOT AT TRUMP, THOSE TRYING TO ‘ERASE OUR HISTORY’ AT JUNETEENTH CHURCH EVENT Biden continued to affirm that it is time to “fight back” and protect the Constitution in the face of the Trump administration’s policies and actions. “All of us are dismayed by the present state of the union,” he added. “This is no time to give up. It’s time to get up. Get up and fight back. Get up. Continue to fight. And what’s the fight all about? … it’s about protecting the Constitution. It’s about protecting the Constitution.” TRUMP DOUBLES DOWN ON VOIDING BIDEN AUTOPEN ACTIONS, INCLUDING PARDONS AND COMMUTATIONS The former president accused President Donald Trump and his loyalists of attempting to “distort and derail our fight for equality” and “further divide the country.” He continued, “They’re trying to turn it into something scary, something sinister. But folks, it’s really not about anything that’s all that complicated. At its core, it’s about making every American given the opportunity to be treated with basic decency, dignity, and respect they all deserve. That’s what every single American deserves, every American.” Biden was awarded the Chris Abele Impact Award during the event for his role in advancing LGBTQ+ rights during his administration. The award was named after LGBTQ+ Victory Action board member Chris Abele. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
DHS fires back after Dem lawmaker claims she was ‘pushed aside and pepper sprayed’ during ICE raid
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Friday pushed back against accusations from Arizona Democratic Rep. Adelita Grijalva, who claimed she was pepper sprayed during an immigration raid in Tucson. In a post on X, Grijalva said she was “pushed aside and pepper sprayed” after identifying herself as a member of Congress while seeking information from officers during a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) operation near the Taco Giro restaurant. “ICE just conducted a raid by Taco Giro in Tucson — a small mom-and-pop restaurant that has served our community for years,” Grijalva wrote. “When I presented myself as a Member of Congress asking for more information, I was pushed aside and pepper sprayed.” DHS ARRESTS DOZENS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WITHIN 24 HOURS OF LAUNCHING NEW ORLEANS OPERATION In a separate post, Grijalva called ICE a “lawless agency” that is “operating with no transparency, no accountability, and open disregard for basic due process.” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin swiftly fired back at Grijalva’s claims, saying she was never directly sprayed but merely in the “vicinity of someone who was.” “If her claims were true, this would be a medical marvel,” McLaughlin said. “But they’re not true. She wasn’t pepper sprayed. She was in the vicinity of someone who was pepper sprayed as they were obstructing and assaulting law enforcement.” THIRD AFGHAN NATIONAL FROM BIDEN-ERA PROGRAM ARRESTED IN A WEEK BY ICE AGENTS IN VIRGINIA: DHS McLaughlin also said two law enforcement officers were “seriously injured” during the incident. “In fact, 2 law enforcement officers were seriously injured by this mob that [Grijalva] joined,” she added. “Presenting oneself as a ‘member of Congress’ doesn’t give you the right to obstruct law enforcement. More information forthcoming.” The clash also prompted the Congressional Progressive Caucus — which includes nearly 100 Democratic lawmakers — to call for a congressional investigation. DEM-BACKED ‘DIGNITY’ BILL COULD STRIP ICE OF DETENTION POWERS, ERASE IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, CRITICS WARN Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., a deputy chair of the caucus, denounced the incident as a “disgusting display of violence” against Grijalva and warned that it reflects “a dangerous moment for American democracy.” The dispute unfolded a day after DHS announced it had rounded up at least a dozen criminal illegal immigrants — including “child sex offenders, domestic abusers, and violent gang members” — during Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis. “No matter when and where, ICE will find, arrest, and deport ALL criminal illegal aliens,” McLaughlin said. DHS and Grijalva did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman contributed to this report.
Texas AG Paxton sues EPIC City developers after probe finds alleged fraud, misleading Muslim-only marketing
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit on Friday against the East Plano Islamic Center (EPIC), Community Capital Partners (CCP) and several associated leaders, accusing them of running an illegal securities and land development scheme tied to a proposed 400-acre community known as “EPIC City.” The lawsuit, filed in Collin County, follows a monthslong investigation and a referral from the Texas State Securities Board. The state alleges the defendants raised tens of millions of dollars while violating securities laws, misleading investors about the project’s nature and location, and misrepresenting how funds would be used. “The leaders behind EPIC City have engaged in a radical plot to destroy hundreds of acres of beautiful Texas land and line their own pockets,” Paxton said. “I will relentlessly bring the full force of the law against anyone who thinks they can ignore the rules and hurt Texans.” According to the Verified Petition, CCP sold investment interests for $40,000 to $80,000, despite failing to register the securities or qualify for federal exemptions. MUSLIM DAD, SONS ALLEGEDLY DROWNED TEEN OVER ‘WESTERN’ LIFESTYLE, REFUSING TO WEAR HEADSCARF The state claims the group broadly solicited investors through meetings, social media and online promotions, which is activity not allowed under the exemptions they claimed. Investigators also allege the developers failed to take reasonable steps to verify purchasers were accredited investors, with documentation missing or inadequate for a number of buyers. The petition says the project was advertised as being “in the heart of Josephine, Texas,” even after the city told developers in February 2025 that the land was not within its limits or utility district. Marketing materials allegedly continued to make the claim. FEDERAL JUDGE ALLOWS TEXAS AG TO CHALLENGE HARRIS COUNTY BAIL REFORMS: ‘UNLEASHING CRIMINALS’ The state further points to alleged promotional materials that appeared to target Muslim buyers, including early website language and videos describing EPIC City as the “epicenter of Islam in North America.” Paxton’s office also alleges CEO Imran Chaudhary publicly promised he would take “not a cent” in salary, but later signed a contract paying him $360,000 a year through a separate company, a compensation arrangement not disclosed in written offering materials. Investigators allege more than $1 million in investor funds were withdrawn for general operating expenses, exceeding what offering documents described. Texas Securities Commissioner Travis Iles claims EPIC entities sold securities without meeting registration or exemption requirements and referred the matter to Paxton after identifying “flagrant” violations. Paxton first announced his investigation in March, and sought the referral in October after uncovering additional concerns. FEDERAL JUDGE RULES LAW REQUIRING DISPLAY OF TEN COMMANDMENTS IN TEXAS CLASSROOMS UNCONSTITUTIONAL Paxton is asking the court to halt all fundraising tied to the project, freeze assets, appoint a receiver, correct public statements and impose civil penalties of up to $20,000 per violation. The suit also seeks the return of investor funds. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP EPIC City, since rebranded as “The Meadow,” was marketed as a master-planned development spanning Hunt and Collin counties. Court filings show hundreds of investors purchased units. Fox News Digital has requested comment from EPIC, CCP and Paxton’s office. The full lawsuit can be read here.
Tim Walz slams Trump for calling Minnesota’s Somali community ‘garbage’: ‘Unprecedented’
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, criticized President Donald Trump on Thursday for describing the state’s Somali community as “garbage.” Walz said Trump’s statements of contempt for the state’s Somali community were “unprecedented for a United States president.” “We’ve got little children going to school today who their president called them garbage,” the blue state governor said. Minnesota has the largest Somali population in the country, with about 84,000 people in the Minneapolis and St. Paul area of Somali descent. Nearly 60% of Somalis in the state were born in the U.S., while 87% of the foreign-born Somalis are naturalized U.S. citizens. TREASURY SECRETARY LAUNCHES PROBE INTO MINNESOTA TAX DOLLARS ALLEGEDLY FUNDING AL-SHABAAB TERRORISTS Trump’s comments about Somalis in the state have intensified after the City Journal, a conservative news outlet, claimed last month that taxpayer dollars from defrauded government programs have been sent to the Somali militant group al-Shabab, an affiliate of al-Qaida. The alleged ringleader of the fraud scheme is white, but dozens of people in the Somali community have reportedly been involved. On Thanksgiving, Trump said Minnesota was “a hub of fraudulent money laundering activity” and that he was terminating Temporary Protected Status for Somalis in the state. On Tuesday, the president said at a Cabinet meeting that he did not want Somali immigrants to remain in the U.S. “We can go one way or the other, and we’re going to go the wrong way if we keep taking in garbage into our country,” he said. During the meeting, he also called Somalia-born Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., “garbage” and said Somalia “stinks.” On Wednesday, Trump said Minnesota had become a “hellhole” because of the Somali community. “Somalians should be out of here,” he told reporters. “They’ve destroyed our country.” The Trump administration launched immigration enforcement operations targeting migrants living among Minnesota’s Somali community. “Demonizing an entire group of people by their race and their ethnicity, a very group of people who contribute to the vitality — economic, cultural — of this state is something I was hoping we’d never have to see,” Walz told reporters during a briefing on the state’s budget. “This is on top of all the other vile comments.” Republican legislative leaders have been reluctant to condemn Trump’s remarks, although some did suggest he went too far. They also contended that the dispute would not have happened if Walz had acted more effectively to stop fraud in social service programs. ILHAN OMAR PRESSED TO EXPLAIN HOW FRAUD IN MINNESOTA GOT ‘SO OUT OF CONTROL’ “In no way do I believe any community is all bad. Just like I don’t believe any community is all good. What we need to do is call the fraudsters in any community accountable for their actions and stop it here in the state of Minnesota,” Republican Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, who is running for governor and hopes to secure Trump’s endorsement, told reporters. Republican state Sen. Eric Pratt, who is running for the congressional seat being vacated by Democrat U.S. Rep. Angie Craig, also would not defend the president’s comments. “It wasn’t said the way that I would have said it,” Pratt said. “But what I will say is, I share the president’s frustration in the amount of fraud and corruption that’s effectively gone on in the state. I mean, it’s really put a black eye on the state, and we are in the national news for all the wrong reasons.” Trump and Walz have repeatedly hurled insults at each other in the past, including the president hitting the Minnesota Democrat as “grossly incompetent,” a “mess” and “re—-ed” and the governor calling Trump a “wannabe dictator,” a “cruel man” and a “bad human being,” and ICE under the administration a “modern-day Gestapo.”
ICE operation in Minneapolis arrests seven ‘worst of the worst’ criminal illegal aliens
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) arrested seven more criminal illegal immigrants, including “pedophiles, gang members and drug traffickers” during Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Friday announced its latest “worst of the worst” list, with offenders coming from Somalia, Venezuela, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic and Guatemala. “Governor Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey protected these criminals at the expense of the safety of Americans,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. “President Trump and Secretary Noem have a clear message for criminal illegal aliens: LEAVE NOW. If you don’t, we will find you, arrest you, and deport you.” The arrests included Abdi Gelle Mohamed and Sahal Osman Shidane of Somalia, who DHS said were convicted of sexual abuse of a minor and sexual conduct of a victim aged 13–15 years old, respectively. ICE ARRESTS MULTIPLE AFGHAN NATIONALS WITH CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS RELEASED INTO US BY BIDEN-ERA PROGRAMS: DHS Mukhtar Mohamed Ali, also from Somalia, was convicted of robbery and domestic assault, the DHS said. DHS said Andriu Javier Padron-Chacare from Venezuela is a Tren de Aragua gang member convicted of theft who was previously deported. Job Catani Cardenas of Ecuador was convicted of domestic assault, and Humberto Disla Sarita of from the Dominican Republic was convicted of conspiracy to import at least 50 kilograms of cocaine, the DHS said. ICE NABS CHILD RAPISTS, GUN-TOTING ROBBERS AS ASSAULTS ON OFFICERS RISE 1,153% An illegal immigrant from Guatemala, Ernesto Vides-Cabrera, was convicted of driving under the influence and assault, according to DHS. The arrests came after DHS said Thursday it rounded up at least a dozen illegal immigrants in Minneapolis, including five Somali nationals, six from Mexico and one from El Salvador. The Justice Department also filed federal charges this week against Abdimahat Bille Mohamed, 28, a convicted sex offender in Minnesota who allegedly kidnapped and raped a woman he met on Snapchat in September. He had been sentenced in May in two unrelated sexual assault cases, but a judge allowed him to serve no prison time under a plea agreement. Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman contributed to this report.
FAA investigates airlines for potential flight cut compliance violations during government shutdown
The Federal Aviation Administration this week told airlines it will investigate whether they complied with orders from the Trump administration during the record-long government shutdown to cut flights. The orders came in November after the shutdown had been going for a month and airports were facing shortages of air traffic control workers. The emergency order affected 40 major airports in the U.S. and fluctuated between cuts of 3% to 6% for each airline before the shutdown ended on Nov. 12. NATION’S ‘MOST STRESSFUL’ AIRPORT CALLED OUT IN STUDY FOR POOR CHECK-IN TIMES, DEPARTURE DELAYS In a letter sent Monday to U.S. airlines, the FAA warned that they could face $75,000 fines for each flight over the allotted limit during the shutdown. Airlines have 30 days to prove they complied with the required cuts. Air traffic controllers, like most other government workers, weren’t paid during the 43-day shutdown, and many missed work, sparking safety concerns. The FAA lifted the restrictions Nov. 16, four days after the shutdown ended. Despite the shutdown still being in effect Nov. 14 — when 6% flight cuts were required — only 2% of flights were actually cut, according to Cirium, a flight analytics firm. The cuts also had a major financial impact on airlines, with Delta reporting that it lost $200 million between Nov. 7 and Nov. 16 when the order was in effect. More than 10,000 flights were canceled in the U.S. during the nine-day period. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump signs off on nationwide vaccine schedule review as CDC withdraws infant hep B guidance: ‘Fast track’
President Donald Trump ordered a sweeping federal review of every childhood vaccine recommendation in the United States Friday, just hours after a CDC advisory committee voted to end its long-standing guidance for infants to receive the hepatitis B vaccine at birth, calling the rule unnecessary for healthy newborns. “Today, the CDC Vaccine Committee made a very good decision to END their Hepatitis B Vaccine Recommendation for babies, the vast majority of whom are at NO RISK of Hepatitis B, a disease that is mostly transmitted sexually, or through dirty needles,” Trump wrote. The president also critiqued what he sees as a vaccine schedule that requires “far more than is necessary.” “The American Childhood Vaccine Schedule long required 72 “jabs,” for perfectly healthy babies, far more than any other Country in the World, and far more than is necessary,” the president added. “In fact, it is ridiculous! Many parents and scientists have been questioning the efficacy of this “schedule,” as have I!” GOP SENATOR CALLS CDC’S HEPATITIS B VACCINE CHANGE ‘A MISTAKE’ THAT WILL MAKE AMERICA SICKER Trump announced he signed a memo directing HHS to ‘fast track’ the current American vaccine schedule. “I have just signed a Presidential Memorandum directing the Department of Health and Human Services to “FAST TRACK” a comprehensive evaluation of Vaccine Schedules from other Countries around the World, and better align the U.S. Vaccine Schedule, so it is finally rooted in the Gold Standard of Science and COMMON SENSE!” Trump wrote. Trump closed his message by reiterating his support for his HHS Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., writing, “I am fully confident Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and the CDC, will get this done, quickly and correctly, for our Nation’s Children.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. This is a developing story, check back later for updates.
ICE arrests Azerbaijani national with multiple criminal convictions, including animal cruelty, arson
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced Friday agents arrested an illegal immigrant from Azerbaijan, who has multiple convictions for crimes, including cruelty to animals. Rafael Vladimirovi Sarkisyan of Azerbaijan was arrested by ICE Los Angeles Nov. 25 and will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings, according to officials. Sarkisyan was previously convicted of cruelty to animals, causing a structure fire and manufacturing a controlled substance, ICE wrote in a statement. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ACCUSED OF GRABBING ICE OFFICER’S TASER WHILE SHOUTING ‘ALLAHU AKBAR’ DURING ARREST It is unclear when he arrived in the country or where he entered. The U.S. Department of State issued a travel advisory May 21 advising U.S. travelers to exercise increased caution in Azerbaijan “due to terrorism.” FEDERAL AGENTS FORCED TO RETREAT ON SLASHED TIRES AFTER IMMIGRATION RAID CONFRONTATION IN SANCTUARY CITY “Terrorist groups continue to plan attacks and are a risk in Azerbaijan,” according to the advisory. “Terrorists may attack with little or no warning. They may target: Tourist locations; transportation centers (airports); markets and shopping malls; local government buildings; hotels, clubs and restaurants; places of worship; parks; major sporting and cultural events; educational institutions; and other public areas.” There are also concerns in the former Soviet-era Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast and surrounding territories due to landmines after armed hostilities in 2023. President Donald Trump was praised in August for a U.S.-brokered peace accord that ended three decades of war and hostility in the South Caucasus.