Trump to host thousands of admin officials for one of the largest events ever on White House lawn
EXCLUSIVE: President Donald Trump on Wednesday evening is hosting the more than 3,000 political appointees in his administration for one of the largest events ever held on the White House lawn to celebrate their work, Fox News Digital has learned. The event will be the first time ever that the president has invited all individuals hired across all departments to the White House at the same time for the same event, officials told Fox News Digital. TRUMP ADMIN BREAKING MODERN PRESIDENTIAL STAFFING RECORDS, HIRING ‘THOUSANDS OF AMERICA FIRST WARRIORS’ Traditionally, events are held over several shifts for each department, but Wednesday’s event will honor the more than 3,000 individuals hired for the second Trump administration. “This is his team. These are his people,” an official told Fox News Digital. “These are individuals who are hand-selected by the president to work in the administration delivering on the historic mandate that he received in November.” The president will attend the event and address the attendees. Most members of the Cabinet will also attend. Those familiar with the planning of the event told Fox News Digital that there will be food and entertainment for staff. “President Trump’s Office of Presidential Personnel is breaking hiring records at an unprecedented pace,” Director of Presidential Personnel Sergio Gor told Fox News Digital. “In just 135 days, we have filled 91% of all political appointments across the U.S. government, a historic achievement.” Gor told Fox News Digital that “the quality of talent that we’ve assembled is remarkable.” TRUMP AND MELANIA TO HEADLINE POWER-PLAYER PACKED KENNEDY CENTER OPENING NIGHT “Each political appointee in the Trump administration is unwavering in their commitment to this president and his goal to make America great again,” Gor said. Since the president took office Jan. 20, the administration has hired more than 3,200 appointees. An official in the Office of Presidential Personnel told Fox News Digital that at the Departments of Defense, Commerce and Treasury, more than 85% of political hires are complete; at the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and Homeland Security, 90% of political hires are complete; and at the Department of Veterans Affairs, 100% of political hires are complete. The official told Fox News Digital that the administration is filled with individuals who have served as Fortune 500 executives, accomplished business leaders, technical experts and “dedicated aides that are working to ensure that President Trump continues to deliver for the American people.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “We have hired the best and brightest to make America great again and advance the America First agenda,” the official said. Trump’s Cabinet was also confirmed in record time, with officials noting that none of his Cabinet-level nominees failed in committee or on the Senate floor for confirmation.
Dem lambasted for saying ‘we’re not going to have anyone around to wipe our a–es’ without more immigration
Vermont’s sole U.S. House member was lambasted on Tuesday after video surfaced of her warning Vermonters that unless the feds increase immigration to the U.S., “we’re not going to have anyone around to wipe our a–es.” Vermont Republican Party Chairman Paul Dame said Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vt., should apologize for her remarks both because of the “crude choice of words” and “disturbing sentiment” that the primary reason for allowing immigrants in is to “perform labor that she deems beneath the dignity of others.” “It seems that every month Vermonters are subjected to coarse and vulgar language from our federal representatives,” Dame lamented. “At the heart of these remarks is an opinion so offensive and so profoundly out of touch that it reveals a fundamental lack of respect for those who come to this country – abiding by the rules – in pursuit of freedom, opportunity, and a better life.” VERMONT GOP PUSHES FOR PENALTIES AGAINST DEMS ACCUSED OF DISRUPTING DE-TRANS EVENT AT CAPITOL Dame noted Vermont has welcomed foreigners to work at a microchip factory in Essex Junction and as well-trained physicians in the state’s hospitals. Mark Coester is a small business owner, fishmonger and craftman running as a Republican to oppose Balint in 2026. He criticized the congresswoman’s comments and shared a headline reporting ICE arrested 10 construction workers one day later in the same town where she spoke. “Pack em up, fly em out,” Coester wrote on X, in response to Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., condemning the “dragnet raid.” “Only an entitled Vermont Democrat would say such a thing,” added former Vermont state Senate candidate Paul Bean, going on to warn tradesmen that the lawmaker purportedly “thinks you are basically a–wipers.” RNC FILES LAWSUIT OVER NONCITIZEN VOTING RIGHTS IN VERMONT’S LARGEST CITY Speaking in Newport, near the Canadian border, Balint said she used to have her middle school students take the official U.S. citizenship test as a classroom exercise. “And then they would take it home and have their parents take it. It was scary… We have to solve the immigration problem,” she said. “I feel like in this moment we’ve forgotten that we actually can have an orderly immigration system that allows people, whether it’s to come here legally to work, we all know our ag system in Vermont would collapse without labor,” she said, calling the issue “existential.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “If we don’t have avenues for people to come here legally to work or to build a home here, I’m going to be really crude right now, we’re not going to have anyone around to wipe our asses – because we don’t have enough people in our country now to fill the jobs that we have right now, but we have to make sure those folks are getting a decent wage and making sure that their rights are protected…” anyone around to wipe our asses Balint added that supporting secure borders is “not xenophobic” but that there is “lawlessness” from the Trump administration’s ICE and Homeland Security apparatuses. Fox News Digital reached out to Balint for comment.
White House hands Americans ‘big beautiful bill’ calculator to determine how much they’d save under act
FIRST ON FOX: The White House launched a website Tuesday where Americans can tabulate how much the “big beautiful bill” will personally save them if lawmakers pass the sweeping legislation, Fox News Digital learned. “We are preparing your tax cuts,” the website launched Tuesday declares, alongside a photo of President Donald Trump and a message celebrating how “American Industry” has thrown its support behind the legislation. Senate lawmakers are in the midst of working to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which is a multitrillion-dollar piece of legislation that advances Trump’s agenda on taxes, immigration, energy, defense and the national debt. The House passed its version of the legislation in May. The new site features a calculator that tabulates the tax savings Americans can expect if the legislation passes. The calculator asks users to input their weekly base pay, weekly tip amount and weekly overtime premium pay to determine the savings. TRUMP PUSHES ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ AS SOLUTION TO FOUR YEARS OF BIDEN FAILURES: ‘LARGEST TAX CUT, EVER’ Fox News Digital found that an individual, for example, receiving $665 in weekly pay, $260 in tips and $100 in overtime premium pay would translate to $2,246 in yearly savings and $187 in monthly savings. If a person takes home $200 a week in base pay, $400 in tips and $200 in overtime, they would see $2,954 in yearly savings and $246 in monthly savings, Fox Digital found. The “big beautiful bill” would eliminate taxes on overtime and tips, which were two focal points of Trump’s tax policies as he rallied voters at the polls in 2024. The new website also touts more than 1,000 endorsements from American industries and organizations, including support from businesses such as Uber and DoorDash. Trump repeatedly has called on lawmakers to pass the sweeping legislation to fund his agenda, touting that it would cut taxes for Americans across the brackets, as well as tighten border security. TRUMP HEADS TO CAPITOL HILL TO PUSH ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ “Republicans MUST UNITE behind, ‘THE ONE, BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL!’ Not only does it cut Taxes for ALL Americans, but it will kick millions of Illegal Aliens off of Medicaid to PROTECT it for those who are the ones in real need. The Country will suffer greatly without this Legislation, with their Taxes going up 65%,” Trump posted on Truth Social on May. 16. “STOP TALKING, AND GET IT DONE! It is time to fix the MESS that Biden and the Democrats gave us. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” the continued, calling on Republican lawmakers to pass the legislation. A handful of Senate Republicans have spoken out that they will not support the legislation as it will increase the nation’s debt limit, including Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul, who told the media Monday that the bill will raise the debt ceiling by $5 trillion. “We have never raised the debt ceiling without actually meeting that target,” he said Monday, Fox Digital previously reported. “So you can say it doesn’t directly add to the debt, but if you increase the ceiling $5 trillion, you’ll meet that. And what it does is it puts it off the back-burner. And then we won’t discuss it for a year or two.” WH STUDY WARNS 9 MILLION AMERICANS COULD LOSE HEALTH INSURANCE IN ‘MAJOR’ RECESSION IF TRUMP BUDGET BILL FAILS Trump admonished Paul over the weekend as rhetoric mounted that the Republican senator would not support the legislation, arguing Paul was on the verge of siding with the “Radical Left Democrats” and encouraging a 68% tax hike on Americans if he votes against the bill. “Rand will be playing right into the hands of the Democrats, and the GREAT people of Kentucky will never forgive him! The GROWTH we are experiencing, plus some cost cutting later on, will solve ALL problems. America will be greater than ever before!” Trump posted to Truth Social on Saturday. TRUMP PUSHES ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ AS SOLUTION TO FOUR YEARS OF BIDEN FAILURES: ‘LARGEST TAX CUT, EVER’ Other Republican senators have rallied around the bill and are working to pass it by a self-imposed July 4 deadline, teeing up a busy June for the upper chamber. Republican South Dakota Sen. Mike Rounds told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California Friday that the Senate must pass the legislation or American families will pay higher taxes. “We don’t have a choice. We have to pass the bill to get the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act back in place on a permanent basis,” he said. “If we don’t do that, the average American family is going to see about a $2,400-a-year increase in their taxes. So we have to do something. And it’s critical that we pass this bill. We’re going to work with the House. We’re going to get this deal done. The Senate will put their mark of approval on it, but nonetheless, we want to do everything we can as quickly as we can to take care of this so that we can get on to other things. The president has made it very clear he wants to get this done. We want to help in that regard. This is our job.”
White House insists FEMA is taking hurricane season ‘seriously,’ blasts ‘sloppy’ reporting
The White House insisted Tuesday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency is taking hurricane season “seriously” while criticizing the media following reports claiming its director was unaware of such a time period. During a recent meeting, acting FEMA administrator David Richardson told staff he was unaware the U.S. had a hurricane season, Reuters and the New York Times reported Monday, citing people familiar with the remarks. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security later told Reuters that the comment was a joke and that FEMA is ready for the season, which began on June 1 and runs through Nov. 30. “Well, of course, we know that we are into hurricane season now, and I know FEMA is taking this seriously, contrary to some of the reporting we have seen, based on jokes that were made and leaks from meetings. But Secretary Kristi Noem and the FEMA leadership are all over this,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday when asked about the reporting. “They are committed to ensuring that federal resources and tax dollars are there for Americans in need. And the president continues to review requests for emergency aid and carefully considering them. However, this president has made it clear – we’re not going to enable states to make bad decisions with federal tax dollars and then have the federal government later have to bail these states out,” Leavitt continued. GOP SENATOR SAYS FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL ‘NEED TO PLAY A BIG ROLE’ AFTER TORNADOES RAVAGE MIDWEST “We want to see states be responsible with their tax dollars to do as much as they possibly can. And then the president will deeply and thoughtfully consider any requests for federal aid that come to his desk. And I think some of the media reporting we’ve seen on this is, frankly, sloppy and irresponsible. There are serious people who are taking this issue seriously, starting with the president himself,” she also said. TRUMP, LAWMAKERS AT ODDS OVER WHETHER FEMA SHOULD BE ELEVATED TO CABINET-LEVEL AGENCY OR COMPLETELY OVERHAULED However, the reporting didn’t stop Democrats from pouncing on Richardson. “I’m unaware of why he hasn’t been fired yet,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., wrote on X while flagging the Reuters article about his alleged remarks. “Suffice to say, disaster response is no joke. If you don’t know what or when hurricane season is, you’re not qualified to run FEMA. Get someone knowledgeable in there,” Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., told Reuters. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said last week, “Forecasters within NOAA’s National Weather Service predict above-normal hurricane activity in the Atlantic basin this year.”
Colorado Dems face backlash for fundraiser with Ilhan Omar after Boulder terror attack: ‘Reprehensible’
Colorado Democrats are facing criticism for leading a fundraiser with Rep. Ilhan Omar less than an hour after Sunday’s antisemitic terrorist attack in which 12 people were hurt, including a Holocaust survivor. The suspect, 45-year-old Mohamed Sabry Soliman, is facing federal hate crime charges and numerous state-level attempted murder charges for using incendiary devices to burn people who were rallying for the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza ever since the terrorist group attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Soliman was in the country illegally after overstaying his visa and work authorization, according to authorities. About 30 minutes later in nearby Denver, there was a “private reception” with Omar, who has been a major critic of Israel, with many other Democrats listed as the hosts. Ticket prices ranged from $500 to $7,000. Omar is a member of a progressive group of lawmakers in Congress called the “Squad.” RISE IN ANTISEMITIC EXTREMISM FUELS WAVE OF TERROR PLOTS IN THE UNITED STATES SINCE 2020 “Colorado Democrats who raise money for a notorious anti-Semite should be ashamed of themselves for ever doing so, but doing it while victims of the latest wave of anti-Semitic violence were en route to the hospital is even more hypocritical and reprehensible,” Colorado House Minority Caucus Chair Rep. Anthony Hartsook, a Republican, said in a statement on Monday. “Just last year, House Democrats turned away families of Israeli hostages, denying them access to the House floor for fear that House Democrats’ own radical members might cause a scene. Enough is enough. We must speak loudly and clearly against extremists who justify violence against Jewish communities worldwide. There is no place for anti-Semitism in Colorado,” Harstook added. In the aftermath of the attack, Omar posted on X, “Violence against all forms is never acceptable. We must reject hatred and harm in all its forms.” ‘SQUAD’ MEMBERS CONDEMN ANTISEMITIC ATTACK IN BOULDER AFTER YEARS OF CONTROVERSY Rep. Junie Joseph, D-Boulder, who attended the event, faced additional scrutiny, but she told Fox News Digital that she condemns antisemitism. “Sunday was a deeply painful day for our community. My heart is with the victims of the Boulder attack and all those affected. I unequivocally condemn hate and violence in all forms—including antisemitism and Islamophobia,” Joseph said in an email to Fox News Digital. “I’ve heard concerns about my attendance at a private event for Congresswoman Ilhan Omar. I was originally invited to introduce her at a Young Democrats event focused on youth engagement—something I care deeply about. When she was unable to attend, I chose to welcome her at a separate gathering, as a matter of courtesy and civic respect,” she continued. HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR AMONG VICTIMS IN BOULDER, COLORADO SUSPECTED TERROR ATTACK “Attending that event was not an endorsement of any particular policy or comment. It was an extension of my role as a public servant who believes in dialogue, inclusion, and maintaining open lines of communication—even when views differ.” “Condemning antisemitism and supporting peace, dignity, and human rights for all—including Israelis and Palestinians—are not mutually exclusive. I believe both are essential to a just and compassionate society,” Joseph further stated. “These are difficult times, and I remain committed to listening, learning, and leading with care—for all members of our community—Jewish, Muslim, and beyond.” Fox News Digital reached out to Omar’s campaign for comment.
White House stands by tax bill after Musk calls it a ‘disgusting abomination’
The White House defended the President Donald Trump-endorsed “big, beautiful bill” Tuesday after outgoing DOGE-chief Elon Musk doubled-down on his criticism of the spending bill, calling it a “disgusting abomination.” Musk, who has been openly critical of the proposed reconciliation bill, said Tuesday afternoon that he “just can’t stand it anymore.” “This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination,” Musk added in a Tuesday afternoon post on X. “Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it.” ‘AMERICAN HERO’ OR ‘FAILURE’: ELON MUSK’S DOGE DEPARTURE DIVIDES CAPITOL HILL The bill passed the House in late-May, ahead of Memorial Day, largely along party lines. However, two Republicans did vote against the measure, citing insufficient spending cuts and a rising national debt. GOP Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul has also signaled he likely will not vote in favor of the bill in its current form, citing a debt ceiling increase that is a red-line for him. Trump has lashed out at Paul and others for opposing the bill, but he has taken a more measured approach to Musk’s criticism. “Look, the president already knows where Elon Musk stood on this bill,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a Tuesday afternoon press briefing when asked about Musk’s most recent criticism. “It doesn’t change the president’s opinion. This is one big, beautiful bill and he’s sticking to it,” she said. ELON MUSK CRITICISM OF TRUMP TAX BILL FRUSTRATES SOME REPUBLICANS: ‘NO PLACE IN CONGRESS’ Musk, who led the cost-cutting efforts at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), previously criticized the bill during an interview with CBS, noting he was “disappointed” in the spending bill because “it undermines” all the work his DOGE team was doing. In May, when Trump was asked about Musk’s criticism of the bill on CBS, he responded, “Well, our reaction’s a lot of things,” before pivoting to talk about the votes needed to support pass the bill. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “Number one, we have to get a lot of votes, we can’t be cutting — we need to get a lot of support and we have a lot of support,” he said. “We had to get it through the House, the House was, we had no Democrats. You know, if it was up to the Democrats, they’ll take the 65 percent increase.”
Boulder antisemitic terror attack spurs response from major cities: ‘We will not rest’
New York City Mayor Eric Adams led urban responses to the antisemitic terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, over the weekend, with his office telling Fox News Digital the city with the largest Jewish population outside Israel is taking steps to protect its own holy sites and neighborhoods. “Another act of horrific, vile antisemitism and terrorism in our country, as an individual violently attacked a peaceful crowd in Boulder, Colorado, gathered to call for the release of the hostages still held in Gaza since Hamas’ terror attacks on October 7, 2023,” Adams said. “Out of abundance of caution, the NYPD is increasing resources at religious sites throughout our city ahead of the sacred holiday of Shavuot. We will not rest until we root out this unacceptable violence and rhetoric from our communities.” When reached for comment on how the city’s posture against antisemitic protests may change after the attack, an official told Fox News Digital that Adams has and will continue to protect New York’s Jewish population. AFTER UKRAINE’S SURPRISE DRONE ASSAULT ON RUSSIA, NEW ATTENTION DRAWN TO SENSITIVE SITES STATESIDE Adams set up an Office to Combat Antisemitism – making the Big Apple the first major city to do so. “This office will be a sledgehammer in this fight, taking on lawsuits and working tirelessly to root out antisemitism from our city,” the official said. After the deadly attack on Jews in Washington, D.C., Adams called out “antisemitic propaganda masquerading as activism.” He ordered the NYPD to deploy additional resources following that attack as well. In the District of Columbia, Mayor Muriel Bowser’s office struck a similar tone when asked how that city’s threat posture may change. Bowser’s office directed Fox News Digital to prior remarks made after the Jewish Museum attack. “It is not up to the Jewish community to say support us, it is up to all of us to denounce antisemitism in all forms,” Bowser said in part. On the other side of the country, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called the Boulder attack “an atrocious affront to the very fabric of our society and our beliefs here in Los Angeles.” Bass said she will be calling an emergency meeting at city hall focused on safety and security for the Shavuot holiday and the days after. In Miami Beach, which is home to an estimated 16,000 people of the Jewish faith among its 79,000 residents, Police Officer Christopher Bess told Fox News Digital there has been a focus on protecting residents ever since a March 2024 anti-Israel protest led city council to unanimously pass legislation prohibiting protesters from obstructing streets. COLORADO TERROR ATTACK TOOK PLACE AT ‘RUN FOR THEIR LIVES’ EVENT CALLING FOR RELEASE OF ALL HOSTAGES IN GAZA Mayor Steven Meiner, who is Jewish, spearheaded that new law, and Bess said the police too have established an “extremely robust operational plan, as it relates to demonstrations – whether they’re pro-Israel or pro-Palestinian.” “What we do is come up with the operational plans, and we increase and augment operational needs as necessary – and we have a specialized unit, the Rapid Intervention Team, that is specialized in [responding to] civil disturbances and protests.” Instead of a macro approach, Miami Beach Police attack problem spots from a “methodical and strategic law enforcement avenue.” Many such protests have been “uneventful” since then, Bess said, adding that the department tries to work with event organizers and the city’s legal apparatus to respond in the most professional way they can. “If we see anyone that is escalating the situation, we take swift law enforcement action to make sure that one individual doesn’t compromise the entire operation.” “We do respect First Amendment rights; the right to peaceful assembly – emphasizing peaceful – and if someone deviates from that they will go to jail.” After each protest that requires law enforcement response or preparation, there is debriefing to see what can be done better next time, Bess said. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “After any incident around the country [including Boulder],” he said, “Intel detectives stay in touch with federal, state and local partners – and based on their intelligence, we’re able to implement any plan that best fits our city.” After the Washington attack, police increased patrols at religious facilities – with Bess citing the large Jewish population in Mid Beach – engaged in partnerships with rabbis and increased foot patrols there. “That should send a loud message that… we will not tolerate that [violence].” Bess added that the Miami Beach Police have employed drones as “eyes in the sky” because human officers cannot be everywhere at once. The city is considered very safe for its boisterous reputation, and Bess added that drones help with issues like antisemitic protests, as well as in response to simpler incidents on the city’s famed Ocean Drive.
Dem senator takes aim at Trump’s viewpoint diversity policy, calls it ‘micromanaging’ colleges
Education Sec. Linda McMahon defended President Donald Trump’s efforts to reform Harvard University during a Tuesday hearing on Capitol Hill. McMahon appeared before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee and faced lengthy criticism from Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., over the administration’s actions against Harvard. Murphy began by arguing the Trump administration’s instructions to Harvard were contradictory. “You told [Harvard] that they had to end all of their diversity programs, but then that they had to institute viewpoint diversity,” Murphy said. “That doesn’t make sense.” TRUMP ADMIN ASKING FEDERAL AGENCIES TO CANCEL REMAINING HARVARD CONTRACTS “How do you tell them to end all their diversity programs…while instituting viewpoint diversity?” he asked. “No, the diversity programs we’ve asked and demanded to be eliminated were the DEI, where those programs were actually pitting one group against another,” McMahon responded. “Isn’t viewpoint diversity a diversity program?” Murphy pressed. “Viewpoint diversity is an exchange of ideas,” McMahon retorted. “Now here, because Harvard only has 3%, by its own numbers, conservative faculty. Do you think they are allowing enough viewpoint diversity?” Murphy then shifted to the authority underpinning the Trump administration’s effort, demanding to know what stature allowed them to “micromanage” Harvard’s policies. “The statute is Title VI,” McMahon says after a number of confused exchanges. “That is why we filed a case and defunded, or stopped the funding for a while, for Harvard as well as we did Columbia.” ELITE UNIVERSITY ELIMINATES DEI HIRING REQUIREMENT: ‘THEY DON’T WORK’ “I don’t understand any conception of civil rights law to give you the authorization to micromanage viewpoint diversity on campus. That’s not authorized under the civil rights title provided to you by the United States Congress,” Murphy said, closing out his questioning. The Trump administration is threatening to pull all federal funds from Harvard, amounting to a staggering $100 million in contracts, if it does not comply with the administration’s reforms. So far, Harvard has remained resistant.
Senate Republican aims to treat visa overstayers like illegal entrants in response to Colorado terror attack
FIRST ON FOX — A Senate Republican wants to hold people who overstay their visas to the same standard as illegal immigrants in the wake of the tragedy in Boulder, Colo. Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., is set to introduce legislation on Tuesday that would reclassify the act of overstaying a visa as “illegal entry,” effectively treating those who stay too long the same as someone that illegally enters the U.S. FLASHBACK: US LAWMAKERS, OFFICIALS WARNED ABOUT TERRORIST ATTACKS FROM FOREIGN NATIONALS LONG BEFORE BOULDER Banks’ bill comes on the heels of the weekend attack in Colorado where Mohamed Sabry Soliman, an Egyptian national whose visa expired in March, allegedly targeted a pro-Israel protest meant to advocate for the release of hostages still held by the terror organization Hamas in the Gaza Strip. In a one-pager of the bill obtained by Fox News Digital, Banks explicitly pointed to Soliman, along with the Sept. 11, 2001 hijackers, as examples of people who overstayed their visas. ALLEGED BOULDER TERRORIST OVERSTAYED VISA, GRANTED WORK PERMIT BY BIDEN ADMINISTRATION Soliman, in particular, came to the U.S. two years ago under a work visa from the Biden-led Department of Homeland Security. “The Boulder terrorist and 9/11 hijackers didn’t sneak in, they overstayed visas,” Banks said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “That’s just as serious and just as dangerous. My bill cracks down on visa overstays with criminal penalties to stop threats before they happen.” The latest data from the DHS from fiscal 2023 found that over 565,000 people overstayed their visas. BOULDER TERROR ATTACK PUTS BIDEN-ERA IMMIGRATION POLICIES IN THE HOT SEAT: ‘MUST BE FULLY REVERSED’ Along with reclassifying those that overstay their visas, his legislation would make visa overstays a misdemeanor criminal offense punishable by a maximum of six months behind bars for first-time offenders, which would crank up to a maximum of two years for subsequent offenses. It would also raise civil penalties to between $500 and $1000, with penalties doubling for each subsequent offense. Currently, visa overstay penalties start at $50. Soliman on Sunday allegedly attacked the “Run for Their Lives” group, which was engaged in a peaceful protest advocating for the release of hostages held by Hamas. He allegedly used Molotov cocktails on the group, injuring eight people whose ages ranged from 52 to 88-years-old. One of the victims was a survivor of the Holocaust. Since then, Soliman has been charged with a federal hate crime, attempted murder, assault and other charges following what the FBI dubbed a “targeted terror attack.” Combined, the charges against Soliman carry a total of 624 years.
Trump-supporting communism survivor jumps into race for late Democrat’s seat
FIRST ON FOX: A survivor of Soviet Union-era communism is jumping into the race to replace late Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va. Karina Lipsman told Fox News Digital that her family fled the USSR when she was a child and that her childhood in the U.S. began with a single mother raising her in low-income housing in Baltimore. “We ran from socialism and toward the American dream. We came here because America stood for freedom, hard work and the chance to build something better,” said Lipsman, a Republican. “We didn’t speak English when we arrived. But I worked hard, kept my head down and earned every step to get to where I am today. I became a citizen at 18. I put myself through undergrad and grad school.” SCOOP: HOUSE GOP MEMO HIGHLIGHTS REPUBLICAN WINS IN TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ Lipsman, who currently works for the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, also praised President Donald Trump and said she believed the country was headed in a similar direction to the situation her family fled. “We have had an expanding government, a shrinking middle class and a growing dependence on the state. We’ve been sliding away from what made this country great,” she said. “Thankfully, we have a disruptor in Donald Trump who is fighting the status quo, but he needs more allies because the political class is too focused on fame, clicks and climbing ladders.” Lipsman is the latest candidate to jump into the race for Virginia’s 11th Congressional District, a solidly Democratic portion of the Washington, D.C., suburbs. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Tuesday that the special election to fill Connolly’s seat will be on Sept. 9. The late Democrat, who died of esophagal cancer in late May, had represented the district since 2009. Connolly had announced in April that he would not be seeking re-election due to his health. Prior to Connolly, the seat was held by Republican former Rep. Tom Davis from 1995 to 2008. Since then, however, it has shifted much further left. The nonpartisan Cook Political Index rates the district D+18, and Connolly defeated Republican challengers by more than 30 points in each of the last three election cycles. Lipsman previously ran for the House in Virginia’s neighboring 8th Congressional District but lost to longtime incumbent Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va. She argued, however, that constituents were hungry for “work horses” – and said she could meet that demand. “We need leaders who put their heads down and do the hard work to fix what’s broken,” Lipsman said. MEET THE TRUMP-PICKED LAWMAKERS GIVING SPEAKER JOHNSON A FULL HOUSE GOP CONFERENCE There is already a crowded field of Democratic candidates in the race, including Fairfax County supervisor James Walkinshaw – who Connolly himself endorsed before his death, and state lawmakers Stella Pekarsky and Irene Shin. Former Minority Business Development Agency counselor Leopoldo Nucete, Navy veteran Joshua Aisen and local Fairfax County official Candice Bennett are also in the race. Lipsman joins two other Republicans currently in the race, including Mike Van Meter, who Connolly defeated in 2024.