The lawyers representing Kilmar Abrego Garcia have asked a federal judge for permission to take three additional depositions – from representatives of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the State Department and the Department of Justice (DOJ) – regarding what steps, if any, the Trump administration has taken to facilitate the illegal immigrant and alleged MS-13 gang member’s release from custody in El Salvador. 

In a motion filed Wednesday, Abrego Garcia’s lawyers asked U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis of Maryland to order the government to designate individuals from DHS, the State Department and the DOJ “who can testify about information known or reasonably available to each Department.” They cited a federal rule to prevent “bandying” of organizations, saying this way would be “the most efficient and least intrusive approach to obtain the necessary discovery.” 

“By allowing the Government to identify its own Rule 30(b)(6) representatives, Plaintiffs hope to avoid imposing the burden on the heads of the Departments to testify, while properly putting the onus on the Government to prepare their chosen representatives with the Departments’ complete knowledge of the narrow issues at stake in this case,” they wrote. 

DEPORTATION FLIGHTS TO LIBYA WOULD VIOLATE COURT ORDER WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE, FEDERAL JUDGE SAYS

They noted the court has already approved four depositions, three of which have already taken place, yet “plaintiffs are still in the dark about the government’s efforts to facilitate Abrego Garcia’s release from custody and return to the United States.”

Abrego Garcia’s lawyers said they also might request that someone from the White House testify. 

“In fact, as seems apparent from its public statements, this case also involves decisionmaking at the White House in addition to the three Departments,” they wrote. “Accordingly, depending on the testimony obtained in any authorized Department depositions, Plaintiffs may need to seek additional testimony from an appropriately knowledgeable representative of the White House.” 

The motion is redacted in portions with excerpts of depositions that have already taken place regarding Abrego Garcia’s location and custodial status. 

FEDERAL JUDGE OPENS DOOR TO ALIEN ENEMIES ACT TARGETS SUING TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

In a two-page order Wednesday, Xinis – who was appointed by former President Barack Obama – said the Trump administration was invoking the “state secrets privilege” to avoid answering a judge’s questions about Abrego Garcia’s deportation. 

The judge set a May 12 deadline for both parties to submit briefs “addressing the legal and factual bases for the invocation of those privileges,” and set a May 16 court hearing on the matter in Greenbelt, Maryland. 

Testifying before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said that Abrego Garcia “is a citizen of El Salvador and should never have been in this country, and will not be coming back to this country.” 

“There is no scenario where Abrego Garcia will be in the United States again,” Noem said. “If he were to come back, we would immediately deport him again, because he is a terrorist. He’s a human smuggler, and he is a wife beater. ” 

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The secretary added that Abrego Garcia “is not a citizen of this country and is a dangerous individual who does not belong.” 

The Trump administration initially admitted that Abrego Garcia had been deported to El Salvador in error, but has since doubled down on his alleged MS-13 membership and documented abuse of his wife while living illegally in Maryland. 

The White House will unveil a new nominee to serve as United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, following resistance to the Trump administration’s current pick, according to President Donald Trump. 

Trump previously nominated Ed Martin, a former defense attorney who represented Americans charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol, for the role. Martin has taken on the responsibilities of the interim U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C., since January. 

However, the Senate has held up confirming Martin, amid concerns from lawmakers. Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, announced Tuesday he wouldn’t endorse Martin. 

Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, also has opposed Martin’s nomination. Specifically, Durbin said Martin provided several false statements to the Senate Judiciary Committee. 

On Thursday, Trump suggested he would put forward another candidate who would receive broader backing than Martin. 

“He wasn’t getting the support from people that I thought,” Trump told reporters at the White House Thursday. “You know, he’s done a very good job. Crime is down 25% in DC during this period of time … I can only lift that little phone so many times of the day. But we have somebody else.”

“I have to be straight. I was disappointed,” Trump said. “A lot of people were disappointed. But that’s the way it works. Sometimes, you know, that’s the way it works. And he wasn’t rejected, but we felt it would be very — it would be hard. And we have somebody else that will be announcing over the next two days who’s going to be great.” 

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. 

This is a breaking story that will be updated. 

Fox News’ Emma Colton contributed to this report. 

The Trump administration on Thursday targeted Iranian oil with a new slate of sanctions – a move that increases pressure on the Islamic Republic amid talks between U.S. and Iranian officials to make a deal to prevent nuclear proliferation, Fox News Digital has learned. 

The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control increased pressure on Iran’s export of oil Thursday, designating the “teapot” refinery Hebei Xinhai Chemical Group Co., Ltd., and three port terminal operators in Shandong province, China, for their role in purchasing or facilitating the delivery of hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of Iranian oil. 

VANCE PREVIEWS US-IRAN NUCLEAR TALKS, SAYS TRUMP ‘OPEN’ TO SITTING DOWN WITH RUSSIANS, CHINESE IN FUTURE

The “teapot” refineries purchase the majority of Iranian crude oil exports, according to the Treasury Department. 

The Treasury Department on Thursday is also imposing sanctions on several companies, vessels and captains they say are responsible for facilitating Iranian oil shipments as part of Iran’s so-called “shadow fleet.” The companies and vessels are all China-based. 

“As part of President Trump’s broad and aggressive maximum pressure campaign, Treasury today is targeting another teapot refinery that imported Iranian oil,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said. “The United States remains resolved to intensify pressure on all elements of Iran’s oil supply chain to prevent the regime from generating revenue to further its destabilizing agenda.”

The sanctions come following President Donald Trump’s executive order, which targets Iran’s petroleum and petrochemical sectors – as well as another executive order targeting those that provide support to the National Iranian Oil Company. 

Thursday’s sanctions are the latest round targeting Iranian oil sales since the president, in early February, issued a national security memorandum that instituted a campaign of “maximum economic pressure on Iran.” 

As for Iran’s “shadow fleet,” Tehran relies on obscure ship management companies to manage its fleet of tankers that “mask” Iran’s petroleum shipments to China using ship-to-ship transfers with sanctioned vessels. 

The Treasury Department on Thursday took action to increase pressure on that “shadow fleet” of actors by designating ships as “blocked property.”

Any violation of U.S. sanctions may result in the imposition of civil or criminal penalties on U.S. or foreign persons, the Treasury Department said. 

The imposition of sanctions comes as the United States and Iran prepare for a fourth round of nuclear talks. U.S. and Iranian officials are set for the next round of talks to take place in Oman in the coming days. 

TRUMP TEASES ‘VERY, VERY BIG ANNOUNCEMENT’ AHEAD OF MIDDLE EAST TRIP, CARNEY SAYS HE’S ‘ON EDGE OF MY SEAT’

Trump is scheduled to travel to the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Vice President JD Vance recently previewed the next round of talks, saying Wednesday the U.S. was negotiating toward a “complete cessation” of Tehran’s nuclear program. 

The Trump administration has said the flawed 2015 Obama-era Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear feal, did not prevent Iran from building an atomic bomb, with Vance adding that the agreement had “incredibly weak” enforcement regarding inspections. 

Vance said he didn’t believe it “actually served the function of preventing the Iranians from getting on the pathway to nuclear weapons.”  

Vance also said the Trump administration believes that there were some elements of the Iranian nuclear program that were actually “preserved” under the JCPOA. 

“Yes, there weren’t nuclear weapons. Iran doesn’t have a nuclear weapon,” Vance said, arguing the deal “allowed Iran to sort of stay on this glide path toward a nuclear weapon if they flip the switch and press go.” 

“We think that there is a deal here that would reintegrate Iran into the global economy,” Vance said ahead of the talks. “That would be really good for the Iranian people, but would result in the complete cessation of any chance that they can get a nuclear weapon. And that’s what we’re negotiating toward. And as the president has said, that’s Option A.” 

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If Option A is “very good for the Iranian people,” Vance said, then Option B “is very bad.” 

“It’s very bad for everybody,” Vance said. “And it’s not what we want, but it’s better than Option C, which is Iran getting a nuclear weapon. That is what is completely off the table for the American administration. No ifs, ands or buts.” 

As for Trump, he said during a recent interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he would only accept “total dismantlement” of Iran’s nuclear program. 

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., has introduced a one-page bill to repeal the controversial Patriot Act, which was passed on the heels of the horrific Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.

The text of the measure, dubbed the “American Privacy Restoration Act,” reads, “The USA PATRIOT Act … is repealed, and each provision of law amended by such Act is amended to read as such provision read on October 25, 2001.”

“For over two decades, rogue actors within our U.S. intelligence agencies have used the Patriot Act to create the most sophisticated, unaccountable surveillance apparatus in the Western world,” Luna said, according to a press release.

ANNA PAULINA LUNA RESIGNS FROM HOUSE FREEDOM CAUCUS, SAYS ‘MUTUAL RESPECT’ WAS ‘SHATTERED’

“My legislation will strip the deep state of these tools and protect every American’s fourth amendment right against unreasonable searches and seizures. It’s past time to rein in our intelligence agencies and restore the right to privacy. Anyone trying to convince you otherwise is using ‘security’ as an excuse to erode your freedom.”

In a post on X, Luna thanked Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., for cosponsoring the bill.

REAL ID ‘UNNECESSARY IN KEEPING US SAFE,’ GOP LAWMAKER SAYS AS DEADLINE LOOMS

“Let’s end the abuse!” she declared in the post.

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who has previously pushed bills involving repealing the Patriot Act, pointed out in a post on X last week that just three Republicans voted against passing it in October 2001 — one of them was former Rep. Ron Paul, the father of Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky.

LONE REPUBLICAN BECOMES ONLY LAWMAKER TO VOTE AGAINST CRACKDOWN ON HUMAN ORGAN TRAFFICKING

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“Abuse of the PATRIOT Act over time revealed they were justified. Imagine the pressure they were under just one month after 9/11. I’m sure they were called every name in the book,” Massie wrote.

In a surprising twist of fate, Marco Rubio has gone from bitter presidential rival to President Donald Trump’s go-to guy. 

At the start of the new administration, current and former officials speculated Rubio would be one of the first Cabinet officials shown the door, as his America First credentials were called into question given his previously hawkish foreign policy views. 

Instead, Rubio has only continued to find favor with the president – so much so that he now holds an unprecedented four different roles within the administration.

“When I have a problem, I call up Marco. He gets it solved,” Trump quipped earlier this month. 

TRUMP TO TAP NEW NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR IN 6 MONTHS; CALLS WALTZ MOVE ‘UPGRADE’

First, Rubio glided into the secretary of state role with a 99-0 Senate confirmation. Then, Trump and his team dismantled USAID and merged it under Rubio’s State Department leadership, naming him acting director. The secretary was subsequently tapped to lead the National Archives in an acting capacity, and as of last week, he’s also replaced Mike Waltz as acting national security advisor.

“This is an expression of trust,” said Andrew Tabler, a former senior official at State and the National Security Council (NSC). “It’s a sign that the president likes Secretary Rubio, despite the odds.” 

Trump has suggested the interim arrangement could last up to six months, and while that may be an expression of the president’s confidence in Rubio, some are questioning whether one person can effectively juggle four high-profile roles.

“Marco Rubio is very talented but no one can do that,” said Joel Rubin, former senior State Department official. 

Henry Kissinger was the last person to serve as both secretary of state and national security advisor, holding both roles for over two years from 1975 to 1977. But that was half a century ago, and threats facing the nation have only multiplied. 

MIKE WALTZ, OTHER NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL STAFFERS OUT IN LATEST TRUMP PURGE FOLLOWING SIGNAL CHAT LEAK

Rubin, who served under both Democratic and Republican administrations, called the workload “not fair to the individual, not fair to the taxpayer, and not fair to President Trump, who needs strong, independent advice from a national security advisor.”

“The president has assembled an incredibly talented team that is fully committed to putting America and Americans first,” a senior State Department official said in response to an inquiry on Rubio’s many duties. “Secretary Rubio looks forward to serving as his interim national security advisor while ensuring the mission-critical work at the State Department continues uninterrupted.”

The national security advisor is traditionally the president’s closest aide on matters of war, peace and global crisis – physically located near the Oval Office and ready to brief the president at any moment. That proximity is hard to maintain when the same person is flying overseas for diplomatic missions.

“If he has to fly off to Pakistan to stop a nuclear war, then the president’s national security advisor, who usually is sitting right next to him, is not there.”

The reshuffling follows a broader shake-up inside the National Security Council, which lost Waltz, deputy advisor Alex Wong, and a number of staffers in early April. That thinning of personnel, several sources said, has only compounded the stakes.

“There are major national security issues in three different theaters. Europe, Middle East and Asia. One’s a hot war, one is a half-hot war, and it’s really getting tense in Asia,” said one former NSC official. “The president’s national security team needs to be filled out, and many people at State and DOD still need to be confirmed.”

TRUMP TO TAP NEW NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR IN 6 MONTHS; CALLS WALTZ MOVE ‘UPGRADE’

National security advisor “is one of the president’s closest relationships,” said Michael Allen, former special assistant to the president and senior director at NSC. “The national security advisor needs to be near the president all the time. Or at least able to brief the president all the time. So this is more duties for Rubio and they’re already short-handed.”

Still, Allen said the president’s personal comfort with his top national security aide may outweigh structural concerns – for now.

“If the president feels like he needs Rubio there, then this is a good solution,” Allen said. “At least for the short to medium term.”

Yet others say Rubio’s promotion might be more symbolic than operational, particularly in a White House where influence doesn’t always match job titles.

“I think it’s not, ‘Can Marco Rubio do four jobs?’ It’s, ‘Is he allowed to do his one job – which is Secretary of State?’” said Mark Feierstein, a former senior official at USAID. “Foreign counterparts may see him as pleasant in meetings, but they don’t necessarily believe he can deliver.”

Feierstein pointed to the dismantling of USAID, the rise of informal advisors like Stephen Miller, and the proliferation of special envoys like Steve Witkoff who bypass Rubio entirely. “You’ve got loads of people who report directly to Trump or others. So now it’s just chaos,” he said.

Even Rubio’s ideological positioning raises questions. A staunch foreign policy hawk during his time in the Senate, Rubio has in recent months presided over a foreign policy apparatus that includes outreach to Russia and dramatic State Department budget cuts – moves he may once have opposed.

“He’s decided to accommodate,” Feierstein said.

But Rubio’s ability to meet voters where they are – and serve as the president’s happy warrior – may be the key to his longevity. Sparring with voices like Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Vice President JD Vance on foreign policy would only cause further headaches for the president. 

Tabler, for his part, remained optimistic. “Rubio is energetic, he knows the issues. He’s been working on foreign policy for years,” he said. “It’s a positive sign. But how long one person can do that job – and under what circumstances – is up to him.”

China is eager to hash out a trade deal with the U.S., according to President Donald Trump. 

Trump’s remarks come as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is poised to launch trade negotiations with China in Switzerland Saturday amid a steep tariff battle between Washington and Beijing.  

“Scott’s going to be going to Switzerland, meeting with China,” Trump told reporters Thursday at the White House. “And you know, they very much want to make a deal. We can all play games. Who made the first call, who didn’t make them? It doesn’t matter. Only matters what happens in that room. But I will tell you that China very much wants to make a deal. We’ll see how that works out.”

Trump told reporters on Air Force One Sunday he wants a “fair” trade deal with China, claiming discussions with Beijing were in the works on multiple issues.  

Trump has voiced support for tariffs for decades. The White House has called for tariffs to address the nation’s 2024 record $1.2 trillion trade deficit, and said the tariffs will bring back U.S. manufacturing jobs. 

Bessent cautioned in April that the tariffs could cost China up to 10 million jobs, and said that it’s incumbent upon Beijing to remove current tariffs on U.S. imports. 

“I think that over time we will see that the Chinese tariffs are unsustainable for China. I’ve seen some very large numbers over the past few days that show if these numbers stay on, Chinese could lose 10 million jobs very quickly,” Bessent told reporters at the White House April 29. “And even if there is a drop in the tariffs that they could lose 5 million jobs.”

“So remember that we are the deficit country,” Bessent said. “They sell almost five times more goods to us than we sell to them. So the onus will be on them to take off these tariffs. They’re unsustainable for them.”

Bessent also told lawmakers Tuesday that the U.S. has launched discussions with various countries, and indicated that major trade deals could be announced “as early as this week.” 

This is a breaking news story and will be updated. 

Many travelers preparing for their flights at the Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport told Fox News Digital that the government effectively notified Americans about the REAL ID law that took effect on May 7, with many adding that the new requirement bolsters safety. 

“I think they did a great job of letting people know… and I think it’s important, because we need to make sure that everyone’s got correct identification,” said one man who spoke to Fox News Digital from the terminal. 

“I think that the government did a really good job of informing the public that it’s needed. I see it everywhere,” another man said. 

The REAL ID laws took effect on May 7, though the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced ahead of Wednesday that Americans who lack the new ID will still be able to travel but would face additional screening. REAL ID is a federally-compliant driver’s license or other identification that meets higher standards than state-issued driver’s licenses.

REAL ID DEADLINE COMES AND GOES – AIRPORTS REPORT BUSINESS AS USUAL

Only legal U.S. citizens or residents can obtain a REAL ID. Valid U.S. passports can also still be used instead of a REAL ID for domestic air travel, the DHS explains on its website. 

“I think the government did a great job preparing for folks, and especially in the state of Georgia. They’ve had this in process for a long time,” said another traveler.

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 in 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. 

DO WE EVEN NEED THIS? LAWMAKERS GET REAL ABOUT REAL ID MANDATE STARTING TODAY

“We’ve been doing it since, gosh … since 2013. Trying to get everybody aboard, and this is the last year for them to get on board,” one woman said.

“I think it’s important to protect our airports one another and our federal buildings with higher security,” another woman said. 

AIR TRAVELERS WITHOUT REAL ID TO FACE EXTRA SCREENING BUT WILL BE ALLOWED TO FLY FOR NOW, DHS SAYS

By contrast, another traveler said the roll-out could have been smoother. 

“They could have rolled this out a little smoothly there and allowed people to get more prepared, even though, you know, to say it’s been in the works for a couple of years, but I travel quite often, and I didn’t know,” she said. 

As former President Joe Biden faces incoming fire not only from President Donald Trump but also fellow Democrats, the former president is bringing on board a veteran strategist and communicator to help refurbish his reputation and legacy.

The former president has hired Chris Maegher, a Biden administration veteran, to help him now that the first 100 days of Trump’s second tour of duty in the White House has passed, sources confirm to Fox News.

Former presidents have traditionally refrained from criticizing their successors during the first 100-day period of the new administration.

However, in a sign that Biden is looking to re-engage publicly, he will make a live appearance on “The View” talk show on Thursday, and sources confirm that Meagher had a hand in arranging the segment.

HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS COVERAGE OF FORMER PRESIDENT BIDEN

Earlier this week, in his first interview since Trump’s inauguration three and a half months ago, Biden sat down with the BBC.

Biden’s re-entering into the political and media spotlight may not sit well with many Democrats, who thank the former president for the plethora of policies passed during his single term in the White House but who continue to blame him for last November’s election setbacks and who want fresh faces to lead the party as it aims to exit the political wilderness.

The media appearances by Biden come as his White House successor continues to blast and belittle the former president over several issues.

TRUMP’S APPROVAL RATINGS SLIDE, BUT DEMOCRATS POLL NUMBERS HIT ALL-TIME LOWS

It comes as the Trump administration, according to a Politico report, is working to release audio of Biden’s interview with then-special counsel Robert Hur, who investigated Biden’s handling of classified documents and raised questions about Biden’s mental acuity in a February 2024 report.

Biden made history in his 2020 White House defeat of Trump as the oldest person ever elected U.S. president. Hur’s report amplified questions about whether the then-81-year-old, who at the time was running for re-election, had the physical and mental stamina to serve another four years in the White House.

Biden’s disastrous debate performance against Trump last June further exacerbated his problems and fueled a chorus of calls from fellow Democrats for him to step down as the Democrats’ 2024 standard-bearer.

Biden eventually succumbed to the pressure and dropped his re-election bid in late July, with then-Vice President Kamala Harris succeeding him as the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee.

Biden continues to face criticism from fellow Democrats for staying too long in the 2024 White House race.

When asked in the BBC interview if he should have dropped his re-election bid earlier than he did, the former president said, “I don’t think it would have mattered.”

“It was a hard decision,” Biden said. “I think it was the right decision.”

The former president also used the interview to blast Trump for single-handily renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, for his repeated comments about acquiring Greenland or taking control of the Panama Canal, and for continuously saying Canada should become America’s 51st state.

“What the hell’s going on here? What president ever talks like that? That’s not who we are,” Biden said. “We’re about freedom, democracy, opportunity, not about confiscation.” 

He also pilloried Trump’s efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war as “modern-day appeasement.”

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Meagher is a longtime operative and strategist with both political and private sector experience on his resume. He’s a veteran of the Democratic National Committee, former Sen. John Tester of Montana’s successful 2018 reflection, and Pete Buttigieg’s 2020 presidential campaign, when the long shot for the Democratic nomination soared to major contender status.

During the Biden administration, Meagher briefly served under then-Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg before moving to the White House as a deputy press secretary and later to the Pentagon as Defense Department spokesperson.

A leading lawmaker from the nation’s most interconnected air travel state warned that outdated technology – like “floppy disks” – and ongoing air traffic control (ATC) crises at key hubs are compounding the need to overhaul the U.S. air travel system.

Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, who also sits on the Aviation subcommittee on the Senate Commerce and Transportation Committee, spoke to Fox News Digital exclusively on Wednesday as the crisis mounted, most recently in the Philadelphia ATC sector; specifically at Newark-Liberty International Airport.

The Last Frontier has the least miles of roads per capita and hundreds of communities where air travel is the only relatively realistic or reliable mode.

Sullivan said that it is not only in his state’s interest to see such an overhaul, but that – just as the Philadelphia sector has seen issues as of late – the Anchorage air traffic control hub itself controls individual flight patterns almost anywhere between Chicago and Tokyo.

ALASKA SENATOR LITERALLY TEARS UP BIDEN’S ENERGY ORDERS, BOOSTS WH EFFORTS TO LEVERAGE ARCTIC LNG ASIA TRADE

“We help the entire country when people are traveling from the Lower 48 over to Asia,” he said.

“What we need to do is we need to preemptively address challenges before they become tragedies,” said Sullivan, who spoke out similarly at a commerce hearing with NTSB and FAA officials earlier this year.

He also cited a February passenger airliner crash in his own state, when a plane went down on Norton Sound’s sea ice after leaving Unalakleet for Nome, killing 10.

“What happens, unfortunately, is too often tragedy is what inspires and motivates reform,” he said, adding that the Department of Transportation should and likely will, under Secretary Sean Duffy, pivot to “predict[ing] and preempt[ing].”

On a recent tour of the Anchorage center, he spoke to FAA workers and saw how they, like other sectors, rely on 20th-century floppy disks and “strips of paper that are like post-it notes.”

AK CAN BE ‘CURE TO THE NATION’S ILLS’ WITH HELP FROM TRUMP ADMIN: GOV DUNLEAVY

“What we don’t want, unfortunately – it’s happened – is have a big crash and tragedy as the thing that inspires change,” he said, placing the blame most recently on the Biden administration, in part, for appearing to prioritize diversity over substantive reforms at USDOT.

“I watched this: Hiring people for the FAA in terms of air traffic controllers is competitive. It requires real schooling. It requires high performance. And the Biden team came in, and I guess in the name of diversity… they started taking people off the street literally with no background in any of this. We’ve got to get back to the rigorous FAA standards,” he said.

He said he spoke with Duffy on Tuesday and predicted “a really big comprehensive reform program” in the weeks and months to come.  

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“We have the safest aviation system in the world, but that doesn’t happen through magic. That happens through diligence, through upgrading our technology.”

While not directly addressing the situation in Newark, Sullivan praised the Trump administration’s “outstanding” response to the Unalakleet crash and predicted the Department of Transportation would handle the Newark-Liberty incident in a similarly effective manner.

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has defended his tenure, writing on X that “we put safety first, drove down close calls, grew [ATC] and had zero commercial airline fatalities out of millions of flights on our watch.”

A coalition of more than 150 former judges joined together in a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, accusing the Trump administration of perpetrating “attacks” against the judiciary.

“We are former state and federal judges who join together to condemn the Trump Administration’s attacks on the judiciary, including its recent arrest of Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan in her courthouse,” the letter begins.

Dugan allegedly escorted a wanted illegal immigrant “out of the courtroom through the ‘jury door,’ which leads to a nonpublic area of the courthouse,” according to an affidavit, which notes that authorities at the courthouse to arrest the wanted individual were still ultimately able to apprehend him.

MILWAUKEE JUDGE HANNAH DUGAN ‘TEMPORARILY RELIEVED OF HER OFFICIAL DUTIES’ BY WISCONSIN SUPREME COURT

“This latest action is yet another attempt to intimidate and threaten the judiciary after a series of rulings by judges appointed by presidents of both parties holding the Trump Administration accountable for its countless violations of the Constitution and laws of the United States,” the former judges declared in their letter.

They asserted that the Justice Department “at your direction decided to create an embarrassing spectacle that included the FBI’s arrest and handcuffing of Judge Dugan and the Director of the FBI, Kash Patel, posting a photo of the perp walk on X.”

The letter links to an April X post that features a photo and declares, “No one is above the law.”

FBI ARRESTS WISCONSIN JUDGE, ALLEGING SHE OBSTRUCTED ARREST OF ILLEGAL ALIEN

Fox News Digital reached out to the Justice Department for comment but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

President Donald Trump‘s second-term agenda has been bogged down by judicial roadblocks, and the president has been outspoken in registering his complaints with the judiciary.

PRESIDENT TRUMP ANNOUNCES MULTIPLE JUDICIAL NOMINEES, ACCUSES COURT SYSTEM OF BLOCKING HIM FROM DOING HIS JOB

“Our Court System is not letting me do the job I was Elected to do. Activist judges must let the Trump Administration deport murderers, and other criminals who have come into our Country illegally, WITHOUT DELAY!!!” he declared in a Wednesday Truth Social post.

The House of Representatives voted 211-206 to make President Donald Trump‘s name change for the Gulf of America permanent on Friday morning. 

No Democrats voted for the bill, as was expected. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., was the only Republican to vote against the bill. 

The legislation was led by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., a vocal ally of Trump’s in Congress.

“This is such an important thing to do for the American people. The American people deserve pride in their country, and they deserve pride in the waters that we own, that we protect with our military and our Coast Guard and all of the businesses that prosper along these waters,” Greene said during debate on the bill.

SCOOP: REPUBLICANS DISCUSS DEFUNDING ‘BIG ABORTION’ LIKE PLANNED PARENTHOOD IN TRUMP AGENDA BILL

“But Democrats today are outraged. They’re outraged because they love the cartels more than any other people in the world, more than the American people.”

Democratic lawmakers, meanwhile, panned the legislation as a waste of time.

“Republicans think this juvenile legislation is the best use of this House’s time. This is the only work we’re doing today, folks,” Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said in his rebuttal to Greene.

“What a sick joke this is. Republicans worry about 400-year-old words on a map. I worry about families and every community in America that’s struggling to get by.”

MEET THE TRUMP-PICKED LAWMAKERS GIVING SPEAKER JOHNSON A FULL HOUSE GOP CONFERENCE

The vast majority of Republicans supported the bill, with several arguing the name change would help boost tourism and a sense of patriotism in the region.

However, earlier this week, Fox News Digital was told that several GOP lawmakers privately expressed frustration at what they saw as a largely symbolic bill taking up their time instead of more meaningful legislation to move Trump’s agenda along.

“I’ve heard criticisms from all corners of the conference. Conservatives to pragmatic ones,” Bacon told Fox News Digital on Tuesday. “It seems sophomoric. The United States is bigger and better than this.”

One conservative GOP lawmaker vented to Fox News Digital, “125 other [executive orders], this is the one we pick.”

Greene hit back at the detractors, however, in response to Fox News Digital’s report.

“Some of my Republican colleagues don’t want to vote for my Gulf of America Act, which is one of President Trump’s favorite executive orders. They say they would rather vote on ‘more serious EOs.’ Boys are you ready to vote to criminalize sex changes on kids?? Because I have that bill on that EO too,” she wrote on X.

The legislation will now be sent to the Senate, where it must reach a 60-vote threshold – with Democratic support – before it can hit the president’s desk.

A federal judge said Wednesday that any potential deportation flights to Libya or Saudi Arabia would violate a court order if the Trump administration does not provide advanced notification to the impacted illegal immigrants and their attorneys first. 

The administration has not confirmed planned deportation flights to either country, but a group of attorneys representing illegal immigrants from nations including Vietnam, Laos and the Philippines claimed in court documents that their clients were told by immigration enforcement agents that they would soon be sent to Libya or Saudi Arabia. 

Immigration lawyers asked U.S. District Judge Brian E. Murphy – who was nominated by former President Joe Biden – for a temporary restraining order Wednesday “to prevent non-citizen removals to third countries, including but not limited to Libya and Saudia Arabia, without prior written notice and a meaningful opportunity to raise fear-based claims.” 

TRUMP TO RENAME PERSIAN GULF THE ARABIAN GULF AHEAD OF US-IRAN NUCLEAR TALKS, MIDDLE EAST TRIP: REPORT

Murphy agreed with the immigration lawyers that the motion should not be required because deporting the illegal immigrants to Libya without a chance to claim convention against torture (CAT) protection would violate his prior court order. 

“The April 18, 2025 Preliminary Injunction requires all third-country removals to be preceded, inter alia, by written notice to both the non-citizen and the non-citizen’s counsel in a language the non-citizen can understand as well as a meaningful opportunity for the non-citizen to raise a fear-based claim for CAT protection,” Murphy wrote Wednesday. “The April 30, 2025 Amendment to the Preliminary Injunction further clarifies that the Department of Homeland Security may not evade this injunction by ceding control over non-citizens or the enforcement of its immigration responsibilities to any other agency, including but not limited to the Department of Defense.”

“If there is any doubt—the Court sees none—the allegedly imminent removals, as reported by news agencies and as Plaintiffs seek to corroborate with class-member accounts and public information, would clearly violate this Court’s Order.” 

Fox News Digital reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment on Thursday morning. 

In their request seeking Murphy’s intervention, the immigration attorneys cited “alarming reports” late Tuesday and Wednesday morning from “class members’ counsel and from the press” announcing “the imminent removal” of Laotian, Vietnamese, and Philippine illegal immigrants “being prepared for removal to Libya, a [country] notorious for its human rights violations, especially with respect to migrant residents.”

“Class members were being scheduled for removal despite not receiving the required notice and opportunity to apply for CAT protection,” they wrote. 

FEDERAL JUDGE OPENS DOOR TO ALIEN ENEMIES ACT TARGETS SUING TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

The attorneys also cited a CNN report claiming that publicly available information “indicates that a C-17 flight is scheduled to fly on Wednesday from Kelly Field in San Antonio, Texas, to Misrata Airport in Libya.” 

The Associated Press cited a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity Wednesday about alleged plans to fly migrants to Libya on a military plane. The official reportedly did not have details on the timing of the C-17 flight. 

Libya has denied reports of a deportation deal with the U.S. 

The Tripoli-based government of Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah said in a statement Wednesday that there was “no deal or coordination” with the U.S. to receive migrants. However, it said “some parallel parties” could have agreed to receive them.

That appears to refer to its rival administration in east Libya, which is controlled by powerful military commander Khalifa Hifter. Libya has been split for years between rival administrations in the east and west, each backed by armed groups and foreign governments. The Hifter-led Libya National Army, which controls eastern and southern Libya, also released a statement, denying any deal or understanding to receive migrants from the U.S.

President Donald Trump on Wednesday directed questions to the Department of Homeland Security(DHS), according to the AP. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said during a news conference in Illinois that she “can’t confirm” media reports of plans to send people to Libya. The State Department told the AP it does not “discuss the details of our diplomatic communications with other governments.” 

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The Trump administration has said it’s exploring other third countries for deportations. In addition to the Venezuelans sent to El Salvador, the administration has deported people to Panama and Costa Rica who were not citizens of those countries.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A Republican senator who entered Congress’ upper chamber in the same cycle as Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., said the former Braddock mayor’s cognitive issues seem to be subsiding and that the hubbub in the press is likely due to the onetime progressive star breaking with the left wing of his party on key issues.

Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., told Fox News Digital that, while he is not a doctor, his own run-ins with the hulking, outspoken Democrat have been constructive, and that some of the issues he was facing during his 2022 contest against now-Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) chief, Dr. Mehmet Oz, has improved.

“I can’t speak to his health as far as, you know, I’m not a doctor, and I’m definitely not going to break any HIPAA rules. But it is kind of funny because the way the Democrats act is if you don’t agree with them on all their points, they want to wipe you off the face of the earth,” Mullin said.

Mullin alluded to how Fetterman, who, as lieutenant governor, amassed a progressive following and support from democratic socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and then later lost much of that bloc of left-wing populist support when he came out in support of Israel and against Iran.

JOHN FETTERMAN FACES NEW SPOTLIGHT ON HEALTH, FAMILY DRAMA, SPARKING ONLINE UPROAR

“A few short years ago, Fetterman was like this godsend in Pennsylvania. And he came here, and they realized that Fetterman’s his own man. He’s gonna speak his mind, and he’s gonna say it the way that it is or the way he feels like it is anyways, and they can’t control him,” Mullin said.

“And the Democrats are all about controlling the party. And so, if you’re speaking away from them, it’s doomsday for you.”

Mullin remarked that Fetterman’s health “sure wasn’t an issue” when he was running against Oz – as Democrats continued supporting him despite cognitive issues. At one Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, debate, Fetterman opened by saying “Hi – good night, everybody,” and was criticized for the apparent oxymoron.

“His health seemed like it was worse than it is now. But it seems interesting to me. I don’t really, when you really start thinking about John, here’s a guy that is going against the norm, and I commend him for it,” Mullin explained.

FETTERMAN SPOKESWOMAN REAMED FOR REPORTEDLY CONTRADICTING BOSS ON ISRAEL: ‘UNPARALLELED HUBRIS’

“That’s why him and I talk, because I think it’s pretty neat that he’s still who he is. He has an interesting story with the reason why he dresses the way he does, and the reason why he is who he is, and I respect him for doing that.”

Mullin suggested Democrats are “planting stories like this” and that “we shouldn’t be surprised… they eat their own.”

As for staffers who have publicly and privately broken with Fetterman, Mullin added that it is his name on the Senate office door and not theirs, going on to lament those who objected to decisions as simple as meeting with President Donald Trump.

“So they can go pound sand. If they don’t like working for him, go find another member, because he’s the member,” he said.

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Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., added that Fetterman “comes to play every day,” when Fox News Digital caught up with him near Constitution Avenue.

“I can tell you I work with him constantly. We work particularly in terms of hunger programs, making sure that there’s technologies available that protect the hungry and taxpayers,” he said.

When encountered outside the Capitol getting into a car, Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., paused momentarily while working on his phone, before saying he had to go when Fox News Digital mentioned the Fetterman story.

New York Magazine did not return Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Despite fears of first-day chaos over the new REAL ID requirement, airports reported smooth sailing Wednesday, with no major disruptions tied to the rollout, according to security officials.

“We didn’t see long lines,” one passenger arriving at South Carolina’s Greeneville-Spartanburg Airport from Washington-Dulles told a local reporter. “It was a walk in the park.”

TSA spokesperson Lorie Dankers said in April that about 20% of the public still lacks REAL ID compliance. When asked whether this could affect travel times starting Wednesday, she said it’s “reasonable” to expect travelers may need to arrive early.

DO WE EVEN NEED THIS? LAWMAKERS GET REAL ABOUT REAL ID MANDATE STARTING TODAY

“I am extremely concerned there will be long lines and a lot of confusion,” Henry Harteveldt, a travel industry analyst and president of Atmosphere Research Group, added in comments to travel website The Points Guy ahead of the rollout. Meanwhile, Philadelphia International Airport urged passengers to arrive two-and-a-half hours early for domestic flights Wednesday. 

However, reporters at various airports across the country found that the delays some feared never came to fruition, and wait times were minimal. Airport and security officials confirmed their reports.

“We are pleased to share that the TSA lines are moving efficiently,” Nashville International Airport said Wednesday. “Smooth operations this morning,” Baltimore-Washington International Airport reported.    

“Smooth” operations were reported by airports and security officials alike. There was an increased presence of Homeland Security officials at Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta, but no complaints were reported to Fox News reporters on the ground there from passengers.

Travelers on social media and in news reports shared stories of getting through airport security without a REAL ID, or its compliant equivalent such as a passport, which federal officials indicated would be possible with additional screening ahead of Wednesday’s rollout.

Several passengers without compliant identification were given a notice indicating their IDs were not REAL ID compliant, and they should expect delays the next time they travel if they don’t have one.

FLIGHT PASSENGERS WARN OF ‘REAL ID APOCALYPSE’ WHILE OTHERS ACKNOWLEDGE AMERICANS CAN STILL FLY

The federal government’s REAL ID requirement is two decades in the making and has faced several delays over the years.

The law stemmed from long-held concerns from federal officials about false identification, but gained momentum and was enacted following the 9/11 attacks.

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“REAL ID will keep us more secure. It gives us more information so that we know who is traveling on our federal transportation systems and our airlines,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Wednesday in a video from Washington-Reagan International Airport.

“Thank you everybody for all of your cooperation, and we’re looking to make America more secure in following our federal law.”

Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., criticized Colorado leaders, as the state and the city of Denver are currently being sued by the Department of Justice over their immigration policies, and shared how Congress can step in.

“[Denver] Mayor Mike Johnston was unwilling to change policies that don’t even allow his city employees to coordinate with ICE agents. And that also is a coupling with Colorado state laws as well. And unfortunately, Gov. Jared Polis has not budged on those either. In fact, the Democrats who run our state legislature have gone even further. They want to expedite and make driver’s licenses immediately available for those who are in our state illegally,” Boebert told Fox News Digital in an interview on Tuesday.

The lawsuit, filed Friday in Colorado District Court, accuses the state and its most populous city of implementing “sanctuary laws” in violation of the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution. Colorado has become a national focal point, as it was revealed to be a hotbed for the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. 

CONSERVATIVE FIREBRAND FLIPS SCRIPT ON HOUSE DEM’S ‘GOTCHA’ RESPONSE TO NONCITIZEN VOTING CRACKDOWN

“The United States has well-established, preeminent, and preemptive authority to regulate immigration matters,” the lawsuit reads.

ICE enforces federal immigration laws across the country but regularly needs additional support from state and local officials, particularly for large-scale deportations. The agency also asks police departments and sheriff’s offices to flag migrants it wants to deport and hold them until federal agents can take custody.

The Department of Justice has filed similar lawsuits challenging “sanctuary policies” in Rochester, New York, and Chicago.

COLORADO GOV. JARED POLIS POKES FUN AT TRUMP WITH OFFICIAL ‘SOUTH PARK’ PORTRAIT IN APRIL FOOLS’ DAY POST

“At a congressional level, other than codifying what President Trump is doing with his Executive Orders, we do have the power of the purse here in the House,” the Republican said.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

“And so we need to begin to withhold funding from these sanctuary cities and really empower those who are obeying federal laws to do that more, incentivizing them with those federal dollars and with programs that benefit their areas,” she continued.  

President Donald Trump recently put forth an executive order threatening to cut federal funding to “sanctuary jurisdictions” if those governments do not make serious changes.

TRUMP ADMIN SUES COLORADO, DENVER OVER ‘SANCTUARY LAWS,’ ALLEGED INTERFERENCE IN IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT

However, Boebert had a straightforward message for Colorado leaders as the federal government continues its immigration crackdown. As the Trump administration marked its first 100 days last month, ICE noted the arrest and deportation of more than 65,000 illegal immigrants, thousands of whom had criminal charges or were already found guilty of a crime.

“Obey federal law. If you want these federal dollars to come back and bless Colorado, Colorado is a beautiful state, and they know that. And we want to encourage people to come to Colorado to be there, to be with us, and to have a safe community.”

“Colorado is not a sanctuary state. The State of Colorado works with local, state and federal law enforcement regularly and we value our partnerships with federal law enforcement agencies to make Colorado safer,” a spokesperson for Polis’ office said.

Fox News Digital reached out to Denver Mayor Mike Johnston’s office for comment.

Fox News’ Landon Mion contributed to this report. 

Constituents in Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s New York district are warning Republicans not to underestimate the firebrand progressive lawmaker who caused a sensational political upset in 2018 – as rumors swirl about the four-term congresswoman running for president in 2028.

Ocasio-Cortez hosted a town hall in New York City on Friday in the same neighborhood where she unseated longtime Democratic Rep. Joe Crowley to become the nation’s youngest congresswoman.

Against all odds and with little money, her spectacular win sent shockwaves through the Democratic Party as she effectively ended the political career of Crowley, who at that point was a 10-term incumbent and eyeing being the next House speaker. 

‘COME FOR ME’ AOC TAUNTS TOM HOMAN AFTER BORDER CZAR THREATENED TO REFER HER TO JUSTICE DEPARTMENT

Some political observers say Crowley took Ocasio-Cortez for granted, while her constituents believe attaining the nation’s highest office is not beyond her grasp. Fast-forward to 2025 and Ocasio-Cortez has become one of the biggest voices in a party yearning for political leadership. 

The huge turnouts for her “Fight Oligarchy” tour events alongside Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., has fueled speculation she has enough momentum to launch a presidential bid, while she has also raked in $9.6 million in the first three months of the year, beating her own record fundraising haul. 

Mark LaVergne, who’s an independent and was outside Ocasio-Cortez’s town hall but did not attend, told Fox News Digital that he believes she has a winning personality.

“Don’t underestimate her. I mean, that was the mistake Joe Crowley and his people made seven years ago,” LaVergne said. “They underestimated her. That was a fatal mistake.”

Andrew Sokolof Diaz said Ocasio-Cortez’s popularity appears to be growing and said it would be an honor to vote for her.

“Absolutely, we stand with her. I think she absolutely has the support, not only here in her district, but she has the support nationally, maybe even internationally, to run for president.” Sokolof Diaz said.

Aleks Itskovich, who traveled from Brooklyn and moved to the U.S. from Russia when he was three years old, said he was inspired by the “Fight Oligarchy” tour and said it proves she connects with the ordinary person.

“It goes back to the authenticity,” Itskovich said. “I think that she’s able to come across as a genuine individual that is able to channel people’s concerns directly and feel relatable, honest, that she’s not coming from the 1%. She’s one of the most successful politicians of this generation, so I want to keep seeing how that goes.”

HYSTERICAL TOWN HALL ATTENDEE INTERRUPTS AOC, YELLS ABOUT ‘GENOCIDE’ IN GAZA: ‘YOU’RE A LIAR!’

However, not all were keen on the potential move, with Woodside resident Mary Madden saying she felt Ocasio-Cortez is too young, while John Szewczuk, who has lived in Jackson Heights for 44 years, said she may be too left wing to win the presidency outright, but he would still back her.

About 450 people packed into a local school auditorium to hear Ocasio-Cortez talk about a host of issues ranging from local concerns about a major casino to national issues like Medicaid and the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts. Long lines outside the location caused the event to be delayed for nearly 20 minutes while those who couldn’t get in were shuffled into an overflow room across the hall.

Inside, attendees gave Ocasio-Cortez a rousingly warm reception and appeared fully supportive of her legislative agenda and her representation of the district to date. Many questions from the audience centered around local issues, calls for a minimum wage hike, how to improve air quality, as well as asking her how she plans on tackling the Trump administration. 

The loudest applause came when Ocasio-Cortez voiced her opposition to a proposed new casino in Queens, which would be part of new sports and entertainment park. The $8 billion project is being spearheaded by New York Mets’ billionaire owner Steve Cohen and has gotten approval from the New York City Council. The congresswoman admitted, however, she doesn’t have a say in the matter since it’s a state issue and not in her district.

Applause also rang out when Ocasio-Cortez dared border czar Tom Homan to arrest her after he previously threatened to refer her to the Justice Department for giving advice to migrants on how to avoid being deported.    

The town hall went off without a hitch except for an early disruption by a protester who heckled at Ocasio-Cortez about the war in Israel. She was then removed. 

The town hall took place in a leafy section of Jackson Heights, known for its strong progressive leanings. A major avenue adjacent to the school was recently transformed into an “open street,” where traffic was substantially reduced to create more public space for pedestrians, cyclists and community use.

“I love it, it’s a great neighborhood, it is very diverse, probably one of the most diverse in the world,” Szewczuk said.

Conversely, the school is about three blocks away from the Roosevelt Avenue commercial strip, which has become notorious for its open-air sex workers, trash-filled streets, crime, drugs and anti-social behavior.

Roosevelt Avenue runs along the southern border of Ocasio-Cortez’s 14th District, and the strip is shared by Rep. Grace Meng. Fox News Digital observed at least 30 prostitutes soliciting sex along one block of Roosevelt Avenue about an hour after the town hall finished. 

Some sidewalks along the squalid strip are hard to navigate given the sheer number of people – many of whom are migrants – selling hot food, fruit and vegetables, counterfeit goods and what appeared to be stolen goods.   

Ocasio-Cortez never mentioned the strip, nor did any attendee ask about it in the question and answers section. While all questions were submitted in advance and Ocasio-Cortez left out a side door the moment the event ended, it appeared it was way down in the list of priorities for those in attendance. 

Sokolof Diaz and Szewczuk said it’s on local politicians to do more, while LaVergne said that Ocasio-Cortez has failed the neighborhood in that respect. LaVergne said he was also still angry that she helped stop Amazon opening a massive headquarters in Queens a few years ago.

“I feel very sad. Sometimes you walk by, there’s a Dunkin’ Donuts I frequent on Roosevelt and 82nd St., and I noticed that above that, there is some sort of thing going on. And I see the look in the eyes of these sex workers,” LaVergne said. 

“I really feel sorry for them. Some of them are here probably under difficult situations. Maybe they were forced here, maybe they’re forced to do this kind of work. You’ve got to take care of the people that’ll get you elected. I mean, that just seems like the most just thing. That’s justice. Taking care of the people who got you elected.”

FIRST ON FOX: A House Republican is seeking to ensure illegal immigrants who commit murder in the U.S. are eligible for the death penalty in all 50 states.

Rep. Morgan Luttrell, R-Texas, is introducing a bill on Thursday called the Justice for Victims of Illegal Alien Murder Act, which would establish a new class of federal criminal offenses specifically directed at convicted murderers who are in the country illegally.

It would make those criminals eligible for life in prison or the death penalty if convicted of first-degree murder.

MEET THE TRUMP-PICKED LAWMAKERS GIVING SPEAKER JOHNSON A FULL HOUSE GOP CONFERENCE

Such a bill would strengthen federal prosecutors’ claims of jurisdiction over such crimes, even in states where the death penalty is abolished.

“We can hold those individuals accountable at the federal level because they’re here illegally. And here we are with that legislation,” Luttrell told Fox News Digital on Wednesday.

He said part of the impetus for the legislation was a case in his home state of Texas in 2023 when a man who had been deported multiple times was arrested for killing five people in the U.S.

“That guy shouldn’t have been here as well. He had been deported a couple times, snuck back across the border, and now this happened. It’s time for us to step in and do this,” Luttrell said.

It’s also spurred partially by President Donald Trump, who signed an executive order in January mandating the death penalty for illegal immigrants who commit “all crimes of a severity demanding its use” and for people who murder police officers.

BROWN UNIVERSITY IN GOP CROSSHAIRS AFTER STUDENT’S DOGE-LIKE EMAIL KICKS OFF FRENZY

Luttrell said he’s hopeful at least some Democrats will support the bill as well.

“I do not run away from those conversations at all, because I think it’s necessary. That shows the American people that we’re working together on this. The American public voted for this administration because of the border,” he said.

Luttrell’s bill is backed by seven House Republican co-sponsors, including Republican Study Committee Chair August Pfluger, R-Texas.

A federal judge is blocking President Donald Trump from shuttering three federal agencies that assist public resources, minority businesses and mediation services.

Nearly two dozen Democratic-led states sued to stop Trump from closing the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS). U.S. District Judge John McConnell, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, sided with the states on Tuesday, affirming their arguments that the closings violated the separation of powers.

“It … disregards the fundamental constitutional role of each of the branches of our federal government; specifically, it ignores the unshakable principles that Congress makes the law and appropriates funds, and the Executive implements the law Congress enacted and spends the funds Congress appropriated,” McConnell wrote.

Attorneys for the Trump administration had sought to argue that the states had no standing to bring a lawsuit in the case, but McConnell rejected that.

HOCHUL SPURS BIPARTISAN OUTRAGE OVER MASSIVE TOLL REBOOT AS DEMS WORRY TRUMP WILL BLOCK IT

“The States have presented compelling evidence illustrating that the harms stemming from the dismantling of IMLS, MBDA, and FMCS are already unfolding or are certain to occur,” McConnell stated, pointing to “the significant reduction in personnel available and competent to administer these agencies’ funds and services and the elimination of certain programs that served the States.” 

LEAVITT PUSHES BACK ON MEDIA’S ‘UNCERTAINTY’ ABOUT FEDERAL FUNDING FREEZE

Earlier this year, McConnell also blocked the Trump administration from implementing a nationwide freeze on federal grants. McConnell sided with 22 states and the District of Columbia in that case on Jan. 31.

McConnell ruled that the Trump administration must “immediately restore frozen funding” until the case could be further litigated.

“The broad categorical and sweeping freeze of federal funds is, as the Court found, likely unconstitutional and has caused and continues to cause irreparable harm to a vast portion of this country,” the judge wrote.

Two Democrat-run cities in the Rockies are skirting state laws dictating which flags can be flown on government property, according to The Associated Press – and are granting particular attention to the LGBTQ Pride flag.

Utah and Idaho both have laws on the books barring government buildings from flying most flags, save for a select few – like the American flag and military flags. Utah’s law went into effect Wednesday.

UTAH BANS LGBTQ+ PRIDE FLAGS, MAGA FLAGS, OTHER UNAPPROVED FLAGS IN GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS, SCHOOLS

In an eleventh-hour bid to circumvent the coming restrictions, Salt Lake City adopted four flags Tuesday: its existing flag, as well as modified versions of the Progress Pride, Transgender Pride and Juneteenth flags – each including the city’s signature sego lily. 

They were presented by Mayor Erin Mendenhall for adoption via ordinance, explained her spokesperson, Andrew Wittenberg, to Fox News Digital. 

“My sincere intent is not to provoke or cause division,” Mendenhall said, according to The AP. 

“My intent is to represent our city’s values and honor our dear diverse residents who make up this beautiful city and the legacy of pain and progress that they have endured,” she continued.

Violators of the Utah law, which Republican Gov. Spencer Cox, allowed to pass without his signature, can be fined $500 per day. The law’s supporters maintain that it’s a matter of institutions maintaining political neutrality.

STATE DEPARTMENT BLOCKS PRIDE, BLM FLAGS FROM EMBASSIES, OUTPOSTS WITH ‘ONE FLAG POLICY’

“This law is about keeping government spaces neutral and welcoming to all,” Republican House Speaker Mike Schultz said. “Salt Lake City should focus on real issues, not political theatrics.”

Meanwhile, in Boise, Idaho, Mayor Lauren McLean issued a proclamation last week retroactively designating the pride flag as an official city flag.

McLean has maintained that the Idaho law is not sound – and has even flown the pride flag over City Hall after it was enacted.

McLean has yet to respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

McLean and Mendenhall spoke Monday night to discuss their cities’ respective plans, though Wittenberg stressed to Fox News Digital that there was “no prior or additional coordination” between the cities’ officials.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A bill aimed at cracking down on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its practice of forced organ harvesting passed with overwhelming support on Wednesday – though one House lawmaker voted against it.

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., was the lone Republican to oppose the Stop Forced Organ Harvesting Act, which passed 406-1.

“It’s just another example of us trying to stick our nose in another country’s business and write their laws,” Massie told Fox News Digital after the vote. “And at the end of the day, they’re gonna do what they’re gonna do, and it’s just sort of a virtue signal over here.”

Massie, a conservative libertarian, often votes against House bills that weigh in on another country’s affairs.

SCOOP: REPUBLICANS DISCUSS DEFUNDING ‘BIG ABORTION’ LIKE PLANNED PARENTHOOD IN TRUMP AGENDA BILL

The Kentucky Republican pointed out that he opposed the legislation when it was up for a vote during a previous Congress.

MEET THE TRUMP-PICKED LAWMAKERS GIVING SPEAKER JOHNSON A FULL HOUSE GOP CONFERENCE

But his pushback is also notable now given his status as an open critic of Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and at times, of President Donald Trump. 

The bill was introduced by Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., and would authorize the Secretary of State to deny U.S. passports and visitor visas to people involved in organ trafficking circles.

It would also call for sanctions on entities and individuals found to have participated in the gruesome illicit industry.

U.S. lawmakers have accused China of forced organ harvesting of its ideological opponents, including Falun Gong practitioners and Uyghur Muslims.