‘Worst of the worst’: The 10 most violent illegal immigrants nabbed in 2025
In President Donald Trump’s first year back in office, over 2.5 million illegal aliens have left the country, due in large part to the administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration and extensive deportation program. In its deportation push, the Department of Homeland Security has prioritized targeting violent criminal illegals. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin has accused the media of “whitewashing” facts about the arrests of illegal immigrants with violent criminal histories and portraying them as victims. “As the media whitewashes the facts, day in and day out, our brave men and women of ICE risk their lives for the American people,” McLaughlin said. From a “habitual” child predator to a beheading incident to another who strangled a taxicab driver to death, here are ten of the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens arrested with violent charges this year. On June 1, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, an Egyptian national living in the U.S. on an expired visa, was arrested on federal charges of first-degree murder, first-degree assault and a hate crime after allegedly setting fire to people at a pro-Israel event in Boulder. Authorities described the attack as terrorism-inspired violence. According to the federal indictment, Soliman threw two Molotov cocktails at event attendees, shouting, “Free Palestine!” Per the indictment, he was armed with a backpack weed sprayer that contained a flammable liquid and a black plastic container that held at least 18 Molotov cocktails. DHS TAKES VICTORY LAP AFTER ARRESTING OVER 10K ILLEGAL ALIENS IN DEEP BLUE CITY DESPITE VIOLENT RIOTS Thirteen people were injured in the attack, and an 82-year-old woman, Karen Diamond, died of her injuries on June 25, 2025. A dog was also harmed. Just days later, Emiliano Garduno-Galvez was arrested for attempted murder after he allegedly threw a Molotov cocktail at law enforcement during anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles. The incident was caught on video and posted to X by DHS. According to the agency, Garduno-Galvez had been previously deported and has a criminal history, including grand theft and a DUI. On June 20, DHS announced that ICE arrested Gabriel Hurtado-Cariaco, a Venezuelan illegal immigrant and member of the infamous Tren de Aragua gang, which was designated a “foreign terrorist organization” by the Trump administration. According to DHS, during an immigration enforcement operation in Bellevue, Nebraska, Hurtado-Cariaco launched a “brutal and premeditated assault” on a female ICE Homeland Security Investigations special agent and an FBI agent. The agency said that Hurtado-Cariaco threw the ICE agent to the ground, slammed her head into the pavement, ripped off her body armor, and made repeated and physical violent contact. The agent survived but sustained serious injuries to her head and arm and was treated at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Though Hurtado-Cariaco fled the scene, he was picked up hours later and charged with attempted murder of a federal officer and assault of a federal officer with infliction of bodily injury. He entered the country illegally in 2023. Also facing deportation is Indian illegal alien Harjinder Singh, who was arrested on August 12 after a Florida Turnpike crash in which investigators allege he made an unlawful U-turn with a semitruck, causing a wreck that killed three people. DHS LAUNCHES ‘WORST OF THE WORST’ WEBPAGE TARGETING ALLEGED CRIMINAL ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS NATIONWIDE Singh is facing three counts of vehicular homicide in Florida and ICE has lodged a detainer for his arrest. According to DHS, Singh entered the country illegally in 2018 and was issued a commercial driver’s license by the state of California in 2024. Singh’s case sparked widespread concern about illegal immigrant drivers endangering lives on U.S. roads. On Aug. 18, ICE arrested William Alexander Telles Amaya, a 35-year-old criminal alien from El Salvador, whom the agency described as a “habitual child predator.” ICE said that Amaya has been convicted three times for child sex offenses, including aggravated sexual assault of a child in April 2006, failure to register as a sex offender in May 2015, and sexual indecency with a minor in July 2025. DHS PACKAGES LATEST ICE ARRESTS AS ‘CHRISTMAS GIFT TO AMERICANS’ In another major Texas city, Dallas, ICE arrested Cuban illegal Yordanis Cobos-Martinez on Sept. 10. According to the agency, Cobos-Martinez has a long criminal history, including child sex abuse, grand theft of a motor vehicle, false imprisonment and carjacking. The agency said that Cobos-Martinez was arrested by Dallas police for allegedly using a machete to behead a merchant he had argued with. The agency said the murder took place in front of the merchant’s spouse and child and that Cobos-Martinez then kicked the head of the victim “around like a soccer ball.” ICE said that Cobos-Martinez had previously been arrested by ICE and had a final order of removal, but was released by the Biden administration just a week before Trump took office on Jan. 13. DHS announced the Oct. 14 arrest of Eduardo Aguilar, a 23-year-old Mexican illegal alien residing in Dallas, after he called for the murder of ICE agents in a Spanish video posted on TikTok. Aguilar’s post, dated Oct. 9, 2025, called for “10 dudes in Dallas with determination who aren’t afraid to [two skull emoji].” He offered “10K for each ICE agent.” According to court records, Aguilar was charged with transmitting a communication in interstate or foreign commerce containing a threat. He entered the country illegally in 2018 and had an outstanding removal order from 2019. At the time of his arrest, Aguilar had a loaded 9mm handgun in his vehicle. DHS RIPS DEM-RUN COUNTY AFTER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT MURDERER RELEASED: ‘BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS’ In Plano, Texas, ICE lodged a detainer on Nov. 17 against Sergio Noe de Nova Duarte, a Mexican illegal alien, who allegedly attacked an innocent woman jogging in a park with a hammer. The Plano Police Department charged Duarte with aggravated kidnapping and bodily injury. He had previous arrests for burglary and larceny in 2024 and had been arrested by ICE, but was released under the Biden administration. He was set to appear before an immigration
‘We are not afraid’: Erika Kirk vows TPUSA will continue campus debates nationwide
Erika Kirk, the widow of the late Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk, told Fox News’ Shannon Bream on “Fox News Sunday” that the organization intends to resume its nationwide presence on college campuses. “We are not afraid,” she said, adding that the TPUSA team will continue to host “Prove Me Wrong”–style debates as part of its campus outreach. ERIKA KIRK DOUBLES DOWN TO FIGHT FOR CHARLIE’S LEGACY: ‘I’M NOT AFRAID Charlie Kirk was assassinated during an outdoor event on Sept. 10 at Utah Valley University. The gathering marked the first stop on TPUSA’s planned “American Comeback Tour,” and at first, nothing appeared out of the ordinary. The charismatic TPUSA founder rose to prominence through his signature political debates on college campuses. Moments before the fatal shot, he sat beneath a white tent emblazoned with the slogan “Prove Me Wrong,” fielding open-mic questions from thousands in attendance. CHARLIE KIRK HONORED BY 90K IN ONE OF THE LARGEST MEMORIALS FOR A PRIVATE CITIZEN His death left behind a movement that reshaped conservative youth politics — one that his widow, Erika Kirk, told Bream she intends to carry forward. Charlie Kirk began building that movement as a teenager. At 18, Kirk dropped out of community college to co-found Turning Point USA (TPUSA). By his mid-20s, he became the youngest speaker at the Republican National Convention in 2016 and a household name in conservative circles. By 31, he commanded a $95 million political empire, galvanized millions of followers online and established a direct line to President Donald Trump. TPUSA BEGAN AS A SCRAPPY CAMPUS GROUP AND GREW INTO A NATIONAL, MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR POLITICAL FORCE With backing from Republican donors like Foster Friess, Kirk turned the scrappy campus operation into one of the fastest-growing conservative nonprofits in America. Today, it’s a political juggernaut — its revenue, according to tax filings, soared from just $2 million in 2015 to $85 million in 2024. That legacy, carried forward by his widow, comes as the organization sees a surge in campus chapter enrollments, signaling continued momentum among conservative students nationwide.
The biggest losers of 2025: Who fell flat as the year closed
2025 didn’t just expose Democratic divisions — it created a short list of political losers whose missteps are already shaping the battlefield for 2026. From establishment leaders squeezed by a restless progressive base to national figures who burned precious time, this past year has left behind a series of cautionary tales for a party out of power. MODERATE DEMOCRATS PUSH BACK AS PROGRESSIVES MOVE TO OUST JEFFRIES, CLARK OVER TRUMP STRATEGY The loudest, most visible Democratic figures haven’t just voiced opposition to the Trump administration — they’ve also made it clear they expect a new version of the party to emerge going forward. From Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani in New York City promising expansive government program increases to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s hint that she could beat Vice President JD Vance in a bid for the presidency, progressives can easily say they had some of the most visible momentum in 2025. And that’s bad news for old-school Democrats. As recently as last month, both House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and House Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., faced primary challenges from their progressive base. These challengers cited dissatisfaction with their resistance against the administration. It’s unclear if those calls are disproportionately loud in a moment where Democrats find themselves out of power. But many moderate Democrats told Fox News Digital they don’t think it’s helping win over the electorate’s political middle. Should progressives continue to crowd out the picture in 2026, more establishment Democrats may find it increasingly difficult to ignore pressure from their far-left flank as the nation heads into the midterms. GOP SEIZES ON DEM CIVIL WAR AS PROGRESSIVES JUMP INTO KEY 2026 SENATE RACES: ‘THEY’RE IN SHAMBLES’ California Gov. Gavin Newsom is running out of time to prove why he could be something more than a party messaging figure. In the past year, he’s pigeonholed himself into exactly that role. In 2025, Newsom cemented himself as one of the key Democratic foils to Trump’s agenda. And on that front, there’s little question he capitalized on the attention. Most notably, Newsom pushed through a redistricting effort meant to squeeze five Republicans out of office after Texas advanced a similar plan earlier this year. While the plan received mixed reviews — even from Democrats in the state who were wary of fighting fire with fire — it has certainly advanced Newsom’s national status. But like every would-be Trump foil, Newsom finds himself somewhat reliant on Trump for his next move. Should Newsom begin to position himself for a 2028 bid for the White House, he won’t have that luxury around forever, and he only has one more year as California’s governor. Newsom burned precious time in 2025 to show voters in California and across the country what kind of executive he could be. DEMOCRATIC HEAVYWEIGHTS HARRIS, NEWSOM TURN HEADS, FUEL 2028 SPECULATION On several key issues, former President Joe Biden’s legacy has already grown old in 2025. It took just weeks for the Trump administration to dismantle the claim that Biden was doing everything he could to stop illegal border crossings from pouring into the United States. With a few key executive orders, Trump brought the country to one of its lowest levels of border encounters ever. And while that’s the most notable entry, the list of double-takes doesn’t end there. An autopen investigation in the House of Representatives revealed Biden had delegated an unprecedented amount of authority to his aides. Moreover, a book put out by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson took a deep look at just how hard his inner circle had worked to maintain the president’s image amid concerns about his age and cognitive ability. Taken together, Biden’s administration just one year removed has plunged Democrats into questions of where to go next and provided Republicans with a wealth of evidence to make the case that Democrats weren’t as transparent about the country’s problems as they could have been. ‘ROCK STAR’ NEWSOM STEALS THE SHOW AT DNC SUMMIT AS DEMOCRATS HUNT FOR 2028 CONTENDER TO TAKE ON TRUMP Few political figures have had as politically damaging a year in 2025 as the Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. He received most of the blame for a disastrous 43-day government shutdown that largely left Democrats empty-handed. While Schumer himself didn’t vote with the eight Democrats who eventually supported a Republican plan to end the shutdown, he received calls to step aside in the aftermath for failing to keep Senate Democrats on the same page. According to many Republicans, the political calculus for Schumer during the shutdown was more about putting up a good enough fight to appease the progressive side of the Democratic base. But Schumer also failed to do that too. During the shutdown, the New York City mayoral race had come to its final stretch with little word from the Senate Minority Leader. When it became clear the self-proclaimed socialist Zohran Mamdani would capture the party’s nomination, Schumer tried to dodge questions about whether he would support his bid. That reluctance never went away and questions about the relationship between the two Democrats only intensified. Just days removed from the election, Schumer continued to give non-answers about Mamdani. Now at the close of 2025, Schumer has left questions unanswered about whether he can still effectively lead the party and whether he represents the party’s future.
How Charlie Kirk learned to turn off the phone — and why the Sabbath shaped his life and posthumous book
Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was exhausted and in physical pain when Pastor David Engelhardt persuaded him to pause his work week for one day and honor the Sabbath by turning off his phone and disconnecting from politics. Years later, Kirk authored a book championing how honoring the Sabbath transformed his life and opened doors to build better foundations for his relationships — whether it be with his wife, Erika, and their children, family and friends, and his relationship with God. “He would turn his phone off so he wouldn’t be distracted by his work. . . . He would spend his time with his wife and kids, and they would rest, and they would go on walks and . . . spend some time in scripture. He practiced it from Friday to Saturday. That’s what worked best for his schedule,” Englhardt, a TPUSA board member who has been a friend and pastor to the Kirks stretching back years, told Fox News Digital. Engelhardt, who is the pastor of Kings’ Church in New York City, spoke to Fox News Digital following the release of Kirk’s best-selling posthumous book, “Stop, in the Name of God: Why Honoring the Sabbath Will Transform Your Life,” which celebrates that honoring the Sabbath is the answer to an exhausted, anxious, always-online America. TURNING POINT USA HOLDS AMERICAFEST CONFERENCE FOLLOWING CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION Engelhardt met Charlie Kirk through Erika Kirk when she lived in New York City, the pastor explained. He took Fox Digital through a conversation he shared with Charlie Kirk in 2021, when Englhardt took notice that the TPUSA chief was physically and mentally drained and on a trajectory to burnout. “He was physically in pain,” Engelhard told Fox News Digital. “He was having back issues, and knee issues and the burden of the organization was really heavy on his shoulders. And I said, ‘Charlie, I don’t think you can continue to do this unless you take the Sabbath. Unless you take this biblical command.’” The TPUSA chief initially resisted shutting off for one day to recalibrate for the next week. VANCE SAYS ‘AMERICA FIRST’ MOVEMENT REJECTS ‘PURITY TESTS,’ WELCOMES CRITICAL THINKERS “I think one of the things Charlie said was, like, ‘What if the president calls me? Like, what am I supposed to do?’ We live in a day and age where anyone can call you at any time . . . and he’s dealing with massive important matters of state. And you know the pushback, the response is like you actually have to care for yourself more than you care about your appearance in the eyes of the world. And you actually have to know that if you obey this and you actually turn off for 24 hours, it will bring blessing into your life,” he said. Engelhardt recounted that the pair “kind of argued about it for a minute” before Kirk warmed to the idea and adopted it with great success. “I just said, ‘Trust me, if you rest, you’ll have more energy and more capacity and more ability.’ And because he’s insanely disciplined, or was insanely disciplined, he started, I think, the next week after I challenged him, and he told me it saved his life, he told it changed his life. And I think that’s there’s so many people that burn out and crash and burn their lives, because they just don’t care for themselves They don’t take care of the body. They don’t recognize that we’re not machines, that we need seasonal rest.” DAVID MARCUS: ERIKA KIRK IS THE MOTHER SQUABBLING CONSERVATIVES NEED Honoring the Sabbath is one of the 10 Commandments, with Engelhardt pointing to both the Old and New Testaments outlining that God, Himself, did not need to rest on the seventh day as described in the Book of Genesis, as He is all powerful, but showed people that they need a pattern of weekly cycles of ends and new beginnings. “The commandment is that you’re not supposed to work on the Sabbath,” Engelhardt said. “And the idea is, the scripture says, in six days you shall labor, and on the seventh day you shall rest, because it is holy. And so it follows a pattern, the same pattern that we see in Genesis, where God works. He creates the whole world, and then He rests on that seventh day.” “The scripture says, His mercies are new every morning. And so, it’s a really important scripture or principle in the scripture that allows us to start again, to start afresh, to incorporate things like repentance,” the pastor said. Kirk’s posthumous book was released Dec. 9 and quickly became a best seller on Amazon lists, walking readers through how “observing the Sabbath isn’t a rejection of modern life but a rebellion against busyness and a pathway to genuine connection, peace, and presence,” the book description outlines, specifically, “how to unplug, recharge, and reconnect with God, family, and yourself in a way that nurtures your soul.” ERIKA KIRK WELCOMES ATTENDEES TO FIRST AMERICAFEST SINCE HUSBAND’S DEATH, ENDORSES JD VANCE FOR PRESIDENT The book’s release was followed by TPUSA holding its AmericaFest event in Arizona from Dec. 18 to Dec. 21, where conservatives, supporters of President Donald Trump and others took the stage, frequently celebrating Trump’s accomplishments following his return to office, as well as remembering Kirk following his assassination in September. Engelhardt told Fox Digital that Kirk’s book on the Sabbath was one of about four book projects Kirk was thinking about and working on ahead of his death, remarking that “Charlie was really excited about it … he just kept saying, ‘I have to get this Sabbath book out.’” During AmFest, old footage of Kirk celebrating his embrace of the Sabbath was projected out to the crowds. “I actually don’t work one day out of the week, so I take a Sabbath every Saturday, turn my phone off,” Kirk was heard saying in footage played on the first day of AmFest. “No work, just kids,
Trump, Zelenskyy to meet Sunday, as Ukrainian leader vows country will ‘do whatever it takes’ to end war
President Donald Trump will host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday in the latest effort to close out four years of war. Zelenskyy will meet Trump in Florida at the president’s Mar-a-Lago estate, where he has spent much of his time over the holiday period. Ukraine’s leader emphasized the need to negotiate from a position of strength in a public statement released prior to their meeting. Russian and Ukrainian negotiations have repeatedly broken down over where the final territorial lines will fall in a peace agreement. “Ukraine is willing to do whatever it takes to stop this war,” Zelenskyy wrote on X. “For us, priority number one – or the only priority – is ending the war. For us, the priority is peace. We need to be strong at the negotiating table. To be strong, we need the support of the world: Europe and the United States.” TRUMP’S TEAM REPORTS CONCRETE PROGRESS IN UKRAINE PEACE NEGOTIATIONS WITH EUROPEAN PARTNERS “In this war of Russia against Ukraine, we want peace, and Russia demonstrates a desire to continue the war. If the whole world – Europe and America – is on our side, together we will stop Putin. Because together we will all want the same thing: an end to the war, peace – a normal peace, a sustainable peace, safe for the whole world,” he continued. “If anyone – whether the U.S. or Europe – is on Russia’s side, this means the war will continue. There are no other options here. And this is a risk for all countries in the world. Because Russia will not stop, regardless of any agreements, any eloquent messages from them. They will not stop at Ukraine,” Zelenskyy warned. Zelenskyy’s statement came after Russia redoubled its attacks against Kyiv, sending an overnight assault involving hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles on Saturday. Zelenskyy said the attack put the “true attitude” of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his inner circle on display. TRUMP TOUTS ‘TREMENDOUS PROGRESS’ BUT SAYS HE’LL MEET PUTIN AND ZELENSKYY ‘ONLY WHEN’ PEACE DEAL IS FINAL The overnight blitz in Ukraine’s capital left at least one person dead and 27 injured, local authorities told The Associated Press. Trump, ahead of the meeting with Zelenskyy, has said he will call the final shots on a peace deal to end the conflict. “He doesn’t have anything until I approve it,” Trump told Politico Friday. “So we’ll see what he’s got.” Fox News’ Greg Norman contributed to this report.
‘Unlucky’ Honduran woman arrested after allegedly running red light and crashing into ICE vehicle
A Honduran national had an “unlucky” encounter with Border Patrol enforcement on Friday. The woman allegedly ran a red light in Slidell, Louisiana, and rammed into an Immigration, Customs and Enforcement (ICE) vehicle, U.S. Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino wrote on X. ICE AGENTS OPEN FIRE ON VAN DRIVER WHO ALLEGEDLY TRIED TO RUN THEM OVER ON CHRISTMAS EVE “Apparently she never learned the lesson that red means stop,” Bovino wrote. “Not ‘accelerate and collide with a government vehicle actively enforcing federal law.’” No injuries were reported as a result of the crash, according to the post, but Bovino said she was “certainly taken into custody” following the accident. “Unlucky for her. Lucky for us,” Bovino continued in the post. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT BITES ICE OFFICER IN ‘GROSS ATTACK’ WHILE RESISTING ARREST: DHS Federal agents were reportedly in the area as part of the Operation Catahoula Crunch. The operation targets illegal immigrants in the New Orleans area, according to officials. “Catahoula Crunch targets include violent criminals who were released after arrest for home invasion, armed robbery, grand theft auto and rape,” Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. ICE has reportedly apprehended approximately 370 people in the area, according to a Dec. 18 update. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TRUCK DRIVER ACCUSED IN FATAL WASHINGTON CRASH RELEASED ON $100,000 BOND “DHS is making the New Orleans community safer as it continues to arrest illegal alien drug dealers, hit-and-run criminals, and one monster who was convicted for arson and threatening a person with intent to terrorize,” McLaughlin said. The DHS reported that it has deported more than 622,000 individuals in 2025 as of Dec. 19. The department also reported that 2.5 million illegal immigrants have left the country, and an estimated 1.9 million self-deportations have occurred since President Donald Trump‘s crackdown on immigration. Details about the Honduran woman were not made publicly available. DHS did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Elon Musk warns ‘people will die’ over Mamdani’s FDNY commissioner pick, Lillian Bonsignore
Elon Musk on Friday slammed incoming New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani for selecting a woman without operational firefighting experience as the head of the Fire Department of the City of New York City (FDNY). “People will die because of this,” the billionaire provocateur, who served in President Donald Trump’s administration, wrote on X. “Proven experience matters when lives are at stake.” Mamdani, who will take office Jan. 1, appointed Lillian Bonsignore, a 31-year FDNY veteran who led EMS Operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, as FDNY commissioner this week. She retired in 2022. SENATE CONFIRMS ERIC ISAACMAN AS NASA CHIEF MONTHS AFTER TRUMP-MUSK RIFT THAT MAY HAVE PULLED HIS NOMINATION “The first woman to achieve a 4-star rank in FDNY history, she’s joining us as the FDNY Commissioner to bring her crisis leadership and operational expertise to this administration,” Mamdani wrote on X Tuesday. Bonsignore will be only the second woman to hold the position and the first openly gay person in the role. LETITIA JAMES, BERNIE SANDERS TO SWEAR IN FAR LEFT NYC MAYOR-ELECT MAMDANI Mamdani quickly responded to Musk on X, writing on Saturday, “Experience does matter, which is why I appointed the person who spent more than 30 years at EMS. You know, the workforce that addresses at least 70% of all calls coming into FDNY?” Fox News Digital has reached out to the FDNY and Mamdani’s team for comment. “I am honored, so honored, and humbled to stand before you as the new fire commissioner,” Bonsignore said at a Tuesday news conference. “This appointment represents a significant responsibility, one I accept with humility, dedication and a deep sense of commitment to the city and its people.” Outgoing NYC Mayor Eric Adams also made his own FDNY commissioner appointment this week, FDNY First Deputy Commissioner Mark Guerra. “Under our administration, keeping New Yorkers safe and protected has always been our North Star, and having principled, qualified public servants in place to lead our critical public safety agencies is crucial to fulfilling that goal; there’s no person who meets those high standards (like) Commissioner Mark Guerra,” Adams said Tuesday. “Lillian’s light is one that can’t be dimmed by anything else that takes place,” Mamdani said in response, according to FOX 5. “The mayor is free to continue to be the mayor until the end of this year and make decisions as such.”
FBI ramps up counter-drone efforts as Patel warns of growing threats from criminals, terrorists
FBI Director Kash Patel said Saturday that the Trump administration is ramping up its efforts to combat the growing threat posed by drones used by criminal networks, terrorist groups and foreign adversaries, launching a new national training program to help law enforcement detect and stop unlawful drone activity. Patel said the bureau has invested significant time and resources this year into modernizing its capabilities to counter unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). “Unmanned aircrafts are increasingly exploited by criminals, terrorists, and hostile foreign actors — making the counter UAS program a critical area for the FBI to modernize and adapt to stay ahead of the threat,” Patel wrote on X. Patel said President Donald Trump signed an executive order in June that led to the creation of a National Counter-UAS Training Center, which the FBI operates out of its Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. FBI DIRECTOR KASH PATEL SAYS BUREAU RAMPING UP AI TO COUNTER DOMESTIC, GLOBAL THREATS The FBI director said the new training center prepares law enforcement to safely detect, identify, track and mitigate unlawful drone activity when legally authorized, in compliance with the National Defense Authorization Act passed by Congress this year. Patel said the facility will play a key role in preparing security operations for major upcoming events in the U.S., including the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics. “This is an investment that will pay huge dividends for America’s national security in the years to come,” he added. TRUMP ADMIN CUTS RED TAPE ON COMMERCIAL DRONES TO COMPETE WITH CHINA’S DOMINANCE OF THE MARKET Patel’s post underscores how the FBI is making counter-drone operations a top modernization priority, framing drones as an evolving national security threat. FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino wrote on X Saturday that the “drone threat isn’t in the future, it’s in the now,” adding that the Trump administration was taking action to adapt to a “new threat ecosystem.” On Monday, the Federal Communications Commission announced it would ban new foreign-made drones due to national security concerns. The FCC added UAS and their critical components made in China and other foreign countries to its “covered list” that includes equipment determined to pose an “unacceptable risk” to U.S. national security and the safety of Americans. Fox News Digital’s Landon Mion contributed to this report.
DHS official rips Kilmar Abrego Garcia for ‘making TikToks’ while agency faces gag order
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin on Saturday took aim at Kilmar Abrego Garcia for “making TikToks” while DHS remains constrained by an “activist judge.” McLaughlin was reacting to a minute-long video that appears to show Abrego Garcia, an El Salvadoran illegal immigrant who became a flashpoint in the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign, filming himself lip-syncing to a song in Spanish. “So we, at [DHS], are under gag order by an activist judge and Kilmar Abrego Garcia is making TikToks,” McLaughlin wrote. “American justice ceases to function when its arbiters silence law enforcement and give megaphones to those who oppose our legal system.” JUDGE BLOCKS ICE FROM RE-DETAINING ABREGO GARCIA — BUT SIGNALS RULING COULD COME FAST KILMAR ABREGO GARCIA RELEASED AFTER JUDGE RULES TRUMP ADMIN LACKED VALID REMOVAL ORDER A court order had previously been issued by an Obama-appointed federal judge that restricts DHS and other Trump administration officials from publicly discussing Abrego Garcia’s human smuggling case. That order was later narrowed, according to The Tennessee Star. Abrego Garcia had repeatedly sought to curb public criticism from Trump administration officials, arguing the remarks threaten his right to a fair trial, Politico reported. ABREGO GARCIA RELEASED FROM JAIL, WILL RETURN TO MARYLAND TO AWAIT TRIAL Abrego Garcia’s case has drawn national attention since March, when he was deported to his home country of El Salvador in violation of a 2019 court order and in what Trump officials acknowledge was an “administrative error.” Upon his return to the U.S., Abrego Garcia was immediately taken into federal custody and detained on human smuggling charges from a 2022 traffic stop. The Trump administration has claimed he is a member of MS-13, which Abrego Garcia denies. A federal judge this week canceled Abrego Garcia’s trial and scheduled a hearing to review whether prosecutors pursued the human smuggling charges vindictively, according to The Associated Press. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis on Monday also extended a temporary restraining order preventing the Trump administration from immediately detaining Abrego Garcia again after failing to produce a final removal order. The ruling keeps in place an earlier order that secured his release from ICE custody. DHS and a defense attorney for Abrego Garcia did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano, Breanne Deppisch and Alex Nitzberg contributed to this report.
Walz slammed in wake of viral video that raises daycare funding questions: ‘Needs to be held accountable’
Politicians took to social media Saturday to criticize Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz after a viral video raised questions about a Minneapolis daycare center that allegedly received millions of dollars in state funding despite appearing largely inactive. Responding to an X post highlighting allegations of Somali Medicaid fraud and voter fraud in the state, Vice President JD Vance described the situation as “a microcosm of the immigration fraud in our system.” “Politicians like it because they get power. Welfare cheats like it because they get rich,” Vance wrote. “But it’s a zero sum game, and they’re stealing both money and political power from Minnesotans.” TRUMP CABINET OFFICIAL CALLS ON WALZ TO RESIGN OVER MASSIVE FRAUD SCANDAL IN SCATHING LETTER: ‘SHAME ON YOU’ Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., demanded Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz be “held accountable.” “Folks need to be arrested and prosecuted and the Governor of Minnesota needs to be held accountable,” Lawler posted to X on Saturday. “Congress should hold a hearing immediately and start getting answers.” A 42-minute video posted to X and YouTube on Friday by independent reporter Nick Shirley shows Shirley and another man visiting several childcare centers in the blue state, including a location on Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis. The footage shows no visible activity at the site, which displays a misspelled sign that says “Quality Learing Center,” even though the center is reportedly supposed to account for 99 children and received roughly $4 million in state funds. HHS PROBES MINNESOTA’S USE OF BILLIONS IN FEDERAL SOCIAL SERVICE FUNDS AMID FRAUD CONCERNS: REPORT Several other high-profile figures also weighed in on Shirley’s video Saturday. Donald Trump Jr. wrote on X, “If you haven’t watched this yet. Watch it. All of it. Understand that this is what journalists are supposed to do, but no one in the mainstream media will even bother to look let alone actually publish it. This is what they’re doing to your country with your tax dollars!!!” Elon Musk shared similar concerns, accusing the “radical left” of exploiting government programs to bring in and retain immigrants to “win elections and turn America into a single-party state.” MINNESOTA SENATE CANDIDATE WEARS HIJAB IN VISIT TO SOMALI MARKET AS FRAUD SCANDAL UNFOLDS “The more you look at it, the more you will be horrified at what your tax money is doing and the fact that, if this is not reversed, your vote will mean nothing,” Musk posted to X. “The most obvious case example is the Somali voting bloc in Minnesota, a state that historically had zero Somalis, electing Ilhan Omar to the US Congress.” A day earlier, Musk posted, “Prosecute [Tim Walz].” The video went viral this week amid the burgeoning scandal enveloping the Walz administration that notably included at least $1 billion lost to alleged social services fraud largely tied to the Somali community in the Twin Cities. A portion reportedly ended up in the hands of the Somali terror group Al-Shabab. Lawler and Walz did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Fox News Digital’s Charles Creitz contributed to this report.