Trump signs education-focused executive orders on AI, school discipline, accreditation, foreign gifts and more
President Donald Trump signed multiple Executive Orders relating to education Wednesday afternoon, with several tied to the theme of returning meritocracy back to the education system. The orders, seven in total, included actions to integrate artificial intelligence into K-12 school curricula, reforms to school discipline and accreditation guidelines, requirements related to the disclosure of foreign funding to schools and enhancements to the country’s workforce development programs. Trump’s slew of education-focused orders also included another directive demanding an end to DEI ideology in schools, specifically the use of “disparate impact theory,” on top of his previous executive order from January ordering an end to DEI-like programming and ideology in K-12 schools. An Executive Order setting up a White House initiative supporting the efficiency and effectiveness of Historically Black Colleges and Universities was also signed by the president on Wednesday. EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO RESUME COLLECTIONS ON DEFAULTED FEDERAL STUDENT LOANS FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2020 “They’re allowing people into school – they can’t do math – and yet kids who have worked really hard and are number one in their class out of high school – some place in New Jersey or Mississippi – they can’t get into the best schools,” Trump said as he signed his order implementing new school accreditation requirements. “What is that all about?” “I think that gets to your policy, sir, of meritocracy – that we should be looking at those who have real merit to get in,” Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon, who was standing over Trump’s shoulder as he signed, chimed in. “And we have to look harder at those universities that aren’t enforcing that.” The accreditation reforms, along with the president’s Executive Orders on school discipline and “disparate impact theory,” were all connected to pulling back from the Biden administration’s era of prioritizing DEI over meritocracy. Specifically, the accreditation reforms seek to prevent accreditors from imposing “discriminatory diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)-based standards,” while compelling them to “prioritize student outcomes.” ‘THIS IS INDOCTRINATION, NOT EDUCATION’: PLAINTIFF IN SCOTUS CASE SLAMS SCHOOLS FOR FORCING LGBTQ+ CURRICULUM Meanwhile, under the Biden administration, the Department of Education released student discipline guidance contending that persistent racism clouds school disciplinary systems. Trump’s Wednesday Executive Order rescinds that guidance. “Under, I believe it was the Biden administration – first Obama and then Biden – the Department of Justice issued guidance that made it almost impossible for schools to enforce adequate disciplinary policies,” Trump’s executive assistant Will Scharf said of the order as Trump was signing it. “Basically they focused on CRT and diversity ideology, instead of actually just enforcing the rules in classrooms to ensure a safe learning environment.” The prohibition of “disparate impact theory” builds on the president’s past orders on ridding “discriminatory” DEI programs and influences from educational settings. “This is a theory that underlies a lot of the modern DEI and CRT-driven diversity culture,” Scharf explained. “The basic idea is instructing your department and agencies to no longer rely on disparate impact theory as they’re regulating, as they’re issuing guidance, as they’re making rules. We want to focus on results, we want to focus on actual fairness, we want to focus on merit, not things like disparate impact theory and the whole sort-of diversity, equity and inclusion cult.” TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ASKS SCOTUS TO APPROVE DEI-RELATED EDUCATION CUTS Besides focusing on returning meritocracy to the education system, the president’s Executive Orders also sought to modernize American education and workforce preparation through the implementation of AI education in schools and through a commitment to add 1 million new apprenticeships. The AI order, Trump’s latest pro-AI measure, established a White House task force for AI and education that will work with federal agencies and the private sector to help draft AI programs for schools. The president previously signed an Executive Order in January, which worked to rescind Biden-era policies that critics say restricted the nation’s AI growth.
Deported ‘Maryland man’ championed by Dems was pulled over driving car belonging to human smuggler
The so-called deported “Maryland man” Kilmar Abrego Garcia, whom Democrats have been demanding the Trump administration return to the U.S., was previously pulled over by a highway patrol officer while driving a car belonging to a confessed human smuggler, multiple sources in DHS confirmed to Fox News Digital. The sources confirmed documents reported by Just the News that revealed Abrego Garcia was pulled over driving an SUV belonging to Jose Ramon Hernandez Reyes, another illegal alien who in 2020 confessed to human smuggling across the U.S.-Mexico border. As previously reported by Fox News Digital, Abrego Garcia, a 29-year-old illegal alien whom the Trump administration recently deported back to El Salvador, was pulled over on Dec. 1, 2022, by a Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper who stopped him after he was “observed speeding” and unable to stay in his lane. The trooper noticed eight individuals in the car with Abrego Garcia, who said he began driving three days prior from Houston, Texas, to Temple Hills, Maryland, via St. Louis, Missouri, to “perform construction work.” The report on the stop states that the trooper suspected it was a human trafficking incident, as there was no luggage in the vehicle. Additionally, the individuals in the car reportedly gave the same address as Abrego Garcia’s home address. KILMAR ABREGO-GARCIA SUSPECTED OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN REPORT OBTAINED BY FOX NEWS When speaking with the trooper, Abrego Garcia allegedly “pretended to speak less English than he was capable of and attempted to put encountering officer off-track by responding to questions with questions.” After the incident, the officer decided not to give Abrego Garcia a citation for the driving infractions, but rather to give him a warning for driving with an expired license. New documents further reveal that Abrego Garcia was driving a black 2001 Chevrolet Suburban that he said belonged to his “boss.” The Suburban was identified by DHS as belonging to Hernandez Reyes, who pleaded guilty to human smuggling after being caught in Mississippi in a car with passengers from Mexico, El Salvador and Honduras. According to another document also confirmed by DHS sources, the Homeland Security Investigations Baltimore field office further flagged the vehicle being driven by Abrego Garcia as belonging to a target they suspected of human trafficking or smuggling. The office said that the “vehicle is used by HSI Baltimore target in human smuggling/trafficking operation. Vehicle makes trips to southern border to pick up non-citizens.” THERE’S ‘NO QUESTION’ THAT ABREGO GARCIA ‘HAD DUE PROCESS REPEATEDLY,’ GOP LAWMAKER SAYS According to police and court records shared with Fox News Digital, Abrego Garcia was arrested in Hyattsville, Maryland, in October 2019, at which point he was identified by the Prince George’s County Police Gang Unit as a member of the notorious Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang. A federal immigration court in Baltimore further determined Abrego Garcia was not eligible for release because he “failed to meet his burden of demonstrating that his release from custody would not pose a danger to others, as the evidence shows that he is a verified member of MS-13.” The court held that “the fact that a ‘past, proven, and reliable source of infonnation [sic]’ verified the Respondent’s gang membership, rank, and gang name is sufficient to support that the Respondent is a gang member” and that Abrego had “failed to present evidence to rebut that assertion.” Court records involving Abrego Garcia’s wife, Jennifer Vasquez, have further shown that he is a “violent” repeat wife-beater. DEPORTED ILLEGAL ALIEN AND SUSPECTED MS-13 GANG MEMBER TRANSFERRED FROM NOTORIOUS EL SALVADORAN MEGA-PRISON Fox News obtained the written domestic violence allegations filed in court against Abrego Garcia by his wife in 2021. In the filing, written in Vasquez’s own handwriting, she alleges Abrego Garcia repeatedly beat her, writing: “At this point, I am afraid to be close to him. I have multiple photos/videos of how violent he can be and all the bruises he [has] left me.” CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE Vasquez alleged that Abrego Garcia punched and scratched her on her eye, leaving her bleeding. He also allegedly threw her laptop on the floor. She wrote that on another day, Abrego Garcia got angry again, started yelling, and ripped her shirt and shorts off before grabbing her arm and leaving marks. LEAVITT GOES OFF ON DEMOCRAT FOR TAXPAYER-FUNDED TRIP TO SUPPORT DEPORTED SUSPECTED MS-13 GANG MEMBER Vasquez recalled two times in 2020 that Abrego Garcia hit her. “In November 2020, he hit me with his work boot,” she wrote. “In August 2020, he hit me in the eye leaving a purple eye.” Local Fox affiliate Fox45 reported that court documents further showed that a man named Edwin Ramos, who claimed to be the father of two of Vasquez’s children, filed for custody of the children because he was concerned about the children’s safety, alleging that Vasquez “is dating a gang member.”
Two federal judges may hold Trump in contempt as he defies courts in immigration crackdown
A second U.S. judge scolded the Trump administration on Tuesday night for failing to answer questions in an ongoing deportation case, raising the threat that some Trump officials could be held in contempt of court. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis of Maryland upbraided Trump officials for failing to comply with the court’s requests for information in a case involving the deportation of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia — accusing officials in a blistering eight-page order of submitting “vague, evasive and incomplete” responses that she said demonstrated “willful and bad faith refusal to comply with discovery obligations.” She further described the Justice Department’s “false premise” objections as “a willful and bad faith refusal to comply with discovery obligations.” Xinis is not the first federal judge to raise the possibility of holding the Trump administration in contempt for failing to abide by court orders. Just 15 miles away, at a courthouse in Washington, D.C., another judge had already threatened the same. FEDERAL JUDGE JAMES BOASBERG FINDS PROBABLE CAUSE TO HOLD TRUMP IN CONTEMPT OVER DEPORTATION FLIGHTS At issue in both cases is President Donald Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act, a wartime immigration law the administration invoked last month to immediately deport certain individuals from the U.S. to El Salvador. Hours after Trump’s March 14 proclamation that he would use the law to deport certain migrants — including alleged members of the gangs MS-13 and Tren de Aragua, or TdA — the U.S. sent more than 260 migrants to El Salvador to be detained in the country’s maximum-security prison. The weeks since have been characterized by a wave of frantic court proceedings, appeals, and emergency Supreme Court orders, as judges across the country weigh the administration’s use of the wartime law. WHO IS JAMES BOASBERG, THE US JUDGE AT THE CENTER OF TRUMP’S DEPORTATION EFFORTS? But Trump’s lawyers have appeared less than willing to share certain information with the courts. Their behavior has sparked fury from federal judges, who have accused them on more than one occasion of acting in bad faith and willfully defying their orders. Xinis took umbrage Tuesday night at the administration’s refusal to respond to at least one interrogatory, saying their refusal is “based on the false premise that the United States can or has been ordered to facilitate Abrego Garcia’s release from custody” in El Salvador. She also rebuked officials for their failure to comply with her earlier order to return Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man and alleged MS-13 member who was wrongfully deported last month to El Salvador. “For weeks, Defendants have sought refuge behind vague and unsubstantiated assertions of privilege, using them as a shield to obstruct discovery and evade compliance with this Court’s orders,” she said. Her earlier ruling was upheld by the Supreme Court in an emergency order. The ruling said the government must “facilitate” his release — a definition that was subsequently clarified again by Xinis and by judges on the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. “‘Facilitate’ is an active verb,” U.S. Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III, a Reagan appointee, said in authoring the circuit court opinion. “It requires that steps be taken as the Supreme Court has made perfectly clear,” he added. TRUMP ADMIN DEFIES COURT OVER MARYLAND DEPORTATION, IGNITES LEGAL SHOWDOWN At a hearing last week, Xinis ordered an “intense” and expedited two-week discovery period to determine whether the Trump administration has acted in good faith to comply with her order to return Abrego Garcia. Should they fail to supply the required information, or indicate they acted in bad faith, she could have sufficient information to move to consider possible contempt proceedings. Additionally, in a related case, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg said there was probable cause to find Trump administration officials in criminal contempt for defying his order to return deportation flights to El Salvador on March 15. In a 48-page ruling, Boasberg accused the government of “willful disregard” for court directives, citing missed deadlines to submit flight details and identify officials who knew about his emergency order halting removals. Although a federal appeals court in D.C. has paused the contempt proceedings, Boasberg has requested further declarations and warned that officials may be required to testify under oath. If they fail to comply, the judge could refer the case to the Justice Department for prosecution or appoint outside counsel if DOJ declines. JUDGE BOASBERG POISED TO HOLD TRUMP ADMIN IN CONTEMPT, TAKES DOWN NAMES OF DHS OFFICIALS: ‘PRETTY SKETCHY’ The appeals court that paused Boasberg’s contempt proceedings did so temporarily, requesting additional briefing from both the Justice Department and ACLU attorneys representing the plaintiffs. What happens next remains uncertain. Trump officials have repeatedly railed against so-called “activist judges,” accusing courts of obstructing the administration’s immigration agenda. In an earlier emergency appeal, officials claimed Boasberg’s actions amounted to a “massive, unauthorized imposition on the Executive’s authority to remove dangerous aliens,” arguing those individuals “pose threats to the American people.” Meanwhile, Judge Xinis’s order in Maryland comes amid a flurry of immigration-related legal battles nationwide, as Trump pushes forward with his border security priorities. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court ruled 5–4 that the administration can continue using the Alien Enemies Act to deport migrants, provided they receive due process protections, including the right to challenge removals in court. Separately, federal judges in New York and Texas temporarily blocked use of the Alien Enemies Act in specific cases, siding with plaintiffs who argued certain migrants could be removed without a chance to seek habeas relief. The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on next steps in the Abrego Garcia case, or on the possibility that Xinis might move on possible contempt proceedings.
Soros prosecutor ripped for failing to charge Walz staffer over Tesla vandalism: ‘Two-tiered justice system’
A Minnesota state employee avoided criminal charges after vandalizing at least six Tesla vehicles, the local district attorney announced this week, prompting outrage from local leaders who spoke to Fox News Digital. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office (HCAO) said it would seek “diversion” over charges against Minnesota Department of Human Services data analyst Dylan Bryan Adams after causing $20,000 in damages. The diversion approach “helps to ensure the individual keeps their job and can pay restitution,” according HCAO. When reached for comment by Fox News Digital, the Minnesota Department of Human Services did not clarify Adams’ employment status, but said: “We are reviewing the matter at this time. State employees are expected to follow our code of conduct and hold themselves to the highest ethical standards through their words and actions.” Republicans across the North Star State have condemned County Attorney Mary Moriarty’s decision, as President Donald Trump’s administration has identified Tesla vandalism as “domestic terrorism” and led a nationwide effort alongside the Justice Department to hold vandals accountable. WALZ STAFFER ACCUSED OF VANDALIZING TESLAS MIGHT NOT FACE CHARGES: REPORT “In Tim Walz’s Minnesota, there is a two-tiered justice system that does everything possible to protect Democrats. As the victim of a domestic terrorism attack in Minnesota myself, I know first-hand that Minnesota’s justice system does not work for me nor Conservatives in our state. If Dylan Adams was a police officer and not part of Walz’s Minnesota state government, Mary Moriarty would have tried to charge him with a felony,” Kendall Qualls, Founder of TakeCharge and former Minnesota gubernatorial candidate, told Fox News Digital in a statement. DEMS WHO RAILED AGAINST DOMESTIC TERRORISM SILENT AS TRUMP FLOATS 20-YEAR JAIL SENTENCE FOR TESLA VANDALS Qualls was targeted in a suspected arson case that left three conservative group offices heavily damaged in Minnesota in 2024. Qualls said on Wednesday that authorities never found the arsonist. “Minnesota is again bucking the national trend: While the Justice Department and FBI are investigating the nationwide vandalism and attacks against Tesla as acts of domestic terrorism, Minnesota Progressives are giving them a free pass,” Matthew RJ Brodsky, President of Red Ax Strategies and Board Chair of the American Center for Counter Extremism, told Fox News Digital. Adam Schwarze, a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate in Minnesota, told Fox News Digital that Minnesota vandals “get a free pass if they have the approved political philosophy.” “This would have been an obvious opportunity for the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office to make clear that the right to political protest doesn’t include the right to destroy personal property. We must reaffirm that our commitment to justice means ensuring all individuals, regardless of their political affiliations or employment status, are held to the same legal standards,” Adam Schwarze said. Republicans told Fox News Digital that Moriarty refusing to criminally charge a Minnesota state employee, following a string of targeted violence, could invoke domestic terrorism. “This is a dangerous precedent that tells every Minnesotan that political violence is acceptable here. After Gov. Tim Walz cheered on the loss of Tesla’s stock to the detriment of his own pension. Now we have one of his employees damaging a Tesla and a Democrat country attorney letting him get away with it. It’s a Democrat double-whammy: They insult the professional law enforcement officers of our state by ignoring their work, and then let their political allies and supporters off the hook for breaking the law,” Minnesota Sen. Mark Koran said. John Nagel, a retired police lieutenant in Minnesota and former candidate for the Minnesota state legislature, said diversion can be a “great tool for someone who is younger and dumber, but this individual had a responsible job and was old enough to know better.” WISCONSINITES KICKED OUT AND DENIED ENTRY TO THIS DEMOCRAT’S ‘FAKE TOWN HALL’ “This sends a bad message to an already hostile group of politically charged individuals,” Nagel said. “As a police officer, I have had several people tell me that if they had spent even a few nights in jail, they wouldn’t have committed a crime the second and third time. Brodsky added that Moriarty’s latest legal blunder is consistent with her legacy in Walz’s home state. Moriarty, who handed Adams a “pre-charge diversion” on Monday, has been backed by groups tied to money from megadonor George Soros, one of the most prominent backers of progressive issues in the United States. “It would be an understatement to say that Progressive County Attorney Mary Moriarty has been soft on crime since she took office in 2023. She has consistently shown undue leniency for violent criminal suspects charged with sexual assault and even murder. It is one of the many reasons the Minneapolis Police Department has been at loggerheads with the county attorney’s office, to say nothing of the outrage among the victims’ families,” Brodsky said. Nagel questioned how many tax dollars were invested in finding Adams “only to have their efforts wiped out by a progressive prosecutor” and leaving Minnesota dealerships on alert “knowing someone can come into their lot and damage cars.” As Republicans ripped the state’s “soft on crime” practices, they tied Walz’s own anti-Telsa rhetoric to the string of violence against Elon Musk’s multi-billionaire electric vehicle business. Amid the string of attacks on Tesla as its stock was taking a tumble, Walz told a Wisconsin town hall that he checks Tesla’s stock when he wants to feel better. “Gov. Walz’s rhetoric on Tesla stock, Democrats all over the country spewing,’We need to rise up and take it to the streets’ is all fueling the fire. Angry elected Democrats are encouraging this kind of behavior. Refusing to hold adults accountable for attacks based on their political hatred is bound to end badly for regular folks,” Nagel added. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Brodsky said each Tesla vandalized is a felony, adding: “These crimes didn’t take place in a vacuum either, with progressives focusing their anger at Elon Musk and DOGE’s effort to shrink the
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Senate Dems’ No. 2 to Bid Adieu
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… -Is REAL ID really necessary? What authorities are saying -Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro says Trump called him about arson attack at governor’s mansion -Angel mom of Rachel Morin condemns Dems’ trip to see deported migrant, mainstream media bias Sen. Dick Durbin, D- Ill., the Senate Democratic whip and the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, has announced he will not seek re-election in 2026. Durbin, 80, who was first elected to the Senate in 1996, made the announcement in a video message on X Wednesday. “The decision of whether to run for re-election has not been easy,” Durbin said…Read more ‘BURDEN LIFTED’: Trump lifts police ‘burden’ with executive orders in first 100 days ‘SMEAR CAMPAIGN’: Hegseth maintains White House backing amid ‘smear campaign’ alleging likely ouster ‘MOST UNIVERSITIES FAILED’: Former Biden official ‘pleased’ Trump admin tackling antisemitism ‘TOP OF THE LINE’: Trump unfurls plans for double 100-foot flagpoles during White House lawn walk PEACE ON THE LINE: Vance issues ultimatum to Russia, Ukraine on peace negotiations ‘TERRIBLE INJUSTICE’: Nikki Haley on Russia and Ukraine says US should ‘want to be on the right side of history’ PUTIN ON A SHOW: Trump insists Ukraine-Russia peace deal is close, but mistrust in Putin leaves experts skeptical TREN DE ARAGUA: Venezuelan government uses violent gang as proxies in US to undermine public safety: FBI assessment ‘VERY HARMFUL: Trump says ‘inflammatory’ Zelenskyy statement on Crimea prolongs war with Russia VISA STRIKE: Leader of Colombia says Trump admin revoked his US visa ‘SONS OF DOGS’: Palestinian leader demands Hamas release remaining hostages DEMOCRATS IN DISARRAY: Young Americans sour on congressional Democrats, new poll finds SPRING BREAK: 25 ‘vulnerable’ House Dems targeted by GOP ad blitz offering airfare to El Salvador BAD TIMING: Illegal immigrant charged with murder of Maryland mom days after Van Hollen’s El Salvador return ‘BAD FAITH’: Federal judge alleges ‘willful and bad faith refusal’ to comply in Abrego Garcia deportation case AGENCY PURGE: EPA fires or reassigns hundreds working on ‘environmental justice’ STAND BACK: New York’s Nassau County seeks to ban standing within 15 feet of cops under bill panned as unconstitutional ‘DISGUSTING’: Illegal immigrant convicted of killing teens in high-speed crash to be released early SHOCKING SIMILARITY: DHS chief Kristi Noem’s purse was stolen days after similar incident just blocks away: report ‘CULTURAL ZEITGEIST’: Supreme Court likely to side with parents in letting them opt out of LGBTQ storybooks, expert says ‘UNCONSCIONABLE’: Feds file charges against illegal immigrant set to be released early after FOX report COME ON OVER: Red state gov urges firearms makers to ditch Colorado amid its anti-gun push Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
DNI Gabbard refers intel officials to DOJ for prosecution over alleged leaks of classified information
EXCLUSIVE: Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard referred two intelligence community professionals to the Department of Justice for criminal prosecution Wednesday over alleged leaks of classified information, Fox News Digital has learned. An ODNI official told Fox News Digital that the intelligence community professionals allegedly leaked classified information to the Washington Post and the New York Times. A third criminal referral is “on its way” to the DOJ. GABBARD ESTABLISHES NEW INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY TASK FORCE TO RESTORE TRANSPARENCY The official told Fox News Digital that intelligence community professionals should take the move “as a warning.” “Politicization of our intelligence and leaking classified information puts our nation’s security at risk and must end,” Gabbard told Fox News Digital. “Those who leak classified information will be found and held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.” “Today, I referred two intelligence community leakers to the Department of Justice for criminal referral, with a third criminal referral on its way, which includes the recent illegal leak to the Washington Post,” Gabbard said. “These deep-state criminals leaked classified information for partisan political purposes to undermine President Trump’s agenda.” Gabbard added: “I look forward to working with the Department of Justice and the FBI to investigate, terminate and prosecute these criminals.” An ODNI official said the move to refer for criminal prosecution is the first step in the process of “holding these individuals accountable.” TULSI GABBARD REVOKES SECURITY CLEARANCES, ACCESS TO CLASSIFIED INFORMATION FOR BIDEN, HARRIS, CLINTON, OTHERS The official explained the process in their decision-making, telling Fox News Digital that they conducted an internal review and then sent the criminal referral to the Justice Department. The DOJ would then send the referral to the FBI to begin a formal, criminal investigation. “We are aggressively investigating other leaks and will pursue further criminal referrals as warranted,” the official told Fox News Digital. “Any intelligence community bureaucrat who is considering leaking to the media should take this as a warning.” The official added that the Trump administration “will identify leakers and leakers will face legal consequences.” DNI TULSI GABBARD MOVES TO TERMINATE, REVOKE SECURITY CLEARANCES OF NSA EMPLOYEES TIED TO EXPLICIT CHATROOMS Earlier this month, Gabbard established a new task force to restore transparency and accountability in the intelligence community. Fox News Digital first reported on the Director’s Initiative Group (DIG), which started by investigating weaponization within the intelligence community. Officials said the group will also work to root out politicization and expose unauthorized disclosures of classified intelligence. In addition, it will work to declassify information “that serves a public interest.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Gabbard also has held employees who participated in sexually explicit NSA chatrooms accountable, and is pursuing action on those who have made unauthorized leaks of classified information within the intelligence community.
DOJ indicts alleged high-ranking Tren de Aragua member on terrorism charges for the first time
FIRST ON FOX: The Justice Department is charging a high-ranking member of Tren de Aragua on terrorism and international drug distribution charges—the first time the U.S. government is using terrorism charges to prosecute a member of the violent gang. A five-count superseding indictment was unsealed Wednesday, and first obtained by Fox News Digital, charging 24-year-old Jose Enrique Martinez Flores, also known as “Chuqui,” with conspiring to provide and providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT USES TREN DE ARAGUA AS PROXIES TO UNDERMINE US PUBLIC SAFETY, FBI ASSESSMENT FINDS Flores is allegedly a high-ranking member of Tren de Aragua, who allegedly serves as a Plaza Boss in Bogota, Colombia. He is allegedly a part of the inner circle of senior Tren de Aragua leadership, Fox News Digital has learned. Flores was also charged with conspiracy and distribution of cocaine in Colombia intended for distribution in the United States. “TdA is not a street gang—it is a highly structured terrorist organization that put down roots in our country during the prior administration,” Attorney General Pam Bondi told Fox News Digital. “Today’s charges represent an inflection point in how this Department of Justice will prosecute and ultimately dismantle this evil organization, which has destroyed American families and poisoned our communities.” FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox News Digital that Tren de Aragua is a “violent arm of the Maduro regime operating inside our borders.” “With these charges, we are using every available tool to confront them as the transnational threat they are,” Patel told Fox News Digital. “From drug trafficking and human smuggling to brutal violence, this group has inflicted chaos on American communities.” Patel added: “Today’s indictment is a critical step in dismantling their network and holding its members accountable.” Colombian authorities arrested Flores in Colombia in March 30, pursuant to a provisional arrest warrant the United States had been requesting. The Trump administration’s State Department designated Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist on Feb. 20. “This is the first time the DOJ has used terrorism charges to prosecute members of TdA,” a DOJ official told Fox News Digital. “President Trump’s Foreign Terrorist Organization designation means that we have a fuller suite of legal options to use against these groups.” The indictment comes after the Trump administration filed its first racketeering charges — also known as RICO charges, which include conspiring to commit murder, sex-trafficking, assault, dealing drugs and more — against Tren de Aragua members and its associates in New York Tuesday. CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE That case was part of “Operation Take Back America,” which it said is a “nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Justice Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.” The charges filed against 27 alleged current and former Tren de Aragua members include human smuggling, sex trafficking and murder. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York said that 21 of the 27 alleged gang members and associates are currently in federal custody. The statement said that 16 were already in federal criminal, immigration or state custody, and five were arrested in the past couple of days. The indictment also comes after Fox News Digital exclusively reported that the FBI assesses that Venezuelan government officials “likely facilitate” the migration of members of the violent gang Tren de Aragua from Venezuela to the United States to advance the Maduro regime’s objective of undermining public safety in the U.S.
Texas creates its own version of DOGE as Gov. Greg Abbott says regulatory environment is ‘too burdensome’
It’s DOGE, Texas style. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday signed a bill to create the state’s own version of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in an effort to get rid of unnecessary rules and slash regulations. In Austin, Abbott signed SB 14, which would create the Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office and streamline the way state agencies establish and enforce regulations. “The regulatory environment in Texas is getting too burdensome,” Abbott said before putting pen to paper. “The regulatory environment in Texas is well-known for being good, but it seems like it’s not as easy to navigate as it once was.” TEXAS POISED TO CREATE ITS OWN VERSION OF DOGE AS BILL PASSES BOTH CHAMBERS An advisory panel would be created to work with the governor’s office to streamline processes. It would be made up of business owners, researchers, state agencies and the public. The bill also aims to create an accessible online portal, so the public can look up state regulations. DOGE REVEALS WHAT YOU GET FOR THE HALF MILLION YOU’LL PAY IN TAXES OVER YOUR LIFETIME “Texas businesses, Texas citizens, they deserve regulations that are in plain English that you can understand what they mean,” said Dustin Burrows, the Republican speaker of the Texas House. “They deserve to know what they actually do, and they deserve to make sure they’re consistent and as few as possible.” The legislation was authored by state Republican Sen. Phil King and backed by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. It passed the Texas House with a 97-51 vote and the Senate 26-5. The bill is similar to what the Trump administration has aimed to do with DOGE by getting rid of unnecessary rules, as well as rooting out fraud and wasteful spending. Abbott said DOGE “crystalized” what Texas lawmakers were seeking to achieve. “It gave strategies to it,” he said. “Texas DOGE will lead to spending cuts, regulation cuts and a more user-friendly government.”
Snapchat ‘openly defying’ law, allowing kids access to harmful, addictive content: Florida AG
Florida’s Attorney General James Uthmeier filed a lawsuit Monday against Snap Inc., the parent company of Snapchat, alleging the popular platform has been “openly defying” state law aimed at protecting young minors from addictive social media features and obscene and dangerous content. Attorney General Uthmeier, who was recently appointed by Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis, alleged in a circuit court complaint filed Monday that Snapchat utilizes addictive features to attract minors under the age of 13, who companies like Snapchat aren’t even allowed to provide accounts to under state law H.B. 3 in Florida. The suit also alleges Snapchat does not adequately verify its users’ ages, noting parental consent is required in Florida for Snapchat users who are under 16, and has been deceptive about its identification of content that is not supposed to be accessible to minors. “Snap’s conduct is particularly egregious because it continues to market Snapchat in Florida as safe for users as young as 13 even though it knows that Snapchat can be easily used to access pornography and buy drugs, among many other dangers,” Uthmeier’s complaint states. “Rather than obeying Florida law by removing 13-year-old users from the platform and seeking parental consent for 14- and 15-year-old users, Snap is actively deceiving Florida parents about the risks of allowing their teens to access this platform.” META’S ANTITRUST TRIAL KICKS OFF CHALLENGING THE COMPANY’S SOCIAL MEDIA DOMINANCE Uthmeier argued in his suit that Snapchat’s current age ratings for content are “highly deceptive and unfair,” pointing to a Washington Post columnist who tested Snapchat’s AI chatbot feature and was able to get it to provide instructions to a 13-year-old on how to mask the smell of pot and alcohol. He pointed to Snapchat’s “Find Friends” feature as well, among others, which Uthmeier alleged has “connected minors with adult strangers seeking to groom, harass, exploit, and even assault them, or to sell them illegal drugs.” According to Uthmeier, Snapchat has recognized in other litigation that it is subject to the provisions under Florida’s H.B. 3, leading him to assert in the Monday complaint that the platform is “openly defying this important public health measure.” However, Snap Inc. argues that the underlying premise of Uthmeier’s complaint, that Snapchat is violating H.B. 3, is flawed because the law infringes on the First Amendment rights of adults and young people. Simultaneously, Snap Inc. said, H.B. 3 fails to adequately address age verification and opens up Floridians to data protection and privacy issues. TEENS ARE TURNING TO SNAPCHAT’S ‘MY AI’ FOR MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT – WHICH DOCTORS WARN AGAINST “We believe there are more privacy-conscious solutions to online safety and managing age verification, including at the operating system, app store, or device level,” a Snap Inc. spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “In addition, there is a current challenge to the constitutionality of this law pending in Florida federal court, and we hoped that the state would allow this challenge to proceed through the proper legal process. Unfortunately, they’ve decided to file a complaint in state court in an attempt to bypass the issues that are already being heard in federal court.” H.B. 3 has been challenged by industry groups in a lawsuit last year arguing the state law violated First Amendment rights. The plaintiff’s in that suit, the Computer & Communications Industry Association and NetChoice, which collectively represent numerous major social media platforms including Snapchat, have also challenged other state laws aimed at protecting minors from harmful social media features and content on the grounds they violate the First Amendment. The law prohibits social media apps that utilize certain addictive features, such as push notifications, autoplay features, infinity scrolling, and more, from allowing users under the age of 13 to open an account. For users under 16, parental notification must be obtained. The bill also requires companies like Snapchat that knowingly publish adult content on their platforms to take steps to prohibit access to such material by any users under 18. SNAPCHAT AI CHATBOT ALLEGEDLY GAVE ADVICE TO 13-YEAR-OLD GIRL ON RELATIONSHIP WITH 31-YEAR-OLD MAN, HAVING SEX According to the law, any platforms that knowingly or recklessly violate H.B. 3’s requirements can be subject to enforcement under the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, which can result in fines of up to $50,000 per incident. Meanwhile, account holders who are minors may also pursue up to $10,000 in damages. “We’re actively challenging Florida’s law because it violates the First Amendment,” Paul Taske, NetChoice Associate Director of Litigation, told Fox News Digital. “We’re confident we will be successful.” Nonprofits that promote parental rights, including the American Parents Coalition and the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children, expressed support for Uthmeier’s suit, pointing out that social media use among minors can have detrimental impacts to their mental fitness and overall well-being later in life. “It is indisputable that social media is hurting our kids’ mental and physical health,” Alleigh Marré, Executive Director of American Parents Coalition, told Fox News Digital. “Beyond the broad challenges young people face with the intentionally addictive nature of the platforms, Snapchat has allowed poor safety measures and inadequate parental controls to put our kids at risk. From sexual predators to drug dealers, to pornography, Snapchat’s leadership is aware of the risks associated with the platform, especially for young people, but they’ve put profit ahead of protection.” “Attorney General Uthmeier recognizes that Florida’s children are the future of our community and our most precious asset. General Uthmeier’s focus on protecting children from inappropriate content and the threats posed by child predators demonstrates a profound understanding of their vulnerability and the imperative need to keep them safe online,” added Bob Cunningham, Director of Policy Engagement for the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children. “By prioritizing their protection, he is not only enhancing our current legislative landscape but also setting a vital example for others to follow.”
‘Be gone’: Republicans target sexually violent illegal immigrants in new bill
EXCLUSIVE: Bicameral lawmakers are putting forward a bill Wednesday to strengthen penalties against illegal immigrants convicted of sex crimes. The Better Enforcement of Grievous Offenses by Unnaturalized Emigrants (BE GONE) Act will codify key parts of President Donald Trump’s “zero-tolerance” border crackdown. It is also timed in recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, according to the bill’s sponsors: Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, and Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas. In September, Gonzales’ office obtained data from ICE showing 15,811 illegal immigrants on their “non-detained docket” have sexual assault convictions, out of 425,431 convicted criminals on the list overall. ICE NON-DETAINED DOCKET EXPLODES TO 7.4M CASES The BE GONE Act formally expands the definition of “aggravated felonies” under the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, also known as Title 8. “President Trump and his team have hit the ground running, reversing the damage from the last four years, but we must ensure that every last sexual predator let in by Joe Biden is deported,” Ernst told Fox News Digital on Wednesday. “The health and safety of our citizens must always come first, and I am proud to continue working with President Trump to protect the American people,” she added. “These violent, criminal illegal aliens need to BE GONE!” Gonzales, who represents the largest Mexican-border district in the House, said the illegal immigration epicenters of Eagle Pass and Del Rio are both in his jurisdiction. DEMOCRATS’ EL SALVADOR TRIP LAMPOONED BY SENATE GOP GROUP IN FAUX-TOURISM AD: BIENVENIDOS He told Fox News his district witnessed pre-Trump “tying [of] the hands of our Border Patrol agents and ignoring warnings from law enforcement that illegal aliens with violent criminal charges were entering our country.” “Thousands of these criminal illegal aliens had a sexual violence charge on their record.” Gonzales added that the BE GONE Act would give Homeland Security officers more tools to identify and deport sexually violent illegal immigrants. “I look forward to joining forces with my colleagues in the House and Senator Joni Ernst to move this critical legislation across the finish line,” he said. The bill also received support from “sensible immigration” group NumbersUSA. “This is common sense legislation, following up on the Laken Riley Act, that Congress passed this year to protect Americans from criminal illegal aliens,” Michael Hough, its director of federal affairs, said. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Joe Chatham, an official at the Federation for American Immigration Reform, added that Congress should pass the change to Title 8 swiftly. “FAIR is proud to support the BE GONE Act and protecting American communities from illegal alien crime,” said Chatham. “Under the Biden administration’s policies, tens of thousands of criminal aliens were apprehended attempting to enter illegally, with shocking data last year showing that there were at least 16,320 aliens in the U.S. convicted of sexual assault.” Co-sponsor Ernst also notably spearheaded Sarah’s Law — signed by Trump earlier this year. That bill was named for Sarah Root, who was killed by an illegal immigrant in 2016, and for whose family Ernst fought for nearly a decade to get justice.