Clarence Thomas puts Dems on clock as Alabama GOP emergency map bid stalled
Justice Clarence Thomas declined to immediately hand Alabama Republicans a win Wednesday, but ordered their voting rights challengers to quickly defend a court-drawn congressional map that helped Democrats flip a deep-red state House seat. Alabama’s Republican attorney general requested emergency relief, asking the Supreme Court to immediately revive the state’s 2023 legislature-drawn congressional map after a lower court blocked it, ruling that the state must continue using a special-master map approved by the courts that created a second Black-opportunity district and helped elect Democratic Rep. Shomari Figures in 2024. On Wednesday, Thomas, who is assigned to the 11th Circuit, declined to immediately restore the 2023 congressional map but also ordered the case’s voting rights plaintiffs to provide an explanation by Monday on why that legislature-drawn map should not be used. Thomas’ ruling is the latest in a years-long redistricting saga that was given new life following an April Supreme Court ruling that narrowed the interpretation of a provision in the Voting Rights Act used by Democrats in their redistricting fights. Prior to the April ruling, the Supreme Court upheld a challenge to the state’s 2020 census-drawn map and a court-approved special-master map preferred by Democrats was implemented, which reshaped the state’s 2nd District and flipped a solidly GOP-held seat that gave Democrats another House seat. CNN COMMENTATOR SNAPS AT KEVIN O’LEARY TO NOT ‘BE A D—‘ DURING HEATED DEBATE OVER SUPREME COURT RULING In its emergency application, Alabama argued an immediate stay was needed because the lower-court ruling “defies Callais, manipulates the Purcell principle, and offends the Constitution’s promise of equal protection for all.” Alabama is leaning on the Supreme Court’s recent April ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, which gave Republicans a new weapon against maps from left-wing voting rights activists by making it harder for them to force additional primarily minority districts under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The decision from the Supreme Court ultimately fueled a wave of fresh redistricting efforts in GOP-led states, including Alabama, which used the Callais ruling to ask the justices to revisit the lower-court orders blocking the 2023 legislature-drawn map. JACKSON PROTESTS AS SUPREME COURT USES LOUISIANA GERRYMANDERING RULING TO INSTRUCT LOWER COURTS In response to the Louisiana case’s ruling, the Supreme Court ruled on May 11 that the lower court’s judgment blocking Alabama’s 2023 map should be vacated and sent back for another look. However, on Tuesday, the three-judge federal district court blocked the 2023 map and ordered the court-approved special master map to continue to be used, leading to Alabama’s request for emergency relief on Wednesday that was ruled on by Thomas. The timing of Thomas’ order comes as Alabama officials have already tried to prepare for a rapid switch back to the 2023 map. After the Supreme Court’s May 11 order sent the case back to the lower court, Gov. Kay Ivey called Aug. 11 special primaries for the affected 1st, 2nd, 6th and 7th Congressional Districts, saying the state was ready to move forward with its Alabama legislature-drawn map. Fox News Digital reached out to Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall and the American Civil Liberties Union, which is acting as counsel for the left-wing voting rights plaintiffs in the case, but did not receive a response from either party in time for publication.
Federal government’s landlord joins Vance fraud crackdown as White House widens hunt: ‘Critical force’
FIRST ON FOX: The federal agency that oversees more than $126 billion in federal contracts is joining Vice President JD Vance’s anti-fraud task force, expanding the White House crackdown into the federal government’s contracting system. The General Services Administration (GSA) calls itself the “engine of government” and serves as the federal government’s central contracting and real estate agency, overseeing the buildings, services and goods agencies rely on to operate. By joining the task force, GSA gives one of the Trump administration’s highest-profile accountability efforts access to its procurement data, acquisition expertise and cross-agency reach as the White House seeks to root out fraud in public programs. “GSA sits at the center of the federal acquisition and contracting ecosystem, making us a critical force in the fight against fraud,” GSA Administrator Edward C. Forst said in a press release obtained by Fox News Digital. VANCE-LED TASK FORCE CUTS OFF $1.4B FROM HOME HEALTH, HOSPICE PROVIDERS SUSPECTED OF FRAUD “We are proud to join Vice President Vance and this Task Force to aggressively identify abuse, strengthen oversight and protect the integrity of federal procurement. GSA will bring advanced analytical capabilities, investigative support and cross-government coordination to help expose high-risk fraud patterns and stop bad actors from exploiting taxpayer-funded systems,” Forst continued. The White House’s task force is a coalition of federal agencies created by President Donald Trump through an executive order to coordinate efforts to reduce fraud, waste and abuse in federal programs. Chaired by Vance, the task force focuses on improving eligibility verification, strengthening payment controls, sharing data across agencies and helping law enforcement disrupt fraud schemes. DOGE ERA OVERHAUL: GSA TOUTS $60B IN SAVINGS AS TRUMP SHRINKS GOV’T FOOTPRINT: ‘RESULTS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES’ The GSA has historically had some problems with improper payments. In February, for instance, the agency’s Office of Inspector General released a report finding that “federal customer agencies relying on GSA pricing on schedule contracts are at risk of overpaying” due to failures from government contracting officers or inaccurate information submitted by contractors. JD VANCE SPEARHEADS ‘WAR ON FRAUD,’ PROMISES TO ROOT OUT TAXPAYER MONEY ‘STOLEN’ BY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS The White House fraud task force was established in March, and has racked up a few early wins in the weeks since. Law enforcement, working in conjunction with the task force, arrested eight people in California on suspicion of defrauding public healthcare services out of more than $50 million. The task force also withheld $1.4 billion in federal funding from home health and hospice providers suspected of defrauding the government. “GSA’s participation reinforces a whole-of-government strategy focused on restoring accountability, strengthening operational integrity and ensuring federal programs deliver results for the American people,” the press release reads. “By combining the Task Force’s investigative mission with GSA’s government-wide infrastructure and procurement expertise, the administration is accelerating efforts to increase transparency, improve efficiency, and reinforce public trust in federal operations.”
Pentagon slashes NATO combat commitments as Trump pushes Europe to defend itself
The Pentagon recently informed European allies it plans to reduce some U.S. military capabilities available to NATO during a crisis as part of a broader push to shift more of the alliance’s conventional defense burden onto Europe. The Trump administration plans to reduce certain available capabilities by roughly one-third to one half, officials confirmed to Fox News Digital, including strategic bomber planes, fighter jets and some naval assets. Pentagon official Alexander Velez-Green informed officials of the coming changes at the NATO Defense Policy Directors’ meeting in Brussels Friday, according to two officials familiar with the matter. The Pentagon declined to confirm details about the changes, but chief spokesman Sean Parnell acknowledged the shift in a statement to Fox News Digital, framing it as part of a broader effort to pressure allies to assume greater responsibility for Europe’s defense. PENTAGON OFFICIAL FLAGS RETURN OF ‘COLD WAR MENTALITY,’ AS TRUMP ADMIN RESHAPES NATO ALLIANCE “The Department of War announced changes to U.S. contributions to the NATO Force Model at the Defense Policy Directors’ meeting in Brussels,” he said. “These changes represent an opportunity for allies to demonstrate that they have heard President Trump’s call for them to step up and take primary responsibility for Europe’s conventional defense.” “Spending more on defense is one thing — and our allies must do so as quickly as possible, consistent with their Hague Summit pledge. It is vitally important, however, for our NATO allies to focus increased defense spending on the combat-credible capabilities most required for Europe’s defense. The Department of War’s announcement offers allies an opportunity to do exactly that.” The move comes ahead of the NATO leaders’ summit in Ankara, Turkey, in July, where President Donald Trump is expected to intensify pressure on allies to shoulder more of Europe’s defense burden while Washington shifts military focus toward the Indo-Pacific. RUBIO ARRIVES IN BRUSSELS FOR NATO TALKS AMID UNEASE OVER TRUMP’S AGENDA While European officials largely have avoided publicly criticizing the changes, several have expressed concern to Fox News Digital about the pace and clarity of the administration’s evolving Europe posture plans. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte sought to reassure allies in recent days, saying any adjustments would occur “over time, in a structured way” and insisting “the U.S. will stay involved in Europe.” NATO foreign ministers meeting in Helsingborg, Sweden, also grappled with uncertainty surrounding recent U.S. troop announcements in Europe. Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard described the situation as “confusing indeed,” while Secretary of State Marco Rubio said “it is well understood in the alliance that the United States troop presence in Europe is going to be adjusted.” Regional officials told Fox News Digital they are still seeking clarity on whether future U.S. troop movements in Poland would expand the current American footprint, replace paused rotations, or involve repositioning forces from elsewhere in Europe. PENTAGON CUTS BRIGADE COMBAT TEAMS IN EUROPE AS TRUMP PRESSURES NATO ON SPENDING Defense officials increasingly describe the broader shift as part of a post-Ukraine-war restructuring of NATO focused on territorial defense, rapid mobilization and greater European burden-sharing, while the U.S. redirects more military resources toward Asia. The U.S. currently maintains its largest European troop presence in Germany, where roughly 36,000 American troops are stationed, along with approximately 12,000 troops in Italy, 10,000 in the United Kingdom and an estimated 10,000 in Poland. The Pentagon in 2025 withdrew an armored brigade combat team from Romania following a temporary deployment tied to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, part of a broader effort to rebalance the U.S. military footprint in Europe. More recently, the Trump administration announced plans to withdraw roughly 5,000 U.S. troops from Germany throughout the next year as part of its ongoing Europe posture review, raising new questions among allies about the future scale of the American military presence on the continent.
RFK Jr. responds to snake-handling critics with new video showing him wrangling a venomous rattlesnake
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. shared another snake-handling video Wednesday after social media users raised concerns over his earlier encounter with a pair of black racer snakes. Kennedy Jr. posted an Instagram video captioned, “In response to the many comments about venomous snakes, this video shows how Cheryl and I handled a recent rattlesnake rescue.” The clip begins with Kennedy Jr. sitting in his home office before someone alerts him to a snake in the driveway. “Hold on, guys. I’ll be back in a flash,” he says before grabbing a bucket and a small net and heading outside. RFK JR BAREHANDS A PAIR OF SNAKES ON DR. OZ’S PATIO IN WILD VIDEO The HHS secretary then carefully scoops up the rattlesnake as onlookers react in amazement. After placing the snake in a bucket, Kennedy Jr. later pins it behind the head and lifts it toward the camera while explaining how to identify the reptile. “His fangs are in there. I don’t want to touch them,” he said. “This is a beautiful snake. This is a Western Diamondback. You can tell by these rings at the end of his tail.” Kennedy Jr. then asked his wife, actress Cheryl Hines, to bring him a pillowcase before transporting and releasing the snake back into the wild. ACTRESS CHERYL HINES CLASHES WITH ‘THE VIEW’ OVER HER HUSBAND RFK JR’S RECORD SERVING AMERICANS The Instagram post appeared to respond directly to criticism and concern sparked by another snake video Kennedy Jr. shared Tuesday on X. In that clip, Kennedy Jr. grabbed two black North American racer snakes with his bare hands while visiting Dr. Mehmet Oz’s patio as Hines watched in apparent horror. “Honey, honey … why?” Hines yelled as Kennedy Jr. cornered the snakes. Kennedy Jr. then lunged at the reptiles and eventually lifted both by their tails as they repeatedly bit his hands. CHERYL HINES SHARES HARROWING EVACUATION FROM WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER AS GUNSHOTS RANG OUT “Black snakes, they’re biting me,” Kennedy Jr. said with a smile. The snakes continued striking at his hands as Hines pleaded, “Bobby, please! Bobby, Bobby, please,” before later telling him, “You are nuts.” Kennedy Jr. later posted the video to X with the caption, “Cheryl cheerleads the removal of a pair of Black Racers from Dr Oz’s patio.” According to the Florida Museum of Natural History, black racer snakes are nonvenomous and generally harmless to humans, though they will “readily bite to defend themselves.” The earlier video showed Kennedy Jr. handling nonvenomous snakes, while Wednesday’s Instagram clip focused on a venomous Western Diamondback rattlesnake, prompting some social media users to question whether the HHS secretary was taking unnecessary risks. Fox News Digital’s Robert McGreevy contributed to this report.
Conservatives erupt after DNC lashes out at top White House official with vulgar personal attack
The official Democratic National Committee X account ignited a social media firestorm on Wednesday afternoon in a profanity-laden online spat with President Donald Trump’s chief policy advisor, Stephen Miller. “Shut up, you ugly f—” @TheDemocrats wrote. The comment was made in response to Miller’s own jeering of James Talarico, the Democratic Senate candidate in Texas. “The Democrats made history in Texas by nominating their first transgender senate candidate,” Miller said, needling Talarico over his physical appearance. WHAT THE F—-? DEMOCRATS TURN TO PROFANITY INSTEAD OF POLICY The moment quickly drew reactions from conservative onlookers online. Stephen Miller’s wife, Katie Miller, wasted no time and went straight for the DNC’s social media handler. “Paulina Mangubat is who runs the Democrats’ account. She’s 30, unmarried with no kids. Put your name on it next time,” Miller said. “This is what a sad, unhappy female liberal looks like. It’s why Pew reports 50% of them have been diagnosed with a mental condition,” she added, referring to the Pew Research Center. TEXAS SENATE HOPEFUL TALARICO IN HOT SEAT FOR CALLING MEN IN WOMEN’S SPORTS A ‘FAR RIGHT CONSPIRACY’ Conservative media personality Benny Johnson also weighed in. “This is the party that spent years lecturing America about civility, unity and healing. The party that cried when Trump was ‘mean’ on Twitter. This is who they really are. And they wonder why they keep losing,” Johnson said. “The official Democratic Party,” the Libs of TikTok wrote in its own post, highlighting the spat. “I’m sure this will get the votes you need,” conservative radio host Dana Loesch posted on X. “Hilarious these are the same people that complain about Trump being mean,” conservative influencer Caleb Hull posted on X. “This is where the median Democratic staffer’s comms instincts are,” Manhattan Institute VP Jesse Arm posted on X. When asked about the post, Talarico’s campaign referred Fox News Digital to their own response online, calling Miller’s comments “Talarico Derangement Syndrome,” a riff on “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” a favorite phase of the president’s to describe his critics. The exchange also drew some scrutiny for Miller from accounts like Occupy Democrats, a left-leaning account that offered a defense of Talarico. “To point out the incredibly obvious here: James Talarico is not transgender. He is a cisgender, heterosexual Christian man with a loving girlfriend. Of course, even if he were trans (or nonbinary or gay or any other identity), that would in no way affect his ability to serve the people of Texas. What matters are his politics.” But at least one Democratic strategist decried the post. SELECTIVE OUTRAGE: TRUMP, DEMOCRATS MAINLY DENOUNCE THE OTHER SIDE’S SCANDALS “As a lifelong Dem who’s donated free consulting to House Dem staffers, I find this so, so embarrassing for us. We complain about the right’s behavior, and now we’re doing stuff like this? Come on, Democrats. Do better,” Jack Appleby wrote in a post of his own. The DNC post is one of many profanity-laced online posts popping up across social media as Democrats push an aggressive and edgy online strategy to go after Republicans. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s rapid response account has repeatedly cursed out critics, including telling a conservative reporter earlier this year to “f— off.” The DNC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump says Delaney Hall protesters are ‘paid’ as clashes escalate outside NJ ICE facility
President Donald Trump on Wednesday dismissed protesters outside Delaney Hall as “fake” and “paid for” as demonstrations continued at the Newark ICE detention facility and Democratic lawmakers increased pressure over conditions inside. “These aren’t protesters; these people are fake, they’re all paid for,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting Wednesday. “We run the finest facilities anywhere in the world of their type.” Trump’s comments came after days of protests outside Delaney Hall, where detainees and family members have alleged overcrowding, poor living conditions and inadequate medical care inside the facility. Some detainees have also launched a hunger strike, according to Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J. The controversy escalated Wednesday as Reps. Daniel Goldman, D-N.Y., and Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., were escorted into the facility amid growing scrutiny surrounding conditions inside the detention center. PROTESTERS CLASH WITH ICE AS NJ DETENTION FACILITY DEMONSTRATIONS CONTINUE Protests outside Delaney Hall began Friday and have continued throughout the week, at times turning chaotic as demonstrators clashed with ICE agents outside the facility. On Sunday night, protesters attempted to block vehicles from entering and exiting the detention center. On Monday, officers deployed tear gas and forcibly removed protesters during confrontations outside the facility. Video from the scene showed officers throwing one protester to the ground and dragging another away from the entrance. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin also defended conditions inside Delaney Hall and dismissed criticism from detainees and Democratic lawmakers. SOMETHING TO HIDE? ICE UNDER FIRE FOR SUBSTANDARD CONDITIONS AT FOR-PROFIT DETENTION CENTER “This isn’t Holiday Inn,” Mullin said when asked about complaints surrounding the facility. Mullin also criticized elected officials who have appeared outside Delaney Hall, including Kim, who said he witnessed deteriorating conditions firsthand during a recent visit. “I’m sorry, you probably shouldn’t have been there,” Mullin said when asked about Kim being pepper-sprayed outside the facility. Kim told CNN detainees showed him spoiled food and described worsening conditions inside the center. “A detainee handed me a carton of milk, and I looked at it, and it was just congealed solid, I mean it was absolutely disgusting,” Kim said. ICE officials have denied allegations that detainees are being held in unsafe or inhumane conditions at the facility.
Talarico makes stunning claim about why he thinks Texas elections aren’t ‘free and fair’
Texas Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico said he believes state laws have stacked the deck against him as he looks to become the first Democrat to win statewide office since 1994. “Means you’re probably going to have to win by a little more than we would have to in a completely free and fair election,” Talarico said in a recent podcast interview. Talarico’s posture towards Texas voting laws reflects a broader Democratic belief that Republican dominance in the Lone Star State is due to low turnout brought on by election security measures rather than the state’s conservative leanings — a theory that continues to drive long-running attempts to flip the state. Despite having raised an impressive $40 million as of March, Talarico faces an uphill campaign against Republican candidate Ken Paxton, the current Texas attorney general, who has widespread name recognition. TEXAS MAP FIGHT ESCALATES AS JEFFRIES VOWS ‘ALL OPTIONS’ TO STOP GOP PLAN “We’re going to have to overcome that. We’re going to have to out-organize, out-work, out-hustle that voter suppression if we’re going to win,” Talarico said. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Texas passed a flurry of election-security bills. Most notably, the legislature passed SB1, a bill that requires voters to provide specific identification numbers to vote and to register to vote: either a Texas driver’s license, an election identification certificate or the last four digits of a Social Security number. It also banned drive-through voting and unsolicited mailing of ballot applications. Talarico said he opposed its passage as a state legislator. “I will say that we already have a lot of voter suppression in Texas. It’s baked into our laws. I’ve fought fiercely against many of those laws when they were coming through the legislature,” Talarico said. “Texas is one of the hardest places to vote in the country as a result. It’s why we see such low voter turnout in our state compared to other states,” Talarico said. RED STATE AG INVESTIGATING MORE THAN 30 POTENTIAL NONCITIZENS WHO VOTED IN 2024 ELECTION Although it’s true that Texas ranks in the bottom five states for voter turnout, the 56.6% of voters that cast a ballot in the last presidential election was greater than turnout in 2016, 2012 and 2004, according to data from the United States Election Project. Similarly, the 41.8% participation in the 2022 midterms exceeded levels from 2014, 2010, 2006 and 2002. Talarico’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. To at least one GOP strategist, Talarico’s concern over turnout comes at the expense of his prioritization of election security. “James Talarico wants illegal aliens to vote in our elections,” Zach Kraft, a Republican National Committee spokesperson, told Fox News Digital. “While Talarico puts illegals first, Ken Paxton will continue to put Texans first by working with President Trump to get the SAVE America Act signed into law and ensure foreign citizens never vote in American elections,” Kraft said, referring to the national voter integrity bill championed by Republicans in Congress. Notably, as a state legislator, Talarico also voted against a bill that increased state penalties for illegal aliens voting in Texas elections from a Class A misdemeanor to a second-degree felony. TRUMP COMPARES DEM SENATE CANDIDATE TO FRECKLE-FACED CARTOON CHARACTER, PROMISES TO CAMPAIGN FOR PAXTON Despite his pessimistic outlook on Texas’s voting laws, Talarico urged viewers to draw confidence from other long-shot campaigns, such as civil rights movements and labor organizers. “They were all up against a rigged system. So, if they can do that, we can certainly do that against this stacked deck,” Talarico said.
Seattle socialist mayor mocked for ‘irony’ as residents build walls to stop out of control shootings
Seattle democratic socialist Mayor Katie Wilson is being mocked online over the “irony” of residents in the blue-run city erecting barrier walls in a desperate attempt to stop out-of-control shootings. Just months after Wilson took office in Seattle, terrified residents in the city’s Aurora Avenue corridor decided to take matters into their own hands to address near-nightly shootings believed to be connected to criminal turf wars, prostitution and illegal trafficking. After weeks of gang-related shootings and high-speed car chases, some residents spent Memorial Day weekend blocking off their own streets using metal planters, dirt, gravel, logs and chunks of concrete. The barricades were set up to block at least three streets leading into the neighborhood. Though such artifices could incur fines, one resident named Peter Orr told KTVB 7, “It’s either this, or bullets in my neighbor’s houses.” News of the neighborhood barricades in Seattle has garnered scorn for Wilson’s policies online. TERRIFIED RESIDENTS IN CRIME-PLAGUED BLUE CITY THROW UP GIANT BARRICADES TO STOP CHAOS Among these was conservative commentator Paul Szypula, who wrote on X, “The Irony is Undeniable.” “When progressive policies result in neighborhoods literally barricading themselves off… that says everything,” he wrote, adding, “What should Seattle leaders be doing so residents don’t feel forced to do this?” Popular conservative account Libs of TikTok mocked, “Seattle residents are now building WALLS on their blocks to keep out criminals.” Commentator Eric Daugherty posted, “Furious blue city residents in Seattle are now building their OWN BARRICADES to BLOCK streets because shootings are so high Omg. This is MADNESS.” “The socialist mayor is IGNORING IT,” he added. “BLUE CITIES ARE COOKED!” Constitutional analyst Jonathan Turley wrote, “Nothing says socialism more than citizen barricades.” DEM WHO WELCOMED SOCIALIST MAYOR’S ‘CHANGE’ NOW SOUNDING ALARM OVER BILLIONAIRE EXODUS: ‘GRAVELY CONCERNED’ He mocked, “In this case, Les Miserables are seeking to protect their property. After electing a mayor who once called for the defunding of police, Seattle neighborhoods are reverting to self-help measures.” Wilson, who was sworn into office this January, wrote in a 2020 opinion piece about the defund the police effort that “there’s never been a better time to try.” In the piece, Wilson posited “there’s a strong argument for simply disbanding police departments and starting over,” reasoning that “institutional culture change is hard.” “Leaving aside debates on the left about whether police abolition is possible under capitalism, or at all, let’s stick with the current movement demand of cutting the SPD [Seattle Police Department] budget by half. That’s a lot of officers. It may sound alarming, until you realize that U.S. police perform numerous functions for which armed personnel, trained for violent conflict, are unnecessary or unsuited — and often, unsurprisingly, cause harm,” she wrote. BISHOP BARRON SLAMS ‘BORDERLINE COMMUNISTS’ SANDERS, MAMDANI AHEAD OF TRUMP PRAYER EVENT: ‘ECONOMY THAT KILLS’ As mayor, however, Wilson has not moved to cut the police by half. She has responded to recent shootings by launching a “multi-pronged gun violence strategy,” in which she convened a panel of experts to help the city reduce retaliatory shootings, address youth violence and coordinate efforts between police, schools and community groups. Wilson has paused expansion of the city’s CCTV surveillance and license plate reader programs pending a privacy audit, while maintaining existing police camera systems in high-crime areas, including the Aurora Avenue corridor. Fox News Digital reached out to Wilson for comment.
Fox News Poll: Faith in higher education in the US is collapsing
Attitudes toward higher education have shifted dramatically in the last two decades, as the latest Fox News poll shows voters far less inclined to believe a college degree is still worth pursuing. In 2006, 65% thought a student with $100,000 should use it for college tuition rather than invest the money and go straight to work, and 84% said college was more important to success than it was 25 years earlier. FOX NEWS POLL: AS ECONOMIC PAIN DEEPENS, DISAPPROVAL OF TRUMP HITS NEW HIGH Today, those views have flipped. Two-thirds (65%) now say prospective college goers should invest the money and go straight to work. At the same time, more than 6 in 10 say college is less, rather than more, important to success than it was a generation ago. Twenty years ago, voters were split on whether a degree should be obtained at any cost (46% agree, 49% disagree). Now, three-quarters of voters say a college degree is not worth getting at any cost (27% agree, 73% disagree). FOX NEWS POLL: 30% THINK RECENT TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT WAS STAGED The shift spans demographic groups. In 2006, majorities of voters under age 30, over 65, college graduates, those without college degrees, Democrats, Republicans, and independents all thought college was worth the money and was important to success. Today, those same groups largely hold the opposite opinion. Additionally, if parents were making recommendations today, they would urge a high schooler to skip college and invest. They also think a degree is less important to success in life these days and disagree it should be obtained at any cost. Despite these reversals, voters express confidence in certain aspects of higher education. Majorities have a great deal or at least some confidence that universities provide a high-quality education (72% confident), protect free speech (63%), provide fair learning environments (62%), respect all students regardless of political views (60%), and prepare students for the workforce (58%). But voters are deeply skeptical about the financial motives of universities. Fewer than half, 45%, express confidence in higher education’s ability to put students ahead of profits, making it the only area tested where confidence falls below the majority. Views on that question also show some of the widest demographic differences. Voters under age 30 (54% have confidence) are more likely than those ages 65+ (38%) to believe universities prioritize students over profits. Black voters (61%) and Hispanic voters (61%) are more likely than White voters (41%) to say students are a priority over profits, as are Democrats (50%) and independents (50%) compared to Republicans (39%), and parents (52%) compared to non-parents (43%). Voters with and without college degrees are equally likely to have confidence that colleges prioritize students over profits (45% vs. 46% have confidence). While most demographic groups express confidence in higher education, Republicans are more skeptical. When it comes to providing a high-quality education (62% have confidence), protecting free speech (54%), preparing students for the workforce (51%), providing a fair and unbiased learning environment (50%), respecting students regardless of political views (49%), and putting students ahead of profits (39%), Republicans’ confidence are well below other demographic groups. Democrats and independents hold more positive views. Majorities say colleges provide a high-quality education (81% of Democrats, 71% of independents), protect free speech (70%, 64%), prepare students for the workforce (66%, 58%), provide a fair learning space (72%, 65%), respect students’ political views (69%, 64%), and put students ahead of profits (50% each). “Voters in both parties have a beef with higher education, but the grievance is particularly acute among Republicans,” says Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who helps conduct the Fox News Poll with Democrat Chris Anderson. “They not only think universities are too expensive but also that they have been captured by woke, leftist administrators and professors.” CLICK HERE FOR CROSSTABS AND TOPLINE Conducted May 15–18, 2026, under the direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News survey includes interviews with a sample of 1,002 registered voters randomly selected from a national voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (109) and cellphones (635) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (258). Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points. Sampling error for results among subgroups is higher. In addition to sampling error, question wording and order can influence results. Weights are generally applied to age, race, education, and area variables to ensure the demographics are representative of the registered voter population. Sources for developing weight targets include the most recent American Community Survey, Fox News Voter Analysis, and voter file data.
EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: Dems slammed for demanding ‘five-star accommodations’ for illegal immigrants at ICE facility
EXCLUSIVE: Speaking with Fox News Digital at the site of a multi-day confrontation between anti-ICE protesters and federal law enforcement, Republican state lawmaker Paul Kanitra ripped into Democrats for demanding what he described as “five-star accommodations” for illegal immigrants. Just days after many top New Jersey Democrats, including Gov. Mikie Sherrill and Sen. Andy Kim, joined protesters outside of ICE’s Delaney Hall, Kanitra called Democrats’ handling of illegal immigration a “disgrace.” “Democrats created this chaos with all their laws. Gov. Sherrill was in office for a couple of weeks before she passed three radical protective illegal immigration bills, taking the masks off of ICE agents, protecting their [illegal immigrants’] status here, giving them more benefits, and here she is out here knowing full well she wasn’t going to get in,” he said. Democrats and protesters allege that detainees in the Newark ICE facility, known as Delaney Hall, have gone on a hunger strike in protest of inhumane conditions. ANTI-ICE PROTESTERS CLASH WITH AGENTS OUTSIDE NEW JERSEY DETENTION CENTER AS GOV. SHERRILL DENIED ENTRY On Monday, Sherrill posted on X that she had attempted to enter Delaney Hall after hearing “heartbreaking” reports of unsafe and unconstitutional conditions. She wrote that her request to access the facility was “denied this morning, raising even more questions about what they are trying to hide from public view.” The Department of Homeland Security has shot down the claims of bad conditions and denied the hunger strike. Kanitra asserted that Sherrill’s appearance “was a performative stunt to try to change the focus from their policies, which have created this chaos, to try to make some sort of sensational news story out of it.” He taunted Democrats, saying, “The food service provider here at Delaney Hall is actually the same food service provider that services the $150,000 to $500,000 suites at Met Life Stadium.” “It seems to be good enough for those guys, so I assume it’s good enough for our illegal invaders behind us,” he said, pointing back to the facility. The lawmaker said he actually agrees that “every public official should be allowed to see what’s going on inside [the ICE facility] for themselves,” which he said, “will debunk these crazed claims that they have.” “We already heard from Secretary Mullin himself and DHS saying that these were baseless allegations,” he continued. “I don’t know if they’re expecting the Ritz Carlton behind us, but these people are either here illegally or they were here as part of a privilege, with a visa or other procedure, and then they broke the law and are getting that revoked.” “They shouldn’t be expecting five-star accommodations here in New Jersey,” he concluded. MARKWAYNE MULLIN GOES OFF ON DEMS’ ‘GARBAGE’ MEMORIAL DAY ‘POLITICAL STUNT’ AT ICE FACILITY Meanwhile, a protester named Diana Tabor told Fox News Digital that she believes the conditions inside the ICE facility are “very unfair.” Tabor, who is Black, also noted that the protesters have been questioning the ethics of ICE agents who “look like us,” saying, “it feels like betrayal.” She said that protesters, who have been camping outside the facility for several days, are with various advocacy groups and nonprofit organizations and are prepared to keep it up for weeks or months “until justice is served.” Tabor said she was present on her own “on the behalf of constituents in Union County who have suffered due to the misfair treatment of Delaney Hall.” “We’ve come here from different backgrounds, different organizations, we came here with different objectives, but ultimately, we formed a big family, and we have one goal, and we’ve all come together to make that goal,” said Tabor. She agreed, “There is credibility in protecting the American people,” but emphasized, “I do believe that there are different ways to go about it, not kidnapping people, not putting them in overcrowded detention centers, I would say that we need to find a better way to mitigate that.” ANTI-ICE PROTEST LEADER DEMANDS RELEASE OF INMATES, SHERRILL APPEARANCE “I do think that there are obviously people that come here and do commit crimes, and there are murders and there are rapes and there are robberies and there are people being harmed with the loose borders, and that should be taken care of accordingly, but I think that if we start using our resources adequately and we start using it to actually go against criminals who are hurting people within these borders that we’d get a lot more done,” she said. “So, I would say that we need to start focusing more on actual crime, and not just profiling people based on what they look like,” Tabor added. “I think that there is a happy medium between protecting human rights and also protecting the country.” DHS responded to the protests by publishing a statement stating that certified dietitians evaluate meals and that all detainees are provided with three meals a day, clean water, clothing, bedding, showers, soap, and toiletries. The agency added that detainees “also have access to phones to communicate with their family members and lawyers” and that “ICE has higher detention standards than most U.S. prisons that hold actual U.S. citizens.” Fox News Digital reached out to Sherrill and Booker for comment.