Deal struck between US and Mexico to ensure Texas farmers get much-needed water
The Trump administration and Mexican officials reached a deal to ensure Texas farmers get much-needed water from the Rio Grande, less than a month after President Donald Trump accused the neighbor to the south of robbing the farmers of water promised under a decades-old treaty. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced on Monday that the deal had been reached with Mexico to meet the current water needs of Texas farmers and ranchers as agreed under the 1944 Water Treaty. Under the latest agreement, Mexico committed to send water from international reservoirs and increase the U.S. flow from six of Mexico’s Rio Grande tributaries through the end of the current five-year water cycle, which ends in October. “Mexico finally meeting the water needs of Texas farmers and ranchers under the 1944 Water Treaty is a major win for American agriculture,” Rollins said. “After weeks of negotiations with Mexican cabinet officials alongside the Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, we secured an agreement to give Texas producers the water they need to thrive.” TEXAS FARMING CRISIS LOOMSAS US, MEXICO SPAR OVER LONG-STANDING WATER TREATY Rollins called the measure a significant step forward, noting that the Trump administration welcomes Mexico’s continued operation in support of American agriculture. Under the 1944 Water Treaty, Mexico agreed to deliver 1.75 million acre-feet over five years to the U.S. from the Rio Grande. In exchange, the U.S. agreed to deliver 1.5 million acre-feet of water to Mexico from the Colorado River. But at times, Mexico falls short with its delivery to the U.S., and it has led to severe water shortages in the Rio Grande Valley for farmers and ranchers, killing crops and jobs while threatening the local economy. BOTH SIDES CLAIM VICTORY AFTER SUPREME COURT RULES TEXAS RANCHER CAN SUE STATE OVER FLOODED LANDS The agreement comes weeks after Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Mexico, possibly even sanctions, if it continued to rob South Texas farmers of Rio Grande water as promised under the treaty. “This is very unfair, and it is hurting South Texas Farmers very badly,” the president wrote in a post on Truth Social on April 10. “Last year, the only Sugar Mill in Texas CLOSED, because Mexico has been stealing the water from Texas Farmers. Ted Cruz has been leading the fight to get South Texas the water it is owed, but Sleepy Joe refused to lift a finger to help the Farmers. THAT ENDS NOW!” TEXAS TOWN DECLARES ‘WATER EMERGENCY,’ TELLS RESIDENTS THAT IT COULD RUN OUT OF WATER Trump continued, saying he will make sure Mexico does not violate treaties with the U.S. and hurt farmers in Texas. “Just last month, I halted water shipments to Tijuana until Mexico complies with the 1944 Water Treaty,” he wrote. “My Agriculture Secretary, Brooke Rollins, is standing up for Texas Farmers, and we will keep escalating consequences, including TARIFFS and, maybe even SANCTIONS, until Mexico honors the Treaty, and GIVES TEXAS THE WATER THEY ARE OWED!” Texas farm groups warned of a disastrous season ahead of them for citrus and sugar last year as Mexican and U.S. officials tried to resolve a dispute over the 1944 treaty that supplies U.S. farmers with critical irrigation. The two countries have tussled over the treaty before, but the drought-driven water shortages were the most severe in nearly 30 years.
California Dem lawmakers proposes bill to decriminalize welfare fraud below $25K over administrative errors
A bill that would decriminalize welfare fraud under $25,000 in California for simple administrative errors is being pushed by a Democratic lawmaker. State Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas introduced Senate Bill 560, which would delete criminal penalties for welfare fraud below $25,000, and delete a provision for criminal penalties for any attempt at welfare fraud below $950, according to the legislation, which was introduced in February. “California’s safety net should lift families up, not trap them in poverty,” Smallwood-Cuevas told Fox News Digital. “Right now, a missed deadline or paperwork mistake can lead to felony charges that tear families apart — even when there’s no intent to deceive.” The lawmaker said the bill “offers a smarter, more humane approach by allowing counties to resolve most overpayment cases administratively, holding people accountable without criminalizing poverty.” WE’RE MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE FREEDOM CAUCUS. THE US MUST CHOOSE: EITHER $20 TRILLION IN DEBT OR MEDICAID REFORM The legislation is set for a hearing on May 5. The bill would require a county agency to determine whether the welfare benefits were authorized as a result of an error in the Statewide Automated Welfare System (CalSAWS). It would prohibit a person from being subject to criminal prosecution in certain instances for an overpayment or overissuance of benefits, the bill states. “This bill is about keeping families out of the criminal justice system from making administrative errors on raising the threshold for welfare fraud prosecutions,” Smallwood-Cuevas said in an April 8 Instagram post. LOS ANGELES ISSUES ONLY 4 PERMITS TO REBUILD HOMES AFTER DEVASTATING PALISADES FIRE: REPORT Most welfare fraud occurs when the reported absent parent is actually living in the home, unreported income, using an ineligible child or children not living in the home who are part of the recipient’s case, according to the California Department of Social Services. In Los Angeles County, field investigators handle 15,000 to 20,000 fraud cases or referrals, according to the Department of Public Social Services. Annually, investigators find fraud in around 5,000 to 8,000 cases. Of that, 200 cases are sent to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office and 95% result in a conviction.
Dem senator says Abrego Garcia situation ‘not going to end well’ for Trump, argues he’s ‘undermining’ freedom
Democratic Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley warned President Donald Trump that his mass deportation efforts are “not going to end well” for him, during comments from the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner over the weekend. Merkley’s warning came after being asked about his thoughts on Trump’s deportation policies and Democrats’ efforts to challenge them, specifically their decision to visit alleged Venezuelan gang member Kilmar Abrego Garcia in El Salvador, after the Trump administration deported him. Democrats insist Abrego Garcia was wrongly deported in the president’s sweeping decision to remove hundreds of mostly Venezuelan gang members from the United States, arguing Abrego Garcia is not a gang member despite the Trump administration’s insistence that he is. DEMOCRAT FAULTS HIS OWN PARTY FOR PICKING WRONG BATTLE WITH CASE OF DEPORTED MS-13 SUSPECT “You know due process is a – it sounds very scholarly but it’s basically what prevents the government from sweeping you, or me, off the street,” Merkley said when asked his thoughts on Democrats’ defense of Abrego Garcia. “[Due process] is extraordinarily important for freedom.” “I want President Trump to understand this is about freedom and that what he’s doing is undermining it,” Merkley continued. “It’s not going to end well for him because our nation is going to respond, and we are going to defend our Constitution and our freedom.” The White House, meanwhile, slammed Merkley and other Democrats for choosing to die on a hill defending a documented criminal who was residing in the United States illegally. DEMS RIDICULED FOR GOING ‘ALL IN’ ON SUSPECTED MS-13 GANG MEMBER KILMAR ABREGO GARCIA “If the hill that Democrats want to die on is demanding the return of a violent illegal alien, wifebeater, and foreign terrorist, we are happy to dig that grave for them,” White House spokesperson Kush Desai told Fox News Digital in response to Merkley’s comments. In addition to Trump’s deportation of Abrego Garcia, Democrats have also been up in arms over the president’s decision to rescind student visas and deport non-citizen college students in the U.S. who have allegedly been involved in organizing anti-Israel, and some have argued anti-Semitic, protests on college campuses. The Trump administration has cited federal law that allows immigration enforcement against visa-holders deemed a national security threat. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP On Monday, Trump also signed an executive order aimed at rescinding local sanctuary city policies that prevented local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities. The new order seeks to hold federal funds hostage and allows the Justice Department to pursue “all necessary legal remedies and enforcement measures” to bring non-compliant jurisdictions back into compliance with the new order.
Trump administration targets Ivy League school, law journal for racial discrimination
The Trump administration has launched investigations into Harvard University and the Harvard Law Review after allegations that the journal discriminated against readers who wanted to respond to an article about police reform because they were white men. Both the Department of Education and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) launched investigations into possible violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The investigations were launched in response to information both federal agencies received about policies and practices for journal membership as well as article selection that may violate Title VI. In a press release, HHS claimed the Harvard Law Review’s editor reportedly wrote that it was “concerning” that “four of the five people” who wanted to reply to an article on police reform were “white men.” TRUMP FROZE FUNDING FOR HARVARD. MONEY TO THESE UNIVERSITIES MAY ALSO BE ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK HHS also said another editor at the Review suggested “that a piece should be subjected to expedited review because the author was a minority.” Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color and national origin in education programs and activities that receive federal funding. Any violations of Title VI could result in the loss of funds from the federal government. “Harvard Law Review’s article selection process appears to pick winners and losers on the basis of race, employing a spoils system in which the race of the legal scholar is as, if not more, important than the merit of the submission,” HHS Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor said. “Title VI’s demands are clear: recipients of federal financial assistance may not discriminate on the basis of race, color, or national origin. No institution—no matter its pedigree, prestige, or wealth—is above the law. The Trump Administration will not allow Harvard, or any other recipients of federal funds, to trample on anyone’s civil rights.” TRUMP ADMIN SLASHES OVER $2.2B IN FUNDING TO HARVARD AFTER SCHOOL DEFIES DEMANDS In a statement to Fox News Digital, the school stated, “Harvard Law School is committed to ensuring that the programs and activities it oversees are in compliance with all applicable laws and to investigating any credibly alleged violations. The Harvard Law Review is a student-run organization that is legally independent from the law school. A claim brought in 2018 was dismissed by the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.” The investigations come as the Trump administration continues to feud with elite education institutions, announcing earlier this month it would be cutting off over $2.2 billion in funding to Harvard University while threatening cuts to another $1 billion of its federal grants and funding. After Harvard refused to comply with a series of requests from the Trump administration to reform various practices on campus, the administration revealed April 18 that it would freeze more than $2 billion in federal funding for the institution. HARVARD WON’T COMPLY WITH TRUMP ADMIN’S DEMANDS AMID THREATS OF CUTTING FEDERAL FUNDING Harvard University President Alan M. Garber said in a statement that President Donald Trump’s administration tacked on additional requests that go beyond addressing antisemitism on campus, and the institution would not comply because the demands were unconstitutional. Garber said the new requests “direct governmental regulation of the ‘intellectual conditions’ at Harvard,” including auditing viewpoints of student, faculty and staff members on campus and eliminating all diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, offices and initiatives at Harvard. “It makes clear that the intention is not to work with us to address antisemitism in a cooperative and constructive manner,” Garber wrote. “We have informed the administration through our legal counsel that we will not accept their proposed agreement.” The Trump administration launched the Federal Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism in February, which aims to eradicate bias on campuses that have experienced incidents targeting Jewish students since October 2023. “It is time for elite universities to take the problem seriously and commit to meaningful change if they wish to continue receiving taxpayer support,” the task force said in a statement. Fox News Digital’s Diana Stancy contributed to this report.
Democrats’ boiling pot: A look at their 2026 game plan
It sometimes takes a pot a while to boil. Democrats lost the presidency. Lost the Senate. Failed to flip control of the House. And now, more than six months after last year’s election, the Democrats’ pot is starting to gurgle. It was natural that Democrats would take some time to figure out what went wrong. Clang around some pots and pans. And finally pour some water into a pot and turn on the stove. DEMOCRATS’ IDENTITY CRISIS: YOUTH REVOLT ROCKS PARTY AFTER TRUMP COMEBACK So Democrats are starting to get their pot to boil. How hot it gets – and whether the stew is anything to wow political culinary taste buds – is unclear. For starters, some Democrats are boiling at one another. Democratic National Committee Chairman (DNC) Ken Martin handed down an ultimatum after DNC Vice Chairman David Hogg aimed to spend millions of dollars mounting primary challenges to Democratic incumbents. “Let me be unequivocal. No DNC officers should ever attempt to influence the outcome of a primary election, whether on behalf of an incumbent or a challenger,” said Martin. Hogg defended his tactic to weed out Democrats who he believe lost a step, are older or just aren’t getting the job done. SENATE PUTS TRUMP TEAM IN PLACE, SETS UP AGENDA FIGHT AFTER 100-DAY SPRINT “We want people to know they’re being watched,” said Hogg. “It’s not to say it’s ‘out with the old in with the new.’ I would say it’s out with the ineffective and in with the effective.” Democrats contend their neutrality pledge is about assuring party unity. “The reforms that Chair Martin is rolling out, including the one that we’re talking about today of increasing funding for state parties, is not a reaction to David Hogg,” said Jane Kleeb of the Association of State Democratic Parties (ASDC). “The reform package that Ken Martin is bringing forward, that he will be discussing over the next several months, that he ran on as chair, is not a reaction to David.” But Hogg is the elephant in the room to the party represented by the donkey. “I have great respect for David Hogg,” said Martin. “I understand what he’s trying to do. I’ve said to him, ‘If you want to challenge incumbents, you’re more than free to do that.’ But just not as an officer of the DNC.” And then there’s rage over age. DNC’S DAVID HOGG TAKING ON DEMOCRATS IS ‘THE BIGGEST GIFT TO REPUBLICANS EVER,’ SAYS STRATEGIST 80-year-old Senate Minority Whip and the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee Dick Durbin, D-Ill., is the latest veteran Democrat to announce his retirement. “I had to project forward. The campaign is going to last two years. And then you’re going to serve six years. So are you ready to make an eight year commitment?” asked Durbin. Durbin would be 87 when another term concluded in early 2033 – presuming he won and served the entire time. “A lot of this is the fallout from Biden,” said Rutgers University political scientist Ross Baker. “It sort of contaminated older Democrats.” Age is just a number. But it’s a number with consequences. Five House Republicans over the age of 65 have died within the past year. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., says Democrats could have sidetracked parts of President Trump’s agenda had the older members lived. 75-year-old Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., defeated 35-year-old Rep. Alexandria, Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., in November to become the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee. The vote: 131-84. Connolly suffered from esophageal cancer – but pushed through. Democrats gave him a vote of confidence. However, Connolly just announced his cancer returned after treatment. He will give up his committee ranking post and retire at the end of this term. DICK DURBIN, NO. 2 SENATE DEMOCRAT, WON’T SEEK RE-ELECTION Durbin’s departure could intensify progressive pressure on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to quit, too. Liberals are fuming over Schumer intervening to side with President Trump and avoid a government shutdown in March. “Sen. Schumer made the disastrous decision,” said House Progressive Caucus Chairman Greg Casar, D-Tex. “I think we have to get to a place where we’re willing to disagree with even our leaders, like Sen. Schumer, when they make a disastrous decision. Thats how we get better.” Schumer contends he isn’t going anywhere. “No conversation about when you might step aside?” asked MSNBC’s Chris Jansing. “I’m focusing on the decision that the Republicans in Congress have to make to whether support Trump with these horrible economic policies or not,” replied Schumer. The New York Democrat further rejected any chatter that he might step down when appearing on CNN. “I am staying put and I’m fighting the fight every day, as is our caucus, in a united and successful way,” said Schumer. Democrats set out to hold town hall meetings over the recent Congressional recess in districts where they accused Republicans of ducking their constituents. But caveat emptor. In some instances, it was Democrats who got an earful. DEMOCRATS’ VICE CHAIR GETS ULTIMATUM: STAY NEUTRAL IN PRIMARIES OR STEP DOWN FROM PARTY LEADERSHIP For instance, Casar conducted a town hall in the district of Rep. Gabe Evans, R-Colo. Evans just flipped his district from blue to red by 2,500 votes. “What are we going to do about the DNC?” asked one Colorado town hall attendee of Casar. “They need to listen to you young people.” “Democrats didn’t really, as far as I can tell, really do anything,” observed another. The pot really started to boil just before dawn early Sunday morning on the East Front of the Capitol. Both clad in black, Jeffries and Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., began what they billed as a “sit-in” to protest President Trump’s policies and reject the “big, beautiful bill.” House committees are prepping that legislation this week. “People will die if this budget is successful. That’s how urgent the fight is,” said Jeffries. But when it comes to conventional tactics, younger, upstart Democrats say BLANK THAT! JEFFRIES,
Appeals court restores hold on Trump admin’s plan to cut government agency by 90%
The U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., issued a ruling Monday to restore a lower court’s order barring the Trump administration’s planned mass layoffs at the Consumer Financial Protections Bureau (CFPB). The court ruled 2-1 to restore an earlier ruling by federal Judge Amy Berman Jackson, an Obama appointee, which temporarily halted the Trump administration’s reductions in force (RIF) at CFPB, which would have cut the agency’s staff by 90 percent. Before Jackson’s ruling, the agency was slated to carry out a reduction in force of roughly 1,400 employees, which would have left just several hundred in place. Following a legal challenge against the reduction filed in the D.C. district court in early February, Jackson issued a preliminary injunction in late March, finding that the plaintiffs would likely succeed on the merits. TRUMP TO SIGN ORDER CRACKING DOWN ON ‘SANCTUARY’ CITIES, THREATEN THEIR FEDERAL FUNDING The order directed the government to “rehire all terminated employees, reinstate all terminated contracts, and refrain from engaging in reductions-in-force or attempting to stop work through any means.” Jackson then ordered another halt to plans earlier this month, shortly after an appeals court narrowed her earlier injunction. Jackson noted that within several days of an appeals order narrowing her initial injunction, CFPB employees were told the agency would do “exactly what it was told not to do,” which was to carry out a RIF. Jackson blocked the administration from moving forward with any layoffs or from cutting off employees’ access to computers at the bureau until she had time to hear from the officials in question. TRUMP’S FIRST 100 DAYS CHALLENGE CAMPUS DEI AS EXPERT WARNS CHANGE MUST BE ‘REFORMED INTERNALLY’ Jackson said she was “willing to resolve it quickly,” but noted that she is “deeply concerned, given the scope and scope of action.” Lawyers with the Justice Department sought to appeal Jackson’s order earlier this year, arguing in a filing that the injunction “improperly intrudes on the executive [branch’s] authority” and goes “far beyond what is lawful.” Jackson is set to hear testimony from officials slated to carry out the RIF procedures on Tuesday.
David Perdue, former senator and longtime Trump ally, passes key hurdle to Chinese ambassadorship
Former Georgia GOP Sen. David Perdue’s nomination to become President Donald Trump’s ambassador to China passed a Senate vote for cloture – to end debate – Monday evening. The vote starts the “2-hour clock” of limited debate that will ultimately end in a vote on Perdue’s nomination. That clock is typically 30 hours for Cabinet-level officials. Perdue has long been an ally of Trump and narrowly lost his 2021 runoff election with Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., by just over 1%, or about 55,000 votes. He also has experience working in global supply chains as a former chief executive of Tennessee-based Dollar General, and other companies. TRUMP APPOINTS SEN. DAVID PERDUE AS AMBASSADOR TO CHINA During his confirmation hearing, Perdue said, “Marxist nationalism” is reshaping China and that their global ambitions threaten the world order. “Since 2000, China has doubled its nuclear arsenal and grown its military at a pace unseen since WWII. They have militarized the South China Sea and violated their agreement in Hong Kong. Their Social Credit Score system and extensive policing capability are designed to enforce domestic state control. Their Belt and Road Initiative and their Made in China 2025 statements demonstrate their global ambitions,” Perdue said. “They speak of a global ‘community of common destiny for all mankind.’ Put simply, they want a world more in line with their authoritarian principles.” Perdue went on to argue that Trump’s “America First” strategy that greatly affects the U.S.’s relationship with China is not isolationist, but “just the reverse.” TRUMP SAYS CHINA’S XI CALLED HIM AMID ONGOING CONFUSION OVER TRADE TALKS “America will be a stronger ally and partner by rebuilding our strategic supply chains at home and with our friends.” He said Chinese leader Xi Jinping, like Trump, only respects strength and that, if confirmed, he will work on reciprocity and security agreements with Beijing. “Our approach to China should be nuanced, nonpartisan, and strategic,” Perdue said. On Taiwan, which China views as a breakaway province, Perdue said he will support the longstanding One China Policy while remaining committed to a “peaceful resolution” of tensions that is acceptable to both Beijing and Taipei. “I will also ensure focus on our priority to eliminate fentanyl precursors and hold China accountable on human rights.” The Senate recently confirmed former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be the U.S. Ambassador to Israel. The upper chamber has also filed cloture motions – which will spur votes after they “ripen” for one legislative day – on three other potential diplomats: former Reagan staffer and New York real estate investor Tom Barrack for ambassador to Turkey, Landry’s Restaurants and Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta as ambassador to Italy and San Marino, and Arkansas investment banker billionaire Warren Stephens as ambassador to the United Kingdom.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: The ICE Man Cometh
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… -House Speaker Mike Johnson praises Trump’s first 100 days: More than most leaders ‘accomplish in their entire lifetimes’ -Where President Donald Trump stands with Americans 100 days into his second presidency -Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth vows crackdown on military obesity after shocking Reserve, Guard report The White House kicked off its celebration of President Donald Trump’s first 100 days in office by highlighting its efforts to combat illegal immigration on Monday. Immigration and Customs Enforcement chief Tom Homan joined White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt at an early morning briefing on Monday. The pair touted massive decreases in border crossings as well as new executive orders aimed at deportations and further border enforcement. “We are in the process of carrying out the largest deportation campaign in American history,” Leavitt said. “After four years of being vilified by the Biden-Harris administration, our heroic ICE officers can finally do their jobs.”…Read more ‘VERY DISAPPOINTED’: Trump disappointed Russia launched rockets at Ukraine, blames Obama, Biden for Crimea giveaway ‘TREMENDOUS TAX CUT’: Trump says income tax cuts, and perhaps elimination, coming due to tariffs ‘TROUBLEMAKERS’: Trump says ‘disruptors’ at GOP town hall events should be ‘immediately ejected’ MADE TO ‘ORDER’: Trump’s Executive Order surge: The unprecedented use of presidential authority: experts weigh in ‘YOU CANNOT HIDE’: Trump’s border czar has word of warning for illegal immigrants PEACE PRESSURE: White House reveals possible penalties on Putin amid peace push: ‘Whatever it takes’ SEEING RED: China’s billion-dollar footprint near Florida coast poses US national security risk, expert warns CANADA VOTES: Trump threats boosted Canada’s Carney, hurt Conservatives as country votes for new leader CANNOT BE BOUGHT: Greenland prime minister says island cannot be bought, US has ‘not been respectful’ THE WORLD AWAITS: Conclave to pick next pope to begin May 7, Vatican says THANKING TROOPS: Putin thanks North Korea for sending troops to fight Ukraine: ‘Will never forget the heroism’ END ‘CAMPAIGN OF VIOLENCE’: Treasury targets Houthi-linked vessels to ‘disrupt’ efforts to fund ‘dangerous and destabilizing attacks’ VICTORY DAY TRUCE: Russia declares 3-day ceasefire in Ukraine for WWII Victory Day CLEARING THE FIELD?: Illinois candidate for Durbin Senate seat consolidates support with Duckworth endorsement RESTORING TRUST: Hawley reignites ‘PELOSI Act’ push to ban lawmakers from trading stocks BIDEN EFFECT: Democrat challenging 12-term rep slams ‘retirement community’ Congress amid youth revolt BACK IN SESSION: Senate puts Trump team in place, sets up agenda fight after 100-day sprint BACK IN SESSION: Dems stage 12-hour ‘moral moment’ at US Capitol, rejecting Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ ‘NO RANCOR, FULL HEART’: Virginia Democratic congressman to retire after cancer returns ‘AMERICA’S FINEST’: Inside the elite police unit that’s quietly thwarting terror attacks SCOOP: Energy Dept saves taxpayers over $600M in Trump’s first 100 days, $3B if counting unfinalized contracts ‘NOT READY’: REAL ID rollout could trigger national headache, state lawmaker warns ‘PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY’: Ethics complaint against Letitia James calls for NY state courts to investigate Trump admin fraud claims Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Trump to sign order cracking down on ‘sanctuary’ cities, threaten their federal funding
President Donald Trump is poised to sign an executive order Monday instructing the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security to create a list of all sanctuary cities failing to adhere to federal immigration laws, providing them a chance to abandon their sanctuary status. The order comes as Trump seeks to speed up deportations, following through on a key promise he made on the campaign trail during his third bid for president. But so-called “sanctuary cities,” or jurisdictions that limit the ability of local agencies to cooperate with federal immigration authorities, have restricted his ability to do so. “It’s quite simple: obey the law, respect the law, and don’t obstruct federal immigration officials and law enforcement officials when they are simply trying to remove public safety threats from our nation’s communities,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Monday. “The American public don’t want illegal alien criminals in their communities. They made that quite clear on November 5, and this administration is determined to enforce our nation’s immigration laws.” Specifically, the executive order will notify sanctuary cities of their status and allow them to drop the sanctuary title — or risk losing federal funding. Additionally, it instructs Attorney General Pam Bondi and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to “pursue all legal remedies” to push sanctuary cities into compliance with federal law, according to a Monday White House fact sheet shared with Fox News Digital. Bondi and Noem are also instructed to establish proper channels ensuring that those in sanctuary cities do not receive federal public benefits. YOUNGKIN TO DRAFT SANCTUARY CITY BAN, MAKING STATE FUNDING CONTINGENT ON ICE COOPERATION Some of the country’s largest cities have some sort of sanctuary law on the books aimed at protecting their illegal immigrant residents, including Chicago, New York City, Boston and Los Angeles, according to the Center for Immigration Studies. Some states have even gone on to pass their own sanctuary laws, including California, Oregon, Washington and Illinois. The jurisdictions have faced controversy as Trump has accelerated his deportation efforts, especially in the wake of multiple high-profile crimes that have been allegedly committed by illegal immigrants in sanctuary cities. COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY STUDENT PROTESTER SUES TRUMP ADMIN TO PREVENT DEPORTATION Even so, the executive order comes days after a federal judge blocked the Trump administration from restricting federal funds for sanctuary cities violates the Constitution’s separation of powers principles and the Spending Clause, in addition to the Fifth and 10th Amendments. The tension between the federal government and the jurisdictions has increased in recent weeks, including at a House Committee on Oversight and Government hearing in March, where members of Congress grilled the mayors of four prominent sanctuary cities. “These reckless policies in Democrat-run cities and states across our nation have led to too many preventable tragedies,” House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., said ahead of the hearing. “They also endanger ICE agents who are forced to take more difficult enforcement actions in jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Trump, a longtime critic of sanctuary jurisdictions, hinted earlier in an April 10 social media post that such an executive action might be in the works. “No more Sanctuary Cities! They protect the Criminals, not the Victims,” Trump said on April 10 in a Truth Social post. “They are disgracing our Country, and are being mocked all over the World. Working on papers to withhold all Federal Funding for any City or State that allows these Death Traps to exist,” Trump said. The Trump administration has signed more than 140 executive orders during Trump’s first 100 days in office — an increase from the 33 he signed during the first 100 days of his first term. Fox News’ Peter Pinedo contributed to this report.
Elections watchdog urges Senate GOP to close noncitizen voting loophole
FIRST ON FOX: As the Senate reconvenes this week after a spring break, the Honest Elections Project is urging GOP leaders to move quickly to close a loophole they say is allowing noncitizens to vote in federal elections. According to Honest Elections Project, an election integrity watchdog group, judicial interpretation of the National Voter Registration Act, often called the Motor Voter Act, effectively ties states’ hands, making it difficult to put commonsense voter ID requirements in place and opening the window for noncitizens to influence and tip the balance in elections. The group said current federal law makes it so that voter registration essentially operates on an honor system in which all a noncitizen needs to do to be added to the voter rolls is check a box indicating he or she is a citizen. Doing so is punishable as perjury but is not sufficient as a deterrent, critics say. To stop this, Honest Elections sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and Senate Rules Committee Chair Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., on Monday, urging them to immediately bring the SAVE Act to the Senate floor for a vote. SENATOR JOINS GROUP OF FAR-LEFT LAWMAKERS WHO THINK TRUMP HAS – AGAIN – COMMITTED IMPEACHABLE OFFENSES The SAVE Act, which passed the House this month, would require voters to show proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate, passport, naturalization certificate or REAL ID that notes citizenship status. According to Congress.gov, the Senate received the legislation for consideration from the House on April 10. When the House was considering the bill, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said, “This will be one of the most important votes that members of this chamber will ever take in their entire careers.” Johnson urged House members to vote in favor of the bill, posing the question: “Should Americans and Americans alone determine the outcome of American elections? Or should we allow foreigners and illegal aliens to decide who sits in the White House and in the people’s House and in the Senate?” Critics of the bill, largely Democrats, argue that it would make voter registration more difficult by adding new documentation requirements and red tape to register. Opponents have argued that people in rural areas, as well as elderly people who have trouble accessing ID offices, would find it difficult to register to vote, effectively disenfranchising them. AS REAL ID ROLLOUT APPROACHES, CONGRESSIONAL PRIVACY HAWKS LARGELY SILENT ON CONCERNS Opponents have also said that recently married women who have had a name change would be disenfranchised because their identification would be outdated. The House passed the measure in a 220-208 vote, with just four Democrats joining Republicans to vote in favor. Honest Elections Executive Director Jason Snead argued in the letter that adding the proof of citizenship requirement to voter registration would make it “easy to vote, but hard to cheat.” Snead slammed opponents of the SAVE Act, saying they “rely on a familiar litany of debunked and misleading arguments” that “have been made about voter ID laws for decades but were never borne out.” HOUSE REPUBLICAN ENTERS RACE FOR MITCH MCCONNELL’S SENATE SEAT, SETTING UP HIGH-STAKES GOP PRIMARY He explained that the SAVE Act has safeguards in place that would require states to establish a process to resolve identification discrepancies, such as a married woman’s new name, allowing them to show additional documentation, such as a marriage license. Snead said that “by the same token, alternative evidence of citizenship could be offered by any American who may lack common records.” On the other hand, Snead said “the evidence clearly shows that noncitizens are able to register and vote” under current law. “In 2018, the Department of Justice charged 19 noncitizens with illegally registering and voting,” he said. HOUSE DEM JUMPS INTO CROWDED MICHIGAN SENATE RACE Snead also cited Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson recently announcing that 15 noncitizens voted in 2024 and officials in Ohio, Texas and Virginia recently identifying “significant numbers of noncitizens on their voter rolls and reported that many appear to have voted in recent years.” “Many races are decided by razor-thin margins – sometimes by a single vote. Each illegal vote cancels out the voice of a lawful citizen voter,” said Snead. In a statement sent to Fox News Digital, Snead said proof of citizenship for voter registration is widely popular among most Americans. He cited a recent Gallup survey that found that 83% of Americans support having to show proof of citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections. “As the Senate returns to session, I urge Leader Thune to take up the SAVE Act without delay,” Snead said. “We urge Leader Thune to take this opportunity to allow every Senator to go on the record supporting the fundamental principle that only citizens should vote in American elections.” Fox News Digital has requested comment from the offices of both Thune and McConnell.