Tuesday, January 13, 2026

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

Biden Campaign Again Leans In To ‘Dark Brandon’ Meme Closely Associated With Allegations He Molested His Daughter.

The Biden re-election campaign is once again leaning into the ‘Dark Brandon’ internet meme despite its close association with allegations that President Joe Biden molested his daughter Ashley Biden and showered naked with her when she was a child. Staffers for the President have gravitated toward the @VoteDarkBrandon account on X (formerly Twitter), which has worked to give the illusion that Biden is a cold, calculated political mastermind.

“Dark Brandon” originated as an effort by Democrat activists to counter the “Let’s Go Brandon” meme popular among Trump supporters. Democrat staffers ran with the notion of Biden as ‘Brandon’ and then simply copied the style of another online conservative meme, “Dark MAGA.”

Initial iterations of “Dark Brandon” faced backlash after Andrew Bates, the White House Deputy Press Secretary, posted a variation of the “Dark Brandon” meme featuring a Parteiadler – the eagle symbol used by the German Nazi Party during Adolf Hitler’s Third Reich. Others noted the “Dark Brandon” image was lifted from Chinese Communist Party propaganda depicting Biden with glowing eyes and an unsettling smirk.

However, the Chinese-produced “Dark Brandon” images were also associated with an entry in the dairy of Ashley Biden — the President’s daughter. The Biden meme featured the ominous text “It’s Shower Time Ashely,” referencing an entry in her diary that reads: “Was I molested? I think so — I can’t remember specifics but I do remember trauma. Hyper-sexualized @ a young age . . . I remember being somewhat sexualized with Caroline; I remember having sex with friends @ a young age; showers w/my dad (probably not appropriate).”

Official “Dark Brandon” merchandise purchased through the Biden campaign to raise election funds accounts for half of the campaign site’s sales.

By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.
More From The Pulse

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

Americans Urged to ‘Leave Iran Now’ as Death Toll Among Protesters, Security Forces Hits 2,000.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Iran has acknowledged a death toll of approximately 2,000 people following two weeks of nationwide unrest, reportedly including security personnel. The Trump administration is urging U.S. citizens in the country to “Leave Iran now.”

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Iranian protesters, regime forces, U.S. President Donald J. Trump, European Union (EU) leaders, and U.S. citizens in Iran.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Protests began in late December 2025 across Iran, with significant unrest reported in Tehran and over 100 cities nationwide.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We are now witnessing the final days and weeks of this regime,” predicted German Chancellor (Prime Minister) Friedrich Merz.

🎯IMPACT: The unrest has drawn international condemnation, sanctions proposals, and heightened tensions between Iran and Western nations, including the United States.

IN FULL

The Iranian regime has acknowledged for the first time that approximately 2,000 people have died in its crackdown on more than two weeks of nationwide protests, including security personnel. The collapse of the national currency, the rial, initially triggered the demonstrations. Notably, opposition sources and activists say the true death toll is significantly higher.

The U.S. Virtual Embassy in Tehran has instructed Americans in no uncertain terms to “Leave Iran now,” stressing that “U.S. citizens should expect continued internet outages, plan alternative means of communication, and, if safe to do so, consider departing Iran by land to Armenia or [Turkey].”

U.S. President Donald J. Trump, who has said that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, may be planning to flee the country, has imposed a 25 percent tariff on countries still trading with Iran. He is also said to be considering military strikes against the regime, having previously warned he would take action if it started killing demonstrators.

Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, claims the Islamic Republic is “prepared for any action” but is willing to engage in talks. Human rights organizations report thousands of detentions, with the group HRANA estimating more than 10,700 arrests. Footage from the demonstrations depicts intense confrontations on the streets, torched cars, and damaged structures.

German Chancellor (Prime Minister) Friedrich Merz has predicted that Iran’s leadership is facing its “final days.” The European Union (EU) is weighing additional sanctions against Iranian figures involved in the harsh suppression of the unrest. The bloc has previously imposed measures on over 230 people and organizations, including elements of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

Noem Just Told Somalis to Leave the U.S. by This Date.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: The Trump administration is ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somali nationals, with a deadline set for March 17 for them to leave the country.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Somali nationals.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announced on January 13, with a deadline of March 17.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Temporary means temporary,” said Secretary Noem.

🎯IMPACT: The decision affects 2,471 Somali nationals with TPS and an additional 1,383 with pending applications.

IN FULL

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somali nationals, setting a deadline of March 17 for them to exit the United States. This decision comes during heightened scrutiny of the Somali community following major fraud scandals in Minnesota.

The move aligns with President Donald J. Trump’s previous remarks expressing disapproval of Somali immigration, with Somalis being associated disproportionately with crime and welfare dependency across the West. Noem emphasized that “Country conditions in Somalia have improved to the point that it no longer meets the law’s requirement for Temporary Protected Status.”

“Further, allowing Somali nationals to remain temporarily in the United States is contrary to our national interests. We are putting Americans first,” she added. Attorney General Pam Bondi has previously confirmed 85 fraud-related charges against Somalis and 60 convictions in Minnesota alone, with further large-scale investigations ongoing into Somali-run daycares in the state.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) sources indicate that there are currently 2,471 Somali nationals residing in the United States under TPS, with another 1,383 applications pending review.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

White House Criticizes UK Govt for Supporting Cousin Marriage.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: The White House criticized Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for not supporting a ban on first-cousin marriages.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers and Prime Minister Starmer.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Rogers criticized the British government on X over the weekend.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I’ve received some questions about what we mean, in our National Security Strategy, when we invoke ‘civilizational’ concerns. So I’m tweeting a relevant news item,” Rogers posted, sharing footage from Britain’s House of Commons showing Starmer declining to support a ban on first-cousin marriage.

🎯IMPACT: The debate highlights national and international tensions over minority cultural practices and public health in the United Kingdom.

IN FULL

The Trump administration has criticized Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his Labour Party government in Britain for declining to support legislation that would have banned marriage between first cousins, calling the issue a matter of “civilisational” importance.

Sarah Rogers, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy at the U.S. State Department, described President Donald J. Trump’s free speech tsar, posted a video on X highlighting Starmer’s refusal last year to back a bill that sought to outlaw cousin marriage, which is extremely common among certain minority groups in the country, such as Pakistanis. Rogers framed Labour’s stance as a “civilizational” issue, of the type recently highlighted in a national security report.

Rogers also tied the issue to moves by the British government to ban X, supposedly because its Grok AI has been used to alter images of people to show them wearing bikinis—characterized as image-based sexual abuse. “Since we know the British Government wants to make sure women are safe both online and offline (thus contemplating a Russia-style X ban, to protect them from bikini images), here’s more from Wikipedia on cousin marriage – and its connection to honour killing,” she posted, alongside a screenshot from the left-leaning online encyclopedia highlighting the way women in first cousin marriages can be subject to violence by their families.

The debate over cousin marriage in Britain has intensified in recent months. It remains legal across the United Kingdom despite well-documented health risks: children born to closely related parents have a higher likelihood of inheriting recessive genetic conditions compared with the general population, and such unions are also associated with lower IQ and psychosis.

While there are some historic examples, such as the marriage of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, first-cousin marriage is extremely uncommon among the White British population, and is even rarer in Catholic Europe, due to the Church banning the practice in the Middle Ages. Instead, its growth in the modern era is due almost entirely to immigrants from Africa and Asia, as well as their descendants.

The controversy has also engulfed Britain’s socialized National Health Service (NHS). NHS England’s Genomics Education Programme published guidance last autumn that sparked intense backlash for suggesting first-cousin marriages can offer benefits such as “stronger extended family support systems and economic advantages” while downplaying the increased risks of congenital anomalies.

Public opinion surveys conducted in recent years show significant opposition among Britons to keeping cousin marriage legal, with broad majorities across the political spectrum saying the law should be changed. It is regulated at the state level in the U.S., with most states either prohibiting it or restricting it only to elderly or infertile couples. However, it is unrestricted in Alabama, Alaska California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., with North Carolina also permitting it except for “double first cousins” who share two sets of grandparents.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive

show less
show more
By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

Boat Migrant Raped Teen Within Weeks of Arriving.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: A Kurdish migrant was sentenced to seven years in prison for raping a teenager in a park weeks after arriving in Britain.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Mehmet Ogur, a 27-year-old Kurdish asylum seeker, and his 18-year-old victim.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The crime occurred last year in a park in Tamworth, Staffordshire, and sentencing took place at Stafford Crown Court, England.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Your continued stay in the United Kingdom will be for others to determine, not for me,” said Judge John Edwards

🎯IMPACT: The case highlights concerns over the mismanagement of poorly vetted asylum seekers arriving in Britain on small boats, and the threat they pose to public safety.

IN FULL

A Kurdish migrant who arrived in Britain by boat has been jailed for seven years after being convicted of raping an 18-year-old in a park just weeks after entering the country. Mehmet Ogur was sentenced at Stafford Crown Court after a jury found him guilty of rape and attempted rape following a trial last summer. The court heard that Ogur had been living at a hotel in Tamworth, Staffordshire, at taxpayers’ expense when he carried out his crimes.

Prosecutors said Ogur met the victim after communicating with her on Snapchat. Following the attack, police recovered messages sent by Ogur that were described as a “full and complete” admission of what he had done. Ogur still denied the charges and claimed the meaning of his messages had been changed by Google Translate, but the jury rejected his explanation.

Passing sentence, Judge John Edwards said the offence had caused “immense harm” to the victim. Addressing Ogur, the judge added, “Your continued stay in the United Kingdom will be for others to determine, not for me.”

The case adds to wider scrutiny over criminal offences involving migrants entering Britain illegally by small boat and housed in taxpayer-funded accommodation. Recent reporting has highlighted numerous cases in which migrants living in hotels across the country have been charged with serious crimes, including rape and sexual assault.

Some other recent cases involving boat migrants that have drawn public attention include the conviction of an Afghan migrant who threatened to kill Reform Party leader Nigel Farage, and a migrant sex offender who was mistakenly released from prison after his offending had sparked riots.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

Suspected Tren de Aragua Gangster Charged With Ramming Feds.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: A Venezuelan illegal immigrant with alleged ties to the Tren de Aragua gang, Luis Nino Moncada, was charged with aggravated assault of a federal officer after allegedly ramming a U.S. Border Patrol vehicle in Portland, Oregon.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Luis Nino Moncada, Yorlenys Betzabeth Zambrano-Contreras, U.S. Border Patrol agents, and federal prosecutors.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The incident occurred on January 8 in Portland, Oregon, with charges filed on Monday.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Anyone who crosses the red line of assaulting law enforcement will be met with the full force of this Justice Department,” wrote Attorney General Pam Bondi on X (formerly Twitter).

🎯IMPACT: The charges highlight ongoing concerns about illegal immigration and gang activity, as well as the safety of federal law enforcement officers in light of increasingly violent attacks—especially with automobiles.

IN FULL

Luis Nino Moncada, a Venezuelan illegal immigrant suspected of being an associate of the Tren de Aragua gang, was charged by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday with aggravated assault of a federal officer with a deadly weapon. According to an unsealed federal complaint, Moncada allegedly rammed a U.S. Border Patrol vehicle multiple times during a traffic stop in Portland, Oregon, on January 8, 2026.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi addressed the charges in a post on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “Anyone who crosses the red line of assaulting law enforcement will be met with the full force of this Justice Department.” Bondi added, “He should NEVER have been in our country to begin with, and we will ensure he NEVER walks free in America again.”

Federal prosecutors allege that Moncada and another suspected gang associate, Yorlenys Betzabeth Zambrano-Contreras, were in a vehicle when Border Patrol agents attempted to conduct a traffic stop targeting Zambrano-Contreras for arrest. Moncada, who entered the U.S. illegally in 2022 and has a criminal history, allegedly refused to comply and used the vehicle to ram a Border Patrol car repeatedly.

Moncada and Zambrano-Contreras were both struck by gunfire after an agent opened fire, fearing for the safety of the officers. Moncada later admitted to intentionally ramming the vehicle, according to authorities. The incident has drawn criticism from Oregon officials, including Governor Tina Kotek (D), who claimed the situation was “instigated by the reckless agenda of the Trump administration.”

The incident has—in part—contributed to anti-U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protests nationwide, with agitators condemning federal law enforcement actions in both Portland and Minneapolis, Minnesota, where an anti-ICE activist was fatally shot after attempting to ram an ICE agent with her SUV.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

Biden Distributed $500k to Dead People in Walz’s Minnesota.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under the former Biden regime paid out more than $84 million in likely ineligible assistance to Minnesota, including payments to over 500 deceased tenants.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: HUD, led during this period by former Secretary Marcia Fudge, and the Biden regime.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Fiscal year 2024, with payments distributed across Minnesota and other states.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Biden’s HUD failed the people of Minnesota—paying dead people while vulnerable families were left behind,” said Secretary Scott Turner.

🎯IMPACT: Billions in taxpayer dollars flagged for potential fraud, with accusations of mismanagement under Democrat leadership.

IN FULL

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) improperly sent more than $84 million in rental assistance payments to Minnesota during former President Joe Biden’s final year in office, according to a recent audit. The findings raise new concerns about oversight failures as the state faces broader scrutiny over fraud in federally funded programs.

The audit revealed that $496,000 in HUD assistance was distributed to 509 tenants who had already passed away, while an additional $246,000 was paid to people whose Social Security numbers could not be verified, raising doubts about their eligibility. The payments were made through HUD’s Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) and Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA) programs, which together distributed roughly $49 billion to more than four million households nationwide.

“Biden’s HUD failed the people of Minnesota—paying dead people while vulnerable families were left behind,” HUD Secretary Scott Turner said in response to the findings. Notably, Minnesota’s payments were part of a larger national problem. HUD is reviewing approximately $5.8 billion in rental assistance flagged as potentially improper across the country, including funds issued to about 30,000 deceased tenants and thousands of people whose citizenship status could not be confirmed.

Investigators found that 11 percent of the questionable funding went to more than 200,000 potentially ineligible recipients, with significant concentrations in New York, California, and Washington, D.C.

The audit comes as Minnesota, led by Democratic Governor Tim Walz, has faced mounting allegations of widespread fraud across multiple federal aid programs, often involving the Somali community. Federal prosecutors have brought numerous cases involving the misuse of pandemic-era relief and social services funds.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) recently halted loans to nearly 7,000 Minnesota borrowers after determining they were tied to suspected fraud involving Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan funds. Federal investigators have estimated that Somali-linked fraud networks operating in Minnesota could ultimately account for losses exceeding $9 billion.

Walz recently announced he will not seek a third term as governor amid the ongoing controversy.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

Google Teaches Minors How to Get Around Parental Controls.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Google is emailing 13-year-olds with instructions on how to remove parental controls without parental consent.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Google, child safety advocates, and the Digital Childhood Institute (DCI).

📍WHEN & WHERE: Globally, with child safety advocacy groups filing a complaint in the U.S. in October.

💬KEY QUOTE: “A trillion dollar corporation is directly contacting every child to tell them they are old enough to ‘graduate’ from parental supervision. The email explains how a child can remove those controls themselves, without parental consent or involvement. Google is asserting authority over a boundary that does not belong to them.” – Melissa McKay, Digital Childhood Institute.

🎯IMPACT: Advocates warn the policy undermines parental authority and poses risks to child safety, prompting calls for a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigation.

IN FULL

Google is facing criticism after reports surfaced that the company emailed children turning 13 with instructions on how to remove parental controls from their Google accounts, effectively allowing them to bypass parental supervision without parental consent. The policy, which allows minors to “graduate” from supervised accounts at age 13, removes safeguards such as SafeSearch filters and limits parents’ ability to monitor online activity.

The controversy gained traction after screenshots of the email circulated widely online, prompting backlash from child safety advocates. According to Google’s own FAQ page, parents are notified shortly before their child’s 13th birthday that supervision can be ended. “On the day when they turn 13, children can choose whether they want to manage their own Google Account or continue to have their parent manage it for them,” the page states.

Critics argue that while parents are notified, the company’s decision to communicate directly with children undermines parental authority. Melissa McKay, president of the Digital Childhood Institute, sharply criticized the practice in a LinkedIn post. “A trillion dollar corporation is directly contacting every child to tell them they are old enough to ‘graduate’ from parental supervision. The email explains how a child can remove those controls themselves, without parental consent or involvement. Google is asserting authority over a boundary that does not belong to them,” she wrote.

McKay further accused Google of “grooming for engagement, grooming for data, grooming minors for profit,” calling the policy “absolutely reprehensible.”

In response, the Digital Childhood Institute filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), urging regulators to examine whether Google’s actions place children at increased risk online. Notably, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) gives parents control over how companies collect data from children under 13, but it does not require platforms to maintain content restrictions or parental oversight once a child reaches that age. Several European countries take a more restrictive approach, maintaining parental controls until ages 14, 15, or 16.

The dispute comes amid broader concerns about child safety on the Internet. Recent investigations and law enforcement actions have highlighted how popular online games and social platforms can expose minors to grooming, exploitation, and coercion. Reports have documented cases in which predators used child-focused platforms to solicit explicit content, manipulate children into self-harm, or build trust through games and chat features before escalating abuse.

Image by Tomasz Molina.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

Trump Revokes Over 100,000 Visas, Setting All-Time Record.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. State Department revoked over 100,000 foreign visas in 2025, setting an all-time record.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The U.S. State Department, foreign nationals, and the Trump administration.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Throughout 2025, across the United States.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The Trump administration will continue to put America first and protect our nation from foreign nationals who pose a risk to public safety or national security.” – State Department spokesman Tommy Piggott

🎯IMPACT: Stricter visa standards and increased enforcement of immigration rules under the Trump administration.

IN FULL

The U.S. State Department revoked more than 100,000 foreign visas in 2025, more than doubling the approximately 40,000 visas canceled in 2024 during the final year of former President Joe Biden’s administration, according to department data. The figure represents the highest number of visa revocations ever recorded, following an executive order on enhanced foreign vetting signed by President Donald J. Trump on his first day back in office.

Most of the revocations involved business and tourist visa holders who overstayed their authorized periods of stay. However, the action also affected roughly 8,000 students and 2,500 specialized workers. A State Department spokesman said many of these immigrants had criminal encounters with law enforcement, including arrests or charges for drunk driving, assault, battery, theft, and child abuse.

Among specialized workers, about half of the revocations stemmed from drunk driving arrests, while approximately 30 percent involved assault or unlawful confinement charges. The remaining cases included offenses such as theft, substance abuse, fraud, and embezzlement. Nearly 500 students lost their visas due to drug-related offenses, and hundreds of foreign workers were found to have abused children, according to the spokesman.

In August 2025, the Trump administration announced it would conduct a review of all 55 million foreign nationals holding valid U.S. visas as part of a broader effort to tighten oversight. Tommy Piggott, the State Department’s principal deputy spokesman, said at the time, “The Trump administration will continue to put America first and protect our nation from foreign nationals who pose a risk to public safety or national security.”

The administration also implemented stricter standards for visa eligibility. Officials said consular officers would deny visas to foreign nationals suspected of traveling to the United States to give birth in order to secure citizenship for their children. In guidance issued to U.S. embassies, the department stated, “U.S. consular officers will deny tourist visa applications if they believe the primary purpose of travel is to give birth in the United States to obtain U.S. citizenship for the child. This is not permitted.”

Health-based eligibility standards were expanded as well. New guidance allowed consular officers to consider chronic medical conditions, including obesity and other serious health issues, when determining whether an applicant could become a public charge by relying on taxpayer-funded benefits.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

Minnesota Democrats Sue DHS for Upholding Immigration Law.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Minnesota’s Democratic political leaders filed a lawsuit on Monday against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), seeking to halt U.S. Immigration and Enforcement (ICE) actions in the state as part of “Operation Metro Surge.”

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison (D), Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D), St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her (D), ICE agents, and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The lawsuit was announced late Monday, January 12, 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The unlawful deployment of thousands of armed, masked, and poorly trained federal agents is hurting Minnesota.” — Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison

🎯IMPACT: The lawsuit seeks to halt federal immigration enforcement operations in the Twin Cities, claiming constitutional violations and significant disruption to local communities.

IN FULL

Democrat officials in Minnesota announced they have filed a lawsuit on Monday seeking to force the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) “Operation Metro Surge,” which has seen significant U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions in the state. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison (D), alongside Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D) and St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her (D), criticized the federal immigration enforcement action, claiming, “The unlawful deployment of thousands of armed, masked, and poorly trained federal agents is hurting Minnesota. People are being racially profiled, harassed, terrorized, and assaulted. Schools have gone into lockdown. Businesses have been forced to close.”

Currently, an estimated 2,000 DHS agents from ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are deployed to the Twin Cities area, with several hundred more expected to bolster their numbers in the coming days. In the lawsuit, Minnesota Democrats contend the federal operation violates the First and Tenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, as well as the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). The filing also claims the immigration enforcement action represents a disruption of the balance of power between federal and state officials, and seeks a temporary, state-wide, restraining order against further DHS actions.

The lawsuit follows the fatal shooting of anti-ICE activist Renee Nicole Good last week after she attempted to run over an ICE agent. Notably, the large-scale federal immigration enforcement operation follows widespread evidence of mass social services fraud in Minnesota tied to the state’s Somali immigrant community.

Late last month, U.S. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) announced that his committee had launched an investigation into Governor Tim Walz (D-MN) and Ellison over allegations of mismanagement resulting in fraud and accusations of evidence destruction. A number of state employee whistleblowers have come forward stating that the Walz administration was aware of the Somali-linked fraud as early as 2019 but declined to act against it out of fear of being perceived as racist and alienating Somali voters.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

Texas Is Sending Voter Data to the DOJ for Auditing.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) announced the state sent its voter rolls to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to check for potential ineligible registrations.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Gov. Greg Abbott, Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson, and the DOJ.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announcement made on Monday; with eligibility reviews to occur across all 254 counties in Texas.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We want our voter rolls to be checked for potential ineligible registrations. Only US citizens can vote in Texas.” – Gov. Abbott

🎯IMPACT: Over 2,700 possible illegal immigrants were flagged as registered voters, prompting a statewide eligibility review.

IN FULL

Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) confirmed on Monday that the state had sent its voter rolls to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to ensure that only eligible voters are registered. Abbott shared the news on X (formerly Twitter), emphasizing that only American citizens are allowed to vote in Texas—and in American federal elections on the whole.

“We want our voter rolls to be checked for potential ineligible registrations. Only U.S. citizens can vote in Texas,” Abbott stated. The move follows an October announcement by Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson, who revealed that a cross-check of voter records had identified over 2,700 possible illegal immigrants registered to vote, leading to a review across all 254 counties in the state.

The Trump administration has increasingly pushed states to ensure voter roll compliance, asserting that maintaining accurate records is critical for public trust in election outcomes. However, Democrat-controlled states have largely attempted to resist the effort, claiming spuriously that sharing voter registration data with the DOJ could lead to privacy issues and the risk of eligible voters being improperly purged from the rolls.

Earlier this month, Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chair Ken Martin revealed that legal action could be taken against states that comply with the DOJ’s requests. Meanwhile, Texas is among at least seven states that have provided voter information to federal authorities. Meanwhile, late last year, the DOJ launched litigation against six Democrat-led states, including Delaware, Maryland, and Washington, for refusing to share their voter registration rolls, accusing them of violating federal election law.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.