Fox News Politics Newsletter: Self Deport, Get $1,000
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… –REAL ID ‘unnecessary in keeping us safe,’ GOP lawmaker says as deadline looms -Former Vice President Mike Pence honored by Kennedy family in receiving the JFK ‘Profile in Courage Award’ -Senator warns of ‘unconstitutional’ judicial overreach ahead of SCOTUS showdown FIRST ON FOX: The Department of Homeland Security will front the cost of commercial flights and provide a $1,000 stipend to illegal aliens who opt to self-deport from the United States in a move DHS says will save thousands of dollars. The department says this will be 70% cheaper for American taxpayers, as it currently costs DHS, on average, over $17,000 to arrest, detain, and deport someone. DHS told Fox News that paying for aliens to remove themselves, even with the stipend, is anticipated to cost only around $4,500 on average. The stipend would not be paid until it was verified that an individual self-deported. Aliens will use the CBP Home self-deportation app to access this assistance, and DHS expects self-removals, already in the thousands, to ramp up significantly with this announcement…READ MORE FREED PRISONER: Trump meets with American ballerina freed from Russian prison ‘NOT ALLOWED’: Trump shoots down rumors he will seek 3rd term: ‘Not something I’m looking to do’ DISORDER IN COURT: Trump questions judges who block deportations of ‘criminals, including murderers’ ‘AUTHORITY TO REGULATE’: Trump admin sues Colorado, Denver over ‘sanctuary laws,’ alleged interference in immigration enforcement KEEPING TRUMP HONEST: Former VP Pence vows to be a ‘voice against’ Trump when president veers from ‘conservative agenda’ ‘RAPIDLY’: Trump fields question about his timeline for judicial nominations: ‘We’re putting ’em in rapidly’ TRUMP’S 16TH WEEK BACK: Trump’s 16th week in office to include WH meeting with Canada, ongoing trade negotiations ‘SHE IS SO AFRAID’: Trump says Mexican president is afraid of cartels after she rejected his offer to send US troops to Mexico LAST CHANCE: Israel says Trump’s Middle East visit is the ‘window of opportunity’ for hostage deal TOTAL CONTROL: Israel approves plan to capture all of Gaza, calls up tens of thousands of reserve troops: report ACROSS THE ATLANTIC: Rwanda ‘in discussions’ with US to receive deported migrants: report TRUMP CARD: GOP leaders find new major holiday deadline for Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ amid Medicaid, tax divisions ‘BRUTAL’ PREDICTION: Senate Democrats predicting very rough confirmation hearing for UN ambassador pick Mike Waltz ‘LOSING THE BASE’: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene airs frustrations, warns that she represents a ‘not happy’ Republican base ‘WHEELS ARE COMING OFF’: GOP rep urges lawmakers to ‘right-size’ bloated bureaucracy, national debt ‘FIRST THEY CAME’: Democrat Hank Johnson draws Holocaust comparison while blasting deportations ‘RACIAL DISPARITIES’: DOJ opens probe after left-wing DA requires prosecutors to consider race in plea deals ‘WE DELIVER ON THAT PROMISE’: Texas Gov. Abbott signs $1 billion voucher program into law, capping off win for school choice advocates BALLOTS CAST: REAL ID is about to go into effect. Here’s how it may impact voting LASTING LEGACY: Cornyn bringing bill to enshrine Trump EO renaming refuge after Jocelyn Nungaray into law FIRST ON FOX: Red state school district hit with complaint to Trump admin alleging unlawful DEI practices MAY 20 DEADLINE LOOMS: Deadline looms allowing left-wing court to select US attorney as state AGs urge confirmation of Trump pick Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
California Dems run ads against GOP on sex trafficking bill after blocking penalties for teen solicitation
A series of Facebook ads funded by the California Democratic Party is claiming that Republicans are against stronger laws to protect 16- and 17-year-old sex trafficking victims amid a legislative fight over a minor solicitation bill in which Democrats successfully forced the exclusion of harsher penalties for the purchase or solicitation of older teens. The ads began appearing on social media after a vote in the California Assembly last week when Democrat leaders refused to move forward with AB 379, which would have made it an automatic felony to purchase or solicit 16- and 17-year-olds for sex. Featured in each ad is the name and image of a state Republican lawmaker who “voted against stronger laws protecting” older teens from sex trafficking, accusing them of protecting their “political party, not our kids.” SON OF SUSPECTED WOULD-BE TRUMP ASSASSIN ARRESTED ON CHILD PORN CHARGES AB 379, authored by Democratic Assemblymember Maggy Krell, was an attempt to crack down on the buyers in the child sex trafficking trade and to align their punishments with the traffickers. The ad campaign came after the Democrat-controlled Assembly Public Safety Committee decided to move the bill forward as long as it didn’t carry the felony provision for those who solicit older teens for sex. At the time, Krell told Fox News Digital that she was forced to exclude the felony provision in order for the legislation to move forward. “I wholeheartedly disagree with that amendment,” she said. “This has been my life’s work and I will continue to partner with sex trafficking survivors and law enforcement to ensure all minors are protected from the horrors of sex trafficking.” On Thursday, Democrats voted to strip the bill completely from Krell, a former prosecutor who investigated human trafficking, while excluding the automatic felony clause. They also inserted text that read, “It is the intent of the Legislature to adopt the strongest laws to protect 16-and 17-year old victims and strengthen protections in support of survivors of human trafficking.” “Just when you thought the @CA_Dem couldn’t go any lower, any more pathetic and desperate, here they are, trying to falsely spin themselves out of siding with predators over children, (poorly) playing politics over people. SO excited for 2026,” the California Republican Party shared Monday on X. WANDA BARZEE, ONE OF ELIZABETH SMART’S CAPTORS, ARRESTED ON ALLEGED SEX OFFENDER VIOLATION Several Republican lawmakers also pushed back against the accusation that their party doesn’t protect children. “You see my friend Democrats lie… After we called @AsmDems out on the floor last week for removing protections for 16 and 17-year-old victims, they run ads accusing us… of the very thing they are doing,” Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher wrote on X. “You can’t hide from the truth with deceptive ads. It is Democrats who can’t bring themselves to part with weird ideological politics to protect kids.” Assemblyman Josh Hoover, one of several Republicans targeted in the ad campaign, said Democrats were attempting to gaslight Californians. “Make no mistake, these ads are nothing but a distraction from their own failed record on public safety,” he wrote on social media. “I will continue to fight to restore the protections they removed, hold perpetrators accountable, and make sure all minors are treated equally under the law.” The ad campaign was reportedly being pushed by the campaign of Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas. Fox News Digital has reached out to the California Democratic Party and Rivas’ campaign. FATHER PRESSES FOR ANSWERS IN COLLEGE FRESHMAN DAUGHTER’S DEATH AFTER FALL FROM DORM: ‘SHE WAS OUR WORLD’ AB 379 came together after older teens were left out of a state law that went into effect this year that makes it a felony to purchase a child aged 15 and younger for sex. Last year, California State Sen. Shannon Groven authored a bill that made it illegal to buy minors for sex, but it excluded 16- and 17-year-olds. Currently, traffickers, not the buyers, face the harshest consequences when convicted of trafficking anyone under 18. Last week, Democrat California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he supported harsher consequences for those who solicit minors for sex. Assemblyman Joe Patterson said Newsom has lost control of his own party and that the state Democratic Party is treating him “like a lame duck.” Assemblywoman Kate Sanchez said Democrats across the state have failed Californians on a range of issues, including public safety, affordability and homelessness. “All they have left are dirty lies that are easily rebutted by journalists,” she wrote. The National Republican Congressional Committee also weighed in on the matter. “California Democrats chose predators over children and out-of-touch Democrats Derek Tran and Dave Min have said nothing,” Christian Martinez, a spokesperson for the NRCC, told Fox News Digital while calling out Democrat lawmakers. “Worse, they’re letting their fellow Democrats whitewash their disgusting record of protecting the absolute worst among us.” Last week, Krell said she didn’t care if the bill had her name on it or not, but would support any proposal that included protections for 16- and 17-year-olds.
DOJ investigating ‘anti-Catholic’ Washington state law requiring clergy to report child abuse
A law signed by Washington State Gov. Bob Ferguson last week that requires members of the clergy to report confessions of child abuse or neglect is under scrutiny, as the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has opened a civil rights investigation into whether the law violates the First Amendment. The Evergreen State’s new law adds “members of the clergy” to a list of professionals who are required to report information obtained through confessionals that relate to child abuse or neglect, to law enforcement or other state authorities. The law provides no exception for the absolute seal of confidentiality, which applies to Catholic Priests, according to the DOJ. The DOJ also said the state’s new law singles out “members of the clergy” as the only “supervisors” who are unable to rely on applicable legal privileges such as religious confessions, as a reason to not report the claims as mandated. VATICAN LAW REQUIRES CLERGY TO REPORT SEX ABUSE AND COVER-UPS The DOJ’s Civil Rights Division is investigating whether Washington state’s law violates religious protections provided under the First Amendment. The First Amendment states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” UTAH BILL WOULD PROTECT CLERGY MEMBERS WHEN REPORTING CHILD ABUSE TO POLICE “SB 5375 demands that Catholic Priests violate their deeply held faith in order to obey the law, a violation of the Constitution and a breach of the free exercise of religion cannot stand under our Constitutional system of government,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said. “Worse, the law appears to single out clergy as not entitled to assert applicable privileges, as compared to other reporting professionals. We take this matter very seriously and look forward to Washington State’s cooperation with our investigation.” NEW LEADER IN LDS CHURCH SAYS IT SHOULD DO MORE TO HELP VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ABUSE Ferguson, who signed the bill into law on May 2, did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the matter. FOX 13 in Seattle reported that the bill will go into effect on July 26. The station also reported that a federal report shows that Washington is one of just five states that does not explicitly or implicitly require clergy to report suspected child abuse or neglect. It added that most states exempt information learned through confession from mandatory reporting, though Washington joins just a handful of states, including West Virginia and New Hampshire, which do not provide such exemptions.
Republicans squabble over Trump spending plan as Fiscal Year 2026 looms: ‘Stay until we pass it’
President Donald Trump is proposing staggering spending cuts. In his budget request for fiscal year 2026, the president demands that Congress slash an eye-popping 20% of spending which lawmakers allocate each year. “You’re going to see $150 billion (in cuts) passed in the House and the Senate. That is real money,” said Budget Director Russ Vought on Fox News. “I think for the first time, this budget is not dead on arrival.” To be clear, the budget which Mr. Trump sent to Capitol Hill is aspirational. All presidential budgets are. It’s what a president proposes that lawmakers – and his administration – aim to spend for the upcoming fiscal year. Congress is still charged with voting on the 12 annual spending bills which fund the government. The 20% cut proposed by President Trump deals with that area of spending. REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: WHERE WE STAND WITH TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ The Trump administration characterized this blueprint as a “skinny” budget. That’s because it included nothing about Medicare and Medicaid. Those social programs consume exorbitant chunks of federal spending – far exceeding what Congress appropriates each year. Congressional Republicans aim to make alterations of some kind to these programs in their so-called “big, beautiful bill.” Republicans insist those programs won’t endure cuts. But a “cut” is in the eye of the beholder. “We’re going to move towards a long-term balanced budget. I like how we’re thinking long-term instead of short-term,” said Rep. Mike Haridopolos, R-Fla., on Fox News. To be clear, the framework for the GOP’s big, beautiful bill does not balance the budget. In fact, it increases the budget deficit. And Mr. Trump’s budget package doesn’t balance either. There’s no way to understand such a path unless you include Medicare and Medicaid. But here’s what Mr. Trump’s budget request does do: It eliminates dollars from every federal department and agency, except the Departments of Transportation and Veterans Affairs. Space programs and NASA are also safe, too. “This is how you break the Swamp,” declared the House Freedom Caucus. “The FY ‘26 budget is a paradigm shift.” The president’s proposal knifes the Department of Housing and Urban Development by 40%. It axes the Departments of Labor and Interior by 30%. TOP SENATE ARMED SERVICES REPUBLICAN SAYS TRUMP OMB’S BUDGET ‘SHREDS TO THE BONE’ MILITARY CAPABILITIES However, dollars for the Pentagon are essentially flat. Defense hawks were apoplectic. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., torched Mr. Trump’s outline. “Trump successfully campaigned on a Peace Through Strength agenda. But his advisers at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) were apparently not listening,” fumed Wicker. “For the defense budget, OMB has requested a fifth year straight of Biden administration funding, leaving military spending flat, which is a cut in real terms.” Wicker accused OMB of trying to “shred to the bone” the nation’s military. Former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., chairs the Senate defense appropriations panel, charged with funding the Pentagon. “It is peculiar how much time the President’s advisors spend talking about restoring peace through strength, given how apparently unwilling they’ve been to invest accordingly in the national defense or in other critical instruments of national power,” said McConnell. “I am very concerned the requested base budget for defense does not reflect a realistic path to building the military capability we need to achieve President Trump’s Peace Through Strength agenda,” said House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Ala. With friends like these… TRUMP SLAMS REPUBLICAN ‘GRANDSTANDERS’ OPPOSING BUDGET BILL, PREDICTS MASSIVE US TAX INCREASES IF IT FAILS Vought fired back at Congressional defense advocates and their allegations that the budget request undercut the military. “It’s an inaccurate charge. We provide a trillion dollars in national defense spending. 13% increase. We do it in two components,” said Vought. “We use discretionary spending. And then we put in a historic paradigm all of our increases on defense and Homeland Security. We use it in reconciliation so that we only need to use Republican votes. We don’t want Democrats to have the filibuster as a veto to then hijack the appropriations process and say no to the Homeland Security spending.” Let me fillet that statement for you. In other words, Vought asserts that some of the funding increases for the Pentagon will come through “budget reconciliation,” the process Republicans are now using to pass the big, beautiful bill. Republicans intend to pass that package with only GOP votes. But if Republicans included that military money in a “regular” appropriations bill, Democrats may demand “parity.” They would insist that non-defense programs score the same increase in exchange for advancing those bills – and voting to overcome a filibuster. So Vought argues his approach keeps Democrats from holding Pentagon dollars hostage in exchange for money targeted toward other programs. But Democrats are focused on what Republicans may try to do with Medicare and Medicaid. They argue that Republicans are teeing up cuts. “Hospitals will close. Nursing homes will shut down. Communities will be hurt. And Americans will die,” said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. Republicans insist those programs won’t face cuts. “The question is, will we be susceptible to the fear-mongering and the false rhetoric that you just heard from the Democrat Minority Leader in the House? And this is the same tired play they run,” said House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, on Fox News. “We will be rewarded because we’re doing this for the sustainability of these programs for the most vulnerable.” TRUMP SAYS PUBLIC ENTITLEMENTS LIKE SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICAID WON’T BE TOUCHED IN GOP BUDGET BILL Still, even some remain apprehensive about how the GOP will handle those programs. “If you want to be in the minority forever, then go ahead and do Medicaid cuts,” said Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo. “That would be catastrophically stupid.” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., and Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., met President Trump at the White House late last week to discuss the
Hegseth orders ‘historic’ reduction in general officers in the military
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Monday that the U.S. military will soon be seeing a dramatic reduction in the number of general officers across all branches. He called the reduction a “historic” move to fulfill President Donald Trump’s commitment to “achieving peace through strength.” “We’re going to shift resources from bloated headquarters elements to our warfighters,” said Hegseth. According to Hegseth, there are currently 44 4-star and flag officers across the military, making for a ratio of one general to 1,400 troops, compared to the ratio during World War II of one general to 6,000 troops. HEGSETH ORDERS SWEEPING ARMY OVERHAUL AND CONSOLIDATION AIMED AT COUNTERING CHINA AND GOLDEN DOME CAPABILITIES Hegseth, who has pledged to transform the military into a “leaner, more lethal force,” issued a memo to senior Pentagon personnel on Monday in which he ordered the reductions to be carried out in two phases. In the first phase, Hegseth ordered a “minimum” 20 percent reduction of four-star generals and flag officers in the active-duty component as well as a 20 percent reduction in the National Guard. In phase two, the secretary is ordering an additional 10 percent reduction in general and flag officers across the military. The secretary called the reductions part of his “less generals, more GIs policy.” BILLIONS SPENT, WARFIGHTERS WAIT: INSIDE THE PENTAGON’S BROKEN BUYING SYSTEM AND THE PLAN TO FIX IT In a video announcing the change, he said the reductions will be done “carefully, but its going to be done expeditiously.” He noted that “this is not a slash and burn exercise meant to punish high-ranking officers” but rather a “deliberative process, working with the joint chiefs with one goal: maximizing strategic readiness and operational effectiveness by making prudent reductions.” “We got to be lean and mean. And in this case, it means general officer reductions,” said Hegseth. Congress sets the number of general officers allowed in the military. The total number of active-duty general or flag officers is capped at 219 for the Army, 150 for the Navy, 171 for the Air Force, 64 for the Marine Corps, and 21 for the Space Force.
Hakeem Jeffries blames Trump for Newark Airport chaos, accuses White House of ‘breaking the FAA’
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries slammed President Donald Trump while discussing the recent chaos at Newark Liberty International Airport, saying he had “decimated the FAA.” During a press conference on Monday, Jeffries took a reporter’s question about the recent delays at Newark Airport. “Well, it’s certainly something that I think we’re all invested in looking into, as it relates to the ability of the American people to be able to travel in an efficient way,” the Democrat began, before turning his attention to Trump. “We do know that the Trump administration has decimated the FAA in a variety of different ways, and they’ve been doing this from the very beginning,” he added. “They are breaking the federal government.” TRUMP ANNOUNCES 100% TARIFF ON ALL FOREIGN-PRODUCED MOVIES: ‘WE WANT MOVIES MADE IN AMERICA, AGAIN!’ Jeffries added that the Trump administration is “breaking the FAA.” “And whether the specific situation at Newark Airport has anything to do with that remains to be seen,” he continued. “But it’s my expectation that the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will look into this situation, and we should get some answers to figure out how to get it turned around.” UN WATCHDOG PROJECT CALLS ON DOGE CAUCUS TO ‘AUDIT’ THE INTERNATIONAL ORG The conference came days after the massive delays and cancellations at the New Jersey airport began. On Thursday, more than 500 flights in and out of Newark were delayed and at least 200 others were canceled, and chaos followed throughout the weekend. As of Monday afternoon, 172 flights have been delayed and 76 have been canceled on Monday. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy blamed the situation on poor technology in an X post on Friday. “The technology that we are using is old. That’s what is causing the outages and delays we are seeing at Newark,” Duffy wrote.
Republicans advance Trump ally’s Gulf of America bill to full House vote despite Dem opposition
The House Rules Committee has advanced a bill to permanently rename the Gulf of America. Formerly the Gulf of Mexico, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that upended that as part of his America First agenda. But without congressional action, the name could be reverted by a future administration – which spurred Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., to introduce a bill enshrining the name in federal law. The measure advanced through the House Rules Committee in a party-line vote on Monday evening, teeing it up for a chamber-wide vote sometime this week. The House Rules Committee acts as the final gatekeeper for most bills before they hit the House floor. MEET THE TRUMP-PICKED LAWMAKERS GIVING SPEAKER JOHNSON A FULL HOUSE GOP CONFERENCE Democrats had attempted to derail the measure with several protest amendments, including one that would have limited oil and gas drilling permissions in the area. None of those passed along with the final bill, however, as expected. Democrats ripped the legislation as a meaningless attempt to score political points with Trump. Republicans, however, called it a “historic” move for America First and an “important symbol of that effort and a step in the right direction.” “Throughout our country’s history, presidents have changed the names of America’s lands and waters. The change we are discussing today signals to the world that America is standing tall, and that we are proud of our country,” Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-Wyo., said in support of the bill. “It is nearly impossible to overstate the Gulf of America’s critical role in achieving not only American energy independence, but dominance. President Trump has made it a priority of his administration to reassert America’s role as a global leader in energy production, and the Gulf of America is a critical part of that agenda.” She pointed back to Republicans’ 2024 electoral sweep, “The American people support these policies, and we must deliver on the promises that we have made.” Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pa., a member of the House Rules Committee, said during her opening statement during the panel’s debate on the measure, “Ever since the beginning of Trump’s term, House Republicans have been tripping over themselves to find new and more embarrassing ways to suck up to the president and indulge his peculiar obsessions.” SCOOP: REPUBLICANS DISCUSS DEFUNDING ‘BIG ABORTION’ LIKE PLANNED PARENTHOOD IN TRUMP AGENDA BILL “This bill to rename the Gulf of Mexico is a stupid, unserious waste of time and taxpayer dollars. It’s an embarrassment to the nation that it was ever introduced, let alone that it’s being brought to the floor for a vote,” Scanlon said. Fox News Digital is told a House-wide vote on the bill is expected Thursday morning. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly told Fox News Digital of the Democrats lodging protest amendments to the bill, “Democrats are so overtaken with Trump Derangement Syndrome and obsessed with obstructing the President’s agenda that they will always put America Last. As President Trump said, the Gulf of America has long been an integral asset to our nation. All future generations should be able to recognize this beautiful body of water as a sign of American greatness.”
White House rips House Dems trying to hijack Trump’s Gulf of America plans
FIRST ON FOX: The White House is going after Democratic lawmakers looking to upend House GOP plans to make President Donald Trump’s Gulf of America name change permanent. The House Rules Committee, the final gatekeeper before most legislation gets a House-wide vote, is considering a bill to codify Trump’s decision to cease calling the body of water on the U.S. Southeast “the Gulf of Mexico.” “Democrats are so overtaken with Trump Derangement Syndrome and obsessed with obstructing the President’s agenda that they will always put America last,” White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly told Fox News Digital. “As President Trump said, the Gulf of America has long been an integral asset to our nation. All future generations should be able to recognize this beautiful body of water as a sign of American greatness.” MEET THE TRUMP-PICKED LAWMAKERS GIVING SPEAKER JOHNSON A FULL HOUSE GOP CONFERENCE Four Democrats have submitted amendments in a bid to upend the legislation — though none are likely to pass, given the committee’s Republican majority. The first measure, led by Rep. Jared Huffman, D-Calif., would revert a similar Trump decision to rename Mt. McKinley in Alaska. The highest peak in North America, former President Barack Obama stripped his assassinated predecessor’s name from the mountain in favor of Mt. Denali, the name originally given by the indigenous peoples who lived in the area. Trump signed an executive order restoring McKinley as its name on his first day in office this year. BROWN UNIVERSITY IN GOP CROSSHAIRS AFTER STUDENT’S DOGE-LIKE EMAIL KICKS OFF FRENZY A second amendment by Rep. Darren Soto, D-Fla., is aimed at limiting Trump’s ability to issue oil and gas drilling leases in the Gulf region. Rep. Maxine Dexter, D-Ore., meanwhile, submitted an amendment that, if passed, would block the Trump administration from “retribution” against news organizations that refer to the area as the Gulf of Mexico. The White House had blocked access for an Associated Press journalist earlier this year after the organization continued to refer to the gulf’s former name even after Trump’s executive order. A federal judge ordered the White House to reverse that last month. The fourth amendment submitted by Democrats, led by Rep. Luz Rivas, D-Calif., would prevent the formal name change from taking effect until the Department of Interior carried out an assessment on whether it would benefit the economy. Rivas told Fox News Digital that the Gulf of America rename is a “vanity project” that “accomplishes nothing” in response to the White House statement. “Millions of Americans are struggling because of President Trump’s economic policies, and Republicans in Congress have yet to put forth a legislative proposal that lowers the costs of groceries, protects healthcare, or lowers housing costs,” Rivas said. The bill itself is expected to get a vote sometime this week. It’s one of several pieces of legislation House Republicans are advancing aimed at making Trump’s executive actions permanent. Trump’s executive order renaming the gulf was one of the first actions he took in his second term. The remaining three Democratic offices who Fox News Digital reached for comment did not get back by press time.
Trump-aligned group sues Chief Justice John Roberts in effort to restrict power of the courts
A pro-Trump legal group founded by White House aide Stephen Miller is suing Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts — a long-shot move as Trump allies fight court rulings blocking key actions from the Oval Office. The lawsuit was filed by the America First Legal Foundation against Roberts in his capacity as the official head of the U.S. Judicial Conference and Robert J. Conrad, who serves as the director of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. The complaint accuses both the U.S. Judicial Conference and the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts of performing certain regulatory actions that go beyond the scope of resolving cases or controversies, or administratively supporting those actions, which they argue are the “core functions” of the judiciary. It also argues that records held by the Roberts-led U.S. Judicial Conference should therefore be subject to the Freedom of Information Act requests, or FOIA requests, as a result. TRUMP’S EXECUTIVE ORDER ON VOTING BLOCKED BY FEDERAL JUDGES AMID FLURRY OF LEGAL SETBACKS AFL cited in its lawsuit recent actions taken by both the Judicial Conference and Administrative Office in 2023 to “accommodate” requests from Congress to investigate allegations of ethical improprieties by Justices Thomas and Alito, and subsequently to create or adopt an “ethics code” for justices on the high court. “Under our constitutional tradition, accommodations with Congress are the province of the executive branch,” AFL said, adding: “The Judicial Conference and the Administrative Office are therefore executive agencies,” and must therefore be overseen by the president, not the courts. GORSUCH, ROBERTS SIDE WITH LEFT-LEANING SUPREME COURT JUSTICES IN IMMIGRATION RULING The U.S. Judicial Conference is the national policymaking body for the courts. It is overseen by the Supreme Court’s chief justice, and tasked with making twice-yearly recommendations to Congress as needed. The Administrative Office for the U.S. Courts, meanwhile, operates under the guidance and supervision of the Judicial Conference. Its role is to provide administrative support to the federal courts on certain administrative issues and for day-to-day logistics, including setting budgets and organizing data, among other things. Plaintiffs for AFL, led by attorney Will Scolinos, argued in their lawsuit that the Judicial Conference’s duties are “executive functions,” and functions they allege must be supervised by executive officers “who are appointed and accountable to other executive officers.” Further, AFL argued, “Courts definitively do not create agencies to exercise functions beyond resolving cases or controversies or administratively supporting those functions.” In their view, this is also sufficient to put the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts — as it is overseen by the Judicial Conference — under the executive branch as well. Scolinos argued that AFL’s proposed framework “preserves the separation of powers but also keeps the courts out of politics.” U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden, a Trump appointee, has been assigned to preside over the case.
Israel strikes Yemen’s port city in response to Houthi attack on Tel Aviv Airport
Israeli forces on Monday struck Yemen’s port city of Hodeidah, targeting the Iran-backed Houthis in response to “repeated attacks” against the Jewish state, in particular its missile strike that nearly hit Tel Aviv’s largest airport. The Israel Defense Forces said fighter jets targeted the port city, which is along Yemen’s coastline, and a concrete factory. “The terrorist infrastructure sites struck in the Hudaydah port serve as a central supply source for the Houthi terrorist regime,” an IDF statement said. “The Hudaydah Port is used for the transfer of Iranian weapons, military equipment, and other equipment intended for terrorist purposes.” ISRAEL APPROVES PLAN TO CAPTURE ALL OF GAZA, CALLS UP TENS OF THOUSANDS OF RESERVE TROOPS In addition, the IDF also struck the “Bajil” Concrete Plant, which serves as a significant economic resource for the Houthis, the IDF said. The facility is also used for the construction of underground tunnels and terrorist infrastructure for the terrorist regime, officials said. During the strike, the Houthis retaliated with surface-to-surface missiles and drones that were launched at Israel and civilians, Israel said. PARENTS OF HAMAS HOSTAGES URGE TRUMP TO BE ‘TOUGH WITH ENEMIES AND FRIENDS’ AMID ISRAELI SIEGE IN GAZA Following Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, the Houthis have targeted commercial shipping in and around the Red Sea in solidarity with the terror group. U.S. naval forces have been deployed to the region, where they have launched repeated airstrikes against the Houthis in Yemen. The group is funded and trained by Iran. Israel’s strike was in retaliation for a Houthi missile attack that nearly struck Ben Gurion Airport, causing multiple international airlines to cancel flights to Israel. The missile reportedly evaded both Israeli and U.S. missile defenses, according to Israeli media. On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed retaliation.