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Trump signals China ‘very much’ interested in securing trade deal ahead of Switzerland negotiations

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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. 

Travelers weigh in on REAL ID rollout after 2005 law finally takes effect: ‘I think it’s important’

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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. 

Biden hires veteran Democrat communicator as former president aims to defend tarnished reputation

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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.

From floppy disks to flight delays: Top lawmaker warns US air system is due for a reboot

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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.”

Retired judges criticize Trump admin over arrest of Milwaukee County judge: ‘Embarrassing spectacle’

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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.

House votes to make Trump Gulf of America name change permanent

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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.

Deportation flights to Libya would violate court order without prior notice, federal judge says

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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.

Senator says Dems ‘eat their own’ as Fetterman faces renewed scrutiny

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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.

REAL ID deadline comes and goes – airports report business as usual

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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.”

‘Obey the law’: Conservative firebrand torches blue state immigration policies amid major lawsuit

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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.

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“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. 

AOC’s constituents weigh in on presidential run, recall her stunning 2018 political upset

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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.”

Illegal immigrant murderers could face death penalty under new GOP bill

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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.

Federal judge blocks Trump admin from dismantling 3 agencies

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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.

Blue cities adopt Pride flags as official symbols in bid to skirt red-state laws

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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.

Lone Republican becomes only lawmaker to vote against crackdown on human organ trafficking

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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. 

More than a dozen states sue Department of Transportation over EV charging station funds

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A group of blue states joined forces Wednesday to sue the Trump administration after it halted a program that federally funded electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

The District of Columbia joined 16 states — including California, Colorado and Washington — in a suit over the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)’s efforts to halt Congress’ $5 billion National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program to expand electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure.

President Donald Trump on Jan. 20 mandated that federal agencies pause disbursement of all funds appropriated under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, including NEVI program funding. 

The Federal Highway Administration notified states in February that it was revoking previous state plan approvals and withholding or withdrawing NEVI program funds.

KAROLINE LEAVITT CONDEMNS ‘DANGEROUS ATTACKS ON TESLA: ‘DOMESTIC TERRORISM’

The lawsuit claims the FHWA is acting unlawfully, devastating the ability of states to build the charging infrastructure needed to make EVs accessible to more consumers, combat climate change and pollution and support the states’ green economies. 

It asks the court to declare Trump’s directives unlawful, vacate the actions and permanently stop the administration from withholding the funds. 

TESLA VEHICLES, CHARGING STATIONS TARGETED AS PROTESTERS DENOUNCE DOGE, ELON MUSK

In addition to the $300 million and $71 million in funding California and Washington stand to lose, respectively, the blue states previously adopted zero-emission vehicle standards that require a percentage of vehicles sold in the states to release zero emissions.

Washington’s laws further require all new passenger cars, light-duty trucks and medium-duty vehicles sold in the state to be zero emissions by 2035. 

California’s State Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Deployment Plan anticipated that California would need hundreds of thousands of additional EV charging ports to support passenger cars and trucks and “incrementally more” charging ports for medium- and heavy-duty trucks and buses to meet climate goals, according to a news release from the state.

SUSPECTED TESLA ARSONISTS HIT WITH FEDERAL CHARGES IN ACTS OF ‘DOMESTIC TERRORISM’: AG

“When America retreats, China wins,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in the release. “President Trump’s illegal action withholding funds for electric vehicle infrastructure is yet another Trump gift to China — ceding American innovation and killing thousands of jobs. Instead of hawking Teslas on the White House lawn, President Trump could actually help Elon — and the nation — by following the law and releasing this bipartisan funding.” 

The lawsuit comes as Democratic politicians, late-night hosts and political commentators have been touting Tesla’s plummeting stock and acts of vandalism against its vehicles, dealerships and charging stations.

The criminal acts have been linked by the FBI to nationwide protests against Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

California, Colorado and Washington are leading the suit, joined by attorneys general from Arizona, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin.

Horse Sense: House Republicans work to pass ‘big, beautiful bill’

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We’re in the interlude between the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness.

Derby winner Sovereignty won’t run in the Preakness coming up in Baltimore.

But House Republicans aren’t skipping out on trying to finish the big, beautiful bill. And if this were a horse race, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., would dare the pony players to bet against House Republicans when it comes to wrapping things up.

“Stop doubting us. We’re going to get this job done,” said Johnson about the plan to renew tax cuts and slash spending.

REPUBLICANS SQUABBLE OVER TRUMP SPENDING PLAN AS FISCAL YEAR 2026 LOOMS: ‘STAY UNTIL WE PASS IT’

House Republicans aren’t exactly maidens here. But the morning line might suggest House Republicans are due to lose in this sweepstakes.

Like the Triple Crown, there are three steps to this legislative tournament. And Republicans are now on to the final leg of a legislative trifecta.

It was a photo finish in February when House Republicans barely adopted the framework for the tax cut and spending reduction measure. The House GOP leadership appeared to make the vote a late scratch – with Members fleeing the Capitol, only to have them recalled to the House chamber moments later. The Republican leadership brass shored up support for the plan and the House passed it.

It was a repeat in April when House Republicans tried to align with the Senate on their version of the blueprint. Republicans managed to lug the framework across the finish line by a nose, 216-214. Flip one vote and that would have produced a tie. A tie vote would have sent the big, beautiful bill out to a big, beautiful pasture.

House Republicans were only in the money on the Senate framework after conservatives secured some commitments from Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., that senators would make substantial spending cuts.

But when it comes to actually finishing this version of the bill, House Republicans are barely a furlong into the race.

A debate rages about what Republicans should address in the bill. Passage hinges on what’s in or out.

“Everybody’s going to have to give, including, the SALT provision,” said Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., referring to a potential deduction for state and local taxes, known as SALT. “There’s a happy medium that will have to be met to get the cuts.”

Moderate Republicans from high tax states like New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey will demand the deduction in order to secure their votes for the entire plan. Norman noted that “each individual state’s going to have to have some pain” before this goes to the finish line.

“We’re going to find the equilibrium point on SALT that no one will be totally delighted with,” said Johnson. “But it’ll solve the equation and we’ll get it done.”

USER’S MANUAL TO WALTZ’S NSA EXIT AND ITS REVERBERATIONS ON CAPITOL HILL

“We’re in a very good place as it relates to not just the SALT deduction,” said Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., “The people like the ones I represent in Staten Island and Brooklyn desperately need this relief because our mayor and our governor keep hammering us over the head with high taxes.”

There are also items President Trump insists that lawmakers tuck into the bill.

“No tax on tips. No tax on overtime,” echoed House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La.

But the toughest decisions of all center around changes – or cuts – to entitlement programs. Republicans have bandied around the idea that they could save up to $550 billion from waste and fraud in Medicaid over a decade. But there’s evidence that figure is markedly lower. Republicans disagree.

“Some of the information we’ve uncovered would indicate that (the improper payments figure) is much higher,” said Johnson. “We’re going to try to eliminate that. And I think we owe that to the taxpayers.”

But Democrats aren’t buying that.

“They’re lying to the American people,” said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.

Democrats argue Republicans might cook the books to cover the cost of the tax breaks and shore up possible holes in the deficit.

“They’re going to make up whatever numbers they want,” said Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., the ranking Democrat on Energy and Commerce Committee. “They know they can’t reach these numbers.”

One item expected in the bill: a major hike in the debt ceiling.

“When is X date?” asked Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent at a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing.

The “X date” refers to when the federal government exhausts its ability to cover its obligations.

“As an outfielder running for a fly ball, we are on the warning track. When you’re on the warning track, it means the wall is not that far away,” replied Bessent.

Or, coming up the side rail.

But Bessent added that the government “will not default.”

REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: WHERE WE STAND WITH TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’

Lawmakers grilled cabinet members about trimming departments at hearings this week. Such was the case when Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins appeared before a Senate panel.

“You are taking a meat cleaver approach. There’s that old adage. Measure twice. Cut once. You guys have been cutting without measuring,” charged Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H.

“I’ve not cut anything yet,” responded Collins.

The Secretary added that there was a “goal” to restructure his department and cut significant numbers of jobs.

“Do you want to reach your goal or not?” asked Hassan.

“The goal is not a fact,” replied Collins.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins also found herself testifying about efforts to shrink her department before another Senate panel. She conceded that slimming government is hard.

“Have we done it perfectly? No. Any type of scale change and big effort to basically realign an entire government agency is difficult,” said Rollins.

Democrats warn that Republicans will rue the day when they approve deep cuts.

“Each Republican who votes for reconciliation and bad budgets will be left holding that hot potato,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer,” D-N.Y.

One senior House conservative told Fox they thought passing the bill would be “easy” compared to the other two rounds. Another conservative and a moderate Republican argued it would be harder. Much harder.

The best gamblers know that it’s best to quit when you’re ahead. House Republicans managed to eke out victories in the first two rounds. One argument is that they have momentum. Horse sense would tell you that the odds are against them.

But this is Capitol Hill. And you never know how things are going to turn out.

Mike Johnson and Republicans have no other choice. They promised the public they would pass the bill. President Trump expects it. There are no other options.

Pacing is everything in horseracing. A good jockey knows how to coax a burst of energy out of their horse at the right minute. When to give them the whip.

We’re looking at you, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn.

So the crowd is roaring. The hooves are thundering. Mud and dirt are flying. The stewards are watching.

Johnson contends the House isn’t off the pace with its goal of passing the package by Memorial Day. But Republicans are trying to pass a very complex bill with a tiny majority. It’s like running on a sloppy track. Republicans gallop down the homestretch soon.

The next few weeks will be a wild ride.

Boasberg grills DOJ over remarks from Trump, Noem, floats moving migrants to Gitmo in action-packed hearing

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U.S. District Judge James Boasberg pressed Justice Department lawyers Wednesday evening over public comments President Donald Trump and other Cabinet officials made about deportation proceeding under the Alien Enemies Act— and floated the idea of moving some migrants to Guantanamo Bay.

During the hearing, Boasberg specifically pressed Justice Department lawyers over statements made by Trump and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem about CECOT, the maximum-security prison in El Salvador where the U.S. has deported hundreds of migrants, as well as the White House’s ability to secure someone’s release.

He asked specifically about Trump’s remarks in an interview with ABC News, in which Trump told ABC News that he “could” secure the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadorian man and alleged gang member,  back to the U.S. from El Salvador if he chose to.

“Is the president not telling the truth?” Boasberg asked Justice Department lawyer Abishek Kambl. “Or could he secure his release?” 

The question goes to the heart of whether El Salvador has custody of the deported migrants, a major question at the heart of the case.

He also grilled Kambli over Noem’s comment that CECOT is “one of the tools in our toolkit the U.S. “can use” against individauls who “commit crimes against the American people,” and comments from as well as comments from White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt that the U.S. has provided $6 million dollars to El Salvador to house migrants at the infamous CECOT prison.

In response, Kambli said these remarks sometimes “lack nuance.” 

WHO IS JAMES BOASBERG, THE US JUDGE AT THE CENTER OF TRUMP’S DEPORTATION EFFORTS?

“That goes toward the president’s belief about the influence that he has.” “Influence does not equate to constructive custody.”

Trump officials have sought to portray Boasberg, a high-profile judge in D.C., as the face of judicial overreach and today’s hearing could put him back in their crosshairs.

Unlike the previous lawsuit heard by Boasberg in March, which sought to temporarily block Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to swiftly deport certain U.S. migrants, plaintiffs are asking the court to hear a larger request for more lasting relief.

The preliminary injunction was filed as a class, and seeks to protect two classes of migrants: Detainees already removed from the U.S. to the infamous Salvadorian prison, as well as those still detained on U.S. soil at risk of imminent removal.

 TRUMP ADMIN SEEKS EMERGENCY RELIEF OF BOASBERG CONTEMPT THREAT

Plaintiffs are seeking broader and more lasting relief for two sub-classes, or groups of individuals at risk of what they argue is “grave and irreparable harm” under the Alien Enemies Act.

For U.S. detainees who could be removed under the law, plaintiffs asked for an order blocking their removal under AEA and requiring the Trump administration to provide them with at least 30 days notice before any planned removals – notice they said would be sufficient to allow them to challenge their removals in U.S. court. 

Migrants who were already deported to CECOT could face a trickier path to relief.

TRUMP DEMANDS SUPREME COURT STEP IN AFTER FEDERAL JUDGES BLOCK HIS AGENDA: ‘THESE PEOPLE ARE LUNATICS’

Plaintiffs asked Boasberg in their amended request to order the Trump administration to not only facilitate the return of already deported migrants, but to take “all reasonable steps” to do so. 

This could include requiring the administration to request any contractors or agents in El Salvador to transfer the individuals from CECOT and into the “physical custody” of the U.S., they said. 

It’s unclear whether the Trump administration will take any steps to comply with the order, should Boasberg move to grant the injunctive relief plaintiffs are seeking. If their responses have been any indication, compliance in the near-term seems unlikely.

4 MORE DEMS TRAVEL TO EL SALVADOR TO PUSH FOR ABREGO GARCIA’S RETURN TO US

The hearing comes as the Trump administration has grown increasingly defiant in the face of court orders to return migrants from CECOT back to the U.S. – including two migrants who were erroneously deported to the maximum security prison in March, and ordered back to the U.S. by two separate federal judges.

The administration has refused to return them. So far, the Trump administration has not said whether it has returned any migrants deported from the U.S. to CECOT under the law.

And the identities of these individuals can be difficult to track: To date, the Trump administration has not released a list of the names of individuals it has deported to El Salvador under the Alien Enemies Act‚ and the Salvadorian government has also shielded their identities from public disclosure.

The administration’s growing resistance on the issue has sparked fresh concern from Trump critics and some court observers, who have cited fears that the administration could be testing their boundaries on executive branch authorities.

Plaintiffs also cited fears of real harm to the migrants. 

They said in their filing that, absent injunctive relief, the Trump administration “will be free to send hundreds more individuals to the notorious Salvadoran prison, where they may be held incommunicado for the rest of their lives.”

Stay in your lane: Florida AG fires next volley against judge halting state immigration law

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FIRST ON FOX: Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier fired back Wednesday at an Obama-appointed Miami federal judge who attempted to halt enforcement of a state immigration law.

Uthmeier told Fox News Digital he submitted a motion to the Atlanta-based 11th Circuit to stay a motion to halt Florida’s illegal immigration law.

“As the late Justice Scalia once said, ‘If securing its territory in this fashion is not within the power of [Florida], we should cease referring to it as a sovereign state,'” Uthmeier said. “My office will fight this judge’s order to the top if we must and continue being the Trump administration’s best partner in the mission to remove every illegal alien and protect our state and nation’s sovereignty.”

Uthmeier had originally told Judge Kathleen Williams he could not tell his law enforcement officers not to enforce the state’s new law making it a misdemeanor for illegal immigrants to enter Florida to avoid the feds.

FLA AG TO REBUFF JUDGE WHO ORDERED HALT TO STATE IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT: THE COURT HAS OVERSTEPPED

Williams ruled the law violated the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution, while Uthmeier countered he couldn’t order the Florida Highway Patrol to stop any enforcement because it wasn’t party to the order.

“Florida cops don’t need my permission to do their jobs. And the judge can’t order law enforcement officers to stand down when they aren’t even parties to the case,” Uthmeier told Fox News Digital exclusively Wednesday.

“This is Law 101. She doesn’t have jurisdiction. We hope the appellate court will fix the problems the lower court created and reaffirm that, as ‘the least dangerous branch,’ district court judges must stay in their constitutional lane.”

FLORIDA AG LAUNCHES OFFICE OF PARENTAL RIGHTS, LENDING LEGAL FIREPOWER TO DFEEND PARENTS’ ‘GOD-GIVEN RIGHT’

In his filing, Uthmeier argued Florida did “nothing more … [but] to aid the United States in curbing illegal immigration within the state’s borders” and didn’t take any actions that would violate the Constitution.

“SB 4-C (the law) criminalizes the entry into Florida of those who have illegally entered the United States. That law tracks federal law to a tee.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“Florida law defines an ‘unauthorized alien’ as ‘a person who is unlawfully present in the United States according to the terms of the federal Immigration and Nationality Act.’

“I do not believe an AG should be held in contempt for respecting the rule of law and appropriate separation of powers. The ACLU is dead set on obstructing President Donald Trump’s efforts to detain and deport illegals, and we are going to fight back. We will vigorously defend our laws and advance President Trump’s agenda on illegal immigration.”

Fox News Politics Newsletter: Biden-appointed Judge Orders Refugee Resettlement Resumed

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Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content.

Here’s what’s happening…

Vance previews US-Iran nuclear talks, says Trump ‘open’ to sitting down with Russians, Chinese in future

-Congress moves to address air traffic controller crisis as Newark meltdown sparks alarm

-205 arrested in FBI child sex operation, Patel and Bondi announce

A federal judge on Monday ordered the Trump administration to immediately resettle some 12,000 refugees into the U.S. under a court order that partially blocks President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at halting the refugee admissions program. 

U.S. District Judge Jamal Whitehead, a 2023 appointee of former President Joe Biden, issued the order despite the Trump administration saying during a hearing last week that it should only have to process 160 refugees into the country and would likely appeal any order requiring thousands to be admitted.

“This Court will not entertain the Government’s result-oriented rewriting of a judicial order that clearly says what it says,” Whitehead wrote Monday. “The Government is free, of course, to seek further clarification from the Ninth Circuit. But the Government is not free to disobey statutory and constitutional law — and the direct orders of this Court and the Ninth Circuit — while it seeks such clarification.”…READ MORE

ESCAPE FROM ALCATRAZ: Trump pushes to reopen infamous California prison, but Pelosi and Newsom dismiss it as a ‘distraction’

CAMPUS PROBE: University of Washington faces Trump admin antisemitism scrutiny over anti-Israel protests

COMPLIANCE NOTED: How many Americans are actually ready for REAL ID? Compliance crosses partisan, geographic bounds

SUMMER BUMMER: New travel rules, same confusion: ‘Real ID’ raises questions, concerns among college-aged travelers

‘YOU’LL BE OKAY’: Top TSA official explains what to do if you do not have REAL ID

‘ITS A DISASTER’: Trump offers to help Obama with presidential library troubles

ACT OF WAR’: Pakistan calls India’s strikes an ‘act of war’ and claims it shot down Indian fighter jets

‘A LITTLE PATIENCE’: Cardinals gather in St. Peter’s Basilica for final Mass before conclave to choose new pope

TEHRAN TORTURE: Family of American hostage tortured in Lebanon wins landmark case against Iran

SIGNALS CROSSE: China’s spying in Cuba sparks alarm on Capitol Hill after fresh satellite images show surveillance buildup

‘DURABLE PEACE’: Vance says Russia’s demands are too high, but there’s still a path to resolution of Ukraine war

LIKE ‘GOODFELLAS’: Fetterman slams ‘dumb hit piece’ about health, says it felt like being in classic mob movie

HAT IN THE RING: Illinois Rep. Krishnamoorthi jumps into crowded Democratic race for Senate

INTIMIDATION AND THREATS: Durbin calls on DOJ to investigate anonymous pizza deliveries to judges’ homes

ROCK BOTTOM: President Trump’s approval ratings slide, but Democrats’ poll numbers drop to new lows

‘ALARMING’: Antisemitism spiking around the world, ADL finds in its first-ever global report

HUNTING PREDATORS: FBI targets 250 suspects in ‘764’ network of online predators manipulating kids into violent, explicit videos

DISTURBING DETAILS: Riley Gaines says ‘literal human feces’ thrown in protest of Turning Point USA at University of Washington

LIKE FATHER LIKE SON: Son of independent U.S. senator mounts Maine gubernatorial bid

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