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Migrant Crime

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April 27, 2024
Jack Montgomery
Crime
Immigration

MIGRANT CRIME ROUND-UP: Pedos & Predators Repeatedly Released by Authorities.

Donald Trump has described migrant crime as a dangerous “new category of crime.” Last week, Chairman of the House National Security, Border, and Foreign Affairs Subcommittee Rep. Glenn Grothman confirmed that authorities are monitoring at least 617,000 illegal aliens with criminal convictions or pending charges. The National Pulse found this criminal element continued to absorb public resources over the past week, including the examples below.

THE SEX ATTACKING STRANGLER. 

On Thursday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed the apprehension of a Guatemalan illegal alien, aged 53, arrested for first-degree sexual assault in Hartford, Connecticut.

The illegal turns out to have a long history of victimizing U.S. residents dating back to 2008, having previously been convicted of offenses including second-degree strangulation, domestic assault, and driving while intoxicated.

ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) team in Boston described him as a “serious risk to the community.” He was first issued a deportation order in January 2016 but remained at large for years regardless.

RELEASED REPEATEDLY. 

Also on Thursday, ICE confirmed it had finally detained a dangerous Salvadoran illegal who was repeatedly left at large by local authorities in Baltimore in defiance of ICE detainer requests.

He was first arrested for theft in 2015. His criminality dramatically escalated the following year, and he was hit with a vast array of charges: “attempted first-degree murder, con-attempted first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, assault first degree, assault second-degree, firearm use/felony violent crime, handgun on person, possession of firearm minor, conspiracy first-degree murder, con-assault first degree, murder first degree, and accessory after the fact murder 1st.”

ICE issued a detainer request against him, but, as with an alarming number of the subjects featured in The National Pulse’s migrant crime round-ups, local authorities refused to honor it and let him loose among the public again.

He was convicted of “accessory after the fact murder 1st” in 2017 and “dangerous weapon-conceal” in 2019. After an arrest for theft in 2023, ICE once again lodged a detainer request with local authorities, and they once again refused to honor it. ICE did not manage to apprehend him until this month.

“This is exactly the type of dangerous noncitizen offender that we need to keep off of our streets,” said an ICE spokesman. “Unfortunately two of our local jurisdictions refused to honor our requests and released him from custody,” he lamented.

VIOLENT VENEZUELAN.

ICE reported it was able to detain another criminal illegal, Brayan Freites-Macias, in New York. Like the Salvadoran above, Freites-Macias had to be tracked down after local authorities ignored detainer requests and let him loose — despite a history of assaulting New York police officers.

The Venezuelan quickly amassed a string of charges after crossing the southern border illegally in December 2023, including petit larceny, disorderly conduct, criminal trespass, second-degree robbery, and a range of assault charges, some against law enforcement officers.

However, the New York City Department of Corrections at Rikers Island refused to honor a detainer request against him. He was released on April 22. The same day, he acquired another charge for grand larceny and another ICE detainer request, which was also ignored. An ICE Fugitive Operations Team had to apprehend him in New York City themselves.

“Brayan Freites-Macias has displayed a history of violence and represented a threat to the residents of New York City,” said an ICE spokesman. “Any time local jurisdictions refuse to honor ICE detainers, they put the public at risk.”

‘SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN RELEASED.’

Yet another criminal migrant left at large among the public was confirmed to have been apprehended by ICE on Wednesday. The unnamed Ecuadoran was convicted of second-degree assault and indecent assault of a child in Connecticut. Still, local authorities refused to honor an ICE detainer request and released the pedophile in 2022 without telling ICE they had done so.

In January, he was convicted of third-degree assault and violating his probation but was again released without ICE being notified, despite a second detainer request being issued against him. ICE did not manage to detain him until April.

“This convicted sex offender presented a significant threat to the children of our Connecticut communities,” said an ICE spokesman. “This individual should never have been released back on the streets.”

WANTED RAPIST.

ICE also reported it had detained an Ecuadoran wanted for rape on Wednesday. The unnamed 30-year-old entered the U.S. lawfully on August 31, 2022, but was supposed to leave by September 13, 2022, and never did so.

It later transpired he had been wanted for rape in his home country since February 2022. ICE tracked him down in Worcester, Massachusetts, this month.

“Every minute he was walking free represented a threat to the residents of our communities,” said an ICE spokesman.

ANOTHER RELEASED PEDOPHILE. 

ICE deportation officers also apprehended a Honduran pedophile, aged 30, in Maryland this month. The agency issued a detainer request against him after he was charged with “felony carnal knowledge of child” aged 13-14 in July 2023, but the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center ignored the detainer and released him on a $10,000 bond later the same month.

He was charged with two additional counts of felony carnal knowledge of a child and two counts of felony indecent liberties with a child in February 2024. He was again released, this time before a detainer request could even be issued. ICE did not track him down until April.

“This Honduran noncitizen stands accused of some very serious crimes and represented a threat to the children of the Washington, D.C. area,” said an ICE spokeswoman.

“When local jurisdictions have policies in place which prohibit them from cooperating with ICE ERO and from honoring our lawfully issued detainers and administrative warrants, they put the suspects, law enforcement officers, and most importantly, the members of our local communities at risk,” she continued.

Read The National Pulse’s previous migrant crime round-up here. 

 

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5 minutes ago
NatSec
TECH

CCP Rolls Out $70 Billion Plan to Boost Chinese Chipmakers.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Beijing announced plans to limit access to Nvidia’s AI H200 chips while unveiling a massive incentive package to boost domestic chip innovation.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, Nvidia, Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and Chinese companies like Huawei, SMIC, and Cambricon.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The developments surfaced this week, with Beijing’s plans tied to its ongoing national strategy for semiconductor independence.

🎯IMPACT: The U.S. and China remain locked in a high-stakes rivalry over technology and economic dominance, signaling an intensifying Cold War dynamic.

IN FULL

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is weighing a set of proposals that could provide upwards of $70 billion in subsidies and incentives to support China’s domestic chipmaking industry. Beijing’s move comes in response to U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s decision earlier this week to approve exports of Nvidia’s AI H200 chips to China. However, it is expected that China will limit domestic access to the Nvidia chips in a bid to protect its own semiconductor sector from foreign competition.

China’s possible domestic incentive package, even at the low end of fiscal estimates, would rival the U.S. Chips Act. At the high end, the incentives would likely amount to the most extensive state-backed semiconductor subsidies the CCP has ever implemented. The semiconductor support package is estimated to total between $28 billion and $70 billion, comprising both direct subsidies and state-backed financing. The latter would likely not include existing funding programs, such as the $50 billion Big Fund III.

Notably, Chinese President Xi Jinping has pledged a “whole-nation” effort in support of the country’s chipmaking industry. China currently lags about six years behind the top global semiconductor firms, such as Nvidia and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., in terms of manufacturing processes and technology.

In the United States, President Trump has made revitalizing the country’s semiconductor industry a critical objective for his administration. A combination of deregulation and trade tariffs has spurred significant investments in U.S. chipmaking enterprises by companies like Nvidia and Micron Technology, with the latter announcing a $200 billion investment aimed at bolstering the United States’ semiconductor manufacturing capabilities this past June.

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By Popular Demand.
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36 minutes ago
William Upton
War
World

Trump Imposes Sanctions on Maduro’s Narco-Trafficking Nephews.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Trump administration has moved to sanction three of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro’s nephews, as well as a Panamanian businessman, following the seizure of an oil tanker by U.S. forces.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC); Maduro’s nephews Franqui Flores, Carlos Flores, and Efrain Campo; and Panamanian businessman Ramon Carretero.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The Skipper supertanker was seized by U.S. forces on Wednesday, with new sanctions announced late Thursday.

💬KEY QUOTE: “These sanctions undo the Biden Administration’s failed attempt to make a deal with Maduro, enabling his dictatorial and brutal control at the expense of the Venezuelan and American people.” — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent

🎯IMPACT: The move comes just days after U.S. forces seized a sanctioned oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela.

IN FULL

The Trump administration has moved to sanction three of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro‘s nephews, as well as Panamanian businessman Ramon Carretero, who is accused of facilitating the illicit shipment of sanctioned petroleum on behalf of the Maduro regime. Franqui Flores, Carlos Flores, and Efrain Campo—nephews of Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores—were hit with sanctions by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) late Thursday. All three are alleged to be narco-traffickers operating in Venezuela.

“Nicolas Maduro and his criminal associates in Venezuela are flooding the United States with drugs that are poisoning the American people,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement. “These sanctions undo the Biden Administration’s failed attempt to make a deal with Maduro, enabling his dictatorial and brutal control at the expense of the Venezuelan and American people,” he added.

Additionally, OFAC announced sanctions against several shipping companies operating in Venezuela’s oil sector. The move comes just days after U.S. forces seized a sanctioned oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela. The Skipper supertanker, carrying oil allegedly linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and bound for Cuba, was taken over by the U.S. Coast Guard with Navy support in a dramatic operation on Wednesday.

The White House released footage of the operation, showing U.S. forces airdropping onto the tanker by helicopter. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described the tanker as a “shadow vessel” carrying black market oil. The oil will be retained by the U.S., while the crew will be released after docking in Texas.

Image by Wilfredor.

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1 hour ago
Election Integrity
Lawfare

Trump Attempts to Pardon Colorado Election Clerk Tina Peters.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump announced a pardon for former Colorado county clerk Tina Peters, but her conviction is on state charges, which federal pardons do not cover.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Donald Trump, Tina Peters, Colorado Governor Jared Polis (D), Secretary of State Jena Griswold (D), and Attorney General Phil Weiser (D).

📍WHEN & WHERE: Trump made the announcement on Truth Social on Thursday evening; Peters is serving her sentence in Colorado.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Tina is sitting in a Colorado prison for the ‘crime’ of demanding Honest Elections. Today I am granting Tina a full Pardon for her attempts to expose Voter Fraud in the Rigged 2020 Presidential Election!” – Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: The announcement has no legal effect on Peters’ state conviction.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump announced on Truth Social late Thursday that he was granting a pardon to Tina Peters, a 70-year-old former Colorado county clerk serving a nine-year prison sentence. Peters was convicted on state charges related to her involvement in accessing secure election data in 2020, a move she claimed was to expose voter fraud.

“Democrats have been relentless in their targeting of TINA PETERS, a Patriot who simply wanted to make sure that our Elections were Fair and Honest,” President Trump wrote, adding: “Tina is sitting in a Colorado prison for the ‘crime’ of demanding Honest Elections. Today I am granting Tina a full Pardon for her attempts to expose Voter Fraud in the Rigged 2020 Presidential Election!”

However, constitutional limits on presidential pardon powers mean his declaration of clemency has no legal effect on state convictions.

Colorado Governor Jared Polis (D), responding to the pardon announcement, noted the constitutional limits on presidential pardons. “Tina Peters was convicted by a jury of her peers, prosecuted by a Republican district attorney, and in a Republican county of Colorado, and found guilty of violating Colorado state laws, including criminal impersonation,” Polis stated. He continued, “No president has jurisdiction over state law nor the power to pardon a person for state convictions. This is a matter for the courts to decide, and we will abide by court orders.”

Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold (D) and Attorney General Phil Weiser (D) echoed the governor. “Tina Peters was convicted by a jury of her peers for state crimes in a state court. Trump has no constitutional authority to pardon her. His assault is not just on our democracy, but on states’ rights and the American constitution,” Griswold—who attempted to remove President Trump from the 2024 election ballot in Colorado—said in a statement.

Peters’ case has drawn national attention, with Trump previously directing federal authorities to intervene on her behalf. Despite her conviction, Peters has maintained her innocence and gained support from MAGA activists. In October of 2024, Peters received a nine-year prison sentence for allowing 2020 election skeptics to replicate Dominion voting machine hard drives to check for evidence of fraud. Peters was convicted in August 2024 on multiple charges, including official misconduct. The charges stemmed from her use of another person’s security badge to allow access to Mesa County election equipment by an individual connected to election skeptic Mike Lindell.

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By Popular Demand.
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2 hours ago
Immigration

Obama-Era ICE Chief Praises Trump Deportation Efforts: ‘Remarkable Accomplishment.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A former Obama-era acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) director called President Donald J. Trump’s deportation numbers “a remarkable accomplishment.”

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: John Sandweg, former acting Director of ICE, and key Trump administration officials, including White House Deputy Chief of Staff and Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller and Border Czar Tom Homan.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Comments were made during an MS NOW (formerly MSNBC) interview on Thursday.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This is a—it is a remarkable accomplishment. These numbers are stunning to me.” – John Sandweg

🎯IMPACT: The high number of interior deportations under President Trump shows a significant shift in immigration enforcement compared to prior administrations.

IN FULL

John Sandweg, who previously served as acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under former President Barack Obama, has called the deportation totals achieved under the Trump administration “a remarkable accomplishment.” He made the comments in an interview with MS NOW (formerly MSNBC), discussing “the way in which the White House structured this immigration enforcement operation with Stephen Miller running the policy, with Tom Homan being the Border Czar… that’s going to create tension.”

“I know there’s frustration at these numbers, but I have to tell you, this is a—it is a remarkable accomplishment. These numbers are stunning to me,” Sandweg said. “When I look at… 600,000 deportations this year, those are all from the interior. And I think this is a critical distinction,” he stressed, emphasizing that “during the Obama Administration, when there were 400,000 deportations, [but] the reality is about 250,000 of those were people caught right at the border.”

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) estimates that a total of 2.5 million illegal immigrants have left the U.S. since President Trump returned to office, including those who have left of their own accord to avoid forcible deportation. “Illegal aliens are hearing our message to leave now. They know if they don’t, we will find them, we will arrest them, and they will never return,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.

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3 hours ago
Culture
Immigration
Religion

This Western Country Just Banned Headscarves for Schoolgirls Under 14.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A law banning headscarves in schools for girls under 14 years old has been passed in Austria.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The conservative-led coalition government, the opposition Freedom Party (FPÖ), and the Islamic Community in Austria (IGGÖ).

📍WHEN & WHERE: The law will take effect in September 2026, following a trial period beginning February 2026, in Austria’s public and private schools.

💬KEY QUOTE: “It is not a measure against a religion. It is a measure to protect the freedom of girls in this country.” – Yannick Shetty, Neos party parliamentary leader.

🎯IMPACT: Critics argue the law is unconstitutional and discriminatory, while supporters claim it protects young girls.

IN FULL

Austria has approved new legislation that will prohibit girls under the age of 14 from wearing Islamic headscarves in both public and private schools, with full enforcement scheduled for September 2026. The conservative-led government says the ban covers “traditional Muslim” garments, including hijabs and burkas. A hijab generally refers to a headscarf that leaves the face visible, while a burka is a full-body covering with a mesh screen over the face, often associated with more stringent interpretations of modesty.

Supporters of the law argue that it promotes personal liberty for young girls who may face family or cultural pressure to dress in a particular way. Yannick Shetty of the liberal Neos party defended the measure, stating, “It is not a measure against a religion. It is a measure to protect the freedom of girls in this country.” Government estimates suggest roughly 12,000 children will be affected once the rules take effect. Officials say the law has been drafted to avoid the constitutional issues that sank a similar 2020 ban on headscarves for girls under 10, which the Constitutional Court overturned for targeting a specific religious group. A trial period focused on awareness-raising is set to begin in February 2026.

The Islamic Community in Austria (IGGÖ) has strongly criticized the legislation, arguing that it infringes on fundamental rights and will harm rather than help the children it claims to protect. In a statement, the organization warned, “Instead of empowering children, they will be stigmatised and marginalised,” and confirmed plans to challenge the law in court.

The populist Freedom Party (FPÖ), while voting in favor, argued the government’s approach is too limited. FPÖ spokesman Ricarda Berger said the party wants broader restrictions, insisting, “There needs to be a general ban on headscarves in schools; political Islam has no place here.”

Austria’s move comes as several European countries continue to debate or propose their own limitations on Islamic face coverings. In Italy, lawmakers have advanced proposals to ban burkas and niqabs in all public spaces as part of a larger initiative aimed at countering Islamic “separatism.” The Italian plan includes fines and additional oversight of religious funding.

Image by Soheil sargolzayi.

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By Popular Demand.
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4 hours ago
News
UK

Hundreds of British Empire Artifacts Looted from Museum, Thieves Remain at Large.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Over 600 artifacts were stolen from the British Empire and Commonwealth Collection in Bristol, England, in a burglary.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Four unidentified men captured on CCTV are suspected of the theft.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The burglary occurred in the early hours of September 25, 2025, at Bristol Museum, England.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The theft of many items which carry a significant cultural value is a significant loss for the city.” – Officer Dan Burgan

🎯IMPACT: The stolen items, many of which were donated, represent a notable loss of historical and cultural artifacts tied to Britain’s imperial history.

IN FULL

British Police are appealing for information after more than 600 artefacts were stolen from Bristol Museum’s British Empire and Commonwealth Collection in Bristol, England, during a burglary in the early hours of September 25, 2025. Officers say the break-in occurred between 1:00 AM and 2:00 AM, when surveillance cameras captured four men carrying bags outside the building that houses the historic collection.

The stolen items include medals, badges, jewellery, carved ivory, silver and bronze pieces, geological specimens, and other culturally significant objects. Many of the artifacts were donated to the collection, which documents Britain’s historical links with countries that were once part of its empire. Police have stressed that the loss represents a severe blow to the city’s cultural heritage.

Dan Burgan, the officer leading the investigation, said, “The theft of many items which carry a significant cultural value is a significant loss for the city. These items, many of which were donations, form part of a collection that provides insight into a multi-layered part of British history.” Detectives have released grainy CCTV images of four men they wish to identify.

The theft is the latest in a series of major incidents targeting museums across Europe. In October 2025, thieves stole royal jewels from the Louvre in Paris in a carefully timed operation that investigators say succeeded with only seconds to spare. A French Senate inquiry later found that partial camera failures and delays in alerting security allowed the gang to escape before police arrived. The jewels, estimated to be worth tens of millions of euros, have not been recovered.

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16 hours ago
Science

NASA Monitors Bus-Sized Asteroid Nearing Earth.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: NASA is monitoring multiple asteroids, including a bus-sized asteroid called “2025 XF1,” which is expected to come within 195,000 miles of Earth.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) and Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The asteroid “2025 XF1” will make its closest approach on Saturday. Other asteroids are being monitored this week.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The ‘potentially hazardous’ designation simply means over many centuries and millennia the asteroid’s orbit may evolve into one that has a chance of impacting Earth.” – Paul Chodas, CNEOS manager

🎯IMPACT: NASA has concluded that none of the monitored asteroids pose a significant impact risk to Earth at this time.

IN FULL

A large, bus-sized asteroid named “2025 XF1” will pass within just 195,000 miles of Earth this Saturday. NASA says it is monitoring the asteroid, which is estimated to be 41 feet across, is traveling at nearly 8,000 miles per hour, according to the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The agency also says it is tracking a second, bus-sized rock, dubbed “2025 XK1,” which is set to come within 624,000 miles of Earth on Friday.

Additionally, NASA says two larger, plane-sized asteroids, “2020 WH20” and “2016 YH,” will also make fairly close—albeit less concerning—passes near Earth on Friday and Saturday, respectively.

Asteroids are rocky and metallic remnants from the formation of the solar system, primarily located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Those classified as “near-Earth objects” have orbits bringing them within 120 million miles of the sun, while “potentially hazardous asteroids” (PHAs) are larger and come within 4.6 million miles of Earth’s orbit.

Conversely, comets—though similar to asteroids—are small objects composed of ice, dust, and small rocks that originate in the Kuiper belt or Oort Cloud on the outskirts of the solar system. As comets approach the inner solar system, the sun’s heat tends to vaporize comet material, causing the objects to develop a “glowing” atmosphere, making them far more visible to telescopes and even the naked eye than asteroids.

Earlier this year, NASA identified an asteroid, “2024 YR4,” with a 3.1 percent chance of impact in 2032—the highest probability ever recorded for an object of its size. However, further observations ruled out any significant risk.

Paul Chodas, manager of the CNEOS, notes the “potentially hazardous” label does not indicate an imminent threat: “The ‘potentially hazardous’ designation simply means over many centuries and millennia the asteroid’s orbit may evolve into one that has a chance of impacting Earth.”

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By Popular Demand.
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16 hours ago
News

You Won’t Believe How Few People Actually Bought Olivia Nuzzi’s Book.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Olivia Nuzzi’s new book, “American Canto,” experienced poor sales in its opening week, selling a humiliatingly low 1,165 copies, amid public scrutiny over her alleged affair with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Olivia Nuzzi, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Vanity Fair representatives.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Nuzzi’s book was released recently, with sales tracked during its first week. Allegations and fallout have unfolded over the past year.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I had f—ed up. I did something wrong. Those ethics rules exist for a reason. They’re very good rules, and I had violated that.” – Olivia Nuzzi

🎯IMPACT: Nuzzi has parted ways with Vanity Fair, and her book has faced criticism and low sales, while Kennedy’s team denies a physical relationship occurred.

IN FULL

“American Canto,” the latest book by political journalist Olivia Nuzzi, sold just 1,165 copies in its first week, according to Circana BookScan. The book, while not a memoir, has drawn attention due to its references to her alleged relationship with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is referred to as “the politician” in the text. Nuzzi’s representatives have not responded to requests for comment.

Nuzzi became embroiled in controversy last year when it was revealed she had engaged in a digital relationship with Kennedy after profiling him in 2023 for New York Magazine. Following the allegations, she left the publication. Her former fiancé, Ryan Lizza, has also accused her of an affair with former South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, which she has denied.

During her book tour, Nuzzi addressed her alleged involvement with Kennedy, stating, “I had f—ed up. I did something wrong. Those ethics rules exist for a reason. They’re very good rules, and I had violated that.” She added that she took her actions seriously and recognized the importance of accountability, saying, “It struck me that it’s not like you just wake up one day, and you make a mistake, right? That it had to have been many imperceptible errors that contributed to really just a malformed perspective that led to that type of mistake.”

Last week, Vanity Fair announced that Nuzzi, who joined the magazine as its West Coast editor in September, would be leaving at the end of the year.

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By Popular Demand.
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16 hours ago
News

Trump Admin Disqualifies 9,500 Truck Drivers for Failing English Proficiency Tests.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Over 9,500 commercial truck drivers have been disqualified for failing English-language proficiency checks.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, President Donald J. Trump, and federal and state transportation agencies.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Enforcement began in May 2025 across the United States, following directives issued by the Trump administration.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We’ve now knocked 9,500 truck drivers out of service for failing to speak our national language—ENGLISH!” – Sean Duffy

🎯IMPACT: States face federal funding cuts, and stricter licensing enforcement aims to improve road safety.

IN FULL

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that more than 9,500 commercial truck drivers have been taken off the road this year after failing federally required English-language proficiency checks, reflecting a major enforcement push under the Trump administration. Duffy revealed the number in a December 10 post on X (formerly Twitter), declaring, “We’ve now knocked 9,500 truck drivers out of service for failing to speak our national language—ENGLISH!” He added that the Trump administration “will always put you and your family’s safety first.”

The stepped-up checks follow a May 2025 directive reinstating strict English-language requirements for commercial drivers. Under the rule, operators must be able to read signage, communicate with law enforcement, and understand safety instructions during inspections. Federal officials say the renewed standards have already removed thousands of unqualified drivers during roadside assessments.

The policy gained momentum after several deadly crashes involving foreign drivers who reportedly failed English tests or obtained commercial driver’s licenses through improper processes. One widely publicized case involved a truck driver who made an illegal U-turn that resulted in three deaths, intensifying scrutiny on state licensing systems and federal oversight.

Duffy has also warned that states could lose federal highway safety funds if they do not properly enforce English-language and licensing requirements. California has been singled out following federal audits that identified extensive noncompliance in issuing commercial driver’s licenses. Officials have signaled that the state could lose tens of millions of dollars in funding if it does not correct the deficiencies.

The crackdown extends beyond language proficiency. Federal regulators have recently removed nearly 3,000 truck driver training schools from the national registry for failing to meet training, documentation, and compliance standards, while thousands more have been warned that they risk losing certification. Duffy characterized the action as necessary to combat “illegal and reckless practices” that allow inadequately trained drivers onto public roads.

Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has highlighted the connection between immigration enforcement and trucking safety. In coordinated operations earlier this year, federal authorities arrested 146 illegal immigrants accused of operating commercial trucks without proper documentation or licensing. Officials argued that illegal aliens and improperly trained drivers pose elevated risks, citing a series of crashes involving migrant drivers, including one that killed American newlyweds when an illegal immigrant truck driver failed to control his vehicle.

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17 hours ago
Education

Democrat Lawmaker Reveals She Doesn’t ‘Feel Good About Being White’ During DEI Debate.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: State Senator Lindsey Tichenor presented a bill to eliminate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) practices in K-12 education in Kentucky, sparking a heated debate during a legislative committee meeting.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: State Senator Lindsey Tichenor, Representative Sarah Stalker, and members of the Kentucky House Interim Joint Committee on Education.

📍WHEN & WHERE: During a recent committee meeting in the Kentucky House of Representatives.

💬KEY QUOTE: “While presenting on my upcoming bill to end DEI in K12, I honestly did not expect to hear this. Her comment is a prime example of how the ideology of DEI warps a person’s brain.” – Lindsey Tichenor

🎯IMPACT: The debate highlighted the growing controversy over DEI initiatives, with critics citing misuse of funds and lack of measurable academic improvement.

IN FULL

A state Representative in Kentucky told fellow lawmakers that she does not “feel good” about being white because she believes it grants her a “point of privilege” over others. The bizarre comments were made by state Representative Sarah Stalker (D-KY) during a recent Kentucky House Interim Joint Committee on Education hearing regarding legislation introduced by state Senator Lindsey Tichenor (R-KY) that would end diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) components found in K-12 education curricula in the state.

“I’m going to be honest, I don’t feel good about being white every day for a lot of reasons, because it’s a point of privilege that I get to move through the world in a way that so many of my other colleagues and friends and family members in the community don’t get the privilege to do,” Rep. Stalker said, turning the hearing contentious. “I think we’re missing an opportunity when kids have a moment to reflect about how the color of their skin does and does not allow them to move through the world,” she added.

Sen. Tichenor responded to Stalker’s remarks, calling them an example of how DEI ideology “warps a person’s brain.” She emphasized that no child should feel bad about their skin color and criticized DEI programming for its lack of focus on academic achievement. Tichenor also pointed out significant financial concerns, including credit card statements showing lavish spending on DEI-related travel, such as a $30,000 trip to Australia.

Additionally, Tichenor highlighted that under DEI initiatives, proficiency in math and reading has declined statewide. She criticized the Biden government for funneling over $1 billion into DEI programming, bloating administrative budgets to indoctrinate students.

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights recently notified Jefferson County, Kentucky, that its racial equity funding model violated Title VI by unlawfully considering race and engaging in so-called racial balancing.

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By Popular Demand.
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