U.S. District Judge William Fitzpatrick has agreed to delay the Justice Department’s motion to dismiss its case against Henrry Josue Villatoro Santos, the Virginia-based Salvadorian national accused of being a top leader of the MS-13 gang in the U.S.
The ruling, handed down Friday, directs the government to keep Villatoro Santos in the custody of U.S. Marshals Service, and not be transferred to DHS officials until the appeal is resolved.
Villatoro Santos was arrested less than a month ago in Woodbridge, Virginia, and was charged with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm.
His high-profile arrest was supervised by both U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel from a nearby tactical center.
At the time, Bondi touted his capture and referred to him as the "top MS-13 leader" on the East Coast.
Shortly after, however, the Justice Department abruptly filed a motion to dismiss their case against Villatoro Santos – prompting speculation as to what would happen to him next.
His counsel said during an April 15 hearing that the government had not clarified next steps for their client, and suggested the Trump administration might move to summarily deport him without due process.
Villatoro Santos' lawyer, Muhammad Elsayed, claimed during the April 15 hearing that the decision to dismiss the case came from "high up" in the Trump administration, and argued if he were released, he would likely be deported almost immediately to CECOT, the Salvadorian prison housing hundreds of U.S. migrants.
"They have already determined the outcome, that he’ll go to the worst prison in the western hemisphere," Elsayed said earlier this week.
At the hearing, his attorneys also invoked the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was deported last month to El Salvador for being an alleged MS-13 member.
Two federal judges in Texas and New York also temporarily blocked the Trump administration's use of the Alien Enemies Act law deport certain nationals, siding with their contention that the plaintiffs in question are at risk of removal by the Trump administration, possibly without the opportunity to seek habeas relief in a U.S. court.
The updates follow a 5–4 Supreme Court ruling that lifted a lower court’s restraining order, allowing the Trump administration to temporarily resume use of the Alien Enemies Act — albeit with new due process protections for migrants.
The high court said individuals slated for deportation must have the opportunity to challenge their removal, with sufficient time to do so in a U.S. court.
As Passover and Holy Week came to a close, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee fulfilled a vow he had made to President Donald Trump. In his first act as ambassador, Huckabee placed a prayer from Trump into the Western Wall.
In his remarks at the Western Wall, Huckabee said that Trump "handwrote" the prayer and handed it to the new ambassador at the White House. Along with the note, Trump reportedly gave Huckabee a directive to bring it to the holy site as his first official act as ambassador.
"This morning, I visited [the Western Wall] in Israel’s eternal capital, Jerusalem, and placed a prayer from [the president] between the stones. On behalf of President Trump and the American people, I say to Israel: our commitment to you is unwavering, and we pray for the immediate return of all the hostages. Israel will never be alone," Huckabee wrote in a post on X.
Trump famously relocated the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in 2018, a move that drew intense praise and criticism at the time. He has also enjoyed a close relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during both of his terms in the White House.
Placing notes, like the one from Trump, in the wall is a common practice. The notes are typically collected twice a year — once before Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, and then again before Passover.
Huckabee’s visit to the Western Wall came as the Trump administration emphasized Holy Week, with the White House Faith Office leading events, including a pre-Easter dinner with faith leaders.
"We pray that America will remain a beacon of faith, hope, and freedom for the entire world, and we pray to achieve a future that reflects the truth, beauty, and goodness of Christ’s eternal kingdom in Heaven," Trump said in a White House statement on Holy Week.
Confidence in the Democratic Party's congressional leadership has sunk to an all-time low, according to a new national poll.
The confidence rating for Democratic leadership in Congress stands at 25% in a Gallup poll conducted April 1-14 and released on Thursday. That's nine points below the previous low of 34%, which was recorded in 2023.
According to Gallup, confidence in Republican congressional leadership stands at 39%, which is well above the 24% low hit in 2014.
Fueling the drop in confidence in the Democratic congressional leadership were Democrats.
"Democratic congressional leaders’ rating among their own party faithful has fallen 41 points since last year to their lowest point ever," Gallup noted in its release.
The Democratic Party is in the political wilderness, following last November's election setbacks, when Republicans won back control of the White House and the Senate, and defended their fragile House majority. And Republicans made gains among Black and Hispanic voters, as well as younger voters, all traditional members of the Democratic Party's base.
Democrats have become increasingly angry and energized in response to President Donald Trump's aggressive and controversial moves, since returning to the White House three months ago, in slashing the federal government and upending longstanding national policies.
That anger is directed not only at Trump and Republicans, but also at Democrats. Many in the party's base feel their leaders in Congress haven't been effective or vocal enough in pushing back against the president.
And the energy has been evident at town halls this winter and early spring held by both Democratic and Republican members of Congress.
National polls conducted in February by Quinnpiac University, and last month by CNN and by NBC News, indicated the favorable ratings for the Democratic Party sinking to all-time lows.
As Christians across the country celebrate Holy Week, a group of LGBTQ+ faith leaders gathered outside the U.S. Capitol to reject President Donald Trump's "anti-LGBTQ+ legislation." And one religious leader told Fox News Digital the Trump administration is "the most hostile administration to religion in recent memory."
Attendees at the Collective of Queer Christian Leaders event Monday claimed Trump had not only targeted the LGBTQ+ community but faith leaders.
"We've seen a series of attacks on faith leaders," Guthrie Graves, an ordained Baptist deacon, told Nicholas Ballasy for Fox News Digital. "For instance, Bishop Mariann Budde, the bishop in the Episcopal Church of Washington, spoke about mercy for LGBTQ people and immigrants during the inaugural prayer service. And then, even at a very humble plea for mercy, President Trump lashed out at her."
In a Truth Social Post, Trump called Budde a "Radical Left hard line Trump hater" and accused her of politicizing his inaugural prayer service by asking him to "have mercy" on LGBTQ+ children who are "scared."
"As the Collective of Queer Christian leaders, our message today was to let LGBTQ+ communities and individuals know that they are not alone. We are not alone. We're in this together. We wanted today to speak out against the anti-LGBTQ+ legislation as well as the executive orders coming out of this current administration," said Ryan Henderson, who attended Monday's event.
Trump, on his first day back in the Oval Office, issued an executive order establishing only two sexes, male and female.
And Trump Attorney General Pam Bondi announced a lawsuit Wednesday against the state of Maine for allowing transgender women to continue playing women's sports.
Democratic Maine Gov. Janet Mills has refused to comply with Trump's executive order restricting biological men from playing girls and women’s sports. Nearly two months ago, Trump and Mills sparred during a bipartisan meeting of governors at the White House, during which Trump promised Mills he'd see her "in court."
Many attendees told Fox News Digital that transgender people, in particular, are "under attack." And Haley Warner of the Belong Collective, an LGBTQ+ inclusive church, advocated for a "full embrace from the church, from the arms of God" and to speak out against "what's being done by the far-right in the name of God."
Sunu Chandy, a senior advisor at Democracy Forward, a legal organization that advocates for the advancement of democracy through policy engagement, said rights "need to be fought for in the courts, in the faith communities, in the streets, to make sure that our trans siblings, in particular, are uplifted in this time.
"What's incredibly clear is that we are in the midst of a certain level of unprecedented attacks against the LGBTQ+ community, wherein the rights that my ancestors fought so hard to gain are now not only under attack, but are actively being rolled back," said the Rev. Don Abram, founder of Pride in the Pews.
Another attendee, Jan Lawrence, executive director of Reconciling Ministries Network, an LGBTQ+ justice organization within the United Methodist Church, emphasized the importance of faith leaders standing united during this "critical time."
"We have a collective voice that is louder than the voice of any one of us," Lawrence said.
While the Trump administration was called "the most hostile administration to religion in recent memory" during Monday's event, Trump's new White House Faith Office announced a robust Holy Week schedule to celebrate Easter.
The White House did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment by deadline.
Last year, President Joe Biden proclaimed March 31, which fell on Easter Sunday, Transgender Day of Visibility to show "transgender and nonbinary Americans that we see them, they belong, and they should be treated with dignity and respect."
President Donald Trump is calling Sen. Chris Van Hollen a "fool" on Friday after the legislator flew to El Salvador to meet with deported illegal immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia.
"Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland looked like a fool yesterday standing in El Salvador begging for attention from the Fake News Media, or anyone. GRANDSTANDER!!!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social account.
Garcia, a 29-year-old illegal immigrant living in Maryland, was deported to the El Salvadoran megaprison "Terrorism Confinement Center" (CECOT) last month, and officials acknowledged in court that his deportation had been an administrative error, although now some top Trump officials say he had been correctly removed and contend that he is a member of the notorious MS-13 gang.
"I said my main goal of this trip was to meet with Kilmar," Van Hollen, a Democrat, said in a post on X on Thursday. "Tonight I had that chance. I have called his wife, Jennifer, to pass along his message of love. I look forward to providing a full update upon my return."
Van Hollen said earlier Thursday that "Kilmar Abrego Garcia had been illegally abducted and is being held in a notorious prison in El Salvador -- barred from contacting his family or lawyers." Van Hollen also spoke to the press in El Salvador, in a video posted on YouTube.
Abrego Garcia's wife Jennifer Vasquez said in a statement that "we still have so many questions, hopes, and fears," according to the Associated Press.
Both a federal district court and the U.S. Supreme Court have ordered the Trump administration to "facilitate" Garcia’s release and return to the U.S. for proper deportation proceedings.
The Trump administration also released information on Wednesday indicating that Abrego Garcia's wife has accused him of repeated abuse of her.
Fox News obtained the written domestic violence allegations filed in court against Abrego Garcia by Vasquez in 2021.
In the filing, written in her own handwriting, Vasquez alleged that Abrego Garcia had repeatedly beaten her, writing: "At this point, I am afraid to be close to him. I have multiple photos/videos of how violent he can be and all the bruises he [has] left me."
Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner, Jasmine Baehr and Bill Mears contributed to this report.
President Donald Trump announced that conservative commentator Mark Levin, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, Florida state Sen. Joe Gruters and former NYPD detective Bo Dietl will serve on the Homeland Security Advisory Council.
The president described service on the panel as a "big honor."
"I am proud to announce the formation of my revamped Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC), which is comprised of Top Experts in their field, who are highly respected by their peers. It is a big honor to serve on HSAC, and I know the new Members, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, Mark Levin, Bo Dietl, and Joseph Gruters, will do an incredible job," the president declared in a post on Truth Social.
"Under Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s leadership, HSAC will work hard on developing new Policies and Strategies that will help us secure our Border, deport Illegal Criminal Thugs, stop the flow of Fentanyl and other illegal drugs that are killing our Citizens, and MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN. Congratulations to all!" he added.
Levin, a conservative talk radio show star and author, hosts the TV show "Life, Liberty, & Levin" on the Fox News Channel.
Last year, Trump urged Gruters to run for the role of Florida chief financial officer.
"RUN JOE, RUN! This is an Endorsement I would love to make," he declared in a March 2024 Truth Social post.
Gruters noted in a November post on X, "Whether via appointment or at the ballot box in 2026, I look forward to running for CFO as President Trump’s endorsed candidate."
U.S. Rep. Jimmy Patronis, R-Fla., who previously served as Florida's CFO, joined Congress this month after winning election to former Rep. Matt Gaetz's old seat in the Sunshine State's 1st Congressional District.
Patronis resigned from the Florida CFO role before the end of his term, and Gov. Ron DeSantis can appoint a replacement.
The Florida CFO election is slated to take place in 2026.
There's no denying that President Donald Trump is moving at warp speed during his second tour of duty in the White House.
"We have accomplished more in 43 days than most administrations accomplished in four years or eight years, and we are just getting started," the president said during his prime-time address to Congress and the nation last month.
And a few days later, the White House team touted, "50 WINS IN 50 DAYS: President Trump Delivers for Americans."
Trump has aggressively asserted executive authority in his second term, overturning long-standing government policy and making major cuts to the federal workforce through an avalanche of sweeping and controversial executive orders and actions – many aimed at addressing grievances he has held since his first term.
But the most recent national public opinion polls suggest that Americans aren't thrilled with the job the president is doing.
The latest Gallup poll, conducted April 1-14 and released on Thursday, indicates that Trump is underwater, with a 44% approval rating and 53% disapproval rating.
Most, but not all, of the most recent national public opinion surveys indicate Trump's approval ratings in negative territory, which is a slide from the president's poll position when he started his second tour of duty in the White House.
Contributing to the slide are increasing concerns over the economy and inflation, which was a pressing issue that kept former President Joe Biden’s approval ratings well below water for most of his presidency. And Trump's blockbuster tariff announcement two weeks ago, which sparked a trade war with some of the nation's top trading partners, triggered a massive sell-off in the financial markets and increased concerns about a recession.
The Gallup poll is the latest to spotlight the massive partisan divide over the polarizing president.
Nine out of 10 Republicans questioned by Gallup gave Trump a thumbs up, but only 4% of Democrats said they approved of the president's performance. Among Independents, only 37% approved of the job Trump's doing steering the nation.
With the president reaching three months into his second term this weekend – he was inaugurated on Jan. 20 – Gallup is comparing his approval ratings with his presidential predecessors.
According to Gallup's figures, Trump's average approval rating during the first quarter of his first year back in office is 45%.
While that's an improvement from his 41% average approval rating during the first three months of his first administration, in 2017, it's far below previous presidents.
"John F. Kennedy and Dwight Eisenhower had the highest first-quarter average ratings, with both registering above 70%, while Jimmy Carter, Barack Obama and Ronald Reagan averaged between 60% and 69%. George W. Bush, George H.W. Bush, Joe Biden and Bill Clinton had similar average ratings of 55% to 58% in their first quarters," Gallup noted in its release.
Gallup highlighted that "Trump is the only president to have sub-50% average approval ratings during a first quarter in office."
But enjoying promising approval ratings out of the gate doesn't guarantee a positive and productive presidency.
Carter's poll numbers sank into negative territory less than two years into his presidency, and he was resoundingly defeated in his bid for re-election in 1980.
Biden's approval rating hovered in the low-to-mid-50s during the first six months of his single term as president, with his disapproval in the upper 30s to the low- to-mid-40s.
However, Biden's numbers sank into negative territory in the late summer and autumn of 2021, in the wake of his much-criticized handling of the turbulent U.S. exit from Afghanistan, and amid soaring inflation and a surge of migrants crossing into the U.S. along the nation's southern border with Mexico.
Biden's approval ratings stayed underwater throughout the rest of his presidency, and he dropped his bid for re-election last summer.
Code Pink, the liberal antiwar group known best for disrupting hearings in their trademark fuchsia garb, may need to register under a 1938 law requiring disclosure of political behavior benefiting foreign entities or governments, according to a top Senate Republican.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, wrote a letter Wednesday to FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi openly considering whether Code Pink, as well as the New York-based socialist "incubator" The People’s Forum, must register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).
"The Department of Justice has a duty to ensure compliance with the [FARA, which] remains a priority tool to combat adversarial foreign governments from influencing public policy and opinion in the United States," Grassley wrote.
"FARA provides the American people with much-needed accountability and transparency. FARA is a content-neutral law and does not require any entity or individual to refrain from certain types of speech or activities. It simply requires individuals to register with the DOJ if they are acting as an agent of a foreign government or enterprise attempting to influence U.S. public policy."
Focusing particularly on China, Grassley said the CCP spent more than $400 million since 2016 to influence American politics, and that both Code Pink and The People's Forum have ties to a wealthy Shanghai-based U.S. citizen-activist, Neville Roy Singham, and the CCP itself.
"Mr. Singham has denied working with the Chinese government; however, in July 2023, Mr. Singham reportedly attended a Communist Party workshop about ‘promoting the party internationally,'" Grassley wrote.
"Reportedly, Mr. Singham shares office and staff with the Shanghai Maku Cultural Communication Company, whose goal is to ‘educate foreigners about ‘the miracles that China has created on the world stage.' Further, it is reported that Mr. Singham’s news outlet is co-producing a show on YouTube that is partially financed by Shanghai’s propaganda department," he added, footnoting a New York Times report from 2023.
Code Pink was co-founded by Jodie Evans – Singham’s wife – and according to Grassley, it received hefty donations from groups tied to Singham.
Grassley, appearing to cite the Times, catalogued Evans’ reported criticism of the Uyghurs as terrorists, though they are considered by the U.S. government to be victims of human rights abuses at the hands of the Chinese government. He wrote that when Evans married Singham and "became a recipient of funds tied to him," she and Code Pink became "stridently" pro-China.
The letter also cited a meeting between Code Pink and the House Select Committee on China, in which he said they "denied evidence of forced labor in Xinjiang, a public policy position that benefits China’s interests" and separately urged the Foreign Relations Committee to vote "nay" on funding a $1.6 billion anti-Chinese-propaganda campaign.
As for The People’s Forum, which operates a café and meeting space in Manhattan, Grassley cited a Free Press report finding Singham the "main funder" of the group, which organized anti-Israel protests in Times Square after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terror attacks.
Grassley cited a tweet in which The People’s Forum responded to claims that it receives "dark money," and it goes on to say how it met "Roy Singham, a Marxist comrade who sold his company and donated most of his wealth to non-profits that focus on political education, culture & internationalism."
Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., previously wrote to The People’s Forum demanding answers for alleged ties to the July 24 pro-Palestinian mass-vandalism protest at Washington-Union Station, and the broader "Shut-It-Down-4-Palestine movement" nationwide.
In a statement, Grassley said, "Evidence suggests that The People’s Forum and Code Pink have been funded and influenced by Mr. Singham and the Communist Chinese government, both of which are foreign principals."
"The evidence also suggests that The People’s Forum and Code Pink have engaged in covered political activities that directly advance the Communist Chinese government’s political and policy interests."
"Secretive foreign lobbying and public relations campaigns by China and other adversaries undermines the political will and interests of the American people," he added, calling on Bondi and Patel to review any interactions between the groups and DOJ, and what the feds have done to assess their FARA eligibility.
Fox News Digital reached out to Code Pink and The People’s Forum, as well as two emails listed for Singham, but did not hear back.
FIRST ON FOX: The Trump administration rolled out a revamped COVID.gov website Friday showing the "true origins" of the coronavirus, while admonishing Democrats and the media for discrediting the theory the virus leaked from a lab and alternative health treatments, and for imposing strict mandates.
"This administration prioritizes transparency over all else," a senior administration official told Fox News Digital Friday. "The American people deserve to know the truth about the Covid pandemic and we will always find ways to reach communities with that message."
The website, which previously had focused on promoting the coronavirus vaccine to Americans, now walks readers through evidence supporting the lab leak theory, how former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci promoted the idea that COVID-19 originated naturally, former President Joe Biden pardoning Fauci for "any offenses against" the U.S. he may have committed, and providing details on the origin of the "social distancing" rules and mask mandates.
"'The Proximal Origin of SARS-CoV-2' publication — which was used repeatedly by public health officials and the media to discredit the lab leak theory — was promoted by Dr. Fauci to push the preferred narrative that COVID-19 originated naturally," the site states, before launching into five bullet points on the origins of the virus.
The new site outlines that a biological characteristic found in the virus was not found in nature, bolstering the lab leak theory, while noting that Wuhan, China, where the first coronavirus case was found, is also home to China's "foremost SARs research lab" and that "if there was evidence of a natural origin it would have already surfaced. But it hasn't."
The Trump administration's CIA reported earlier in 2025 that a lab leak was the likely origin of the COVID-19 virus, which had been passed off by media outlets and scientists as a likely conspiracy theory during the early days of the pandemic. The Department of Energy under the Biden administration and former FBI Director Christopher Wray in 2023 also said evidence indicated the coronarius was the result of a lab leak.
The website also walks readers through the origins of COVID-era rules, such as mask mandates and social distancing.
"The ‘6 feet apart’ social distancing recommendation — which shut down schools and small business across the country — was arbitrary and not based on science," it states. "During closed door testimony, Dr. Fauci testified that guidance 'sort of just appeared."
The website says of mask mandates: "There was no conclusive evidence that masks effectively protected Americans from COVID-19. Public health officials flip-flopped on the efficacy of masks without providing Americans scientific data — causing a massive uptick in public distrust."
The website notes that content on the page was sourced directly from the House Oversight Committee's Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic.
"Public health officials often mislead the American people through conflicting messaging, knee-jerk reactions, and a lack of transparency," the website states under a portion called "COVID-19 misinformation." "Most egregiously, the federal government demonized alternative treatments and disfavored narratives, such as the lab leak theory, in a shameful effort to coerce and control the American people's health decisions."
Many media outlets dismissed Trump in 2020 when he said he had seen evidence that the virus originated in a Wuhan, China, lab, before U.S. intelligence officials such as Wray and the Department of Energy reported that the virus likely originated there.
Many outlets have since published articles showing the theory is credible, including the New York Times running a March column claiming the scientific community "badly misled" the public in an effort to suppress theory, even after the paper's own science writer called the theory "racist."
ICE and several federal law enforcement agencies arrested over 200 illegal aliens in an "enhanced immigration enforcement operation" in the "most crime-infested neighborhoods" in and around New York City in just one week this month.
According to a statement by ICE released on Wednesday, 206 illegal immigrants, the majority of whom have "egregious criminal histories to include manslaughter, rape, assault, drug trafficking and sex assault against minors," were apprehended as part of the operation.
The operation took place in New York City and throughout Long Island and the Lower Hudson Valley region between April 6-12.
According to the ICE statement, the agency and partners targeted "egregious criminal alien offenders," including transnational criminal organizations like the recently designated international terrorist organizations MS-13 and Tren de Aragua as well as the violent Sureños and 18th Street gangs.
The agency said many of the arrests were made after local authorities in New York refused to honor immigration detainers filed by ICE and instead released the illegals back into the community.
Of the 206 arrested, ICE said 121 had major criminal convictions or are currently facing charges for murder, assault, arson, sex crimes, drug crimes and firearms crimes.
Among those arrested was a 58-year-old illegally present Mexican national named Adnan Paulino-Flores, whose criminal history includes arrests for sexual abuse of a person incapable of consent or physically helpless and subjecting another person to sexual contact without consent.
Another, a 51-year-old illegal from Ecuador named Jaime Gustavo Quizpi-Romero, has a criminal history that includes an arrest for assault with intent to cause physical injury with a weapon or instrument and strangulation, obstructing the breath and blood circulation, causing serious injury.
Another Ecuadoran illegal named Luis Olmedo Quishpi-Poalasin, 35, has an even longer criminal history, including convictions for rape, sexual abuse, unlawful imprisonment, preventing testimony through fear of injury and communicating threats by phone, computer or mail.
The operation also resulted in the arrest of Edimar Alejandra Colmenares Mendoza, a 22-year-old Venezuelan illegal who is a member of the Tren de Aragua gang.
Tren de Aragua – also known as "TdA" – is a violent criminal organization that has unleashed a spate of terror activities across the U.S. and is linked to several high-profile crimes, including the murder of nursing student Laken Riley in Georgia and the seizure of an apartment building in Aurora, Colorado.
Charges against Colmenares Mendoza include conspiracy, larceny and possession of stolen property.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat who is running for re-election as an independent, appeared to back ICE's arrests of criminal illegals, telling Fox News that the left is making a mistake by diverging from the sentiments of the majority of New Yorkers that illegal criminals and gang members should be taken off the streets.
"One of the big mistakes that's being made in some parts of the far-left philosophy is that ICE is a criminal organization. They are not, they are part of our law enforcement community," he said, adding, "We have to get bad, dangerous people off our streets."
Judith Almodovar, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations New York City acting field office director, commented on the arrests, saying, "The success of this enhanced operation highlights the resolve of ICE and our federal partners in keeping our country safe from violent criminal aliens."
Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons added that "New York is much safer today because of the hard work of ICE and our law enforcement partners."
"Throughout this enhanced enforcement operation, we targeted the most dangerous alien offenders in some of the most crime-infested neighborhoods in and around the city of New York," Lyons said. "ICE remains dedicated to our mission to prioritize public safety by arresting and removing illegal alien offenders from communities throughout this great nation."
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials and the U.S. DOGE Service are reportedly looking to add a Medicare database to their arsenal of tools to use in their crackdown on illegal immigrants. The Washington Post published its report on the agencies’ alleged plan on Wednesday, citing a person familiar with the matter and internal documents.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) allegedly manages the database, which contains personal information — including addresses — sought by ICE, according to the Post. The database is known as the Integrated Data Repository (IDR), which acts as an archive for beneficiary information, Medicare claims and more.
The outlet said ICE is asking CMS to compare the Social Security numbers of individuals believed to be in the country illegally to Medicare claims to help determine their addresses.
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump issued a memorandum aimed at preventing illegal immigrants from obtaining benefits through the Social Security Act, including Medicare. The memorandum establishes a Medicare and Medicaid fraud prosecution program and expands the Social Security Administration’s existing enforcement initiatives.
Elon Musk, who leads DOGE, has spoken about the "waste and fraud" in federal entitlement programs, including Medicare.
"The waste and fraud in entitlement spending — which is most of the federal spending is entitlements — so, that’s, like, the big one to eliminate. That’s the, sort of half-trillion, maybe $6-700 billion a year," Musk told Fox Business’ Larry Kudlow.
The alleged joint initiative between DOGE and ICE seems to align with the Trump administration’s crackdowns on illegal immigration and government waste.
ICE did not respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is probing "a major pediatric teaching hospital" over the alleged firing of a nurse who sought a religious exemption to avoid administering puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to children.
"The Department will robustly enforce federal laws protecting these courageous whistleblowers, including laws that protect healthcare professionals from being forced to violate their religious beliefs or moral convictions," Acting HHS OCR Director Anthony Archeval said in a statement.
While HHS has not confirmed the hospital’s identity, it is believed to be Texas Children’s Hospital (TCH) — the largest children’s hospital in the U.S. — as the investigation follows whistleblower nurse Vanessa Sivadge’s testimony on Capitol Hill. Sivadge first came forward publicly in June 2024 and was later fired in August 2024.
Sivadge told lawmakers that she had witnessed "disturbing trends and concerning practices" relating to the treatment of children diagnosed with gender dysphoria. She also said that she "observed the powerful and irreversible effects" of treatments that patients were told were "lifesaving."
"I witnessed firsthand how doctors emotionally blackmailed parents by telling them that if they did not affirm their child’s false identity, their child would harm themselves. In particular, I was saddened to see young girls suffering from profound mental health struggles like depression and anxiety, many of whom had also suffered sexual abuse or trauma, persuaded by doctors at Texas Children’s that a hormone would resolve their gender confusion," Sivadge told lawmakers.
Dr. Eithan Haim, who was accused of violating HIPAA while in surgical training at Baylor College of Medicine, which is affiliated with TCH, also blew the whistle on the hospital for "lying about the existence of its transgender program." The Biden DOJ brought charges against Haim for the alleged HIPAA violations, but the case was ultimately dropped under the Trump administration.
Haim claimed the hospital was engaging in fraudulent billing practices to hide the fact that it was carrying out transgender procedures on minors even though it was against Texas law. This included recording mastectomies as "breast reduction" surgeries and billing testosterone prescribed to a teen girl under a male diagnosis.
In her testimony, Sivadge said that federal agents came to her home when investigating the whistleblower, now known to be Haim, because of her objections to transgender medicine. She described the interaction as intimidating and said that one of the special agents "effectively asked me to compromise my Christian beliefs and made veiled threats regarding my career and safety if I didn’t comply with their demands."
Sivadge's attorney filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) on April 11, alleging that she "observed TCH doctors, after very little deliberation or critical analysis, embarking children on dangerous and often irreversible courses of ‘gender-affirming’ treatment."
According to the complaint, TCH "temporarily" paused "gender-affirming services" for minors after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in February 2022 that such treatments could constitute child abuse. The treatments were banned in the state following the passage of a bill in May 2023, which went into effect in September 2023. According to Sivadge's attorney, she asked to be transferred back to cardiology in May 2024, citing her religious beliefs.
Sivadge publicly blew the whistle on TCH on June 18, 2024, and was asked not to report to work the next day, according to the complaint. Just days later, on June 21, she was placed on administrative leave and was officially terminated in August 2024. TCH alleged that the termination of her employment was due to improper access to medical records.
On Jan. 28, 2025, President Donald Trump signed the "Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation" order, which prevents minors from undergoing transgender treatments. In accordance with this order, HHS has issued guidelines for prospective whistleblowers.
Fox News has reached out to TCH and HHS for comment.
FIRST ON FOX: A spokesperson for the family of the 17-year-old boy accused of stabbing Frisco, Texas, track star Austin Metcalf to death has a long history of supporting defunding the police as well as close ties to former Squad Rep. Cori Bush.
Minister Dominique Alexander, a Dallas-based defund the police activist and social justice leader, has been in the headlines in recent days as he and his organization, Next Generation Action Network (NGAN), have been rallying in defense of the family of 17-year-old Karmelo Anthony, the teenager who is accused of fatally stabbing Metcalf, and Anthony himself.
"The Next Generation Action Network is currently working with the Anthony family to get the bond processed and will keep the community updated regarding his release," NGAN posted on X earlier this week after the bond was reduced from $1 million to $250,000. "We want to sincerely thank everyone for the overwhelming support you have shown. This is just the beginning of a long legal journey, and we will continue to stand strong in defense of Karmelo’s rights."
Alexander hosted a press conference on Thursday and slammed the father of the victim for being a "disrespect to the dignity of his son" after he showed up to the press conference that he was "not invited" to, according to Alexander.
"That was disrespectful and just shows you all the character," he continued. "He was not invited. He knows that it's inappropriate to be near this family, but he did it. So, I say to people, actions speak louder than words."
Alexander's comments immediately went viral Thursday across social media, which led to online sleuths resurfacing his long criminal record, which has been documented in multiple local reports dating back over a decade. A Fox News Digital review also exposes his longtime support for defunding the police and his ties to the former "Squad" House Democrat and defund-the-police activist Cori Bush, who was defeated last year during her Democratic primary.
Alexander's X and Facebook accounts reveal that he and NGAN played a pivotal role in helping mobilize on behalf of Bush's winning campaigns in 2020 and 2022. In 2020, Bush praised Alexander and his group for their "perseverance & dedication" and said their "[commitment] to the work" is "unmatched."
"Thanks to Minister [Dominique Alexander] & @NextGenAction for your tireless work & bravery," Bush said in 2019.
In a 2021 post, Alexander said it was "truly an honor" to join Bush as she was sworn into Congress. The post included a photo of Alexander accompanied by Bush, who was holding NGAN's Shirley Chisholm Award that she received from the organization in 2020.
In another 2021 post, Alexander posted a photo of him and Bush from 2020 while they were campaigning together, saying, "Last year, I had the honor of seeing history in the making by seeing this beautiful black queen [Cori Bush] elected to Congress."
"I am so proud of her as an actual frontline protester. We saw her yesterday sacrifice for millions facing eviction in America, our Movement Congresswoman," he continued. "Happy Election Anniversary, Congresswoman Cori Bush."
Alexander and his organization would go on to post dozens of pro-Bush posts during her tenure in Congress, including saying that the group was "excited to stand with [Rep. Cori Bush] and over 300 organizations nationwide to demand reparations in America" in a 2023 post.
"Thank you for your service to our community and our country. The attacks that you are currently experiencing is baseless. In the people support, making sure you are okay and safe to serve," NGAN said in a 2024 post. "We live in a country that does not want to address white supremacy."
When Bush lost her Democratic primary last year, NGAN railed against AIPAC and called for the Supreme Court case, Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, to be "overturned" after the group's super PAC spent millions to defeat Bush.
While Alexander's ties to Bush have not been widely reported, his criminal history went viral on social media as conservatives ripped him as a "career criminal" and resurfaced local reports about his criminal past, including being indicted on a felony family violence charge in Dallas, according to NBC 5 DFW.
The outlet reported in 2019 that an arrest warrant affidavit stated that Alexander's longtime partner, Keyaira Saunders, had reported to police that Alexander had shoved her and tried to strangle her.
Saunders later declined to pursue charges and slammed the Dallas police for their handling of the case, according to the outlet.
Alexander also served two days in jail after pleading guilty to a felony theft case in 2021, Dallas Express reported.
"After four years of this hanging over my head, I decided to avoid a jury trial in a Trump County that wouldn’t have given me a fair shot at all," Alexander posted on Facebook around the time of his guilty plea.
In 2016, Alexander was sentenced to two years in prison for violating his probation, Fox 10 Phoenix reported.
Another local report from 2009 details how Alexander was arrested for allegedly causing serious head injuries to his then-girlfriend's two-year-old son while he was babysitting him. Alexander initially told police and his then-girlfriend that the young boy had fallen off the couch while he was in the other room, but the doctor dismissed his claim amid an examination of the young boy in the intensive care unit, according to the Dallas Observer.
"The severity of his injuries is not consistent with rolling off the couch," the investigating officer reported the doctor saying. "The injuries are acute and likely occurred around the time that [his girlfriend’s son] started to have symptoms (like being unresponsive.) Without more adequate history of trauma, complainant’s injuries are more consistent with abusive head trauma and child physical abuse."
The Dallas Observer continued by reporting that Alexander had admitted shaking the child and that the judge had charged him with a first-degree felony.
"Not long after he was arrested for injury to a child causing severe bodily harm, he got into trouble for forging a check, leading police on a high-speed chase, stealing a car and falsely claiming that a car was stolen," the Dallas Observer added. "Alexander brought a couple of character witnesses, but one had only recently met him and the other didn’t know Alexander was on probation."
In addition to his criminal record, Alexander's social media profiles are littered with pro-defunding the police and supportive posts of notorious antisemite Louis Farrakhan.
"We can defund Education; We can defund social services; we can defund Recreation centers & libraries. 'WE CAN DEFUND THE POLICE.' End of story - Fund Our Communities," Alexander posted on X in 2022.
In the summer of 2020, at the height of the George Floyd movement, Alexander specifically called for the Dallas Police Department to be defunded, via a post on X.
"After 75 days of protest, the @DallasCityMgr is increasing the [Dallas Police Department] budget. We will Defund Dallas Police Department we want a 100,000,000 from Dallas Police," Alexander's NGAN organization posted in August 2020.
Alexander has publicly supported Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan despite dozens of antisemitic comments, including comparing Jews to "termites" and saying they are "wicked."
"Please get it correct the Honorable Minister @LouisFarrakhan is the name please put some respect on his name," Alexander said in a X post responding to CNN'S Jake Tapper, who is Jewish.
"Happy 83rd Birthday [Louis Farrakhan] may GOD continue to bless you," he wrote in another X post.
Fox News Digital reached out to Alexander for comment.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that it needs to be determined within days whether achieving a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine is "doable in the short term," warning that he thinks the U.S. will "move on" if it is not achievable.
Rubio said that if it is "not possible," he thinks President Donald Trump is "probably at a point where he's gonna say, ‘Well, we’re done.'"
But Rubio noted that the U.S. will help if either or both sides are "serious about peace."
"If it's not gonna happen, then we're just gonna move on," Rubio declared.
"@POTUS has been clear: The time to end the war between Russia and Ukraine is now. Today in Paris, @SE_MiddleEast, @SPE_Kellogg and I met with leaders from France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Ukraine to talk about how we can stop the killing and reach a just and sustainable peace," Rubio noted in a post on X.
The war continues to rage, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declaring in a post, "This is how Russia began this Good Friday – with ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, Shaheds – maiming our people and cities."
U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., staunchly supports Ukraine and wants the U.S. to provide the Eastern European nation with arms to bolster its war effort.
"European Allies and U.S. should arm Ukraine to the max and help them defend their country against the Russians, and now the North Koreans and Chinese," Bacon said in a recent tweet.
A federal judge in Baltimore issued a preliminary injunction Thursday restricting the Department of Government Efficiency’s access to Social Security data.
U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander, an Obama appointee, said DOGE-affiliated staffers must purge any of the non-anonymized Social Security data that they have received since Jan. 20. They are also barred from making any changes to the computer code or software used by the Social Security Administration, must remove any software or code they might have already installed, and are forbidden from disclosing any of that code to others.
The injunction does allow DOGE staffers to access data that's been redacted or stripped of anything personally identifiable, if they undergo training and background checks.
"The objective to address fraud, waste, mismanagement, and bloat is laudable, and one that the American public presumably applauds and supports," Hollander wrote in the ruling issued late Thursday night. "Indeed, the taxpayers have every right to expect their government to make sure that their hard earned money is not squandered."
But that's not the issue, Hollander said — the issue is with how DOGE, led by billionaire Elon Musk, wants to do the work.
"For some 90 years, SSA has been guided by the foundational principle of an expectation of privacy with respect to its records. This case exposes a wide fissure in the foundation," the judge wrote.
The case was brought by a group of labor unions and retirees who allege DOGE's recent actions violate privacy laws and present massive information security risks.
During a federal court hearing Tuesday in Baltimore, Hollander repeatedly asked the government's attorneys why DOGE needs "seemingly unfettered access" to the agency's troves of sensitive personal information to uncover Social Security fraud.
"What is it we're doing that needs all of that information?" Hollander said, questioning whether most of the data could be anonymized.
Attorneys for the Trump administration said changing the process would slow down their efforts.
"While anonymization is possible, it is extremely burdensome," Justice Department attorney Bradley Humphreys told the court. He argued the DOGE access doesn't deviate significantly from normal practices inside the agency, where employees and auditors are routinely allowed to search its databases.
But attorneys for the plaintiffs called it "a sea change" in terms of how the agency handles sensitive information.
Skye Perryman, President and CEO of the legal services group Democracy Forward, which is behind the lawsuit, said the ruling has brought "significant relief for the millions of people who depend on the Social Security Administration to safeguard their most personal and sensitive information."
Hollander made clear that her order didn't apply to SSA workers who aren't affiliated with DOGE, so they can still access any data they use in the course of ordinary work. But DOGE staffers who want access to the anonymized data must first undergo the typical training and background checks required of other Social Security Administration staffers, she said.
Hollander, 75, is the latest judge to consider a DOGE-related case. Many of her inquiries Tuesday focused on whether the Social Security case differs significantly from another Maryland case challenging DOGE's access to data at three other agencies: the Education Department, the Treasury Department and the Office of Personnel Management. In that case, an appeals court recently blocked a preliminary injunction and cleared the way for DOGE to once again access people's private data.
Hollander's injunction could also be appealed to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which sided with the Trump administration in other cases, including allowing DOGE access to the U.S. Agency for International Development and letting executive orders against diversity, equity and inclusion move forward.
President Donald Trump said Thursday that China has been reaching out "a lot" ever since he nearly tripled U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports, and he suggested to reporters that the two nations could reach a deal in as soon as three to four weeks.
During a gaggle with reporters after signing executive orders related to deregulating the seafood industry, Trump was asked about his ongoing negotiations with Chinese officials and, in particular, whether he has yet spoken to Chinese President Xi Jinping about the ongoing trade battle.
"They have reached out a number of times," Trump said, referring to high-level Chinese officials. When asked how frequently they've been in touch since last week – after Trump tripled his Chinese tariff increase from 54% to 145% – the president responded, "A lot."
His comments come amid media reports that Trump has indicated he is unwilling to reach out to China first amid the ongoing trade war. According to sources close to Trump, U.S. officials have been urging the Chinese to initiate a call between Xi and Trump, but so far they have not.
When asked if he had spoken to Xi yet, Trump would not confirm one way or the other.
"I've never said whether or not [it's] happened, but I have a very good relationship with President Xi, and I think it's going to continue. They have reached out a number of times," Trump told reporters.
The press then quickly pounced on Trump's response, requesting the president to clarify if he was referring to Xi or other Chinese officials when he said, "They have reached out a number of times."
"I view it very similar," Trump responded. "It would be top levels of China, and if you knew [Xi], you would know that if they reached out, he knew exactly – he knew everything about it. He runs it very tight, very strong, very smart. And, yeah, we're talking to China."
The president said that while some have urged him to fast-track his negotiations, he believes there is "plenty" of time left to make a deal with China and expects it will eventually come to fruition.
"I would think over the next three or four weeks, I think maybe the whole thing could be concluded," Trump told reporters Thursday.
The president added that if a deal cannot be reached, things will "be fine."
"At a certain point, if we don't make a deal, we'll just set a limit. We'll set a tariff. We'll set some parameters, and we'll say, 'Come in and shop,'" Trump said. "They always have a right not to do it, so they can say, 'Well, we don't want it, so we're not going to shop there, we're not going to shop in the store of America.' We have something that nobody else has, and that's the American consumer."
