Illegal immigrant charged for allegedly ramming truck into federal officers in California
A 19-year-old illegal immigrant from Mexico is facing federal charges after prosecutors say he rammed his truck into an agent and government vehicles during an immigration operation in San Diego. The case comes the same week another illegal immigrant, Harjinder Singh, was accused in a Florida crash that killed three people, underscoring renewed scrutiny of Biden-era immigration enforcement. According to an ICE statement, the illegal, Rolando Nava Pacheco, is facing up to 20 years in prison and $250,000 in fines for striking a federal agent and government vehicles in an attempt to flee. FLORIDA OFFICIAL SLAMS CALIFORNIA GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM AFTER DEADLY CRASH INVOLVING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT DRIVER Homeland Security agents stopped Pacheco during an immigration operation in San Diego for suspected immigration violations on Aug. 11. According to a DOJ statement, after the federal agents identified themselves as law enforcement, Pacheco attempted to flee by accelerating his white truck and striking an agent and a government vehicle. The DOJ statement says the agents “verbally announced themselves as federal agents and requested identification from (the) vehicle’s driver.” “As the white truck recklessly tried to flee the area, a federal agent driving a government vehicle attempted to block the path of the white truck,” the DOJ statement said. As a result, “the driver of the white truck proceeded to strike the federal agent’s vehicle head on.” Pacheco is now facing charges of assault on a federal officer resulting in bodily injury and destruction of federal property. Fox News Digital reached out to Pacheco’s attorney for comment. Patrick Divver, San Diego field office director of ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, commented that the operation “demonstrates the commitment of ERO officers to enforcing federal immigration laws and protecting public safety. “Despite the challenges encountered, our officers remain dedicated to carrying out their duties with professionalism,” he said. TRUMP EXPANDS DEPORTATION DEALS AS MORE COUNTRIES AGREE TO TAKE MIGRANTS “The arrest of this individual for assaulting our officers or agents underscores our unwavering commitment to safeguarding the safety of law enforcement personnel and holding offenders accountable,” said Homeland Security Investigations San Diego Special Agent in Charge Shawn Gibson. “We will not tolerate violence against law enforcement, and we are resolute in our pursuit of justice,” added Gibson. This comes as another illegal Indian national, Harjinder Singh, is accused of causing a crash in Fort Pierce, Florida, that killed three people. Singh, who crossed into the United States illegally in 2018 via the southern border, obtained a commercial driver’s license in California. He attempted to obtain work authorization, but it was rejected by the first Trump administration on Sept. 14, 2020, according to Tricia McLaughlin, Homeland Security assistant secretary for public affairs. TRUMP DEPORTATION POLICIES SPOOK PENNSYLVANIA CITY INTO SCRAPPING IMMIGRANT PROTECTION VOTE The Department of Transportation said in a statement that Singh failed his English proficiency and road signs tests, “providing correct responses to just 2 of 12 verbal questions and only accurately identifying 1 of 4 highway traffic signs.” According to the DOT, Singh was issued a regular full-term commercial driver’s license in the state of Washington in July 2023, but illegal immigrants are not allowed to obtain this type of license. A year later, Singh was issued a limited-term/non-domiciled commercial driver’s license in California. The DOT is investigating further whether the issuance of that license followed federal regulations. According to a new study by Pew Research, the illegal immigrant population in the United States reached a record 14 million in 2023 under the Biden administration.
Left-wing court hands Kristi Noem big win in ‘unvetted immigration’ case
The reliably liberal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on the West Coast handed the Department of Homeland Security a win on Wednesday after a panel of judges ruled to allow DHS to revoke refugee status for illegal immigrants from three key countries. The judges unanimously sided with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who had been sued by a group called the National TPS Alliance over the July revocation of TPS for Honduran, Nicaraguan and Nepalese migrants. Noem’s chief spokeswoman remarked that TPS in its name is supposed to be temporary and made a reference to the “unvetted immigration” aspect of the program. “This is yet another huge legal victory for the Trump administration, the rule of law, safety of the American public. Temporary Protected Status was always meant to be just that: temporary,” Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said. VENEZUELAN MIGRANTS, PROGRESSIVE GROUP SUE TRUMP ADMIN AFTER NOEM NIXES BIDEN-ERA ‘PROTECTED STATUS’ “TPS was never meant to be a de facto asylum system, yet that is how previous administrations have used it for decades while allowing hundreds of thousands of foreigners into the country without proper vetting. This unanimous decision will help restore integrity to our immigration system to keep our homeland and its people safe.” Temporary Protected Status, a formal designation within the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1990, prescribes that people from countries facing armed conflict or environmental disasters may be present in the U.S. for a short time. Such migrants can obtain work and travel authorization and are protected from deportation for as long as the federal government decides. Tens of thousands of migrants collectively depended on that particular granting of TPS. DHS has also worked to revoke a separate designation for Venezuelan migrants. FED COURT OF APPEALS GRANTS TRUMP ADMIN PAUSE ON PROTECTIONS FOR 60K IMMIGRANTS Originally, a lower court in July blunted DHS’ effort to rescind TPS for Nicaraguan, Nepalese and Honduran migrants for a four-month period, so the court could fully investigate the case. The three-judge panel then intervened Wednesday. There are about 60,000 migrants who fall under this particular TPS group, according to CBS News. On Thursday, the American Civil Liberties Union collected several comments from TPS holders from the affected countries, expressing a mix of outrage and worry over the move. “I am heartbroken by the court’s decision. I’ve lived in the U.S. for years, and my kids are U.S. citizens and have never even been to Nepal,” said Sandhya Lama, a Nepalese TPS holder. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “We are not an ‘emergency.’ We are families, workers and neighbors who have built our lives here. Despite this setback, we will continue to fight for justice. This decision will not silence us. Our voices will be heard.” “I can’t believe that the government wants to rip away my legal status and separate me from my child. I have not been to Honduras since I was a baby,” added Jhony Silva, a Honduran native and plaintiff in the case.
Blue state investigates how illegal immigrant trucker got license before deadly Florida crash
The Washington State Department of Licensing is investigating how an illegal immigrant obtained a commercial driver’s license as questions loom after a deadly crash in Florida that killed three people last Tuesday. The case has reignited debate over state licensing loopholes and immigration enforcement, raising questions about how a noncitizen without legal status could have obtained a commercial driver’s license. “The Department of Licensing is investigating the 2023 issuance of Mr. Singh’s prior commercial driver license. I don’t at this time have a timeline on when the investigation will be completed, nor what we can release,” a spokesperson told Fox News Digital in an email on Thursday. The suspect, Harjinder Singh, entered the United States illegally in 2018 at the southern border, but he was denied authorization to work by the first Trump administration in 2020. Still, he was able to get a commercial driver’s license in California, according to the Department of Homeland Security. EXPERT REVEALS HOW ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TRUCKER MAY HAVE GOTTEN COMMERCIAL LICENSE BEFORE FATAL FLORIDA CRASH He also got a commercial driver’s license in July 2023 in the state of Washington, which is against the law there, according to the Department of Transportation. The driver allegedly made a U-turn in an area on the Florida Turnpike where such a turn is prohibited, causing his truck to crash with a minivan, killing three people. In addition, he failed an English proficiency assessment and a road sign test done by federal investigators. “During [the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s] interview with the driver, investigators administered an English Language Proficiency (ELP) assessment in accordance with FMCSA guidance,” DOT said in a statement. “The driver failed the assessment, providing correct responses to just 2 of 12 verbal questions and only accurately identifying 1 of 4 highway traffic signs.” The California Department of Motor Vehicles has not responded to requests for comment on the issuance of the license. However, California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’s press office got into an exchange on X with DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin about the details of how he got a work permit. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TRUCKER ACCUSED OF KILLING THREE PEOPLE FAILED ENGLISH, ROAD SIGN TESTS: DOT “Hey, genius: the federal government (TRUMP ADMIN) already confirmed that this guy meets federal and state immigration requirements — YOU issued him a work permit (EAD). As usual, the Trump Administration is either lying or clueless,” Newsom’s press office posted earlier this week. “False. Harjinder Singh is in the United States illegally and his work authorization was rejected under the Trump Administration on September 14, 2020. It was later approved under the Biden Administration June 9, 2021. The state of California issues Commercial Drivers Licenses. There is no national CDL. Sincerely, Genius,” McLaughlin replied. CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE Singh was extradited to Florida from California on Thursday. There’s been concerns in other states about illegal immigrants being issued standard driver’s licenses as well, including allegations from a whistleblower in Kentucky alleging that people would pay under the table to obtain the licenses illegally. ILLEGAL ALIEN ACCUSED OF CAUSING FATAL SEMI TRUCK CRASH THAT KILLED 3 PEOPLE: ‘SHOCKING AND CRIMINAL’ Lora Ries, director of the Border Security and Immigration Center at The Heritage Foundation, told Fox News Digital on Wednesday about how Singh’s case could happen in the first place. “Just as states issue driver’s licenses, they also issue commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs). States are not supposed to issue CDLs to a person unless they are a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (green card holder). There seems to be a loophole for a state to issue a CDL to someone who is merely authorized to work in the U.S.,” Ries explained in a statement. “Note that the Trump (45) administration denied Harjinder Singh’s application for work authorization, but the Biden administration later granted his request. That could be enough to exploit this CDL loophole in a willing state.”
Florida official confronts Newsom over crash tied to illegal immigrant trucker
Florida Lt. Gov. Jay Collins on Thursday blamed California Gov. Gavin Newsom for the deaths of three Floridians, allegedly caused when an illegal immigrant trucker who obtained a CDL in California made an illegal U-turn on Florida’s Turnpike and struck a van. Collins declared his visit to California “isn’t business as usual” as he prepared to depart for Tallahassee with Indian national Harjinder Singh in tow. Collins claimed Newsom is the culprit for systemic issues, particularly on the illegal immigration front, that he said led to Singh wrecking in St. Lucie County Aug. 12. “I don’t want to be here today. We’re here today because of tragedy. Three Floridians’ lives ended early. “Three lives lost because of Gavin Newsom, because of California’s failed policies. We’re done with that s—.” DESANTIS: STATE LINE WON’T PROTECT CRIMINAL ILLEGALS; SENDS ‘CHUCK NORRIS’ DEPUTY TO NAB FUGITIVE TRUCKER Collins said Singh illegally crossed the border, got a CDL in California and later could only answer three of 16 questions properly due to English illiteracy when he was interrogated by Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) following the deadly crash. “That thug fled back here because he knew these policies would defend him.” Collins spoke of allegations against Singh in the broader context of illegal immigrants putting citizens in danger. “How many more lives have to be lost because of Gavin Newsom’s failed policies? How many more lives have to be lost because of fentanyl, because of gangs, because of rampant disregard for American citizens?” Collins said. “The fact of the matter is Gavin Newsom continues to care more about tweets and what goes out on social media than taking care of the American citizens and the citizens of California.” In recent days, Newsom’s press office’s official X feed has mimicked the “ALL CAPS,” stream-of-consciousness style and at times verbiage — like “your favorite governor” — of President Donald Trump’s Truth Social posts. Newsom returned fire on X, with his press office’s account claiming Florida “let a murder suspect walk.” “California police had to step in and arrest him, and now Florida’s new LG is staging a photo op to pick him up.” In comments to Fox News Digital, Newsom spokeswoman Diana Crofts-Pelayo rejected Collins’ claims. “So, let’s get this straight: Florida let a murder suspect walk, California police had to step in and arrest him and now Florida’s new LG is staging a photo op to pick him up?” Crofts-Pelayo said. ILLEGAL TRUCKER ‘DEPORTED HIMSELF TO CA,’ LAWMAKER SAYS, WHILE REVEALING SYSTEMIC CRISIS IN TRANSPORTATION “The guy who lost to Mickey Mouse is now proving that California’s so-called ‘sanctuary’ laws actually work. Thanks, Ron,” Crofts-Pelayo said. Newsom’s account went on to call DeSantis “Meatball Ron” and claim he “lost to Mickey Mouse” in an apparent reference to the battle over the “Reedy Creek Improvement District” in which Walt Disney World sits. The district has special authorizations to self-govern in some ways, including maintaining its own highway network. “[DeSantis] is now proving that California’s so-called ‘sanctuary’ laws actually work. Thanks, Governor.” Collins, whom Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dubbed “The Chuck Norris of Florida Politics” for his eagerness to go into dangerous or tenuous situations like retrieving Singh as well as Jewish Americans trapped in Israel after the 2023 Hamas attack, said he was out of his element in the Golden State but undeterred from the mission at hand. “This isn’t politics as usual. I am not your run-of-the-mill lieutenant governor,” Collins told reporters at Stockton Airport, south of Sacramento. “In the words of what I would say, some left-leaning Californians, I don’t identify as a politician. I identify as a God-fearing, gun-loving, freedom-defending, one-legged, retired Green Beret,” said Collins, a former Tampa state senator who lost his leg in the War on Terror. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Collins claimed Newsom had said he only came to California for the media attention. “What a bunch of hogwash. I don’t think he understands the first thing about leadership. Leadership is getting on the ground and saying the hard things,” Collins said, quipping California is not a Florida Republican’s “home turf.”
Social media erupts after illegal immigrant screams during viral DC arrest: ‘What I voted for’
Social media erupted on Wednesday and Thursday after an illegal immigrant was arrested in Washington, D.C., on child sex crime charges in a video that’s gone viral. Mexican national David Perez-Teofani exited his vehicle when officers approached him, and he was tackled when he tried to make a break for it, according to the video from an NBC Washington reporter. In the video, he’s heard yelling in Spanish while being held on the ground. ICE LODGES DETAINER AGAINST ILLEGAL MIGRANT CHARGED WITH KIDNAPPING, SEXUALLY ASSAULTING NEIGHBOR IN TEXAS Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin explained what happened, saying the individual allegedly entered the country illegally three times, had a final order of removal and was arrested in Fairfax County in January. “Yes this illegal alien from Mexico was previously arrested in January 2024 in Fairfax County for aggravated sexual assault of a child under 13. Glad he is off of Washington DC’s streets thanks to [President] Trump, [Noem] and [ICE],” she posted to X. The video made rounds on the app with a wide range of reactions. “Turns out he IS a criminal…,” actor Dean Cain, who recently announced he’s joining ICE, posted on X. DHS SCOOPS UP TRANS ILLEGAL ALIEN CHARGED WITH HEINOUS CRIME ON CHILD IN SANCTUARY CITY: ‘WORST OF THE WORST’ “Are we supposed to be offended by this? He entered the country illegally three times. When he tried to flee, he was subdued with reasonable force. Seems like textbook law enforcement,” lawyer Matt Martens wrote. CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE “Every time,” lawyer Payton Alexander posted with an image showing the charges. “He’s an illegal alien from Mexico who was previously arrested in January 2024 in Fairfax County for aggravated sexual assault of a child under 13. So yes, this is what I voted for,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson wrote. DHS ARRESTS FIVE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CONVICTED OF SERIOUS CRIMES, INCLUDING MURDER AND CHILD ABUSE On the flip side, others expressed concerns with the clip, perhaps before knowing the additional context. “Also curious on what grounds they approached him in the first place,” one user wrote. “Fascism is here, folks. We have arrived. This is no longer a cautionary tale or a fate we can avoid. We are a fascist state,” “On Democracy” podcast host Fred Wellman wrote. “I do wonder how the images of people screaming and crying out that they just want to work and take care of their families, while being tackled and dragged away by masked men comport with anybody’s vision of a safer city. Unusual times,” another user posted. Many of the arrests in the nation’s capital have been immigration-related since the federal takeover was announced earlier this month. “We’ve now made a total of 630 arrests and seized 86 illegal guns in DC. 53 arrests were made yesterday, plus 24 ICE arrests and 10 guns taken off the streets. Our incredible [U.S. Marshals Service] even helped recover a missing child. Our mission to make DC safe again isn’t slowing down,” Attorney General Pam Bondi tweeted on Thursday.
Federal judge rules Trump appointee Alina Habba is unlawfully serving as US attorney
A judge on Thursday found that Alina Habba was unlawfully serving in the role of acting U.S. attorney of New Jersey after President Donald Trump sidestepped typical processes to keep her in charge. Judge Matthew Brann said Habba has not been the rightful temporary U.S. attorney for New Jersey since July 1, a ruling that follows two criminal defendants in New Jersey challenging her appointment in court, alleging it was unconstitutional. “Faced with the question of whether Ms. Habba is lawfully performing the functions and duties of the office of the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey, I conclude that she is not,” Brann wrote in a 77-page order. JUDGE TO DECIDE ALINA HABBA’S FATE AS US ATTORNEY IN NEW JERSEY Habba, Trump’s former personal defense lawyer, had been serving as interim U.S. attorney, but when her term expired last month, Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi used loopholes in federal vacancy laws to install her as “acting” rather than “interim” U.S. attorney. One of the defendants in the district, Julien Giraud, alleged that the moves violated his constitutional rights because of the string of unconventional actions it took to attempt to keep Habba in the role. TRUMP STANDS BY ALINA HABBA AS DOJ CLASHES WITH JUDGES OVER HER REPLACEMENT Brann, an Obama appointee serving in the Middle District of Pennsylvania, agreed and found Habba could not prosecute Giraud or another defendant who challenged Habba’s position. The judges said the criminal cases could proceed in the court district, just not under Habba’s purview. Brann is presiding over the matter after the chief judge of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, which covers New Jersey and Pennsylvania, decided the case presented too much of a conflict for New Jersey’s federal judges. Last month, the New Jersey judges made the rare decision to decline to extend Habba’s term and instead appointed career attorney Desiree Grace to the job. Trump and Bondi fired Grace, withdrew Habba’s nomination as permanent U.S. attorney and then reinstated Habba as acting U.S. attorney, which they said kept Habba in charge for at least another 210 days under federal statute. TRUMP APPOINTS HABBA AS ‘ACTING’ ATTORNEY AFTER JUDGES OUSTED HER Brann said his ruling effectively disqualified Habba from prosecuting the two defendants’ cases and that her signatures on court filings were invalid, opening the floodgates for other defendants in New Jersey to object to Habba prosecuting them as well. The judge said his ruling would not take effect until the Trump administration had an opportunity to appeal. Spokespeople for Habba and the DOJ did not respond to a request for comment. Brann’s ruling comes against the backdrop of Trump and Bondi using similar maneuvers to keep the president’s preferred appointees as head prosecutors of court districts in blue states, including in California and New York, where the appointees are struggling to find paths to Senate confirmation. Brann said the Trump administration improperly flouted the Federal Vacancies Reform Act by exploiting its loopholes in Habba’s case. “A statutory interpretation that opens a gaping loophole in this tightly crafted scheme meant to provide only limited flexibility and prevent ‘manipulation’ flies in the face of the goal that Congress was trying to accomplish,” Brann wrote. “Although clearer text could require such a result, the Government’s arguments reaching such a conclusion through vague implication must fail.”
Trump’s tariff revenue has skyrocketed in just a few months, soaring past 2024 levels
President Donald Trump has long touted tariffs as a key source of government revenue, and within just a few months of their implementation, billions of dollars have already flowed into federal coffers. The U.S. collected more than $29 billion in tariff revenues in July, the highest monthly total this year. According to the Treasury Department’s latest “Customs and Certain Excise Taxes” data, released on Aug. 19, total tariff revenues have reached $158.3 billion for the fiscal year. BESSENT SAYS TARIFF REVENUE COULD HELP PAY DOWN THE NATION’S $37.2T DEBT The revelation comes on the heels of Trump’s sweeping tariffs on imported goods – duties paid by U.S. businesses to the federal government but often passed on to consumers through higher prices. Tariff revenues rose steadily from approximately $17.4 billion in April to $23.9 billion in May, before climbing to $28 billion in June and peaking to a cool $29.6 billion in July. At the current pace, the U.S. could collect as much tariff revenue in just four to five months as it did over the entire previous year. TRUMP CALLS TARIFF WINDFALL ‘SO BEAUTIFUL TO SEE’ AS CASH SAILS IN On Tuesday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he anticipates revising this year’s tariff revenue estimate above the previous $300 billion projection. While he did not offer a new forecast, he emphasized the total would be “substantially” higher. Bessent also said that the White House is considering the possibility of using some of the tariff revenue to address the nation’s surging debt, adding in a CNBC interview that he and Trump are “laser-focused on paying down the debt.” The nation’s debt, which is the amount of money the U.S. owes its creditors, is nearing $37.2 trillion as of Aug. 20, according to the Treasury Department. The staggering figure has intensified the long-standing debate in Washington over government spending, taxation and efforts to rein in the ballooning deficit. “I think that we’re going to bring down the deficit-to-GDP, we will start paying down debt, and then at a point that can be used as an offset for the American people,” he said of the tariff revenues.
Trump deportation policies spook Pennsylvania city into scrapping immigrant protection vote
President Donald Trump’s mass-deportation crackdown spooked leaders in at least one Democratic-majority east coast city, as its mayor and city council suddenly removed a scheduled vote on approving a “Welcoming City” ordinance from this month’s agenda. Mayor Sal Panto Jr., of Easton, Pa., a moderate Democrat, moved to strike the ordinance vote from the agenda, with all but its sponsor, Councilwoman Taiba Sultana, backing the move, according to Lehigh Valley News. One member was absent. The ordinance would have given the city – 80 miles west of New York City and 60 miles north of Philadelphia – a designation shared by Chicago, where leaders use the term “welcoming city” instead of the more politically charged “sanctuary city.” BOSTON’S WU FIRES BACK AT BONDI, CITING REVOLUTION, AS OTHER CITIES SLAM FEDS OVER ‘SANCTUARY’ WARNINGS Sultana told Fox News Digital on Wednesday that values should come first and lamented the decision. “The Council’s decision stemmed from a place of pragmatism rather than principle … But the majority felt that formally adopting the ‘Welcoming City’ bill now would effectively paint a target on our city – a target for an administration that has demonstrated a willingness to weaponize federal funds against political adversaries,” she said. In recent weeks, Attorney General Pam Bondi has threatened civil action and withholding of federal funding from sanctuary cities or municipalities that do not align with federal immigration law – and Easton leaders didn’t want that kind of attention. “This threat, while legally dubious, is very real. It jeopardizes the critical funding that our residents, including our undocumented neighbors who contribute immensely to our economy, depend on for essential services like education and public safety,” Sultana said. POPULAR PA DEMOCRATIC MAYOR WARNS TRUMP IS OUT-MESSAGING HARRIS: ‘I GET MORE FROM COLBERT’ Easton isn’t alone in weighing its options. Other Lehigh Valley cities have faced similar debates. In February, neighboring Bethlehem also decided against passing a similar ordinance, as the Christmas City’s Democratic mayor convinced city council against it. “We acknowledge that while many cities are seeking to respond to the recent threats of deportation by creating a ‘welcoming ordinance’… in fact many of these practices have been in place for years,” Mayor J. William Reynolds said at the time. Allentown – Pennsylvania’s third-largest city – went the other direction, codifying a longstanding policy barring local resources from being used to enforce federal immigration law. One councilman said the vote did not create a “sanctuary” but presented a “guiding light [to] know where we stand and… what we can and cannot do.” Councilman Frank Pintabone told Lehigh Valley News the “Welcoming City” ordinance sought to “fix a problem that doesn’t exist,” pointing to much heavier ICE activity in Allentown versus only two detentions so far in Easton. Panto said Easton remains a “welcoming city” in a proverbial sense and doesn’t need such a moniker: “We welcomed every immigrant. I think our record shows that.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP A GOP official in Northampton County — whose parents immigrated legally to Easton from Cuba and Austria — criticized the idea of a “Welcoming City” or sanctuary ordinance, noting that his family already felt welcomed when they arrived. The official told Fox News Digital his father came to Easton in 1959, returned briefly to Cuba to see Fidel Castro overthrow the government and decided, “I’m getting the h–l out of here.”
Biden’s auto-pen pardons disturbed DOJ brass, docs show, raising questions whether they are legally binding
New documents and communications between Biden White House staff and career officials at the Justice Department prompted scrutiny of the legality of former President Joe Biden’s thousands of last-minute pardons. The Oversight Project shared documents obtained from the Trump DOJ with Fox News Digital showing that a career prosecutor warned Biden’s inner circle that the administration’s pardon process was unorthodox and legally troubling. In the most scrutinized e-mail, then-Assistant Deputy Attorney General Bradley Weinsheimer wrote a group email to several executive office staff members on Jan. 18 asking questions about the more than 2,500 pardons. “[T]he White House has described those who received commutations as people convicted of non-violent drug offenses. I think you should stop saying that because it is untrue or at least misleading,” Weinsheimer said. ‘SHOULD BE PROSECUTED’: HOUSE REPUBLICANS ZERO IN ON BIDEN AUTOPEN PARDONS AFTER BOMBSHELL REPORT “As you know, even with the exceedingly limited review we were permitted to do of the individuals we believed you might be considering for commutation action, we initially identified 19 that were highly problematic,” he continued. He cited convicts Terrence Richardson and Ferrone Claiborne, who were included in the clemency grants, and noted the DOJ received “voluminous” objections from victims’ families and law enforcement as the men had been “sentenced to life imprisonment for drug trafficking offenses during which a police officer was killed.” That, according to Oversight Project vice president Kyle Brosnan, shows DOJ was concerned about the “vague” construct of Biden’s pardons and how they appeared to be “illegally delegated” to staff. They also left the DOJ wondering at times which offenses, for people with multiple convictions, were specifically being expunged. “Later in the email, he was like, ‘Look, I read the statement you put out in the president’s name, saying you’ve released a bunch of non-violent drug offenders. You’ve got murderers on your list today. So I’m trying to figure out what the president wants here for this funky warrant.’” Discussing other documents received, Brosnan and attorney Sam Dewey cited a spreadsheet of convicts with “offenses described to the Department of Justice” for the second of several “collective” or catch-all warrants. NEW FOIA ON MIGRANTS POTENTIALLY AVOIDING THE DRAFT COULD OPEN NEW DEPORTATION PREDICATE: ATTORNEYS “I think it best that we receive a statement or direction from the President as to the meaning of the warrant language,” Weinsheimer wrote to White House staff. “That will allow us to give full effect to the commutation warrant in the manner intended by the president.” There was ultimately no explanation for what the offenses or the proverbial descriptions were, according to the document tranche, Brosnan said, adding that the DOJ official suggested to Biden staff that “you should stop saying [pardonees were mostly ‘nonviolent drug offen[ders]’] because it is untrue or at least misleading.” Brosnan explained that a spreadsheet of convicts, said to be attached to one of the e-mails, came from the U.S. Sentencing Commission – and only the president has the power to grant pardons. Treating it otherwise, he said, would amount to an illegal delegation of presidential authority. BIDEN DEFENDS CONTROVERSIAL AUTOPEN USE FOR MASS CLEMENCY DECISIONS IN NYT INTERVIEW: ‘A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE’ To that end, Brosnan pointed to New York Times interviews with Biden in July, wherein the paper reported, “Mr. Biden did not individually approve each name for the categorical pardons that applied to large numbers of people, he and aides confirmed.” “Rather, after extensive discussion of different possible criteria, he signed off on the standards he wanted to be used to determine which convicts would qualify for a reduction in sentence.” “High-profile” pardon recipients like retired Gen. Mark Milley were discussed directly with aides. “Biden did not pardon individual people, but laid out categories of types of people to release and left it to the staff to figure out who meets that criteria,” Brosnan said, adding that many warrant documents were also found to be auto-penned. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Dewey told Fox News Digital the situation was “worse than that” – because “literally no one,” including DOJ officials, “understands what the [aforementioned pardon] criteria are.” “You generally don’t see people write emails like this,” he said. “This isn’t a ‘CYA’ – this is an ‘I’m going to do a Pontius Pilate routine because this is a drug deal and I want to make very sure it doesn’t come back on me.” The entire situation, Dewey said, also has a precedent for such pardons being considered “invalid” going back to “before we were even a country.” “If the pardon is invalid, it falls, and then you proceed as if there was no pardon.” Biden previously defended his pardons, saying that he wanted to undo “disproportionately long sentences compared to the sentences they would receive today under current law, policy, and practice.” “[This] clemency action provides relief for individuals who received lengthy sentences based on discredited distinctions between crack and powder cocaine, as well as outdated sentencing enhancements for drug crimes,” Biden said in a statement. “This action is an important step toward righting historic wrongs, correcting sentencing disparities, and providing deserving individuals the opportunity to return to their families and communities after spending far too much time behind bars.” Fox News Digital reached out to DOJ and a representative for Biden for further comment. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Meet Mamdani’s radical advisory circle that includes communist activist, anti-Israel advocates
FOX DIGITAL REVIEW: New York City socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s growing circle of influence is littered with activists who have espoused anti-Israel views and socialist principles as he attempts to dispel the narrative that he is too “radical” to run the nation’s largest city. Mamdani, who has been a fierce critic of President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, employs the help of several advisors as part of his “brain trust”, New York Times reported, which includes New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) president Murad Awawdeh, an activist for a group with a long history of seeking to end “state support for detention, deportation, and mass incarceration.” According to Awawdeh, illegal immigrants having access to taxpayer-funded healthcare is a right they “deserve.” “SEEKING ASYLUM AT THE BORDER IS A LEGAL RIGHT,” Awawdeh posted on X in 2022. “ASYLUM SEEKERS ARE FLEEING FOR THEIR LIVES FROM VIOLENCE, PERSECUTION, & IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE. THE U.S. HAS A LEGAL OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE REFUGE.” VULNERABLE DEMOCRATS HAMMERED WITH SCATHING AD HANDCUFFING THEM TO MAMDANI, JEFFRIES NYIC has close ties to and has taken money from the Vera Institute for Justice, a group that received a significant amount of support in the form of contracts from the Biden administration to assist illegal immigrants in avoiding deportations. Additionally, NYIC has taken in $175,000 from the sprawling George Soros nonprofit network. Soros is also tied to another key Mamdani advisor, Patrick Gaspard, who has served in several high-profile political positions, including advising former President Barack Obama’s historic 2008 campaign, serving as the Democratic National Committee’s executive director, and was tapped as the Center for American Progress (CAP) president in 2021. Gaspard, who Fox News Digital previously reported made millions of dollars serving as president of Soros’s Open Society Foundations between 2017 and 2020, has been a staunch defender of Soros, saying earlier this year that he was “inspired by the selection of my friend George Soros, who is one of our leading defenders of inclusive and accountable democracy and vibrant civil society,” after then-President Joe Biden announced he would receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. “His accomplishments, in the face of distortions and threats from extremists, will be lauded well into the future,” he continued. In a long 2023 X thread, Gaspard also attempted to deflect blame away from Soros amid reports that Soros and his network were pouring millions of dollars into the campaign coffers of radical DAs and far-left groups that emphasized social justice programs and gave lenient sentences to violent criminals. Mamdani has rejected the “communist” label bestowed on him by critics, including laughing off the accusation when confronted by Fox News Digital earlier this year, while at the same time being advised by an activist who doesn’t appear to shy away from communists. Housing advocate Cea Weaver, part of Mamdani’s reported “brain trust,” is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America and advises the mayoral hopeful on housing issues, including Mamdani’s plan to “freeze” the rent, which has gotten strong pushback from many New Yorkers in the industry. MAMDANI PREACHES FROM PULPIT OF RADICAL PASTOR PUSHING REPARATIONS, ABOLISHING POLICE: ‘BROTHER AND FRIEND’ Weaver is also the former coalitions director of Housing Justice for All, a group that counts dozens of radical far-left groups as coalition members, including the Communist Party of the United States of America and the New York Young Communist League. “Elect more Communists,” Weaver posted on social media in 2017, New York Post reported. “Seize private property,” Weaver posted in 2018. Mamdani has faced heated criticism for his long history of anti-Israel statements and positions dating back to his days writing for his college newspaper and his circle of advisors includes several people who have exhibited the same criticisms. Activist Faiza Ali, another member of Mamdani’s reported inner circle, formerly worked for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a group whose executive director, Nihad Awad, stated after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks that he was happy to see Gazans “breaking the siege” against the “occupying power” of Israel. Awad later said those comments were taken out of context. In addition to her ties to CAIR, a group that GOP Sen. Tom Cotton recently said should lose its nonprofit status due to alleged terror ties, Ali is an acquaintance of and has been photographed with Linda Sarsour, who the two are associated with through the Muslim Democratic Club of New York. Sarsour, a prominent anti-Israel activist who has long been labeled antisemitic, has faced criticism for lauding Minister Louis Farrakhan, objecting to the Jewish right to return to Israel, and even calling for “jihad” against President Trump in 2017. She later claimed she was calling only for nonviolent dissent. Maya Handa, a campaign manager reportedly part of the “growing circle” around Mamdani, was formerly a top advisor to former Democratic Rep. Jamaal Bowman who has a long history of anti-Israel controversy including last year when he defended the phrase “from the river to to the sea,” which is widely interpreted as a call for the elimination of Israel. Mamdani senior advisor Morris Katz, described by the New York Times as being one of two people in Mamdani’s “inner circle” and an “emissary” to the Jewish community to counteract skeptical pro-Israel voters, has been critical of Israel on social media. Katz has previously said the existential threat to Israel’s existence is “not the Palestinians who’re being oppressed and denied basic human rights” but rather Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Katz also amplified a quote from Mamdani saying that Democrats supporting a ceasefire and an arms embargo are “rightfully outraged over Israel’s killing of over 40,000 Palestinians.” Fox News Digital reached out to the Mamdani campaign for comment.