Wednesday, May 21, 2025

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

BREAKING: Rep. Turner Dies Just 62 Days Into His Congressional Term.

Sylvester Turner, a far-left Democrat who briefly served in Congress after decades in Texas politics, has died at 70.

Turner, born in Houston, built his career in law before entering the Texas House of Representatives in 1989, where he served for over 25 years. As mayor of Houston from 2016 to 2024, he backed left-wing policies, including expansive LGBT initiatives, mass migration policies, and taxpayer-funded abortion programs.

He was elected to Congress in 2024 after Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee’s death but served less than two months before his passing.

His political career was marked by controversies. In 1991, a failed mayoral bid was derailed by an insurance fraud allegation, though he was never charged.

As mayor, he faced criticism over a $95,000-a-year internship for a connected law graduate, an alleged favoritism scandal in affordable housing contracts, and a corruption case involving a top aide who admitted to accepting bribes. His administration was also embroiled in a water department contract fraud scheme just before he left office.

Turner is survived by his daughter and grandson.

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.

BREAKING: Trump Confronts South African Prez on Rallies Calling for Murder of White Farmers.

PULSE POINTS:

❓ What Happened: President Donald J. Trump confronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa with evidence of Julius Malema inciting violence against white farmers and opposed South Africa’s land expropriation laws, while offering Afrikaners U.S. refugee status.

👥  Who’s Involved: President Trump, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, and Julius Malema, leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters.

📍 Where & When: Diplomatic meeting, with Trump’s confrontation reported on May 21, 2025.

⚠️  Impact: Trump’s bold stance champions human rights and counters South Africa’s dangerous policies, reinforcing America First by protecting persecuted Afrikaners and challenging Ramaphosa’s denialism.

IN FULL:

President Donald J. Trump has confronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa with videos of Julius Malema, leader of one of the largest parties in the South African legislature, calling for the murder of the country’s white minority.

Malema, previously the president of the youth wing of Ramaphosa’s party, the African National Congress (ANC), could be seen leading a packed stadium in chants of “Kill the Boer” and “Shoot to kill,” and performing impressions of a gun being fired. “Boer” refers to Afrikaners, mostly Dutch-descended, from South Africa’s Western Cape, but is commonly used to refer to all Afrikaners.

President Trump also showed video of a field of white crosses, representing white farmers who have been murdered over the years, often with extreme brutality. Ramaphosa reiterated the South African government’s official line that these farmers are victims of mere “criminality.” Still, the attacks frequently involve a racial element, with phrases like ‘Kill the Boer’ sometimes being left at the scene. Trump also held up a number of printouts of news articles about these farm attacks.

The Trump administration is particularly opposed to the Ramaphosa government’s new legislation authorizing the expropriation of white farmers’ land without compensation—a policy previously tried in Zimbabwe, with disastrous consequences for the white minority and the country at large when food production subsequently collapsed.

In response to South Africa’s expropriation laws, the Trump administration has begun accepting Afrikaners into the United States as refugees. Ramaphosa has slammed these Afrikaners as “cowards.”

This story is developing…

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.

EU Funded $750M Anti-Free Speech Campaign.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: A report reveals the European Commission has spent nearly €649 million (~$736m) on projects aimed at regulating online speech under the guise of combating “hate speech” and “disinformation.”

👥 Who’s Involved: The European Commission, MCC Brussels think tank, and Dr. Norman Lewis, a digital communication and regulatory policy expert.

📍 Where & When: European Union (EU); report released recently by MCC Brussels.

💬 Key Quote: “This is a top-down, authoritarian, curated consensus, where expression is free only when it speaks the language of compliance established by the Commission,” the report warns.

⚠️ Impact: The report alleges EU-funded programs erode free expression, prioritize censorship, and promote ideological conformity through taxpayer-funded initiatives.

IN FULL:

A newly released report alleges that the European Commission, the European Union’s unelected executive, has funneled the equivalent of around $736 million of taxpayer money into hundreds of projects designed to regulate online speech under the pretext of combating “hate speech” and “disinformation.”

The document, titled Manufacturing Misinformation: The EU-Funded Propaganda War Against Free Speech, was authored by Dr. Norman Lewis, a specialist in digital communication and regulatory policy, and published by the Hungarian think tank MCC Brussels. It accuses the Commission of promoting a “soft authoritarianism” by funding 349 projects through non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and universities.

According to the report, this spending exceeds the EU’s annual budget for transnational cancer research by over 30 percent, a discrepancy the authors describe as deliberate. “The EU Commission regards stemming the cancer of free speech as more of a priority than the estimated 4.5 million new cancer cases and almost two million cancer deaths in Europe in 2022,” the report warns.

“This is a top-down, authoritarian, curated consensus, where expression is free only when it speaks the language of compliance established by the Commission,” the report states.

The report criticizes the Commission’s use of vague, euphemistic language—dubbed “NEUspeak”—to obscure its intentions. Project names like FAST LISA and VIGILANT are described as deliberately misleading, with MCC Brussels stating that such initiatives aim to suppress politically undesirable speech in real time using artificial intelligence (AI).

“VIGILANT is an AI surveillance suite aimed at monitoring, classifying, and profiling speech, users, and networks,” the report states, contradicting claims from its designers that the system is ethical and user-focused.

The report further highlights programs targeting young people, which it describes as indoctrination disguised as civic education. These initiatives allegedly train youths to act as “speech police” in a system designed to enforce narrative compliance.

Dr. Lewis argues that taxpayer-funded research is being used to affirm political orthodoxy rather than encourage genuine inquiry. “Research that systematically ‘proves’ this assumption is not research; it is the manufacturing of propaganda,” he writes.

The alarming report comes as the EU routinely regulates speech on social media platforms. Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X, previously stated that the EU had offered him an illegal secret deal to censor posts on the platform.

Image by dimitrisvetsikas1969.

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.

DOJ Investigating Andrew Cuomo for Lying to Congress About Covid.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has launched a criminal probe into former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo for allegedly lying to Congress about his COVID-19 pandemic decisions.

👥 Who’s Involved: Former Governor Andrew Cuomo, the U.S. Department of Justice, the House Oversight Committee, and New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

📍 Where & When: The U.S. Attorney’s office in Washington, D.C initiated the investigation about a month ago.

💬 Key Quote: Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi stated, “This is lawfare and election interference plain and simple.”

⚠️ Impact: The case could affect Cuomo’s bid to return to frontline politics in the New York City Democratic mayoral primary.

IN FULL:

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has opened a criminal investigation into former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo over allegations that he misled Congress about his administration’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. The inquiry, launched by the U.S. Attorney’s office in Washington, D.C., reportedly began a month ago.

The investigation follows a recommendation by House Republicans, who accused Cuomo of providing false statements during a congressional probe into nursing home deaths in New York. In March 2020, Cuomo’s administration issued a directive requiring nursing homes to accept COVID-19-positive patients, a move critics argue exacerbated outbreaks and led to thousands of deaths. Cuomo later rescinded the directive amid backlash.

A 2022 report by the New York state comptroller revealed that the state health department under Cuomo understated nursing home fatalities by as much as 50 percent at certain points during the pandemic.

Rich Azzopardi, a spokesman for Cuomo, described the investigation as politically motivated, stating, “This is lawfare and election interference plain and simple.” Cuomo is attempting a political comeback, campaigning in the Democratic primary for New York City mayor.

Cuomo’s main rival, current Mayor Eric Adams, is seeking re-election as an independent candidate. Notably, senior DOJ officials recently dismissed corruption charges against Adams.

House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-KY) has been vocal in his criticism of Cuomo, calling the alleged falsehoods a “calculated cover-up” and emphasizing that lying to Congress is a federal crime. Comer pledged full cooperation with the DOJ’s investigation, stating, “This wasn’t a slip-up—it was a calculated cover-up by a man seeking to shield himself from responsibility.”

Image by Delta News Hub/ Chris Rank for Rank Studios.

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.

Far-Left Democrat Set for Court Debut After Assaulting ICE Agents.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: Representative LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) faces charges of assaulting two federal agents during a visit to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Newark, New Jersey.

👥 Who’s Involved: Rep. McIver, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka (D), Reps. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), ICE agents, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents.

📍 Where & When: Delaney Hall ICE detention facility, Newark, NJ, on May 9, 2025.

💬 Key Quote: McIver argues, “If I’m going to be charged with a crime for doing my job, it just speaks to where we’re headed in this country.”

⚠️ Impact: The incident poses a serious problem for Democrats as their more progressive and liberal wings work to portray the arrest as overreach by the Trump administration. However, more moderate and centrist party members, and voters at large, see the assault as an attack on law enforcement, and the Democratic Party’s continued defense of illegal immigrants over American citizens as distasteful.

IN FULL:

Congresswoman LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) is set to appear virtually before a federal magistrate judge on Wednesday following charges of assaulting two federal agents at an illegal immigrant detention facility in Newark, New Jersey, earlier this month. The Democrat lawmaker, alongside fellow New Jersey Reps. Robert Menendez and Bonnie Watson Coleman, was reportedly conducting oversight duties at the Delaney Hall U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility on May 9. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was also present and was also arrested during the incident, though charges against him were later dismissed.

According to prosecutors, McIver allegedly used her forearm to strike a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agent and attempted to restrain him. She is also accused of pushing and striking an ICE officer. Bodycam footage reportedly captured the events, which the Justice Department (DOJ) claims show McIver creating a “human shield” to block agents from detaining Baraka after he was warned to leave the property.

McIver has denied the allegations, calling them “purely political.” In a public statement, she said, “Earlier this month, I joined my colleagues to inspect the treatment of ICE detainees… We were fulfilling our lawful oversight responsibilities… ICE agents created an unnecessary and unsafe confrontation when they chose to arrest Mayor Baraka.”

During a CNN interview, McIver criticized federal agents, stating, “They caused the confrontation… We were there to do our jobs.” She added, “If I’m going to be charged with a crime for doing my job, it just speaks to where we’re headed in this country.”

The court approved McIver’s request to appear virtually for her initial hearing, where her rights and charges will be read, and a bail package determined.

Witness accounts suggest tensions escalated when Baraka attempted to join the lawmakers inside the facility and was denied access by federal officials. An argument ensued, leading to his arrest.

The case has drawn criticism from figures like former Border Czar Tom Homan, who argued McIver “broke the law” and should face accountability. Prosecutors maintain that McIver’s actions interfered with federal law enforcement duties, while the Congresswoman insists she was fulfilling her official responsibilities.

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.

‘Maybe One Day,’ Don Jr Says of Presidential Ambitions.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: Donald Trump Jr. hinted at the possibility of a future presidential run during a panel discussion in Qatar.

👥 Who’s Involved: Donald Trump Jr., eldest son of President Donald J. Trump, and attendees of the Qatar Economic Forum.

📍 Where & When: Qatar Economic Forum in Doha, May 21, 2025.

💬 Key Quote: “I don’t know, maybe one day, you know—that calling is there.”

⚠️ Impact: Sparks speculation about a potential continuation of the Trump family’s political influence.

IN FULL:

Donald Trump Jr., the eldest son of President Donald J. Trump, suggested on Wednesday that he may consider a bid for the presidency in the future. Speaking at Bloomberg’s Qatar Economic Forum in Doha, Trump Jr. was asked about the possibility of seeking the White House after his father.

“It’s an honor to be asked and an honor to see that some people are OK with it,” he said during the panel discussion, receiving applause from some audience members. “You never know,” he added.

The 47-year-old executive vice president of The Trump Organization has been a strong advocate of his father’s America First agenda, serving as something of a de facto ambassador for the MAGA grassroots to the administration. Reflecting on the transformation of the Republican Party under his father’s leadership, he said, “I think my father has truly changed the Republican Party. I think it’s the America First party now, the MAGA party, however you want to look at it,” he remarked.

He further emphasized the strength of the party’s current lineup, stating, “For the first time ever, the Republican Party actually has a bench of America First fighters.”

In March, speculation about a potential 2028 presidential run for Trump Jr. surfaced in a report by the left-leaning website Mediaite, which he denied at the time. However, his comments on Wednesday leave the door open for future political ambitions. “I don’t know, maybe one day, you know—that calling is there,” he said.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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.

Senior Democrat Passes Away Following Cancer Battle.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA) passed away at the age of 75 after battling esophageal cancer.

👥 Who’s Involved: Rep. Gerry Connolly, his family, and colleagues in Congress.

📍 Where & When: Connolly died at his home in Virginia on Wednesday morning, May 21, 2025.

💬 Key Quote: “His absence will leave a hole in our hearts, but we are proud that his life’s work will endure for future generations,” Connolly’s family said in a statement.

⚠️ Impact: Connolly’s death marks the loss of a long-serving Democrat who represented Virginia’s 11th district since 2009 and served as the Democratic ranking member on the House Oversight Committee until stepping down in April. His death also tilts the math for the passage of legislation in the House slightly more in favor of the slim Republican majority.

IN FULL:

Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA) passed away at his home on Wednesday morning at the age of 75, his family confirmed in a statement. The Democratic representative had been battling esophageal cancer, a diagnosis he revealed shortly after the 2024 election.

Connolly’s family announced his death with a message shared on his X (formerly Twitter) account, stating, “His absence will leave a hole in our hearts, but we are proud that his life’s work will endure for future generations.”

The Democrat lawmaker had served Virginia’s 11th congressional district since 2009. A staunch ally of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Connolly defeated the progressive Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) for the ranking member position on the influential House Oversight Committee at the start of the current Congress in January. However, in April, he stepped down from the role after revealing that his cancer had returned.

In a letter to constituents earlier this year, Connolly reflected on his decades of public service, writing, “With no rancor and a full heart, I move into this final chapter full of pride in what we accomplished together over 30 years.” He also confirmed that this term would be his last in Congress.

Rep. Connolly was a noted foe of President Donald J. Trump and one of the more vocally partisan Democrats in the House of Representatives. During former President Joe Biden’s lawfare campaign against Trump, the Virginia Congressman pushed a proposal to rename a federal prison after Trump—a subtle reference to Democratic Party efforts to see the America First leader imprisoned.

Image by April Brady/Project on Middle East Democracy.

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.
OnlyFans

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

This European Country Just Outlawed OnlyFans.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: The purchase of sex acts online has been banned in Sweden, leading to sites like OnlyFans being essentially outlawed.

👥 Who’s Involved: Swedish parliament, OnlyFans, Social Democrat lawmaker Teresa Carvahlo, Minister for Gender Equality Nina Larsson.

📍 Where & When: Sweden, the Swedish parliament passed the legislation on May 20.

💬 Key Quote:  The online sex industry “serves as a gateway for young girls from the digital world to physical prostitution.” — Minister for Gender Equality Nina Larsson.

⚠️ Impact: The law cripples sites like OnlyFans in Sweden and could see those who try to purchase sex acts online be sentenced to a year in prison.

IN FULL:

Sweden, once synonymous with leftist progressivism, has banned the sale of sexual acts online, essentially outlawing the popular pornography website OnlyFans. Swedish lawmakers voted on May 20 to make it illegal to purchase sexual acts remotely online, which will affect webcam pornography sites as well as OnlyFans.

The law prohibits people from purchasing sex acts online and also makes it illegal for anyone to promote or financially exploit someone to perform sexual acts as well.

“This is a new form of sex purchase and it is high time that we modernize the Sex Purchase Act, and that we also include purchases that take place remotely on digital platforms such as Onlyfans,” Social Democrat lawmaker Teresa Carvahlo said following the bill’s passing.

Those found to violate the law could face up to a year in prison if found guilty, and the new rules are set to come into force on July 1 of this year. Minister for Gender Equality Nina Larsson argued that the online prostitution “serves as a gateway for young girls from the digital world to physical prostitution.”

OnlyFans has had legal troubles in other European countries, including the United Kingdom, where it was fined $1 million. The fine stemmed from the site refusing to provide information on how it accesses the ages of those using it.

OnlyFans has been accused of allowing children to access pornography and failing to provide adequate age verification measures. Some have also found the site has hosted child pornography at times, though it has removed offending material when alerted.

Sweden’s new law, which is an extension of the country’s strict anti-prostitution laws, comes as several states in America have also enacted their own laws to keep children away from pornography by demanding age verification of users. As a result of the laws, major websites like Pornhub have shut down some of their operations.

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.

Migrants Target Northern State as Trump’s Southern Border Becomes Impenetrable.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: Illegal immigrant crossings in Maine reached their highest level in 24 years, with 113 arrests in April, according to U.S. Border Patrol. They have been driven to target the northern state by President Donald J. Trump’s southern border crackdown.

👥 Who’s Involved: Migrants from at least 16 countries, primarily Ecuador, Guatemala, and Mexico; U.S. Border Patrol; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

📍 Where & When: Maine, particularly the Houlton Sector of the Canadian border, April 2025.

💬 Key Quote: “Due to the significant increase in arrests, the Houlton Sector coordinated air transport… to transfer 29 apprehended subjects… for further processing,” stated Border Patrol.

⚠️ Impact: Maine has seen a spike in illegal crossings, with numbers surpassing previous years, as migrants increasingly bypass the U.S.-Mexico border in favor of entry through Canada.

IN FULL:

Illegal border crossings in Maine surged to their highest point in 24 years last month, with U.S. Border Patrol reporting 113 arrests in April. This figure marks a significant increase from the 25 to 50 monthly encounters typical during the Biden government, according to officials in the Houlton Sector.

The rise in crossings comes as migrants from at least 16 countries, including Ecuador, Guatemala, and Mexico, increasingly opt to enter the U.S. via Canada, avoiding the southern border, which President Donald J. Trump is heavily protecting. Ecuadorians led the group, with 42 individuals apprehended, followed by 15 Guatemalans and 12 Mexicans. Six Venezuelans were also detained.

The Houlton Sector, covering Maine’s border with Canada, has already surpassed its total apprehensions from the previous fiscal year in just six months. In December, under the Biden government, only 18 migrants were encountered. That number rose to 50 in January after President Donald J. Trump took office, climbing steadily to 113 in April.

“Due to the significant increase in arrests, the Houlton Sector coordinated air transport with Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement Removal Operations (ICE ERO) to transfer 29 apprehended subjects… for further processing,” the Border Patrol noted in a statement.

The agency attributed the spike to enhanced enforcement efforts in Maine, even as crossings along the broader U.S.-Canada border have reportedly considerably declined. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported that encounters in the Southwest Sector decreased by 95 percent in March. The sector covers parts of New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire.

President Trump threatened and later imposed tariffs on Canada in part because he believed it was not doing its part to stop the flow of drugs and migrants from north to south. Migrants entering the U.S. via Canada are particularly unlikely to have any legitimate asylum claims, with Canada being a relatively prosperous Western country.

Image by Lorie Shaull.

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.

Migrants Face Fines Up to $1.8 Million.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: U.S. immigration authorities are issuing fines, some as high as $1.8 million, to illegal immigrants who failed to leave the country after deportation orders.

👥 Who’s Involved: Wendy Ortiz, a Salvadoran migrant; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); Customs and Border Protection (CBP); immigration lawyers; and the Trump administration.

📍 Where & When: United States, with fines beginning to be issued in recent weeks under the Trump administration.

💬 Key Quote: “It’s not fair. Where is someone going to find that much money?” — Wendy Ortiz, fined $1.8 million.

⚠️ Impact: Illegal immigrants face steep financial penalties, potential property seizures, and legal challenges, with many unable to pay the fines for ignoring their deportation orders.

IN FULL:

U.S. immigration authorities have begun issuing substantial fines to illegal immigrants who have failed to leave the country after being ordered to do so, with penalties reaching as high as $1.8 million. Wendy Ortiz, a 32-year-old Salvadoran illegal immigrant living in Pennsylvania, was among those fined. Ortiz allegedly left her home country a decade ago.

“It’s not fair,” Ortiz told reporters. “Where is someone going to find that much money?” Her attorney, Rosina Stambaugh, has requested a 30-day extension to contest the fine, citing Ortiz’s lack of a criminal record and the supposed dangers she faces if deported. Notably, Ortiz failed to show up for her asylum hearing and later ignored a deportation order, though she claims she never received notification of either.

The fines are part of a Trump administration policy aimed at encouraging voluntary departure, or “self-deportation,” among illegal immigrants. A senior Trump official disclosed that over 4,500 migrants have been issued fines totaling more than $500 million. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been responsible for issuing the fines, while Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is tasked with handling potential property seizures.

The fines stem from a 1996 law that Trump administration immigration officials are enforcing. Under this policy, illegal immigrants can be fined $998 per day for failing to comply with deportation orders, with penalties applied retroactively for up to five years. This framework has resulted in fines as high as $1.8 million.

Immigration lawyers across the country have expressed shock at the severity of the penalties. Robert Scott, a New York-based attorney, noted that one of his clients, a low-income Mexican woman living in the U.S. for 25 years, was also fined $1.8 million. Scott—like attorneys for other illegal immigrants—claim the woman was unaware of her 2013 deportation order and is now seeking to reopen her case.

The Trump administration previously withdrew the imposition of similar fines during its first term after legal challenges but resumed issuing smaller penalties. The Biden government later dropped the fines in 2021.

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.

This Georgia Governor Candidate Couldn’t Help But Obsess Over Trump in Her Campaign Launch.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced her campaign for Georgia governor, criticizing Donald Trump in a video.

👥 Who’s Involved: Keisha Lance Bottoms, Donald Trump, current Governor Brian Kemp, Republican Attorney General Chris Carr, Democratic state Sen. Jason Esteves, and Olu Brown.

📍 Where & When: Georgia, campaign launch on Tuesday.

💬 Key Quote: “Donald Trump is a disaster for our economy and our country. From his failure to address rising prices to giving an unelected billionaire the power to cut Medicare and Social Security. It’s one terrible thing after another.” — Keisha Lance Bottoms,

⚠️ Impact: Bottoms joins a competitive race for the governorship of Georgia, with significant political and economic implications.

IN FULL:

Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has officially entered the race for Georgia governor, launching her campaign Tuesday with a video that sharply criticized former President Donald J. Trump.

“Donald Trump is a disaster for our economy and our country,” Bottoms rails in the video. She accuses the America First leader of delegating powers to “an unelected billionaire” to make decisions about Medicare and Social Security, referencing Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) frontman Elon Musk. “Georgia families deserve far better than what Donald Trump and Republicans are giving us,” she complains.

Bottoms, who served as Senior Advisor to President Joe Biden for Public Engagement in 2022 and was later appointed to the President’s Export Council in 2023—but was fired by President Trump on his first day back in office—says that “expanding Medicaid” would be her “top priority” if elected. Currently, the program is already exploited by illegal aliens.

The race for Georgia’s governorship is shaping up to be highly contested. Republican Attorney General Chris Carr, Democratic state Sen. Jason Esteves, and Olu Brown, a former pastor, have also declared their candidacies. Current Governor Brian Kemp, a Republican serving his second term, is ineligible to seek re-election in 2026.

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.