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Category: Politics
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.

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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
Politics

Fetterman Denies Rumors He’ll Switch Parties: ‘It’s Not Gonna Happen.’

Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) is denying rumors that he intends to switch his affiliation from the Democratic to the Republican Party. The Pennsylvania Democrat’s partisan intentions became the subject of feverish speculation on social media after New Jersey Assemblyman Jamel Holley claimed he was told a prominent Democrat Senator would soon announce they were switching political parties.

“Just left a conversation and my source indicated to me that a key Democratic senator is expected to change party affiliation to Republican by next week. Wow!” Holley wrote on X (formerly Twitter) late Monday. A New Jersey state Democrat lawmaker, Holley is a close political ally of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald J. Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

“That’s amateur hour shit,” Sen. Fetterman said in response to the social media rumors regarding his potential party switch. He continued: “It’s not gonna happen. And even if I wanted to do that, that is a rocket sled to Palookaville to try to switch. I would make a pretty bad Republican.”

He emphasized that he would not follow the path of former Senators Joe Manchin (I-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), both of whom changed their political affiliations from Democrat to Independent while serving in office.

Earlier this month, Fetterman raised eyebrows among his U.S. Senate Democrat colleagues when he bucked party leadership and met with President Trump at Mar-a-Lago. After the meeting, Trump lauded the Pennsylvania Senator, calling him “fascinating” and adding: “I couldn’t be more impressed.”

“He’s a commonsense person. He’s not liberal or conservative. He’s just a commonsense person, which is beautiful,” Trump said of Fetterman.

Image by Tom Wolf.

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Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) is denying rumors that he intends to switch his affiliation from the Democratic to the Republican Party. The Pennsylvania Democrat's partisan intentions became the subject of feverish speculation on social media after New Jersey Assemblyman Jamel Holley claimed he was told a prominent Democrat Senator would soon announce they were switching political parties. show more
biden
January 21, 2025
Politics
TRUMP TRANSITION 2024/5

President Trump Begins Mass Firing of Biden Govt Appointees.

President Donald J. Trump revealed late Monday that his White House is already undertaking the removal of former President Joe Biden’s remaining political appointees, including those holding influential positions on presidential and national commissions. In a post on Truth Social, Trump announced he is dismissing over one thousand appointees who do not align with his “Make America Great Again Agenda.”

“Our first day in the White House is not over yet! My Presidential Personnel Office is actively in the process of identifying and removing over a thousand Presidential Appointees from the previous Administration, who are not aligned with our vision to Make America Great Again,” the newly inaugurated President wrote. Trump singled out four individuals specifically for dismissal: “Jose Andres from the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition, Mark Milley from the National Infrastructure Advisory Council, Brian Hook from the Wilson Center for Scholars, and Keisha Lance Bottoms from the President’s Export Council.”

President Trump concluded with an emphatic: “YOU’RE FIRED!”

Additionally, Trump emphasized the ongoing efforts of his Presidential Personnel Office, highlighting their role in identifying and removing over a thousand appointees from the prior administration. He stated that this operation was vital to ensure alignment with his administration’s objectives, underscoring the need for unity in pursuing his policy vision.

Consequently, the Trump White House actions come alongside signing an executive order focused on easing the process of terminating federal employees in policy-making positions. This order responds to what Trump described as “numerous and well-documented cases” of career employees obstructing executive directives. The order underscores the importance of accountability, especially for those in influential roles, and aims to restore principles of good administration within the federal civil service.

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President Donald J. Trump revealed late Monday that his White House is already undertaking the removal of former President Joe Biden's remaining political appointees, including those holding influential positions on presidential and national commissions. In a post on Truth Social, Trump announced he is dismissing over one thousand appointees who do not align with his "Make America Great Again Agenda." show more
January 20, 2025
Lawfare
News
Politics

Elon Musk’s ‘DOGE’ Faces Lawsuit as Trump Takes Oath.

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by tech billionaire Elon Musk, is facing a lawsuit right as President Donald J. Trump takes office. The 30-page lawsuit questions the legality of Trump’s proposed government advisory committee and alleges that the committee would violate federal transparency standards regarding public disclosure, hiring, and related practices.

National Security Counselors, who filed the claim, argue that Musk‘s efficiency panel qualifies as a “federal advisory committee” but does not meet the required criteria. These criteria include maintaining a balanced representation, documenting meetings, and being open to public scrutiny.

Reports indicate that DOGE has already engaged dozens of employees. These individuals operate from Musk’s SpaceX offices in Washington, D.C., and communicate using the encrypted messaging platform Signal. The legal challenge will not surprise Musk, who believes governmental opponents use “lawfare” to impede his ventures.

While details of DOGE’s efficiency initiative remain undisclosed, some cite secrecy as crucial to preventing legal obstruction. Trump claims the project will drive sweeping changes, though the advisory committee lacks direct authority to execute government cuts.

According to reports, DOGE’s executive roles are unpaid, with individuals expected to serve six-month terms. These executives will be classified as “special government employees.” Prospective employees for DOGE include Silicon Valley figures such as Marc Andreessen and Shaun Maguire.

Vivek Ramaswamy was initially set to co-lead with Musk but has withdrawn to focus on a gubernatorial run in Ohio. Last month, Ramaswamy angered many conservatives after praising H-1B visas, heavily used in the tech sector, which undercut American workers.

Ramaswamy claimed that American culture venerates “mediocrity over excellence” but went near silent following the backlash for his comments until announcing his intention to seek the governorship in Ohio.

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The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by tech billionaire Elon Musk, is facing a lawsuit right as President Donald J. Trump takes office. The 30-page lawsuit questions the legality of Trump's proposed government advisory committee and alleges that the committee would violate federal transparency standards regarding public disclosure, hiring, and related practices. show more
January 20, 2025
William Upton
Politics
TRUMP TRANSITION 2024/5

Trump’s Defense Sec Nominee Pete Hegseth Advances to Full Senate Vote.

Pete Hegseth, President Donald J. Trump‘s nominee to lead the Department of Defense (DoD), has cleared a critical confirmation hurdle. His nomination passed out of the Senate Armed Services Committee on a fourteen-to-three partisan line vote. Democratic Party lawmakers on Capitol Hill have tried to derail the Hegseth nomination to no avail, and the Army veteran and former Fox News host is expected to be confirmed by the full Senate.

During Hegseth’s confirmation hearing last week, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) baselessly questioned the Secretary of Defense nominee’s qualifications to lead the department, suggesting he would better serve as the DoD’s communications chief. The National Pulse reported that Blumenthal, infamously, has engaged in stolen valor—falsely telling Connecticut voters in the mid-2000s that he served in Vietnam. However, the Connecticut Demcorat’s military records show no such service. In fact, Blumenthal was safely stationed in Washington, D.C.—nearly 9,000 miles from the conflict.

Additionally, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) has attempted to smear Hegseth as an extremist threat due to his Jerusalem Cross tattoo. The cross is an important symbol to Roman Catholics and is displayed in countless churches worldwide.

Hegseth, although not a Catholic, sports a large Jerusalem Cross tattoo on his chest, a symbol of the city of Jerusalem and the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem.

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Pete Hegseth, President Donald J. Trump's nominee to lead the Department of Defense (DoD), has cleared a critical confirmation hurdle. His nomination passed out of the Senate Armed Services Committee on a fourteen-to-three partisan line vote. Democratic Party lawmakers on Capitol Hill have tried to derail the Hegseth nomination to no avail, and the Army veteran and former Fox News host is expected to be confirmed by the full Senate. show more
January 20, 2025
William Upton
Politics
TRUMP TRANSITION 2024/5

President Trump Names Acting Agency Heads as He Moves Swiftly to Enact America First Agenda.

President Donald J. Trump has named a number of acting secretaries to oversee federal departments as he moves to swiftly enact the initial stages of his America First agenda. The acting officials are tasked with executing several hundred executive orders addressing national security, energy, and immigration issues—rolling back former President Joe Biden’s radical progressive agenda.

Already, the Trump White House has moved to shutter the controversial Department of Homeland Security (DHS) CBP One app, which the Biden government used to parole hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants into the United States. Additionally, President Trump appears to have directed border agents to close several ports of entry along the southern border with Mexico, including the infamous El Paso checkpoint—a hot spot for so-called asylum seekers.

The acting officials named by President Trump include Gary Washington as Secretary of Agriculture, Jeremy Pelter as  Secretary of Commerce, Robert Salesses as Secretary of Defense, Denise Carter as Secretary of Education, Ingrid Kolb as Secretary of Energy, Dorothy Fink as Secretary of Health and Human Services, and Benjamine Huffman as Secretary of Homeland Security. Additionally, acting officials named by the President are Matthew Ammon as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Walter Cruickshank as Secretary of the Interior, Vincent Micone as Secretary of Labor, Lisa Kenna as Secretary of State, David Lebryk as Secretary of the Treasury, Judith Kaleta as Secretary of Transportation, and Todd Hunter as Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

Additionally, federal immigration enforcement attorney James McHenry has been tapped as the acting Attorney General, and Emil Bove—one of President Trump’s criminal defense attorneys—has been named as acting Deputy Attorney General. McHenry and Bove will oversee a large number of pardons and commutations for the January 6 Capitol riot defendants, which are expected to be signed by Trump later today.

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President Donald J. Trump has named a number of acting secretaries to oversee federal departments as he moves to swiftly enact the initial stages of his America First agenda. The acting officials are tasked with executing several hundred executive orders addressing national security, energy, and immigration issues—rolling back former President Joe Biden's radical progressive agenda. show more
January 20, 2025
Christopher Tomlinson
Crime
Politics

President Trump to Free Hundreds of Jan 6 Defendants.

President Donald J. Trump is expected to issue pardons and commute sentences for hundreds of people persecuted by the former Biden-Harris regime following the Capitol riots on January 6, 2021, freeing many from prison. It is believed that President Trump will issue pardons for all supporters prosecuted for nonviolent offenses and commute the sentences of those already convicted. Additionally, Trump is expected to direct the Attorney General to vacate pending indictments against January 6 defendants—concluding around 470 ongoing Department of Justice (DOJ) cases.

Over 730 people have been convicted of offenses related to the Capitol riots, and hundreds of others still face pending prosecutions. The executive order expected to be signed by President Trump later today will likely impact the entirety of the DOJ cases. This will end the massive policing operation against Trump supporters that was headed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which saw over 1,580 people charged by federal prosecutors.

Many of those prosecuted were simply supporters who did not engage in violence and claimed they had no intentions of disrupting the certification of the 2020 election. Some were even guided into the Capitol by police.

President Trump had previously said he would consider pardons for the January 6 prisoners and recognized the death of Ashli Babbitt, who was shot and killed by Capitol Police officer Michael L. Byrd.

Questions remain regarding the activities of federal informants present on January 6. The FBI admitted last month that at least 26 informants were at the Capitol that day. Three of the informants were reportedly there to monitor domestic terrorism subjects.

Some have alleged that federal government agents may have either participated in or helped incite the riot that took place, but the FBI has consistently denied the claims. The biased Democrat-controlled January 6 Committee has also come under scrutiny, but during his final day in office, former President Joe Biden pardoned its members.

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President Donald J. Trump is expected to issue pardons and commute sentences for hundreds of people persecuted by the former Biden-Harris regime following the Capitol riots on January 6, 2021, freeing many from prison. It is believed that President Trump will issue pardons for all supporters prosecuted for nonviolent offenses and commute the sentences of those already convicted. Additionally, Trump is expected to direct the Attorney General to vacate pending indictments against January 6 defendants—concluding around 470 ongoing Department of Justice (DOJ) cases. show more
January 20, 2025
William Upton
Politics

President Trump Outlines Top Priorities in Memo to Congress.

President Donald J. Trump—inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States at noon on Monday, January 20, 2025—has outlined his top legislative priorities in a memo to Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill. The document consists of four major initiatives: the first is to “Make America Safe Again,” the second is to “Make America Affordable and Energy Dominant Again,” the third is to “Drain the Swamp,” and the fourth is to “Bring Back American Values.”

“President Trump will take bold action to secure our border and protect American communities,” the document reads. “This includes ending Biden’s catch-and-release policies, reinstating Remain in Mexico, building the wall, ending asylum for illegal border crossers, cracking down on criminal sanctuaries, and enhancing vetting and screening of aliens.” It outlines the top priority of launching an unprecedented immigration enforcement action with mass deportations to “…address the record border crossings of criminal aliens under the prior administration.”

Notably, the memo includes a line emphasizing Trump will deploy U.S. military and National Guard resources to assist with the separations.

Meanwhile, Trump is also asking Congress to take up his push to unleash America’s energy industry. He intends to “…empower consumer choice in vehicles, showerheads, toilets, washing machines, lightbulbs and dishwashers,” effectively ending former President Joe Biden’s Green New Deal mandates.

Trump also informed lawmakers that he is enacting a federal hiring freeze, ending the expansion of America’s unelected bureaucracy that tried to hamper the MAGA agenda during his first term in office. In addition, the memo states Trump “…is taking swift action to end the weaponization of government against political rivals and ordering all document retention as required by law.”

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President Donald J. Trump—inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States at noon on Monday, January 20, 2025—has outlined his top legislative priorities in a memo to Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill. The document consists of four major initiatives: the first is to "Make America Safe Again," the second is to "Make America Affordable and Energy Dominant Again," the third is to "Drain the Swamp," and the fourth is to "Bring Back American Values." show more
January 17, 2025
Immigration
Politics

Town with Huge Immigrant Population Moves to Scrap Sanctuary Status, Support Trump’s Mass Deportations.

The city of El Cajon, located in San Diego County, California, is on the verge of retracting its sanctuary status ahead of President-elect Donald J. Trump’s inauguration on Monday. However, residents of El Cajon—known for its large foreign population—forced the postponement of the measure repealing the sanctuary city law earlier this week during a contentious city council meeting.

“This is not about taking our police force and turning them into Border Patrol agents, this is about cooperating with the federal government and following the law,” El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells said, adding: “We have the federal government saying we could be prosecuted if we don’t cooperate with them, we’ve got the state government saying our police officers could be prosecuted if they do cooperate with the federal government.”

A RESPONSE TO TRUMP. 

President-elect Trump’s designated border czar, Tom Homan, has repeatedly stated that he intends to pursue legal action against law enforcement officers and state and local lawmakers who attempt to block federal immigration enforcement actions. Should El Cajon end its sanctuary status, it would come as a direct blow to Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA), who says he intends to resist the Trump administration’s efforts to deport possibly tens of millions of illegal immigrants currently residing in the United States.

“It is driven by an anti-immigrant fervor that is concerning for residents in El Cajon who might fear that suddenly the police will be after them, asking them for papers,” Pedro Rios, a local immigrant rights activist, said of the measure before the city council. He blamed Trump and Homan’s “fear-mongering” for the city’s decision to end its sanctuary status.

According to U.S. Census data, nearly 30 percent of El Cajon’s population was born outside the United States. Additionally, California and El Cajon’s sanctuary laws restrict state and local cooperation with federal immigration authorities, preventing local enforcement from questioning individuals’ immigration statuses or notifying federal officials about the release dates of detainees.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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The city of El Cajon, located in San Diego County, California, is on the verge of retracting its sanctuary status ahead of President-elect Donald J. Trump's inauguration on Monday. However, residents of El Cajon—known for its large foreign population—forced the postponement of the measure repealing the sanctuary city law earlier this week during a contentious city council meeting. show more
January 17, 2025
William Upton
Politics

Joe Biden Pulls Last Minute Equal Rights Amendment Farce.

Soon-to-be former President Joe Biden is attempting a last-minute ratification of the so-called Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), a proposed 28th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, to enshrine abortion rights. The ERA, which legally failed ratification over 40 years ago, explicitly bars discrimination based on sex and—in theory—could pave the way for federal abortion access litigation despite the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

“I have supported the Equal Rights Amendment for more than 50 years, and I have long been clear that no one should be discriminated against based on their sex,” Biden said in a statement announcing his determination on the amendment’s status on Friday. The 82-year-old Democrat continued: “We, as a nation, must affirm and protect women’s full equality once and for all.”

Subsequently, the Biden White House and Vice President Kamala Harris both released statements declaring the ERA “the law of the land.”

While the Biden government publicly insists the President’s statement constitutionally enshrines the ERA, government officials are privately acknowledging the announcement amounts to little more than a declaration of Biden’s opinion. The Archivist of the United States, Dr. Colleen Shogan, has repeatedly stated that the ERA “cannot be certified as part of the Constitution due to established legal, judicial, and procedural decisions.”

“In 2020 and again in 2022, the Office of Legal Counsel of the U.S. Department of Justice affirmed that the ratification deadline established by Congress for the ERA is valid and enforceable,” Dr. Shogan states, adding: “Court decisions at both the District and Circuit levels have affirmed that the ratification deadlines established by Congress for the ERA are valid. Therefore, the Archivist of the United States cannot legally publish the Equal Rights Amendment.”

The U.S. Supreme Court is unlikely to uphold Biden’s determination regarding the ERA.

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Soon-to-be former President Joe Biden is attempting a last-minute ratification of the so-called Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), a proposed 28th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, to enshrine abortion rights. The ERA, which legally failed ratification over 40 years ago, explicitly bars discrimination based on sex and—in theory—could pave the way for federal abortion access litigation despite the overturning of Roe v. Wade. show more