GET THE APP
Monday, August 11, 2025

Category: News
January 21, 2025
News

Four States Sue to Exclude Illegal Migrants from Census Count.

The attorneys general of Louisiana, Kansas, Ohio, and West Virginia have initiated legal action against the U.S. Census Bureau. They seek to prevent the inclusion of illegal immigrants in the population count used for assigning congressional seats and electoral votes. The lawsuit, filed in a Louisiana federal court on Sunday, contends that the Biden government’s decision to count illegal immigrants in the 2020 census for apportionment purposes resulted in a loss of congressional representation and electoral votes for Ohio and West Virginia. Allegations in the suit claim that due to this method, Texas gained a congressional seat, and California retained one that it might have otherwise lost.

The legal complaint argues that Louisiana and Kansas are at risk of losing seats and votes in the 2030 reapportionment if the current practice is maintained. In 2018, the U.S. Census Bureau developed the “Residence Rule” for the 2020 census, requiring foreign nationals residing in the U.S. to be counted in the state of their usual residence. This applies irrespective of their legal status or whether they hold temporary visas. According to the lawsuit, both President Biden’s Commerce Secretary, Gina Raimondo, and Census Bureau Director Robert Santos included illegal immigrants in the apportionment data for congressional seats and electoral votes.

The plaintiffs argue this approach infringes upon the Fourteenth Amendment and Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution by improperly redistributing political power to states with large illegal immigrant populations. The lawsuit states that the “actual Enumeration” obligation was understood to include only U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. It asserts that those without the right to vote, primarily illegals, should not be counted in state apportionment.

show less
The attorneys general of Louisiana, Kansas, Ohio, and West Virginia have initiated legal action against the U.S. Census Bureau. They seek to prevent the inclusion of illegal immigrants in the population count used for assigning congressional seats and electoral votes. The lawsuit, filed in a Louisiana federal court on Sunday, contends that the Biden government's decision to count illegal immigrants in the 2020 census for apportionment purposes resulted in a loss of congressional representation and electoral votes for Ohio and West Virginia. Allegations in the suit claim that due to this method, Texas gained a congressional seat, and California retained one that it might have otherwise lost. show more
January 21, 2025
News

Ukraine Detains Commanders as Frontline Struggles Persist.

Ukraine’s Security Service has detained three former military commanders, citing their failure to adequately defend the Kharkov (Kharkiv) region against Russian forces last year. This move addresses growing public concerns over the military in Ukraine. The detained individuals include two generals and a colonel, whose identities have not been disclosed.

The Security Service, or SBU, accuses the former commanders of not constructing sufficient fortifications or properly equipping defensive positions. These failures allegedly contributed to the loss of territory in northeastern Ukraine, which remains a focal point of intense conflict. Their actions are under increasing scrutiny as public demand for accountability rises, especially in light of reports of desertion within the Ukrainian army.

In a related development, the SBU also reported the arrest of the country’s chief military psychiatrist. He has been accused of profiting over $1 million through corrupt practices since Russia’s invasion began, amassing multiple properties and luxury vehicles.

Charges against the former commanders include facilitating desertion and mismanagement. Allegations against the colonel also detail responsibility for the unauthorized departure of 12 soldiers from his battalion. Additionally, a commander from the 155th brigade faces charges linked to mass absenteeism within his ranks.

The detentions have sparked reactions, particularly from soldiers of the involved units. Members of the 125th Brigade, who participated in Kharkov’s defense, expressed their support for their ex-commander on social media, emphasizing the challenges faced during intense combat last spring. The SBU is pursuing pretrial detention for those arrested, with potential prison sentences reaching up to a decade.

Image by Enno Lenze.

show less
Ukraine's Security Service has detained three former military commanders, citing their failure to adequately defend the Kharkov (Kharkiv) region against Russian forces last year. This move addresses growing public concerns over the military in Ukraine. The detained individuals include two generals and a colonel, whose identities have not been disclosed. show more
January 21, 2025
Jack Montgomery
Crime
Immigration

Homan: ICE Immigration Raids Are Underway.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids are already underway, according to President Donald J. Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan. During an interview, news anchor John Roberts put it to Homan that “roundups of criminal illegal aliens” appeared to have been “put on hold for a little while.” Homan responded, “No, it’s started.”

“ICE teams are out there as of today,” Homan confirmed. “We gave them a direction to prioritize public safety threats; they’re what we’re looking for. So, we’re working up the target list.”

Referencing a rumored major operation in Chicago, the border czar said this had been reevaluated due to the leak of the plan, which presented safety issues. However, he added that these concerns have now been “addressed.”

Image by Gage Skidmore.

show less
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids are already underway, according to President Donald J. Trump's border czar, Tom Homan. During an interview, news anchor John Roberts put it to Homan that "roundups of criminal illegal aliens" appeared to have been "put on hold for a little while." Homan responded, "No, it's started." show more
January 21, 2025
Immigration
Politics

Democrat States Challenge Trump’s Birthright Citizenship Order in Court.

Democrat attorneys general from 18 states have filed a lawsuit against President Donald J. Trump, challenging his executive order that denies birthright citizenship to children born in the United States to illegal immigrants. The legal action was initiated in the Federal District Court of Massachusetts, with San Francisco and Washington, D.C., joining as co-complainants. This lawsuit represents the beginning of what is anticipated to be an extended legal dispute over the Trump administration’s immigration policies.

New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin (D), leading the lawsuit along with counterparts from California and Massachusetts, claims the executive order is presidential overreach, stating that Trump cannot unilaterally amend constitutional rights. Platkin emphasized, “Presidents are powerful, but he is not a king. He cannot rewrite the Constitution with a stroke of the pen.”

The executive order was signed by Trump on Monday, at the onset of his second term in the White House. Under Trump’s order, if both parents are immigrants, their children born in the United States are not automatically granted citizenship. The order argues that these children are not covered by the 14th Amendment‘s citizenship clause.

This interpretation challenges late 19th and early 20th-century legal precedent affirming birthright citizenship, with only a specific exclusion for children of accredited diplomats. However, there is division within the judiciary. For instance, Judge James C. Ho of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has shown some agreement with Trump’s perspective.

Nonetheless, this court’s jurisdiction does not extend to cases in Massachusetts, where the current lawsuit was filed.

show less
Democrat attorneys general from 18 states have filed a lawsuit against President Donald J. Trump, challenging his executive order that denies birthright citizenship to children born in the United States to illegal immigrants. The legal action was initiated in the Federal District Court of Massachusetts, with San Francisco and Washington, D.C., joining as co-complainants. This lawsuit represents the beginning of what is anticipated to be an extended legal dispute over the Trump administration’s immigration policies. show more
January 21, 2025
Jack Montgomery
Immigration

India Agrees to Take Back 18,000 Illegals as Trump Wields Tariff Club.

The Indian government has pledged to help identify and deport approximately 18,000 of its citizens illegally residing in the United States. This action signals New Delhi is ready to submit to President Donald J. Trump’s anti-illegal immigration agenda to mitigate any potential tariffs on trade.

The U.S. has pinpointed these individuals for removal, with India committing to verify and expedite their deportation. These migrants hail predominantly from Punjab and Gujarat, states in western India.

President Trump, who has made cracking down on illegal immigration a cornerstone of his agenda, acted swiftly upon his Monday inauguration. Among other measures, he has moved to abolish birthright citizenship and deploy military personnel to secure the U.S.-Mexico border, emphasizing the urgency of his campaign promises.

H-1Bs.

In exchange for its cooperation on deportations, India hopes that the Trump administration will safeguard legal migration routes for Indians, such as student visas and the H-1B program. In 2023, Indians received nearly 75 percent of the H-1B visas issued. H-1Bs theoretically target “skilled” immigrants, although skeptics such as journalist Anna Slatz are questioning “why any country would actively lobby to get rid of their ‘best and brightest elite human capital’ if that’s what those people really were.”

Randhir Jaiswal, a spokesman for India’s Ministry of External Affairs, confirms, “As part of India-U.S. cooperation on migration and mobility, both sides are actively deterring illegal migration to foster more legal migration opportunities from India to the U.S.”

Despite India contributing only about three percent of America’s illegal migrant numbers overall, the increase in Indian migrants crossing America’s less-guarded northern border recently has been dramatic, with Indians accounting for around a quarter of all northern crossings. This surge is part of the reason President Trump plans to hit Canada with a 25 percent tariff at the beginning of February.

In 2022, the total number of Indian illegals present in the U.S. was estimated at 220,000 by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

show less
The Indian government has pledged to help identify and deport approximately 18,000 of its citizens illegally residing in the United States. This action signals New Delhi is ready to submit to President Donald J. Trump's anti-illegal immigration agenda to mitigate any potential tariffs on trade. show more
January 21, 2025
Immigration
News

Trump DHS Reverses Mayorkas Memo, Tightens ICE and Parole Policies.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Monday announced the reversal of restrictions placed on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations by former Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The changes involve rescinding a 2021 policy that designated certain areas as off-limits to ICE enforcement. The initial directive aimed to protect access to vital services by preventing ICE actions in locations such as educational institutions, healthcare facilities, religious sites, and social service establishments.

The newly issued memo suggests enforcement personnel use discretion and common sense when determining operational locations. The memo posits that broad guidelines are unnecessary for determining where immigration laws should be enforced. Some ICE agents expressed the view that this change will enable more effective action against illegal immigration, as they will no longer be restricted from operating near schools and other formerly protected areas.

Additionally, a second memo targets the use of humanitarian parole, which had been broadly applied by the previous administration to admit migrants en masse. This parole previously allowed several hundred thousand migrants, including nationals from countries like Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Ukraine, and Afghanistan, to enter the U.S. The memo emphasizes that humanitarian parole should be applied on a “case by case basis,” aligning with the statute that critics claim has been misused.

The DHS memos instruct ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) leaders to review existing parole policies and identify any that may not comply with legal statutes. This includes developing strategies to modify, pause, or end any non-compliant programs.

These policy changes follow a series of executive orders signed by President Donald J. Trump just after his inauguration, which included deploying military forces to the southern border, terminating certain parole programs, and voiding birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants. The orders also announced a national emergency and the renewal of border wall construction efforts, with the goal of drastically reducing illegal entry.

Official White House Photo by Oliver Contreras.

show less
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Monday announced the reversal of restrictions placed on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations by former Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The changes involve rescinding a 2021 policy that designated certain areas as off-limits to ICE enforcement. The initial directive aimed to protect access to vital services by preventing ICE actions in locations such as educational institutions, healthcare facilities, religious sites, and social service establishments. show more
January 21, 2025
Immigration

Migrant Caravan Heads to U.S.-Mexico Border Post-Trump Inauguration.

A caravan of roughly 2,000 illegal immigrants is moving through Mexico, heading towards the United States border. The group, comprising individuals from various countries, set off on January 20 from Tapachula, Mexico, coinciding with the date of President Donald J. Trump’s return to the White House. The illegal immigrants are continuing their journey despite President Trump’s moves to close the U.S. southern border and execute mass deportations of illegal immigrants already in the United States.

Moments after he was inaugurated on Monday, President Trump suspended the Department of Homeland Security’s CBP One app, which saw hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants paroled into the interior of the country under the Biden government. Additionally, military forces have been deployed at the southern border, reinforcing Trump’s commitment to enhancing border security measures.

The caravan from Tapachula is the latest in a series of similar mass migrations. Although this caravan is notable in size, it represents only a fraction of the overall illegal immigrant flow toward the U.S. border from Mexico. Historically, Mexican authorities often intervene to disperse these groups into smaller contingents. As a result, some illegal immigrants continue their journeys in smaller groups or make temporary arrangements within Mexico.

President Trump, who commenced his second term as the 47th U.S. President on January 20, has rapidly begun executing his immigration policy agenda. This includes an executive order to terminate birthright citizenship, a move likely to provoke legal challenges.

The President has also labeled certain Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations and declared a national emergency at the southern border to secure funding for border wall construction without waiting for congressional approval.

show less
A caravan of roughly 2,000 illegal immigrants is moving through Mexico, heading towards the United States border. The group, comprising individuals from various countries, set off on January 20 from Tapachula, Mexico, coinciding with the date of President Donald J. Trump’s return to the White House. The illegal immigrants are continuing their journey despite President Trump’s moves to close the U.S. southern border and execute mass deportations of illegal immigrants already in the United States. show more
January 21, 2025
Jack Montgomery
Media

BBC: Trump’s Inaugural Comments on Mars and Manifest Destiny a ‘Nod and a Wink’ to ‘White Supremacist Movement.’

BBC veteran journalist Gabriel Gatehouse branded a reference to Americans “pursu[ing] our manifest destiny… to plant the stars and stripes on the planet Mars” in President Donald J. Trump’s inaugural address a “nod and a wink” to the “white supremacist movement” on the de facto state broadcaster’s flagship politics show.

The BBC, which all Britons who watch live programming—even if none of it is BBC content—are required to fund through a television license fee, is using social media to promote a clip of Gatehouse discussing his idea of “manifest destiny” on its Newsnight program, where he was formerly international editor.

“Manifest destiny was an ideology in the 19th century that talked about moving westwards, the kind of manifest destiny of American colonists to colonize the land, to expand the United States and, you know, wiping out indigenous people as they went,” Gatehouse said.

“I don’t know whether Donald Trump knows what the resonance of that is, but I know that quite a few of his audience do; people on the kind of fringes of the white supremacist movement,” he alleged, adding: “That was a nod and a wink”—which would only make sense if President Trump did, in fact, believe “manifest destiny” was a coded allusion to white supremacy.

Contrary to the claims on the BBC, manifest destiny—properly understood—is actually rooted in the belief that America is an exceptional nation with a providential place among the nations in the world.

The BBC is required by law to be politically impartial. Still, it has been widely regarded even by its own employees as biased and institutionally liberal for years. Reform Party leader Nigel Farage accused it of feeding a hysterical anti-Trump narrative leading up to the assassination attempt against him in Butler, Pennsylvania, in 2024.

show less
BBC veteran journalist Gabriel Gatehouse branded a reference to Americans "pursu[ing] our manifest destiny... to plant the stars and stripes on the planet Mars" in President Donald J. Trump's inaugural address a "nod and a wink" to the "white supremacist movement" on the de facto state broadcaster's flagship politics show. show more
January 21, 2025
War
World

Trump Criticizes Putin, Claims He Is ‘Destroying Russia.’

President Donald J. Trump delivered a forceful warning to Russia’s President Vladimir Putin on Monday while speaking with reporters in the Oval Office. Trump, who was inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States earlier in the day, said Putin is “destroying Russia” by continuing to wage war on Ukraine.

“He can’t be thrilled, he’s not doing so well,” President Trump said of Putin’s military campaign against Russia’s western neighbor. He continued: “Russia is bigger, they have more soldiers to lose, but that’s no way to run a country.”

While Trump’s Democratic Party opponents have tried to portray him as a Putin ally, the Republican President has a history of being blunt and firm-handed with the Russian leader. Additionally, following Trump’s landslide 2024 election victory, some Russian officials expressed reservations due to what they view as Trump’s unpredictability.

Despite U.S.-Russian tensions, Trump did indicate the possibility of a forthcoming conversation with Putin. On Tuesday, Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s adviser on foreign affairs, acknowledged the potential for dialogue. Ushakov noted that Russia was aware of Trump’s comments and expressed a willingness to discuss the ongoing conflict in Ukraine if the U.S. administration extended an invitation for talks.

“We are ready and open for dialogue with the new U.S. administration on the Ukraine conflict,” Ushakov remarked. He added that any overtures from Washington in this regard would be welcomed by Russia, signaling Moscow’s openness to negotiations.

Meanwhile, several hours before Trump’s inauguration, Putin strongly commended the new U.S. leader. Putin lauded Trump’s campaign efforts and election win as “courageous” and “convincing.”

show less
President Donald J. Trump delivered a forceful warning to Russia's President Vladimir Putin on Monday while speaking with reporters in the Oval Office. Trump, who was inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States earlier in the day, said Putin is "destroying Russia" by continuing to wage war on Ukraine. show more
January 21, 2025
Lawfare
TRUMP TRANSITION 2024/5

President Trump Issues Blanket Clemency for January 6 Defendants.

President Donald J. Trump is granting comprehensive clemency to individuals involved in the Capitol riots on January 6, 2021. The clemency affects nearly 1,600 individuals charged in connection with the event, offering pardons to most and commuting sentences for 14 members of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, organizations whose members were largely convicted of seditious conspiracy.

The decision reverses the sentences for both nonviolent offenders and those who engaged in assault against law enforcement officers during the riot. The move effectively nullifies years of lawfare by the Biden government, which saw prosecutorial overreach and enhanced sentences predicated on dubious legal statutes.

In the directive, President Trump instructs the Department of Justice (DOJ) to dismiss remaining indictments against individuals facing charges related to the January 6 incident. “They’ve already been in jail for a long time,” Trump said, announcing the clemency from the Oval Office. He added: “These people have been destroyed.”

The clemency extends to approximately 1,000 defendants facing misdemeanor charges such as disorderly conduct, unauthorized entry to restricted Capitol areas, and trespassing. Several of these individuals have served limited or no jail time. Additionally, the pardons also cover those charged with assaulting law enforcement—some of whom are serving sentences exceeding ten years.

Additionally, the decision allows for the immediate release and expungement of records for the defendants.

Image by Tyler Merbler.

show less
President Donald J. Trump is granting comprehensive clemency to individuals involved in the Capitol riots on January 6, 2021. The clemency affects nearly 1,600 individuals charged in connection with the event, offering pardons to most and commuting sentences for 14 members of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, organizations whose members were largely convicted of seditious conspiracy. show more