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Wednesday, August 19, 2026
2 hours ago
Immigration
News

Federal Judge Upholds Trump Decision to Terminate Protected Status for Ethiopian Migrants.

A Massachusetts federal judge has lifted a stay on ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ethiopians, aligning with a Supreme Court ruling limiting judicial review of such decisions.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: A Massachusetts federal court has opened the door for the Trump administration to end legal protections for Ethiopian migrants living in the United States under the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program. U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy ruled Tuesday that the administration can move forward after lifting an earlier order that had prevented the termination from taking effect.
📺 DETAIL: The former Biden regime granted TPS to eligible Ethiopians in 2022, but the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) later determined that circumstances in Ethiopia had improved sufficiently to justify ending the designation. Then-DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced the termination in December, prompting a legal challenge that initially succeeded when Murphy, appointed by Joe Biden, blocked the policy in April. The case was reconsidered after the Supreme Court ruled in June that the Trump administration could terminate TPS for Haitians and Syrians, restricting the ability of courts to intervene in certain TPS decisions. Murphy subsequently maintained a temporary pause while reviewing the implications of that ruling, but his latest decision removes the barrier to termination. DHS General Counsel James Percival welcomed the decision, saying the administration’s TPS terminations are now taking effect.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Judge Brian Murphy just lifted the stay of Ethiopia TPS termination. All TPS terminations are in effect!” – DHS General Counsel James Percival
🎯 IMPACT: The ruling could result in thousands of Ethiopians losing temporary legal protection from deportation and potentially being required to leave the United States. It also signals that the Trump administration may face fewer judicial obstacles as it moves to end TPS designations for additional nationalities.
📺 FLASHBACK: In June, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in favor of the Trump administration’s authority to end TPS for Haitians and Syrians, setting a precedent for similar cases.

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A Massachusetts federal judge has lifted a stay on ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ethiopians, aligning with a Supreme Court ruling limiting judicial review of such decisions.

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2 hours ago
Education
News

China-Backed ‘Cultural Exchange’ Program Funneled Communist Party Propaganda Into 100+ American Schools.

A new report highlights the infiltration of Chinese Communist Party propaganda in American educational institutions through the Young Envoys Scholarship program.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: At least 83 U.S. universities and 26 K-12 schools across 30 states have participated in the Young Envoys Scholarship, a Chinese government exchange program launched by President Xi Jinping in 2023, according to a report from parents’ rights group Defending Education.
📰 DETAIL: The program, which aims to bring 50,000 young Americans to China over five years, is operated by the China Education Association for International Exchange, whose stated guiding ideology includes Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, and Xi Jinping Thought. Critics argue the exchanges serve as a Chinese Communist Party influence operation designed to shape American students’ perceptions of China, while Beijing denies using the programs for political purposes. Michael Lucci of State Armor accused the CCP of using educational exchanges as part of a broader effort to influence how Americans view its regime. Defending Education’s Reagan Dugan said the trips represent a soft-power strategy and called for greater disclosure when American schools partner with Chinese government-affiliated organizations. A 2025 program newsletter described a trip by 27 Chicago high school students to Xinjiang, where they participated in cultural activities while receiving a favorable portrayal of the region despite allegations of widespread human rights abuses against Uyghurs in the region.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Families are being sold cultural exchange. What they’re actually getting is a Party-run pipeline into their kids’ classrooms.” – Reagan Dugan, Defending Education
🎯 IMPACT: The report raises concerns about the influence of Chinese Communist Party programs in U.S. educational institutions, potentially affecting the integrity of educational content and exposing students to foreign propaganda. The CCP has ramped up influence campaigns in recent years, particularly in academic environments and among left-wing influencers.
📈 DATA: State-sponsored institutions, such as the University of Illinois System, received $26.5 million of the $168 million in gifts from Chinese sources to American universities during a six-month period in 2021.

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A new report highlights the infiltration of Chinese Communist Party propaganda in American educational institutions through the Young Envoys Scholarship program.

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2 hours ago
Crime
Immigration
News

DOJ Appeals Dismissal of Human Smuggling Charges Against Kilmar Abrego Garcia.

The Department of Justice seeks to reinstate charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia, alleging human smuggling and MS-13 gang affiliation, after a district court dismissed the case as “vindictive prosecution.”

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: The Department of Justice (DOJ) filed an opening brief on August 17, asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit to reinstate human smuggling charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia. A district judge appointed by Barack Obama previously dismissed the case as vindictive. U.S. District Judge Waverly Crenshaw Jr. ruled in May that prosecutors brought the charges in retaliation for Abrego Garcia’s successful legal challenge to his deportation to El Salvador.
📺 DETAIL: The DOJ argued that the prosecution was based on evidence, the law, and prosecutors’ belief that they could prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Abrego Garcia committed human smuggling. Prosecutors also cited allegations that he was a member of MS-13, which the U.S. government has designated as a foreign terrorist organization, and argued that his return to the United States created a legitimate interest in prosecuting him. The department accused the district court of improperly expanding judicial authority by allowing courts to dismiss serious criminal charges based on assessments of prosecutors’ motivations and said the ruling interfered with the executive branch’s responsibility to protect the public. Abrego Garcia, who entered the United States illegally in 2011, was deported to El Salvador in March 2025. He was returned to the United States in June 2025 after the DOJ acknowledged an administrative error in his removal. He later pleaded not guilty to smuggling charges stemming from a 2022 traffic stop while denying that he was an MS-13 member.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “The United States had a clear legitimate interest in prosecuting Abrego upon his return.” – Department of Justice
🎯 IMPACT:  A ruling in favor of the DOJ could set a precedent for handling cases involving alleged gang members and immigration violations.

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The Department of Justice seeks to reinstate charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia, alleging human smuggling and MS-13 gang affiliation, after a district court dismissed the case as "vindictive prosecution."

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3 hours ago
Lawfare
News

Minnesota Sues Texas Governor Over Refusal to Extradite ICE Agent.

Minnesota’s Attorney General has filed a lawsuit against Texas Governor Greg Abbott, accusing him of delaying the extradition of an ICE agent charged with multiple crimes in Minnesota.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Minnesota Attorney General (AG) Keith Ellison (D) has sued Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) for allegedly delaying the extradition of a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent.
📺 DETAIL: Christian Castro, an ICE agent, is currently in Texas custody. He was charged with four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime. Castro allegedly shot a Venezuelan migrant through a residential door. Castro claimed that the victim attacked him. Minnesota officials argue that Governor Abbott has withheld the extradition warrant for nearly three months, in violation of the U.S. Constitution, specifically Article 4, Section 2, Clause 2: “A Person charged in any State with Treason, Felony, or other Crime, who shall flee from Justice, and be found in another State, shall on Demand of the executive Authority of the State from which he fled, be delivered up, to be removed to the State having Jurisdiction of the Crime.” Ellison said: “Christian Castro has been charged with breaking the law in Minnesota… He must face justice in Minnesota. Governor Abbott should have granted Governor Walz’s extradition request long ago and is required to do so now.” Minnesota’s AG sued the Texas Governor on Tuesday.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Instead of promptly fulfilling his legal, ministerial duty to execute the governor’s rendition warrant for Castro, however, Governor Abbott has withheld the warrant and held up Castro’s extradition for nearly three months,” said Minnesota AG Keith Ellison in a press conference.
🎯 IMPACT: The lawsuit is likely to raise the salience of the role of extradition laws in ICE operations, especially as Democrat-controlled states, such as Minnesota, seek to repel ICE operations while Republican-controlled states, such as Texas, seek to allow the agency to carry out its duties.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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Minnesota's Attorney General has filed a lawsuit against Texas Governor Greg Abbott, accusing him of delaying the extradition of an ICE agent charged with multiple crimes in Minnesota.

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7 hours ago
Corruption
Health
News

Former Fauci Aide Pleads Guilty to ‘Defrauding U.S.’ in COVID-19 Scheme.

David Morens, a former senior adviser at NIAID under Anthony Fauci, has admitted to a conspiracy to “defraud the United States” during the COVID-19 pandemic, with Peter Daszak of the EcoHealth Alliance believed to be a co-conspirator.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: David Morens, a former senior adviser at the Anthony Fauci-led National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges related to a scheme to “defraud the United States” and hide federal records during the COVID-19 pandemic. He faces up to five years in prison under a plea deal with federal prosecutors in Maryland, with Peter Daszak of the now-dissolved EcoHealth Alliance believed to be a co-conspirator in the case.
📰 DETAIL: Morens was indicted in April for his role in a scheme to shield federal records from public view, involving communications with the New York-based EcoHealth Alliance and with Daszak, who was its president. The scheme included using personal email accounts to evade public records laws in communications with officials, apparently including Fauci, and sharing nonpublic National Institutes of Health (NIH) information. Morens also admitted to accepting illegal gratuities, including wine from “co-conspirator 1″—believed to be Daszak—for his “behind-the-scenes shenanigans.” The National Pulse was the first news outlet to expose Daszak, reporting extensively on his joint research with the Wuhan Institute of Virology, funded by U.S. taxpayers via grants approved by Fauci, his donations to the Democrats, and his relationship with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), among other scandals. Until his debarment from receiving federal funds by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in 2024, Daszak continued to receive millions of dollars in public funding, while hoarding thousands of bat virus samples in Chinese facilities.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “By pleading guilty today, Dr. Morens has taken responsibility for what he did and will continue to do so.” – Tim Belevetz, Morens’ lawyer
👀 FLASHBACK: Congressional Republicans had been investigating the origins of COVID-19 and the role of the Wuhan lab for years, with Fauci and Morens previously testifying before the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic in 2024. Morens was indicted in April, with then-Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stating that “Morens and his co-conspirators deliberately concealed information and falsified records in an effort to suppress alternative theories regarding the origins of COVID-19,” adding, “Government officials have a solemn duty to provide honest, well-grounded facts and advice in service of the public interest—not to advance their own personal or ideological agendas.”

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David Morens, a former senior adviser at NIAID under Anthony Fauci, has admitted to a conspiracy to "defraud the United States" during the COVID-19 pandemic, with Peter Daszak of the EcoHealth Alliance believed to be a co-conspirator.

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8 hours ago
Crime
Immigration

Migrant Honored as ‘Outstanding Refugee’ by Dem State Charged with Trafficking-Linked Medicaid Fraud.

A migrant man once lauded as an “Outstanding Refugee” faces felony charges for Medicaid fraud, with allegations linking his associates to a sex-trafficking operation.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: A migrant in Minnesota previously hailed by the Democrat-led state as an “Outstanding Refugee” has been hit with eight felony charges stemming from an alleged Medicaid fraud scheme involving more than $1 million in fraudulent claims. Salman Ahmed Elmi is accused of aiding and abetting theft by swindle and theft by false representation, with prosecutors alleging that he and his associates falsified records, paid illegal kickbacks, and used unqualified or unsupervised workers to bill Medicaid for services that were not provided or were ineligible.
📺 DETAIL: Elmi co-owned Reva Health, a Golden Valley company that billed Minnesota’s Medicaid program for adult rehabilitative mental health services. Two associates, former Anoka County prosecutor Andrea Sampson and Frank Devone Reeves, face separate charges related to an alleged sex-trafficking operation, with prosecutors claiming some people connected to that case were also used to support fraudulent Medicaid billing. In 2021, the Minnesota Department of Human Services recognized Elmi with an “Outstanding Refugee” honor and an Entrepreneurship Award. The department said the awards program ended in 2024 and claimed that Elmi’s alleged conduct “does not represent Minnesota’s refugee community.”
🎯 IMPACT: Elmi appeared in court on Monday and was ordered held on $1 million bail. This case highlights ongoing concerns over fraud within Minnesota’s Medicaid and social service programs, with federal prosecutors estimating potential fraud reaching up to $9 billion since 2018, particularly among the Somali community. Some of the cases have even included links to senior state politicians, such as Representative Ilhan Omar (D). 

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A migrant man once lauded as an "Outstanding Refugee" faces felony charges for Medicaid fraud, with allegations linking his associates to a sex-trafficking operation.

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8 hours ago
Election Integrity
News

Trump DOJ Deploys Record 1,000 Election Observers to Monitor Midterms.

The Department of Justice intends to send an unprecedented number of election monitors to ensure free and fair voting during the midterm elections in November.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: The Department of Justice has announced plans to deploy 1,000 election monitors during the midterm elections in November.
📺 DETAIL: Assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Civil Rights Division, Harmeet Dhillon, has clarified that the monitors will be present to ensure the midterm elections are free and fair. The plan will include a record number of election monitors. The monitors will observe but will not intervene unless their support is required for an investigation. The monitors will function under the same authority as other election observers permitted by state law. “We just did it in the primary. We will do it to the tune of approximately 1,000 election monitors in the November election. This is something that DOJ does,” said Dhillon in an interview on Monday. “We respect state law… We reach out to the states. If their perimeter is 150 yards, we respect that,” the Assistant Attorney General added. Dhillon emphasized the negative impact of reports of non-citizen voting on the democratic process: “[N]oncitizen voting depresses citizens from turning out to vote because they believe there’s a lack of integrity in the process.”
🎯 IMPACT: The deployment underscores the importance of election integrity to the Trump administration. Recent polling suggests that the midterms are practically neck-and-neck. As such, much of the public is likely to welcome additional oversight against cheating. The record number of monitors is likely to be taken as a source of reassurance for voters concerned about election integrity. However, it is likely that those who regard the administration’s push for election integrity as undesirable, such as Democrat activists and officials, will treat the large number of monitors with hostility. The DOJ’s plans represent a potential solution to the well-documented problem of non-citizens voting in U.S. elections. While the presence of election monitors does not resolve the issue of non-citizens voting, which the Trump administration want to tackle through voter ID, the presence of the monitors may boost public confidence that the democratic process is free and fair, encouraging higher turnout.

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The Department of Justice intends to send an unprecedented number of election monitors to ensure free and fair voting during the midterm elections in November.

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10 hours ago
News
Politics

Polling and Research Firm Confesses to Rigging Polls Favoring Socialist Candidate Before Unexpected Defeat.

A self-described “independent polling and research” firm has admitted to fabricating polls throughout the 2026 election season, claiming it was part of a “social experiment” on the spread of unverified polling data.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: A polling company that gave failed far-left gubernatorial primary candidate Francesca Hong (D-WI) a double-digit lead has admitted to faking its polls.
📺 DETAIL: On Monday, Median Strategies, a self-described “independent polling and research” firm, announced that all its polls were fake and told press outlets to disregard its previously released work. Median Strategies claimed that the fake polls were part of a “social experiment” to examine how unverified polling data spreads. The firm released polls on the Wisconsin Democrat gubernatorial primary and the Los Angeles mayoral race. One of the fake polls suggested that Hong, the far-left candidate backed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), a far-left political organization operating within the broader Democratic Party, had a 23-point lead over her main rival, Milwaukee County Executive David Cowley, who ultimately won the primary. In another fake poll, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass had a 12-point lead over leftist challenger Nithya Raman. The fake poll was shared by Bass in a now-deleted post on X (formerly Twitter). The firm claimed that its experiment was not funded by any candidate, campaign, or organization. It also claimed that its experiment had no financial incentives or ties to betting markets. The Los Angeles Times uncovered the deception after questioning the firm about its polling methodology. The firm’s website has since been scrubbed.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “All previously published polling releases have been withdrawn and should not be cited or treated as genuine polling data. Median Strategies was created as a short-term social experiment examining how purported polling information could enter and spread through the political information ecosystem without independent verification.” – Median Strategies statement.
🎯 IMPACT: This provides context for Hong’s surprise defeat in Wisconsin. Hong was widely seen as the clear frontrunner, having been given a 95.5 percent chance of victory by Kalshi and a substantial lead by several reputable and established pollsters. The extent to which the fake polls meaningfully influenced voter behavior is unknown, although given the fact that one was shared by a candidate, the revelations are likely to further undermine public faith in the reliability of polling ahead of the midterm elections in November.

Image by LaShawnda Jones.

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A self-described "independent polling and research" firm has admitted to fabricating polls throughout the 2026 election season, claiming it was part of a "social experiment" on the spread of unverified polling data.

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11 hours ago
Crime
News
Politics

Transgender Who Plotted to Assassinate Treasury Sec Scott Bessent Sentenced.

A man identifying as a woman has been sentenced to over six years in prison for plotting to assassinate Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, having been inspired by Luigi Mangione.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: A man identifying as a woman has been sentenced to roughly six years in prison for plotting to assassinate Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
📺 DETAIL: Ryan Michael English, who goes by Riley Jane English, a 25-year-old transgender, was sentenced to 63 months in prison for plotting to kill Secretary Bessent. English pleaded guilty to charges of unlawful possession of a firearm and carrying dangerous weapons on U.S. Capitol grounds before U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras in late March. He was sentenced on Tuesday. “I was going to kill Scott Bessent,” English told police, having traveled from Massachusetts to Washington, D.C. on January 27 last year. Having initially thought about killing Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, English opted to target Bessent, who was in the process of being confirmed by the Senate. He also considered an attack on the Heritage Foundation. English turned himself in later that day. Officers found a folding knife, two bottles of vodka fitted with cloth, and a lighter in his vehicle. English told police that he was angered by Bessent’s comments regarding the minimum wage. According to prosecutors, English “had been thinking about for this for a while because of Luigi Mangione.“
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Our system of justice depends on public officials being able to carry out their duties free from intimidation and fear. This defendant’s threats crossed a clear legal line, and today’s guilty plea reflects our commitment to protecting those who serve. Anyone who threatens violence against government officials will be identified, charged, and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro declared back in March.
🎯 IMPACT: This represents another case of political violence involving a transgender perpetrator. This has been a recurring issue throughout the Trump administration. The White House previously unveiled plans to crack down on transgender terrorists back in May. The fact that the would-be assassin was inspired by Luigi Mangione, who recently pleaded guilty to federal charges related to the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thomson in December 2024, confirms suspicions that Mangione’s actions could inspire copycats. This is part of a broader problem of left-wing political violence in the U.S., especially targeting those serving under or allied with President Donald J. Trump.

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A man identifying as a woman has been sentenced to over six years in prison for plotting to assassinate Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, having been inspired by Luigi Mangione.

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12 hours ago
News
Politics

Aide to RINO Cornyn Defects to Democrat Talarico’s Team.

An aide to outgoing Senator John Cornyn (R) has crossed party lines to support Democrat candidate James Talarico in his bid to defeat Republican candidate Ken Paxton in their Senate race.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: A former aide to Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) has joined Democrat Senate candidate James Talarico’s campaign as he seeks to defeat Republican nominee Ken Paxton, who displaced Cornyn as the Republican nominee earlier this year, in the November midterms. Jacob Smith, who was Cornyn’s deputy legislative director and policy adviser for five years, now works as Talarico’s deputy policy director.
📺 DETAIL: Smith, who said he has “worked for Republicans like Senator Cornyn”—a Republican-in-name-only (RINO) who has repeatedly backstabbed President Donald J. Trump—for his “entire career,” and was “proud” to join Talarico’s campaign. The move comes after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, an America First conservative committed to the Trump administration’s agenda, defeated Cornyn in the Republican primary runoff earlier this year with President Trump’s backing. The victory came despite Cornyn spending enormous sums on his campaign. Talarico, meanwhile, has been caught in several controversies regarding past comments, including claiming that Islamic mystics influenced his Christian beliefs, and taking money from a donor linked to pedophile Jeffrey Epstein while campaigning against the “Epstein class.”
🎯 IMPACT: Smith’s switch highlights the preference of some in the GOP establishment to see Democrats win elections over America First Republicans.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “I’ve worked for Republicans like Senator Cornyn my entire career, but this year I’m proud to be joining James Talarico’s campaign.” – Jacob Smith

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An aide to outgoing Senator John Cornyn (R) has crossed party lines to support Democrat candidate James Talarico in his bid to defeat Republican candidate Ken Paxton in their Senate race.

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