Trump admin uncovers ‘staggering’ $8.6 billion in suspected California small business fraud
The federal Small Business Administration suspended more than 111,000 California borrowers after uncovering $8.6 billion in suspected fraudulent activity linked to the COVID pandemic, SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler announced Friday. “We have suspended nearly 112,000 borrowers tied to at least $9 billion in suspected fraud,” Loeffler said in a press release on Friday. “This staggering number represents the most significant crack-down on those who defrauded pandemic programs, and it illuminates the scale of corruption that the Biden Administration tolerated for years.” The SBA reported that all in, it suspended 111,620 California borrowers who received 118,489 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) loans, totaling $8.6 billion. THE BORDER GETS THE ATTENTION WHILE FRAUDULENT GOVERNMENT BENEFITS BLEED TAXPAYERS DRY PPP loans were COVID-era federal relief program that gave small businesses money to keep workers on the payroll, while EIDL loans are part of an SBA program that provides low-interest disaster relief loans to help businesses survive during times of diaster, including the pandemic. “Once again, the Trump SBA is taking decisive action to deliver accountability in a state whose unaccountable welfare policies have created a culture of fraud and abuse at the expense of law-abiding taxpayers and small business owners,” Loffler continued. CHILDCARE EXPERT EXPOSES KEY ROADBLOCK TO UNCOVERING POTENTIAL FRAUD SCHEMES IN MINNESOTA: ‘REALLY DIFFICULT’ The announcement follows California Attorney General Rob Bonta saying on Thursday that the Trump administration was promoting “baseless claims” of persistent fraud in the state. “Trump claims California is wasting money when, in reality, our programs are helping lower-income individuals and lower-income families get healthcare, food and housing assistance,” Bonta said on Thursday. “Trump claims, wrongly, California is perpetuating fraud when we are the victim,” he added. Bonta’s office noted that California recovered nearly $2.7 billion in various fraud schemes across the last 10 years, “including by partnering with the federal government.” EXCLUSIVE: SENATE BILL TARGETS MINNESOTA-STYLE ‘RUNAWAY FRAUD’ TO FORCE SCAMMERS REPAY TAXPAYERS Fox News Digital reached out to Bonta’s office on Friday for additional comment. Newsom’s office directed Fox News Digital to the Governor Newsom Press Office X account, which mocked the SBA announcement. “OMG. The Trump Administration found MAJOR FRAUD in programs THEY control, Newsom’s Press Office‘s X account posted, linking to a New York Post exclusive on the announcement. “The state has no role running / administering these programs.Were they hiding this??? California doesn’t hide fraud … we fight it. Nearly 1,000 arrests + over $125 billion STOPPED under @CAGovernor Gavin Newsom.” Loeffler continued that the alleged California fraud comes after the SBA suspended 6,900 borrowers in Minnesota associated with 7,900 potentially fraudulent PPP and EIDL loans, which totaled roughly $400 million. “As we did in Minnesota, we are actively working with federal law enforcement to identify the criminals who defrauded American taxpayers, hold them to account, and recoup the stolen funds. As we continue our state-by-state work, our message is clear: pandemic-era fraudsters will not get a pass under this Administration,” Loeffler said, comparing California to its investigations in Minnesota. Minnesota became ground zero for welfare and social services fraud surrounding the pandemic late in 2025, when investigators uncovered sweeping fraud schemes that could top $9 billion.
Virginia Dems take tax hikes into overtime, target fantasy football leagues
Amid a slew of fresh taxes proposed by the newly emboldened Democratic majority in Virginia, the latest entry seeks to sack people’s fantasy football leagues. The Fantasy Contests Act, authored by Sen. Adam Ebbin, D-Alexandria, would impose a 10% tax on fantasy sports revenue from games played within the Commonwealth. Five percent, or 0.5 percentage points of the overall 10% tax, would go to the state’s problem-gambler treatment fund, while the other 95% (9.5 percentage points) would go to the state’s general fund. VICTORIOUS VIRGINIA DEMOCRATS MORPH FROM PRETEND MODERATES INTO LIBERAL EXTREMISTS OVER NIGHT It also requires fantasy sports contest operators to register with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and obtain a permit before offering any games to people in the Commonwealth. Fox News Digital reached out to Ebbin for comment on the tax, and how he came up with the idea for it. While Ebbin did not respond by press time, Fox News Digital also attempted to press the senator on how this latest levy aligns with Virginia Democrats’ campaign mantra of “affordability.” Fox News Digital also reached out to the state’s two legislative Republican caucuses for additional comment. The Virginia Lottery would have rulemaking and oversight authority over daily fantasy sports, according to Gambling Insider. Other states are also considering legislation providing oversight or regulation of fantasy sports, including Illinois, the outlet reported. There, a bill would grant the state’s gaming board the ability to tax and regulate such play at anywhere from 10 to 15%. The Washington think tank Americans for Tax Reform came out swinging against the legislation with a full article-length critique of Ebbin’s plan. “As with every tax and fee imposed on businesses, the cost doesn’t stay with the company; it’s ultimately passed on to consumers,” ATR wrote. “This new tax inevitably translates into smaller prize pools, higher entry fees, fewer promotions and bonuses, and less competition in the market. In other words, Virginia players are the ones who end up footing the bill.” ATR also criticized the logic behind how the bill was crafted, saying that if fantasy sports truly are skill-based — in that players use their sports knowledge to draft, start, sit and trade players — they should not be taxed “as though they were a vice.” Virginia Democrats have also proposed a slew of other tax proposals — aside from their plan to redistrict potentially every Republican congressman except Morgan Griffith out of their seat. One such bill creates a net-investment income tax on trusts and estates, raising the Commonwealth’s top marginal rate to just under 10%. Other proposals create new high-tax brackets, levy Second Amendment related purchases like an 11% tax on ammunition, place a tax on home-delivery services like Amazon, UPS and Uber Eats, and expand the current breadth of the state sales tax to include purchases not previously taxed under Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s tenure or earlier.
Republican majority at risk? A look at the 6 GOP Senate seats most in jeopardy in midterm elections
The Senate Republican campaign chair has a stark warning for his party as the GOP defends its 53-47 majority in the chamber in this year’s midterm elections. National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) Chair Tim Scott, pointing to a ballot box deficit the GOP’s facing in the latest Fox News national poll, said it could impact specific Senate races this year. And Scott said the toughest challenge may be in Maine, where longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins is running for re-election for a sixth six-year term in the blue-leaning northern New England state. The straight talk from Scott, at a closed-door meeting earlier this week with fellow GOP senators, comes as Republicans, as the party in power in the nation’s capital, face traditional political headwinds in the midterms. And the GOP is also facing a rough political climate, with President Donald Trump‘s approval ratings remaining underwater while Democrats are energized as they work to win back the House majority and possibly recapture the Senate. GOP CALLS TRUMP ITS ‘SECRET WEAPON’ — BUT POLLS SHOW WARNING SIGNS HEADING INTO MIDTERMS While the NRSC remains optimistic that it can not only defend but expand their majority, the GOP will be playing defense in half a dozen key races. Here’s a look at the most vulnerable Republican Senate seats up for grabs in the midterms. Collins is the only Republican senator running for re-election this year in a state that then-Vice President Kamala Harris carried in her 2024 presidential election defeat to Trump. TIM SCOTT TELLS MAGA VOTERS TRUMP ‘IS ON THE BALLOT’ AS GOP FIGHTS TO GROW SENATE MAJORITY IN 2026 And Collins has seen a deterioration of her poll numbers among Mainers from her last re-election six years ago. But Collins, who has long been a top target of the rival Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) has proven tough to beat. Complicating the Democrats’ push to flip the seat is a competitive primary between two-term Democratic Gov. Janet Mills, who has the tacit backing of longtime Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and the DSCC, and veteran and oyster farmer Graham Platner, who is running to the left of the governor and who is backed by progressive champion Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Republicans are defending an open seat in the southeastern battleground state, with GOP Sen. Thom Tillis retiring at the end of this year. DEMOCRATS TARGET ‘VULNERABLE’ REPUBLICAN SENATORS AHEAD OF HIGH-STAKES HEALTH CARE SHOWDOWN Democrats landed their top recruit when former two-term Gov. Roy Cooper launched a Senate campaign last summer. Cooper enjoys tons of name ID in North Carolina and is 6-0 when running statewide races. Republicans are rallying around former Republican National Committee (RNC) Chair Michael Whatley, who has the president’s backing. The race is expected to be one of the most expensive and competitive Senate showdowns this year. Democrats scored another major recruiting victory when former longtime Sen. Sherrod Brown announced he would challenge Republican Sen. Jon Husted. A former lieutenant governor, Husted was appointed to the Senate a year ago after then-Sen. JD Vance stepped down to serve as vice president. Ohio, once a premiere general election battleground, has turned red over the past decade, and Democrats view Brown as their only competitive candidate in the race to serve the final two years of Vance’s term. Brown lost re-election in 2024 by roughly four points while Trump carried Ohio by 11 points. DEMOCRATS EYE NARROW PATH TO CAPTURE SENATE MAJORITY, BUT ONE WRONG MOVE COULD SINK THEM Similar to North Carolina, the showdown is expected to be very expensive and competitive. Democrats were given a big boost in the red-leaning state when former Rep. Mary Peltola announced last month that she would challenge GOP incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan. Peltola lost re-election 15 months ago in the at-large district that covers the entire state by three points, while Trump carried Alaska by 11 points. Republicans are defending an open seat in Iowa, a onetime swing state that’s shifted to the right over the past decade. FOX NEWS POLL: AN EARLY LOOK AT THE 2026 MIDTERMS But the GOP has rallied around Rep. Ashley Hinson, who is backed by Trump, in the race to succeed retiring Republican Sen. Joni Ernst. Hinson, a former local TV news anchor who flipped a Democratic-held seat in 2020, is seen as a rising star in the party. Democrats have a contested primary that includes state Rep. Josh Turek, a Paralympian, state Sen. Zach Wahls and military veteran Nathan Sage. Longtime Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas is in the middle of a competitive and combustible GOP nomination battle against state Attorney Gen. Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt. Trump, to date, has stayed neutral in the primary, which will be held early next month. If neither Cornyn, Paxton, nor Hunt wins a majority of the vote next month, a runoff will be held in May. Cornyn enjoys the backing of Senate Majority Leader John Thune and the NRSC, which worries that the seat would be vulnerable if Paxton, who has plenty of political baggage, wins the primary. The Democrats, who are eyeing the seat in the right-leaning state, have a competitive contest for their nomination between progressive firebrand and vocal Trump critic Rep. Jasmine Crockett and state Rep. James Talarico, a rising star in the party. While playing defense, the NRSC is also eyeing three Democratic-held Senate seats. The GOP’s aiming to flip open seats in battleground Michigan, where Sen. Gary Peters is retiring, and swing state New Hampshire, where longtime Sen. Jeanne Shaheen is ending her long career, in which she made history as the first woman elected governor and senator. Republicans are also eyeing battleground Georgia, where they view first-term Sen. Jon Ossoff as the most vulnerable Democrat seeking re-election this year. The NRSC is also spotlighting the open Senate seat in blue-leaning Minnesota, where Democratic Sen. Tina Smith is retiring. Former longtime sportscaster Michele Tafoya is being backed by the NRSC as she runs for the GOP nomination.
Hegseth ending military education ties with Harvard amid Trump feud: ‘We train warriors, not wokesters’
The Department of War said Friday that it will end all professional military education, fellowships and certificate programs with Harvard University. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth slammed the university in a video announcement posted on X, saying the department would be cutting ties with Harvard for active-duty service members beginning in the 2026–27 school year — a move he said was “long overdue.” “Harvard is woke; The War Department is not,” Hegseth stated. While Hegseth, who has a master’s degree from Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, said the U.S. military has had a “rich tradition” with the Ivy League school, he argued that Harvard has become one of the “red-hot centers of Hate America activism.” HARVARD KENNEDY SCHOOL ANNOUNCES LAYOFFS AFTER TRUMP CUTS BILLIONS IN FUNDING “Too many faculty members openly loathe our military. They cast our armed forces in a negative light and squelch anyone who challenges their leftist political leanings, all while charging enormous tuition. It’s not worth it,” he said. ”They’ve replaced open inquiry and honest debate with rigid orthodoxy.” The announcement comes amid the Trump administration’s ongoing feud with the Ivy League school. President Donald Trump said Monday he is seeking $1 billion in damages from Harvard University, which the Trump administration has made a primary target in its effort to leverage federal funding to crack down on antisemitism and “woke” ideology. 40-YEAR HARVARD PROFESSOR PENS SCATHING PIECE ON SCHOOL’S ‘EXCLUSION OF WHITE MALES,’ ANTI-WESTERN TRENDS Lawyers for the Trump administration have appealed a judge’s order requiring the restoration of $2.7 billion in frozen federal research funding to Harvard. The university sued the administration in April over the funding freeze, arguing in court that the move amounted to an unconstitutional “pressure campaign” aimed at influencing and exerting control over elite academic institutions. Hegseth also criticized Harvard’s campus environment, alleging that research programs have partnered with the Chinese Communist Party and that university leadership has encouraged an atmosphere that celebrates Hamas, allows attacks on Jews, and prioritizes Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives. “Why should the War Department support an environment that’s destructive to our nation and the principles that the vast majority of Americans hold dear?” Hegseth said. ”The answer to that question is that we should not, and we will not.” HARVARD DEAN REMOVED AFTER ANTI-WHITE, ANTI-POLICE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS RESURFACED “For too long, this department has sent our best and brightest officers to Harvard, hoping the university would better understand and appreciate our warrior class,” he continued. “Instead, too many of our officers came back looking too much like Harvard — heads full of globalist and radical ideologies that do not improve our fighting ranks.” In addition to Harvard, Hegseth took aim at much of the Ivy League, saying the schools have a “pervasive institutional bias” and a lack of viewpoint diversity, including the “coddling of toxic ideologies,” that he said undercuts the military’s mission. He said that in the coming weeks, all departments at the Pentagon will evaluate existing graduate programs for active-duty service members at Ivy League schools and other civilian universities. UNIVERSITIES SLASH 9,000+ POSITIONS IN 2025 AS TRUMP TARGETS FEDERAL FUNDING AND FOREIGN STUDENTS: REPORT “The goal is to determine whether or not they actually deliver cost effective strategic education for future senior leaders, when compared to, say, public universities and our military graduate programs,” he said. “At the War Department, we will strive to maximize taxpayer value in building lethality to establish deterrence. It’s that simple. That no longer includes spending millions of dollars on expensive universities that actively undercut our mission and undercut our country.” Hegseth concluded his message, saying, “We train warriors, not wokesters. Harvard, good riddance.” Harvard University did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Fox News Digital’s Brian Flood contributed to this report.
Hegseth says National Guard members shot in DC ambush by Afghan national will receive Purple Heart
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said Friday that two West Virginia National Guard members — Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom and Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe — who were shot in an ambush-style attack near the White House late last year, will receive the Purple Heart. Calling the Nov. 26 incident “a terrible thing” and saying the troops were “attacked by a radical,” Hegseth made the announcement while speaking at a National Guard reenlistment ceremony at the Washington Monument, where he administered the oath of enlistment to more than 100 Guardsmen from nine states serving in Washington, D.C. “And we had a terrible thing happen a number of months ago,” Hegseth said. “Andrew Wolfe, Sarah Beckstrom, one lost, one recovered, thank God, in miraculous ways. Both soon to be Purple Heart recipients because they were attacked by a radical.” The remarks mark the first public confirmation from Hegseth that the service members will receive the Purple Heart, one of the nation’s oldest military decorations, awarded to those killed or wounded by enemy action. AFGHAN NATIONAL ACCUSED IN DC NATIONAL GUARD SHOOTING PLEADS NOT GUILTY, PROSECUTORS MAY SEEK DEATH PENALTY The Purple Heart traces its origins to the American Revolution, when George Washington established the Badge of Military Merit in 1782, to recognize enlisted soldiers wounded or killed in service. The modern Purple Heart was revived in 1932, and is awarded in the name of the president to U.S. service members wounded or killed by enemy action. Beckstrom, 20, and Wolfe, 24, were shot just blocks from the White House in what officials described as an ambush-style attack. Beckstrom died a day after the shooting. Wolfe was seriously wounded and continues to recover. BONDI DESCRIBES WOUNDED NATIONAL GUARDSMAN AS A ‘MIRACLE,’ SAYS ‘HE’S ABLE TO OPEN BOTH EYES’ The accused gunman, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, faces nine charges related to the shooting, including first-degree murder while armed and assault with intent to kill while armed. He has pleaded not guilty. In a statement posted on X, West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey thanked Hegseth for the announcement and said the recognition was long overdue. “I thank Secretary @PeteHegseth for announcing that U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe will soon receive the Purple Heart, an honor that reflects their courage and sacrifice in defense of our nation,” Morrisey wrote. Morrisey said he formally requested the Purple Heart awards Dec. 19, adding that the announcement “brings long-overdue honor to their service, offers meaning and reassurance to their families, and stands as a solemn reminder that West Virginia will never forget those who sacrifice in defense of others.” Hegseth’s remarks Friday came during a ceremony honoring the National Guard’s ongoing security mission in the nation’s capital. According to a War Department news release, more than 100 Guardsmen from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina and West Virginia reenlisted Friday as part of the mission. REP BRIAN MAST: CONGRESS HAS THE PERFECT WAY TO HONOR OUR NATION’S FALLEN HEROES Those troops are among more than 2,600 National Guard members currently deployed in Washington at the direction of President Donald Trump in support of the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force, which was established in August 2025 after the president declared a crime emergency in the city. Addressing the Guardsmen, Hegseth described their service in Washington as “front lines” duty. “This is not an easy assignment. It’s the real deal. It’s front lines,” he said. “You’ve done it, and you’ve done well.” The Army could not immediately provide comment after being reached by Fox News Digital. Fox News Digital’s Rachel Wolf and Fox News’ Jake Gibson contributed to this story.
SBA freezes over 100,000 California borrowers in sweeping $9B pandemic fraud crackdown
The Small Business Administration (SBA) announced Friday it had suspended more than 100,000 California borrowers amid suspected fraud, with the alleged abuse totaling nearly $9 billion. SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler said the agency suspended 111,620 California borrowers linked to suspected fraudulent activity across SBA pandemic-era loan programs. Those borrowers received 118,489 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) loans totaling more than $8.6 billion. “Once again, the Trump SBA is taking decisive action to deliver accountability in a state whose unaccountable welfare policies have created a culture of fraud and abuse at the expense of law-abiding taxpayers and small business owners,” Loeffler said in a statement. HOUSE REPUBLICANS CALL MINNESOTA FRAUD PROBE ‘TIP OF THE ICEBERG’ AS MORE BLUE STATES FACE SCRUTINY “Today, we announced we have suspended nearly 112,000 borrowers tied to at least $9 billion in suspected fraud,” she said. “This staggering number represents the most significant crackdown on those who defrauded pandemic programs, and it illuminates the scale of corruption that the Biden administration tolerated for years.” Loeffler referenced the Trump administration’s fraud crackdown in another blue state, saying, “As we did in Minnesota, we are actively working with federal law enforcement to identify the criminals who defrauded American taxpayers, hold them to account and recoup the stolen funds. “As we continue our state-by-state work, our message is clear: Pandemic-era fraudsters will not get a pass under this administration.” GOP SENATORS LAUNCH TASK FORCE TO CRACK DOWN ON FRAUD TIED TO MINNESOTA SCANDAL The announcement comes after the SBA said last month it had suspended 6,900 Minnesota borrowers after uncovering what it said was widespread suspected fraud. The agency previously reviewed thousands of PPP and EIDL loans approved in Minnesota, identifying nearly $400 million in potentially fraudulent loans tied to borrowers. That suspected activity included 7,900 PPP and EIDL loans approved during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Loeffler. The SBA previously said at least $2.5 million in PPP and EIDL funds issued during the pandemic era were connected to a Somali-linked fraud scheme based in Minneapolis.
Conservative firebrand vows to purge ‘RINOs’ in battle to replace retiring Vern Buchanan in open Florida seat
Eddie Speir is not afraid of a fight with the Florida GOP establishment. In 2024, he took on 10-term incumbent Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., and won just under 40% of the vote, positioning himself as a constitutional conservative outsider against an entrenched moderate Republican. Now, with Buchanan’s Jan. 27 announcement that he would be retiring after a nearly two-decade stint in D.C., Speir is launching another grassroots, outsider candidacy to challenge the “RINO Republicans” that he frequently derides. FLORIDA GOP REP VERN BUCHANAN TO RETIRE, ADDING TO WAVE OF HOUSE EXITS “This is just a continuation of what I did in ’24, which was run against Vern Buchanan to expose the RINOs [Republicans In Name Only] that are not representing the district…and the taxpayers of Florida. So we need somebody that’s gonna step up and actually represent and go to Washington D.C. with a bold agenda and not compromise to the elite social circles that are up there in D.C.” Speir said he believes that his messaging and grassroots support will carry him through to victory in the Aug. 18 primary. “We were the largest grassroots movement in this district’s history…Nobody else had even come close to earning 40% in the entire state of Florida. … So, it’s hard to push against an incumbent here in Florida. But now there’s not even an incumbent, so we’re just gonna continue the same momentum that we had and get the message out.” DAYLIGHT SAVING REFORM HITS WALL AS LAWMAKERS BLAST ‘OUTDATED PRACTICE’ Florida political observers have batted about several possible contenders that might join Speir in the GOP primary. Chief among these is close Trump ally Joe Gruters, who cut his political teeth working on Buchanan’s campaign and would be the establishment heir apparent. However, Gruters’ potential candidacy is complicated by the three high-level positions he currently holds. He is a sitting Florida state senator, the RNC chairman, as well as the current candidate for Florida Chief Financial Officer in 2026. Gruters is seen as the most likely establishment opponent to Speir, and some believe he may abandon his Florida CFO candidacy to run in Florida’s 16th district. THE UGLY TRUTH ABOUT MODERN ‘ANTI-FASCISM’ New College of Florida President Richard Corcoran has also been discussed as a potential candidate. Speir was appointed to the New College of Florida board of trustees by Gov. Ron DeSantis in January 2023, but the Florida Senate refused to confirm his appointment. Speir’s controversial tenure at New College, and the subsequent rejection of his confirmation by the Florida Senate, catapulted Speir onto the national stage at a time when the Florida GOP was conspicuously seeking to rebrand the school as the “Hillsdale of the South.” Additional candidates who may join the field include former state Rep. Mike Beltran, developer Carlos Beruff, former state Senate President Bill Galvano, and Manatee County Commissioner Mike Rahn. Speir said he realizes he is likely to be facing off not merely against the local GOP establishment, but against President Donald Trump as well: “In the ’24 primary, Vern Buchanan had one of the worst records possible, and Donald Trump endorsed him with a number of other horrific candidates. So we’ve got to be able to separate Trump’s priorities and his constitutional conservative push, versus the political machine that he’s working with, because that political machine is not doing any favors to the Republican Party,” Speir said. “So I think the endorsements mean a little bit less. Now, that doesn’t mean that I won’t try to get Trump’s endorsement, but we already gained [a] historic vote, and as a challenger in 2024.”
When anti-ICE clashes trigger federal intervention: Experts explain the constitutional breaking point
Anti-ICE protesters have surrounded federal agents, Democratic leaders have denounced enforcement operations and tensions in Minneapolis have boiled over, but experts say none of it crosses the line into a constitutional breakdown or would justify the use of federal emergency powers by President Donald Trump. Legal analysts say the unrest, while volatile, does not inhibit the federal government’s constitutional authority to enforce immigration law. That threshold would only be crossed if state officials themselves moved to block or materially obstruct federal agents, raising supremacy clause concerns. Ilya Somin, a George Mason University law professor, told Fox News Digital that agitators hindering federal agents’ work, even aggressively, does not rise to that level. “There is no general principle of law which says that anything that makes the work of federal agents more difficult in any way somehow violates the Constitution,” Somin said. FEDS SHIFT TO TARGETED IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT IN MINNEAPOLIS UNDER HOMAN Protesters have taken to the streets of Minneapolis in recent weeks to confront immigration officers during Operation Metro Surge, a federal enforcement effort that has deployed thousands of ICE and Customs and Border Protection agents to Minnesota. During enforcement actions, protesters have at times surrounded ICE agents with shouting, whistles, filming and unruly crowds, creating a tense mix of peaceful demonstrators and coordinated agitators that has occasionally escalated into blockades or violence. The dynamics at play have centered on two legal principles. On one hand, the anti-commandeering doctrine prevents the federal government from forcing state and local officials to enforce federal law. On the other, obstruction of federal law enforcement is unlawful and could violate the supremacy clause, which says federal law trumps state law when the two are in conflict. If the state were to pass laws that obstruct federal law enforcement from performing its job duties, that would trigger supremacy clause concerns, Somin said, but he noted that such conditions are not present in Minnesota. Operation Metro Surge began in December, sending 3,000 immigration agents to Minneapolis and St. Paul. The effort has led to thousands of arrests, but it has spurred resistance from residents and resulted in two high-profile deaths of U.S. citizens at the hands of immigration agents, which fueled further public outrage. The FBI is now investigating those incidents. Democratic state leaders, meanwhile, have widely criticized the operation and drawn blame from Republicans for exacerbating tension with their rhetoric. At one point, Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz compared ICE’s presence to the Civil War. “I mean, is this a Fort Sumter?” Walz told The Atlantic. “It’s a physical assault. It’s an armed force that’s assaulting, that’s killing my constituents, my citizens.” Asked whether the resistant nature of Minnesota’s Democratic leaders could amount to “nullification,” Somin rejected the idea. “Nullification is when the state officials themselves resist the enforcement of federal law. If they merely fail to help the feds against private parties, that is something that’s protected by the anti-commandeering principles of the Tenth Amendment,” Somin said. That hands-off approach has extended beyond rhetoric. Walz has welcomed a reduction in federal personnel but urged a faster drawdown, while Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has said the city would not assist with immigration enforcement. “We were never going to agree, and we have not agreed, to enforce federal immigration law. Why? It’s not our job,” Frey said in a New York Times interview. As state and local leaders have declined to intervene, opposition to the ICE operation has increasingly taken shape on the ground. Activists have mobilized to confront and monitor federal immigration agents, activity that legal experts distinguish from unlawful, state-led obstruction. Central to that resistance is Defend the 612, a network of private citizens that has coordinated what activists describe as “ICE watching,” using encrypted messaging apps to track enforcement activity and share information about agents’ movements, according to reporting by the conservative City Journal. In addition to street confrontations, activists have staged protests at sensitive locations, including a disruption of a church service in St. Paul, where the pastor is also an ICE field director. Several participants, including former CNN anchor Don Lemon, were arrested and charged under a federal statute typically used to protect abortion clinics and pregnancy counseling centers. TRUMP’S IMMIGRATION VICTORY IN A MINNESOTA COURT IS A WIN FOR ALL LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS Federal authorities have moved to arrest individuals accused of directly impeding immigration enforcement. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced charges against 16 agitators accused of obstructing agents and assaulting officers, while the Justice Department also charged a Minneapolis man, a self-described Antifa member, with cyberstalking after he allegedly called for attacks on ICE and doxxed a pro-ICE individual. Even so, legal experts stress that, so far, all the anti-ICE activity falls short of a collapse of federal authority. Hans von Spakovsky, a senior legal fellow at Advancing American Freedom, said existing laws already prohibit “mob” violence and obstruction, adding that Minnesota leaders’ approach has been “irresponsible” but not illegal. The DOJ in January subpoenaed Walz, Frey and three others for information on whether they conspired to interfere with ICE’s work. A DOJ spokesman did not respond to a request for comment on the status of that probe. Should unrest intensify, the Trump administration has floated the Insurrection Act, a rarely used provision that allows the president to respond to unlawful obstructions of federal authority. The president has said that while it remains an option, it is not currently necessary. Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, who is leading immigration operations in Minneapolis, likewise downplayed the impact of anti-ICE agitators. “You’re not going to stop ICE. You’re not going to stop Border Patrol,” Homan said. “These roadblocks they’re putting up? It’s a joke. It’s not going to work, and it’s only going to get you arrested.” Ilan Wurman, a University of Minnesota law professor, said in a podcast that while Trump “probably” could invoke the Insurrection Act, by constitutional standards a president should only call upon the military to enforce federal law as a “last resort.” Fox News contributor Jonathan Turley
Fox News Campus Radicals Newsletter: Top teachers’ union under fire, anti-ICE agitator network exposed
DECISION TIME: Top teachers union under fire as lawmakers push to strip its unique federal charter SECRETS EXPOSED: Minneapolis teachers union chief admits elected officials in anti-ICE Signal chats ‘POLITICAL SCHEMING’: Rhode Island activist slams adult-run nonprofit that promoted ‘student-led’ anti-ICE school walkout SIGN UP TO GET THE CAMPUS RADICALS NEWSLETTER STAFF TURMOIL: Notre Dame hire of abortion advocate to lead center causes staff to cut ties with university TAKING A STAND: Elementary teacher takes on state union over parental rights ballot measure PRAYERS UP: Leaders of desecrated Catholic school urge prayer for perpetrators after Mary statue, tabernacle destroyed LEGAL TROUBLE: Temple University student who ‘assisted Don Lemon’ charged in federal church-storming case CLASSROOM MISCONDUCT: First-grade teacher flips American flag upside down in San Diego classroom, sparks investigation SOUNDING THE ALARM: Education experts warn Mamdani plan could gut NYC gifted programs, hurt low-income students BIG MOVE: Education advocates praise Texas A&M decision to wind down Women’s and Gender Studies certificate BEHIND CLOSED DOORS: Teachers union president calls Trump a ‘dictator’ on unearthed call with Antifa-linked group
Gonzales introduces bill to expand protections for Border Patrol assisting state, local law enforcement
Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, is calling on lawmakers to strengthen protections for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel when assisting local and state law enforcement. In January, Gonzales introduced the Homeland Threat Response Act, which would amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize the deployment and assistance of CBP for investigations of certain violent acts, shootings, and mass killings, and for other purposes, including big events. He cited BORTAC (Border Patrol Tactical Unit) and BORSTAR (Border Patrol Search, Trauma, and Rescue), elite units within the U.S. Border Patrol’s Special Operations Group (SOG) which are often called upon to assist local authorities in matters not related to immigration enforcement. SWEEPING BILL TO CRUSH SANCTUARY CITIES, PROTECT ICE AGENTS UNVEILED IN SENATE “They’re doing so at a risk,” Gonzales told Fox News Digital, saying the CBP personnel currently aren’t afforded the same level of protection as other law enforcement officers while working in matters apart from their jurisdiction. “They’re called upon and asked to operate in other spaces that aren’t their necessarily primary duty.” “This creates a level playing field when it comes to protection,” he added. The legislation came as the United States is poised to host several big sporting events in which CBP may be called upon to assist, Gonzales said. On Sunday, Super Bowl LX will be played in Santa Clara, California. In addition, several American cities will host games for the FIFA World Cup in July and Los Angeles will be the site of the 2028 Summer Olympics. FEDERAL IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS PRIVATELY FUME OVER DHS CLAIMS AFTER DEADLY MINNESOTA SHOOTING “It’s going to be this group that’s going to keep us safe,” Gonzales said. Border Patrol SOG teams have supported or directly participated in several major domestic incidents, including mass shootings, the capture of criminal illegal immigrants and prisoners. Gonzales noted that the SOG personnel are some of the best trained officers in law enforcement amid talks by some Democrats who want to defund the Department of Homeland Security because of the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration, particularly in Minnesota. “I’m seeing Democrats cave to the liberal left that want to defund and want to make it harder for law enforcement to do its job,” he said. “Let’s make sure that a federal officer in this space isn’t thinking about ‘what if…’ they are focused solely on their mission and completing the mission like they’re trained to do.” Fox News Digital has reached out to the CBP.