Aurora Police have confirmed that several members of the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) were involved in an "incredibly violent" armed home invasion and kidnapping that left two victims seriously injured in an apartment complex this week. 

"I will say without question, in my opinion, that this is TdA activity. Some of these individuals have been identified as TdA gang members," Aurora Police Chief Todd Chamberlain said. "It's something that we are working very close with our partners in HSI [Homeland Security Investigations] and DHS [Homeland Security] to establish their relationship with gangs."

Chamberlain said authorities have little way of confirming that a suspect is a member of TdA since gang members do not typically broadcast their affiliation. 

"It is a real challenge to try to say, ‘Hey, 100%, you are a gang member,’" he said.

TREN DE ARAGUA GANG MEMBERS ARRESTED IN NYC APARTMENT NEXT TO DAYCARE FACILITY

Chamberlain said it was not a "big step" for him to identify them as members of the notorious Venezuelan gang.

"But when you look at the circumstances of this, when you look at the events of this, when you look at the individuals involved in this, when you look at the veracity and the violence involved in this, again, it is not a big step for me to say that they are TdA gang members," he said.

The gang members allegedly forced their way into a couple’s apartment at the Edge at Lowry Apartments in the Denver suburbs and bound, beat, stabbed and kidnapped the victims, leaving them hospitalized. The perpetrators also allegedly stole jewelry from the victims.

SANCTUARY CITY DENVER SPENDING A WHOPPING $356 MILLION ON MIGRANTS: STUDY 

While the department cannot yet confirm whether all 19 of the suspects detained in the incident are TdA members, Chamberlain said he could categorically confirm that several are part of the gang that has been terrorizing Aurora residents in recent months. 

WATCH:

Chamberlain said one of the detained TdA members was also involved in the violent apartment takeover in Aurora earlier this year. 

According to Chamberlain, this was not an isolated incident. He said the TdA members and their affiliates have regularly mistreated the couple and were extorting them for $500 every two weeks. He believes the couple were not the only victims being intimidated and extorted by the gang members. 

Chamberlain also said Aurora Police are fully cooperating with ICE, DHS and Homeland Security Investigations to determine the identities and potential gang affiliation of those involved in the incident. 

A total of 19 suspects were detained for questioning, three of whom have since been released and eight of whom are now in ICE custody. He said eight are still under investigation. 

"Those pending charges range from everything from second-degree kidnaping, aggravated robbery, first-degree assault, extortion and burglary," he said.

Police have not released the names of the 16 arrested individuals.

The police chief reiterated that authorities did not conduct a "mass sweep" for the suspects, but instead went door to door to thoroughly investigate all parties involved.

During a press conference, Chamberlain emphasized that Aurora Police would respond to calls and help any victim in trouble "regardless of immigration status."

Police in Aurora, Colorado, have detained five more migrants in an armed home invasion and kidnapping that occurred early Tuesday morning.

This brings to 19 the number of migrants detained in the incident, which involved two victims being beaten, bound and kidnapped in a Denver suburb

A spokesperson for ICE told Fox News Digital 16 of those in custody have been identified as Venezuelan nationals in the U.S. without authorization and "are suspected of being members or associates of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua."

Tren de Aragua, or TdA, is a violent international criminal group that has been terrorizing Aurora residents for over a year.

TREN DE ARAGUA ARE IDEOLOGICAL TERRORISTS DISGUISED AS A STREET GANG WARNS FORMER MILITARY OFFICER

The ICE official said the 16 suspects "will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings or hearings before an immigration judge."

Aurora Police Department Chief Todd Chamberlain said Tuesday the home invasion was "without question a gang incident."

However, Joe Moylan, a representative for the Aurora Police Department, told Fox News Digital police are still working to identify the suspects and have not yet been able to officially confirm whether the incident was gang-related.

Police were called to an Aurora housing complex, The Edge at Lowry Apartments, just before 2:30 a.m. Tuesday in response to a reported armed home invasion in which victims were assaulted and taken to another apartment in the same complex.

COLORADO VIDEO SHOWS TREN DE ARAGUA GANG BEATING APARTMENT COMPLEX WORKER IN EXTORTION BID, COMPANY SAYS

One of the victims, a man, sustained a stab wound but is expected to survive. Both victims are still at a hospital for treatment. 

Moylan said Aurora police served an additional warrant at the apartment complex late Tuesday afternoon, resulting in their taking in the five additional migrants for questioning. He said police are working in conjunction with federal authorities, including Homeland Security Investigators who are helping to identify everyone involved.

Moylan said the Aurora police chief will likely address the incident further in another press conference once more details are confirmed.

BLUE STATE FACES SPIKE IN MIGRANT SEX CRIMES AS TOP CITY PLEDGES RESISTANCE TO TRUMP DEPORTATIONS

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Roger Hudson, a city council member in nearby Castle Pines, Colorado, who has had contact with the apartment owner, told Fox News Digital most people in the area believe Tren de Aragua is behind the incident. In recent months, the gang has only become "more powerful, more dangerous and more desperate," he said. 

Hudson bashed the sanctuary policies passed by Colorado and the City of Denver, which he said have made it more difficult for state and local law enforcement to protect Coloradans from the likes of TdA.

"These policies make all of our communities less safe," he said. "This is lawlessness in the West, and you can't have that. That's not who we are as a country. That’s not who we are as a state."

EXCLUSIVE: An incoming House Republican, who defeated the incumbent Democrat in Colorado, reveals what he expects to see from Republicans in the House during the next Congress.

Rep.-elect Gabe Evans, who defeated incumbent Democratic Rep. Yadira Caraveo in Colorado's 8th Congressional District, told Fox News Digital that voters in his district "could see with their own eyes" that rising crime was a problem. 

"I didn't have to convince people there was a problem. I just had to show them that. Look, as a Colorado native born and raised here, 12 years in the U.S. Army and the Colorado Army National Guard, one combat deployment overseas, and then doing all the stuff the National Guard does domestically here in Colorado, another 10 years in law enforcement, married with two boys, state representative," Evans said. "I know how to fix these problems and I know how to bring the actual dinner table solutions to make everybody's lives better, safer and more affordable."

Evans explained that his district, which is 40% Hispanic, was frustrated with the crisis at the southern border.

INTERNAL HOUSE GOP MEMO REVEALS WHAT REPUBLICANS ARE CELEBRATING IN $895B DEFENSE BILL

"There's actually quite a lot of frustration around the folks like my family, you know, my mom's first generation American, my abuelito is an immigrant from Chihuahua, northern part of Mexico," Evans said. 

"He earned his citizenship with two Purple Hearts in World War Two. My uncle reminds me constantly, you know, gave the citizenship for our branch of the Chavez family, was paid for in blood on the battlefields of Western Europe," he continued. "And so for a large segment of the Hispanic population, you know, the folks that did it right, that are here working jobs, that are law-abiding, to see this massive influx across the border of folks who, you know, at the very least, are immediately rolling across the border and getting the red carpet rolled out via taxpayer funded handouts and resources."

Evans will enter Congress in January, when Republicans have control of both chambers and the White House. However, in the House of Representatives, they will have a razor-thin majority with a small margin for error. Evans told Fox News Digital he is confident Republicans in the House will unite to push through Trump’s agenda. 

'WE'RE GOING TO GUT THE FISH': REPUBLICANS GIVE DETAILS FROM CLOSED-DOOR MEETINGS WITH DOGE'S MUSK, RAMASWAMY

"I think that we will get on the same page and I think that the next two years are going to be very, very different from the last two years because we do have a unified government," Evans said. 

"And so folks know that it is now time for the Republicans who control the House, the Senate and the presidency to come through on all of those campaign promises, everything that we talked about, making safe and secure communities, making sure that we're securing the borders. Making sure that we're improving America's standing globally and that we're once again projecting those calm, steady hands on the wheels in the international community through consistent, steady American leadership, all of these things. It's up to us to deliver those now."

"My promises to my district were things like public safety. I'm going to stand by our state and local law enforcement," he continued. "I'm going to make sure that we're giving them the tools that they need to keep our communities safe and so much of that starts with ensuring that we are working to get rid of these sanctuary state policies that blatantly ignore federal law and that in Colorado, at least outright prohibit law enforcement from even being able to work with Immigration and Customs to deport violent gangbangers, cartel members and other criminals who are taking advantage of the left's soft on crime policies and these open border policies."

In terms of the economy, Evans said that Republicans will work to be "making sure that we get the economy empowered again to get the cost of living down, cut punitive regulations, cut red tape, and make sure that folks can get good paying jobs, that those good paying jobs are available for them, and that the overall economy is flourishing again so that things can be affordable."

Evans said that Trump's victory in November shows that Republicans have a mandate in the next Congress.

"The American people have given the Republican Party unified government for the next two years. I think that is absolutely indicative of the fact that they want to see change," Evans said. "They know that their lives are not better now than they were four years ago. They're ready to go a different direction. And so, for the next two years, it's up to us to roll up our sleeves and truly get to work for all Americans, whether they voted for us or not."

• I've lived in Boulder for years and have heard many people recommend The Kitchen to visitors.
• The Kitchen is co-owned by Elon Musk's brother, Kimbal Musk, and chef Hugo Matheson.
• When I went for lunch, The Kitchen had delicious food at reasonable prices and great service.

As a longtime resident of Boulder, Colorado, I've found we have a handful of restaurants that are frequently recommended to visitors.

One of those is, without question, The Kitchen.

The American bistro has been a local staple since it opened in 2004. And, almost every time someone suggests it, they'll also mention it's partly owned by Kimbal Musk, Elon Musk's brother.

The Kitchen was cofounded by a chef and Kimbal, who's actually a longtime Boulder resident.

A few years after making millions from a deal with his brother in 1999, Kimbal attended culinary school in New York.

The South African-born businessman later moved to Boulder, where he worked with chef Hugo Matheson at a restaurant on Pearl Street for a few years until the pair co-founded The Kitchen Restaurant Group in 2004.

Although it began in Boulder, the group now has restaurants in Chicago, Denver, and Austin.

Kimbal is also now somewhat of a local celebrity here. Many residents, including myself, have spotted him eating at The Kitchen's flagship location or walking around its surrounding area.

I'd say The Kitchen is in the perfect location on West Pearl Street.

After not visiting The Kitchen for several years, I decided to pop in for a late weekday lunch to see what the seasonal menu looked like and if it continued to live up to its hype.

I went to the original location on West Pearl, a historic district with a pedestrian mall that's perfect for residents and visitors alike.

As a Boulder resident, I consider it the heart of the city. I love walking to the popular area to dine, drink, or shop.

The restaurant felt elegant and it wasn't very crowded.

When I arrived at The Kitchen, just a few other groups were dining.

Although the restaurant has been open since 2004, its interior looked like it had definitely been updated throughout the years.

The bar was well-lit and looked elegant with a mirrored wall and simple stools. The back dining area looked cozy and intimate, with dark woods, exposed brick, minimal decor, and artsy orb-shaped light fixtures.

The atmosphere felt casual but still upscale, which I appreciated.

I started my meal with hand-cut garlic fries.

The lunch menu at The Kitchen includes handhelds, plates, and sweets, with a wide variety of shareable dishes — crab fried rice, burrata, carrots, and lamb arayas, to name a few.

Despite the interesting choices, I stuck with my basic perennial favorite: hand-cut garlic fries. I got a large portion of fries served with a bearnaise aioli for $9.50.

Although I enjoyed the fries, the garlic was a little overpowering for my taste. The creamy, flavorful aioli was the best part of the dish.

My main meal, the crispy cauliflower, was impressive.

During my visit, the lunch menu featured dishes like a fried-chicken sandwich, lobster roll, steak frites, Halloumi naan, quiche, and rigatoni.

Although many sparked my interest, I was most curious about the crispy cauliflower for $24.50. When my server told me it was one of his favorite dishes even though he doesn't like cauliflower, I knew I had to try it.

The breaded and fried cauliflower was paired with carrots, chickpeas, tamarind chutney, coriander chutney, mango, pickled red onion, and an herb salad.

I loved the combination of flavors, but the texture of the cauliflower stood out the most. It was perfectly crispy and almost resembled fried chicken.

The portion felt nearly too large, but I was happy to be able to take leftovers home.

I'm glad I chose the cheesecake for dessert.

To end my meal, I couldn't resist ordering the cheesecake with a brown-sugar pecan crust, poached pears, and fig coulis.

The slice was beautifully plated and I loved the fresh taste of the cheesecake, which didn't feel too heavy. The star, though, was the crisp brown-sugar pecan crust.

It seemed reasonably priced at $12.50 for a slice.

During my visit, the service was friendly and attentive.

As a frequent solo diner, I've found restaurant service can be hit or miss when I'm alone. Sometimes, staff don't spend enough time checking in on me or ask me to sit at the bar instead of a table.

Fortunately, at The Kitchen, I was given the same level of service I'd expect if I'd been there with a group.

The professional, knowledgeable staff I encountered seemed available to answer my questions and bring me what I needed at any point during my visit.

Overall, I thought the price was reasonable for the food — but I'm glad I went for lunch.

Before this, I'd had dinner at The Kitchen several times. I'd always enjoyed my experience but found the space could get crowded, so I'm glad I came here for a quieter lunch.

The prices felt very reasonable for the quality of the dishes, attentive service, and the amount of food I received — I spent $62 for a starter, main, and dessert, including a 22% tip.

Overall, The Kitchen lives up to the hype, with professional and friendly service, a great location, fair prices, and fresh, inventive dishes that left me wanting to return for another lunch.

Colorado Republicans are sounding off on "out-of-touch" Democrats after Denver Mayor Mike Johnston vowed to station police to block ICE agents from carrying out deportations and a report showed that the city has spent over $356 million in taxpayer dollars on services for migrants.  

The sum, which amounts to $7,900 per foreign national in the city and equates to 8% of the city’s total 2025 budget, was revealed by an updated analysis last week by the Common Sense Institute.

Rose Pugliese, leader of the Republican caucus in the Colorado State Assembly, told Fox News Digital that the massive influx of migrants in the state has resulted in heavier burdens on both local and state resources.

She said the Democrat-controlled legislature has spent an estimated $563 million on illegal immigrants since 2021, with $352 million of that on education spending alone.

"Without question, illegal immigration in Colorado has cost the state a significant amount of money that could have been spent supporting our constituents, roads, public safety, and other state services," she said.

CNN HOST VISIBLY STUNNED BY INCOMING BORDER CZAR SAYING HE'LL ‘JAIL’ DENVER MAYOR FOR REFUSING DEPORTATIONS

Pugliese called Mayor Johnston "out of touch on this issue," saying that the results of the 2024 election "mandated illegal immigration as a top concern throughout America."

"Removing and deporting illegal immigrants who have committed crimes against our citizens is a reasonable position," she said. "Unfortunately, there is no public estimate by the state regarding illegal immigrants in Colorado. This is due to policy decisions by the majority in the state legislature over the last ten years."

"Preventing an accurate accounting only aggravates the issue for local and state budgets when planning," she continued, adding that "if you don’t know the numbers, you can never be right."

DENVER MIGRANT ADVOCATES SAY SIX MONTHS OF FREE RENT, FOOD NOT ENOUGH: ‘A SLAP IN THE FACE’ AND ‘OFFENSIVE’ 

Meanwhile, Roger Hudson, a city councilman for Castle Pines, a small town just south of Denver, told Fox News Digital that "there's nothing kind, there's nothing hopeful" about what Democrats have done to the city.  

According to Hudson, Denver has accepted over 45,000 migrants since 2022. He said that these migrants have taken up much of the funding meant for important services in the city, including public schools and parks. 

"Now they're not mowing the grass in parks, the fountains are down, rec centers are closed, the homeless problem is completely out of control," he said. "What they’ve done to Denver is horrific." 

He also called out Democrats for shipping migrants to communities around the city, such as Aurora, where members of the Venezuelan gang "Tren de Aragua" terrorized an entire apartment building.

VENEZUELAN MIGRANT GANG TREN DE ARAGUA NOW OPERATING IN 16 STATES: REPORT

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"These migrants are preying on each other, they are abusing women, elderly women, elderly individuals, people who are disabled, they are robbing, they are causing a drug problem that wasn't here before in our state."

"What the Democrats and what our liberals and progressives have done in our state is obscene, and it shows, and our residents are tired of it," he went on. "In the past, it had been filled with hope. I mean, you have the Rocky Mountains in the background where there's nothing but hope and aspiration. Now, when you look down, and you look at the streets, they are filled with people begging not for food, but for their next fix or for a bottle of alcohol, and their souls are crushed."

A representative for the Denver City Council declined to comment on the $356 million spent on migrant services. Instead, the representative told Fox News Digital: "The Denver City Council is the legislative branch of the city government and isn’t involved in the day to day operations of these services."

Democratic Denver Mayor Mike Johnston was scolded by his hometown newspaper for "amping up violent rhetoric" with his vow to resist President-elect Trump’s deportation of illegal immigrants.

The editorial board at the Denver Post on Monday published an editorial with the headline, "Denver’s mayor was wrong to threaten armed conflict to protect immigrants," referring to Johnston’s recent suggestion of using the Denver Police to resist federal immigration officials attempting to carry out their job.

"We are not surprised Johnston recklessly elevated the rhetoric around protecting Coloradans without legal immigration status. But that doesn’t make it OK," the editorial said.

The newspaper said the mayor "must choose his words carefully" rather than joining "Trump’s arms race of amping up violent rhetoric around illegal immigration."

MD MAYOR UNDER FIRE FOR PUSHING IMMIGRANT ‘LEGAL ADVOCACY FUND’ TO REBUFF TRUMP-HOMAN AGENDA

"Johnston should keep his remarks far away from violent conflict and focus on peaceful resistance," the editorial said.

Johnston said during a recent interview with Denverite that he was prepared to protest against anything he believes is "illegal or immoral or un-American" in the city – predicting the use of city police against federal officers and a "Tiananmen Square moment."

The mayor was then asked if he was prepared to go to jail for standing in the way of policies enacted by the administration.

NYC HOME TO NEARLY 60K ‘CRIMINAL’ MIGRANTS: REPORT

"Yeah, I'm not afraid of that, and I'm also not seeking that," Johnston said. "I think the goal is we want to be able to negotiate with reasonable people [on] how to solve hard problems."

Tom Homan, Trump's "border czar" designate, told Fox News' Sean Hannity last week that he would jail Johnston if he broke the law in shielding illegal migrants. 

"All he has to do is look at Arizona v. U.S., and he would see he's breaking the law. But, look, me and the Denver mayor, we agree on one thing. He’s willing to go to jail, I’m willing to put him in jail."

Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan and Hanna Panreck contributed to this report. 

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis is accusing President Biden of putting "his family ahead of the country" with his pardon for Hunter Biden. 

"While as a father I certainly understand President Joe Biden’s natural desire to help his son by pardoning him, I am disappointed that he put his family ahead of the country," the Democrat wrote on X. 

"This is a bad precedent that could be abused by later Presidents and will sadly tarnish his reputation. When you become President, your role is Pater familias of the nation," Polis continued, referencing a Latin term for head of the household. 

"Hunter brought the legal trouble he faced on himself, and one can sympathize with his struggles while also acknowledging that no one is above the law, not a President and not a President’s son," Polis added. 

LAWMAKERS HARSHLY CRITICIZE BIDEN’S DECISION TO PARDON HUNTER 

Biden’s pardon of Hunter was announced by the White House on Sunday night and comes after Hunter was convicted in two separate federal cases earlier this year. 

The pardon applies to offenses against the U.S. that Hunter Biden "has committed or may have committed" from Jan. 1, 2014 to Dec. 1, 2024. 

HUNTER BIDEN SAYS HIS MISTAKES WERE ‘EXPLOITED’ FOR POLITICAL SPORT, HE WILL NEVER TAKE PARDON FOR GRANTED 

"Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter," Biden wrote in a statement. "From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word even as I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted." 

The president went on to claim that his son was "treated differently" by prosecutors. 

"Without aggravating factors like use in a crime, multiple purchases, or buying a weapon as a straw purchaser, people are almost never brought to trial on felony charges solely for how they filled out a gun form," Biden added. "Those who were late paying their taxes because of serious addictions, but paid them back subsequently with interest and penalties, are typically given non-criminal resolutions. It is clear that Hunter was treated differently." 

Fox News’ Emma Colton and Andrea Margolis contributed to this report. 

As Democratic Denver Mayor Mike Johnston says he would be willing to go to jail over his opposition to the Trump mass-deportation plan, a new study claims the mayor’s Blue city has spent a whopping $356 million of taxpayers' hard-earned money on migrants.

The eye-popping sum, which amounts to $7,900 per foreign national in the city, was revealed by an updated analysis last week by the Common Sense Institut (CSI), a non-partisan research organization dedicated to protecting and promoting the U.S. economy. 

The group says it used city data to land on the stunning sum, which equates to 8% of the city’s 2025 budget of $4.4 billion. The figures combine the city’s budget as well as regional education and healthcare organizations.

DENVER MAYOR MIKE JOHNSTON SAYS TRUMP'S MASS MIGRANT DEPORTATIONS WILL CREATE ‘TIANANMEN SQUARE MOMENT’

Denver has seen an unprecedented influx of migrants arrive in the city under the Biden-Harris administration and Johnston has already slashed city services to house and feed those migrants. Cuts included reducing services at recreation centers and stopping the planting of spring flower beds, while the city tapped into a contingency fund to pay for the spiraling costs. 

The CSI claims that the bulk of the $356 million spent on migrants was through education, with the city also splashing out on healthcare, hotels, transportation and childcare. Denver is a sanctuary city, meaning it does not enforce immigration law, nor does the city cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

The group says that about 45,000 migrants have arrived in the Denver metro area since December 2022, with 16,197 migrant students enrolling in Denver metro schools.

DENVER MIGRANT ADVOCATES SAY SIX MONTHS OF FREE RENT, FOOD NOT ENOUGH: 'A SLAP IN THE FACE' AND 'OFFENSIVE'

"The total cost to Denver metro schools related to new migrant students is $228 million annually, which would equate to 1-2% of the total state K-12 education budget for the 2024-25 academic year," the group writes.

"Previous CSI reporting estimated the per-student cost of instruction and support in the Denver metro to be $14,100 per year. Assuming this cost across all recent migrant students totals $228 million.

Meanwhile, Denver doctors earlier this year said that the migrant crisis had pushed the state’s hospital system to its breaking point and was causing a humanitarian crisis. 

The CSI study estimates that emergency departments in the Denver metro area have delivered an estimated $49 million in uncompensated care to migrants. 

"With 16,760 [migrant] visits to Denver metro emergency departments from December 2022 to the present, providers would have delivered $49,124,029 of uncompensated care to migrants.

The study reports that at the height of the migrant influx in January 2024, officials estimated Denver was going to spend $180 million through 2024. Actual expenditures tracked by the city now show it will spend about $79 million.

"Of the total, 34.5% has been spent on facilities including hotels, 29.4% on personnel, 14% on services, and 11% on food," the report finds. 

Johnston said during a recent interview that he was prepared to protest against anything he believes is "illegal or immoral or un-American" in the city – including the use of military force – and was then asked if he was prepared to go to jail for standing in the way of policies enacted by the administration.

"Yeah, I'm not afraid of that, and I'm also not seeking that," Johnston said. "I think the goal is we want to be able to negotiate with reasonable people [on] how to solve hard problems."

Tom Homan, Trump's "border czar" designate, told Fox News' Sean Hannity this week that he would jail Johnston if he broke the law in shielding illegal migrants. 

 "All he has to do is look at Arizona v. U.S., and he would see he's breaking the law. But, look, me and the Denver mayor, we agree on one thing. He’s willing to go to jail, I’m willing to put him in jail."

Fox News’ Hanna Panreck contributed to this report. 

Who/what would have thought something so simple would take so long? 

The athletic eligibility of San Jose State's volleyball team and trans athlete Blaire Fleming came under legal review on Thursday during an emergency hearing in Colorado. But it couldn't get started before a lengthy discussion on whether to use she/her pronouns when referring to Fleming. 

Federal Judge Kato Crews, who was appointed by President Biden in January, dedicated the first 45 minutes of the hearing to a debate between the plaintiffs and defendants over what pronouns to use when describing Fleming and whether Fleming's name should be used during the hearing for the sake of privacy.

Nearly an hour into the hearing, Crews declared that he would choose to use she/her pronouns, but that any other individual in the courtroom could use whatever pronouns they wanted to use. Crews also clarified that his decision to the she/her pronouns when referring to Fleming did not reflect his decision on what Fleming's biological gender is. 

Crews also ruled that it was okay to use Fleming's name during the hearing. 

"While the court is not insensitive to the privacy issues ... the defendants have essentially affirmed there is a transgender player on the SJSU volleyball team," Crews said. 

THE PRONOUN POLICE HAVE ARRIVED AND ARE COMING FOR YOU NEXT 

The verbal implementation of official pronouns when referring to individuals to avoid "misgendering" them has, in fact, been tied to legal repercussions in the U.S. in recent years. 

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) rolled out a new gender pronoun policy in November 2023.

"All applicants and employees should be addressed by the names and pronouns they use to describe themselves. Using correct names and pronouns helps foster workplaces free of discrimination and harassment," the U.S. Office of Personnel Management guidance states.

"This practice also creates an inclusive work environment where all applicants and employees are treated with dignity. The isolated and inadvertent use of an incorrect name or pronoun will generally not constitute unlawful harassment, but, as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has explained, continued intentional use of an incorrect name or pronoun (or both) could, in certain circumstances, contribute to an unlawful hostile work environment."

Heritage Foundation expert and former HHS official Roger Severino previously told Fox News Digital that the laws violate employee rights and will result in firings for "misgendering."

SJSU WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL'S 1ST OPPONENT DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT TRASN PLAYER, SUGGESTS MATCH WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED

Official and proper pronoun usage has been at the center of mockery and satire by right-wing figures in politics and media, including President-elect Trump, in recent years. 

After liberal social media influencer and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. was discovered to have removed pronouns from her X bio after Trump's election win, the congresswoman became the subject of a viral mockery campaign by conservative and satirical users. 

Former NCAA swimmer and OutKick contributor Riley Gaines didn't let Ocasio-Cortez off the hook in a tirade of insults on X on November 14. 

"How will we know what to call AOC now that her pronouns in her bio are gone?!" Gaines wrote. 

And thus, a hearing on the situation with Fleming and San Jose State, which has recently become a landmark event in the civil rights discussion around women's sports, fittingly included a pronoun debate for the ages. 

The hearing came in response to a recent lawsuit filed against the Mountain West Conference for its policies on gender eligibility and identity. The plaintiffs, including multiple Mountain West volleyball players and Utah State University, contested the conference's policies that have let San Jose State player Blaire Fleming compete, despite being a biological male.

San Jose State finished the regular season with a 14-6 record and a 12-6 conference record. Six of its conference wins came via forfeit by opposing teams amid the controversy. Those include forfeits from conference opponents Boise State, Utah State, Wyoming and Nevada. Wyoming and Boise State have each forfeited two matches against the Spartans. 

The plaintiffs on Thursday were seeking to have the losses that those teams took for the forfeit be erased from their record and not counted against them in qualifying for the Mountain West Tournament. The plaintiffs were also seeking to prevent SJSU from rostering Fleming in any future games, including the upcoming tournament.

Fleming has been one of the top players in the conference and an offensive anchor for San Jose State this season, even amid the controversy. Fleming is third in the conference in average kills per serve with 3.86 and amassed 297 total kills on the year despite playing seven fewer games than expected due to the forfeits. It's helped give San Jose State the third best hitting percentage in the Mountain West. 

A Mountain West spokesperson told Fox News Digital on Wednesday that the conference is currently planning for San Jose State and Fleming to compete in the tournament in Las Vegas, starting November 27. That spokesperson also says the conference has a contingency plan in the event teams refuse to face San Jose State over Fleming's presence on the team. 

That plan includes a willingness to recognize San Jose State as the conference champion if the Spartans advance to the final and win the match by virtue of forfeit from opponents. 

"If we get to a championship game, and it's San Jose State vs. whoever, if that institution forfeits the game, then San Jose State wins that match, and then they are tournament champions. And they would be the automatic qualifier out of the Mountain West," the spokesperson said. 

However, Crews' eventual ruling could disrupt that plan and keep Fleming out of the tournament altogether. Crews concluded the hearing by saying he will deliver a ruling on the case in a "timely fashion." The tournament is set to begin next Wednesday. 

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