Monday, June 2, 2025

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

New Orleans Mayor Declares June 11 ‘Back That Azz Up’ Day.

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell (D) has declared June 11, 2024, “Back That Azz Up Day.” The proclamation honors the 25th anniversary of the popular song—of the same name—performed by New Orleans-born rapper Juvenile. Cantrell’s declaration also marks the kick-off of a new concert tour by the rapper, with an initial performance in New Orleans on July 7.

“This song has been a huge part of my musical journey, and it’s amazing to see it still resonate with people today, and I can’t wait for the moment each night of the tour when the song drops,” Juvenile said following the mayor’s announcement.

Released in the summer of 1999, “Back That Azz Up” quickly became a hit across the U.S. The song also featured appearances by rapper Lil Wayne and producer Mannie Fresh, both New Orleans natives. It peaked at number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 that year.

Cantrell’s tenure as mayor has been the subject of several controversies and accusations of corruption. The New Orleans Democrat was found to have used taxpayer-funded credit cards to cover personal expenses. In some instances, Cantrell did not repay the public debts until years later. Additionally, both Cantrell and members of her family have faced several tax liens on properties they own due to the mayor owing more than $95,000 in federal back taxes.

During the 2020 presidential election, Juvenile endorsed environmentalist-billionaire Tom Steyer in the Democrat presidential primary. A video of Steyer awkwardly dancing with the rapper to “Back That Azz Up” went viral shortly before the South Carolina Democratic primary contest.

Juvenile has faced numerous arrests for drug possession and assault—as well as several legal actions over failure to pay child support.

By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.
More From The Pulse

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

Islamic Blasphemy Laws Enforced As Man Convicted for Burning Quran.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: A court in Britain has convicted a man for burning the Islamic Quran during a protest outside the Turkish consulate, igniting backlash from free speech advocates who say the ruling revives the country’s defunct blasphemy laws.

👤Who’s Involved: Hamit Coskun, Westminster Magistrates’ Court, Judge John McGarva, the Crown Prosecution Service, the Free Speech Union.

🧾Key Quote: “This decision is wrong. It revives a blasphemy law that Parliament repealed,” said Robert Jenrick, Shadow Justice Secretary.

⚠️Fallout: Coskun’s conviction under the Public Order Act for “religiously aggravated disorderly conduct” drew sharp criticism from civil liberties groups and sparked plans for a legal appeal, potentially reaching the European Court of Human Rights.

📌Significance: The case underscores growing concerns over free speech in the United Kingdom, where critics argue religious sensitivities are being prioritized over basic protest rights—particularly when it comes to Islam.

IN FULL:

A British court has found 50-year-old atheist Hamit Coskun guilty of a “religiously aggravated public order offence” after he publicly burned a copy of the Quran during a political protest in central London. Coskun, an Armenian-Kurdish asylum seeker who fled Turkey citing persecution, was convicted on Monday at Westminster Magistrates’ Court after a one-day trial.

The February 13 demonstration took place outside the Turkish consulate in Knightsbridge, where Coskun shouted “Islam is religion of terrorism” and “F**k Islam” while holding the burning Islamic text over his head. Moments later, he was violently attacked by a passerby who appeared to slash at him with a blade and kicked him to the ground. That man is due to stand trial in 2027.

Despite claims from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) that Coskun was not prosecuted for destroying the book in itself, but for the “disorderly” nature of burning the book, the case has reignited a fierce debate over whether the United Kingdom is reintroducing blasphemy laws by stealth. Initially, Coskun was charged with harassing the “religious institution of Islam,” with the charges being revised after public outcry.

Judge John McGarva acknowledged flaws in the original CPS charge, which referred to Islam “as if it was a person,” but upheld the revised charge. He rejected arguments from Coskun’s defense team that his protest was aimed at criticizing a religion, not its followers, and therefore protected speech.

“You don’t distinguish between the two,” McGarva insisted during sentencing. “I find you have a deep-seated hatred of Islam and its followers.”

Coskun was fined £240 (~$325) and is currently in hiding.

The Free Speech Union (FSU) and the National Secular Society (NSS), both of which funded Coskun’s defense, condemned the ruling and announced plans to appeal. “This is deeply disappointing,” the FSU said in a statement. “Religious tolerance doesn’t require non-believers to respect the blasphemy codes of believers.”

Robert Jenrick, Shadow Justice Secretary and former immigration minister, said the court’s decision “revives a blasphemy law that Parliament repealed,” adding: “Free speech is under threat. I have no confidence in Two-Tier Keir [Starmer] to defend the rights of the public to criticise all religions.”

The United Kingdom repealed its last formal blasphemy statutes in 2008, but recent prosecutions under the Public Order Act—particularly those involving Islam—have alarmed critics who argue religious protections are being selectively enforced.

Coskun, who had fled Turkey under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Islamist regime, testified that his protest was a direct response to government oppression in his home country. His lawyer, Katy Thorne KC, said the ruling effectively criminalizes any public burning of a religious book, regardless of motive or message, warning that it “chills the right of citizens to criticise religion.”

The FSU has pledged to appeal the ruling all the way to the European Court of Human Rights if necessary.

Image by Frankie Fouganthin.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

Ukraine Launched a Daring Mission in Russia… And It Looks Like It Paid Off.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: Ukraine has claimed its largest long-range drone strike of the war, targeting four Russian military airbases and damaging strategic nuclear-capable aircraft.

👥 Who’s Involved: Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Russian military.

📍 Where & When: Strikes occurred Sunday at airbases in the Irkutsk, Murmansk, Ryazan, and Ivanovo regions of Russia, with drones allegedly smuggled into the country over 18 months.

💬 Key Quote: “The ‘office’ of our operation on Russian territory was located right next to the FSB of Russia in one of their regions,” boasted Zelensky.

⚠️ Impact: Ukraine estimates $7 billion in damage to Russian aviation assets, while Russia reports multiple aircraft fires but claims all attacks were repelled.

IN FULL:

Ukraine has claimed responsibility for its largest long-range drone strike against Russia since their conflict began, targeting four military airbases deep inside Russia and reportedly damaging nuclear-capable strategic bombers and nuclear early warning aircraft. The operation, dubbed “Spider’s Web,” was carried out by Ukraine’s SBU security service and involved 117 drones, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The strikes, which Ukraine says took a year and a half to prepare, used drones smuggled into Russia and concealed in wooden cabins mounted on civilian trucks. These mobile launch platforms were positioned near Russian airbases, and the drones were deployed remotely. Among the targeted sites were airbases in the Irkutsk, Murmansk, Ryazan, and Ivanovo regions, with some locations thousands of miles from Ukraine.

Zelensky described the operation as “absolutely brilliant,” boasting that “the ‘office’ of our operation on Russian territory was located right next to the [Federal Security Service] of Russia in one of their regions.”  He said that all Ukrainian personnel involved in the operation were safely evacuated before the strikes. The SBU estimates the damage to Russian aviation at approximately $7 billion, though these claims remain unverified.

Russia’s defense ministry acknowledged attacks on airbases in five regions, labeling them “terrorist acts.” While it claimed all attacks on military sites in Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur regions were repelled, it admitted that several aircraft caught fire in Murmansk and Irkutsk. Russian authorities claim that some suspects connected to the attacks have been detained.

Irkutsk Governor Igor Kobzev confirmed that drones were launched from a truck in the region, adding that the launch site had been secured. Russian media similarly reported that drones emerged from vehicles, with footage showing them flying out of a Kamaz truck near a petrol station.

Meanwhile, Ukraine reported a massive Russian drone and missile assault on its own territory, claiming to have neutralized 385 aerial targets out of 472 launched. This marks one of the largest single Russian drone offensives to date.

Experts warn that the “Pearl Harbor” moment could significantly escalate Russia’s willingness to deploy nuclear weapons. Dr. Stephen Hall, a lecturer at Bath University, noted that Russia’s 2024 nuclear doctrine notes that attacks on military infrastructure within Russia, which disrupt nuclear response actions, could be met with a nuclear response.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.
Migrant Crime

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

Operation Patriot Sees 1500 Illegals Rounded Up.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) concluded “Operation Patriot,” its largest enforcement action to date, arresting 1,461 illegal aliens across Massachusetts and Greater Boston—including hundreds of criminals shielded by sanctuary city policies.

👤Who’s Involved: ICE, Massachusetts sanctuary jurisdictions, Boston city officials, and criminal aliens including rapists, traffickers, and a known murderer.

🧾Key Quote: ICE sources say the operation was launched in direct response to Massachusetts and Boston’s sanctuary policies, which have obstructed ICE enforcement and led to increased collateral arrests.

⚠️Fallout: Of those arrested, 790 had criminal convictions or pending charges, while 277 had final deportation orders; local jurisdictions refused cooperation, and activists reportedly interfere with arrests on a near-daily basis.

📌Significance: The operation exposes the dangerous consequences of sanctuary policies, as ICE is forced to apprehend violent criminals on the streets rather than in jails—putting public safety and agents at greater risk.

IN FULL:

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has executed its most expansive enforcement operation to date, arresting 1,461 illegal aliens across Massachusetts during a month-long sweep dubbed “Operation Patriot.” Agency sources confirmed that the operation, which concluded on Saturday, specifically targeted the state due to its aggressive sanctuary city policies—particularly those in Boston, where ICE detainers have been systematically ignored.

Of those arrested, 790 individuals had criminal convictions or open charges, while 277 had final deportation orders that had not been carried out due to a lack of local cooperation. Hundreds had previously been released from custody by sanctuary jurisdictions despite active ICE detainers.

The scale and complexity of the mission surpassed Operation Tidal Wave, which took place in Florida and previously held the record for the largest ICE enforcement action with 1,120 arrests.

“ICE has repeatedly warned that sanctuary policies will lead to collateral arrests,” a source said, referencing the fact that agents are often forced to arrest not just the primary target but others illegally present at the scene. The agency has stressed that such policies force enforcement into public neighborhoods rather than allowing for controlled transfers at local jails.

FOX News embedded with one of the 19 ICE teams operating across the state last Thursday. In just a few hours, agents arrested an international murderer, two child rapists—one of whom was living adjacent to a playground—a fentanyl trafficker, an adult rapist, and a child sexual assaulter. All of them had been residing freely within Massachusetts communities.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

Globalists Defeated in Poland.

PULSE POINTS:

❓ What Happened: Center right Karol Nawrocki has triumphed in the Polish presidential elections, dealing a significant setback to globalist Prime Minister Donald Tusk and the European Union (EU) establishment.

👥 Who’s Involved: Karol Nawrocki, Donald Tusk, outgoing President Andrzej Duda, failed liberal candidate Rafał Trzaskowski, the EU, and U.S. President Donald J. Trump.

📍 Where & When: Poland, with Nawrocki’s win confirmed on June 1, 2025, following the second round of the presidential elections.

💬 Key Quote: “My Poland is a Poland without illegal migrants… where, instead of integration centers, there are deportation centers.” — Nawrocki.

⚠️ Impact: Nawrocki’s presidency will strengthen Poland’s conservatives, despite losing control of the legislature in late 2023, and challenge the agenda of the EU and Prime Minister Tusk, a former President of the European Council.

IN FULL:

Karol Nawrocki, the Law and Justice (PiS) Party-aligned center right candidate in the Polish presidential elections, has defeated Warsaw mayor Rafał Trzaskowski, aligned with Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s globalist government. Nawrocki, 42, defeated Trzaskowski, 53, 50.89 to 49.11 percent. Trzaskowski prematurely declared victory after initial exit polls projected he would win the contest, only for late polls to reverse the candidates’ fortunes.

Nawrocki’s triumph is a body blow to Prime Minister Tusk, a former European Union (EU) president, who ousted Law and Justice at the head of an unwieldy coalition of globalist and left-wing parties in legislative elections at the end of 2023. Despite this victory, Tusk’s freedom of action had been limited by the outgoing conservative president, Andrzej Duda, wielding veto and pardon powers. Now, with another conservative candidate replacing Duda, the presidency will continue to constrain Tusk’s government for the remainder of its term.

Nawrocki is a colorful character. As a younger man, he participated in a prearranged brawl in a forest—which he described as “noble combat”—between two roughly 70-strong groups of soccer hooligans. He also pursued a career as a boxer, winning national tournaments, before switching career paths and earning a doctorate as a historian.

Currently, he is President of the Institute of National Remembrance and Commission for the Prosecution of Crimes Against the Polish Nation, commemorating and investigating the crimes of the former Nazi and Communist occupation regimes. Contrary to insinuations from politicians such as Tusk that he is a Kremlin stooge, Nawrocki has had a Russian arrest warrant issued against him for his role in demolishing Soviet monuments in Poland.

Trzaskowski is unlikely to make another bid for the presidency now, with his failed run against Nawrocki following a failed attempt to unseat Duda, who is term-limited, in 2020.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

DATA: Republican Support for Gay Marriage Is Crashing.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: Republican support for gay marriage has significantly dropped, according to a recent Gallup poll, but Democratic support remains high.

👥 Who’s Involved: Gallup poll respondents, including Republicans, Democrats, and independents; Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.

📍 Where & When: United States; Gallup poll released Thursday, May 29, 2025.

⚠️ Impact: The poll reflects a growing partisan divide on gay marriage and related moral issues, with implications for future legal challenges and cultural debates.

IN FULL:

Support among Republicans for same-sex marriage has dropped sharply over the past three years, according to a new Gallup poll released Thursday. The survey found that just 41 percent of GOP voters now back the legalization of gay marriage, a significant decline from 55 percent in 2021 and 2022.

In contrast, 88 percent of Democrats expressed approval for same-sex marriage, marking a 47-point gap between the two parties—the largest divide recorded since Gallup began polling on the issue in 1996. Among independents, 76 percent voiced support for gay marriage.

Historical data from Gallup shows that in 1996, only 16 percent of Republicans, 33 percent of Democrats, and 32 percent of independents supported the legalization of same-sex unions.

The new poll also highlighted differences in moral perceptions of gay and lesbian relationships. While 86 percent of Democrats said such relationships are morally acceptable, only 38 percent of Republicans agreed—a sharp drop from 56 percent in 2022. Among Americans who attend religious services weekly, 33 percent found same-sex marriage morally acceptable, with only 24 percent deeming gay and lesbian relationships socially acceptable.

The issue of same-sex marriage has also been revisited in legal debates. Justice Clarence Thomas, in his concurring opinion in the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, called for reconsideration of substantive due process precedents, including Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 case that established a constitutional right to gay marriage.

Thomas argued that the legal principle of substantive due process, which has been used to protect unenumerated rights like privacy and same-sex marriage, lacks constitutional grounding. He described it as “an oxymoron that lack[s] any basis in the Constitution,” and emphasized that such decisions should be revisited to determine whether other constitutional provisions might support the rights they claim to protect.

“Substantive due process exalts judges at the expense of the People from whom they derive their authority,” Thomas wrote, adding that it has led to “constitutionally unmoored policy judgments.”

Image by Tim Evanson.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

UK to Allocate 3% of GDP to Defense as Trump Pressures NATO Allies.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: The British government has committed to increasing defense spending to three percent of GDP by 2034, with an interim target of 2.5 percent by April 2027.

👥 Who’s Involved: Defence Secretary John Healey, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, former international development minister Anneliese Dodds, President Donald J. Trump, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.

📍 Where & When: NATO meeting scheduled for next month in The Hague, Netherlands.

💬 Key Quote: John Healey stated, “It allows us to plan for the long term. It allows us to deal with the pressures.”

⚠️ Impact: The increase in defense spending will be offset by cuts to foreign aid, and follows a pressure campaign from President Trump to have European NATO members pay more towards their continent’s defense.

IN FULL:

The British government has committed to raising defense spending to three percent of GDP by 2034, with an interim target of 2.5 percent by April 2027, according to Defence Secretary John Healey. Healey, of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party, described the move as part of a “certain decade of rising defence spending” and expressed confidence in meeting the targets, stating, “It allows us to plan for the long term. It allows us to deal with the pressures.”

The announcement follows Prime Minister Starmer’s earlier pledge to strengthen Britain’s resilience in a “more dangerous world.” The British government is conducting a strategic defense review (SDR) to assess the roles, capabilities, and reforms needed for the armed forces. The review aims to ensure that the spending increases remain “deliverable and affordable” within the planned 2.5 percent trajectory.

Funding for the defense budget boost will come from a reduction in foreign aid, which will be cut from 0.5 percent to 0.3 percent of gross national income (GNI). The decision, which has angered many in Starmer’s leftist party, follows pressure from U.S. President Donald J. Trump to make European NATO members pay more towards their continent’s defense.

NATO leaders are preparing to meet in The Hague next month, where defense spending is expected to dominate discussions. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, speaking earlier this month in Dayton, Ohio, suggested that the alliance could agree on a collective target of five percent of GDP for defense spending.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

Trump Economy Hits Highs Not Seen in Decades.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: The S&P 500 recorded its best monthly numbers since 2023—and its best gains for the month of May since 1990.

👥 Who’s Involved: The S&P 500, Nasdaq, Dow Jones Industrial Average, President Donald J. Trump, and China.

📍 Where & When: U.S. stock markets, May 2025.

⚠️ Impact: All three major U.S. stock indices saw strong gains in May, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq achieving their best months since November 2023, amid ongoing U.S.-China trade tensions.

IN FULL:

The S&P 500 capped off May with its strongest monthly performance in over a year and a half, gaining six percent across the month, despite closing Friday nearly flat. The Nasdaq and S&P 500 both posted their best monthly results since November 2023. Moreover, it saw the best gains for the month of May, specifically, since 1990.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose slightly by 0.13 percent on Friday, while the Nasdaq composite slipped just 0.3 percent.

Notably, the market’s rebound in May followed a challenging April, during which investor sentiment was rattled by media clamoring over President Donald J. Trump’s imposition of steep tariffs on China. The tariffs are part of ongoing trade negotiations with Beijing and other foreign trade partners.

Earlier on Friday, President Trump accused China of going back on a “fast deal” he claimed to have made, but remained hopeful about eventually securing an agreement. Tensions with China have persisted, but Trump’s optimism suggests a potential resolution might still be on the horizon.

The market gains follow data released by the Department of Commerce, which shows inflation continuing to cool and record revenue collected from President Trump’s tariffs.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

Musk Says Departure ‘Not the End of DOGE, But Really the Beginning.’

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: Elon Musk expressed optimism about the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and its mission as his time as a special government employee came to an end.

👥 Who’s Involved: Elon Musk, the DOGE team, President Donald J. Trump, and the federal government.

📍 Where & When: Musk’s comments were made alongside Trump in the Oval Office on May 30.

💬 Key Quote: “This is not the end of DOGE, but really the beginning… The DOGE team will only grow stronger over time… It is permeating throughout the government, and I am confident that, over time, we will see a trillion dollars of waste and fraud reduction,” Musk said.

⚠️ Impact: President Trump and Musk say most DOGE staffers will remain in post after Musk’s departure, so they can continue to search for efficiency savings.

IN FULL:

Tech billionaire Elon Musk expressed optimism that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) can continue to find savings as his time as a special government employee came to an end. “This is not the end of DOGE, but really the beginning,” he said in the Oval Office alongside President Donald J. Trump, at a press event marking the end of his tenure.

Musk suggested the DOGE ethos “is permeating throughout the government,” although its performance under his de facto leadership has been mixed. The Tesla and SpaceX mogul initially insisted he could rapidly achieve trillions of dollars in savings, but later revised his figures downward by over 90 percent. However, he said in the Oval Office that he expects DOGE to achieve a trillion dollars in savings “over time” following his departure.

Despite suspicions of a rift with President Trump, especially after Musk publicly attacked the “one big, beautiful bill” the administration has championed, the America First leader praised the South Africa-born entrepreneur at the press event, suggesting he would remain an advisor and friend at least on an informal basis.

Members of the press grilled Musk on reports that he regularly uses ketamine, ecstasy, and psychedelic mushrooms during questions in the Oval Office. He dismissed allegations on the basis that they originated in The New York Times, “the same publication that got a Pulitzer Prize for false reporting on… Russiagate.”

WATCH:

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

DHS Cracks Down on 500 Sanctuary Cities for Impeding Deportation Efforts.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a list of 500 sanctuary jurisdictions it says are obstructing federal immigration enforcement.

👥 Who’s Involved: DHS, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, the Trump administration, sanctuary cities, counties, and states.

📍 Where & When: Across the U.S.; list released Thursday, May 29, 2025.

💬 Key Quote: “These sanctuary city politicians are endangering Americans and our law enforcement in order to protect violent criminal illegal aliens,” said DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.

⚠️ Impact: DHS claims sanctuary policies endanger communities and law enforcement while protecting illegal immigrants accused of criminal activity.

IN FULL:

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has released a list of 500 sanctuary jurisdictions it accuses of obstructing federal immigration enforcement efforts under the Trump administration. The list, published Thursday on the department’s website, includes cities, counties, and states across the United States.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem criticized sanctuary city policies, stating, “These sanctuary city politicians are endangering Americans and our law enforcement in order to protect violent criminal illegal aliens.” The DHS alleges that such jurisdictions shield individuals in the country illegally from federal immigration authorities, creating risks for both communities and law enforcement.

The department explained that the list was compiled based on several factors, including whether jurisdictions identify themselves as sanctuary areas, their compliance level with federal immigration enforcement, restrictions on sharing information with immigration authorities, and legal protections for illegal immigrants.

“Sanctuary jurisdictions including cities, counties, and states that are deliberately and shamefully obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration laws endanger American communities,” the DHS statement read.

This move by the DHS comes amid increased pressure from the Trump administration on local governments to align with federal immigration law enforcement. While law enforcement in Republican governed states are increasingly complying with President Donald J. Trump’s mass deportation efforts, Democrat-controlled states continue to by-and-large resist immigration enforcement efforts.

The DHS claims that sanctuary policies allow individuals accused of criminal activity to avoid facing legal consequences, putting public safety at risk. Critics of sanctuary policies argue that they undermine the rule of law and prioritize the protection of illegal immigrants over the safety of citizens.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

Disgraced Dem Senator Admits Lawfare Started with Obama and Biden.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: Disgraced former Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) says that it was his own Democratic Party, under the former Obama-Biden administration, that weaponized the Department of Justice (DOJ) to execute lawfare campaigns against political enemies.

👥 Who’s Involved: Former Sen. Robert Menendez, former President Barack Obama, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), and federal prosecutors.

📍 Where & When: Menendez made the allegations in a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, May 30, 2025.

💬 Key Quote: “People talk about the Trump DOJ, but it was the Democrats who started weaponizing the Justice Dept,” Menendez wrote.

⚠️ Impact: The claims made by the New Jersey Democrat underpin allegations by Republicans and President Donald J. Trump that the Democratic Party used the DOJ to target its political enemies and prevent Trump’s reelection in 2024. However, it is essential to note that Menendez himself has political motivations to undermine the successful DOJ corruption prosecution against him.

IN FULL:

Former U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), who was sentenced to 11 years in prison in January this year on charges of bribery, extortion, conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and acting as an unregistered foreign agent, is claiming that it was his own Democratic Party that weaponized the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to execute politically motivated lawfare campaigns. In a series of posts made Friday on X (formerly Twitter), the disgraced New Jersey Democrat pointed the finger at former President Barack Obama for upending the allegedly nonpartisan culture of the DOJ and weaponizing the agency to target political enemies.

“People talk about the Trump DOJ, but it was the Democrats who started weaponizing the Justice Dept,” Menendez wrote, revealing: “When, as the Chairman of the SFRC, I didn’t go along with Obama’s Iran deal, I was indicted, and the next day after being stripped of my position, Obama announced the Iran deal.”

Menendez continued: “Obama told me that he could not have the Democratic Chairman of the SFRC be against him. By having me removed as the Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Obama removed my major opposition to his Iran deal. It was a bad deal for the U.S. and for our ally, Israel.”

The once-powerful Democrat Senator argued that the 2015 corruption indictment brought against him by the Obama DOJ was never meant to achieve a conviction but merely to damage his reputation and prevent him from derailing the Iran deal. Notably, the 2015 charges were eventually dropped by federal prosecutors.

Menendez concluded, writing: “So when Democrats talk about weaponizing the Justice Dept, they should look into their own past actions. Obama was willing to use the Justice Department to pursue and preserve the legacy issue he felt would earn him the Nobel Prize he had received.”

The National Pulse reported in September 2023 that Menendez and his wife, Nadine, were indicted by a federal grand jury on corruption charges stemming from their efforts to assist a donor facing legal proceedings and the political interests of the Egyptian government. After a lengthy investigation, Menendez was convicted on 16 counts of public corruption in July 2024.

Image by Christopher Dilts for Organizing for America.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.