Trump says ‘real chance for greatness’ as Netanyahu White House meeting looms for Gaza talks
President Donald Trump is slated to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday in an attempt to broker a ceasefire agreement and an end the war in Gaza. Previewing the talks on Sunday, Trump wrote on Truth Social: “We have a real chance for greatness in the Middle East. All are on board for something special, first time ever. We will get it done.” TRUMP SAYS ‘I THINK WE HAVE A DEAL’ ON GAZA WAR Trump did not elaborate on the precise terms of a ceasefire, exit or demilitarization plans for Gaza, or hostage-prisoner swap arrangements. He has previously said that both Israel and Hamas have agreed to indirect talks later this week in Qatar. Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance told “Fox News Sunday” that top U.S. officials are immersed in “very complicated” negotiations with both Israeli and Arab counterparts. “I feel more optimistic about where we are right now than where we have been at any point in the last few months, but let’s be realistic, these things can get derailed at the very last minute,” Vance said. TRUMP STAKES GAZA PEACE HOPES ON 21-POINT PLAN AS ISRAEL, HOUTHIS CONTINUE DEADLY FIGHTING He added that the Trump administration’s proposal centers on three main points: securing the release of all hostages, eliminating the Hamas threat to Israel, and expanding humanitarian aid to Gaza. “So I think we’re close to accomplishing all three of those objectives,” Vance said. In an exclusive interview on Fox News Channel’s “The Sunday Briefing,” Netanyahu said his team is working with U.S. officials to secure the release of hostages, a top priority for the Israeli leader. “I hope we can make it a go because we want to free our hostages. We want to get rid of Hamas rule and have them disarmed, Gaza demilitarized, and a new future set up for Gazans and Israelis alike and for the whole region,” he told co-host Jacqui Heinrich. NETANYAHU BROADCASTS UNITED NATIONS MESSAGE INTO GAZA ACCUSING WORLD LEADERS OF APPEASING ‘EVIL’ The meeting, the fourth one between Trump and Netanyahu since January, comes on the heels of the United Nations General Assembly. Dozens of U.N. delegates left the General Assembly hall during the prime minister’s address, leaving rows of empty seats behind. Later, member states voted to permit Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to deliver his remarks remotely on Thursday. In his speech, Abbas accused Israel of “genocide” and called for full U.N. membership for a Palestinian state — drawing about 30 seconds of applause.
Supreme Court showdown: Trump’s strategy to test limits of his power could spell doom for administrative state
The Supreme Court is set to reexamine a landmark decision about the president’s ability to fire members of independent agencies, and the outcome could expand executive power and have far-reaching implications. The high court revealed in an order last week it would revisit Humphrey’s Executor v. United States, a 1935 decision that Hans von Spakovsky, a legal fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation, said is now on “life support.” Contrary to the decision in Humphrey’s, von Spakovsky said agencies like the Federal Trade Commission, the Securities and Exchange Commission and various labor boards ought not to be insulated from presidential firings. “The Constitution says the president is the head of the executive branch,” von Spakovsky told Fox News Digital. “That means, just like the CEO of a big corporation, they get to supervise and run the entire corporation, or in this case, the entire executive branch, and you can’t have Congress taking parts of that away from him and saying, ‘Well, they’re going to keep doing executive branch things, including law enforcement, but you won’t have any control over them.’” SCOTUS ALLOWS TRUMP TO FIRE BIDEN-APPOINTED FTC COMMISSIONER The Supreme Court’s decision came in response to a challenge from a Biden-appointed FTC commissioner whom President Donald Trump fired at will after taking office. The high court said in a 6-3 emergency decision Trump’s termination of the commissioner, Rebecca Slaughter, could remain in place for now while it uses her case to take on Humphrey’s Executor, which centered on an FTC firing under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The high court found Roosevelt could not fire a commissioner without cause. Slaughter has called her firing illegal, pointing to Humphrey’s and the FTC Act, which says commissioners cannot be fired from their seven-year terms without cause such as malfeasance or negligence. Joshua Blackman, a professor at South Texas College of Law, told Fox News Digital that if Humphrey’s is overturned or narrowed, it will likely also apply to other agencies that have statutory protections against firings designed to preserve their independence. “I think this ruling will necessarily reach beyond the FTC,” Blackman said. “The only question is whether they maintain that the Federal Reserve is different.” SUPREME COURT SAYS TRUMP CAN PROCEED WITH FIRING DEMOCRAT-APPOINTED CPSC MEMBERS The high court indicated in an earlier shadow docket decision about labor board firings this year that it views the Federal Reserve as unique, a ‘quasi-private’ structure rooted in the traditions of the first central banks. A separate case involving Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook’s firing is testing that position. Von Spakovsky said the Supreme Court has been inching toward addressing Humphrey’s. The 2010 decision to narrow the Sarbanes-Oxley Act by stripping independence from an accounting oversight board and the decision five years ago finding the president could fire the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau director at will were hints of this. In the latter case, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that the president’s power “to remove — and thus supervise — those who wield executive power on his behalf follows from the text of Article II.” The CFPB’s “novel” structure defied that presidential power because a single director oversees an agency that “wield[s] significant executive power.” TRUMP ADMIN URGES SUPREME COURT TO ALLOW PRESIDENT TO FIRE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION MEMBER Ruling in Trump’s favor would help the president and his conservative allies realize their stated goal of achieving a unitary executive, a theory that says the president should have sole control over the executive branch. As part of this vision, Trump abruptly sidestepped numerous statutes to pluck out protected appointees at independent agencies when he took office, moves the Supreme Court is now poised to weigh in on in Slaughter’s case. Boston University School of Law professor Jed Shugerman said in a statement online that Trump has done “more to establish a unitary executive than all the judges and legal scholars in the world could ever do.” However, Shugerman criticized the president, saying his tests of authority have also “done more to discredit and expose the unitary executive theory as lawless authoritarianism than any judge or legal scholar could ever do.” John Shu, a constitutional law expert who served in both Bush administrations, recently told Fox News Digital he believed the Supreme Court would narrow Humphrey’s Executor because the FTC’s powers have greatly expanded since its inception. “The Federal Trade Commission of 1935 is a lot different than the Federal Trade Commission today,” Shu said. Shu said today’s FTC can open investigations, issue subpoenas, bring lawsuits, impose financial penalties and more. The FTC now has executive, quasi-legislative and quasi-judicial functions, he said.
Republican governor signs into law Trump-backed congressional redistricting map
Score another victory for President Donald Trump in the high-stakes political battle between Republicans and Democrats over congressional redistricting. GOP Gov. Mike Kehoe of Missouri on Sunday signed into law a new congressional map, Missouri First, that is likely to hand Republicans an additional seat in the U.S. House of Representatives ahead of next year’s midterms elections. Missouri, once considered a swing state that has dramatically shifted to the right over the past decade and a half, is the latest battleground in the congressional redistricting showdown after the passage of new maps in GOP-dominated Texas and a redistricting push by Democrats in heavily blue California. “I was proud to officially sign the Missouri First Map into law today ahead of the 2026 midterm election,” Kehoe said in a statement. “We believe this map best represents Missourians, and I appreciate the support and efforts of state legislators, our congressional delegation, and President Trump in getting this map to my desk.” TRUMP-BACKED REDISTRICTING PUSH TURNS MIDWESTERN STATE INTO NEXT POLITICAL BATTLEGROUND Trump, in a social media statement following passage in the GOP-dominated state legislature, called the new map “FANTASTIC” and said it “will help send an additional MAGA Republican to Congress in the 2026 Midterm Elections.” The new map targets longtime Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver’s Kansas City-area district by shifting it eastward to include rural right-leaning voters. The new map would likely flip Cleaver’s seat and give Republicans a 7-1 advantage in the state’s House delegation. Cleaver has vowed to take legal action if the new map is signed into law by the governor. “I want to warn all of us that if you fight fire with fire long enough, all you’re going to have left is ashes,” Cleaver said earlier this month as he testified in front of a Missouri Senate committee. And pointing to recent public opinion polling, he called the redistricting plan “immensely unpopular.” And Missouri House Minority Leader Ashley Aune accused Republicans of pushing to “rig our maps and eliminate our representation in Congress.” ABBOTT CLEARS FINAL REDISTRICTING HURDLE AS TEXAS SENATE PASSES NEW TRUMP-APPROVED MAP Kehoe’s announcement teeing up the special session came hours after Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas signed into law a redistricting bill passed by the Republican supermajority in the state legislature that aims to create up to five right-leaning congressional districts at the expense of current Democrat-controlled seats in the reliably red state. The efforts in Missouri and Texas are part of a broad effort by the GOP to pad its razor-thin House majority to keep control of the chamber in the 2026 midterms, when the party in power traditionally faces political headwinds and loses seats. Trump and his political team are aiming to prevent what happened during his first term in the White House, when Democrats reclaimed the House majority in the 2018 midterm elections. Democrats are fighting back against the rare, but not unheard-of mid-decade redistricting. State lawmakers in heavily blue California have approved a special ballot proposition this November to obtain voter approval to temporarily sidetrack the state’s nonpartisan redistricting commission and return the power to draw the congressional maps to the Democrat-dominated legislature. The effort in California, which aims to create five more Democratic-leaning congressional districts and counter the shift in Texas, is being spearheaded by two-term Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is seen as a likely 2028 Democratic presidential contender. With Democrats currently needing just a three-seat pickup in next year’s midterms to win back the House majority, Republicans in Indiana, South Carolina, Florida, Kansas and Nebraska are mulling their own GOP-friendly redistricting plans ahead of the 2026 elections. And right-leaning Ohio is under a court order to draw new maps ahead of the midterms. Democrats, as they push back, are looking to New York, Illinois and Maryland in the hopes of creating more left-leaning congressional seats. In Illinois and Maryland, where governors J.B. Pritzker and Wes Moore are discussing redistricting, Democrats hope to pick up to three more left-leaning seats. And Democrats could pick up a seat in Republican-dominated Utah, where a judge recently ordered the GOP-controlled legislature to draw new maps after ruling that lawmakers four years ago ignored an independent commission approved by voters to prevent partisan gerrymandering.
Oregon sues over Trump admin’s ‘war-ravaged Portland’ National Guard troop deployment
The state of Oregon filed a lawsuit Sunday to block President Donald Trump’s plan to deploy 200 National Guard troops to Portland. The suit was announced by Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield within hours of Gov. Tina Kotek receiving a memo from Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth, in which he authorized the troop deployment for 60 days. According to the order seen by Fox News Digital, the federally controlled Oregon National Guard would be stationed in Portland to protect federal property “where protests are occurring or likely to occur.” Kotek, Portland Mayor Keith Wilson, and Rayfield, all Democrats, responded by jointly filing the challenge in federal court, arguing the administration’s move is “unlawful” and unnecessary. DC ATTORNEY GENERAL SUES TRUMP OVER NATIONAL GUARD ‘INVOLUNTARY MILITARY OCCUPATION’ “Oregon communities are stable, and our local officials have been clear: we have the capacity to manage public safety without federal interference,” Rayfield said in a statement. On Saturday, Trump posted on Truth Social that he had directed Hegseth to send “all necessary Troops to protect war-ravaged Portland, and any other ICE facilities under siege from attack by Antifa and other domestic terrorists.” Kotek also said Saturday she had spoken directly with the president before Sunday’s order and had urged him not to send in troops. “Our city is a far cry from the war-ravaged community he has posted on social media,” Kotek told reporters at a news conference at Tom McCall Waterfront Park. “There is no insurrection, there is no threat to national security and there is no need for military troops in our major city,” she added. PORTLAND MAYOR WARNS CITY TO FIX HOMELESS PROBLEM BEFORE TRUMP ‘DEPLOYS BULLDOZERS’ Despite those objections, federal agents began arriving in Portland over the weekend, with one clash already reported outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility. Mayor Wilson condemned the arrival of National Guard troops. “We did not ask for them to come. They are here without precedent or purpose,” he said. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., urged demonstrators to avoid confrontations with federal agents. “Their goal is to create an engagement that will lead to conflict,” he said. TRUMP VOWS ‘FULL FORCE’ AS HE PLANS TO SEND TROOPS TO PORTLAND AMID ANTI-ICE PROTESTS The lawsuit follows a similar case filed by California in June, after the administration sent troops to Los Angeles. “This will only serve to divide us as a nation and community under the guise of caring about public safety,” Rayfield said. “The number of necessary troops is zero.” “As standing policy, the Department does not comment on active litigation. We have no comment on this nor the Oregon ARNG deployment at this time,” a Department of War spokesperson told Fox News Digital. Fox News’ Jacqui Heinrich contributed to this report.
‘New York deserves better:’ Mamdani reacts to Eric Adams exit from mayoral race
With New York City Mayor Eric Adams abruptly ending his reelection campaign on Sunday, rivals of front-runner Zohran Mamdani scrambled to capitalize. Adams announced his decision in a nearly nine-minute video posted on X. He offered no clues about his plans after leaving office and did not endorse any of the remaining mayoral candidates. ERIC ADAMS DROPS OUT OF NYC MAYORAL RACE AS MAMDANI GAINS GROUND Mamdani, a democratic socialist, cast the moment as a turning point, vowing that on November 4, “New Yorkers will turn the page on the politics of big money and small ideas.” “Donald Trump and his billionaire donors might be able to determine Eric Adams and Andrew Cuomo’s actions but they will not dictate the results of this election,” Mamdani wrote in a statement. “New York deserves better than trading in one disgraced, corrupt politician for another. On November 4th, we are going to turn the page on the politics of big money and small ideas and deliver a government every New Yorker can be proud of,” he added. Meanwhile, Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa’s campaign framed him as the strongest challenger to Mamdani. NEW POLL REVEALS MAMDANI STILL HOLDS COMMANDING DOUBLE-DIGIT LEAD OVER RIVALS IN NYC MAYORAL RACE “Curtis Sliwa is the only candidate who can defeat Mamdani. Our team, our resources, and our funding are unmatched,” campaign spokesperson Daniel Kurzyna wrote in a statement. “Most importantly, we have the best solutions to help working people afford to stay in New York City and feel safe,” Kurzyna added. Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he believed Adams’ decision was “sincere in putting the well-being of New York City ahead of personal ambition.” CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS COVERAGE OF THE NYC MAYORAL RACE “Mayor Adams has much to be proud of in his accomplishments. Whatever differences we may have, Eric Adams’ story is undeniably one of resilience, a testament to the spirit of this city,” Cuomo added. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., thanked Adams for his service but held off endorsing a successor, saying he will share his views before early voting begins. “During his time in office, violent crime is down, the building of affordable housing units is up and New York City has recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic,” Jeffries wrote in a statement. “Over the next few days, my entire focus will be on addressing the Republican healthcare crisis and funding the government,” Jeffries said, adding that he will “publicly weigh in” on the remaining mayoral candidates before the start of early voting. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said that she has been proud to work alongside Adams to “make New York City safer, stronger, and more affordable,” she wrote in a post on X. “He leaves New York City better than he inherited it and it will always be central to his legacy as mayor,” she added.
US and Qatar secure release of American citizen Amir Amiry from Afghanistan detention
The U.S. secured the release of an American citizen being detained in Afghanistan following months of negotiations on Sunday, Fox News has learned. The U.S. and Qatar jointly negotiated for the release of Amir Amiry, U.S. Special Envoy Adam Boehler told Fox News on Sunday. “When we went to Kabul to pick up George Glezmann six months ago, I asked to see Amir Amiry. He was brought to the airport gate and when he saw us he started to cry. Leaving an American was the hardest thing that I have ever done in my life and I promised him that we would come back for him,” Boehler told Fox. “Amir Amiry became a citizen by putting his life at risk fighting for our country and our troops. Today we repay the favor. God bless America and God bless the President,” Boehler added. AFGHANISTAN MARKS FOUR YEARS IN POWER BY LURING YOUNG FEMALE INFLUENCERS TO BOOST TOURISM “Throughout Mr. Amiry’s detention, Qatari diplomats remained in close communication with US officials and carried out regular health checks to ensure his wellbeing,” a source familiar with Amiri’s detention told Fox News. AFGHANISTAN MARKS FOUR YEARS IN POWER BY LURING YOUNG FEMALE INFLUENCERS TO BOOST TOURISM “His release was facilitated by Qatari diplomats in close coordination with the team of the US Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, through Qatar’s role as the United States’ protecting power in Afghanistan,” the source added. Secretary of State Marco Rubio celebrated Amiry’s release, thanking Qatar in an X post Sunday afternoon. “Today we welcome home Amir Amiry, an American who was wrongfully detained in Afghanistan. I want to thank Qatar for helping secure his freedom,” Rubio said. “@POTUS has made it clear we will not stop until every American unjustly detained abroad is back home.” Amiry’s release comes roughly a week after the Taliban released an elderly British couple after eight months in captivity. Barbie Reynolds, 76, and husband Peter Reynolds, 80, arrived in Qatar on Friday following months of negotiations between Qatar, the Taliban and Britain. The couple had lived in Afghanistan for 18 years, where they ran an education charity. Despite the ordeal, Barbie Reynolds said they would return to Afghanistan if they could. They are both Afghan citizens. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “God is good, as they say in Afghanistan,” she added at the Kabul airport. Fox News’ Brie Stimson contributed to this report
Eric Adams drops out of NYC mayoral race as Mamdani gains ground
New York City Mayor Eric Adams dropped out of the city’s mayoral race on Sunday, halting his re-election campaign just five weeks before Election Day. Adams announced his decision in a nearly nine-minute video posted on social media, offering no clues about his plans after leaving office. ZOHRAN MAMDANI LANDS KEY ENDORSEMENT IN NEW YORK CITY MAYORAL RACE “It’s been an honor to be your mayor,” Adams said in his announcement, as he highlighted what he described as achievements related to crime reduction, housing affordability and economic recovery during his time in office. “And yet despite all that we have achieved, I cannot continue my re-election campaign,” he said, adding that he was unable to raise the funds for a “serious campaign.” The move followed weeks of speculation he might clear the way for former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in a contest where Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, has gained momentum. NEW POLL REVEALS MAMDANI STILL HOLDS COMMANDING DOUBLE-DIGIT LEAD OVER RIVALS IN NYC MAYORAL RACE Adams has also trailed both Mamdani and Cuomo significantly in campaign fundraising and spending. Mamdani framed Adams’ exit as a pivotal moment, pledging that voters in November will “turn the page on the politics of big money and small ideas.” “Donald Trump and his billionaire donors might be able to determine Eric Adams and Andrew Cuomo’s actions but they will not dictate the results of this election,” Mamdani wrote in a statement. Meanwhile, Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa’s campaign framed him as the strongest challenger to Mamdani. “Curtis Sliwa is the only candidate who can defeat Mamdani. Our team, our resources, and our funding are unmatched,” campaign spokesperson Daniel Kurzyna wrote in a statement. Cuomo said he believed Adams’ decision was “sincere in putting the well-being of New York City ahead of personal ambition.” “Mayor Adams has much to be proud of in his accomplishments. Whatever differences we may have, Eric Adams’ story is undeniably one of resilience, a testament to the spirit of this city,” Cuomo added. Adams’ exit comes as New York City eyes the potential election of 33-year-old democratic socialist upstart Mamdani. Mamdani’s ascent has drawn national notice: President Donald Trump told reporters earlier this month he’d “like to see two people drop out” of the NYC mayoral race to improve the chances of beating Mamdani. CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS COVERAGE OF THE NEW YORK CITY MAYORAL SHOWDOWN The Trump administration has slammed Mamdani’s economic agenda, casting it as a threat to business and growth. The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Mamdani has placed affordability at the center of his campaign to lead America’s largest city, pitching ideas such as free buses, city-owned grocery stores, and rent freezes for tenants in rent-stabilized apartments. Those proposals have energized progressive voters but rattled Wall Street, where executives warn they could drive investment out of New York and weaken the city’s tax base. TREASURY’S BESSENT WARNS NYC: NO BAILOUT UNDER MAMDANI – ‘DROP DEAD’ Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Wednesday that Mamdani’s proposals risk driving New York City into financial crisis, warning that if the city turns to Washington for a bailout, it won’t receive one. “You can’t enact policies like this and expect to be bailed out,” Bessent said during an interview with FOX Business’ Maria Bartiromo on “Mornings with Maria.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “And are you going to give them that bailout?” Bartiromo pressed. “It will be the same thing that Gerald Ford said. Drop dead,” Bessent said.
Eric Adams drops out of New York City mayoral race
New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced Sunday that he is dropping out of the city’s mayoral race on Sunday. Adams’ announcement, first reported by the New York Post before he posted a message on social media, comes as the mayor was trailing both Democratic and Republican contenders. This is a developing story. Check back soon for updates.
Mikie Sherrill stays silent as New Jersey politicians react to convicted cop killer’s death
As political figures across New Jersey react to the death of Joanne Chesimard, Democratic candidate for governor Mikie Sherrill has remained silent — a notable contrast to her Republican rival Jack Ciattarelli and other Democrats who have spoken out. Chesimard, also known as Assata Shakur, has long been a polarizing figure in New Jersey politics after her conviction in the 1973 killing of a state trooper and subsequent escape to Cuba. CONVICTED COP KILLER ASSATA SHAKUR, AN FBI MOST WANTED TERRORIST, DEAD IN CUBA, COMMUNIST REGIME SAYS “Joanne Chesimard’s death is a reminder of the lasting tragedy that justice was never served for the murder of Trooper Werner Foerster,” Ciattarelli’s campaign wrote in a statement to Fox News Digital on Sunday. “Though she will never be held accountable, we honor Trooper Foerster’s sacrifice and stand with all who carry his memory forward,” Ciattarelli added. Sherrill’s campaign did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Sherrill’s silence follows the response of political leaders from both parties, many of whom emphasized the case’s deep ties to law enforcement and its lasting impact on New Jersey’s political landscape. Democratic New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said on Friday that he spoke to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said the Cuban government confirmed Chesimard’s death. “For years, we have worked with the State Department to bring Chesimard back to New Jersey, so she could face justice for the cold-blooded murder of an American hero. Sadly, it appears she has passed without being held fully accountable for her heinous crimes,” Murphy wrote in a statement on X. “Unlike his killer, Trooper Foerster never had a chance to live out his days in peace. But we remain fully committed to honoring his memory and sacrifice,” he added. Murphy said that he will “vigorously oppose any attempt to repatriate Chesimard’s remains to the United States.” In a separate post, Murphy slammed the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) post on X honoring the “life and legacy of a revolutionary fighter, a fierce writer, a revered elder of Black liberation, and a leader of freedom whose spirit continues to live in our struggle.” Murphy called the post “shameful and depraved.” New Jersey Republican Assemblyman Mike Inganamort said the CTU post “celebrates a cop killer.” CHICAGO TEACHERS UNION HONORS BLACK MILITANT CONVICTED COP-KILLER AFTER DEATH IN CUBA, DRAWING BACKLASH “I’ve long stood with the NJ State Troopers in fighting for the return of this fugitive cop killer who brutally murdered Trooper Werner Foerster more than fifty years ago,” wrote New Jersey Democrat Rep. Josh Gottheimer on X. “While Joanne Chesimard found safe harbor in Cuba and escaped accountability during her lifetime, nothing can erase the pain her crimes inflicted on Trooper Foerster’s family, his fellow troopers, and our state,” he added. Meanwhile, New Jersey Rep. Tom Kean said Foerster “will forever be remembered for his honorable service and ultimate sacrifice.” “With news of her death, we honor the life Trooper Foerster lived, the courage he showed, and the legacy of heroism he leaves behind,” he wrote on X. Chesimard was riding on the New Jersey Turnpike with fellow members of the Black Liberation Army when they were pulled over. Foerster was killed in an ensuing shootout. In 1977, Chesimard was convicted of first-degree murder along with multiple related charges, including assault and battery of a police officer, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault with intent to kill, illegal possession of a firearm, and armed robbery. She was sentenced to life in prison for the 1973 murder of Foerster. In 1979, she escaped a New Jersey prison and went into hiding before resurfacing in Havana in 1984, where she is believed to have remained ever since. The FBI and the New Jersey attorney general each offered a $1 million reward for her capture.
Ex Michelle Obama aide leads Des Moines school board’s defense of superintendent arrested by ICE
Iowa Democrats are rallying behind a school superintendent who was arrested by ICE on allegations that he is in the country illegally this week, and they are led by a school board chair who once held a key role in the Obama White House. After ICE arrested Ian Roberts, the superintendent for Des Moines Public Schools (DMPS) last week, school board chair Jackie Norris called for people to have “radical empathy” as Roberts’ case plays out. Norris previously served as White House chief of staff for then-first lady Michelle Obama. Meanwhile, Republicans in the state legislature are also launching a probe into how the board chose Roberts in the first place. Norris supported Roberts in a statement on Friday in which she said that officials “do not have all the facts.” “There is much we do not know,” Norris said. “However, what we do know is that Dr. Roberts has been an integral part of our school community since he joined over two years ago.” IOWA SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT ARRESTED BY ICE, FACING PRIOR WEAPONS CHARGES, ALLEGEDLY FOUND WITH LOADED HANDGUN “During his time with our district, he has shown up in ways big and small and has advocated for students and staff, and has begun introducing concepts that will help us reimagine education for future generations,” she continued. Norris said Roberts joined the school district in July 2023 after having served in various school districts across the U.S. for “over 20 years.” Norris was not the chair of the school board at the time Roberts started, but she has been a member since 2021. Meanwhile, Republicans in the Iowa legislature are calling for a wider probe to ensure proper hiring practices are being followed across the state. Iowa’s House Government Oversight Committee also sent a letter to the DMPS directing it to preserve documents related to Roberts’ hiring. “I will not hesitate to introduce and pass legislation to mandate enhanced hiring protocols, increase transparency in district operations, and protect the resources allocated to our schools through the appropriations process,” State Rep. Austin Harris said. “Iowa’s families deserve nothing less than a safe, lawful, and effective education system for their children.” DMPS did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. ICE alleges that Roberts is in the country illegally from Guyana. They say he is not legally permitted to work in the United States and had a final order of removal from a judge issued in May 2024. Roberts was arrested after allegedly driving away from law enforcement. He later abandoned his car in the woods, and Iowa State Patrol ended up finding him, according to a press release. “This suspect was arrested in possession of a loaded weapon in a vehicle provided by Des Moines Public Schools after fleeing federal law enforcement,” ICE ERO St. Paul Field Office Director Sam Olson said in a statement. “This should be a wake-up call for our communities to the great work that our officers are doing every day to remove public safety threats,” Olson continued. “How this illegal alien was hired without work authorization, a final order of removal and a prior weapons charge is beyond comprehension and should alarm the parents of that school district.” The district said Roberts had previously done an I-9 to prove legal status, but that it was conducted by a third-party group and that it did not know about an order of removal, according to The Associated Press. Roberts came to the United States with a student visa in 1999 and had charges for weapon possession in 2020, according to ICE.