Trump shreds Biden, ‘Radical Left Lunatics’ in Easter message
President Donald Trump wished all Americans a happy Easter in two separate messages on Sunday, with one directed at “Radical Left Lunatics” he claims are trying to derail his administration’s plans on illegal immigration and border security. Trump posted the first Easter message on his Truth Social platform on Sunday morning. “Melania and I would like to wish everyone a very Happy Easter! Whether you are heading out to Church or, watching Service from home, may this day be full of Peace and Joy for all who celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. HE IS RISEN!!” Trump wrote. Just six minutes later, Trump posted a second message addressing those he called “Radical Left Lunatics” in a very different tone. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP HOSTS EASTER DINNER WITH ‘WORSHIP AND PRAYERS’ “Happy Easter to all, including the Radical Left Lunatics who are fighting and scheming so hard to bring Murderers, Drug Lords, Dangerous Prisoners, the Mentally Insane, and well known MS-13 Gang Members and Wife Beaters, back into our Country,” the post read. The president’s post continued: “Happy Easter also to the WEAK and INEFFECTIVE Judges and Law Enforcement Officials who are allowing this sinister attack on our Nation to continue, an attack so violent that it will never be forgotten!” Trump went on to call out “Sleepy Joe Biden,” claiming the former president purposefully allowed millions of criminals into the U.S. through “an Open Borders Policy” that Trump called “the single most calamitous act ever perpetrated upon America.” FIRST LADY MELANIA TRUMP SHARES GOOD FRIDAY MESSAGE AHEAD OF EASTER Trump called Biden America’s “WORST and most Incompetent President” before concluding his Easter message with mentions of the Biden autopen controversy and the 2020 presidential election. “… and to the person that ran and manipulated the Auto Pen (perhaps our REAL President!), and to all of the people who CHEATED in the 2020 Presidential Election in order to get this highly destructive Moron Elected, I wish you, with great love, sincerity, and affection, a very Happy Easter!!!” Trump’s post read. Trump has faced pushback in recent weeks over his administration’s plans to deport violent criminal illegal aliens under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. The U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling early Saturday morning blocking, at least for now, the deportations of any Venezuelans held in northern Texas under the act. The high court previously said that the Trump administration could conduct deportations under the Alien Enemies Act, as long as the suspected illegal immigrants are given due process to challenge their removal from the U.S. Fox News Digital’s Landon Mion contributed to this report.
Homan says ‘worst of the worst’ must be sent to El Salvador prison: ‘We got to protect American citizens’
Border czar Tom Homan defended sending “designated terrorists” to prisons like the one in El Salvador, saying that the “travesties” he’s seen during his decades-long career in border security justify the Trump administration’s move. Homan appeared on ABC’s “This Week” in a pre-recorded interview that aired Sunday, where he was asked if he had any qualms about sending people to El Salvador’s notorious Terrorist Confinement Center (CECOT) even if they have no criminal record. “If people wore my shoes for the last 40 years and seen the travesties I’ve seen, they would understand that the worst of the worst need to be sent to a prison like that because we got to protect American citizens,” Homan said. “We got to protect this country.” Homan said his four decades of experience working in border security informed his belief. APPEALS COURT DENIES DOJ BID TO BLOCK RETURN OF KILMAR ABREGO GARCIA FROM EL SALVADOR PRISON “What you don’t know, what most readers don’t know, they haven’t seen and experienced what I’ve seen in my 40 years,” Homan told ABC’s Jonathan Karl. “I’ve talked to young girls, the youngest nine, that were raped by members of these gang cartels,” Homan continued. “I’ve held dead bodies throughout my career. I’ve talked to a hundred … angel moms and dads whose children were killed and brutally murdered by members of MS-13 who just didn’t kill them, they mutilated them, they tortured them.” PHOTOS: GOP DELEGATION PROVIDES INSIDE LOOK AT CONTROVERSIAL EL SALVADOR PRISON HOUSING US DEPORTEES The Trump administration’s plan of sending the “worst of the worst” migrant gang members to CECOT has caused national controversy, with some outraged Democrats accusing Trump of “kidnapping” people for deportation. One Democrat, Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, flew to El Salvador last week to meet with deported illegal alien Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Trump officials say Abrego Garcia was correctly removed and contend he’s a member of the notorious MS-13 gang, though Democrats argue that he was deported without due process, regardless of being an alleged gang member. Fox News Digital’s Peter Pinedo and Greg Wehner contributed to this report.
GRAPHIC LANGUAGE: Congresswoman’s profane supermarket argument with constituent caught on camera
Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., recorded a confrontation with a voter over when the conservative lawmaker was going to hold her next town hall, with the exchange ending in several expletives and insults from both sides. “Some unhinged lunatic, wearing daisy dukes, at a makeup store, got in my face today. Dems are nuts. So I went off – and I won’t be backing down,” Mace said in a post on X Saturday along with a video of the confrontation. The video, which is just under two minutes, appears to start shortly after the exchange between Mace and the voter started, with Mace explaining that she does town halls “every year” while accusing the voter of “harassing” her. EXCLUSIVE: NANCY MACE TARGETED BY PENNSYLVANIA MAN ARRESTED FOR THREATENING TRUMP “I’ve already done one, I’ll do plenty more,” Mace tells the man. “You’re always invited.” “It’s a simple question,” the man responds. The conversation then turns when Mace informs the man that she “voted for gay marriage twice,” a point that seemingly offended the voter. FLORIDA CHARGES TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT SUSPECT WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER, TERRORISM *WARNING: Graphic language* “What does that have to do with me,” he asks. “Do you think everything about me has to do with gay marriage?” “I do, absolutely,” Mace responds. The conversation then quickly turns confrontational, with Mace calling the man “crazy.” “You people on the left are absolutely f—ing crazy,” Mace tells that man. “Get out of my face.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “You’re insane,” the man responds. “You’re going to be voted out so fast this year.” Afterwards, Mace posted the exchange to social media. “I hold the line 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Try me,” she said in the post. Mace’s office did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.
Blue states rallied for illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses ahead of Trump’s REAL ID crackdown
Americans are scrambling to obtain a state-issued REAL ID in order to travel by plane ahead of a federal deadline next month, which comes after states from coast to coast changed their laws surrounding driver’s licenses to permit illegal immigrants to drive. Americans will need to obtain a REAL ID, which is a federally-compliant driver’s license or other identification that meets higher standards than state-issued licenses, in order to easily travel by air, the Department of Homeland Security explains on its website. Only legal U.S. citizens or residents can obtain the identification card, while valid U.S. passports can also still be used instead of a REAL ID for domestic air travel. Congress passed the REAL ID Act in 2005 to heighten security requirements for driver’s licenses in response to the attacks on 9/11. Though some states began complying with the law more than a decade ago, enforcement for all states had been repeatedly delayed due to the pandemic, DMV backlogs, as well as some states, such as South Carolina, initially refusing to comply. The move to officially enforce REAL IDs at the national level for domestic air travel comes after 19 states and Washington, D.C., put laws on the books allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses. HOUSE REPUBLICAN’S BILL WOULD RIP FEDERAL FUNDS FROM STATES THAT GIVE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS DRIVER’S LICENSES The states, which stretch from New York and New Jersey to California and Washington state, changed their laws in order to allow illegal immigrants to drive freely to work, while also ensuring they meet driving skill requirements and could obtain car insurance to bolster road safety, various liberal lawmakers and immigrant advocacy groups said as they rallied support for the law changes. “Expanding access to driver’s licenses is critical for the safety of New Jerseyans and a step toward building a stronger and fairer New Jersey for all,” New Jersey Democrat Gov. Phil Murphy, for example, said in 2019 after signing the Garden State’s legislation allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses. LEGAL IMMIGRANT OUTRAGED OVER MINNESOTA OFFERING DRIVER’S LICENSES TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS “Allowing residents the opportunity to obtain driver’s licenses regardless of their immigration status will decrease the number of uninsured drivers and increase safety on our roads. I thank my partners in the Legislature for sending this important bill to my desk,” he added. Just a few months after New Jersey’s 2021 law change, the state issued 100,000 new permits, a 65% jump compared to the same three-month period in years prior, NJ Spotlight News reported at the time. BONDI ANNOUNCES NEW LAWSUITS AGAINST STATES ALLEGEDLY FAILING TO COMPLY WITH IMMIGRATION ACTIONS New Jersey is among the states that have reported long wait times at DMVs as residents scramble to obtain a REAL ID to fly ahead of the May 7 deadline. The states that allow illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses include: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Virginia and Washington. Washington state had a law on the books allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses since 1993, National Conference of State Legislatures data show, while most states, such as Illinois and California, began changing their laws starting in 2012. In Massachusetts in 2022, Republican Gov. Charlie Baker vetoed legislation allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses, citing that local DMVs did not have the ability to verify the validity of foreign documents and that it would overall weaken the validity of state driver’s licenses. “I cannot sign this legislation because it requires the Registry of Motor Vehicles to issue state credentials to people without the ability to verify their identity. The Registry does not have the expertise or ability to verify the validity of many types of documents from other countries,” Baker said at the time. “Consequently, a standard Massachusetts driver’s license will no longer confirm that a person is who they say they are.” Massachusetts ultimately allowed illegal aliens to obtain driver’s licenses through a ballot initiative. Domestic air travelers who are in the nation illegally are required to present a valid and up-to-date photo ID to board a flight, and can show documents such as a driver’s license, a current foreign passport, a military ID or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) Employment Authorization Card, and other forms of photo IDs, according to various immigrant advocacy groups. SANCTUARY STATE’S ‘GREEN LIGHT’ LAW IS RED FLAG FOR AMERICANS’ SAFETY, NATIONAL SECURITY: EXPERTS The Trump administration, which has been on an illegal immigration deportation blitz, revealed in a memo last week that the REAL ID requirement will further crack down on illegal aliens moving freely around the country. A Department of Homeland Security memo exclusively obtained by Fox Digital last week outlined that part of the motivation for the Trump administration to enforce the REAL ID law is to prevent those in the country illegally from flying – unless they are looking to self-deport on an international flight. “Under Biden, illegal aliens used non-compliant IDs from sanctuary cities to board flights, but REAL ID’s higher security standards make it nearly impossible to forge legitimate documents, ensuring only verified travelers can fly,” the memo states. “This closes the gaping vulnerabilities Biden’s policies created, preventing criminals and potential terrorists from exploiting our aviation system, as seen during 9/11 when fraudulent IDs enabled attacks,” the memo continues. NEW JERSEY BILL TO LET ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS GET DRIVERS’ LICENSES ADVANCES TO GOVERNOR’S DESK The agency emphasized that the measure prevents people in the country illegally from traveling within the U.S. “DHS and TSA are clear, the only place an illegal alien should be flying is home. Under Secretary Kristi Noem’s leadership, illegal aliens will be barred from domestic flights, with one exception: illegal aliens self-deporting on international flights will be allowed to board without a REAL ID, encouraging their exit from the U.S.,” it states. While many conservatives backed the REAL ID Act, both in 2005 and now, some have said it bolsters
Pope Francis, still recovering from pneumonia, meets with Vice President JD Vance on Easter Sunday
Pope Francis and Vice President JD Vance met briefly on Easter Sunday at the Casa Santa Marta, the Holy See Press Office confirmed. “I know you have not been feeling great, but it’s good to see you in better health,” Vance told the Pope in a video shared by Vatican Media. “Thank you for seeing me.” Francis, 88, who is still recovering from a near-fatal bout of pneumonia, received Vance in one of the reception rooms of the Vatican hotel where he lives. The pontiff offered the Catholic vice president three big chocolate Easter eggs for Vance’s three young children, who did not attend, as well as a Vatican tie and rosaries. Vance’s motorcade was on Vatican territory for 17 minutes, the Associated Press reported. POPE FRANCIS VISITS ROME PRISON DURING HOLY WEEK Francis and Vance have tangled sharply over migration and the Trump administration’s plans to deport migrants en masse. “A cordial conversation took place,” a media release said. “During which the common commitment to protect the right to religious freedom and freedom of conscience was renewed.” “There was also an exchange of views on the international situation, especially regarding countries affected by war, political tensions and difficult humanitarian situations, with particular attention focused on migrants, refugees and those in prison,” it continued. POPE FRANCIS MAKES APPEARANCE AFTER PALM SUNDAY MASS AT THE VATICAN Francis, who has greatly cut back his workload to recover, delegated the celebration of Easter Mass to another cardinal. Francis has made caring for migrants a hallmark of his papacy. Vance converted to Catholicism in 2019, the AP reports. Following his meeting with Francis, he joined his family for Easter Mass at St. Paul Outside the Walls, one of the four pontifical basilicas in Rome. The Vances visited the tomb of the apostle St. Paul, who is said to be located there. Vance met Saturday with the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and foreign minister, Archbishop Paul Gallagher. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Children’s author says his faith-based books are a way to fight the culture war: ‘Kids are on the frontline’
As Easter serves as a reminder of renewal and hope for many in the Christian faith, the author of a series of new children’s books warns that the culture war and the fight for family values isn’t over. Anthony DeStefano is a bestselling author renowned for his Christian-themed books for adults and children. His books often bring Biblical stories to life through vivid, animated storytelling. His latest, “From Bread and Wine to Saints Divine,” introduces children to the Eucharist—a central element of Catholic and Orthodox communion—in a way that’s simple and accessible. “If the electorate rejects wokeism, what other options does the left have? What’s their most effective strategy? It’s to go after the kids,” DeStefano told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview. “It’s true that American voters have rejected the physical mutilation of children’s bodies through puberty blockers, sex hormones and irreversible gender transition surgeries,” DeStefano said. “But they also must recognize that the woke left, through the entertainment industry, is just as determined to mutilate the minds and souls of children through ideological propaganda. That’s a tough statement, but it’s true. Wokeness is not just about mutilating children’s bodies. It’s about mutilating children’s souls.” POPE REMARKS ON ‘BLESSING’ THAT COMES WITH FRAILTY; SAYS ‘WAR APPEARS EVEN MORE ABSURD’ IN HIS CURRENT STATE DeStefano’s works have been published in 18 countries and translated into 12 languages. For him, the path to becoming a children’s book author wasn’t so clear-cut from the start. A native New Yorker, he attended Manhattan’s prestigious Stuyvesant High School, known for its rigorous academics programs—and where he met his English teacher. That teacher, Frank McCourt, won the Pulitzer Prize for his memoir “Angela’s Ashes,” later adapted into a film. McCourt’s influence on DeStefano was immediate. “He assigned us to write children’s books,” DeStefano recalled. “He wanted to force us to stop writing elaborately, as teenagers often do.” “I had always wanted to be a doctor,” he said. “A surgeon, to be exact.” Yet, obstacles like organic chemistry and integral calculus led him to reassess his goals, he joked. In his mid-to-late twenties, DeStefano’s life took a turn in another direction, though. He found a deep connection to the Catholic faith, influenced by the writings of C.S. Lewis and G.K. Chesterton, which led him back to writing. “I thought, ‘Ah, maybe, maybe there’s a way to combine both these great desires to be a writer and to be a doctor.’ Maybe what God really wants me to do is to be a healer of some kind, but to heal people, not with surgery, but through my writing,” he said. CATHOLIC BISHOP AND ORTHODOX ARTIST DISCUSS MATERIALISM, SCIENTIFIC ARGUMENTS FOR CHRIST, REUNIFICATION “That’s the genesis of my whole writing career, and writing simply,” DeStefano said. “And then, of course, as I got older, and I recognized more and more that there was a culture war going on, I realized that children represented the front lines in that cultural war. And so I thought to myself, if I could write books that help instill timeless traditional values at an age when kids are still open, curious and impressionable, then I would be doing something meaningful to counterbalance the secular messages that bombard them from the legacy media and the entertainment world.” In 2018, DeStefano deviated from writing children’s books and wrote “Inside the Atheist Mind: Unmasking the Religion of Those Who Say There Is No God,” which immediately drew criticism and negative reviews online. Of that experience, he said, “it was exhilarating,” adding that “if you’re attacked by the secular culture, then that means you’re doing your job.” For DeStefano, restoring “objective truth” of family values and faith to the current social landscape is one of the keys to reject “moral relativism” prevalent in the culture today. CONCERNED PARENTS OF TRANS KIDS COMPARED TO ‘HATE GROUPS’ BY COLORADO DEM: WOULDN’T ‘ASK THE KKK’ FOR OPINION CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “Now, Easter is the celebration of the resurrection, and that’s the ultimate proof that light conquers darkness,” he said. “The same power that rolled away the stone on Easter morning is available to us as we push back against the lies that are being fed to us.”
‘Christ is King’ under siege: Evangelicals warn phrase is being weaponized by hate groups
Leaders of a prominent research institute focused on identifying and predicting trends in misinformation said evangelical leaders are united in reclaiming the phrase “Christ is King” from far-right and far-left entities seeking to twist its meaning. The Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) at Rutgers, which recently published studies showing how DEI training can fuel hostility and how political assassinations are gaining support online, was early in scientifically measuring the trend of online extremists hijacking the phrase, “Christ is King.” “We were looking at a lot of different kinds of heated languages and arguments and this sort of look online for threat-actors in general,” the authors of a new March report told Fox News Digital. “We noted that prevalence of the use of the term and a mismatch of the actors that were using it, that just didn’t make any sense. And we want to understand, like, what is the origin of this? Where did it come from?” VANCE SAYS ‘JESUS IS KING’ AT WISCONSIN RALLY Actors like Nick Fuentes, a far-right Holocaust denier and podcaster, were co-opting “Christ the King” to unify behind what they considered their righteous political mission, authors of the report said. The institute said “Christ the King” resurged with Pope Pius XI’s 1925 institution of The Feast of Christ the King in response to nationalist and Communist ideologies undermining Christianity’s role in the West. Instead of being the “spiritual guide,” the phrase has been co-opted by both human and “bot” actors to rally behind ideals counter to Judeo-Christianity. “What was really fascinating is that the NCRI folks were in real-time tracking the bot activity,” said Rev. Johnnie Moore, a former commissioner for the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. “The question was how much of this vicious, virulent antisemitism that emerged when we published the report were these bot-nets – It was north of 30% of all the activity … were these antisemitic bot-networks latching onto [Christ is King.]” Canadian psychologist-commentator Dr. Jordan Peterson, who co-authored the report, said after the study was released in March, “the narcissists, hedonists and psychopaths occupy the fringes wherever they obtain power.” “[A]nd using God’s name, attempt to subvert the power of the divine to their own devices. A warning – not everyone who says “Lord, Lord,” will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” FEAST OF CHRIST THE KING SERVES AS INVITATION TO OPEN WIDE THE DOORS TO OUR HEART TO GOD, SAYS PRIEST The report found evidence of mass “manipulation tactics” and, beginning in 2021, more than 50% of engagements were driven by “extremist influencers” like Fuentes and kickboxer-turned-commentator Andrew Tate. Moore noted Thursday that in addition to NCRI’s findings, evidence also surfaced after antisemitic protests exploded in New York and Los Angeles that there were reported social engagement connections to the Chinese Communist Party. “It’s quite clear that people are trying to steal this phrase from us, and we’re saying no, it’s a Christian phrase,” Moore said. “You sure as anything can’t use it to spread hate against Jews.” Moore, who had just left the White House’s Easter Dinner, where he said the administration also welcomed religion back to the sociopolitical fore, added that no matter how hard fringe elements try to co-opt Judeo-Christian slogans, the bloc is a force to be reckoned with. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP He added that those on the far-right who believe their antisemitic tenets with a Christian-like righteousness often forget “there’s no Christianity without Judaism.” “They’re losing their battle to Christianize antisemitism, because there’s just a sheer amount of Evangelicals in every country… we’re all pro-Israel. Evangelical leader Robert Stearns said that Christians must not let “extremists hijack what belongs to God – ‘Christ is King’ is a cry of worship, not war.” Meanwhile, Princeton jurisprudence professor Robby George told Fox News Digital that when you hear the phrase as a Christian, the proper response is, “Amen.” “But if you hear someone say the same words as an antisemitic taunt, the correct reply is, ‘I stand with our Jewish brothers and sisters.’ Don’t be played,” the Catholic influencer said. “What will happen at Easter is there will be countless millions of Christians all around the world that will be saying these words, and they only mean one thing, and it will drown out all of these people trying to steal our words to spread their hate,” Moore added.
California career politician Barbara Lee wins mayor race in embattled Oakland
Former Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., defeated former Oakland City Council member Loren Taylor in Oakland’s special election for mayor, following months of uncertainty for the struggling city. While Taylor made inroads as a relative political outsider with campaign finance reports revealing he outraised the career California politician, Lee was ultimately triumphant following Friday’s ranked choice tallies. The race for mayor had been too close to call on Tuesday night following Oakland’s April 15 special election as Taylor maintained a slight lead over Lee, with just over a thousand more votes in his favor. Oakland follows a ranked choice voting system, where candidates with the least votes are eliminated as voters’ backup choices get a boost in the tally. The liberal-run city has had four different mayors in a four-month period after Mayor Sheng Thao was recalled this November and subsequently indicted on eight counts of bribery. Oakland has been without a clear leader this year as the city continues to grapple with ongoing crises. ‘FED UP’: EMBATTLED BLUE CITY’S FUTURE HANGS IN THE BALANCE AHEAD OF MAYORAL SPECIAL ELECTION Taylor’s campaign to finish out Thao’s term was aimed at shaking up the political “status quo” and restoring Oaklanders’ faith in their politicians after months of uncertainty. Taylor’s policy platform highlighted public safety initiatives, budget stabilization to avoid bankruptcy, anti-corruption and increased efficiency at City Hall, tackling homelessness and boosting the local economy. CALIFORNIA CITY’S MASSIVE $130M DEFICIT THREATENS DANGEROUS CUTS TO ITS FIREFIGHTING CAPACITY There were 5,490 homeless individuals in Oakland in 2024, a 9% increase since 2022, according to Alameda County Health’s January 2024 Point-in-Time (PIT) report. While the Oakland Police Department reported a decrease in violent crime in 2024, 2025 began with a crime surge, including five recorded homicides within a 48-hour period. By Jan. 3, The San Francisco Chronicle reported Oakland’s third homicide of the year and seventh since Dec. 30, 2024. Oakland’s staggering $129.8 million budget deficit for Fiscal Year 2024-25 forced some Oakland firehouses to close their doors earlier this year, but the City Council was able to pass a resolution to reopen those firehouses earlier this year. “Oaklanders are frustrated,” Taylor told Fox News Digital in an interview ahead of the special election. “We are upset that we have not been getting what we deserve, what we should be getting from our local government. The status quo continues to fail us when we see crime rates rising out of control, we see homelessness still growing when it’s shrinking in neighboring cities, we see our city facing the largest fiscal budget deficit in our history – a number of failures that show that what we have is not working.” Lee touted a long list of political endorsements during her campaign and had the name recognition that landed her a victory. She lost the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate last year to her former colleague in the House, Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif. “Barbara Lee is meeting voters every day in their living rooms, at their doors and at community events. She hears their priorities loud and clear – she is running to be a mayor who can make Oakland safer, address the fiscal crisis and root out corruption. That is why her 100-day plan tackles public safety, homelessness, good governance and economic opportunity head on,” a spokesperson for Lee’s campaign told Fox News Digital ahead of the special election. Lee vowed to bring a “fresh perspective” to Oakland’s City Hall, and she accused Taylor of helping “make the bad decisions that shaped the city.”
Indiana takes first action in long-shot plan to acquire parts of Illinois
Indiana is taking a first step toward a rather unlikely effort to amend its border and acquire parts of Illinois. The legislature in the Hoosier State passed a bill last week to establish the Indiana-Illinois Boundary Adjustment Commission that would recommend whether to alter the border between the two states. Indiana Gov. Mike Braun, a Republican, plans to sign the measure into law, his office said on Friday. The governor will then face a Sept. 1 deadline to schedule the commission’s first meeting. CONSERVATIVE PORTION OF BLUE STATE LOOKING TO BREAK OFF AND JOIN NEIGHBORING RED STATE This comes as residents of some counties in Illinois seek to separate from the densely populated and deep blue Chicago area. But despite support from the Indiana government and the people in the Illinois counties that would change states, the Illinois government and the U.S. Congress would need to approve the plan to change state boundaries. Illinois’ top elected officials do not support the idea. A companion bill in Illinois authorizing the state to participate in the commission to change the border has not received a hearing in an Illinois House committee. Democrat Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker also described the Indiana measure earlier this year as “a stunt.” Minor boundary changes between states are not a new idea, as there have been at least 50 in U.S. history, according to the National Center for Interstate Compacts at The Council of State Governments. However, no major changes have been implemented since the Civil War era, when some counties in Virginia separated to create West Virginia. The current effort to change the border between Illinois and Indiana is fueled in part by political divisions. The Chicago area is controlled by Democrats and, given the area’s large population, the party also controls the state government, while Republicans represent many other parts of Illinois. The Indiana government, meanwhile, is controlled by Republicans. NY LAWMAKER CALLS FOR STATEN ISLAND TO SECEDE In the last five years, voters in 33 Illinois counties have approved ballot measures asking if they want to consider separating from Cook County, a county that includes Chicago, to form a new state. But the initiative does not necessarily mean they would join Indiana, if given the opportunity. A similar effort is ongoing in eastern Oregon, as some counties in that Democrat-controlled state want to break away and join Republican-led Idaho. The Idaho House approved a measure two years ago allowing Oregon to enter into discussions, but similar measures have not moved forward as they remain stuck in committees in the Oregon legislature. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Rap sheets, photos of suspected Tren de Aragua gang members Trump admin tried to deport before SCOTUS ruling
The Trump administration on Saturday released the rap sheets and photos of alleged Tren de Aragua (TdA) gang members detained in Texas who the administration is trying to deport. The suspects of the violent Venezuelan gang were going to be deported using the recently reinstated Alien Enemies Act of 1798 before the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) ruled Saturday morning against deportations under the 18th century law. In a decision in favor of the American Civil Liberties Union, the administration was barred from removing Venezuelans held in Texas’ Bluebonnet Detention Center “until further order of this court.” Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented from the majority opinion. 5 ALLEGED TREN DE ARAGUA GANG MEMBERS CHARGED IN RETAIL THEFTS, INCLUDING 1 SEEN SOBBING IN POLICE INTERVIEW SCOTUS previously ruled the president could conduct deportations under the Alien Enemies Act as long as suspected illegal aliens were afforded due process to challenge their removal from the U.S. “These are some of the TdA gang members detained in Texas that we are trying to deport,” a senior Trump official told Fox News. TdA, designated a foreign terrorist organization Feb. 20 by the Department of State, has thousands of members, many of whom the White House says have unlawfully infiltrated the U.S. and are “undertaking hostile actions against the United States.” Photos released by the administration of suspected TdA members who made the list show various tattoos, weapons, jewelry and money. Officials also noted each suspected member’s prior criminal convictions and current charges. Here are some of the Bluebonnet Detention Center inmates the White House claims are Venezuelan citizens and confirmed TdA members who would have been deported: Romero-Gonzalez has pending criminal charges for three counts of assault, crimes against a person and unlawful possession of a weapon, according to officials. Photos appear to show Romero-Gonzalez in a sports car with an expensive watch and a large amount of cash, various tattoos. In one photo, Romero-Gonzalez is holding a gun while wearing a reflective work vest. SUPREME COURT BLOCKS NEW DEPORTATIONS OF VENEZUELANS IN TEXAS UNDER 18TH CENTURY ALIEN ENEMIES ACT Parades-Worwa is facing criminal charges for aggravated assault with a weapon and pointing and presenting guns at a person, according to the Trump administration. Photos appear to show a number of Parades-Worwa’s tattoos. Andrade-Vargas is facing criminal charges for larceny and dangerous drugs, according to officials. Photos appear to show various tattoos, including one above Andrade-Vargas’ left eyebrow. JUSTICE KAGAN DENIES EMERGENCY APPEAL TO HALT DEPORTATION OF MEXICAN NATIONALS CLAIMING ASYLUM FROM CARTEL Rosales-Ceballos was convicted of criminal flight to avoid prosecution. He has also been charged with alien smuggling and resisting an officer. A photo appears to show a large tattoo on Rosales-Ceballos’ neck behind his right ear. Rendon-Garcia is facing criminal charges for drug possession and possession of dangerous drugs, according to the Trump administration. Photos appear to show one of Rendon-Garcia’s tattoos with a date below it. Daza-Segura was convicted of criminal burglary and larceny, according to officials. Photos appear to show various tattoos, including “VIDA” on Daza-Segura’s knuckles. Rodriguez-Tovar has multiple criminal convictions including hit-and-run, battery, possession of stolen property, driving under the influence and shoplifting, according to the Trump administration. He also has pending charges for battery, resisting an officer, simple assault and driving under the influence. Photos appear to show an electronic device with “T.D.A.” and “Venezuela” written on it. Omana is facing criminal charges for aggravated assault with a weapon, according to officials. Photos appear to show social media posts of Omana holding a gun and throwing up alleged gang signs. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Cardenas-Bravo is facing criminal charges for aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, child neglect with great bodily harm, resisting an officer with violence, domestic violence battery, carrying a concealed gun and possession of a gun during the commission of a felony, according to the Trump administration.