❓WHAT HAPPENED: Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) is seeking to have assault charges against her dismissed in court.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Rep. LaMonica McIver, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka (D).
📍WHEN & WHERE: The alleged assault occurred in May 2025, outside the Delaney Hall detention center in Newark, New Jersey, with a trial set for November 2025.
🎯IMPACT: McIver faces up to 17 years in prison if convicted, with a trial scheduled for next month.
IN FULL
Representative LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) is expected to file a motion in federal court today asking that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecution against her be dismissed. The New Jersey Democrat was charged with assault in June for forcibly impeding federal officers during the attempted arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka (D).
In May, McIver and Baraka clashed with federal agents while demanding to enter the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)’s Delaney Hall detention facility in Newark. Baraka was arrested for trespassing after he entered a secured area of the facility and refused to leave when asked by federal agents.
McIver is accused of three counts of assaulting or impeding federal agents for her actions during the May incident, with her trial set to begin next month. If convicted, she could face up to 17 years in prison.
The new motion will likely echo prior filings by McIver’s attorneys, contending that the case should be thrown out on grounds of selective and vindictive prosecution by the Trump administration. Notably, her attorneys have already filed a separate motion to dismiss on the grounds of “legislative immunity.”
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: A recent investigation by several British media outlets has uncovered allegations of a “cover-up” by London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan regarding Muslim grooming gangs, accusing him of overlooking evidence of organized sexual exploitation in the city.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Mayor Khan, Conservative Party Assembly Member Susan Hall, Reform Party Member of Parliament (MP) Lee Anderson, Metropolitan Police Chief Sir Mark Rowley, and convicted predators Naeem Ahmed, Nabeel Ahmed, and Hassan Raza.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The allegations cover incidents in London from 2013 to 2025.
💬KEY QUOTE: “There is real, credible evidence that grooming gangs exist in London, and for the Mayor to have potentially turned a blind eye is utterly shameful” – Lee Anderson MP.
🎯IMPACT: The findings have heightened demands for a high-powered national inquiry into grooming gangs under Sir Keir Starmer’s Government, amplified by a victim’s resignation from a Home Office panel over claims of victims’ voices are being suppressed.
IN FULL
London’s Muslim Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan, of the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party, is facing growing scrutiny after multiple investigations revealed evidence of Muslim grooming gangs operating in the capital. Critics say have been downplayed or ignored for years in the capital—which is unusual in being a major urban center with a large Muslim population but no major rape gang revelations, as in cities such as Rotherham and Rochdale.
A joint investigation by several British media outlets uncovered serious cases of child sexual exploitation in London boroughs including Redbridge, Newham, and Stratford, with claims that officials failed to act on credible intelligence. Among the most serious incidents are the 2013 convictions of Naeem Ahmed, Nabeel Ahmed, and Hassan Raza in Redbridge. Prosecutors said the three men targeted a vulnerable woman, who was befriended and then raped and sexually assaulted by the group. A detective in the case said, “Nabeel Ahmed chose this woman because she was vulnerable. Having befriended her… he instead took her to his friends and they all sexually abused her.”
In 2017, four teenage girls aged between 13 and 15 reported being groomed near a McDonald’s in Stratford. They said they were moved between locations and sexually assaulted by multiple men. A subsequent investigation identified 30 potential victims and led to six arrests, but ultimately no charges were filed. At the time, police admitted the scale of the abuse “could be wider than initially thought.”
These cases have reignited accusations that authorities, including the Mayor’s office, have been reluctant to confront the issue publicly. Notably, Mayor Khan repeatedly claimed he did not understand what “grooming gangs” are under questioning at the London Assembly earlier this year.
This is the FULL exchange between Sadiq Khan and @Councillorsuzie, where he *repeatedly* pretends he doesn’t understand what a Rotherham-style grooming gang is. She gets no answer, and another Assembly Member named Polanski, of all things, changes the subject to Islamophobia. pic.twitter.com/pyz6U1FMV9
Lee Anderson, a Member of Parliament (MP) for Nigel Farage’s Reform Party, commented, “There is real, credible evidence that grooming gangs exist in London, and for the Mayor to have potentially turned a blind eye is utterly shameful.”
London’s Metropolitan Police, under Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, previously stated there were no ongoing grooming gang investigations in the British capital, but recently reversed that position and claimed that cases are being pursued.
Calls are mounting for a national inquiry that includes the capital, amid growing public concern that grooming gang crimes have been systematically underreported across the country.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: A major Antifa news site has annouced it will be shutting down due to pressure from the Trump administration, following the desgination of Antifa as a terrorist group.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The It’s Going Down (IGD) website, Antifa, the Trump administration, and journalist Andy Ngo.
📍WHEN & WHERE: It’s Going Down annouced the shutting down of the site on October 18.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Over the years, ‘It’s Going Down’ has posted numerous claims of responsibility for domestic terrorist attacks, including an attempt by an Antifa militant to derail a train, which led to the website being mentioned in a federal criminal complaint. The website has also posted manuals on carrying out crimes and evading detection for terrorist attacks.” – Andy Ngo.
🎯IMPACT: The closure comes after the Trump administration began to seriously investigate the leftist terror group.
IN FULL
A prominent far-left Antifa website known for promoting anarchist ideologies has shut down, citing increasing federal pressure under the Trump administration. The site, It’s Going Down (IGD), announced its closure in a public statement on October 18, claiming it could no longer operate in what it described as a “dire” political climate. “The current administration is attempting to consolidate extreme authoritarian power,” the site’s extremist operators claimed.
The move follows the Trump administration’s crackdown on domestic extremist groups, particularly those associated with Antifa, including President Donald J. Trump formally designating Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization. The executive order, issued on September 22, characterized Antifa as a “militarist, anarchist enterprise” that seeks to overthrow the U.S. government and law enforcement institutions.
The administration followed up with National Security Presidential Memorandum 7, directing federal agencies to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle left-wing extremist operations, including financial networks and affiliated nonprofit groups.
IGD, which has operated for years, gained notoriety for publishing content sympathetic to anarchist extremist groups and so-called direct action campaigns. It has previously been cited by federal authorities in connection with riots, vandalism, and sabotage. In a 2020 case, the Department of Justice (DOJ) referenced the site in a criminal complaint related to an attempt to derail a train in Washington state.
Andy Ngo, a journlaist who has covered Antifa extremists extensively, commented on the closure saying, “Over the years, ‘It’s Going Down’ has posted numerous claims of responsibility for domestic terrorist attacks, including an attempt by an Antifa militant to derail a train, which led to the website being mentioned in a federal criminal complaint. The website has also posted manuals on carrying out crimes and evading detection for terrorist attacks.”
The Trump administration’s campaign against far-left extremism escalated in October when a federal grand jury indicted two alleged Antifa members for an armed attack on a federal immigration facility in Texas. The suspects were charged with terrorism-related offenses, including attempted murder of federal officers and providing material support for terrorism. The incident marked the first time alleged Antifa affiliates have been formally charged as domestic terrorists.
On October 16, the Treasury Department also instructed banks and financial institutions to begin monitoring transactions and donations linked to Antifa and other organizations flagged under the new domestic terrorism directive.
In a related development, Rutgers University professor Mark Bray, author of Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook, announced he would be leaving the United States. Bray, a known defender of Antifa tactics, said he could no longer safely continue his work in the current political climate.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: Two suspects were charged with assaulting Ethan Levine before attacking former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffer Edward “Big Balls” Coristine on August 3.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Lawrence Cotton Powell (19), Anthony Taylor (18), Edward Coristine, Ethan Levine, and other unidentified suspects.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The incidents occurred on Swan Street Northwest, Washington, DC, within minutes of each other on August 3, with the charges announced on Monday, October 20.
💬KEY QUOTE: “So after a felony of attempted robbery, conviction after a violation of probation, after a second crime, after a second conviction, after no compliance with CSOSA, the judges say, do better, and they let him go. And guess what? Within 10 days, he’s at it again with Ethan Levine and Edward Coristine.” – U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro
🎯IMPACT: The case highlights repeated failures in the justice system to hold offenders accountable, leading to further crimes.
IN FULL
Two addidtional suspects in the August 3 attack on former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffer Edward “Big Balls” Coristine were charged on Monday for a second criminal assault that occured just minutes prior. Lawrence Cotton Powell, aged 19, and Anthony Taylor, aged 18, have been charged as adults for violently attacking and robbing Ethan Levine before joing a group of around 10 individuals who subsequenly assaulted Coristine as he protected a young woman from the group.
“Today, we are announcing that Lawrence Cotton Powell, who is 19 years of age, along with Anthony Taylor, who is 18 years of age, are now charged with assaulting [Ethan] Levine,” U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirroannounced, continuing: “Then, after the robbery and assault of Ethan Levine, they walked in the direction of where another crime occurred. Within minutes, you have heard of this crime. Edward Coristine, a 19-year-old DOGE person who was working in the administration was walking a young woman to her car when he was approached in the 1400 block of Swan Street Northwest.”
“Approximately 10 suspects approached him, and as they did, he pushed the young woman into the car. And he was protecting her from the group, before he was then attacked by multiple suspects who then punched him repeatedly, causing significant injuries to him,” she added.
Pirro also noted that Powell has an extensive prior criminal history, criticizing lenient sentences issued by several judges for allowing him to dodge prison time. “So after a felony of attempted robbery, conviction after a violation of probation, after a second crime, after a second conviction, after no compliance with CSOSA, the judges say, do better, and they let him go. And guess what? Within 10 days, he’s at it again with Ethan Levine and Edward Coristine,” she revealed.
The National Pulse reported last week that Washington, D.C. Superior Court Judge Kendra Biggs sentenced two 15-year-olds to probation and no jail time for their roles in the attack on Coristine, claiming that her role is to “rehabilitate,” not punish.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled two to one to allow President Donald J. Trump to deploy Oregon National Guard troops into Portland, overturning a lower court’s ruling blocking the action.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Trump administration, Oregon Democrat officials, protesters, and a three-judge appellate panel including Judges Ryan Nelson, Bridget Bade, and Susan Graber.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The ruling was issued on Monday by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, covering Portland, Oregon.
💬KEY QUOTE: “After considering the record at this preliminary stage, we conclude that it is likely that the President lawfully exercised his statutory authority under 10 U.S.C. § 12406(3), which authorizes the federalization of the National Guard when ‘the President is unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States.” — 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
🎯IMPACT: The decision allows the Trump administration to move forward with National Guard deployment while legal challenges continue.
IN FULL
A federal appeals court cleared the way on Monday for President Donald J. Trump to move forward with deploying Oregon National Guard troops into Portland, Oregon, to protect federal facilities and immigration agents, overturning a lower court’s decision that temporarily blocked the action. The three-judge 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel ruled two to one to lift an October 5 restraining order issued by District Court Judge Karin Immergut blocking the deployment.
“After considering the record at this preliminary stage, we conclude that it is likely that the President lawfully exercised his statutory authority under 10 U.S.C. § 12406(3), which authorizes the federalization of the National Guard when ‘the President is unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States,” the majority, comprised of Judges Ryan Nelson and Bridget Bade, both Trump appointees, wrote in the ruling. Judge Susan Graber, appointed to the bench by former President Bill Clinton, dissented.
The decision comes amid ongoing clashes between far-left rioters and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Portland. Notably, Democrat governrment officials Oregon claim the deployment is unnecessary, arguing the publicly documented violent riots are exaggerated.
President Trump’s efforts to send federal forces into Democratic-led cities that have refused to police the violent anti-ICE demonstrations have been frustrated by several far-left judges, though the administration has seen a degree of success overturning the restraining orders at the appellate level. A separate District Court order barring President Trump’s deployment of National Guard to Chicago, Illinois was partially lifted by the 7th Circuit on Saturday—allowing the troops to remain stationed at a nearby Army Reserve base.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Federal authorities apprehended Eduardo Aguilar, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, in Dallas, Texas, after he posted a TikTok video soliciting violence against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, offering $10,000 per killing, and was found with a loaded handgun.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Eduardo Aguilar, Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, ICE agents, and references to Mexican cartels in Chicago threats.
📍WHEN & WHERE: TikTok post on October 9, 2025; arrest on October 14, 2025, in Dallas, Texas; follows September 24 sniper attack on Dallas ICE facility and ongoing Chicago bounties.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Thanks to the quick work of law enforcement, this illegal alien who was offering $10,000 cash bounties for the murder of ICE law enforcement is in custody and facing federal charges. We are thankful this illegal alien who had a firearm in his possession was arrested before he could kill one of our law enforcement officers” – Tricia McLaughlin.
🎯IMPACT: The arrest highlights escalating dangers to immigration officers, including sniper attacks and cartel-funded bounties up to $50,000, amid federal operations like Chicago’s Operation Midway Blitz.
IN FULL
Law enforcement officials detained Eduardo Aguilar, a 23-year-old illegal immigrant from Mexico living in Dallas, Texas, on October 14, 2025, following a social media post that urged attacks on federal immigration personnel. In a TikTok video dated October 9, Aguilar wrote in Spanish, translated as seeking “10 dudes in Dallas with determination who aren’t afraid to [two skull emojis],” while pledging “10K for each ICE agent.” Authorities discovered a loaded handgun in his vehicle during the arrest, a violation carrying felony penalties for non-citizens.
This episode reflects broader risks to ICE staff, including a September 24 sniper assault on a Dallas facility that left two detainees dead, although the gunman was aiming at agents. Agents in Chicago, Illinois, performing Operation Midway Blitz face similar threats, with Mexican cartels allegedly funding bounties reaching $50,000 for harming officers, and deploying armed observers on rooftops to track their movements.
Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated, “Thanks to the quick work of law enforcement, this illegal alien who was offering $10,000 cash bounties for the murder of ICE law enforcement is in custody and facing federal charges. We are thankful this illegal alien who had a firearm in his possession was arrested before he could kill one of our law enforcement officers.” She added, “Our agents are facing ambushes, terrorist attacks, and death threats, all because they dare to enforce the laws passed by Congress. We will not back down from these threats, and every criminal, terrorist, and illegal alien will face American justice.”
Aguilar, who entered the U.S. unlawfully in 2018 as an unaccompanied minor, received a deportation order from an immigration judge in February 2019. He now faces federal accusations of conveying a threatening message across state lines, with a potential five-year sentence upon conviction.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), supported by ICE and local partners, led the probe, underscoring commitments to counter such dangers amid heightened immigration enforcement.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: New York City has seen a sharp rise in teenage shooting victims and gun offenders since the state’s “Raise the Age” law went into effect, according to new New York City Police Department (NYPD) data.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Teen shooters, victims, and law enforcement officials, including former NYPD supervisor Chris Hermann and former NYPD Assistant Commissioner Kevin O’Connor.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Data covers incidents through September 2025 in New York City, with notable cases in Times Square and East Harlem.
💬KEY QUOTE: “We need to somehow tweak Raise the Age so when there’s shooters involved in incidents that they don’t just get a get out of jail free card.” – Chris Hermann
🎯IMPACT: Teen gun-related crimes have surged 143 percent since the law’s implementation, despite citywide shootings declining overall.
IN FULL
The State of New York‘s Raise the Age law—which raised the age of criminal culpability from 16 to 18—has precipitated a 96 percent increase in teen shooting victims and an alarming number of other and gun offenses in New York City compared to 2018, law enforcement data shows. According to the New York City Police Department (NYPD), 92 minors have been shot so far in 2025 through September, a 21 percent increase from the same period last year.
Enacted in two phases between 2018 and 2019, the New York court system contends the law is justified because, “Scientific research has shown that prosecuting and placing children in the adult criminal justice system does not work.” Notably, the NYPD crime data shows that in 2025, the number of arrests of teen shooters have also surged, with 73 teenagers arrested this year compared to 30 in the same timeframe in 2018, marking a 143 percent increase. This spike in teenage gun crime comes even as citywide shootings have dropped 20 percent compared to 2024 and over 50 percent since 2020.
Critics of the law contend it fails to hold criminals under the age of 18 accountable, resulting in the spike in teenage gun violence. “We need to somehow tweak Raise the Age so when there’s shooters involved in incidents that they don’t just get a get out of jail free card,” said former NYPD supervisor Chris Hermann in a recent inteview. He added: “We want to see them get remanded longer term for gun-related crimes. But no politician is going to say ‘Hey, maybe it’s time [to] build a bigger, better juvenile jail.’”
Meanwhile, former NYPD Assistant Commissioner Kevin O’Connor poins to a number of high-profile incidents as emblematic the state’s failure to address the issue, including an August shooting in Times Square where a 17-year-old wounded three people and a September case where a 44-year-old woman was struck by stray gunfire allegedly fired by a teen. Another notable case involved 18-year-old Damien Calhoun, who was involved in a gunfight in East Harlem while wearing an ankle monitor for an attempted murder charge from the previous year.
“This case in East Harlem is another poster child of what’s going on,” O’Connor said before adding: “You got an 18-year-old wearing an ankle monitor who pleaded guilty to an attempted murder shooting and he’s out. If he pled guilty, why is he out? It’s because of Raise the Age.” O’Connor described the situation as “a complete revolving door.”
❓WHAT HAPPENED: A 38-year-old accountant was arrested for allegedly firing shots at a Trump supporter’s home in North Carolina.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Benjamin Michael Campbell, the accused, and Mark Thomas, the homeowner and Trump supporter.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The incident occurred on September 6 in Nantahala Gorge, North Carolina.
💬KEY QUOTE: “He fired five to six rounds as he was heading back down the driveway to the highway that passes in front of my place.” – Mark Thomas.
🎯IMPACT: Campbell faces charges including felony assault with a deadly weapon.
IN FULL
A Georgia man is facing serious charges in North Carolina after allegedly opening fire at a Donald J. Trump supporter’s home in an incident caught on camera. Benjamin Michael Campbell, 38, an accountant from Cobb County, was arrested and extradited to North Carolina following a September 6 altercation outside the Nantahala Gorge residence of Mark Thomas, 62, a local business owner and Trump supporter.
According to Thomas, Campbell was driving erratically before stopping at his property, where a large Trump banner was displayed. Surveillance footage allegedly shows Campbell, wearing what Thomas described as an “Antifa-style mask,” attempting to tear down the banner. “He just whipped it up and then threw it down on the ground. Like he was proud of what he just did,” Thomas said.
Thomas fired two warning shots into the air. As Campbell returned to his Jeep Cherokee and drove away, he allegedly raised a firearm through the sunroof and fired five to six rounds toward the house. One bullet struck a refrigerator on Thomas’s porch, narrowly missing him. “He fired five to six rounds as he was heading back down the driveway to the highway that passes in front of my place,” Thomas stated.
Campbell was taken into custody on September 30 and is now being held on a $70,000 bond. He faces multiple charges, including assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill or inflict serious injury, a Class C felony punishable by up to 17 years in prison.
Thomas, who says he has previously been targeted for his political beliefs, blames “leftist lies and propaganda” for fueling incidents like this. “All it takes is one person who’s not thinking to get triggered by the propaganda to do something like that,” he said. Despite the attack, Thomas plans to replace the damaged banner, adding, “We’re not the kind of people that are going to be intimidated.”
The incident adds to growing concerns about leftist political violence in the U.S. One far-left agitator was recently charged for assaulting a MAGA official in Washington, D.C., while a conservative activist found over 51,000 people celebrating the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk shortly after his death.
NEW: Accountant arrested after sh**ting at a MAGA supporter who had a Trump flag in his yard
Benjamin Michael Campbell, 38, is accused of firing sh*ts at the home of Mark Thomas, 62, in Nantahala Gorge, North Carolina
❓WHAT HAPPENED: A warrant has been issued for Jessica Yaniv, also known as Jessica Simpson, and born as Jonathan Yaniv, in connection with a criminal harassment charge.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Jessica Yaniv, a controversial figure best known for suing beauty salons to try to force staff to wax his genitals, and the Calgary Police Service.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Alberta, Canada; warrant issued as of October 2025.
💬KEY QUOTE: “I feel [Yaniv] took advantage of me,” said Jessica Rumpel, alleging inappropriate communications when she was 14.
🎯IMPACT: The warrant has drawn renewed attention to Yaniv’s controversial past and legal issues.
IN FULL
A warrant has been issued in Alberta for infamous transgender Jessica Yaniv, also known as Jessica Simpson, in connection with a criminal harassment charge. Authorities are investigating whether the warrant applies in British Columbia, where Yaniv is currently based. The Calgary Police Service has not released a public statement, and court records related to the case have yet to be made available.
Yaniv first gained national attention in 2018 after filing complaints against multiple beauty salons that declined to provide waxing services for his male genitalia. As the services were intended for women, Yaniv argued the refusals were discriminatory, based on his gender identity. However, a British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal eventually dismissed the cases, ruling that Yaniv had filed them in bad faith and engaged in improper conduct. He was ordered to pay $2,000 to each of three salons named in the complaints.
Since then, Yaniv has remained in the public eye through a series of controversial incidents. In 2019, he was charged with possession of a prohibited weapon after displaying a taser during a livestream. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) later seized two stun guns from his home. He received a conditional discharge.
That same year, allegations surfaced from Jessica Rumpel, who claimed Yaniv sent her sexually explicit messages when she was only 14. “I feel [Yaniv] took advantage of me,” Rumpel said in a 2019 interview. She also released screenshots that appeared to show messages from Yaniv’s verified Twitter account. Yaniv denied knowing Rumpel and claimed he may have been impersonated.
On social media, Yaniv has also made claims that gynecologists refused to treat him, which he described as “shocking” and “hurtful.”
This most recent comes at a time when public scrutiny of transgender activism has increased. In the United States, a series of incidents involving trans activists has drawn national attention. One 2024 report described a trans individual, Venus Andromeda, allegedly threatening a U.S. congressman, telling him to “prepare to die.”
There are also reports that the U.S. Department of Justice has considered reviewing gun rights specifically for transgender individuals, though no official policy has been announced. This came after a transgender shot and killed several children at a Catholic church in late August.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Two federal courts ruled against actions taken by the Trump administration involving National Guard deployments in Illinois and the withholding of funding for New York City.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (D), New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, U.S. District Judge April M. Perry (Joe Biden appointee), and U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan (Bill Clinton appointee).
📍WHEN & WHERE: Rulings were issued on October 16, 2025, affecting Illinois and New York.
💬KEY QUOTE: “This is about control,” Governor Pritzker complained of Trump’s efforts to restore order and protect federal law enforcement in Chicago.
🎯IMPACT: The rulings limit presidential authority over National Guard deployment and federal funding, setting the stage for further legal battles.
IN FULL
The Trump administration faced two legal defeats Thursday as federal courts blocked efforts to deploy the National Guard in Illinois and withhold federal funding from New York City.
In Illinois, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit upheld a lower court order issued by U.S. District Judge April M. Perry—a Joe Biden appointee—preventing the federalization of the Illinois National Guard. The court ruled that President Donald J. Trump’s actions did not meet the legal standards under 10 U.S.C. § 12406, which permits the President to mobilize National Guard troops during a rebellion or the threat of one. “The facts do not justify the President’s actions in Illinois under § 12406,” the court claimed, adding that “political opposition is not rebellion.”
This decision came after a Texas National Guard unit had already arrived near Chicago. While those troops remain under federal command, the court prohibited their activation until the case is resolved. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (D), who strongly opposed the deployment, alleged, “For Donald Trump, this has never been about safety. This is about control.”
The Illinois case is the latest in a series of legal battles over Trump’s efforts to assert federal control over state-based military forces. Earlier this month, a federal judge in Oregon blocked a similar attempt to send troops into Portland to protect U.S. federal law enforcement personnel and buildings, ruling that the situation did not justify military intervention. In June, California Governor Gavin Newsom lost a suit challenging Trump’s federalization of the California Guard, though the court warned such actions are still subject to judicial review.
In a separate ruling on Thursday, Bill Clinton-appointed U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan ordered the federal government to restore $33.9 million in funding to New York City’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The Trump administration had withheld the funds due to the city’s sanctuary policies, but Kaplan claimed the move was “arbitrary, capricious, and a blatant violation of the law.” The judge ruled that the funding must be reinstated immediately.
New York’s Governor Kathy Hochul (D) and Attorney General Letitia James—recently indicted for mortgage fraud—welcomed the decision.
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