Top Trump agency reveals key reason why REAL ID will be enforced
EXCLUSIVE: Although the REAL ID deadline has been pushed numerous times, the Department of Homeland Security says stopping illegal immigration is a major reason why it’s holding firm to the current May 7 deadline. In a memo exclusively obtained by Fox News Digital, the department said part of the reason REAL ID will be enforced 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. BORDER CROSSINGS HIT RECORD LOW IN MARCH THANKS TO ‘VIGILANT’ WORK OF AGENTS: REPORT “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. 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. DHS said that during the Biden administration, 1.4 million “inadmissible aliens” were allowed into the country because of programs like CBP One and the Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans parole program, and over half a million flew into American airports as of August 2024, according to the memo. TOM HOMAN: MIGRANTS DEPORTED TO EL SALVADOR WERE ‘SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC SAFETY THREATS’ The department said 320,000 illegal immigrants were permitted to fly into 43 airports before flying to other parts of the country as a direct result of CBP One in 2023. DHS cited Fox News Digital’s reporting from 2022 where the Transportation Security Administration under Biden and former Homeland Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas allowed civil arrest warrants to be used as acceptable identification. CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE “For non-citizens and non-U.S. nationals who do not otherwise have acceptable forms of ID for presentation at security checkpoints, TSA may also accept certain DHS-issued forms, including ICE Form I-200 (Warrant for Arrest of an Alien),” a TSA spokesperson told Fox News at the time. Americans looking to fly domestically and enter some federal buildings will need a form of identification, and a passport can be used as an alternative. ANOTHER PRO-PALESTINE COLUMBIA PROTESTOR DETAINED BY ICE, SANDERS AND DEMS OUTRAGED The REAL ID Act was signed into law by former President George W. Bush in 2005. “These IDs keep our country safe because they help prevent fraud and they enhance security,” Noem said in a recent video. “Please do your part to protect our country, go today, and don’t delay.” The memo from DHS comes as sweeping changes have occurred under the Trump administration on immigration policies, including scrapping the CBP One app and replacing it with the CBP Home app meant for self-deportations. Meanwhile, federal immigration authorities have cracked down on alleged criminals who are in the country illegally, including sending many to El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center, which has led to numerous ongoing legal battles. Some have opposed the enforcement of REAL ID, which many people have gotten over the years if their license has a star or flag on it, for example. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “As long as the pilot’s door is locked and no one has weapons, why do you care that someone who flies has government permission?” Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., tweeted on Monday. “Real ID provides no benefit, yet presents a serious risk to freedom. If a person can’t be trusted to fly without weapons, why are they roaming free?”
Trump directs agencies to follow Supreme Court rulings, as he continues to rein in administrative state
A new White House memo highlighting the top 10 Supreme Court rulings federal agencies must follow has legal experts optimistic about reining in the administrative state, while some litigators remain skeptical the directive will be enforced. “Any administration that really cares about making sure that they were following the law should be reviewing regulations,” Carrie Severino, president of Judicial Crisis Network, told Fox News Digital. “We want a government that isn’t just taking every bit of power that it can get away with, but one that wants to make sure the constitutional limits are guarded as well, which is why this memorandum is refreshing and novel in a good way.” The administration issued a memorandum on April 9 requiring agencies to rescind regulations not in line with 10 recent Supreme Court opinions on proper administrative agency functions. SUPREME COURT CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTS SWOOPS IN TO SAVE TRUMP FIRING DECISION The memo, titled, “President Donald J. Trump Directs Repeal of Regulations That Are Unlawful Under 10 Recent Supreme Court Decisions,” says it is in line with a February executive order seeking to rein in the administrative state. The memo lists various Supreme Court cases aligned with Trump’s deregulatory agenda as well as the administration’s efforts to get rid of DEI initiatives. Among the cases listed are Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, West Virginia vs. EPA, and Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College. Both Loper Bright and West Virginia notably narrowed executive agencies’ authority in issuing rules and regulations affecting the American public. Likewise, Students for Fair Admissions rejected the use of affirmative action in university admissions. “The President is right: agencies must repeal regulations that the Supreme Court has deemed unlawful. The President continues to deliver on his promises to roll back regulations and government overreach crippling American enterprise,” White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers told Fox News Digital in a statement. Several of the cases listed are not retroactive, meaning regulations issued prior to these decisions being handed down will not be disturbed as a result of the opinions. However, experts say agencies can re-evaluate previous rules and regulations under the new standards imposed by the Supreme Court opinions. LAWSUIT TRACKER: NEW RESISTANCE BATTLING TRUMP’S SECOND TERM THROUGH ONSLAUGHT OF LAWSUITS TAKING AIM AT EOS “I think that that is good fodder, a good basis for a lot of agencies to go back and look, ‘Where have we created massive regulatory compliance burdens and structures that massively impact the economy or society on the basis of a very thin thread and where can we undo it?’” Daniel Huff, senior legal fellow at the American Path Initiative, told Fox News Digital. “And we can point to these elephants in mouse holes and when it’s reviewed in the future, they will say ‘Yes, that is a good rationale’ and it will be upheld.” Kara Rollins is a lawyer for the New Civil Liberties Alliance, the nonprofit organization that argued Relentless Inc. v. Dept. of Commerce in front of the high court – Loper’s companion case that sought to scale back the reach of the administrative state. Rollins told Fox News Digital the “retrospective look” these agencies will take toward previous regulations is not “misplaced.” However, Rollins raised concerns about the administration’s enforcement of the directive, noting that several related cases were already underway before the Supreme Court issued its rulings. “What happens to these cases that are currently active where DOJ or the agency is just taking the wrong position?” Rollins said. “Who’s looking at that? Who’s clearing out those cases and saying, in light of this memorandum, we’ve looked at our litigation position and we can no longer sustain it? And that’s the real sort of open question, particularly for litigators right now.” COURTROOM COMBAT: INSIDE THE FEDERAL JUDICIARY SYSTEM WHERE TRUMP’S AGENDA IS UNDER ASSAULT Rollins said that, as a litigator, her concern is agencies have yet to change positions when it comes to these Supreme Court opinions: “That sort of signals that there is a problem between what the president is saying he wants to have happen and what’s being effectuated on the ground.” In the memo, Trump directs agencies to employ the Administrative Procedure Act’s “good cause” exception “where appropriate,” which allows agencies to do away with the usual notice-and-comment rulemaking process in the interest of the public. The usual process requires time for public input on the proposed rule. Huff said there is “less of a need” to impose the regular notice-and-comment rulemaking process given that agencies will likely be reviewing previous rules rather than passing new ones. “They’re not adding new burdens. This isn’t new to people,” Huff said. “People already sort of know what’s there and it was there before. And we’re just turning back the clock. We’re putting it back to the way it was. We’re restoring the original status quo.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Severino said there could be litigation over the use of the exception despite the fact that the language is “very broad.” “But I do think there are strong arguments for it because the laws must keep with the constitutional limits on government, and, of course, be in the public interest.”
Left-wing lawmaker calls Trump MAGA’s ‘buffoon of a leader’: ‘Thank me later’
Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, who last week referred to President Donald Trump as a “mofo” — an abbreviated form of the profanity ‘motherf—er’ — has continued leveling colorful attacks against him. In a Monday night post on X she used words including “buffoon” and “orange.” “Y’all can keep wasting time on conspiracy theories aka lies about me OR start paying attention to things that actually impact your life like this,” she wrote when sharing a video in which wealthy investor Ray Dalio said he is concerned about the possibility of “something worse than a recession … ” LEFT-WING LAWMAKER CALLS TRUMP A ‘MOFO,’ SAYS SOME VOTERS ‘DISQUALIFIED’ KAMALA HARRIS FOR ‘HER RACE & OR SEX’ “PS Still Single, Childless, no granny drama, no new mysterious wealth (like those that may have engaged in INSIDER TRADING as Trump manipulated the market & produced more wealth for his rich friends), no random mansions, no shady donations (like Elon’s purchase of the Oval Office),” Crockett continued. “Unfortunately for MAGA… their buffoon of a leader is every ethical & criminal stereotype that they attribute to me, but the only one that fits the bill isn’t black, but instead orange,” she declared. “Thank me later for trying to educate you as your leader wants you left in the dark.” Fox News Digital reached out to Crockett’s office on Tuesday but did not receive a comment by the time of publication. The White House replied to a comment request on Tuesday by sending a previously reported statement from spokesperson Harrison Fields. “Crockett and her followers in the Democratic Party are simply all hammer and no nail. When she’s leading the Democrats in ‘oversight,’ that’s when you know the party is in shambles. Her constituents should DOGE her in the next election.” MEET THE ARMY VETERAN RUNNING TO UNSEAT EMERGING TRUMP RESISTANCE LEADER CROCKETT: ‘TEARING OUR COUNTRY DOWN’ Crockett said on MSNBC last week that “the fact that no one is questioning” Trump’s “mental acuity or fitness to serve is beyond wild to me.” Contrary to the congresswoman’s comments, a memo from the physician to the president states that “President Trump exhibits excellent cognitive and physical health and is fully fit to execute the duties of the Commander-in-Chief and Head of State.” However, the insults have been flying in both directions, with Trump blasting Crockett as well. REP. JASMINE CROCKETT SUGGESTS THE UNITED STATES NEEDS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS BECAUSE ‘WE DONE PICKING COTTON’ CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Trump called Crockett a “very low-IQ person and a lowlife” during an interview with radio host Vince Coglianese last month. “She can’t speak. She can’t get the words out of her mouth,” he said of Crockett, noting that he “can’t see her going very far in politics.” During remarks at a National Republican Congressional Committee event last week, the president said that if Crockett is the Democrats’ “new star” the party is in “serious trouble.”
President Trump weighs in on Senate primary between two GOP heavyweights in major red state
President Donald Trump weighed in on an already contentious Senate primary race in the most populous red state in the nation, saying he will make an endorsement decision “at the right time.” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate while speaking on Fox News last week. Paxton, a conservative firebrand and outspoken supporter of Trump, is seeking to replace incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, an influential member of the GOP who previously served as the Party’s Senate whip and has held the seat since 2002. With both Paxton and Cornyn being considered leading members of the Republican Party, the race promises to be particularly messy. Paxton has accused the current senator of being a lukewarm supporter of Trump’s agenda, saying, “It’s time that we have another great senator that will actually stand up and fight for Republican values, fight for the values of the people of Texas and also support Donald Trump in the areas that he’s focused on in a very significant way.” TRUMP SAYS HE’S LOOKING AT CERTAIN TARIFF EXEMPTIONS FOR AUTOMAKERS: ‘THEY NEED A LITTLE BIT OF TIME’ For his part, Cornyn has dismissed the attorney general as a “fraud” motivated by “vanity and personal ambition.” Trump told reporters that both GOP senatorial candidates in Texas are “friends of mine” and “good men,” but he stopped short of issuing an endorsement of one over the other, at least for now. “Well, they’re both friends of mine,” said Trump. “They’re both good men, and I don’t know. We don’t, we don’t know who else is running, but these two, you know, Ken and John, they’re both friends of mine, so I’ll make a determination at the right time.” Since announcing his candidacy, Paxton has already garnered endorsements from Reps. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, and Lance Gooden, R-Texas, as well as around 250 state legislators and business leaders across the state, according to a spokesperson. TRUMP, OFFICIALS HAVE TENSE EXCHANGE WITH CNN REPORTER OVER DEPORTATION OF EL SALVADORAN NATIONAL Those endorsing Paxton are emphasizing his pledge to double down on his conservative agenda and “take a sledgehammer to the D.C. establishment.” One of Paxton’s supporters, conservative Texas Rep. Tony Tinderholt, called him “the most conservative attorney general in the nation,” saying he “will be a fantastic upgrade over John Cornyn.” Gooden, whose district is just east of Dallas, said he was endorsing Paxton because “it’s time for change in Texas,” adding that “Texans deserve a conservative champion who has a record of taking on the establishment, fighting to secure our border, and advancing the Trump agenda.” Meanwhile, Cornyn, who has been in the Senate for nearly 23 years, has the support of some of the Republican Party’s top leaders, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, Sen. Tim Scott, R-South Carolina, as well as the National Republican Senatorial Committee. TRUMP ORDERS MILITARY TO SEIZE PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN BORDER AMID IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN Since Trump returned to the White House three months ago, Cornyn has been supportive of the president’s Cabinet nominees and agenda. Cornyn has emphasized previous corruption and bribery charges against Paxton, which in 2023 led to the attorney general being impeached by the Texas House of Representatives. Paxton was later acquitted of all charges by the Texas Senate. Paxton was indicted on securities fraud charges soon after taking office in 2015 and also came under investigation by the FBI over bribery and corruption allegations from former top staffers. The charges in the long-running federal corruption probe were dropped during the final weeks of the Biden administration. A spokesperson for Cornyn’s campaign asserted that Trump would be wise to endorse the senator, emphasizing his experience helping to lead the GOP. TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ FACES A TOUGH NEXT TEST IN CONGRESS “During his first term, John Cornyn voted with President Trump more than 95% of current Senators, securing the votes for his biggest accomplishments as his Whip,” the representative told Fox News Digital. “Democrats are trying to destroy President Trump,” the representative went on. “And he and Texas need a battle-tested conservative who knows how to protect his agenda in the Senate and won’t be outsmarted by [Minority Leader] Chuck Schumer.” Paxton, however, posits that Cornyn’s enthusiasm for Trump is all an act. “We’re all glad John Cornyn suddenly found religion and is embracing President Trump’s policies now that he’s facing a primary challenge,” Paxton told Fox News Digital. “But if he’s re-elected, he’ll immediately go back to being the same old John who said President Trump’s ‘time has passed him by’ and fought to stop the President’s America First agenda.” DOJ INDICATES TRUMP ADMIN NOT OBLIGATED TO RETURN MAN DEPORTED TO EL SALVADOR, PUSHING BACK ON JUDICIARY He pointed out that he was one of only two elected officials present with Trump when he announced he was running for president for a third time. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “I was grateful to join my friend Troy Nehls as one of two elected officials at President Trump’s 2024 announcement and have always been proud to stand with him,” he said. “I will continue to support the President and work with him to secure our border, defend the integrity of our elections, and protect our 2nd Amendment—unlike John Cornyn who has tried to undermine President Trump every step of the way.” “I’m incredibly grateful to have the support of over 250 conservative leaders from across our great state,” Paxton went on. “While John Cornyn is relying on the Washington establishment to save him, I’m proud that my campaign is powered by the grassroots and the people of Texas.” As Cornyn and Paxton vie for the GOP nomination, former Democratic Rep. Colin Allred, who launched a surprisingly competitive but ultimately unsuccessful challenge against Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in 2024, is weighing another run in 2026. Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
Jeffries: SCOTUS should hold Trump admin in contempt over deported Salvadoran migrant
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. on Tuesday said that the Supreme Court should consider holding the Trump administration in contempt over its deportation of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, an El Salvadorian illegal migrant and former Maryland resident. The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a lower court’s decision to facilitate the return of Abrego Garcia from an El Salvador prison where federal officials sent hundreds of suspected criminals and gang members last month. “The Supreme Court has made clear that Mr. Abrego Garcia should not have been deported,” Jeffries said at a Tuesday press conference on Democrats’ upcoming “Save Social Security Day of Action” to oppose what he claims will be cuts to social security. ‘UP TO EL SALVADOR’: TRUMP ADMIN PUNTS ON RETURN OF WRONGFULLY DEPORTED MARYLAND RESIDENT “In fact, the Trump administration has acknowledged that fact and so they need to comply with the Supreme Court’s directive or the Supreme Court needs to enforce its order aggressively, which should include contempt.” The Supreme Court acknowledges that Abrego Garcia was subject to a 2019 withholding order forbidding his removal to El Salvador, and that the removal to El Salvador was “therefore illegal.” The Court stressed that the government must facilitate his release from custody in El Salvador and treat his case as if he were never deported. One immigration judge in 2019 found that Garcia had not sufficiently refuted evidence of MS-13 affiliation and was thus removable to anywhere other than El Salvador because of a threat from a rival gang, this is called a withholding order. The Trump administration has faced criticism from Democrats, left-wing media and human rights advocates for sending Abrego Garcia back to his home country. Trump officials initially acknowledged his removal was due to an “administrative error.” FEDERAL JUDGE HAMMERS DOJ ON WHEREABOUTS OF ALLEGED MS-13 GANG MEMBER FOLLOWING SCOTUS ORDER White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller on Monday said that two courts found Abrego Garcia to be an MS-13 gang member, and he was deported after Trump declared the violent gang a terrorist organization. Miller said that when Trump declared MS-13 a terrorist organization, Abrego Garcia was no longer eligible for any form of immigration relief in the United States. Miller said that Abrego Garcia had an outstanding deportation order, meaning he wasn’t even allowed to be present in the U.S. and had to be removed because of the foreign terrorist designation. Abrego Garcia is married to a U.S. citizen, and they are raising three children. Jeffries, meanwhile, added that he was supporting the efforts of Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., who is trying to meet with El Salvadorian President Nayib Bukele while he is here in the country. Van Hollen is trying to get Abrego Garcia sent back to the U.S. Bukele met with Trump at the White House on Monday for a bilateral summit focused largely on immigration. “I support the efforts and leadership of Senator Chris Van Hollen,” Jeffries said. “The president should accept that meeting request and have a real discussion as to when Mr. Abrego Garcia is going to be returned to his family in the United States of America.” Van Hollen said he also wants to see the Trump administration held in contempt. “It’s absolutely unjust and illegal to have this Marylander detained one more day in a notorious prison in El Salvador,” Van Hollen said, per WBAL-TV. “I saw that the families, the lawyers, have asked that the administration lawyers be held in contempt, and I think that’s an absolutely appropriate move to take right now. They’re absolutely snubbing their nose at the courts right now, including the Supreme Court.” Fox News’ Kerri Urbahn contributed to this report.
Schumer calls on Leland Dudek, acting commissioner of SSA, to resign
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. called on the head of President Donald Trump’s Social Security Administration to resign on Tuesday. Schumer declared a “Social Security Day of Action” during a press conference in New York on Tuesday, accusing Trump, Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) of cutting Americans’ social security. Schumer called on acting SSA Administrator Leland Dudek to resign. “Dudek is bad medicine for our seniors,” Schumer said from the podium. “Donald Trump and Elon Musk have a hatchet man in Leland Dudek, an acting Commissioner with an emphasis on the ‘acting,’ because his real role is to dismantle the very office he is supposed to lead, make better, and protect,” he continued. “We have seen his audition and his work on the stage, and it is clear: Dudek is incapable of doing this job in the way it needs to be done. He won’t protect seniors. He will hurt them. Leland Dudek should resign.” ELON MUSK DUNKS ON SEN CHUCK SCHUMER, DECLARING ‘HYSTERICAL REACTIONS’ DEMONSTRATE DOGE’S IMPORTANCE “Republicans are trying to kill Social Security from the inside – it is a cut by another name – and we won’t let that happen,” Schumer said in another statement. The press conference comes after Schumer feuded with Musk on social media. The Tesla founder reacted to Schumer’s criticism of DOGE by suggesting the lawmaker was “getting a piece of the action with the government fraud.” MUSK SPARS WITH WHITE HOUSE TRADE ADVISOR PETER NAVARRO: ‘DUMBER THAN A SACK OF BRICKS’ “Another Elon lie. He wants you to think anyone who dares to stand up to him is committing fraud, meanwhile he’s taking tens of billions from the government,” Schumer declared in a post last week. Musk also fired off a response to a post in which Schumer suggested that Musk is slashing Social Security benefits. “Make no mistake: What Elon Musk is doing at Social Security is cutting benefits,” Schumer said. “The intern running Schumer’s social media account is lying,” Musk shot back. During a Senate speech, Schumer claimed that “Elon Musk is cutting Social Security benefits.” “When offices close down, when websites crash, when phone lines shut off, that’s no different than cutting benefits,” Schumer said.
Shapiro leads lawsuit against Trump admin for pulling COVID-era school funding
Gov. Josh Shapiro, D-Pa., joined 15 states and Washington, D.C., to challenge President Donald Trump’s Department of Education for revoking millions in pandemic-era education funding for their states. Shapiro and the group of attorneys general from across the country filed a complaint to Education Secretary Linda McMahon and the Education Department, challenging the federal government’s rescission of funding allocated to “combat the devastating and ongoing effects” of the COVID-19 pandemic. The complaint alleges the funding was allocated through March 2026, and states were informed on March 28 “with no advance notice or warning” that the Department of Education had “rescinded extensions of time to liquidate grant funds previously approved by ED.” The complaint says the funds in question were allocated by Congress using a pandemic-era law. “Every Pennsylvania student deserves the freedom to chart their own course and the opportunity to succeed. I’m taking action to preserve that freedom and ensure no Pennsylvania student is harmed by the federal government’s decision to go back on its word,” Shapiro said. ‘DULY OWED TO US’: BLUE STATE GOVERNOR SAYS $2.1B IN FEDERAL FUNDING RESTORED AFTER SUING TRUMP ADMIN Shapiro said the $185 million in federal funding “owed to Pennsylvania” supports academic and mental health programs, implements and modernizes new technology and provides infrastructure improvements in schools. SENATORS FORMALLY INTRODUCE BILL TO ELIMINATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION The Pennsylvania governor argued that school districts and education agencies have already spent the allocated money, so canceling $185 million forces Pennsylvania taxpayers to pick up the tab on projects already underway. The complaint is co-signed by attorneys general from Arizona, California, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Nevada, Oregon and Washington, D.C. The state leaders claim the Department of Education could not rescind their federal funding due to the “end of the pandemic,” because the pandemic had already ended when the funding extension was granted, and they argue they were not limited to COVID-19 specific programs. Madi Biedermann, a spokesperson for the Education Department, told Fox News Digital in a statement, “COVID is over. States and school districts can no longer claim they are spending their emergency pandemic funds on ‘COVID relief’ when there are numerous documented examples of abuse and misuse.” “The Department established a process to consider funding extension requests on a project-specific basis where it can be demonstrated that funds are being used directly mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on student learning. If the states suing were using these funds to remediate learning loss and support students, there would be no need for this lawsuit.” The recession in pandemic-related federal education funding follows Trump’s fulfillment of a key 2024 campaign promise to dismantle the Department of Education. Trump signed an executive order last month directing McMahon to close the department and return educational authority to the states – a Republican idea often floated by presidential hopefuls but implemented for the first time during Trump’s second term. Shapiro has relied on the judicial system during Trump’s second term to unlock federal funding for Pennsylvania. Earlier this month, the Pennsylvania governor joined 22 states and Washington, D.C., in a lawsuit against Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Department of Health and Human Services for canceling public health grants that prevent the spread of infectious diseases. Shapiro also sued the Trump administration on Feb. 13, challenging Trump’s allegedly “illegal” federal funding freeze. Soon after, Shapiro celebrated that $2.1 billion in federal funds had been unfrozen and restored to Pennsylvania following his lawsuit and direct confrontation with the Trump administration.
Trump admin defies court over Maryland deportation, ignites legal showdown
Trump administration officials are slated to appear in federal court this afternoon for what’s expected to be a fiery hearing over the deportation of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident removed to El Salvador last month in what officials have acknowledged was an “administrative error.” U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis ordered the hearing after government lawyers failed to comply with multiple court directives regarding Abrego Garcia’s return to the U.S. – with the Supreme Court most recently ordering the administration to “facilitate” his release from Salvadorian custody and resume his immigration proceedings as if he were never removed. The administration’s apparent refusal to act – or even clarify Abrego Garcia’s whereabouts – has pushed the case to a boiling point, raising the prospect that Xinis could hold the Trump administration in contempt. In addition to filing incomplete status updates and refusing to answer questions about Abrego Garcia’s whereabouts or efforts to secure his return, Trump officials suggested at the White House on Monday that the U.S. lacks the authority to bring him back. ‘UP TO EL SALVADOR’: TRUMP ADMIN PUNTS ON RETURN OF WRONGFULLY DEPORTED MARYLAND RESIDENT Xinis will weigh these developments as the court considers next steps in the case, including whether to pursue civil contempt proceedings against the administration. Last night, the Trump administration failed to include in its daily status update to the court answers to any of the three questions sought by the judge. These included the location and custodial status of Garcia; what steps the government has taken to facilitate his return, and what steps the government is planning in order to make that happen. Xinis previously called the government’s refusal to answer these questions “extremely troubling.” Tensions soared Monday during a White House visit from Salvadorian President Nayib Bukele, whose government is receiving $6 million from the U.S. to detain migrants at its sprawling maximum-security prison, CECOT – including alleged members of MS-13 and the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. While Trump allies and immigration hawks have praised the removals, critics warn these rapid deportations may violate due process protections under the U.S. Constitution, and they cite concerns that the individuals deported may not have had a chance to challenge their removals in court. APPEALS COURT BLOCKS TRUMP ADMIN’S DEPORTATION FLIGHTS IN ALIEN ENEMIES ACT IMMIGRATION SUIT Abrego Garcia, for his part, was deported from the U.S. to El Salvador last month without a hearing. The Trump administration, including U.S. Solicitor General John Sauer, has acknowledged in court documents his removal was an “administrative error.” Asked Monday about progress in returning Abrego Garcia to U.S. soil, Trump officials said his return was “up to El Salvador” and that the U.S. would “provide a plane” – appearing to ignore a court order to facilitate his return. “That’s up to El Salvador if they want to return him,” Attorney General Pam Bondi told reporters. “That’s not up to us.” This contention was backed by other Cabinet officials, including White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, and by Salvadorian President Bukele himself. “How can I return him to the United States? Like if I smuggle him into the United States?” Bukele told reporters Monday during a sit-down with President Donald Trump and other senior administration officials. “Of course I’m not going to do it. The question is preposterous,” he said. JUDGE BOASBERG POISED TO HOLD TRUMP ADMIN IN CONTEMPT, TAKES DOWN NAMES OF DHS OFFICIALS: ‘PRETTY SKETCHY’ Hours later, Trump administration lawyers breezed past a 5 p.m. court-ordered deadline set by Xinis to file a daily status update on their efforts to return Abrego Garcia to U.S. soil. Justice Department lawyers said in a weekend filing they are not required to comply with a judge’s order to “facilitate” his return, arguing the courts, in their view, “have no authority to direct the Executive Branch to conduct foreign relations in a particular way, or engage with a foreign sovereign in a given manner.” Trump officials continue to publicly rail against so-called “activist judges,” whom they have argued are attempting to stymie Trump’s agenda and his priorities on immigration enforcement. As of this writing, the Trump administration has not returned any of the individuals who have been sent to El Salvador’s sprawling, high-security prison, including any Venezuelan nationals who may have been mistakenly identified as members of the Tren de Aragua gang, as well as Abrego Garcia.
CDC eyes narrower COVID-19 vaccine guidance ahead of 2025–2026 season
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) vaccine advisory committee will meet on Tuesday for a two-day session to lay out new recommendations, including a proposal to scale back current COVID-19 vaccine guidelines. Dr. Lakshmi Panagiotakopoulos of the CDC is expected to present guidance on COVID-19 vaccine use for 2025–2026 and suggest the department adopt a “narrow” recommendation for it, “and only maintain this series for certain populations within these groups who we determine should be vaccinated.” When polled on April 3, a majority of advisors – 76% – expressed support for a risk-based, rather than universal, COVID-19 vaccination recommendation for the 2025–2026 schedule, up 10% higher from February polling. UTAH BANS FLUORIDE FROM PUBLIC DRINKING WATER, ALIGNING WITH MAHA MOVEMENT The 70-page presentation outlines three possible policy options for COVID-19 vaccines, including a shift away from recommending annual shots for everyone over 6 months old. Currently, annual COVID-19 shots are recommended for ages 6 months and older. One proposed policy option would continue the current universal policy, while another would recommend vaccines only for people at higher risk of severe illness, such as older adults, those with underlying health conditions, pregnant women and healthcare workers. A third option would blend the two, keeping universal recommendations for people 65 and older but limiting shots for younger groups to those at higher risk. “When initially presented with 2025–2026 COVID-19 vaccine policy options in November 2024, the Work Group appreciated pros and cons of both risk-based and universal vaccine recommendations,” Panagiotakopoulos wrote. “At that time, there was not yet a consensus on what the recommendation for the 2025–2026 COVID-19 vaccine should be. The Work Group requested additional information to help inform the decision-making process on risk-factors for severe COVID-19, transmission and immunity, vaccine implementation and access, and cost-effectiveness.” HOSPITALS WARNED THEY MUST PROTECT CHILDREN FROM CHEMICAL AND SURGICAL MUTILATION: HHS AGENCY MEMO The presentation will also propose how to define “increased risk,” looking at both health factors and increased exposure, like living in long-term care facilities or working in high-contact jobs. The two-day meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will examine information for members to vote on as official recommendations, which will then be passed on to the CDC for consideration in June. The end of the presentation will include discussion questions about the pros and cons of a universal vs. risk-based COVID-19 vaccine recommendation for 2025 to 2026. Key discussion points include whether any groups should be excluded from vaccination, what data is still needed to guide decisions, and whether a risk-based approach makes sense if most people are already considered “at risk.” HHS DOWNSIZING BEGINS AMID RFK JR. ‘MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN’ PUSH: ‘WIN-WIN FOR TAXPAYERS’ According to the CDC, the vaccine committee’s agenda will also include a session about the measles outbreak and an update “on literature related to reduced number of doses for HPV vaccine.” Members of the committee will vote on Wednesday on recommendations for the Meningococcal Vaccines, Meningococcal Vaccines VFC, RSV Adult and the Chikungunya Vaccines. The meeting comes as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is overseeing a major reorganization of the CDC. Plans include transferring non-infectious disease-related divisions to the Administration for a Healthy America to focus on chronic disease management. This move follows significant downsizing under President Donald Trump’s directive, which has already reduced the CDC workforce by roughly 4,000 people.
Marjorie Taylor Greene brings town hall to Harris-won Georgia county, shrugs off possible ‘outbursts’
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., is facing her constituents in a critical swing county for an in-person town hall on Tuesday, despite House GOP leaders’ warnings earlier this year to step back from such events amid progressive groups’ coordinated efforts to derail them. Greene said she organized her event months before House Republican leaders’ guidance but that it did not dissuade her from hosting them. “This has been on my calendar for a long time. And yes, we have seen Republican town halls targeted by Democrat protesters, and it’s well-organized by the Democrat Party,” Greene told Fox News Digital in a brief interview. “We even had leadership recommend to do tele-town halls. And for me that that is absolutely unacceptable. There’s no way I’m going to sit on a telephone and talk to the people in my district… I’ve done town halls ever since I was elected, starting back in 2021. So I love to do them.” Known as a conservative bomb-thrower and close ally of President Donald Trump, Greene is hosting her event in Cobb County – an area encompassing the Atlanta suburbs that former Vice President Kamala Harris won by roughly 15% last November. SENATE GOP PUSHES TRUMP BUDGET FRAMEWORK THROUGH AFTER MARATHON VOTE SERIES It’s a more moderate spot in Greene’s otherwise deep red district – but the congresswoman said its politics did not factor into her decision. “The reason why we picked that part of the district is it’s the newest part of the district for me, because of redistricting. And so this is a new part of Cobb County that I’ve gained in my district, and I think they’re great, and I want to go down there and speak with them,” Greene said. “They just voted for me for the first time in November. I like to pay attention to my district. And so I want to do my first town hall there.” “It has nothing to do with population or anything. Actually, I can tell you right now, I can get in much deeper red parts of my district and draw much bigger crowds. So this was about paying attention to the newest part of my district,” Greene added. She’s one of few Republican lawmakers holding an in-person town hall during Congress’ two-week Easter break away from Washington. It comes after progressive groups like Indivisible and MoveOn staged a series of coordinated protests at GOP lawmakers’ town halls and other events. Even town halls held by Greene’s fellow Georgia delegation members have been derailed by activists – who in some cases have traveled from other districts – jeering and booing GOP policies. MEET THE TRUMP-PICKED LAWMAKERS GIVING SPEAKER JOHNSON A FULL HOUSE GOP CONFERENCE But Greene’s town hall will see additional security measures aimed at ensuring disruptions are at a minimum. The address is only provided to registered attendees, who must be living in Greene’s district to gain entry. “I’m not sure how other members do it, but we only allow people that actually live in the district to come to the town hall. This isn’t a place for political grandstanding, protesting and outbursts,” Greene said. “We take their sign-up information. They have to show their ID when they come in the door and match up the sign-up list. And then we told them well ahead of time, if they want to stand up and interrupt and scream and yell, and have big outbursts, and use this as a protest, they’re going to get thrown out.” She added that she welcomed all of her constituents, Republicans and Democrats. “We expect them to behave well. And we expect them to be, you know, respectful. And we’re going to have a great town hall, and I cannot wait for it,” Greene said. The majority of coordinated protests have centered on the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and Elon Musk – one of Indivisible’s specific protest campaigns was labeled “Musk or Us,” and one of its most recent off-shoots targeted a town hall held by Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb., in his red Midwestern district. Greene, who chairs the House Oversight Committee’s subcommittee on DOGE, said she anticipated the topic would come up, albeit under calmer circumstances. “DOGE, I think, is going to be a big topic. And being the chairwoman of the DOJ’s subcommittee on Oversight, I cannot wait to inform my constituents about what’s happening there, as well as reconciliation, which is what Congress will be working on over the next few weeks and even further until we get that done,” she said. Another topic Greene anticipated was Trump’s tariffs, and “how that’s helping America.” “And I think there’ll be questions about immigration enforcement deportations. And I can’t wait to talk about that, because I think President Trump and his entire administration is literally saving our country by deporting murderers and rapists and cartels,” Greene said. “When I come back home to my district, I grocery shop by myself, I go to Home Depot, I go to restaurants. I literally live in my community. So I really know people here. I know what they care about. So I feel very confident to be able to answer their questions.”