FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino claims bureau ‘closing in’ on suspects who planted Jan. 6 DC pipe bombs
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino made headlines this week when he revealed the bureau was “closing in” on suspects involved in planting two pipe bombs near the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, a sign that the bureau may soon solve the nagging, four-year mystery. “The second we got in, I put a team on it and I said, ‘I want answers on this,’” Bongino told “Fox & Friends.” “And I’m pretty confident that we’re closing in on some suspects.” Law enforcement discovered the two pipe bombs near the Republican and Democratic National Committees’ headquarters around the same time that thousands of rioters a few blocks away began to descend on the Capitol in protest of the 2020 election results. A faction of President Donald Trump‘s base has since raised questions about the timing of the pipe bomb incident and security failures surrounding it and speculated that the Biden administration was not forthright to the public about the facts of the case. Prior to being sworn in, Bongino was a leading voice perpetuating that notion. FBI ‘CLOSING IN’ ON SUSPECTS IN CASE OF DC PIPE BOMBS PLACED ON EVE OF JAN 6 A former Secret Service agent and podcast host, Bongino told listeners of his popular right-wing show that the FBI lied about the pipe bomb incident because the bureau did not want people to know it was an “inside job.” Now as deputy director, Bongino is facing pressure from supporters and critics alike to release new details about the case. Video footage released by the FBI shows an unidentified person placing the pipe bombs near the two headquarters more than 16 hours before law enforcement found them. The suspect is seen wearing a gray hoodie, Nike Air Max Speed Turf sneakers, a face mask, glasses, and gloves. FBI REOPENING INVESTIGATION INTO COCAINE FOUND AT BIDEN WHITE HOUSE Prior to the administration change in January, the FBI also unveiled a minor last-minute detail that the suspect’s height was about 5-foot-7. A woman who is a Capitol Hill resident alerted a security guard that she spotted the first pipe bomb in an alley behind the RNC headquarters while she was out retrieving her laundry around 1 p.m. Security footage showed her running from the area of the washer and dryer and notifying the guard. That set off a furious search that led officers at the DNC headquarters to discover a second pipe bomb there. A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) inspector general report published last year revealed the two explosive devices were “viable” and “could have detonated, causing innocent bystanders to be seriously injured or killed.” FBI RELEASES VIDEO SHOWING JANUARY 2021 PIPE BOMB SUSPECT PLANTING DEVICE OUTSIDE DNC, RNC OFFICES IN DC The bombs included one-hour timers. An FBI official said they did not believe the timers could have detonated the bombs since the time had already elapsed when the bombs were found, according to the DHS report. That report and an investigative report released by House Republicans revealed that then-Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at one point came within feet of the pipe bomb by the DNC. The FBI has said it has received more than 600 tips, and it continues to offer a $500,000 reward for any successful leads. The House Republicans’ report noted the FBI initially investigated a person who searched on the internet for “pipe bomb DC” and a person who had recently purchased the Nike shoes seen in the surveillance footage. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The report noted, however, that the pace of the FBI’s inquiry dropped off after about a month as a result of leads drying up.
Lawsuit filed against Kansas law nullifying end-of-life choices for pregnant women
Three women and two physicians are suing to block a Kansas law that invalidates a pregnant woman’s advance medical directive about end-of-life treatment. The plaintiffs — one of whom is currently pregnant — are challenging the constitutionality of a clause in the state’s Natural Death Act that denies pregnant women the option to make advance directives to accept or refuse healthcare if they become incapacitated or terminally ill. Patient plaintiffs Emma Vernon, Abigail Ottaway and Laura Stratton and physician plaintiffs Michele Bennett and Lynley Holman filed the lawsuit on Thursday. It argues that the clause violates the right to personal autonomy, privacy, equal treatment and freedom of speech by ignoring the end-of-life decisions of pregnant women. CDC REMOVES COVID VACCINE RECOMMENDATION FOR HEALTHY CHILDREN, PREGNANT MOTHERS Vernon, the pregnant plaintiff, wrote an advance healthcare directive stating that, if pregnant and diagnosed with a terminal condition, she would only like to receive life-sustaining treatment if “there is a reasonable medical certainty” that her child would reach full term and be born “with a meaningful prospect of sustained life and without significant conditions that would substantially impair its quality of life.” The lawsuit says her directive has not been “given the same deference the law affords to others who complete directives because of the Pregnancy Exclusion, and therefore she does not benefit from the same level of certainty that the directive otherwise provides.” All states have laws allowing people to write advance directives on the medical care they would like to receive if they become unable to make their own health decisions. Nine states, including Kansas, have clauses to invalidate a pregnant woman’s advance directive. The physicians who joined the lawsuit said the law requires them to provide pregnant patients with a lower standard of care than other patients and opens them up to civil and criminal lawsuits as well as professional penalties. The lawsuit says the doctors “are deeply committed to the foundational medical principle that patients have a fundamental right to determine what treatment they receive, and that providing treatment without a patient’s informed consent violates both medical ethics and the law.” NEW MOM FURIOUS AT HUSBAND FOR CHOOSING FRIENDS AND BARBECUE OVER HER AND THEIR NEWBORN “Yet Kansas law compels them to disregard their patients’ clearly expressed end-of-life decisions, forcing them to provide their pregnant patients with a lower standard of care than any of their other patients receive,” it continues. “It demands this diminished care without offering any clarity on what end-of-life treatment they are required to provide—leaving them to guess at what the law expects while exposing them to civil, criminal, and professional consequences for getting it wrong.” The defendants in the lawsuit are Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, Kansas State Board of Healing Arts President Richard Bradbury and Douglas County District Attorney Dakota Loomis.
DOGE slashes over $5 million by cutting thousands of unused software licenses
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) saved over $5 million a year after discovering several agencies paid for far more software than they were actually using. For example, the IRS was paying for 3,000 licenses for software but only used 25. Once DOGE discovered the waste, it cut the remaining 99% of the licenses. “Agencies often have more software licenses than employees, and the licenses are often idle (i.e. paid for, but not installed on any computer),” DOGE wrote in a post on X. “These audits have been continuously run since first posted in February.” The Department of Labor slashed 68% of unused “project planning” software licenses, DOGE noted, and the Securities and Exchange Commission cut 78% of the remote desktop software programs it was paying for after finding the commission was only using 22% of the programs. TOP 5 MOST OUTRAGEOUS WAYS THE GOVERNMENT HAS WASTED YOUR TAXES, AS UNCOVERED BY ELON MUSK’S DOGE According to DOGE, the three changes saved over $5 million a year. DOGE raised a red flag in February that agencies were paying for more software licenses than employees when it shared a post about the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). With 13,000 employees, GSA was paying for 37,000 licenses for WinZip, a program used to archive and compress files. DOGE’S GREATEST HITS: LOOK BACK AT THE DEPARTMENT’S MOST HIGH-PROFILE CUTS DURING TRUMP’S FIRST 100 DAYS The agency also pays for 19,000 training software subscriptions, 7,500 project management software seats for a division with only 5,500 employees and three different ticketing systems. The most recent post comes as billionaire Elon Musk steps down as the face of DOGE. While DOGE was tasked with cutting $2 trillion from the budget, its efforts led to roughly $175 billion in savings due to asset sales, contract cancellations, fraud payment cuts and other ways to eliminate costs, according to an update on DOGE’s website. MUSK SAYS DOGE SET TO TOP $150B IN FRAUD SAVINGS IN FY 2026 The savings translate to about $1,087 in per taxpayer, the website notes. Musk told reporters in the Oval Office Friday the savings will continue to build, and he is confident total cuts will amount to $1 trillion in the coming years. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “The DOGE influence will only grow stronger,” Musk said. “I liken it to a sort of person of Buddhism. It’s like a way of life, so it is permeating throughout the government. And I’m confident that, over time, we’ll see $1 trillion of savings, and a reduction in $1 trillion of waste, fraud reduction.” Fox News Digital’s Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.
EXCLUSIVE: Nancy Mace dismisses ‘burner’ account allegations as ‘bitter exes’ tale
EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., is firing back at accusations she directed staffers to create so-called “burner” accounts to boost her image online, telling Fox News Digital the claims are from “bitter exes” and lack any real proof. “When a story relies on ‘anonymous former staffers,’ it’s journalist-speak for ‘We didn’t have anything real, so we called the bitter exes,’” Mace said, responding to a recent article published by Wired magazine. The article cited former aides and consultants, including a deposition from political consultant Wesley Donehue, to allege Mace used burner accounts and even automated bots to amplify her political messaging. EXCLUSIVE: NANCY MACE UNLOADS AFTER ARREST OF TRANS ACTIVIST WHO ALLEGEDLY THREATENED TO ‘ASSASSINATE’ HER But Mace, who chairs the House Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation, isn’t buying it. “Unlike some folks, I don’t need a burner phone to tell the truth,” she said. “I say what I mean, I mean what I say, and I post it from my real account, with my name on it. Accountability starts there.” At a time when anonymous sources dominate headlines, Mace is leaning into her reputation for saying the quiet part out loud. “I’ll keep telling the uncomfortable truth,” she added. “And if it makes you squirm, good. That means you’re finally paying attention.” NANCY MACE TORCHES CLEMSON UNIVERSITY OVER 15-GENDER MENU: ‘NOT ON MY WATCH’ Mace has built her brand on fighting for survivors of sexual assault, including her own, and advocating for policies that protect women and parental rights. She has taken public stands on legislation to preserve Title IX protections for biological women and expand access to resources for survivors of violence. Earlier this month, she called out a transgender activist accused of threatening to “assassinate” her, saying, “You don’t have to agree with me, but threatening a mother and congresswoman with violence isn’t protest, it’s criminal.” In the interview, Mace pointed to her real-world experience in tech, a rarity in Congress, as a major asset in crafting meaningful policy. “Well, for starters, I actually understand the intricacies of technology, which already puts me ahead of most of Washington,” Mace said, referring to her background as a self-taught computer coder. “We’re writing policy focused on protecting your data, cracking down on cyber threats, and pushing back against Big Tech censorship.” Her hands-on experience, she said, helps her spot both software flaws and political spin. “It turns out writing code teaches you to spot bugs in software and in political BS,” Mace said. When asked how she keeps her office’s online work grounded in conservative principles like accountability and leadership, Mace didn’t miss a beat. “I lead with facts, I speak for the people who sent me here and I don’t hide behind consultants or filtered statements,” she said. “Being accountable means saying the hard stuff, standing your ground and not running from a fight, even if it makes the media clutch their pearls.” As for the viral video online showing what appeared to be a stack of burner phones, Mace had a laugh at the spectacle. “About as many burner phones as Wired has credible sources for ‘burner-gate,’” she quipped. She even poked fun at claims on social media with a tongue-in-cheek AI-generated image of herself holding two Bernese Mountain dogs outside the Capitol, captioned it, “It’s true. I have multiple berners!” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Mace made it clear she sees this controversy as more smoke than fire, one she believes won’t distract her from the work of legislating and representing her district. Mace is the first woman to graduate from South Carolina’s Citadel and the first woman elected to represent Charleston in Congress.
Biden’s regulations worse than North Korea, Trump energy secretary says
SIMI VALLEY, CALIFORNIA – Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said that the Biden administration “strangled” the state of Alaska with restrictions and red tape that was beyond levels imposed on North Korea, Iran and Venezuela combined. “Alaska, a state that has had more sanctions, more restrictions on production of oil and gas in Alaska than everything we did to Iran and Venezuela and North Korea if they produced any combined. You know, the last administration just strangled Alaska. This awesome state of immense natural resources,” Wright said from the Reagan National Economic Forum in Simi Valley, California. Wright joined the inaugural Reagan National Economic Forum on Friday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library to celebrate President Donald Trump‘s executive orders “unleashing American energy” and how the administration is tackling regulations that have prevented the growth of coal and nuclear energy in recent history. Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo moderated the energy-focused panel. He pointed to the Gulf of America and Alaska as two key areas for American energy growth, most notably in the Last Frontier State. US FEDERAL AGENCIES TO ‘UNLEASH’ COAL ENERGY AFTER BIDEN ‘STIFLED’ IT: ‘MINE, BABY, MINE’ “Alaska has been this great resource. It boomed and then it’s been strangled. The idea is we export oil from the north slope of Alaska, comes by pipeline to southern Alaska, and then exported,” he said. “We want to build a pipeline from the north slope of Alaska that brings natural gas, not just oil. And then an oil, a natural gas export terminal on the southern coast of Alaska that in six days can sail to Tokyo or Taiwan or Korea. And then down to our allies in East Asia. So they’re getting energy from us. But it would be awesome and great from a geopolitical stance to have a very short supply chain between a huge industrial American facility and our allies in East Asia.” CHRIS WRIGHT CONFIRMED TO SERVE AS TRUMP’S SECRETARY OF ENERGY Wright added that the Gulf of America is a key area of the country to build massive export terminals, where American energy can be exported to foreign nations. “The export terminals today are almost entirely on the Gulf of America, on the Texas and Louisiana coast. And they’re there because you can build things there. The natural gas comes from Pennsylvania, Ohio or North Dakota or Texas or Oklahoma. The gas comes from all over. But that’s where you can build these giant facilities to export it,” he said. TRUMP LAUNCHES ‘DECISIVE COUNTERSTRIKE’ ON DEM STATES THAT ‘WEAPONIZED’ COURTS AGAINST COAL: EXPERTS Wright added that America was recently the largest importer of oil in the world, but has since become the largest exporter. “We were, not long ago, the largest importer of oil in the world and the largest importer of natural gas in the world. Today, we’re the largest exporter of natural gas and a net exporter of oil,” he continued. “Who’s the biggest importer of oil in the world and the biggest importer of natural gas in the world? Both China. We have an incredible energy system advantage over China. But we should use it not just to the benefit of our country, but to bring security and tight alliances with our allies as well.”
Hunter Biden seen driving Toyota rental in South Africa after his Secret Service detail was terminated
Hunter Biden was seen out and about with his family in Cape Town, South Africa, Friday amid Republicans’ investigation into an alleged “conspiracy” related to his father’s cognitive decline as president. The embattled son of the former president toured Cape Town with his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, and son, Beau Biden Jr., driving a rented Toyota sedan, a big change from the black Chevy Suburbans he was used to traveling in before President Donald Trump yanked his Secret Service detail. In March, Trump terminated Hunter Biden’s Secret Service detail after former President Joe Biden extended his son’s detail indefinitely. Typically, children of former presidents only enjoy Secret Service protection if they are 16 or younger. Trump’s move to remove Hunter Biden’s detail came as the former president’s son was once again vacationing in South Africa. FBI REOPENING INVESTIGATION INTO COCAINE FOUND AT BIDEN WHITE HOUSE Hunter Biden and his family were seen on the Sea Point Main Road, a main thoroughfare in a wealthy part of Cape Town, paying for parking and stopping into the local butcher. Based on the images, it is apparent Hunter no longer has the luxury of a Secret Service detail. The new pictures also mark the first time Hunter Biden has been seen publicly since his father’s public cancer announcement. JAKE TAPPER UNLOADS ON HUNTER BIDEN AS ‘DEMONSTRABLY UNETHICAL, SLEAZY AND PRONE TO HORRIBLE DECISIONS’ Republicans are launching a new investigation into the alleged “conspiracy” behind former President Joe Biden’s cognitive decline. Senstors Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., and John Cornyn, R-Texas, announced plans to hold a Senate Judiciary hearing June 18 to look into the alleged cover-up of the 82-year-old former president’s mental decline while in office by the media and those closest to him. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The lawmakers are still gathering witnesses for the probe, which would be the first full congressional committee hearing on the subject.
Trump tariff plan faces uncertain future as court battles intensify
A federal appeals court paused a lower ruling blocking President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs, siding with the administration Thursday in a legal fight over the White House’s use of an emergency law to enact punishing import taxes. The back-and-forth injected more volatility into markets this week after several weeks of relative calm, and court observers and economists told Fox News Digital they do not expect the dust to settle any time soon. Here’s what to know as this litigation continues to play out. TRUMP DENOUNCES COURT’S ‘POLITICAL’ TARIFF DECISION, CALLS ON SUPREME COURT TO ACT QUICKLY The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit temporarily stayed a lower court ruling Thursday that blocked two of Trump’s sweeping tariffs from taking force. The ruling paused a decision by the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) allowing Trump to continue to enact the 10% baseline tariff and the so-called “reciprocal tariffs” that he announced April 2 under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA. It came one day after the U.S. Court of International Trade ruled unanimously to block the tariffs. Members of the three-judge panel who were appointed by Trump, former President Barack Obama and former President Ronald Reagan, ruled unanimously that Trump had overstepped his authority under IEEPA. They noted that, as commander in chief, Trump does not have “unbounded authority” to impose tariffs under the emergency law. Now, lawyers for the Trump administration and the plaintiffs are tasked with complying with a fast schedule with deadlines in both courts. Plaintiffs have until 5 p.m. Monday to file their response to the Court of International Trade, according to Jeffrey Schwab, senior counsel and director of litigation of the Liberty Justice Center, which represents five small businesses that sued the administration. The Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit gave plaintiffs until Thursday to file a response to the stay and the Trump administration until June 9 to file a reply, Schwab told Fox News Digital in an interview. The goal is to move expeditiously, and lawyers for the plaintiffs told Fox News they plan to file briefs to both courts before the deadlines to mitigate harm to their clients. “Hopefully,” Schwab said, the quick action will allow the courts to issue rulings “more quickly than they otherwise would.” The Trump administration praised the stay as a victory. The appellate court stay on the CIT ruling “is a positive development for America’s industries and workers,” White House spokesman Kush Desai said in a statement. “The Trump administration remains committed to addressing our country’s national emergencies of drug trafficking and historic trade deficits with every legal authority conferred to the president in the Constitution and by Congress.” But some economists warned that continuing to pursue the steep tariffs could backfire. FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS 5 TRUMP TARIFF EXECUTIVE ORDERS The bottom line for the Trump administration “is that they need to get back to a place [where] they are using these huge reciprocal tariffs and all of that as a negotiating tactic,” William Cline, an economist and senior fellow emeritus at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, said in an interview. Cline noted that this had been the framework laid out earlier by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who had embraced the tariffs as more of an opening salvo for future trade talks, including between the U.S. and China. “I think the thing to keep in mind there is that Trump and Vance have this view that tariffs are beautiful because they will restore America’s Rust Belt jobs and that they’ll collect money while they’re doing it, which will contribute to fiscal growth,” said Cline, the former deputy managing director and chief economist of the Institute of International Finance. “Those are both fantasies.” ‘AMERICAN HERO’ OR ‘FAILURE’: ELON MUSK’S DOGE DEPARTURE DIVIDES CAPITOL HILL Plaintiffs and the Trump administration wait. But whether that wait is a good or bad thing depends on who is asked. Economists noted that the longer the court process takes, the more uncertainty is injected into markets. This could slow economic growth and hurt consumers. For the U.S. small business owners that have sued Trump over the tariffs, it could risk potentially irreparable harm. “Some of the harm has already taken place. And the longer it goes on, the worse it is,” said Schwab. The White House said it will take its tariff fight to the Supreme Court if necessary. But it’s unclear if the high court would choose to take up the case. The challenge comes at a time when Trump’s relationship with the judiciary has come under increasing strain, which could make the high court wary to take on such a politically charged case. Lawyers for the plaintiffs described the case as “very likely” to be appealed to the Supreme Court, but it’s unclear whether it will move to review it. “It’s possible that because the case is before the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, which essentially applies to the country, unlike specific appellate courts, which have certain districts, that the Supreme Court might be OK with whatever the Federal Circuit decides and then not take the case,” Schwab said. For now, the burden of proof shifts to the government, which must convince the court it will suffer “irreparable harm” if the injunction remains in place, a high legal standard the Trump administration must meet. Beyond that, Schwab said, the court will weigh a balancing test. If both sides claim irreparable harm, the justices will ask, “Who is irreparably harmed more? “And I think it’s fair to say that our clients are going to be more irreparably harmed than the United States federal government. Because our clients might not exist, and the United States federal government is certainly going to exist.”
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Trump Notches Supreme Win on Deportations
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… The Supreme Court on Friday stayed a lower court order that blocked the Trump administration from deporting roughly 500,000 migrants from Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. The decision is a near-term victory for President Donald Trump as he moves to crack down on border security and immigration priorities in his second term. The order stays, for now, a lower court ruling that halted Trump’s plans to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) protections for some migrants living in the U.S., which allows individuals to live and work in the U.S. legally if they cannot work safely in their home country due to a disaster, armed conflict or other “extraordinary and temporary conditions.” The stay, like many emergency orders handed down by the high court, was unsigned, and did not provide an explanation for the justices’ thinking…READ MORE OUT AND ABOUT: Obamas seen together for first time in six months as analyst sees ‘no love lost’ amid divorce murmurs IMPOSTER AT LARGE: Alleged attempt to impersonate White House chief of staff under federal investigation ‘SCRIPTED’ PRESIDENT: New book exposes Biden’s ‘scripted’ Cabinet meetings amid alleged cognitive decline cover-up CAMPUS SPIES: Spy surge sparks Trump visa crackdown on Chinese students FULL ‘MAGA’ AHEAD: All aboard the WMAGA? Florida congressman wants to rename DC transit for Trump MISSION OVER: Elon Musk’s official role at Trump’s DOGE ends, but his political impact lingers ahead of midterms DOGE’S BARK AND BITE: The budget cuts Musk couldn’t complete and what’s next for DOGE ELON EXODUS: Elon Musk’s DOGE departure divides Capitol Hill OLD GUARD CHALLENGED: Two longtime House Democrats face primary challenges from younger opponents MIDNIGHT MANEUVERS: Inside the late-night drama that led to Trump’s tax bill passing by one vote SANCTUARY SHOWDOWN: Top congressional committees launch probe into Nashville mayor accused of blocking ICE AFTER THE FALL: Since Floyd riots culled monuments 5 years ago, leaders in ex-Confederate capital lament ‘s—t didn’t change’ FEWER, FASTER, GONE: CBP ends use of temporary migrant processing sites as apprehensions plummet ‘UGLY’ INDICTMENT: Wisconsin judge claims ‘absolute immunity,’ calls DOJ indictment an ‘ugly innovation’ ‘PARTY LEFT ME’: Kentucky Senate Democrat switches to GOP in major blow to Dem gov Andy Beshear CAMPUS CLASH: Harvard DHS lawsuit revives Supreme Court conflict of interest questions OFF THE STREETS: ICE agents in Boston arrest migrant murderer, child rapists as Fox News rides along SANCTUARY SHOWDOWN: Dem county executive dings Trump admin over sanctuary jurisdiction designation Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
EXCLUSIVE: ICE issues detainers for alleged illegal immigrant burglars
EXCLUSIVE: Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued seven detainers for removal against illegal immigrants who allegedly committed two burglaries in Tempe and Mesa, Arizona, last week. The suspects are allegedly part of a South American Theft Group that committed two burglaries in the Phoenix area cities May 23, and they were arrested by the Scottsdale Police Department at the short-term rental the group was staying in. “Under Secretary Noem’s leadership, criminal illegal aliens are being held accountable for victimizing Americans,” Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. 7 MEMBERS OF SOUTH AMERICAN THEFT GROUP ARRESTED FOR PHOENIX BURGLARIES “ICE is working alongside partner law enforcement agencies throughout the country to ensure that South American Theft Groups — like the one allegedly responsible for burglaries in California, Oregon, Washington and Arizona — are dismantled and deported once and for all. We will not allow criminal illegal aliens to terrorize American communities,” McLaughlin added. The suspects are Nicolas Rojas Leon, 23, Joan Sebastian Orozco-Vargas, 26, Andres David Sanchez-Novoa, 38, Natalia Isabella Ortiz-Daza, 26, Martha Juliana Echiverri-Guzman, 28, Lady Johanna Gueito, 32, and Angie Paola Herandez-Manrique, 25. According to DHS, the group operates out of California but is originally from Colombia. GUN-TOTING NOEM JOINS ICE AGENTS TO GO AFTER CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIENS IN ARIZONA Scottsdale Police were informed by Burbank Police in California about the SATG organization May 20 after it allegedly committed other burglaries in California, Oregon and Washington. Golden State authorities shared information, like vehicle descriptions, to help them find the suspects. A French Bulldog was stolen in one of the California break-ins, and it will be returned, according to police. CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE The police department was alerted to the group May 20 by the Burbank Police Department in California. It was warned about a SATG group from Colombia that had allegedly committed burglaries in California, Oregon and Washington and how it could be making its way to Arizona next. Each suspect was ordered held in the Maricopa County Jail pending “numerous criminal charges” on $150,000 cash-only bonds. TREN DE ARAGUA GANG MEMBER ARRESTED IN NYC WAS ‘TRYING TO BUY GRENADES,’ NOEM SAYS South American Theft Groups have been prevalent throughout communities in California, Arizona, Colorado and nationwide, particularly in affluent areas. Although this group originated in Colombia, SATGs, like those from Chile, have triggered bipartisan calls for visa waiver program reform. A string of “dinner-time burglaries” in recent years in the Grand Canyon State has ties to SATGs, Arizona’s Family reported in March 2024. When Fox News Digital reached out to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, it noted comments County Attorney Rachel Mitchell made at a press conference earlier this week before ICE formally announced the detainers. “Obviously that’s a federal issue,” Mitchell said when asked about the possibility of suspects being deported. “But my understanding is that there is an ICE file stop on each of the individuals.” Scottsdale police said they do not comment on ICE-related matters and deferred to the county attorney’s office. There are no sanctuary jurisdictions listed by the DHS in Arizona. Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
Government employee held after attempt to share classified information with foreign country
A government employee in Virginia accused of attempting to share classified information with a foreign country was held pending a detention hearing, and could face up to life in prison, or even death, depending on the details of the case brought against him, according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Virginia-based Magistrate Judge William Fitzpatrick ordered that 28-year-old Nathan Laatsch be held pending a detention hearing scheduled for June 4. Laatsch allegedly attempted to transmit classified national defense information or documents to a foreign government. Depending on the details of the case, Laatsch faces “any term or years, or life…or even death,” according to DOJ prosecutor Gordon Kromberg. US IT SPECIALIST ARRESTED AFTER ATTEMPTING TO SHARE CLASSIFIED INFORMATION WITH FOREIGN GOVERNMENT: DOJ Laatsch, an IT specialist employed by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) since 2019, appeared in court on Friday wearing street clothes, which were presumably the same clothes he wore when he was arrested the day before. He was arrested after the FBI received a tip in March that someone was willing to provide classified information to a friendly foreign government. Laatsch was a civilian employee in the DIA’s Insider Threat Division and held a top-secret security clearance, according to the DOJ. FORMER US ARMY INTELLIGENCE ANALYST SENTENCED FOR SELLING SENSITIVE DOCUMENTS TO CHINESE NATIONAL An email to the FBI said that the person — later identified as Laatsch — didn’t “agree or align with the values” of the Trump administration and would be willing to share classified information that he could access, including “completed intelligence products, some unprocessed intelligence, and other assorted classified documentation.” Laatsch communicated with an FBI agent, whom he believed to be a foreign government official, multiple times and would confirm that he was ready to share classified information that he transcribed onto a notepad at his desk, the DOJ said. He allegedly exfiltrated the information from his workspace multiple times over a three-day period in preparation. The FBI set up an operation at a northern Virginia park where Laatsch was to deposit classified information “for the foreign government to retrieve,” according to the DOJ. He was observed by the FBI on or around May 1 depositing an item at the specified location. PENTAGON LEAKER JACK TEIXEIRA RECEIVES 15 YEARS FOR SECRETS LEAK Once he left, the DOJ said FBI agents retrieved a thumb drive from the area found to contain a message from Laatsch and multiple typed documents with information portion-marked for Secret or Top-Secret levels. His message allegedly indicated that he was sharing “a decent sample size” of classified information to demonstrate the types of things he has access to. On May 7, after Laatsch learned that the thumb drive had been retrieved, he allegedly sent a message to the undercover agent appearing to say that he was seeking something in exchange for providing the information. The following day, he specified that he was interested in “citizenship for your country” because he didn’t expect things in America “to improve in the long term,” the DOJ said. He also allegedly said he was “not opposed to other compensation,” but not in a place where he needed “material compensation.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Laatsch was told on May 14 by the FBI agent that the “foreign government” was ready for additional classified information. Between May 15 and May 27, he transcribed more information and began to remove it from the building by folding the notes and hiding them in his clothing. On Thursday, Laatsch arrived at a prearranged location in northern Virginia to drop the information off to the “foreign country.” He was arrested once the FBI received the documents. Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Pritchett contributed to this report.