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August 7, 2025
News

The MAHA Effect!? Ultra Processed Food Consumption Starts to Decline.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A new study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveals that while Americans, especially children, are consuming a significant portion of their calories from ultra-processed foods, that number is in decline due in part to the Trump administration’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics compiled the data, and Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has expressed grave concern over the issue.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Data was released in August 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “[C]onsumption of mean calories from ultra-processed foods among adults decreased.” — CDC study

🎯IMPACT: The study highlights the role of ultra-processed foods in chronic diseases and obesity, sparking calls for dietary changes.

IN FULL

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released new data showing that while Americans, particularly children, continue to consume large amounts of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), that number is beginning to decline from recent highs. Over the last several years, the average percentage of total calories from UPFs was 55 percent for individuals aged one and older. Children aged 1 to 18 consumed an even higher percentage, with 61.9 percent of their calories coming from these foods. However, the study notes that while still elevated, “the consumption of mean calories from ultra-processed foods among adults decreased” over the last decade.

Ultra-processed foods are typically energy-dense, low in nutritional value, and contain added fats, sugars, and chemicals to extend shelf life and enhance flavor. Popular examples include snacks, sugary beverages, and sandwiches like hamburgers. These foods are designed to be inexpensive, convenient, and highly palatable, contributing to their widespread consumption.

The Trump White House has previously pointed to ultra-processed foods as a significant factor in rising rates of chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity. Meanwhile, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has called for reducing the prevalence of these foods in the American diet.

The CDC’s data also reveals a fluctuating trend in UPF consumption over the past 20 years. After a decline in consumption following 2013, rates increased again before showing a slight downward trend since 2017-2018. The pandemic disrupted the usual two-year survey cycle, which had been ongoing since 1999-2000, according to CDC spokesman Brian Tsai.

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2 minutes ago
News

Feds Ramp Up Security for Charlie Kirk’s Memorial After Threat Reports.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Federal law enforcement agencies are monitoring threats ahead of the memorial service for assassinated Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk in Arizona this weekend, citing concerns about potential attacks.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Federal law enforcement, the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), local police, and high-profile attendees, including President Donald J. Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Sunday at 11 AM, State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Our teams are already on the ground in Phoenix and Glendale, working side-by-side with state, local, and federal partners,” said U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge William Mack.

🎯IMPACT: The event has been designated a Special Event Assessment Rating Level 1, with enhanced security measures and a massive turnout expected.

IN FULL

Federal and local law enforcement are on high alert ahead of Charlie Kirk’s memorial service this Sunday in Glendale, Arizona. The event is expected to draw a large crowd and several high-profile attendees, including President Donald J. Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance. Notably, a law enforcement bulletin warns of potential threats from “violent extremists and unaffiliated lone offenders” who may view the funeral as a target due to its national attention.

The U.S. Secret Service (USSS), which has been designated as the Federal Coordinator for the event, has already deployed teams to Phoenix and Glendale. “Our teams are already on the ground in Phoenix and Glendale, working side-by-side with state, local, and federal partners,” said Special Agent in Charge William Mack.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has classified the funeral as a Special Event Assessment Rating Level 1, a designation reserved for events of the highest national importance.

The service will be held at State Farm Stadium, with doors opening at 8 AM and the ceremony scheduled to begin at 11 AM. President Donald J. Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are expected to attend and deliver remarks, alongside Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk.

Local police have warned against overnight camping in the stadium’s parking lot, and event organizers have implemented strict security protocols, including a no-bag policy. Attendees are advised to expect long wait times and are encouraged to wear red, white, or blue. In lieu of flowers, donations are being directed to Turning Point USA, the conservative youth organization Kirk founded.

Kirk, a prominent conservative activist and media personality, was assassinated last week while speaking at Utah Valley University. The suspect, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, is facing capital murder charges and could face the death penalty. Prosecutors allege Robinson was radicalized by the left online and targeted Kirk for political reasons. In court filings, investigators cited text messages in which Robinson allegedly confessed to the killing, telling his transgender partner, Lance Twiggs, that he had “had enough of [Kirk’s] hatred.”

Stephen K. Bannon has voiced doubts about the official narrative on Kirk’s assassination, calling the text message evidence “too much like a script—actually, like a bad script.”

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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31 minutes ago
Christopher Tomlinson
Crime
Politics

These European Nations Want to Join Trump In Declaring Antifa a Terrorist Group.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Both the Netherlands and Hungary want to join President Donald J. Trump in declaring Antifa a terrorist organisation.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Dutch populist leader Geert Wilders, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, President Donald J. Trump, and Antifa.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The Netherlands passed a motion to declare Antifa a terror group on September 18, with the Hungarians announcing they would be pursuing similar measures the following day.

💬KEY QUOTE: “ANTIFA TERRORIST ORGANIZATION! FVD/PVV MOTION ADOPTED!” – Geert Wilders.

🎯IMPACT: Designating Antifa a terrorist group could allow enhanced police surveillance and prosecution of members of the group for crimes, including political violence.

IN FULL

Lawmakers in the Netherlands and Hungary are pushing forward efforts to classify the violent far-left extremist group Antifa as a terrorist organization. The moves mirror a recent declaration by President Donald J. Trump, who cited political violence and the assassination of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk as grounds for the designation.

In the Dutch parliament, a motion proposed by Geert Wilders, leader of the populist, anti-Islamist Party for Freedom (PVV), was passed. Wilders argued that Antifa groups are already active in the Netherlands, pointing to incidents of harassment and violence against conservative politicians, students, and journalists.

“ANTIFA TERRORIST ORGANIZATION! FVD/PVV MOTION ADOPTED!” Wilders wrote on X shortly after the motion passed in the parliament.

Wilders stated that Antifa’s actions are “aimed at silencing dissenting voices,” and not merely protesting. The adopted motion urges the Dutch government to formally respond and consider the classification, which would expand law enforcement powers for surveillance and criminal prosecution.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán confirmed his government’s intent to follow the same course in Hungary. He referenced the case of Ilaria Salis, an Italian woman linked to Antifa who allegedly took part in violent attacks in Budapest but later secured a seat in the European Parliament. “They now lecture Hungary from Brussels. This is unacceptable,” Orbán said, adding that legal measures must be strengthened against extremist activism.

The effort comes after President Trump’s announcement in Washington earlier this week that Antifa would be designated a “major terrorist organization” in the U.S. The America First leader said the step was essential to address “years of unchecked violence and intimidation against conservative citizens.”

Tyler Robinson, the man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk, also reportedly engraved Antifa slogans on the ammunition used in Kirk’s murder, with multiple people close to him saying he was heavily influenced by far-left ideology.

Image by Tim Hammond / No 10 Downing Street.

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1 hour ago
Education
News

Ivy League College Warns White Students to Stay Away from Minority-Only Events.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Cornell University warned “non-marginalized” business students, largely white students, not to attend diversity-focused recruiting events intended to bestow advantages on minority students.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management’s student council and Cornell University MBA students.

📍WHEN & WHERE: E-mail circulated on Friday, ahead of next week’s Reaching Out MBA conference in New Orleans, Louisiana.

💬KEY QUOTE: “True equality should not equate to carving out exclusive zones that sideline most MBA students and potentially skirt equal opportunity laws,” said one anonymous student.

🎯IMPACT: The e-mail has sparked criticism for encouraging racial discrimination and raises concerns about equal opportunity compliance.

IN FULL

Cornell University’s Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management has come under scrutiny after a student council e-mail advised so-called “non-marginalized” business students, referring mainly to white, male, and heterosexual students, not to attend diversity-focused recruiting events intended for ethnic minority peers. The message, circulated by the student council’s “Allyship in Action” initiative, warned that attending such events could negatively impact students’ job prospects and Cornell’s relationships with partner organizations.

The e-mail stated that “students who do not identify with the specific marginalized or underrepresented group” should refrain from attending diversity conferences. “Students who do not belong to the group that the diversity conference is designed for should respect that space and should not attend,” it read.

The message was sent ahead of the Reaching Out MBA conference in New Orleans, a prominent event focused on LGBT business students and alumni. Other diversity-centered events promoted by Cornell include the National Black MBA Conference, AfroTech, the Women in Investing Conference, and Prospanica, which targets Hispanic professionals.

One anonymous student criticized the e-mail as exclusionary. “True equality should not equate to carving out exclusive zones that sideline most MBA students and potentially skirt equal opportunity laws,” the student said.

Cornell University insisted that the message represented “student-to-student conversations” and reaffirmed that the events in question remain officially open to all students. However, the Allyship in Action e-mail threatens, “[W]e want to stress the negative impact your presence may have on your own recruiting outcomes, as well as Cornell’s relationship with these organizations.”

The situation comes amid heightened federal scrutiny of university diversity programs under the Trump administration. More than 50 colleges and universities are currently under investigation for discriminatory practices against white, Asian, or Christian students, particularly in cases involving race-specific scholarships, internships, or recruitment programs. Federal officials argue that such programs violate civil rights laws by excluding students on the basis of race, gender, or religion.

Image by Claude-Étienne Armingaud.

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By Popular Demand.
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Migrant Crime

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2 hours ago
Crime
Immigration

Four Charged for Smuggling Drugged Children Over the Border While Posing as Their Parents.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Four people were charged in connection with a child-smuggling operation involving unaccompanied minors, sedated with marijuana gummies, being brought from Juárez, Mexico, into the United States.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Mexican nationals Susana Guadian, Daniel Guadian, their daughter Dianne Guadian (a U.S. citizen), and Manuel Valenzuela, a legal U.S. resident living in El Paso.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The smuggling incidents reportedly occurred between May 1, 2024, and October 18, 2024, across the U.S.-Mexico border in El Paso, Texas.

💬KEY QUOTE: “These children are nothing more than currency to the criminals.” – Jason Stevens, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso Special Agent in Charge

🎯IMPACT: The case highlights the exploitation of children by smuggling networks; already the Trump administration tracked down 13,000 unaccompanied migrant minors released into the United States under the former Biden government, and arrested over 400 sponsors for crimes ranging from child abuse to sex trafficking.

IN FULL

Four people have been charged in a child-smuggling case that involved unaccompanied minors being brought illegally into the United States. The suspects, two Mexican nationals and two U.S. residents, allegedly posed as the children’s parents and sedated them with marijuana gummies to avoid detection at Border Patrol checkpoints.

The accused include Susana Guadian, Daniel Guadian, their U.S. citizen daughter Dianne Guadian, and legal U.S. resident Manuel Valenzuela. They face charges of conspiracy to transport aliens and bringing aliens to the U.S. for financial gain. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is working to extradite the Mexican nationals to face charges in the U.S.

According to Jason Stevens, HSI El Paso Special Agent in Charge, the smugglers used falsified U.S. documents and had drivers pose as parents to smuggle children, aged five to 13, across the border. “They would normally bring them in overnight between 10 AM and 4 or 5 AM, when the children would be sleeping anyway,” Stevens explained, adding: “They use that to ensure that they stay sedated.”

The criminal complaint revealed text messages between suspects arranging smuggling operations, including one message stating, “Young lady, are you working today? I have a boy 7 and 8. They are small.” Another read, “Also Fanny, I have two little girls ages 4 and 5.” Proof-of-life pictures of the children were also found on the suspects’ phones.

Stevens emphasized the risks involved, noting, “These children are nothing more than currency to the criminals.”

The Trump administration has tracked down thousands of unaccompanied migrant minors released into the United States under the former Biden government, and arrested over 400 sponsors for crimes ranging from child abuse to sex trafficking.

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2 hours ago
Politics

WATCH: AOC Trashes ‘Ignorant, Uneducated’ Charlie Kirk While Voting Against Resolution Condemning Political Violence.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) explained her “No” vote on a resolution honoring Charlie Kirk and condemning political violence, smearing the assassinated Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Charlie Kirk, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), and members of Congress.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The vote took place in the House of Representatives on Friday.

💬KEY QUOTE: The resolution “brings great pain to the millions of Americans who endured segregation, Jim Crow, and the legacy of that bigotry today,” Rep. Ocasio-Cortez complained.

🎯IMPACT: The resolution passed 310-58. All 58 “No” votes were cast by Democrats.

IN FULL

Far-left Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) took to the House floor on Friday to defend her vote against a GOP-backed resolution that honored assassinated Turning Point USA (TPUSA) leader Charlie Kirk and “call[ed] upon all Americans—regardless of race, party affiliation, or creed—to reject political violence, recommit to respectful debate, uphold American values, and respect one another as fellow Americans.” The resolution was brought forward by Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) in response to Kirk’s assassination at Utah Valley University on September 10.

On Friday afternoon, the resolution passed with 310 “Yes” votes and 58 “No” votes—all of which were Democrats. Ocasio-Cortez took to the House floor and criticized the resolution, calling it “reckless” and accusing House Republicans of using it to further “divide” Americans. She argued that the resolution “brings great pain to the millions of Americans who endured segregation, Jim Crow, and the legacy of that bigotry today.”

While acknowledging the horror of Kirk’s assassination, Ocasio-Cortez attempted to smear Kirk’s legacy by taking various quotes out of context. She stated, “We should be clear about who Charlie Kirk was: a man who believed that the Civil Rights Act that granted Black Americans the right to vote was a ‘mistake,’ who after the violent attack on Paul Pelosi claimed that ‘some amazing patriot out there’ should bail out his assailant, and accused Jews of controlling ‘not just the colleges—it’s the nonprofits, it’s the movies, it’s Hollywood, it’s all of it.’”

Ocasio-Cortez—who is weighing a possible 2028 presidential run and enjoys broad support in the Democratic Party—falsely claimed that Kirk’s “rhetoric and beliefs were ignorant, uneducated, and sought to disenfranchise millions of Americans,” in contrast to the resolution’s assertion that he “worked tirelessly to promote unity.”

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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3 hours ago
Culture
SCOTUS

Trump Seeks Supreme Court Intervention on Woke Passport Gender Ruling.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump has asked the Supreme Court to intervene in a ruling allowing transgender and nonbinary citizens to select their gender identity on passports.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, the U.S. Supreme Court, and government lawyers.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Filed Friday, September 19, 2025, in Washington, D.C.

🎯IMPACT: The Supreme Court’s decision could set a precedent for gender identity policies in federal documentation.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump has filed a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court, requesting intervention in a case concerning gender identity options on U.S. passports. In a Friday filing, government attorneys asked the justices to block a lower court decision that allows passport applicants to select “male,” “female,” or an “X” designation, regardless of the sex listed on their birth certificate.

The policy, which has sparked significant debate, represents a departure from the traditional reliance on birth certificate sex markers for official documentation. Similarly, the former Biden government issued guidance allowing immigrants filing a N-400 form applying for naturalization to select the “X” designation without supporting documents.

“You do not need to provide supporting documentation to select X as your gender initially or to change your gender selection for Form N-400,” the former Biden government policy guidance stated at the time, continuing: “The gender you select does not need to match the gender listed on your other immigration documents or on supporting identity documents, such as your birth certificate, passport, or state identification.”

In addition to asking for high court intervention with the change to U.S. passports, Republicans in the House of Representatives are looking to advance a bill that would allow the Secretary of State to revoke the passports of people accused of aiding terrorist groups. The National Pulse reported earlier this week that the bill defines “material support” broadly, including financial aid, lodging, weapons, transportation, and “expert advice or assistance.” Exceptions are made for medicine and religious materials. Notably, people whose passports are revoked would be allowed to appeal.

Image by Joe Ravi.

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4 hours ago
Politics

Senate to Slash Trump Nominee Backlog with 108 Confirmations in a Month.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) filed a resolution to expedite the confirmation of 108 Trump administration nominees, addressing a significant backlog.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: John Thune, Hershel Walker, Sergio Gor, Benjamin Black, Mike Waltz, and Senate Republicans and Democrats.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The resolution was filed late Thursday night, with confirmations expected by early October. The Senate is advancing these nominations in Washington, D.C.

🎯IMPACT: The resolution aims to clear a backlog of key Trump administration nominees, ensuring their roles are filled before critical events like the UN General Assembly.

IN FULL

The Republican-controlled Senate is set to clear a backlog of 108 Trump administration nominees for key executive branch roles by early October. Positions range from ambassadors to U.S. attorneys to deputy and assistant department secretaries, and have been held up for months by Democrat obstructionism in the upper chamber of Congress.

Late Thursday night, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) filed a resolution to confirm the nominees in a large batch. Last week, Thune invoked a so-called nuclear option, passing a rule change that allows executive branch nominees to be confirmed in large groups rather than individually. Senate Democrats brought the process of confirming Trump administration nominees to a halt by forcing roll-call votes on each individual nominee and dragging out confirmations as long as possible.

Among those nominated are Herschel Walker, tapped to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the Bahamas; Sergio Gor, nominated for U.S. Ambassador to India; and Benjamin Black, who has been selected to lead the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC). Former national security advisor Mike Waltz has been nominated to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (UN).

The resolution comes as the UN General Assembly’s high-level meetings approach, where Waltz’s confirmation is critical for full participation. Waltz’s nomination was advanced by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in July but faced procedural delays, requiring a revote. The committee approved him again on September 11 by a narrow margin.

The Senate has already made progress under the new process, confirming 48 Trump nominees in an initial package. This included Stephen Miran, who was confirmed to the Federal Reserve Board earlier this week, enabling his participation in the Fed’s mid-September meetings.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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4 hours ago
NatSec
TECH

Trump Secures ‘TikTok Approval’ Following Call with Xi.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump announced approval for a TikTok deal, following a call with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The call occurred on Friday, September 19, 2025, with plans for an in-person meeting at the APEC Summit in South Korea next month.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The call was a very good one, we will be speaking again by phone, appreciate the TikTok approval, and both look forward to meeting at APEC!” – Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: A framework agreement was reached for TikTok’s U.S. operations, addressing national security concerns and removing Chinese control over the social media app and its data.

IN FULL

U.S. President Donald J. Trump announced he has finalized the deal for the American purchase of the video social media app TikTok after speaking with Chinese President Xi Jinping. In addition, he confirmed that the two leaders will meet in person at the APEC Summit in South Korea next month.

“I just completed a very productive call with President Xi of China. We made progress on many very important issues including Trade, Fentanyl, the need to bring the War between Russia and Ukraine to an end, and the approval of the TikTok Deal,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Friday. He continued: “I also agreed with President Xi that we would meet at the APEC Summit in South Korea, that I would go to China in the early part of next year, and that President Xi would, likewise, come to the United States at an appropriate time.”

Trump added: “The call was a very good one, we will be speaking again by phone, appreciate the TikTok approval, and both look forward to meeting at APEC!”

TikTok, owned by Chinese conglomerate ByteDance, has been under scrutiny for years due to national security concerns. A law passed during Joe Biden’s presidency required the app to be sold to U.S. investors or shut down. However, Biden deferred enforcement of the law, leaving it to the Trump administration, which has extended the sale-or-ban deadline multiple times as negotiations continued.

After over six months of negotiations, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced Monday that U.S. and Chinese officials have reached a “framework” agreement for TikTok. China’s Vice Minister of Commerce, Li Chenggang, remarked that the consensus “serves the interests of both sides.”  While specific details remain unclear, the U.S. investor consortium is said to include Oracle, Silver Lake, and Andreessen Horowitz.

Trump also noted that the U.S. government would receive a “tremendous fee” for facilitating the deal.

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5 hours ago
Crime
Immigration

Portland Officials Join Fight Against ICE Facility Besieged by Antifa.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The City of Portland issued a land use violation notice to its U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility, citing alleged violations of a 2011 permit agreement and ongoing Antifa riots.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Portland Mayor Keith Wilson (D), ICE officials, Antifa rioters, and federal agents under the Trump administration.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The ICE facility on Macadam Avenue in Portland, Oregon, with events spanning from June 2024 to the present day.

💬KEY QUOTE: “U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement made clear detention limitation commitments to our community, and we believe they broke those policies more than two dozen times,” alleged Mayor Wilson.

🎯IMPACT: The notice could lead to fines or hearings, while Antifa continue to target federal agents and infrastructure nightly.

IN FULL

The City of Portland, Oregon, has issued a land use violation notice to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility located on the city’s southwest waterfront. The notice, posted on Thursday, alleges that ICE is violating a 2011 land use permit that prohibits holding detainees overnight or for more than 12 hours. The Deportation Data Project, a Portland-based progressive nonprofit, claims that the facility breached these terms at least 25 times between October 2024 and July 2025, based on data obtained through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

Notably, the ICE facility has been the site of ongoing protests, many of which have escalated into violence due to the actions of far-left groups like Antifa. A second notice is expected to be filed regarding the facility’s boarded-up windows, which were put in place following multiple attempts by rioters to breach the building. Democrat Portland Mayor Keith Wilson alleged, “U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement made clear detention limitation commitments to our community, and we believe they broke those policies more than two dozen times.”

Rioters have targeted the facility nightly for months, with over 27 people facing federal charges under the Trump administration for crimes such as assault on federal officers, arson, and property damage. More than 100 citations have been issued, and local police have arrested over 20 people. The facility itself has been defaced with graffiti calling for the death of ICE agents.

Portland Police have been restricted in their response to the protests following an August court ruling by Multnomah County Judge Ellen Rosenblum. The decision stated that police are not required to enforce noise ordinances against demonstrators, rejecting a lawsuit filed by a local resident. This ruling appears to have emboldened rioters, who continue their occupation outside the facility.

The Trump administration has taken notice of the situation, with President Donald J. Trump threatening to deploy the National Guard to Portland. Border Czar Tom Homan has visited the city, announcing plans to increase immigration enforcement operations.

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6 hours ago
Politics

AOC Considering 2028 Presidential Bid.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Far-left Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is reportedly ramping up her political operation for a potential 2028 presidential run.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and possible donors and supporters.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Ocasio-Cortez has been holding town halls across upstate New York and participating in a national “Fighting Oligarchy” tour with Bernie Sanders for several months. The report about her potential presidential run and political operation ramp-up surfaced on Friday.

💬KEY QUOTE: “She has a supporter base that, in many ways, has a larger potential width than Bernie’s,” said Ari Rabin-Havt, a Progressive commentator and former aide to Sen. Sanders.

🎯IMPACT: The potential run would position Ocasio-Cortez as the leading figure for the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, with implications for both Senate and presidential races.

IN FULL

Far-left Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY)—popularly known as AOC—is reportedly ramping up her political operation ahead of a potential presidential run in 2028. It is believed Ocasio-Cortez and her team are weighing whether to pursue the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY)—who has signalled he may not run for re-election in 2028—or aim for the White House.

AOC, who represents parts of Queens and the Bronx, has been working to expand her influence both in New York and across the country. She has joined Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) on his nationwide “Fighting Oligarchy” tour and has held town halls throughout upstate New York this summer. Additionally, she has invested significant resources into growing her social media presence and compiling a list of potential supporters and donors, according to reports.

While no official decision has been made, it is believed Ocasio-Cortez’s team aims to keep her options open. Some allies believe that even if she doesn’t think she can secure the presidential nomination, a run for the White House would ensure the progressive wing of the Democratic Party has a voice in the primary, similar to Sanders’s 2016 campaign against Hillary Clinton.

If she opts to pursue a Senate seat, Ocasio-Cortez could challenge Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, though it appears he may not seek re-election. Schumer, 74, has served five terms and last won re-election in 2022 without facing a serious challenge from the left.

Ari Rabin-Havt, a former Sanders aide, told the media on Friday, “She has a supporter base that, in many ways, has a larger potential width than Bernie’s. She has been in the glare of the spotlight from day one and has the national campaigning experience a lot of other potential candidates are now trying to get.”

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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