FLASHBACK: Liberals are fine with Harvard getting a tax break but were against it for a Christian college
Democrats are now defending elite universities like Harvard and Columbia from threats to their federal funding and tax-exempt status for allegedly violating public policy despite once championing the same legal precedent now being used against them. The left championed the 1983 Bob Jones University v. United States ruling, which upheld the IRS’ decision to revoke tax benefits from a religious college that banned interracial dating. At the time, Democrats agreed with the federal government’s argument that no institution engaging in discrimination should receive public funds, even on religious grounds. Now, as the Trump administration cites that very precedent in urging the IRS to revoke Harvard’s tax-exempt status over claims the university is tolerating antisemitism and campus unrest, the left is accusing the administration of violating free speech laws to target ideological opponents. ‘SAFER WITHOUT HIM’: COLUMBIA STUDENT CLAIMS CLASSMATE ARRESTED BY ICE ‘HATES AMERICA’ “The Bob Jones case is a very strong precedent in the government’s corner on this,” Joe Bishop-Henchman, vice president of tax policy and litigation at the National Taxpayers Union Foundation and an adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute, told Fox News Digital in an interview. “The Bob Jones precedent makes it a hard case for Harvard to win. It’d be a lot easier if that case wasn’t there, because I think they’ll have to argue that they’re being singled out, that this is politics,” he said. “If the administration can argue that it’s a violation of public policy, then the Bob Jones precedent follows.” Today, Bob Jones University, a Christian liberal arts college in Greenville, South Carolina, has a student body of more than 2,700. In 1983, it had policies banning interracial dating and marriage among students and expelled students who violated that policy. The IRS said that because of those racially discriminatory policies, the school did not qualify for tax-exempt status. TRUMP ADMIN ASKS IRS TO REVOKE HARVARD’S TAX-EXEMPT STATUS The school argued that revoking its tax-exempt status violated its religious freedom and that it was being punished for adhering to sincerely held beliefs. However, the government countered that it should not subsidize organizations—through tax breaks—that defy established public policy, particularly laws against racial discrimination. The Supreme Court ruled 8 to 1 in favor of the federal government in the landmark Reagan-era case. The justices determined the IRS was allowed to deny tax-exempt status to schools that practice racial discrimination since it was against public policy. Even though the school claimed religious freedom, fighting racial discrimination was a “compelling government interest.” “That is the letter of what Bob Jones said, but maybe it shouldn’t just be one university,” Henchman said. The high court held that the institutions failed to provide the “beneficial and stabilizing influences in community life” required to receive special tax status supported by taxpayers, according to the judicial archive Oyez. Because of their bans on interracial relationships, the schools could not meet that standard. The justices concluded that racial discrimination in education conflicted with a “fundamental national public policy.” While acknowledging the schools’ religious beliefs, the Court found that the government may limit religious liberties when it is necessary to serve an “overriding governmental interest,” in this case, prohibiting racial discrimination. As the court noted, “not all burdens on religion are unconstitutional.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP As such, the Trump administration argues that Harvard’s handling of antisemitism on campus should disqualify the university from keeping its 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. The IRS is expected to make a final decision soon, according to a report from CNN, which first broke the story.
Democrats’ vice chair ignites civil war, targeting ‘asleep at the wheel’ incumbents in primaries
A move by a top Democratic Party official to spend millions of dollars through his outside political group to primary-challenge some older Democrats in blue districts is further igniting intra-party tensions that have rocked the party since President Donald Trump’s convincing election last November. The reverberations started instantly after Leaders We Deserve, a political organization led by recently elected Democratic National Committee (DNC) vice chair David Hogg, announced on Wednesday that it will spend $20 million to help elect younger Democrats. The effort includes supporting primary challengers to House Democrats in safe seats that Hogg argues “are asleep at the wheel.” The move by the 25-year-old Hogg, a survivor of the horrific shooting seven years ago at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in south Florida, to spend money against fellow Democrats is seen as an unprecedented action by a DNC official. FIRST ON FOX: REPUBLICAN PARTY SHOWCASES MASSIVE HAUL “There are strong opinions on both sides,” a DNC voting member told Fox News Digital. The voting member, who asked for anonymity to speak more freely, said that “behind the scenes, people are expressing their strong opinions towards each other. There’s certainly not a consensus.” DEMOCRATIC PARTY’S FAVORABLE RATINGS DROP TO HISTORIC LOWS DNC chair Ken Martin, who along with Hogg and other party officials, were elected to their positions at the beginning of February, praised Hogg in a statement but also spotlighted the DNC’s longstanding position of staying neutral in primaries. “David Hogg is a passionate advocate and we are grateful for his service to the Democratic Party, whether it be in his role as a DNC Vice Chair or in an outside capacity,” Martin said in his statement. But Martin added, “In order to ensure we are as effective as possible at electing Democrats to office, it is the DNC’s longstanding position that primary voters — not the national party — determine their Democratic candidates for the general election.” The move by Hogg comes as the party’s base is angry, and very energized, in fighting back against Trump’s sweeping and controversial moves, since returning to the White House three months ago, in upending the federal government and longstanding national policies. That anger is directed not only at Trump and Republicans, but also at Democrats many in the party’s base feel haven’t been effective or vocal enough in pushing back against the president. CASH DASH: BERNIE SANDERS, AOC, AND OTHER LEADERS ON THE LEFT LEADING FIGHT AGAINST TRUMP SEE SURGE IN FUNDRAISING The energy has been evident at town halls this winter and early spring held by both Democratic and Republican members of Congress. And progressive champions Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have drawn very large crowds to their “Fighting Oligarchy” rallies across the country over the past six weeks. Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez, and other politicians who are leading the fight against Trump — including Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut — have seen a surge in their fundraising over the past three months. Another leader on the left who has been among those vocal in their resistance to the Trump administration, Rep. Ro Khanna of California, emphasized in a Fox News Digital interview that “we have to have a whole rebrand of the Democratic Party with a coherent platform and a future-oriented platform, and many leaders need to do that, new leaders, not the old guard. And I hope to be part of that.” Khanna, who was interviewed on Tuesday, ahead of Hogg’s news, added that “we need Democrats speaking out, not just on the economy. We need them speaking out on civil liberties, on the rights of immigrants and on the rights of universities.” While Democrats are increasingly energized to resist Trump, a slew of national polls earlier this year indicated the favorability ratings of the Democratic Party sinking to all-time lows. Hogg, in a series of social media posts, pointed to one of those polls as he explained his move. “The party has hit an all-time low approval rating of 27%,” Hogg wrote on X. And he argued that “too many elected leaders in the Democratic Party are either unwilling or unable to meet the moment and are asleep at the wheel while Trump is demolishing the economy, challenging the foundations of our democracy, and creating new existential crises for our country by the day.” Pointing to Democrats whom his group may target, Hogg said “through all of this, some incumbents will rise to the challenge and emerge stronger. Others will demonstrate why they should be replaced. Either way, we all win. Especially when we are not challenging frontline Democratic incumbents — we all want the House back.” A Democratic Party operative who works on campaigns and who asked to remain anonymous told Fox News Digital that “this is unusual, but we do need some better Democrats in office and there’s been a push to have a new generation come in and replace the 70- and-80-year-olds who have been in elective positions and shown that they’re not up to the fight.” Chris Moyer, a Democratic strategist and communicator who is a veteran of presidential and statewide campaigns, noted the timing of Hogg’s move. “It’s all about how you break through, and the old ways of doing things have not worked. And this is an inflection point,” Moyer said. “So it’s understandable that there’s a desire to get some new blood into important roles and take the party in a more effective direction.” But a DNC voting member who was granted anonymity to speak more freely said that “because we are so close to winning the [House] majority, having that money spent picking up seats to win the majority is probably a better use of the funds.”
‘Down to zero’: Veteran suicide crisis targeted in VA bill by bipartisan House coalition
EXCLUSIVE: A bipartisan group of lawmakers is joining forces to introduce a bill aimed at strengthening veteran suicide prevention programs. “Too many veterans are dying by suicide every day, and we have to do more to prevent it,” Rep. Greg Landsman, the Ohio Republican leading the effort, told Fox News Digital. “If we focus the VA resources on the most effective programs, we can make a significant impact in reducing these heartbreaking and entirely unacceptable rates of veteran suicide. Our veterans deserve the best care possible.” The comments come as Landsman readies to introduce the “What Works at Preventing Veteran Suicide Act,” a bill that would require the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) to establish new pilot and grant programs aimed at eliminating veteran suicide. The new legislation would aim to make the VA secretary responsible for “setting clear and measurable objectives for funding and programs” that would evaluate “how effective those funding programs are” in helping to prevent veteran suicide, according to a release about the bill provided to Fox News Digital. DOGE UNCOVERS MASSIVE VA CONTRACT FOR ‘SALARY SURVEY DATA AND ANALYSIS’ — SAYS IT CANCELED IT, SAVING MILLIONS “Veteran suicide is a crisis we cannot afford to ignore,” Rep. Morgan Luttrell, R-Texas, a former U.S. Navy SEAL joining the effort, told Fox News Digital. “As someone who’s worn the uniform and served alongside some of the best this country has to offer, I’m committed to driving that number down to zero. Reintroducing this bill is about accountability and results. We need to know which programs are actually saving lives so we can invest in what works and get our veterans the support they deserve.” “I have lost many friends and teammates to suicide, and until we are using every available resource to prevent it, we are simply not doing enough,” Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., another military veteran lawmaker, added in comments to Fox News Digital. “This bill ensures the VA is focused on proven, effective programs to combat veteran suicide. One veteran lost is one too many – we owe it to them to get this right.” Veterans still account for a disproportionate share of the national suicide rate, according to the VA’s most recent National Veteran Suicide Prevention Report, released in December 2024. Analyzing dates from 2001 to 2022, with 2022 being the most recent year with available data, the report found that 6,407 of the 47,891 (13.3%) nationwide suicides were committed by veterans. TIM WALZ HECKLED BY VETERANS FOR STOLEN VALOR CLAIMS, CHINA CONNECTIONS That number comes despite U.S. military veterans representing only 6% of the U.S. adult population, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. In all, there were roughly 17.6 veteran suicides per day in 2022, the VA found. The release notes that the legislation is currently endorsed by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and Save a Warrior. “Save A Warrior is proud to be a supporting organization of this important bill, and we stand ready to assist in its advancement,” Jack Retzer, Save a Warrior founder and president, told Fox News Digital. “We thank you for your continued leadership on this issue and for your commitment to those who have served our nation so honorably.” The legislation has also picked up bipartisan support, with Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Chris Deluzio, joining in on the effort. “We have got to use all of the tested and effective tactics available to take on the suicide crisis facing America’s veterans,” Deluzio told Fox News Digital. “I am grateful to partner with Congressman Landsman to introduce this legislation that would create more guidelines for suicide prevention pilots and outreach through the VA. I will never stop fighting to protect and serve my fellow veterans.”
CIA director says China is #1 priority, poses biggest challenge from adversary in US history
CIA Director John Ratcliffe declared in an internal memo that China is the top priority for his agency, warning that “no adversary in the history of our Nation has presented a more formidable challenge or a more capable strategic competitor than the Chinese Communist Party.” The internal CIA memo directed to the agency’s rank and file was provided to Fox News by a senior CIA official on Thursday. “For CIA to continue successfully defending our Nation, we will build upon our strong foundation and pursue with laser-like focus the near-term priorities for CIA that our President and our country demand. China sits at the very top of that list,” Ratcliffe wrote. “No adversary in the history of our Nation has presented a more formidable challenge or a more capable strategic competitor than the Chinese Communist Party,” he continued. “It is intent on dominating the world economically, militarily, and technologically, and it is aggressively trying to out-compete America in every corner of the globe.” UNITED KINGDOM URGED TO ALIGN WITH TRUMP ON CHINA OR LOSE FAVORED STATUS IN WASHINGTON Ratcliffe said the CIA must continue to respond to the threats China poses “with urgency, creativity, and grit.” “I’ve emboldened CIA’s leadership team to take on more risks, smartly, and to aggressively seek out short- and long-term opportunities that give the United States the advantage it needs to keep China in our rear-view window. It won’t be easy, but I pledge to lead the charge in helping us do just that,” he added. CHINA RAMPS UP MILITARY ‘REHEARSALS’ AROUND TAIWAN, OUTSTRIPS US IN AIR, MARITIME, SPACE Ratcliffe said, “Technology is another top priority; one that is in many ways intertwined with the threat posed by the CCP. “Emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and quantum computing will define the future of national security and geopolitical power,” he wrote in the memo. “Concurrently, our adversaries – China, Russia, and Iran – seek to gain footholds in countries in our near-abroad. We must continue to push back against these efforts,” Ratcliffe also said. “To best position CIA in addressing this priority, we are taking a close look at how we can create a unified effort across the range of policy objectives in this region. The American people deserve our best.”
SCOOP: Pence urges Republicans to hold the line on tax hikes for the rich as Trump weighs options
EXCLUSIVE: Former Vice President Mike Pence is urging House Republicans to stand firm against hiking takes on the country’s top-earners, as sources tell Fox News Digital the White House is floating a millionaire tax hike proposal to offset the cost of eliminating taxes on overtime pay, tipped wages and retirees’ Social Security. Advancing American Freedom (AAF), the conservative policy advocacy group Pence launched in 2021, sent a letter to congressional Republicans, including House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo., and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, advising Congress to “stand firm against tax hikes.” “President Trump and Republicans in Congress promised to make the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent and work to secure further tax cuts. Republicans should stick to their promises and not pull pages from Kamala Harris’ losing policy platform,” AAF President Tim Chapman and Board Chairman Marc Short wrote in the letter, referring to Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which is set to expire this year. WHITE HOUSE QUIETLY FLOATS MILLIONAIRE TAX HIKE PROPOSAL IN CONGRESS AS GOP LEADERS SIGNAL OPPOSITION “The American people voted for tax cuts, not tax hikes. Advancing American Freedom calls on Republicans to swiftly renew the across-the-board tax cuts that unleashed prosperity during President Trump’s first term and deliver on the promise to make America prosperous again,” they wrote. Pence added in a statement to Fox News Digital, “The Trump-Pence tax cuts lowered taxes across the board – for working families and businesses large and small. The results were historic. We got America’s economy booming like never before and created more opportunity for all Americans. Republicans know that less taxes mean more jobs.” HAWLEY URGES REPUBLICANS TO CUT TAXES FOR WORKING-CLASS VOTERS WHO ‘PUT TRUMP IN THE WHITE HOUSE’ Two sources familiar with the discussions told Fox News Digital that White House aides have been quietly floating a proposal to House Republicans that would raise the tax rate for people making more than $1 million to 40%. The plan is intended to mitigate the cost of Trump’s ambitious 2024 campaign promise to cut taxes on overtime pay, tipped wages and retirees’ Social Security. The sources stressed the discussions were only preliminary, and the plan is one of many being discussed as congressional Republicans work on advancing Trump’s “big, beautiful bill.” Pence responded to Fox News Digital’s reporting on Wednesday, urging House Republicans to resist tax increases on the wealthy. “Republicans Don’t Raise Taxes. Republicans Cut Taxes,” Pence responded on X. “Raising the Top Marginal Rate would be a Huge Tax Increase on Small Business America.” Pence has often criticized Trump’s policies during his second term, most recently critiquing Trump’s tariff uncertainty, arguing even 10% tariffs would drive inflation higher and hurt American families. In a call for limited government, Pence also advocated for Congress to reclaim their authority over tariffs during remarks this week. Trump’s former vice president refused to endorse him in 2024. Pence, who himself launched a short-lived 2024 presidential campaign, unexpectedly dropped out of the race for the White House during remarks at the Republican Jewish Coalition’s annual event in Las Vegas in October 2023. Trump spoke on the same stage soon after Pence’s announcement without acknowledging the news. However, Trump and Pence were seen shaking hands at former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral in December – their first public appearance together in nearly four years. Pence congratulated Trump on winning the 2024 election, despite refusing to endorse him. Pence has distanced himself from his former boss since the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, when Pence defied Trump’s wishes by affirming that former President Joe Biden rightly won the 2020 election. Rioters called for Pence to be hanged, and the former vice president has faced the ire of Trump’s most loyal supporters ever since. The former vice president’s campaign failed to gain traction as Trump’s lead over the crowded Republican Party widened, and Republican voters proved they had not forgotten Pence’s “disloyalty” to Trump during the attacks on the U.S. Capitol. Pence ran on a traditional conservative platform, framing the future of the Republican Party against what he called the rise of “populism” in the party. Among the slim anti-Trump base of the Republican Party, Pence received praise for his courage on that day. As Pence campaigned in Iowa and New Hampshire, voters at town halls often thanked Pence for standing up to Trump. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “Mike Pence stood for the Constitution. He deserves, not grudging credit. He deserves our thanks as Americans for putting his oath of office and the Constitution of the United States before personal, political and unfair pressure,” former Gov. Chris Christie, R-N.J., the candidate who rejected Trump most during the Republican primary, said on the debate stage. The White House did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment by deadline.
‘Champagne socialists’ Sanders and AOC spotted boarding private jet on ‘Fighting Oligarchy’ tour
FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., chartered a private jet worth up to a staggering $15,000 an hour for several West Coast stops on their “Fighting Oligarchy” tour. Sanders boarded the luxury Bombardier Challenger private jet at the Meadows Field Airport in Bakersfield, California, on Tuesday afternoon, according to a photo captured by a source on the ground and shared exclusively with Fox News Digital. Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez, whom the source also spotted boarding the private jet, spoke at their “Fighting Oligarchy” event in Bakersfield just hours earlier. Flight records reveal the jet landed at Sacramento Mather Airport on Tuesday evening, which is about a 20-minute drive to Folsom, California, where the self-identified Democratic socialists hosted their second rally of the day. The jet Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez were seen boarding made stops in Salt Lake City and Boise prior to landing in Bakersfield, according to flight records. The arrival dates match the duo’s “Fighting Oligarchy” events in Salt Lake City and Nampa, which is about a 25-minute drive from Boise Airport. BERNIE SANDERS, AOC AND OTHER ANTI-TRUMP PROGRESSIVES HAUL IN BIG BUCKS FOR 2026 MIDTERMS “Champagne socialists Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez demand Americans surrender their pick-up trucks, air conditioning and meat from the luxe leather seats of their private jets that cost more per hour than most Americans earn in months. Their hypocrisy is staggering,” National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) spokesperson Ben Petersen said in a statement to Fox News Digital. BERNIE SANDERS COMPARES TRUMP, MUSK AND OTHER ‘OLIGARCHS’ TO ‘HEROIN ADDICTS,’ SAYS DRUG OF CHOICE IS ‘GREED’ The Bombardier Challenger private jet is operated by Ventura Air Services, which touts “one of the widest cabins of any business jet available today” and provides “superior cabin comfort for its passengers.” According to their website, the private jet can cost up to $15,000 an hour. Sanders has long been ridiculed for relying on luxury private planes while crisscrossing the country, warning Americans about climate change and the threats of billionaires seizing political power. Despite his Democratic socialist platform advocating for universal healthcare, the Green New Deal and ending wealth inequality, Sanders flying private has become infamous. Sanders’ campaign committee, Friends of Bernie Sanders, spent over $221,000 chartering private jets during the first quarter of 2025, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings reviewed by Fox News Digital. The filing, which was released on Tuesday, shows that Sanders dropped the massive haul between three private jet companies: Ventura Jets, Cirrus Aviation Services and N-Jet. The six-figure spending on private jets this year follows Sanders spending over $1.9 million on private jets during his failed presidential campaign in 2020. A Fox News Digital review found that Sanders dished out almost $2 million to Apollo Jets and the Advanced Aviation Team, a Virginia-based private jet company. Private jets have faced the ire of Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez’s fellow climate activists. According to 2021 Transport and Environment report, private jets are up to 14 times more polluting than commercial planes. “For real, how many private jets do these CEOs need? It is insatiable. It is unacceptable,” Ocasio-Cortez said in 2023, in one example of the New York congresswoman herself railing against private jets. Both Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez championed the Democrats’ failed Green New Deal, the aggressive climate change policy targeting carbon emissions and fossil fuel production. Ocasio-Cortez proposed the controversial legislation in 2019, and Sanders designed his own Green New Deal plan during his 2020 presidential primary campaign. Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez have welcomed massive crowds to their “Fighting Oligarchy” stops across the country. On Saturday, the two political leaders hosted what they said was their largest rally ever, with 36,000 people in Los Angeles. Sanders started the “Fighting Oligarchy” tour in response to President Donald Trump’s second term to “take on the Oligarchs and corporate interests who have so much power and influence in this country.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Fox News Digital reached out to the offices of Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez for comment.
Trump admin seeks emergency relief of Boasberg contempt threat
The Trump administration on Wednesday asked a federal appeals court to review a lower court order that threatened to hold officials in contempt over March 15 deportation flights – the latest flashpoint in a wave of immigration disputes playing out in federal courts nationwide. The emergency request came hours after U.S. District Judge James Boasberg said he found probable cause that administration officials had violated court directives to return those flights. In his ruling, Boasberg threatened criminal contempt charges and directed the administration to submit additional declarations by April 23 explaining why such proceedings should not move forward. Boasberg said that if officials fail to submit the declarations, the court will consider holding further hearings and potentially refer the matter for prosecution. WHO IS JAMES BOASBERG, THE US JUDGE AT THE CENTER OF TRUMP’S DEPORTATION EFFORTS? The Trump administration filed its appeal with the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday night. The Trump administration’s brief appeal to the D.C. Circuit Court does not include any new details, as the facts of the case have already been heard by the district and appellate court. The appellate court last month ruled 2-1 to uphold Boasberg’s temporary restraining order. The Supreme Court, however, ruled 5-4 last month that the Trump administration could resume its deportation flights under the Alien Enemies Act, so long as individuals subject to removal under the law were given due process protections, and the opportunity to pursue habeas relief – or the ability to have their case heard by a U.S. court prior to their removal. Boasberg said Wednesday that the court found that the Trump administration had demonstrated a “willful disregard” for his March 15 emergency order, which temporarily halted all deportation flights to El Salvador under the Alien Enemies Act, a 1798 statute providing for such deportations during “a declared war between the United States and any foreign nation or government, or any invasion or predatory incursion” by a foreign nation. “The Court ultimately determines that the Government’s actions on that day demonstrate a willful disregard for its Order, sufficient for the Court to conclude that probable cause exists to find the Government in criminal contempt,” Boasberg said Wednesday. Boasberg said he will give government officials the opportunity to propose “other methods” of coming into compliance, which he will evaluate. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TELLS FEDERAL JUDGE IT MIGHT INVOKE STATE SECRETS ACT ON HIGH-PROFILE DEPORTATION CASE Boasberg had scolded the Trump administration, including Justice Department lawyer Drew Ensign, for failing to comply with repeated requests for information from the court about the individuals deported on the flights – and who in the administration knew about the restraining order handed down, and when. The lack of information provided had sparked frustration from Boasberg, who described their compliance last month in a blistering order as “woefully insufficient.” The Trump administration, for its part, had argued in an earlier emergency appeal that Boasberg’s actions amounted to a “massive, unauthorized imposition on the Executive’s authority to remove dangerous aliens,” whom they alleged “pose threats to the American people.” “If you really believed everything you did that day was legal and would survive a court challenge, you would not have operated the way that you did,” Boasberg told Ensign earlier this month.
LGBTQ Christians invoke ‘righteous rage’ at Capitol during Holy Week
A community of LGBTQ+ Christians began Holy Week with a proclamation of “righteous rage and holy hope” at the U.S. Capitol in Washington Monday. Fox News Digital asked attendees at the Collective of Queer Christian Leaders event how “woman” should be defined in 2025. While some spoke about gender fluidity, spirituality and inclusivity, activists called for politicians to focus less on pronouns and more on delivering for Americans. “While the right is interested in litigating biology, I’m interested in litigating humanity,” the Rev. Don Abram, the founder of Pride in the Pews, told Nicholas Ballasy of Fox News Digital. Abram pivoted from the question to saying God is in everyone, and all people are “deserving of rights, protections, resources and safety,” regardless of identity. The pastor and member of Pride in the Pews, which is a Black LGBTQ+ advocacy group, said conservatives focusing on gender ideology is a distraction from the issues Americans care most about, like whether Medicaid will be cut or how tariffs will affect the economy. BONDI ANNOUNCES LAWSUIT AGAINST MAINE FOR REFUSING TO BAN TRANS ATHLETES FROM GIRLS’ SPORTS “I think the conversation on gender and who identifies, how they identify, it’s just a scapegoat for them to not focus on the real issues and the real problems that are affecting all of us,” Abram said. WHITE HOUSE PLANS ‘EXTRAORDINARY’ HOLY WEEK AS TRUMP HONORS EASTER WITH ‘THE OBSERVANCE IT DESERVES’ Guthrie Graves, an ordained Baptist deacon, said Americans might disagree on the fluidity of sex and gender, but “what we can all agree on is nobody should fear for their safety, or fear losing their job or face violence on the street.” He said a foundation of human rights should predicate debates about “human sexuality and gender.” Other attendees, who answered the question more literally, said definitions of sexuality and gender are not so rigid. “From a faith perspective, we are all children of God, and if someone identifies as transgender and claims that as their identity, then who is anyone else to argue with that?” Jan Lawrence, executive director of Reconciling Ministries Network, an LGBTQ+ justice organization within the United Methodist Church, told Fox News Digital. Rep. Sarah McBride, D-Del., became the first openly transgender person elected to Congress in November. Debates over which bathroom McBride was permitted to use dominated her first few weeks on the job after Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., advocated for a ban on transgender women using the women’s restrooms at the U.S. Capitol. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson later announced the U.S. House would institute a bathroom ban, stating all single-sex bathrooms were reserved for individuals of that biological sex. Johnson noted that every member of Congress has an office with a private restroom, and unisex restrooms are available throughout the Capitol. “I’m not here to fight about bathrooms. I’m here to fight for Delawareans and to bring down costs facing families,” McBride said in a statement in November. President Donald Trump, on his first day back in the Oval Office, issued an executive order establishing only two sexes, male and female. Trump’s Attorney General Pam Bondi announced a lawsuit against Maine Wednesday for allowing transgender women to continue playing women’s sports. Democratic Maine Gov. Janet Mills has refused to comply with Trump’s executive order restricting biological men from playing in girls and women’s sports. Nearly two months ago, Trump and Mills sparred during a bipartisan meeting of governors at the White House during which Trump promised Mills he’d “see you in court.” Last year, President Joe Biden proclaimed March 31, which fell on Easter Sunday, Transgender Day of Visibility to show “transgender and nonbinary Americans that we see them, they belong and they should be treated with dignity and respect.” This year, Trump’s new White House Faith Office has announced a robust Holy Week schedule to celebrate Easter.
CAIR panelist accuses Trump admin of using AI and antisemitism against free speech
The Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) held a “Know Your Rights with ICE on Campus” webinar Wednesday night, during which an attorney on the panel accused the Trump administration of using antisemitism as a “ruse” to crack down on freedom of speech. Immigration attorney Hassan Ahmad also advised students listening in on the CAIR panel to wipe their phone memory when traveling internationally to avoid allowing immigration officials to search their data. This comes amid a multi-agency plan by the Trump administration to “root out” antisemitism across U.S. college campuses following several years of widespread protests in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks and the subsequent Israel-Hamas war. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has arrested a slew of foreign-born students who have been involved with pro-Palestinian and pro-Hamas demonstrations, and who the administration has accused of being terrorist sympathizers and threats to national security. ‘SAFER WITHOUT HIM’: COLUMBIA STUDENT CLAIMS CLASSMATE ARRESTED BY ICE ‘HATES AMERICA’ Most notably, the administration arrested Mahmoud Khalil, who played a major role in the protests against Israel at Columbia University, and met with university officials on behalf of Columbia University Apartheid Divest, a group of student groups urging the university to divest from Israel. On Monday, DHS agents arrested another Columbia student, Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian-born green card holder in Colchester, Vermont. Mahdawi co-founded the Palestinian Student Union at Columbia with Khalil. CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE During the Wednesday webinar, Ahmad suggested the Trump administration’s crackdown is motivated by racism and said that “it is clear the administration is using antisemitism as a ruse to clamp down on free speech and that’s why they’re targeting a lot of the Palestinian activists or pro-Palestinians.” “I won’t even call them activists,” he went on, “people who acknowledge the humanity of the Palestinian people, that’s all it takes.” TRUMP TALKS BORDER SECURITY, TARIFF POLICIES AND MORE ON FOX NOTICIAS The attorney went on to decry U.S. law, bizarrely suggesting that the Trump administration could be using AI to pick its targets for deportation. “Honestly, part of me thinks that the rumors are true and that the State Department is using AI to identify people,” he said. “The way these laws are written right now, especially the foreign policy ground … it’s very broadly worded, it allows [Secretary of State] Marco Rubio to ChatGPT a reason to why somebody is bad for the foreign policy of the United States and there’s very little, if any, judicial review questioning as to what his reasoning was.” Ahmad also cautioned noncitizen students to take steps to hide their phone data from the government. “Don’t travel, don’t cross international lines with your phone with all the data on it,” he said. “Make sure there’s nothing on it. If it has to be your phone, you need to take steps to delete all of the apps and re-download them from the cloud after you safely cross the border.”
Love avocados? Biden admin caving to Mexican cartels could have devastating impact on wildly popular fruit
California avocado growers are sounding the alarm over a potential infiltration of crop pests from across the border after the Biden administration caved to Mexican cartel threats and ended a Clinton-era food inspection process that now threatens U.S. farmers. “We understand the importance of free trade,” Ken Melban, the vice president of industry affairs and operations at the California Avocado Commission, told Fox Digital in a Tuesday Zoom interview. “Eight-five to 90% of the total U.S. demand for avocados is supplied by Mexico. However, that free trade should not increase risk on our California growers.” “Our growers are working hard to maintain a business, to drive their economic engine, to provide for their families, to support the economies around them,” he said. “And they shouldn’t have to face a pest, no fault of their own, just because our government in the past was afraid to stand up to the cartel.” Melban was reacting to a Biden administration decision in September 2024 to end a U.S. Department of Agriculture program called the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) specifically in the context of inspecting farms in Mexico to ensure that avocados exported to the U.S. did not also include pests that could disrupt U.S. agriculture. The policy change came after criminals in Mexico reportedly assaulted and threatened the inspectors in recent years. EATING ONE TYPE OF FRUIT REGULARLY COULD REDUCE DIABETES RISK IN WOMEN, STUDY SUGGESTS: ‘INCREDIBLY HEALTHY’ Instead, Mexico was charged with ensuring avocados sent across the border were free of harmful pests, such as seed and stem weevils and seed moths. Weevils are small insects that typically have long snouts, and are notorious for damaging or destroying crops. The avocado industry is a multibillion business in Mexico, but it is often rocked by crime and exploitation of farmers, as cartels work to control the supply chain to help finance their operations and often exploit farmers through rackets that level fees on avocado growers in exchange for protection from violence, various studies and reports on crime affecting the Mexican lime and avocado industry show. Mexico’s Agriculture Department confirmed the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service program ended in a statement in September 2024, claiming “with this agreement, the U.S. health safety agency is recognizing the commitment of Mexican growers, who in more than 27 years have not had any sanitary problems in exports,” the Associated Press reported at the time. US HALTS INSPECTIONS OF POPULAR FRUITS FROM MEXICO OVER SECURITY CONCERNS: USDA Former President Bill Clinton established the inspection program to better bolster U.S. farming communities, with the California Avocado Commission and Department of Agriculture reaching an agreement with Mexico in 1997 to allow for Mexican avocados to be exported to the U.S. under the condition that the fruit be inspected. All expenses related to the program’s inspections of orchards and packing houses were footed by Mexico, not U.S. taxpayers, according to the commission. The Biden administration also paused the program in 2022 after an inspector in Mexico’s western state of Michoacan received a threat “against him and his family,” the USDA said at the time. Two other USDA employees were also reportedly assaulted and temporarily held by suspects in the same Mexican state in June 2024, leading to another pause before Mexico ultimately was charged with conducting inspections in September 2024. “We know that without the U.S. government present, the likelihood for corruption exists,” Melban said of the lack of USDA inspector currently in Mexico. “You can’t just show up one day and pretend that your grove has been certified and that you’re taking all the measures necessary to keep pests out and free. We also know that there has been fruit brought in from other non-certified groves in the past, and that’s part of the problem. That’s where we need the USDA to have boots on the ground and make sure that the inspections and the integrity of the inspections are maintained.” “This entire inspection program is funded by Mexico,” he added. “It’s part of their privilege to come into our U.S. market.” SCHUMER MOCKED FOR CORONA AND GUAC CLIP WARNING TRUMP TARIFFS WILL HURT SUPER BOWL PARTIES: ‘NOT GOOD AT THIS’ Michoacan has long been a hotbed for cartel activity, with the State Department in September issuing a “Do Not Travel” advisory for the Mexican state due to its high threats of kidnapping and crime, according to the travel advisory. Michoacan and Jalisco are the only two Mexican states authorized to export avocados to the U.S. Some residents and farmers of the Michoacan state have also formed various self-defense groups in the past decade to help protect against cartel violence. “We’ve all heard the stories and see the reporting that the cartel is very prevalent in Michoacan, which is a big growing area and the first state that was ever allowed access to the U.S. And so it only stands to reason that they’re going to be involved at some level. And in many instances, they are actually exploiting our pure growers in Mexico too. We’re just looking for the safety of the entire program, so the integrity can be maintained to protect our growers’ interests here in the U.S.,” Melban explained. The USDA told Fox Digital on Wednesday that the APHIS program continues to inspect fruit entering the U.S. at the border and is comitted to “mitigating plant health risk in a way that does not compromise the safety and security of our employees or the phytosanitary security of the United States.” “USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) understands the vital importance of the avocado industry to the State of California and recognizes the concerns raised by residents. APHIS staff continue to fulfill their inspection responsibilities regarding fruit entering the United States from Mexico. Nearly 30 years of experience administering this program has proved the effectiveness of the avocado program’s system of overlapping safeguards to prevent the entry of invasive pests,” a spokesperson said. “Staffing levels and budget levels for the inspection