Foreign nationals charged amid Trump visa crackdown for scheme to smuggle US military equipment into China
Two foreign nationals have been charged for their role in a scheme to smuggle U.S. military equipment and technology — including missiles — into China, according to the U.S. Justice Department. The charges come as President Donald Trump and his administration have launched multiple efforts to beef up the vetting process for foreigners seeking visas in the U.S., particularly those from China. Cui Guanghai, 43, of China, and John Miller, 63, of the United Kingdom, were charged with interstate stalking and conspiracy to commit interstate stalking, conspiracy, smuggling and violating the Arms Export Control Act, the Justice Department announced Friday. Prosecutors believe that Cui was working on behalf of the Chinese government, according to court documents. CHINA TARGETS US MILITARY MEMBERS IN OVERSEAS SPY OPERATIONS, FORMER CIA STATION CHIEF WARNS Court documents allege that Cui, who is based in China, and Miller, who is a permanent resident in the U.S., sought to procure military equipment including missiles, an air defense radar, drones and cryptographic devices starting in November 2023. The two allegedly coordinated with two other individuals, who, unbeknownst to Cui and Miller, were working on behalf of the FBI, on ways to export the cryptographic device to China. Cui and Miller allegedly discussed how to hide the cryptographic device in a blender, other small electronics or a motor starter — or ship the device to Hong Kong first — to avoid detection. They paid $10,000 as part of a deposit for the cryptographic device, court documents say. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Additionally, Cui and Miller allegedly recruited two people to help them conduct a scheme that sought to silence an unnamed U.S. citizen from speaking out against Chinese President Xi Jinping’s appearance at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in November 2023, court documents say. Specifically, both Cui and Miller allegedly orchestrated a plot to surveil the U.S. citizen, install a tracking device on his or her car, slash the car’s tires, and purchase and destroy a pair of statues the U.S. citizen created of Xi and Xi’s wife. However, the individuals that Cui and Miller allegedly recruited were actually working in coordination with the FBI, according to court documents. US INVESTIGATING WHETHER CHINESE CITIZEN CHARGED WITH FLYING DRONE OVER BASE COMMITTED ‘MORE SERIOUS OFFENSES’ “The defendants targeted a U.S. resident for exercising his constitutional right to free speech and conspired to traffic sensitive American military technology to the Chinese regime,” Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement Friday. “This is a blatant assault on both our national security and our democratic values. This Justice Department will not tolerate foreign repression on U.S. soil, nor will we allow hostile nations to infiltrate or exploit our defense systems.” Cui and Miller were arrested by Serbian law enforcement officials in April at the request of the U.S. government and are currently detained in Serbia. The Justice Department said it is working with the Serbian government regarding their pending extraditions. If convicted, Cui and Miller face up to five years in a U.S. prison for conspiracy, up to five years for interstate stalking, up to 10 years for smuggling, and up to 20 years for violating the Arms Export Control Act. The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the U.S. did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the U.K.’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office told Fox News Digital that it is providing consular assistance to Miller following his arrest and “are in touch with the local authorities and his family.” Separately, the State Department has unveiled a series of initiatives aimed at bolstering the screening process for various visa applicants seeking to come to the U.S. For example, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced in May that the agency was planning to “revise visa criteria to enhance scrutiny of all future visa applications” for those originating from China and Hong Kong. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT FROM CHINA SHIPPED WEAPONS TO NORTH KOREA FROM CALIFORNIA: DOJ
Homeland Security removes ‘sanctuary jurisdictions’ list from its website
The Department of Homeland Security’s list of “sanctuary jurisdictions” has disappeared from its website. The list, unveiled last Thursday, outlined portions of 35 states and the District of Columbia that, according to the DHS, “undermine the rule of law and endanger the lives of Americans and law enforcement.” “We are exposing these sanctuary politicians who harbor criminal illegal aliens and defy federal law,” the DHS wrote on X while announcing the list. However, users who now try to access the list on Homeland Security’s website are greeted with a “Page Not Found” message and a note that “The page may have been moved, deleted, or is otherwise unavailable.” DEMOCRAT COUNTY EXECUTIVE DINGS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OVER SANCTUARY JURISDICTION DESIGNATION When asked about the matter on Monday, a senior Homeland Security official told Fox News Digital, “As we have previously stated, the list is being constantly reviewed and can be changed at any time and will be updated regularly.” “Designation of a sanctuary jurisdiction is based on the evaluation of numerous factors, including self-identification as a Sanctuary Jurisdiction, noncompliance with Federal law enforcement in enforcing immigration laws, restrictions on information sharing, and legal protections for illegal aliens,” the official added. When Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was asked on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” about the disappearance of the list, she said, “The president put out an executive order that directed us to recognize these sanctuary cities and to cooperate with the Department of Justice and Homeland Security to identify them and how they are making are jobs much more difficult to keep America safe and to make it a place that our families can raise their children again. “That list – going forward – some of the cities have pushed back. They think because they don’t have one law or another on the books that they don’t qualify, but they do qualify,” Noem continued. “They are giving sanctuary to criminals because they are not backing up our ICE officers, because they are not out there honoring detainers, they are not letting us know when these dangerous criminals are being released from their courthouses, and it’s making it much more difficult for us to ensure that these individuals that have broken our laws, that have perpetuated violence are brought to justice and are gotten out of our country. “So that list is absolutely continuing to be used and it is going to be identifying those cities and those jurisdictions that aren’t honoring law and justice,” Noem also said. ALLEGED BOULDER TERRORIST OVERSTAYED VISA, GRANTED WORK PERMIT BY BIDEN ADMINISTRATION Before the list was taken down, DHS said on its website, “Each jurisdiction listed will receive formal notification of its non-compliance with Federal statutes. “DHS demands that these jurisdictions immediately review and revise their policies to align with Federal immigration laws and renew their obligation to protect American citizens, not dangerous illegal aliens,” it added. Some of the jurisdictions on the list received pushback from local officials, according to the Associated Press. In California, the city of Huntington Beach made the list even though it had filed a lawsuit challenging the state’s immigration sanctuary law and passed a resolution this year declaring the community a “non-sanctuary city.” Jim Davel, administrator for Shawano County, Wisconsin, told the AP that the inclusion of his community must have been a clerical error. Davel voted for Trump, as did 67% of Shawano County. Davel thinks the administration may have confused the county’s vote in 2021 to become a “Second Amendment Sanctuary County” that prohibits gun control measures with it being a safe haven for immigrants. He said the county has approved no immigration sanctuary policies. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
GOP senator demands FBI probe Biden-era vetting process for Boulder terror suspect: ‘Under attack’
FIRST ON FOX: Ohio GOP Sen. Bernie Moreno has sent a letter to the Federal Bureau of Investigation calling for the bureau to get to the bottom of questions surrounding possible terror ties of the man accused of committing a terrorist attack against a pro-Israel group in Colorado. “Jewish Americans are under attack,” Moreno wrote to FBI Director Kash Patel in a letter obtained by Fox News Digital. “We are now seeing the horrifying reality of that phrase played out on American streets. If Jews aren’t being murdered in cold blood in our nation’s capital, they are quite literally being burned alive by an illegal alien.” Moreno’s letter comes in the wake of an attack on a pro-Israel group in Boulder, Colorado. Mohamed Sabry Soliman, a 45-year-old Egyptian national in the country illegally, was arrested at the scene after he allegedly set his victims on fire as they peacefully rallied on behalf of Israeli hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza. Soliman was heard yelling “Free Palestine” and other anti-Israel slogans during the attack on victims ranging in age from 52 to 88. US POLITICIANS, JEWISH GROUPS CONDEMN ‘HORRIFYING’ BOULDER TERROR ATTACK: ‘VILE, ANTISEMITIC ACT OF TERROR’ Moreno thanked the FBI, which quickly labeled the violence as a “targeted terror attack,” for its “swift action.” “As a member of the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs and the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, it is my responsibility to investigate and tell the American people the truth about how this illegal alien entered the country under the Biden-Harris Administration and was permitted to not only stay in the country but also commit acts of terror on Jewish Americans,” Moreno wrote. FETTERMAN, MCCORMICK REACT TO ‘ASTONISHING’ BOULDER ATTACK ON PRO-ISRAEL GROUP: ‘RANK ANTISEMITISM’ Moreno’s letter asks the FBI to respond with answers to questions within 60 days about the potential terror ties of the suspect, including who was harboring him in the United States, who paid for his travel overseas, and what, if any, links does the suspect have to ISIS or Hamas. Moreno also asked about the vetting process for the suspect when he entered the country during the Biden administration, including how he was allowed to obtain a work authorization and what the basis was for any asylum claim that might have been filed. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Fox News Digital reached out to the FBI for comment. “The FBI is investigating the attack as a targeted act of terrorism and is working with the Boulder Police Department to process the crime scene, interview witnesses and gather evidence,” the FBI said in a statement on Sunday. “Our strength as a society comes from our shared values, and our commitment to protecting one another. Any attempt to divide us through fear or harm has no place in Boulder – Colorado or anywhere in our nation,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. Federal court filings, according to Fox News national correspondent Bill Melugin in a post on X, show that Soliman, who has been charged with a federal hate crime, “admitted in an interview that he wants to kill all ‘Zionist’ people and had been planning the attack for a year, and that he would conduct the attack again if he could.” “This man was admitted into the country via a tourist visa during the Biden administration. He overstayed, filed an asylum request, and was granted work authorization by the Biden admin, which expired at the end of March of this year.”
Boulder terror attack latest in antisemitic incidents rising across US in 2025
The United States has seen an increase in antisemitic attacks and violent pro-Palestinian protests amid the war between Israel and Hamas. Following the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, anti-Jewish hate crimes in the United States soared to the highest number on record, according to the FBI. And a new incident in Boulder, Colorado, over the weekend is being investigated as a targeted terror attack. Here is a breakdown of the major antisemitic incidents in the U.S. in 2025. Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn said his department received reports in the early afternoon Sunday of a man with a weapon and people being set on fire on Pearl Street. A male suspect with minor injuries was taken into police custody at the scene, Redfearn said. Suspect Mohamed Sabry Soliman is now facing murder, assault and other charges following what the FBI called a “targeted terror attack” in Boulder, Colorado. The violence against a pro-Israel group advocating for Hamas to release Israeli hostages left eight people, ages 52 to 88, with injuries, including one in critical condition, according to the FBI. Police responded to the area after receiving reports of a man with a weapon setting people on fire. “Run for Their Lives,” was the organization hosting the event. The group organizes run and walk events calling for the immediate release of all hostages being held captive by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Soliman was charged with murder in the first degree – deliberation with intent; murder in the first degree – extreme indifference; crimes against at-risk adults/elderly; 1st degree assault – non-family; 1st degree assault – heat of passion; criminal attempt to commit class one and class two felonies; and use of explosives or incendiary devices during felony. Soliman was also in the United States illegally, Fox News has learned. Boulder Police Department confirmed Monday that no victim has died. Soliman was booked into the Boulder County, Colorado, Jail Sunday evening and remains held on a $10 million bond. A commencement speaker accused the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) of being part of wiping “Palestine from the face of the Earth,” leading multiple students to walk out. Megha M. Vemuri, MIT’s class of 2025 president, praised her classmates for protesting against Israel in the wake of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks and the ensuing Gaza War. JEWISH STUDENTS WALK OUT AFTER MIT COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER ACCUSES UNIVERSITY OF AIDING ISRAEL’S ‘GENOCIDE’ “Last spring, MIT’s undergraduate body and graduate student union voted overwhelmingly to cut ties with the genocidal Israeli military,” Vemuri said. “You called for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. And you stood in solidarity with the pro-Palestinian activists on campus. You faced threats, intimidation and suppression coming from all directions, especially your own university officials.” Her comments drew a mix of boos and cheers, according to video obtained by Fox News Digital. One of the attendants, waving what appeared to be a Palestinian flag, scuffled with security. Some students walked out as Vemuri spoke. Others in the crowd shouted, “Shame.” “But you prevailed because the MIT community that I know would never tolerate a genocide,” Vemuri continued. “Right now, while we prepare to graduate and move forward with our lives, there are no universities left in Gaza.” She went on to say, “We are watching Israel try to wipe Palestine off the face of the earth. And it is a shame that MIT is a part of it.” Jewish and Israeli students walked out and some in the crowd protested as Vemuri accused the university of being “directly complicit in the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people.” After Vemuri gave her speech at the commencement event, she was told she would not be allowed at the following undergraduate ceremony. “With regard to MIT’s Commencement 2025 activities, the speech delivered by a graduating senior at Thursday’s OneMIT Commencement Ceremony was not the one that was provided by the speaker in advance. While that individual had a scheduled role at today’s Undergraduate Degree Ceremony, she was notified that she would not be permitted at today’s events,” an MIT spokesperson told Fox News Digital in a statement. “MIT supports free expression but stands by its decision, which was in response to the individual deliberately and repeatedly misleading Commencement organizers and leading a protest from the stage, disrupting an important Institute ceremony.” On May 21, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, two staffers of the Embassy of Israel to the U.S. – a couple set to be engaged – were shot and killed as they left a museum’s event focused on finding humanitarian solutions for Gaza. Lischinsky was born in Israel and grew up in Germany. His father is Jewish, and his mother is Christian. Milgrim was an American employee of the embassy. TWO ISRAELI DIPLOMATS SHOT, KILLED DURING EVENT AT CAPITAL JEWISH MUSEUM IN WASHINGTON, DC Authorities took Elias Rodriguez, a 31-year-old man from Chicago, into custody. Upon being taken into custody, Rodriguez began shouting, “Free, free Palestine!” The FBI is investigating the incident as a possible hate crime and investigating any ties to terrorism. Steven Jensen, the assistant director in charge of the FBI Washington field office, said in a news conference that the federal law enforcement entity is working alongside the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) to “look into ties to potential terrorism or motivation based on a bias-based crime or a hate crime.” Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family were forced to evacuate their home after celebrating the first night of Passover in April, after an individual set fire to the residence while they were asleep inside. Cody Balmer, 38, has been charged with attempted murder, aggravated arson, burglary, terrorism and related offenses for allegedly setting fire to Shapiro’s residence. Shapiro, when recounting the horrific attack, said the intruder “had a bag that contained some Molotov cocktails and had a metal type of hammer,” and hid in the bushes near the fence before eventually tripping the home’s security sensors. ‘HATEFUL AND HORRIFIC’: SHAPIRO GOVERNOR’S MANSION FIRE PROMPTS OUTCRY FROM LAWMAKERS Shapiro said the security sensor prompted
Pennsylvania senators find common ground despite style preferences, party differences
One is a Democrat sporting a hoodie, the other is a Republican wearing a tie, but bipartisan Pennsylvania Sens. John Fetterman and Dave McCormick stand on common ground. The two first-term senators from the critical swing state participated in the sixth installment of The Senate Project series on Monday. It was organized by the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate and the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation and moderated by Fox News’ Shannon Bream. Sitting across from one another in a full-sized replica of the U.S. Senate Chamber at the Kennedy Institute in Boston, Fetterman towered over McCormick in his signature Carhartt sweatshirt, basketball shorts and sneakers. While Fetterman strutted on stage with an approachable wave to the audience, McCormick emerged from the double doors in a well-fitted suit and tie and immediately shook hands with his Democratic counterpart. KNIVES OUT FOR FETTERMAN: MAVERICK SENATOR JOINS LONG LINE OF DEMS PUNISHED FOR BREAKING FROM LEFT Fetterman, who suffered a stroke and struggled with his auditory capabilities during his 2022 Senate campaign, has again found his health topping national headlines amid renewed concerns about his mental health. LEAKS TO MEDIA ABOUT FETTERMAN ARE A COORDINATED SMEAR CAMPAIGN, HILL COLLEAGUES SAY But Fetterman again dismissed the slew of media reports as a “smear campaign” on Monday. And Republicans have surprisingly rallied behind the Democrat, who has gained a reputation for bucking his own party on top issues like immigration and Israel. It’s not just their wardrobes that set the senators apart. While McCormick speaks like a true politician, the Republican is only a few months into his first term serving elected office. McCormick’s background is in the U.S. Army, as under secretary of the treasury for international affairs for President George W. Bush and as CEO of Bridgewater Associates. Fetterman may have started his career in the insurance industry, but the Democrat has been in politics for almost a decade. He began his political career as mayor of Braddock before serving as lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania. Despite Fetterman’s years of experience in politics, his wardrobe choice and casual speaking tone set him apart from McCormick’s polished speech. Style points aside, the bipartisan senators found more common ground than not on Monday. They may have different deliveries, but the content of their arguments seem aligned. Both Fetterman and McCormick condemned the attack in Boulder, Colorado, this weekend, which authorities are investigating as an act of antisemitism. The Pennsylvania senators have been steadfast supporters of Israel and united to condemn what they call the rise of antisemitism on college campuses. They also agreed with President Donald Trump that Iran should not have nuclear capabilities. SWING STATE SENATORS COME TOGETHER IN RARE SHOW OF BIPARTISANSHIP, DEMS AREN’T HAPPY ABOUT IT On Trump’s steel deal that allows Nippon Steel to invest in U.S. Steel in Pennsylvania, Fetterman and McCormick said they didn’t initially agree but were able to find common ground and deliver a deal for Pennsylvania workers. “We sat down within a week or two after I got elected and talked about a bunch of things,” McCormick said. “There’s a number of things we agreed on. We had both taken different positions on this, but we agreed the most important thing was the workers in Pennsylvania. There are a lot of things we disagree on, but the thing we agreed on was [protecting] those jobs in western Pennsylvania.” McCormick said it’s a bipartisan strategy the Pennsylvania senators have tried to adopt since they started working together this year. “We’re looking for ways to find common ground,” McCormick said. “When we disagree, we disagree. But when we can agree, we agree.” When pushed by Bream about Senate reconciliation on Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” McCormick indicated he would vote in favor of the bill while Fetterman said he’s a “no,” highlighting concerns over Medicaid reform. “We both represent the most purple part of America,” Fetterman said before adding, “We are going to disagree and vote on different things, but for me, it’s about trying to find the things we can win together and deliver those kinds of wins for Pennsylvania and ultimately for America.”
Trump says Boulder terror attack ‘will not be tolerated,’ deportations must continue
President Donald Trump reacted on Monday for the first time since an Egyptian national allegedly threw Molotov cocktails into a crowd of pro-Israel protesters in Boulder, Colorado, injuring eight people. “Yesterday’s horrific attack in Boulder, Colorado, WILL NOT BE TOLERATED in the United States of America,” Trump wrote on TRUTH Social. “He came in through Biden’s ridiculous Open Border Policy, which has hurt our Country so badly. He must go out under “TRUMP” Policy. Acts of Terrorism will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the Law. This is yet another example of why we must keep our Borders SECURE, and deport Illegal, Anti-American Radicals from our Homeland.” “My heart goes out to the victims of this terrible tragedy, and the Great People of Boulder, Colorado!” Trump added. BOULDER, COLORADO SUSPECTED TERROR ATTACK SUSPECT MOHAMED SABRY SOLIMAN FACES HATE CRIME, MURDER CHARGES An FBI affidavit unsealed on Monday brings hate crime charges against the alleged attacker, Mohammed Soliman, who is accused of shouting “Free Palestine” while throwing improvised incendiary devices that ignited in a crowd of peaceful protesters walking in support of the Israeli hostages who remain held by Hamas. Eight people were burned by the blasts. Law enforcement found 14 unlit Molotov cocktails on the scene, according to the affidavit. Soliman, who overstayed his tourist visa to be in the United States, allegedly told investigators that “he wanted to kill all Zionist people and wished they were all dead,” the affidavit says. The suspect also allegedly “stated he would do it (conduct an attack) again,” the affidavit says. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Monday that Trump is committed to protecting Jewish Americans. “We have seen two horrific cases of antisemitic violence in our country in the last two weeks, and it is unacceptable to this president and this White House,” Leavitt said. “And rest assured, to all Jewish Americans across our great country, this president has your back, and he’s not going to allow anyone to take part in violent terrorism. It’s acts of terrorism in our country. And that’s what this case in Boulder, Colorado, is being investigated as.” “Kudos to our FBI director, Kash Patel, for immediately calling this a targeted terrorist attack. That’s clearly what it was,” she added. The affidavit says Soliman told investigators he targeted what he described as the “Zionist Group” after learning they gathered for weekly walks in Boulder through an online search and planned the attack for a year. He allegedly said he was “waiting until after his daughter graduated to conduct the attack.” He lives in Colorado Springs with his wife and five children, according to the affidavit. The Department of Homeland Security announced Monday it is revamping its Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) tip line in the wake of the Boulder attack. “For four years, the Biden Administration allowed millions of unvetted illegal aliens—including terrorists, gang members, and other violent criminals—to pour into our country. Yesterday’s terrorist attack by a suspect illegally in our country, underscores the importance of getting these illegal aliens out of our country,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem “is revamping ICE’s illegal alien tip line to devote more resources and personnel to help remove these criminal illegal aliens from our country,” McLaughlin said. “To report suspicious criminal activity, call 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423)— help President Trump, Secretary Noem and our brave law enforcement remove these public safety threats from our communities and to make America safe again.”
Fetterman defies ‘punitive’ punishment for breaking with Democratic Party during bipartisan discussion
Sen. John Fetterman is comfortable taking a sharp stance against his own party, a point that he reiterated during a forum moderated by Fox News’ Shannon Bream alongside his Republican counterpart, Sen. Dave McCormick. The Democratic maverick has made a name for himself as willing to buck his party’s marching orders, oftentimes siding with Republicans on thorny policy issues since coming to the Senate two years ago. Indeed, the lawmaker agreed on many issues with his fellow Pennsylvanian McCormick during the roughly half-hour forum. KNIVES OUT FOR FETTERMAN: MAVERICK SENATOR JOINS LONG LINE OF DEMS PUNISHED FOR BREAKING FROM LEFT Fetterman addressed the repercussions that tend to come from his brand of bipartisanship when discussing his agreement with President Donald Trump’s handling of nuclear talks with Iran or the president’s push for a rare earth minerals agreement with Ukraine. “That’s part of the bipartisanship where, you know, it’s getting more and more kind of, punitive to just agree with some of these things in the middle of the party right now,” he said. He also called out his own party for his colleagues’ stances on Israel and immigration, and worked in a subtle jab at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s handling of the government funding fight earlier this year. Fetterman condemned the recent attack in Boulder, Colorado, and noted that parts of his party had “lost the argument” when it came to bucking antisemitism and standing behind Israel. “For me, that moral clarity, it’s really firmly on Israel,” he said. “I refuse to allow to try to turn Israel into a pariah state, and that’s right in the middle of that.” Fetterman also dug in on his support of immigration policies pushed by the GOP. SENATE REPUBLICANS EYE CHANGES TO TRUMP’S MEGABILL AFTER HOUSE WIN He said that while he largely did not support Republicans’ efforts to ram Trump’s agenda through Congress, there was common ground to be had with his colleagues across the aisle when it came to putting a dent in the nation’s debt, and injecting more funding into the White House’s priorities at the southern border. In fact, the only thing he said he supported among the sea of policy changes and spending would be the over $150 billion in the colossal package that would go toward building Trump’s border wall, bolstering Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the building of new immigration detention centers and facilities, among others. “That’s a mistake that our party made, and that’s the border,” he said. “I absolutely support those kinds of investments to make our border secure as well.” SHUTDOWN AVERTED AFTER SCHUMER CAVES AND BACKS TRUMP SPENDING BILL He contended that Democrats did not handle the border properly when they controlled the White House, and noted the hundreds of thousands of migrants that were able to make their way into the U.S. under the Biden administration’s porous border policies. “We can all agree that’s wrong,” he said. “Being very pro-immigration as [a] Democrat, it’s like you’re trying to think two things must be true, and sometimes that’s put me at the odds of my party and my base to assume that I changed my values, and that’s never changed. That’s never changed.” He also levied subtle criticism of how Schumer, D-N.Y., handled the government funding showdown earlier this year, which saw the Democratic leader ultimately back down at the last minute from his desire to shutter the government over the GOP’s funding plan. “I refuse to ever shut our government down,” Fetterman said. “And when we have that opportunity in September to do that, I will still be there, and … I’ll take the beating, because that’s, I think, what defines leadership.” But Fetterman’s rogue-like tendencies have led to intensified scrutiny in recent weeks for alleged erratic behavior, skipping out on votes and droves of staff leaving his office, criticism that Fetterman has rebuked. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s editorial board argued in an opinion piece published on Sunday that if the lawmaker couldn’t handle the scrutiny, he should “step aside.” In response, Fetterman couched the criticism as part of a campaign against him for his position on Israel, the border and his dances with bipartisanship. “It’s just part of a smear, and it’s just not accurate,” he said.
Alleged Boulder terrorist overstayed visa, granted work permit by Biden administration
The suspect accused of firebombing peaceful pro-Israel activists in Colorado on Sunday is a noncitizen who received a work permit two years ago from the Department of Homeland Security. Mohamed Sabry Soliman’s work permit, given to him during the Biden administration, expired in March, three senior DHS and ICE sources told Fox News. A DHS spokeswoman said Soliman, an Egyptian national, was living in the country illegally at the time of the attack. He entered the United States in August 2022 with a visa that expired in February 2023, the spokeswoman said, noting he applied for asylum during that time. Soliman received the work permit from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in March 2023, the sources said. BOULDER COLORADO TERROR SUSPECT MOHAMED SOLIMAN FACES MURDER, ASSAULT, OTHER CHARGES Soliman allegedly injured eight adults, including elderly victims up to 88 years old, at an outdoor mall in Boulder, according to the FBI. The suspect was witnessed shouting “Free Palestine” during the attack and using a makeshift flamethrower to target the crowd, the FBI said. Police said the victims were hospitalized with burn wounds. They had been participating in a Run for Their Lives protest, which, according to the Anti-Defamation League, is a weekly event attended by members of the Jewish community to support hostages held in Gaza by Hamas terrorists. SUSPECT IN BOULDER TERROR ATTACK DETERMINED TO BE EGYPTIAN MAN IN US ILLEGALLY: FBI Leo Terrell, a top Department of Justice official in the Civil Rights Division, said one of the victims lived through the Holocaust. “She endured the worst evil in human history,” Terrell said in a statement on X. “She came to America seeking safety. And now, decades later, she’s victimized again by a terrorist screaming ‘Free Palestine.’” Soliman is being detained in Boulder County Jail on charges of murder, crimes against at-risk and elderly adults, using incendiary devices, and assault. In addition to state charges, federal charges are also possible. “Department of Justice agents with local law enforcement are investigating the tragic attack in Boulder, Colorado,” a DOJ spokesperson said. “Our hearts and prayers go out to all those affected by this needless act of violence, which follows recent attacks against Jewish Americans. We will follow the facts and prosecute all perpetrators to the fullest extent of the law.”
Trump admin asks SCOTUS to allow it to move forward with plans to slash federal workforce
The Trump administration on Monday asked the Supreme Court to immediately intervene and allow them to proceed with plans to slash the size of the federal workforce, arguing in an emergency appeal that the district court’s decision had inflicted “ongoing and severe harm” on the executive branch. In its emergency appeal to the high court, U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer argued that the lower court ruling is “flawed,” and hinges on an “indefensible premise,” which is that the executive brach needs Congressional authorization to make personnel decisions, such as the Reductions in Force, or RIFs. The district court order in question had barred the Trump administration from carrying out its large-scale RIFs at 21 federal agencies, and prevented the administration from taking other, related actions – such as placing federal employees at those agencies on leave, or proceeding with job cuts that had already been in motion under previous RIFs. STATE DEPARTMENT NOW SCRUTINIZING ALL VISA HOLDERS ASSOCIATED WITH HARVARD Sauer argued to the Supreme Court that the lower court ruling “interferes with the executive branch’s internal operations and unquestioned legal authority to plan and carry out RIFs, and does so on a government-wide scale.” “More concretely, the injunction has brought to a halt numerous in-progress RIFs at more than a dozen federal agencies, sowing confusion about what RIF-related steps agencies may take and compelling the government to retain – at taxpayer expense – thousands of employees whose continuance in federal service the agencies deem not to be in the government and public interest,” Sauer said. The request to the high court comes just days after a split panel for the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco refused on Friday to freeze the lower court order that blocked Trump from fully enforcing its RIFs. In their decision, judges for the 9th Circuit wrote that the administration’s moves were “unprecedented,” and noted: “The executive order at issue here far exceeds the president’s supervisory powers under the Constitution.” The emergency appeal is the 18th emergency appeal that lawyers for the Trump administration have submitted to the Supreme Court since Trump was sworn in to his second White House term. It comes as the administration and federal judges have sparred in court over a number of executive orders and actions from the president, teeing up a high-stakes clash over the powers of the judiciary and the executive branch. This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
CA drops ‘green’ big-rig mandates, ending legal fight with Bill Barr-linked group
FIRST ON FOX: California has agreed to drop its Advanced Clean Fleet (ACF) mandates dictating stringent emissions standards for big rigs, following a year-long court battle with an anti-regulations group whose legal arm is led by former Attorney General William Barr. California Attorney General Rob Bonta and California Air Resources Board (CARB) executive Steven Cliff agreed in court documents filed Friday to withdraw their ACF mandates, leading the American Free Enterprise Chamber of Commerce (AmFree) to drop its legal challenge. In a document signed by Obama-appointed federal Judge Troy Nunley and obtained by Fox News Digital, Cliff and Bonta agreed to present a repeal proposal for the ACF requirements in a public hearing no later than Oct. 31. They also agreed not to retroactively enforce any such regulations. While a timeline in the court filing cited California had applied for an environmental waiver from the Biden administration in 2023, AmFree originally sued on ground that Sacramento’s regulations violated the Clean Air Act because a waiver was never obtained. DOZENS OF STATES LOBBY EPA TO DENY CALIFORNIA WAIVER FORCING OUT-OF-STATE STRUCKS TO COMPLY WITH GREEN MANDATE The regulations had been in effect since 2024, directing trucking firms to rapidly transition fleets from diesel to zero-emission vehicles. At the time, Barr called the move a “threat to our American free enterprise” and suggested the restrictions would lead to “negligible” environmental benefits at best while causing negative economic repercussions. “This ruling is the final nail in the coffin of California’s crazy attempt to eliminate the traditional trucking sector, and yet another example of Gavin Newsom’s complete failure in California,” said AmFree CEO Gentry Collins. “Even after the American public resoundingly voted to steer the country in a new direction last November, liberal states like California are hellbent on implementing a green agenda that consumers don’t want and technology cannot support,” said Collins, a former Iowa GOP official. YOUNGKIN DECLARES INDEPENDENCE FROM CALIFORNIA AS VIRGINIA EXITS EMISSIONS PACT “AmFree will remain vigilant, holding blue states to account for their misguided crusade that defies common sense and flies in the face of consumer choice and freedom, and ensuring that completely failed politicians like Gavin Newsom eager to run away from their liberal records are reminded of the disastrous policies that occurred on their watch.” The group positions itself as a more free-market alternative to the pro-business stalwart U.S. Chamber of Commerce. One major regional trucking outfit celebrated the news, telling Fox News Digital that firms across the country had a shared interest in seeing California’s mandates be reversed. “Here in Alabama and also across America, we stand up every day for our members to defend free enterprise and stand against failed policies from states like California,” said Alabama Trucking Association CEO Mark Colson. “We’re proud to unite with AmFree and our allies on the ground in California to accomplish shared goals and get our economy roaring again.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The nixing of the regs is only the latest in several sudden reversals of green mandates, as Congress has overturned at least three Biden-era EPA waivers that were officially granted to California to allow it to self-regulate its own emissions standards. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., chairwoman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, praised the rollback of California’s clean-cars mandate as a win to “protect American workers and consumers from radical and drastic policy.” “The impact of California’s waiver would have been felt across the country, harming multiple sectors of our economy and costing hundreds of thousands of jobs in the process,” Moore Capito said. The big-rig regulations had required operators of several types of fleets to begin transitioning to zero-emissions tractor-trailers. Fox News Digital reached out to Newsom, Bonta and CARB for comment.