Thursday, August 13, 2026

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Putin Puts RFK Jr’s Son on Most Wanted List.

Russia has issued an arrest warrant for Conor Kennedy, son of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., accusing him of acting as a mercenary for Ukraine’s military during the early days of the conflict.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Conor Kennedy, the son of U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has been placed on Russia’s international wanted list after Moscow accused him of fighting as a mercenary for Ukraine. A Moscow court has reportedly authorized the 32-year-old Kennedy’s arrest in absentia, with Russian authorities alleging he fought for Ukrainian forces in the Kharkov (Kharkiv) region.
📺 DETAIL: Conor Kennedy revealed in 2022 that he had joined Ukraine’s International Legion after becoming “deeply moved” by Russia’s invasion, despite having no previous military experience, and said he was willing to risk his life to support Ukraine. In an Instagram post that year, Kennedy said he believed the conflict would help shape the future of democracy and encouraged others to support Ukraine with medical supplies, military service, or through other means. If captured and convicted under the charges cited by Russian authorities, Kennedy could face seven to ten years in prison. He is among several foreign volunteers from countries including the United States, Britain, Sweden, Colombia, and Georgia who have reportedly received similar charges.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “I was deeply moved by what I saw happening in Ukraine… I knew I was going, and I went to the embassy to enlist the next day.” – Conor Kennedy, via Instagram in 2022
🎯 IMPACT: The arrest warrant adds strain to already tense U.S.-Russia relations, particularly as President Donald J. Trump has expressed frustration with Russia’s resistance to making a peace deal in Ukraine.

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By Popular Demand.
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DATA: MAGA Paxton Leads Woke Talarico in Tight Texas Senate Race.

A new poll has revealed that Texas State Attorney General and Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton has a slight lead over his Democrat rival, James Talarico.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) is ahead of state Representative James Talarico (D) in the Texas Senate race, according to a new poll.
📺 DETAIL: According to an Emerson College Polling/Nexstar Media poll published this week, Ken Paxton is polling at 47 percent. This gives him a one percent lead over Democrat candidate James Talarico, on 46 percent. The same poll also revealed that five percent of Texans are undecided and that two percent are backing a third party candidate. The poll used 1,000 likely Texas voters, with a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points. The poll also revealed that support for the GOP was concentrated among white and older voters, while support for the Democrats was concentrated among non-white and younger voters.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “This polling shows Ken Paxton has consolidated Republican support, moving the race closer to even after several months of polls showing him behind. This race is close because there are significant numbers of independent voters breaking for Talarico,” commented Brandon Rottinghaus, Professor of Political Science at the University of Houston.
🎯 IMPACT: The poll shows Paxton with a slight lead over Talarico in the race for the Senate. However, due to Paxton’s lead falling within the margin of error, the race remains tight and fiercely contestedThe race may be determined by Independent voters, with both Paxton and Talarico having to appeal to voters outside their traditional party base. The fact that the race is practically neck-and-neck places raises the stakes, especially since the state has been a Republican stronghold since 1994. The poll also shows how demographic changes driven by mass migration have helped the Democrats’ odds in the Lone Star State.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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A new poll has revealed that Texas State Attorney General and Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton has a slight lead over his Democrat rival, James Talarico.

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By Popular Demand.
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Reform’s Zia Yusuf Threatens Telecom Bosses With Jail Following ‘SIMs for Migrants’ Scandal.

Zia Yusuf, the Shadow Home Secretary for Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party, has threatened the directors of Vodafone, a major British telecommunications company, with prison time following reports that the company issued thousands of free SIM cards to illegal aliens.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Reform UK Shadow Home Secretary Zia Yusuf has announced that the CEO and Board of Directors of Vodafone will be jailed under a Nigel Farage-led government if the telecoms multinational continues to provide free SIM cards to illegal immigrants.
📺 DETAIL: On Thursday, Yusuf announced on X (formerly Twitter) that the CEO and Board of Directors of Vodafone, a British multinational telecommunications company that previously owned 45 percent of Verizon, will be imprisoned under a Reform UK government if they continue to provide pre-paid SIM cards to migrants illegally crossing the English Channel in small boats. This follows revelations that the company provided over 2,000 SIM cards to Care4Calais, a controversial open borders charity that assists migrants trying to enter Britain illegally. “I was deeply disappointed to read this story and have been, frankly, disgusted by your public silence on it to date,” wrote Yusuf in a published letter to Vodafone’s Board of Directors.
💬 KEY QUOTE: Vodafone’s CEO makes £10 million a year. Her firm is actively aiding [and] abetting the invasion of Britain and endangering British women and girls. Gifting thousands of sim cards to illegal migrants in Calais to assist them in breaking into our country. I have written to her explaining that if they do this under a Reform government, she and the Vodafone Board of Directors will go to jail. The days of gilded elites enriching themselves at the expense of hard working British communities will soon be at end.” – Zia Yusuf on X.
🎯 IMPACT: Yusuf’s statement underscores the extent to which Reform UK is prepared to crack down on the incentives driving Britain’s ongoing illegal immigration crisis. The Vodafone situation shows how private companies, working with charities and ultimately facilitated by the government, work to perpetuate the influx of illegal migrants. The scandal is likely to feed the growing scrutiny of so-called human rights charities.
📺 FLASHBACK: Back in June, Yusuf warned that new Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s immigration policies would worsen the illegal immigration crisis.  On Monday, it was revealed that Reform was in talks to send foreign prisoners to El Salvador in order to ease the strain on Britain’s overflowing prisons.

Image by Z979.

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Zia Yusuf, the Shadow Home Secretary for Nigel Farage's Reform UK party, has threatened the directors of Vodafone, a major British telecommunications company, with prison time following reports that the company issued thousands of free SIM cards to illegal aliens.

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By Popular Demand.
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Texas Districts See Huge Surge in H-1B Visa Filings.

A new study has revealed a significant rise in H-1B visa filings in suburban Texas districts, raising potential concerns about wage suppression and job competition.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: H-1B visa filings surged in eight suburban districts in Texas between fiscal years 2019 and 2025, according to federal labor data.
📺 DETAIL: According to a new analysis by LayoffHedge, which tracks corporate layoffs, all eight of the fastest-growing districts for H-1B demand are in Texas. The Third Congressional District, which is represented by Representative Keith Self (R-TX), saw the largest increase in filings, with a 242 percent increase over the six-year period. The study reviewed 6.9 million federal Labor Condition Applications (LCAs), a required step in the H-1B visa process. The rise in H-1B filings in these districts bucks the trend of a nationwide decline. The survey also revealed that ten of the 20 fastest-growing districts in the United States are in Texas. An H-1B visa is a temporary work visa that allows U.S. employers to hire foreign workers in specific occupations, although H-1B migrants often convert their status to a more permanent one. The program has faced significant scrutiny, both as a source of cheap foreign labor that undercuts American workers and as a source of visa fraud.
🎯 IMPACT: Representative Brandon Gill (R-TX), whose 26th District saw a 217 percent rise in filings, remarked that the H-1B program is “an abomination that is suppressing American wages, taking American jobs, and culturally erasing American communities. It should be abolished.”
📺 FLASHBACK: Earlier in the year, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) launched an investigation into H-1B visa fraud. “Any criminal who attempts to scam the H-1B visa program and use ‘ghost offices’ or other fraudulent ploys should be prepared to face the full force of the law,” Paxton declared at the time. Paxton is the Republican candidate in the state’s upcoming Senate race, where he will face off against Democrat nominee James Talarico.

Image by Tim Patterson.

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A new study has revealed a significant rise in H-1B visa filings in suburban Texas districts, raising potential concerns about wage suppression and job competition.

show more
By Popular Demand.
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English Village to Have Six Migrant Men for Every Local Woman After Flood of Asylum Seekers.

A small village in North Yorkshire is bracing for significant demographic changes as the British government plans to house approximately 1,200 adult male asylum seekers at a disused military base.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: The British government has announced a plan to house approximately 1,200 single adult male asylum seekers in a village of roughly 600 residents. The asylum seekers will be housed at the disused Royal Air Force (RAF) base at Linton-on-Ouse in North Yorkshire, northern England. Significantly, they will not be confined to the base, and local women will be outnumbered six to one.
📺 DETAIL: This is part of the British government’s plan to move around 3,750 asylum seekers into three disused military sites. Concerningly, the RAF base is located near a primary (elementary) school and nursery. The base reportedly lacks sufficient water, sewage, and electricity capacity. Meanwhile, concerns have been raised about the threat posed to the village’s public transport system and social cohesion. “All we’re saying to this Government is that it’s really important that they recognize that too, because the site is in a worse state now than it was when the Government last looked at this,” said Labour Member of Parliament for York Central Rachael Maskell. This marks a notable change from Maskell’s position during the 2015-16 migrant crisis, when she argued that Britain should take in migrants until it reaches “saturation point,” arguing, “What does it matter if we have to wait another week for a hospital visit, or if our class sizes are slightly bigger, or if our city is slightly fuller? What does it matter if things are slightly more challenging, if we have to pay a little bit more into the system? Surely it is worth it to see those lives being restored again.”
💬 KEY QUOTE: “They’ve moved there for the peace, tranquillity and quality of life… This hand grenade has been thrown in.” – Local councillor Malcolm Taylor
🎯 IMPACT: The plan has reignited fears of cultural and social upheaval in rural communities, especially following protests in Thetford, Norfolk, over migrants being housed there. Conviction statistics for sexual and violent crimes, broken down by nationality, suggest the influx of such a large number of men from Third World countries poses a heightened risk to women and children. Britain has been subject to numerous cases of asylum seekers committing crimes upon arrival.
📺 FLASHBACK: The plan to house the asylum seekers in the village coincides with a record-breaking “mega-dinghy” arriving in Britain. Earlier this week, it was reported that a boat carrying 230 illegal migrants crossed the English Channel to Britain overnight.

Image by Chris Heaton.

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A small village in North Yorkshire is bracing for significant demographic changes as the British government plans to house approximately 1,200 adult male asylum seekers at a disused military base.

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By Popular Demand.
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Biden, Becerra Gutted Fraud Prevention at HHS: RFK Jr.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has accused former HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra of dismantling a crucial fraud oversight team, enabling widespread misuse of federal funds.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. accused former HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, now the Democrat candidate in the upcoming California gubernatorial race, of drastically reducing the agency’s team responsible for preventing fraud.
📺 DETAIL: Speaking at a White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud press conference, Kennedy said HHS had only 80 program integrity employees overseeing 50 states and five territories when Becerra took office, and 76 of those were reassigned, leaving just six workers to monitor roughly $2.2 trillion in annual payments. Kennedy said the tiny team was responsible for overseeing about four million transactions each day, describing this as “an invitation for the fraudsters to come in and steal everything.” He cited alleged abuses involving hospice providers, durable medical equipment, and autism services, particularly in Los Angeles County. Kennedy said HHS had shut down thousands of hospices in Los Angeles since he took over, many of which had billed the government for patients who did not exist. He also accused Becerra of implementing a “pay and chase” approach in which the government paid invoices before pursuing suspected fraudulent claims.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “When I came in, there’s only six people who are in charge of all program integrity for my department. And it was an invitation for the fraudsters to come in and steal everything. And that’s why we have this hospice program.” – Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
🎯 IMPACT: Kennedy’s allegations raise serious concerns about the state of fraud prevention and oversight during Becerra’s tenure, suggesting that his lax policies likely contributed to massive financial losses in critical healthcare programs.

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has accused former HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra of dismantling a crucial fraud oversight team, enabling widespread misuse of federal funds.

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By Popular Demand.
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Dallas Airport Secures $300,000 for Muslim Foot Washing Stations.

A $300,000 foot wash stations project aims to accommodate Muslim travelers at one of America’s busiest airports.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport is set to install dedicated Islamic foot-washing, or wudu, stations, in both the men’s and women’s restrooms. The project was registered with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation on July 31 and is estimated to cost $300,000.
📺 DETAIL: The stations will provide Muslim passengers with a designated area to wash their feet before prayer. There have previously been complaints about passengers using regular sinks. Dallas is joining other U.S. airports, including Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental and Chicago O’Hare, in providing similar accommodations for Muslims. The project has drawn criticism from conservatives, who have characterized it as part of a broader expansion of “Sharia financing” in the U.S. Significantly, the project is being put forward amid ongoing controversy over a Sharia-centered “Muslim City” project in Texas, which came under investigation last year.
🎯 IMPACT: The project accommodates the religious practices of Muslim travelers, while also expanding the prominence of Islam in American public life. The move coincides with the increasing public display of Islamic culture in Texas, with the state legislature declaring an annual ‘Pakistan Day’ in 2025, and a Houston-area imam launching a de facto “Sharia patrol” the same year to pressure Muslim store owners not to sell alcohol, pork, or lottery tickets.

Image by Grant Wickes.

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A $300,000 foot wash stations project aims to accommodate Muslim travelers at one of America's busiest airports.

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By Popular Demand.
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Abdul El-Sayed Attacked Thanksgiving, Demanded Reparations.

Democrat Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed’s resurfaced 2019 anti-Thanksgiving remarks and calls for reparations have drawn sharp criticism, potentially jeopardizing his odds in the swing state.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Democrat Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed criticized Thanksgiving and called for reparations in unearthed social media posts.
📺 DETAIL: In 2019, on Thanksgiving, El-Sayed posted that it was “Time for Reparations” and criticized the holiday as being built on the “systematic annihilation” of Indigenous Peoples. This follows similar past comments by El-Sayed, such as calling to cancel July 4 celebrations and his hatred for Michigan’s Mackinac Island, among other things. “Just a reminder this #Thanksgiving. This country was built on the systematic annihilation of Indigenous Peoples, whose ancestors [sic] suffer some of the highest rates of homelessness, joblessness, and mortality today,” El-Sayed posted. The post was deleted but archived online. Other past comments from El-Sayed include calling to defund the police and abolishing Americans’ right to bear arms. 
💬 KEY QUOTE: “We owe so much more than ‘thanks.’ Time for Reparations.” – Abdul El-Sayed in his 2019 Thanksgiving post on X (formerly Twitter)
🎯 IMPACT: The unearthed posts have increased scrutiny of El-Sayed’s Senate candidacy. El-Sayed’s far-left position on cultural and social matters could alienate many moderate, conservative, and independent voters in Michigan, a swing state. El-Sayed’s comments also underscore the extent to which anti-American and far-left beliefs have become part of the Democrat mainstream. El-Sayed’s past comments are likely to feature heavily in the campaign between now and November 3, when the state goes to the polls.
📺 FLASHBACK: El-Sayed’s comments echo other progressive candidates seeking the Democrat nomination for various positions across multiple states. Francesca Hong, who recently failed to secure the Democrat nomination for Wisconsin’s governor race, faced criticism for previous posts calling to end Thanksgiving. “Cancel Thanksgiving. Should have done this in 1621. If it takes a worldwide pandemic for us to realize we should stop celebrating colonialism and the original superspreader event that killed indigenous folx [sic] and women, so be it,” posted Hong.

Image by Conlan Houston.

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Democrat Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed’s resurfaced 2019 anti-Thanksgiving remarks and calls for reparations have drawn sharp criticism, potentially jeopardizing his odds in the swing state.

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By Popular Demand.
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Biden State Dept Trained Officials to Push ‘Systemic Racism,’ ‘White Privilege,’ and BLM.

The Biden government introduced foreign language training on divisive ideological concepts like “systemic racism” and “white privilege.”

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: The State Department under the Biden-Harris regime implemented foreign language training programs for U.S. diplomats that emphasized “systemic racism,” “white privilege,” and “Black Lives Matter.” Recently reviewed training materials revealed that diplomats were taught to discuss these topics in languages such as Bangla, Urdu, and Hebrew, with role-playing scenarios designed to push racial issues in both the United States and host countries.
📺 DETAIL: The training materials included a “DEI Toolkit” with vocabulary lists featuring terms like “implicit bias,” “police brutality,” and “affirmative action,” alongside exercises requiring diplomats to role-play discussions about racial tensions and protests. In one scenario, diplomats were tasked with explaining systemic racism to foreign audiences using examples such as the death of George Floyd. The materials also discouraged the use of terms like “illegal aliens,” advising the use of “undocumented persons” instead.
🎯 IMPACT: The training politicized the Foreign Service, diverting focus from core diplomatic responsibilities to ideological advocacy. A State Department spokesman under the incumbent Trump administration emphasized the need for training that prioritizes American national interests and historical principles, rather than promoting woke ideology. The controversy highlights the ongoing influence of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) over government institutions.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “America’s diplomats are called to advocate for the national interests of the United States on the world stage – not advance extreme anti-American dogmas.” – State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott
📺 FLASHBACK: Under the Trump administration, the State Department has sought to reform Foreign Service training to focus on American history, diplomatic tradecraft, and protecting U.S. citizens abroad, avoiding the promotion of leftist ideological frameworks.

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The Biden government introduced foreign language training on divisive ideological concepts like "systemic racism" and "white privilege."

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By Popular Demand.
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Iran Set to Join BRICS Development Bank.

Iran’s move to join the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) New Development Bank signals a growing effort among emerging economies to reduce reliance on the U.S. dollar.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Iran is set to join BRICS’ New Development Bank (NDB), according to the bank’s governor.
📺 DETAIL: Founded in 2015 by the BRICS group of nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa), the NDB focuses on financing infrastructure and sustainable development projects. Abdolnaser Hemmati, governor of the central bank of Iran, announced the country’s decision on Wednesday ahead of a BRICS meeting in India. The event will be the first meeting of finance ministers and bank governors from BRICS countries. Iran has been a member of BRICS since 2024 and has long expressed interest in becoming a member and shareholder of the NDB. Other members of the NDB include the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Egypt. The NDB also helps facilitate trade agreements between member countries and process financial transactions in national currencies to reduce reliance on the U.S. dollar.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “The most important result of cooperation among BRICS member countries is the establishment of the New Development Bank, and our country will soon become a member of this bank,” said Abdolnaser Hemmati.
🎯 IMPACT: This decision aligns with BRICS’ broader goal of reducing dependence on the U.S. dollar. Iran’s membership could provide the country with alternative financial channels as the country continues to operate under sanctions imposed by the United States amid the ongoing Iran war. Iran’s decision to join the NDB is part of a broader effort to shift towards a multipolar economic order. This move also shows how Iran has aligned with China and Russia economically, not just militarily and politically.
📺 FLASHBACK: Back in 2025, President Donald J. Trump threatened an extra 10 percent tariff on countries collaborating with the BRICS group. “Any Country aligning themselves with the Anti-American policies of BRICS, will be charged an ADDITIONAL 10% Tariff. There will be no exceptions to this policy,” said the President at the time.

Image via Wikimedia Commons.

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Iran's move to join the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) New Development Bank signals a growing effort among emerging economies to reduce reliance on the U.S. dollar.

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By Popular Demand.
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Illegal Immigrant Charged With Stabbing Retiree to Death One Day After California Judge Freed Him.

A judge’s decision to release an illegal immigrant with a criminal record has sparked outrage after the man allegedly murdered a 68-year-old California retiree.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: A California judge released an illegal immigrant on his own recognizance one day before prosecutors say he murdered 68-year-old retiree Todd Stewart during an attempted burglary. Marcos Iriarte-Valdez, a Venezuelan national reportedly holding Spanish citizenship, had been facing burglary charges related to at least two incidents in Contra Costa County and was on pretrial release when he was arrested Tuesday for allegedly violating a home detention condition.
📺 DETAIL: Iriarte-Valdez was released on Wednesday and was accused of killing Stewart the following day after Stewart encountered him in his garage, where prosecutors say Iriarte-Valdez stabbed him. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said it had placed an immigration detainer on Iriarte-Valdez in September 2025 and called for him to be turned over to federal authorities if released from custody. DHS also criticized sanctuary policies, warning that they result in dangerous criminal illegal immigrants being released into communities rather than transferred to immigration authorities. Iriarte-Valdez is now being held without bail and faces charges including murder, three counts of burglary, receiving stolen property, trespassing, and violating a protective order.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Sanctuary politicians must stop putting politics above public safety. This type of insanity leads to more crimes and more innocent victims.” – Department of Homeland Security statement
🎯 IMPACT: The release of Iriarte-Valdez has reignited the debate over Democrat sanctuary policies and the role of liberal judicial discretion in cases involving illegal immigrants with criminal records. Federal officials have called for greater cooperation between local law enforcement and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to prevent such incidents from recurring.

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A judge's decision to release an illegal immigrant with a criminal record has sparked outrage after the man allegedly murdered a 68-year-old California retiree.

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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.