Swalwell slammed by Border Patrol commander over imagery showing ICE raiding Jesus Christ’s manger
The architect of some of DHS’ most consequential immigration enforcement operations fired back at Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., after Swalwell posted a Christmas image depicting a helicopter and ICE agents converging on the Bethlehem crèche. “May this be the last Christmas we live this nightmare,” Swalwell captioned the image, which drew widespread backlash during the Twelve Days of Christmas. “Yes, the last Christmas where un-American pedantic dolts choose illegal aliens over US Citizens,” U.S. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino responded, before following up by exchanging with others on social media. Bovino then replied to a Florida woman who told Swalwell: “Yes, the nightmare was [the] last four years prior letting in everyone and their grandma. Insane [a] congressman would post this.” EXCLUSIVE: CATHOLIC BISHOPS CHIDED FOR SOWING ‘CONFUSION’ ON DEPORTATIONS STANCE “Well said… Merry Christmas,” Bovino said, adding he would follow her X account. When another critic brought up Swalwell’s alleged relationship with a Chinese spy named Fang Fang — which the congressman denies – Bovino quipped, “Oh yes, how could I forget to mention that.” Other commentators slammed Swalwell for appearing to misstate the underlying facts of why Joseph and Mary had gone to Bethlehem and why they fled to Egypt soon after Jesus Christ’s birth — a storyline immigration activists sometimes use to counter pro-border security arguments. DHS FIRES BACK AFTER DEM LAWMAKER CLAIMS SHE WAS ‘PUSHED ASIDE AND PEPPER SPRAYED’ DURING ICE RAID One cited a passage from the Gospel of Luke, which recounts that Caesar Augustus ordered a census across the Roman Empire, requiring each man to return to his ancestral town. Joseph, a descendant of King David, therefore traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem, David’s birthplace. Per the Gospel of Matthew, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him to take his family and flee to Egypt, as King Herod was seeking to kill young Jesus. Observers often debate the connection, if any, that biblical passages have to contemporary immigration policy arguments. Immigration hawks often cite Egypt as being a province of the Roman Empire, meaning the Holy Family did not immigrate to another country as refugees in a legal sense, but to escape Herod’s rule as a provincial king installed by Rome; similar to a governor; until his death made it safe to return to Judea. Others dispute that characterization. ICE DELIVERS ‘GREATEST GIFT OF ALL’ WITH CHRISTMAS ARRESTS OF CONVICTED CRIMINALS ACROSS MULTIPLE STATES “Eric – Mary and Joseph were legal immigrants complying with the rules of the Roman Empire,” conservative activist Robby Starbuck responded to the congressman. “Rome ordered a census and Joseph had to be counted because Bethlehem was his city; basically the opposite of illegal immigration. Lying about this is Christophobic,” he said. Starbuck added that in the Book of Acts, God “marked out … boundaries of their lands,” which the commentator said was proof that secure borders have scriptural grounding. Another critic posted an image of actor Gerry Bamman as his “Uncle Frank” character sneering in the Christmas classic “Home Alone,” as if to reply to the congressman’s depiction. Fox News Digital reached out to Swalwell for comment for purposes of this story but did not hear back by press time.
Netanyahu says Trump to become first non-Israeli to receive Israel Prize
Breaking with decades of tradition, Israel will award President Donald Trump the Israel Prize, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday after meeting him at Mar-a-Lago. Netanyahu and Trump spoke to reporters following their meeting, during which the Israeli leader announced plans to award Trump the Israel Prize – the nation’s highest cultural honor. “We decided to break a convention, or create a new one, and that is to award the Israel Prize, which in almost our 80 years we’ve never awarded to a non-Israeli, and we’re going to award it this year to President Trump,” Netanyahu said. “This was announced formally over lunch by our minister of education, who is responsible for the Israel Prize. “It’s going to be awarded to President Donald J. Trump for his tremendous contributions to Israel and the Jewish people,” Netanyahu continued, calling it “such a fitting thing.” TRUMP THREATENS HAMAS IF GAZA CEASEFIRE COLLAPSES AS JD VANCE TO VISIT ISRAEL Netanyahu said the gesture reflects the overwhelming sentiment of Israelis across the political spectrum, noting they appreciate what Trump has done to help Israel and support the shared fight against “terrorists and those who would destroy our civilization.” Trump thanked Netanyahu for the honor, saying, “It really is a great honor.” Netanyahu said in October that Trump was the “greatest friend” Israel has ever had, remarks that came after Hamas released the final 20 living hostages under a peace deal brokered by Trump and his administration. IDF ANNOUNCES TRANSFER OF DECEASED ISRAELI HOSTAGE REMAINS THROUGH RED CROSS “No American president has ever done more for Israel,” Netanyahu said at the time. “It ain’t even close.” He credited Trump for standing up for Israel at the United Nations, recognizing Israel’s rights in the West Bank, also known as Judea and Samaria, and withdrawing from what he described as the “disastrous” Iran nuclear deal. MIKE JOHNSON, WORLD LEADERS TO NOMINATE TRUMP FOR NOBEL PEACE PRIZE AFTER ISRAEL-HAMAS DEAL After Hamas terrorists attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing more than 1,200 people and taking about 240 hostages, the war in Gaza stretched on for nearly two years, leaving tens of thousands estimated dead. Israel and Hamas reached a breakthrough peace deal following months of mediation by Trump administration officials. Hamas released the final 20 living hostages in exchange for Israel freeing 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. The release was part of a sweeping 20-point plan aimed at ending the conflict and rebuilding Gaza. Hamas members who renounce violence would be granted amnesty or safe passage, while those who continue armed resistance would be excluded from Gaza’s future governance. Fox News Digital’s Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.
Swalwell attacks GOP legislative record as Republicans accuse Democrats of engineering shutdown
A California lawmaker leaving office to pursue a gubernatorial bid blasted the Congressional Republicans for one of the least productive sessions of Congress — a record Republicans believe Democrats have an equal hand in creating. Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., who hopes to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom as California’s top executive, said 2025’s low legislative output came about from a lack of focus and a shortage of bipartisan effort. “There wasn’t much else being done in this Congress. And so, as we go into the new year, if Republicans want to work with us to bring down costs, reduce what we spend at the grocery store, they’re going to find partners in us,” Swalwell said on The Weekend. CONGRESS FLEES TOWN AS HEALTH CARE PREMIUMS SET TO EXPLODE FOR MILLIONS OF AMERICANS IN JANUARY “Now, I will say I’m responsible for one of those 40 bills that was passed. It was a bipartisan piece of legislation to make it easier for mothers who are breastfeeding to travel through airports and not have their breast milk screened,” Swalwell said, touting a bill he authored. According to congressional records, the House of Representatives has taken 362 votes in the first session of the 119th Congress. By comparison, under another Republican trifecta in 2015, the House considered 710 measures in the same window. This year, 61 bills cleared both chambers of Congress to become law. Of those, only thirty-eight were something other than a congressional resolution. Despite criticisms from Swalwell, Republicans looking at the productivity picture believe the complaints about productivity go both ways. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., accused Democrats on Sunday of creating gridlock on issues like government spending to purposefully prevent Republican productivity. SENATE QUIETLY WORKS ON BIPARTISAN OBAMACARE FIX AS HEALTHCARE CLIFF NEARS “The American public is pawns in the dysfunction. But again, understand Democrats, they want the shutdown,” Johnson said on Sunday Morning Features, referring to the record-breaking 43-day shutdown standoff earlier this year. “They were responsible for it because they don’t want President Trump and Republicans to have success.” “So, if the American economy is collateral damage, they don’t care because they just want power. They want to return to power in November,” Johnson added. Although lawmakers have already left Washington, D.C., and won’t return until 2026, Congress has a slew of priorities that remain pressingly on the docket. Among them, the government will need to find a way to pass spending legislation before the end of January or risk another government shutdown. More urgently still, Congress must also decide whether it will extend enhanced subsidies for Obamacare, which was passed as an emergency response to COVID-19. 2026 DEADLINES LOOM AS CONGRESS LEAVES DC WITH SEVERAL UNFINISHED BATTLES Without some sort of extension, Democrats fear that the vast majority of Obamacare’s 24 million enrollees will experience an overnight jump in premium costs when the subsidies expire at the end of the year. Last month, a handful of Republicans broke with the majority of their party and voted with Democrats to tee up consideration of a subsidy extension in January. Swalwell believes that vote offers the opportunity for bipartisan cooperation in 2026 absent in 2025. “The mandate now, the majority of the House of Representatives wants to put these subsidies in place so that Americans can pay less for healthcare. So, it’s now on the speaker, when we reconvene in just a couple of days, whether he will put this up for a vote,” Swalwell said. “But if not, the midterm message will be this, it costs too much. It costs too in what we pay at the groceries store and figuratively, it costs too much in the fights that we’re losing under this administration.”
Minnesota GOP lawmakers cite Constitution in call for Walz to resign over fraud crisis
Several Republican lawmakers in Minnesota released a statement officially calling on the state’s Democratic governor, Tim Walz, to resign in light of the unfolding fraud scandal that has spiraled during his tenure. “Minnesotans have been watching the fraud crisis get worse and worse for years. It has gone on long enough,” Minnesota state Senators Bill Lieske and Nathan Wesenberg, along with state Reps. Marj Fogelman, Drew Roach and Mike Wiener, said in a Monday press release. “This is not about politics or stunts, and we do not make a call like this lightly. The office of the governor deserves respect, and we have tried to give Gov. Walz time to act.” The group cites Article 8, Section 6 of the Minnesota Constitution, which lists serious malfeasance in the performance of official duties, as the reason to recall executive and interior officers, but stopped short of calling for an official recall effort. INSIDE MINNESOTA’S $1B FRAUD: FAKE OFFICES, PHONY FIRMS AND A SCANDAL HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT The lawmakers explained that “leadership means doing the right thing even when it is difficult, which is why we are calling on Gov. Walz to resign.” “We are talking about billions of dollars in fraud that should have gone to vulnerable Minnesotans. The red flags were everywhere. Yet, year after year, the fraud kept growing, and year after year, nothing changed.” HOW FEARS OF BEING LABELED ‘RACIST’ HELPED ‘PROVIDE COVER’ FOR THE EXPLODING MINNESOTA FRAUD SCANDAL Earlier this month, federal prosecutors revealed that the fraud scandal in Minnesota, primarily found within the state’s Somali community, could cost taxpayers as much as $9 billion dollars. The Monday call from Republicans for Walz to resign comes shortly after a viral video by journalist Nick Shirley, seen more than 100 million times on X, highlighting suspected fraudulent daycare locations prompted even more scrutiny on Walz. Walz’s office pushed back on the criticism shortly after the video went viral. “The governor has worked for years to crack down on fraud and ask the state legislature for more authority to take aggressive action,” a Walz spokesperson said. “He has strengthened oversight — including launching investigations into these specific facilities, one of which was already closed.” The spokesperson added that Walz has “hired an outside firm to audit payments to high-risk programs, shut down the Housing Stabilization Services program entirely, announced a new statewide program integrity director, and supported criminal prosecutions.” Calls for Walz to resign have increased in recent weeks, including from Trump’s Education Secretary Linda McMahon, Fox News Digital first reported earlier this month. The lawmakers said in their statement that the fraud scandal is the “number one” issue they hear from their constituents, along with questions about why no one in power has been held accountable. “What we are seeing from the governor is what nonfeasance looks like,” the lawmakers wrote. “When a governor fails to do what he is required to do, when he watches a crisis spiral out of control and does nothing to stop it, that is nonfeasance. The governor had a duty to oversee his administration and protect these programs. He failed. There needs to be consequences. “For the good of the state, Gov. Walz should step aside. Minnesota needs accountability, a reset, and new leadership that can get us back on the right track.”
Trump suggests US hit ‘big facility’ in Venezuela drug fight
The U.S. may be signaling an expansion of its Venezuela-focused campaign to include ground operations, based on recent remarks from President Donald Trump. Speaking Friday with radio host John Catsimitidis, Trump said the U.S. had struck a “big facility” while discussing Washington’s broader effort against Latin American drug trafficking – an apparent reference to a drug production or trafficking site. “They have a big plant or a big facility where the ships come from,” Trump said, without identifying Venezuela as the target. “Two nights ago we knocked that out.” Asked about the comments on Monday, Trump told reporters the strike was “along the shore” but declined to share whether it was conducted by the U.S. military or another entity like the CIA. SOUTHCOM COMMANDER ABRUPTLY RETIRES AMID ESCALATING SCRUTINY OF CARIBBEAN STRIKES “I don’t want to say that. I know exactly who it was,” he said. “We hit all the boats, and now we hit the area. It’s the implementation area. That’s where they implement. And that is no longer around,” the president said during a news conference at Mar-a-Lago alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. TRUMP’S VENEZUELA OIL BLOCKADE PUTS CHEVRON IN THE MIDDLE OF A HIGH-STAKES SANCTIONS CRACKDOWN He added there was a “major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs.” If the facility was indeed on Venezuelan soil, it would mark the first known attack on land since the U.S. began bombing alleged narco-trafficking boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific waters in early September. More than two dozen strikes have killed 105 people so far. While Venezuela is a known hub for trafficking drugs, such as cocaine that originates in Colombia, it is not a production hot spot. Months ago, Trump authorized the CIA to carry out covert action in Venezuela. In recent weeks, Trump has ramped up pressure aimed at pushing leader Nicolás Maduro from power by announcing a blockade of Venezuela and seizing two ships carrying sanctioned oil. The White House and Pentagon have not publicly confirmed whether any recent strike occurred on Venezuelan soil. Maduro’s government has not publicly acknowledged the attack. After prior strikes in the counter-drug campaign, the administration has touted success, even posting footage on social media of boats being struck. However, if the action was carried out covertly, it would limit what U.S. officials could share. Trump’s comments come amid the largest military buildup in the Caribbean in decades, with some 15,000 troops and the world’s biggest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, stationed in the region.
North Korea fires cruise missiles as Kim underscores nuclear ambitions
North Korea test-fired two strategic cruise missiles as leader Kim Jong Un pledged to continue “unlimited” development of its nuclear stockpile, according to state media. The launches involved cruise missiles designed to carry nuclear warheads, according to North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Kim promised to “devote all their efforts to the unlimited and sustained development of the state nuclear combat force.” The weapons flew over the country’s west coast for close to three hours, KCNA said. It did not reveal how far the missiles traveled. TRUMP SAYS HE’D BE WILLING TO EXTEND ASIA TRIP TO MEET WITH NORTH KOREA’S KIM JONG UN KCNA said the drills were intended to demonstrate the “combat readiness of the nuclear deterrence force” and ensure the country’s ability to carry out what it called a “swift and overwhelming retaliatory strike” in the event of war. “The launch drill served as a clear warning to the enemies who are seriously threatening the security environment of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,” KCNA reported, using the country’s formal name. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said its military detected the launch of multiple cruise missiles around 8 a.m. Sunday from the Sunan area near Pyongyang. TRUMP SAYS HE’S ‘OPEN’ TO MEETING WITH KIM JONG UN DURING ASIA TRIP, NORTH KOREA IS ‘SORT OF A NUCLEAR POWER’ A spokesperson for South Korea’s Defense Ministry said the launches were part of a series of recent military activities by North Korea that “undermine peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.” North Korea has also recently highlighted what it claims is progress on a nuclear-powered submarine program, releasing new images of Kim inspecting construction at a shipyard alongside his daughter. The Korean Central News Agency said the vessel is an 8,700-ton-class nuclear-propelled submarine that Pyongyang intends to arm with nuclear weapons. Kim has described the project as a key step in modernizing and nuclear-arming North Korea’s navy, though the regime has not provided independent verification of the submarine’s capabilities. Analysts say North Korea fields multiple types of cruise missiles and has conducted several test launches over the past year, but there is no definitive public estimate of how many the regime possesses. Outside expert assessments estimate North Korea has assembled roughly 50 nuclear warheads, with enough fissile material to potentially produce between 70 and 90 weapons, though exact figures remain uncertain due to the secrecy surrounding Pyongyang’s program. President Donald Trump has said he remains open to negotiations with North Korea, but Kim has signaled he would only engage with Washington if denuclearization is removed from the agenda – a stance that underscores the wide gap between the two sides. Cruise missiles pose a particular challenge for missile defense systems because they fly at lower altitudes and can maneuver in flight, making them harder to detect than ballistic missiles. North Korea remains under sweeping international sanctions over its nuclear and missile programs, restrictions that Kim has vowed to overcome through weapons development rather than negotiations.
‘America first’: Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray launches House bid
FIRST ON FOX: Wyoming’s Republican Secretary of State Chuck Gray announced on Monday he is running for Congress to replace Rep. Harriet Hageman, who recently opted to run for the U.S. Senate. Gray, an outspoken ally of President Donald Trump, said he made the decision after prayer and conversations with voters across the state. “I’m running for Congress to continue fighting for Wyoming’s way of life,” Gray said in a press release. “With Congresswoman Harriet Hageman running for U.S. Senate, Wyoming needs a representative who will build on her strong record, advance our shared Wyoming values, and advance the Trump agenda that has delivered the largest margin of victory in the nation in three straight presidential elections.” In his announcement video, Gray described himself as “Wyoming tough” and “America first” while pledging to crack down on China’s influence in the United States, treat drug smugglers like “terrorists,” reject “woke” energy policies from the left, protect girls’ sports, and deport “every single” illegal alien. TOP OFFICIAL APPLAUDS RED STATE’S HISTORIC LEGISLATION REQUIRING PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP TO VOTE: ‘HUGE WINNERS’ “You elect me, they’re gonna notice,” Gray says in the video. Gray has served as Wyoming’s chief election official since winning the secretary of state race in 2022, after campaigning on election integrity issues. As secretary of state, he oversaw the implementation of several conservative election reforms, including proof-of-citizenship requirements for voter registration, a ban on ranked-choice voting and restrictions on foreign funding of elections. He has also moved to limit third-party involvement in election administration and backed measures to prevent crossover voting in Republican primaries. “My record shows I do what I say,” Gray said. “In Congress, I will secure the border, unleash Wyoming’s energy, lower costs for families, and protect the Second Amendment.” REPUBLICAN SEN CYNTHIA LUMMIS WILL NOT SEEK RE-ELECTION IN 2026, CITING THE ‘ENERGY REQUIRED’ Gray gained national attention in 2023 when he publicly opposed efforts to remove Trump from presidential ballots under the 14th Amendment. He led the filing of an amicus brief before the Colorado Supreme Court and later became the only secretary of state to submit a brief to the U.S. Supreme Court explicitly supporting Trump’s eligibility. “When political insiders abandoned President Trump, I didn’t flinch,” Gray said. “I stood with the President and the American people, because in this country voters decide elections, not radical leftist attorneys.” Gray’s campaign pointed to multiple national conservative awards he has received, including recognition from CPAC, the Club for Growth and Wyoming Right to Life. His team also cited internal polling showing Gray leading potential primary opponents. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The solid red seat was previously held by former Rep. Liz Cheney, a Republican who lost her 2022 primary to Hageman after breaking with party leadership and becoming one of President Donald Trump’s most vocal critics. Hageman announced earlier this month that she is running for Senate to replace the retiring Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis. “I will work to stand with President Trump and continue to bring forward common-sense energy independence policies that will protect and grow Wyoming’s core industries,” Gray told Fox News Digital. “Woke wind subsidies and green boondoggles must be eliminated. We must continue President Trump’s great work securing the border. I will also work to pass the SAVE Act, proof of citizenship for registering to vote, passed in Congress so every state will have this election integrity reform that we led on in Wyoming.”
China surrounds Taiwan with warships, fighter jets in largest military drills on record
China on Monday launched its largest military exercises ever around Taiwan, surrounding the island with warships, aircraft and live-fire drills as tensions spiked following a record U.S. arms sale to Taipei. The drills, known as “Justice Mission 2025,” involve coordinated deployments of ground forces, naval vessels, fighter jets, drones and artillery across seven maritime zones encircling Taiwan. China’s Eastern Theater Command said the exercises include simulated strikes on land and sea targets and rehearsals to blockade Taiwan’s main ports, a scenario analysts say would be central to any attempt to isolate or coerce the island. Live-fire exercises are scheduled to continue through Tuesday, with China designating large danger zones for artillery firing closer to Taiwan than in any previous round of drills. The scope of the operation has already disrupted civilian air and sea traffic, forcing airlines to reroute flights and Taiwan’s aviation authority to plan alternative airspace corridors. Chinese military officials defended the exercises as a response to separatism and foreign involvement. “It is a stern warning against ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces and external interference forces, and it is a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard China’s sovereignty and national unity,” Senior Col. Shi Yi, spokesperson of China’s People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command, said. The military escalation comes less than two weeks after the U.S. approved an $11.1 billion weapons package for Taiwan, the largest such sale ever. Beijing denounced the deal, warning it risks turning Taiwan into a “powder keg” and driving the region toward “military confrontation and war.” CHINA WARNS OF RISING WAR RISK AFTER HISTORIC US ARMS SALE TO TAIWAN The package includes 82 HIMARS rocket launchers paired with 420 ATACMS long-range missiles, giving Taiwan a new deep-strike capability across the Taiwan Strait. It also includes 60 self-propelled howitzers, advanced unmanned aerial vehicle systems, military software packages and anti-armor weapons. “The ‘Taiwan independence’ forces on the island seek independence through force and resist reunification through force, squandering the hard-earned money of the people to purchase weapons at the cost of turning Taiwan into a powder keg,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said. “This cannot save the doomed fate of ‘Taiwan independence’ but will only accelerate the push of the Taiwan Strait toward a dangerous situation of military confrontation and war. The U.S. support for ‘Taiwan Independence’ through arms will only end up backfiring. Using Taiwan to contain China will not succeed.” TAIWAN GENERAL WARNS CHINA’S MILITARY DRILLS COULD BE PREPARATION FOR BLOCKADE OR WAR, VOWS TO RESIST As the drills unfolded, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said 89 Chinese military aircraft, 14 naval vessels and 14 coast guard ships were operating around the island, with additional warships spotted farther out in the Western Pacific. Some Chinese vessels were engaged in close stand-offs with Taiwanese ships near the island’s contiguous zone, about 24 nautical miles from shore. “Conducting live-fire exercises around the Taiwan Strait … would not only constitute military pressure on us, but could also pose more complex challenges and impacts for the international community and neighboring countries,” Hsieh Jih-sheng, Taiwan’s deputy chief of the general staff for intelligence, told reporters. Taiwan placed its military on high alert and said it was prepared to conduct rapid response exercises if the drills escalated. The defense ministry released a video highlighting its own capabilities, including U.S.-made HIMARS systems, while the coast guard deployed large patrol ships to monitor Chinese vessels near its waters. Chinese state media said the exercises focus on sealing off Taiwan’s key deep-water ports, including Keelung in the north and Kaohsiung in the south, reinforcing concern that Beijing is refining blockade options short of an outright invasion. China also released propaganda videos and posters alongside the drills, including footage depicting automated humanoid robots, swarms of micro-drones and weaponized robotic dogs attacking the island, as well as imagery appearing to show civilian vessels that analysts say could support an amphibious assault. “I think these drills are just meant to scare us,” said Lin Wei-ming, a 31-year-old teacher in Taipei. “Similar drills have happened before … the political side of things can only be handled by Taiwan’s current government and how they choose to respond.” China claims Taiwan as its territory and has not ruled out using force to bring the island under its control. Taiwan rejects that claim, maintaining that only its people can decide the island’s future.
Year of ICE rage: Top 5 Democrat meltdowns as Trump revives hard-line deportation agenda
President Donald Trump kicked off his first day back in the Oval Office of his second term with a flurry of immigration directives aimed at reviving hard-line border enforcement. He reinstated Immigration and Customs Enforcement priorities as the administration looked to deport thousands of illegal immigrants who flooded the nation under former President Joe Biden. Amid the past year of deportation efforts and immigration crackdowns, Democrats, most notably on the West Coast, have had public meltdowns against the president and immigration officials. As Americans prepare to celebrate the new year, Fox News Digital took a look back at the top five Democrat meltdowns in 2025 as they related to Trump’s ICE raids and deportation efforts. DHS TAKES VICTORY LAP AFTER ARRESTING OVER 10K ILLEGAL ALIENS IN DEEP BLUE CITY DESPITE VIOLENT RIOTS Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., was handcuffed and removed from a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) press conference in June as he loudly spoke over Secretary Kristi Noem while approaching the podium where she was standing. Noem was in Los Angeles in June to hold a press conference on the ongoing anti-ICE riots that rocked the city amid federal law enforcement’s raid of the city in search of illegal immigrants for removal from the U.S. She was in the midst of explaining DHS was “staying here to liberate this city from the socialist and the burdensome leadership that this governor and this mayor have placed on this country and what they have tried to insert into this city.” DEMOCRATIC SENATOR ARGUES HIS REMOVAL FROM DHS PRESS CONFERENCE WAS ‘WAKE-UP CALL’ Padilla interrupted the DHS chief amid the presser and was handcuffed. DHS said at the time that Padilla did not identify himself as a senator and was not wearing his official Senate pin at the time of the removal. “I’m Senator Alex Padilla, I have questions for the secretary,” he said, according to footage captured by Fox News. Noem said the pair later met in a private room, where they spoke for about 15 minutes, including regarding his concerns over the ICE raids, and exchanged phone numbers. Padilla later said that his removal from the press conference should be a wake-up call for Americans about how the Trump administration operates. “It was clear to me that if that’s how this administration would respond to a senator with a question, imagine not just how they could treat so many other people, but how they are treating so many other people when the cameras are not on. This should be a wake-up call,” he told The New York Times in October of the viral incident. Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom revitalized his long-running political animosity toward Trump this summer when federal agents converged on Los Angeles to conduct immigration raids. Riots broke out in Los Angeles in early June as immigration officials carried out raids to remove individuals illegally residing in the left-wing city, which dubbed itself a “sanctuary” for illegal immigrants just ahead of Trump’s second inauguration in January. Newsom slammed the immigration raids as “chaotic and reckless,” before heightening his rhetoric. “Continued chaotic federal sweeps, across California, to meet an arbitrary arrest quota are as reckless as they are cruel,” Newsom’s statement at the time read. “Donald Trump’s chaos is eroding trust, tearing families apart, and undermining the workers and industries that power America’s economy.” BORDER OFFICIAL FIRES BACK AT GAVIN NEWSOM’S POLITICAL ‘TANTRUM’ OVER IMMIGRATION RAIDS IN LOS ANGELES The governor later called Trump a “son of a b—-” for the immigration raids. “They’re sitting there on horses with American flags, running through soccer fields, scaring kids that are playing soccer in the middle of the day at a summer camp. For what? Just toughness,” Newsom said during an appearance on “The Shawn Ryan Show” in July. “It’s a weakness masquerading as strength. “That’s what I don’t like about this son of a b—-,” the Democratic governor added. “I don’t. And forgive me, I know he’s president of the United States.” Conservative social media critics speculated at the time of the riots in June that they would negatively impact a potential 2028 presidential run if Newsom does launch a bid for the nation’s highest office, arguing it was the latest example of failing to lead the state well after wildfires tore through the Los Angeles area in January 2025 that received widespread condemnation. Democratic California Rep. Norma Torres also had a viral moment amid the ICE raids in Los Angles in early June. Conservatives unleashed on Torres that month after she posted a video to social media telling federal agents arresting illegal immigrants in Los Angeles to “get the f— out.” “ICE get the f— out of LA so that order can be restored,” Rep. Norma Torres posted on TikTok at the time. Torres told Fox Digital at the time that the Los Angeles Police Department could handle reeling in the riots, and the presence of the National Guard in the city to help quell the violent protests would “escalate tensions.” ‘LUNATIC’ DEMOCRAT RIPPED FOR ‘DEMONIC’ VIDEO MESSAGE DEMANDING ICE AGENTS ‘GET THE F— OUT’ AMID CA CHAOS “We’re witnessing ICE ignore federal law, people going missing, families being separated, and even American citizens being mistakenly detained,” Torres said at the time. “I do not support violent conduct, but I believe the Los Angeles Police Department can restore calm, and prosecute any violent offenders as needed. Bringing in the National Guard will only escalate tensions by introducing a weaponized military presence into the city.” Conservatives on social media railed against Torres’ TikTok as evidence she is allegedly a “complete lunatic,” “deranged” and a “Communist in Congress,” Fox Digital previously reported. Arizona Democratic Rep. Adelita Grijalva protested an ICE raid in December at a restaurant in Tucson, Arizona, with DHS and ICE pushing back that the lawmaker joined a “rioting crowd” and attempted to interfere with agents during a mass arrest operation. Grijalva, the daughter of late Democratic House lawmaker Raúl Grijalva, claimed on X earlier in December
Trump targets ISIS in Nigeria amid warnings Sahel region is becoming ‘epicenter of terrorism’
President Donald Trump is taking action against Islamic State militants in northwest Nigeria, following through on previous threats and signing off on airstrikes targeting the group on Thursday. While the Christmas strikes zeroed in on ISIS militants, there are a number of violent extremist organizations operating in Africa’s Sahel region, where U.S. officials claim they are continuing to grow in influence and strength as violence surges there. The strikes conducted on Christmas occurred in Nigeria’s Sokoto State on the border of neighboring Niger. The area is where the Islamic State’s (IS) Sahel Province, which is largely based in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, has “made inroads into Nigeria,” according to Caleb Weiss, an editor with the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies’ Long War Journal. “In Sokoto, it has carried out attacks against both government forces and civilians, representing just one jihadist group operating in Nigeria,” Weiss said in a statement Thursday. NIGERIAN CHRISTIAN LEADER CALLS TRUMP’S SPOTLIGHT ON VIOLENCE IN NIGERIA AN ‘ANSWERED PRAYER’ Additionally, other ISIS branches like IS West Africa Province, as well as organizations tied to other violent extremist groups like al Qaeda, are also active in the region, he said. These include Boko Haram, a Nigerian-based group that the State Department designated a foreign terrorist organization in 2013, as well as offshoots of al Qaeda like Ansaru and The Group for Support of Islam and Muslims, also known as Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin, or JNIM. “In addition to IS Sahel, there is also IS West Africa Province, which supports and coordinates with IS Sahel in NW Nigeria; the so-called Boko Haram; and the Al-Qaeda groups of Ansaru and the Group for Support of Islam and Muslims, which, like IS Sahel, is a group mainly based in Mali and Burkina Faso, but in recent years have also made inroads into Nigeria that has effectively made the Sahelian and Nigerian conflicts one large conflict,” Weiss said. Meanwhile, the Sahel region, which primarily includes Nigeria, Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali, is ripe for terrorist activity, and U.S. officials have long cautioned about the threat that these groups pose to the U.S. homeland. NIGERIA SECURES RELEASE OF 100 ABDUCTED SCHOOLCHILDREN FROM CATHOLIC SCHOOL AFTER WEEKS IN CAPTIVITY For example, Marine Corps Gen. Michael Langley, who is the head of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), told reporters in May that extremist groups are gaining ground and “expanding their ambitions,” meaning the threat to the U.S. homeland is increasing as these groups gain “capability and capacity” in the Sahel region. “It is the flashpoint of prolonged conflict and growing instability. It is the epicenter of terrorism on the globe,” Langley said. Meanwhile, Trump announced Thursday that he directed the strikes in northwest Nigeria, after previously warning he would take action following recent attacks in the region against Christians. US DRAMATICALLY ESCALATES SOMALIA AIRSTRIKES AS TRUMP ADMIN TARGETS ISIS, AL QAEDA TERRORISTS “I have previously warned these Terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was,” Trump said on Thursday in a post on Truth Social. “The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing.” It’s unclear how many people were killed in the attacks, although Trump said that the strikes were “deadly.” AFRICOM said Thursday that its initial assessment is “multiple” ISIS terrorists were killed in the attack. Christians and Christian institutions have faced a series of attacks in Nigeria. In November, two people were killed and dozens were kidnapped after gunmen raided the Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, Kwara State. Those who were abducted were liberated almost a week later. Also in November, armed attackers stormed St. Mary’s School in Niger State, an event that resulted in the kidnapping of more than 300 students and staff. Although school officials later said roughly 50 students were able to break free, more than 250 students and 21 teachers are still in captivity. The Trump administration moved to designate Nigeria a “country of particular concern” in November. Nigeria has pushed back against the U.S. government’s designation. Fox News’ Greg Wehner contributed to this report.