CONCORD, N.H. - The nation's newest governor is coming out of the starting gate by proposing a new government efficiency commission that seems to be modeled, to a degree, on a similar national effort by President-elect Trump.

Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte of swing state New Hampshire, in her inaugural address on Thursday as she succeeded longtime GOP Gov. Chris Sununu, pointed to the state's budget challenges ahead due to the drying up of federal COVID relief funding for the states and a downturn in business revenues.

"We are going to have to look to find better ways to do things with fewer dollars," Ayotte said.

The new governor then said, "Because I know nothing is harder than getting politicians to not spend money, today I am announcing the creation of the Commission on Government Efficiency, or as I like to call it – the ‘COGE.’"

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Ayotte argued that "COGE will make us smarter than ever before when it comes to saving taxpayer dollars and finding better ways to serve the people of our state."

In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital ahead of her inauguration, Ayotte appeared to tease her proposal by emphasizing that "we look for new, efficient ways to do things better and serve taxpayers."

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The move by New Hampshire's governor comes nearly two months after Trump, days after his presidential election victory, tapped Elon Musk, the world's richest person, and former Republican presidential candidate and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to steer what he called the "Department of Government Efficiency," better known by its acronym DOGE.

Ayotte's proposal received plenty of applause from state lawmakers gathered at New Hampshire's Statehouse for the governor's inauguration. Republicans in November's elections made major gains as they strengthened their state House and state Senate majorities.

"I think it's a brilliant approach," Republican Mayor Jay Ruais of Manchester, New Hampshire's largest city, told Fox News. 

Ruais, considered a rising star in his party, emphasized "appointing a commission like this to go after any kind of bloat, I think, is a perfect approach and certainly going to be really beneficial for state government and also certainly helps us downstream at the local level as well."

New Hampshire Democrats obviously disagree.

"Governor Ayotte hasn’t been in office for a full twenty-four hours yet, and she is already laying the groundwork for massive budget cuts to services that people rely on. This is all thanks to years of failed Republican policies she championed," longtime New Hampshire Democratic Party chair Ray Buckley argued.

"Throughout her speech, one thing became clear – Kelly Ayotte is taking a page out of the Donald Trump playbook," Buckley claimed. "Governor Ayotte is following in Trump’s footsteps and setting on a dangerous and costly path for New Hampshire."

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Ayotte, a former U.S. senator, who previously served as a state attorney general, defeated Democratic gubernatorial nominee and former Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig by nearly 10 points in November's election. Her victory kept the governor's office in GOP hands.

In her address, Ayotte praised her predecessor, whose policies she campaigned on continuing.

"New Hampshire is moving in the right direction, and no one deserves more credit for that after four terms at the helm than Governor Chris Sununu. Thank you, Governor," Ayotte said.

Looking ahead, Ayotte told GOP state legislative leaders, "I look forward to working with you … to marshal our Republican majorities over the next two years to deliver on the promises we made to keep our state moving in the right direction."

And Ayotte reiterated a longstanding pledge by New Hampshire Republicans that she is "not going to surprise anyone when I say this: no income tax, no sales tax, not now, not ever."

But Ayotte also extended an olive branch to Democrats and said, "My door is always open. Good government knows no party."

"I am going to be a governor for you, whether you’re a Republican, Democrat, Independent, you name it. Because our state is so much bigger than a party or an ideology," she added.

And Ayotte, who faced a barrage of attacks by Democrats over the issue of abortion during last year's gubernatorial campaign, repeated her vow to state lawmakers that "if you send me legislation that further restricts access to abortion beyond our current law: I will veto it."

Abortions are legal in New Hampshire through 24 weeks of pregnancy.

Ayotte also made headlines by announcing she'll move to ban cell phones in the state's public schools.

Pointing to her husband, Joe, a retired Air Force pilot who flew combat missions over Iraq and nowadays teaches middle school math, the governor said, "Joe and I talk about what he is seeing in the classroom and what his students need all the time. He and the thousands of teachers across our state are on the front lines of our education system. Teachers know uniquely what is working for our students and what isn’t. We need to listen to them.

"That’s why today I am announcing that we will be taking action to ban cell phones in our schools. Screens are negatively impacting our learning environments, drawing students' attention," Ayotte highlighted.

Sununu, in a Fox News Digital interview on the eve of Ayotte's inauguration, which was his last full day in office after eight years and four election victories (New Hampshire and neighboring Vermont are the only states in the nation to have two-year terms for governors), praised his successor.

"Kelly's been a great friend for decades. She's going to be a fantastic governor for New Hampshire. She's New Hampshire, born, bred, ready to go, hit the ground running with a great team here in the state," Sununu emphasized.

The outgoing governor added that while he's leaving office, he's always available for advice. "Anything I could possibly add, she knows she can call and text anytime," he said.

The Laken Riley Act defeated the legislative filibuster during a procedural vote on Thursday, amassing more than 60 votes to advance it to a final vote. 

The bill was quickly re-introduced by Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., in the Senate and Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., in the House once the new Congress began. 

"Today’s vote on the Laken Riley Act is an important step forward in making our country safer, but there’s still more work to be done to get this commonsense legislation across the finish line," Britt said in a statement. 

"Laken’s horrific murder should never have happened. While we cannot bring Laken back, Congress can and must pass the Laken Riley Act to save American lives and prevent this tragedy from repeating itself. Congress has an obligation to Laken, her family, and to Americans in every corner of our country to get this bill passed and signed into law."

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The bill was named for a 22-year-old Augusta University nursing student who was found dead on the University of Georgia's campus in February. Jose Ibarra, a 26-year-old illegal immigrant, was found guilty of 10 total counts, including felony murder. He initially pleaded not guilty but was ultimately sentenced to life without the possibility of parole in November. 

Britt and Collins' bill would require Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to arrest and detain illegal immigrants that have committed theft, burglary or shoplifting until they are deported. States would also be granted standing under the legislation to take civil action against members of the federal government that do not enforce immigration laws. 

The measure was blessed by new Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., who teed it up to be the first major vote in the upper chamber. 

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With all Senate Republicans on board, it was initially unclear whether they would be able to get enough Democrats to advance the bill and beat the filibuster's 60-vote threshold. However, Democratic support began to snowball after Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., was the first to say he would vote in favor of it. He and Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., both opted to become co-sponsors of the bill. 

Fox News had confirmed as of Thursday morning that at least 13 Democrats said they would vote to advance the bill. 

Sens. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., Gallego, Gary Peters, D-Mich., John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., Angus King, I-Maine, Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., and Fetterman, each said they would vote yes on the procedural hurdle. 

On the Senate floor, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., revealed he would also be voting to advance the bill. He explained that he would vote in favor of the cloture motion in order to have the opportunity for debate and for Democrats to offer amendments. The Democrat leader further said he believed there are enough votes for the measure to beat the filibuster. 

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In addition, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said he would likely support advancing the bill. 

This isn't a guarantee that the Democrats will all vote on final passage of the bill. However, the final vote only requires a simple majority to pass, whereas the cloture vote needed 60. 

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The successful filibuster defeat effectively ensures that the GOP's priority immigration bill will be sent to President-elect Trump's desk and ultimately become law. 

A handful of the Democrats that helped the measure advance are up for re-election in potentially competitive states come 2026. They include Ossoff, Shaheen, Peters and Hickenlooper. 

As whole neighborhoods in Los Angeles burn to the ground, city council members in nearby Long Beach voted to double down on their sanctuary city policies, vowing to resist President-elect Donald Trump’s plans for mass deportations.

Long Beach joins an ever-growing list of Democrat-controlled cities and states vowing to resist the Trump administration's plans to crack down on illegal immigration. Among other provisions, the measure allocates an additional $200,000 in city funding to give immigrants facing deportation free legal representation.

Local outlet the Long Beach Post reported that the council voted on Tuesday to further strengthen the "Long Beach Values Act," originally passed during the first Trump presidency in 2017. 

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Speaking before the vote, Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson, a Democrat, said: "Today, we find ourselves preparing for again an administration that outwardly challenged some of our values and beliefs."

"It’s going to be a challenge – these next few years – but I’m confident, if we continue to work together, continue to support one another, we’re going to get through this," said Richardson. "No matter who is in power in Washington, I believe that we have a responsibility to stand firm on our principles, so all of our residents feel safe and seen and protected regardless of how they pray, or who they love or where they were born."

The $200,000 in extra funding adds to an already-existing $1.1 million available to immigrants for legal representation against removal through the "Long Beach Justice Fund."

The measure also prohibits third-party city contractors from sharing city data with federal immigration enforcement and requests that other city authorities – including police oversight, the city attorney, city prosecutor and city auditor – formally commit to complying with the Long Beach Values Act.

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The measure’s passage was celebrated by local immigrant rights activist group Órale, which called it a "significant step towards true sanctuary status that will tangibly improve our community members' lives."

While Richardson projected confidence in resisting Trump’s agenda, the Long Beach Post reported that a Dec. 31 memo by Deputy City Manager Meredith Reynolds to city officials warned that Long Beach stands to lose millions in federal funding if they do not cooperate with immigration authorities.

Trump’s incoming border czar Tom Homan told Fox News in November that local officials who obstruct ICE or federal authorities from enforcing the law will face consequences.

"Don’t cross that line because it is a felony to harbor and conceal an illegal alien from ICE," said Homan.   

Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. John Fetterman confirmed he will meet with President-elect Trump ahead of the former and upcoming president's second inauguration on Jan. 20. 

"President Trump invited me to meet, and I accepted. I’m the senator for all Pennsylvanians – not just Democrats in Pennsylvania," Fetterman told Fox News on Thursday. 

"I’ve been clear that no one is my gatekeeper. I will meet with and have a conversation with anyone if it helps me deliver for Pennsylvania and the nation," he added. 

A source familiar with the meeting told Fox Digital it will take place over the weekend at Mar-a-Lago. It will be the first known meeting between Trump and a sitting Democratic senator at Mar-a-Lago. 

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Fetterman endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president during the 2024 election cycle but was one of the few Democrats who spoke publicly about Trump earning a strong showing of support among voters – most notably in his battleground home state of Pennsylvania. 

"There’s a difference between not understanding, but also acknowledging that it exists," Fetterman told the New York Times in October of Trump's support. "And anybody who spends time driving around, and you can see the intensity. It’s astonishing."

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In another interview ahead of the election, Fetterman acknowledged Pennsylvania voters shared a "connection" with Trump before also launching expletives directed at Trump and mocking the former president's campaign.

"I've been saying this, whether it was Biden or then became Harris, I said it's going to be very close. And Trump definitely has a connection with voters here in Pennsylvania, and that's why it's going to be close," Fetterman said on CNN's "State of the Union" in November ahead of Election Day. 

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Trump ultimately won Pennsylvania, which served as a key state in him securing the election overall. Following the win, Fetterman said it was a "serious flex" and chastised Democratic rhetoric ahead of the election that attempted to case Trump as a "fascist." 

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"I think this election was a serious flex for bros. And you know, it was strange that Democrats are like, ‘Oh, childless cat ladies. How dare you.’ OK, that is weird. I don’t know why [JD] Vance would say that – you can be pro-family without insulting people that choose not to have kids or are unable to have kids," Fetterman said.

"I love people that are absolutely going to vote for Trump. They’re not fascists. They’re not those things. I think if you go to the tickle switch, use those kinds of terms, then it’s kind of hard to walk back on those things. That’s kind of a word that really isn’t part of the vernacular for voters. Scolding harder or clutching the pearls harder, that’s never going to work for Democrats," Fetterman said.

FIRST ON FOX: As fires rage in California, the largest firefighter union in North America threw its support behind South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem for secretary of the Department of Homeland Security after notably remaining politically neutral in the 2024 election cycle. 

"We support President Trump’s nomination of Governor Kristi Noem for Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. As a Governor, nominee Noem understands emergency management and the importance of government response to emergencies both natural and manmade. 

"She has earned broad support from law enforcement unions, and we join many other organizations in calling for her speedy confirmation," International Association of Firefighters General President Edward Kelly wrote in a letter to senators Rand Paul and Gary Peters, the respective chair and ranking member on the Senate Committee on Homeland Security.

The IAFF's letter of endorsement for Noem comes as multiple fires rip through Los Angeles County, causing at least five deaths, widespread damage and the evacuation of more than 100,000 residents. Fox News Digital exclusively obtained the IAFF's endorsement Thursday. 

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"There is no greater government service than public safety. The members of IAFF are proud to serve our communities, and we look forward to working with Governor Noem and the Department of Homeland Security in the years ahead," the union chief said. 

The IAFF represents 353,000 members who protect more than 85% of the communities living in both the U.S. and Canada. The DHS oversees a number of national security and law enforcement agencies, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the U.S. Secret Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

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The IAFF's endorsement of Noem comes after the union notably decided against endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris or Trump ahead of the general election. 

"The IAFF Executive Board determined that we are better able to advocate for our members and make progress on the issues that matter to them if we, as a union, are standing shoulder-to-shoulder. This decision, which we took very seriously, is the best way to preserve and strengthen our unity," Kelly said in an October statement declaring the union would remain neutral during the election. 

A source familiar with Noem's nomination process highlighted the timing of the IAFF'S endorsement amid the raging California fires, saying the urgency behind its Noem support shows firefighters know "it’s important that President Trump have his whole team in place as quickly as possible to keep America safe from all threats."

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"The whole country can see the horrible wildfires ravaging Southern California, and so it really says something that the firefighters union felt the urgency to stand up for Gov. Noem at this moment in time," the source said.

"These firefighters are the bravest of the brave, and they know that it’s important that President Trump have his whole team in place as quickly as possible to keep America safe from all threats, and to be in place for disaster response.

"Their endorsement solidifies the public safety support around Gov. Noem, since she’s also been endorsed by police organizations and the border patrol union. The message is clear — she should be confirmed as rapidly as possible." 

Noem's Senate confirmation hearing with the Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs is scheduled for Jan. 15, kicking off at 9 a.m. 

Noem is heading into the final leg of the confirmation process armed with support from law enforcement unions and groups. At least eight police groups or unions have sent letters to Sen. Paul calling for a speedy confirmation process, including a union that represents thousands of Border Patrol agents. 

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"On behalf of the men and women of the National Border Patrol Council (NBPC) who protect our nation's borders, we are excited to provide our support for President-elect Trump’s nominee, Governor Kristi Noem, to be the next Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security," National Border Patrol Council President Paul Perez wrote in a letter last month in support of Noem. 

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Law enforcement groups that have endorsed Noem include the National Fraternal Order of Police, the largest organization of sworn law enforcement officers in the U.S.; the National Association of Police Organizations; the International Union of Police Associations; the Toledo Police Patrolman’s Association; International Union of Police Associations Local 6020; the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, the Police Officers Association of Michigan; and the National Border Patrol Council. 

Republican Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry also called on Senate lawmakers, most notably Democrats, to swiftly confirm Noem after a terrorist attack that shook New Orleans New Year's Day. 

"This is no time to play around," Landry said earlier this week. "Which is why I am also calling on Senate Democrats on the Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee to allow Kristi Noem to get to work on Day 1 as our Secretary of Homeland Security. There should be no gap in leadership. In the wake of the Bourbon Street and Las Vegas attacks, our nation’s security depends on her quick confirmation."

Trump announced Noem as his pick to lead DHS shortly after his decisive win over Harris at the ballot boxes, citing the Republican governor's efforts to secure the southern border, which has been overwhelmed by illegal crossings under the Biden administration. 

"Kristi has been very strong on Border Security. She was the first Governor to send National Guard Soldiers to help Texas fight the Biden Border Crisis, and they were sent a total of eight times. She will work closely with ‘Border Czar’ Tom Homan to secure the Border, and will guarantee that our American Homeland is secure from our adversaries. I have known Kristi for years, and have worked with her on a wide variety of projects – She will be a great part of our mission to Make America Safe Again," Trump wrote in his announcement Nov. 12. 

Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff appeared to ignore the two most recent former presidents at the late President Jimmy Carter's funeral at the Washington National Cathedral.

A uniform officer led Harris and Emhoff in to their seats on the first row; stage left, but as Harris entered the row, she paused to let Emhoff pass her to sit on the end, closest to the Trumps.

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Unlike when former President George W. Bush arrived and received greetings from the Quayles, Al Gore, and the Pences, there was not much movement when Harris and Emhoff arrived.

Trump and former President Barack Obama, who shared several minutes of conversation as the other first and second families arrived, remained facing generally forward as the current second couple arrived.

Former First Lady Laura Bush could be seen seated behind Harris as well.

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As Harris took her seat, she appeared to notice Obama speaking behind her, and turned to see her fellow Democrat engaging with the Florida man who defeated her in November.

Harris appeared to grimace, before facing forward again with briefly a strained look on her face.

At first, Harris paged through her funeral program as Emhoff looked around and briefly at the rafters of the majestic Episcopal church.

Harris later whispered in Emhoff's ear as she looked at her program. As the outgoing first family arrived, Harris appeared to offer a brief word to First Lady Jill Biden.

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The only other second lady in attendance was Marilyn Quayle; seated on the aisle in the third row behind the Clintons. 

Both Lynne Cheney and Michelle Obama were absent. Tipper Gore has been separated from her Tennessee Democrat husband for more than a decade, and also was not seen at the wake.

President-elect Donald Trump and his former Vice President Mike Pence shook hands at former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral on Thursday in their first public interaction in four years.

Pence was seen standing up to shake Trump’s hand as the former president arrived inside Washington, D.C.’s National Cathedral for the funeral. After the two acknowledged each other and appeared to say a few words, Pence shook the hand of former First Lady Melania Trump.

Former Second Lady Karen Pence, who was seated next to her husband, did not stand up, shake Trump’s hand, nor did she appear to acknowledge him.

Trump and Pence have not been seen publicly together since the two left the White House on rocky terms four years ago after not seeing eye to eye on the results of the presidential election and what legal recourse Trump had to contest it. 

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Pence briefly ran unsuccessfully for president against Trump in the 2024 presidential primary — dropping out in Oct. 2023 — and did not endorse Trump at any point leading up to the November election. 

The two have publicly criticized each other over the past few years, including in 2023 when Trump called Pence "delusional" and the former vice president said last year he could not "in good conscience" endorse Trump.

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All five living men who once occupied the White House — the so-called presidents’ club — President Biden and former presidents Clinton, George W. Bush, Obama and Trump were in the same room on Thursday for the first time since the 2018 funeral of former President George H.W. Bush.

Former Vice Presidents Dan Quayle and Al Gore were also in attendance. 

Following the funeral, Carter's remains will be flown to Georgia by the U.S. Air Force aboard Special Air Mission 39 for a private ceremony in his hometown of Plains.

Carter, the 39th president, died on Dec. 29 at the age of 100 after he was admitted to hospice care in 2023.

House Republicans on Thursday introduced a bill for the United States to repurchase the Panama Canal after President-elect Trump raised concerns that the critical waterway is under Chinese control. 

The bill, named the Panama Canal Repurchase Act, was introduced by Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., a member of the Select Committee on China and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. 

"President Trump is right to consider repurchasing the Panama Canal," Johnson said in a statement. "China’s interest in and presence around the canal is a cause for concern. America must project strength abroad – owning and operating the Panama Canal might be an important step towards a stronger America and a more secure globe."

The bill has 15 other Republican co-sponsors: Reps. Dan Crenshaw, Randy Weber, Troy Nehls and Brian Babin of Texas; Mike Collins, Barry Loudermilk and Andrew Clyde of Georgia; Barry Moore of Alabama; Jack Bergman of Michigan; Mike Rulli of Ohio; Neal Dunn and Aaron Bean of Florida; Erin Houchin of Indiana; Abraham Hamadeh of Arizona; and Mike Lawler of New York. 

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If it becomes law, the bill would give the president authority to act in coordination with the secretary of state, to "initiate and conduct negotiations with appropriate counterparts of the Government of the Republic of Panama to reacquire the Panama Canal."

From the date the measure is enacted, the president has 180 days to submit a report to Congress detailing the progress of the negotiations, potential challenges and anticipated outcomes.

The U.S. Department of State estimates around 72% of all vessels that travel through the Panama Canal are coming from or going to a U.S. port. 

Noting the canal's strategic importance to the United States, Johnson's office also noted how the waterway is a key transit point for U.S. Coast Guard and Department of Defense vessels. 

Without access to the canal, ships would be forced to travel 8,000 additional miles around South America. 

"More than 10,000 ships use the Panama Canal each year, generating billions of dollars of tolls which would economically benefit America," Johnson's office said. 

At a press conference from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, on Tuesday, Trump was asked if he would assure the world he would not use "military or economic coercion" to gain control of the Panama Canal, as well as Greenland. 

"No, I can't assure you on either of those two. But, I can say this. We need them for economic security. The Panama Canal was built for our military," Trump said. "Look, the Panama Canal is vital to our country. It's being operated by China. China. And we gave the Panama Canal to Panama. We didn't give it to China. And they've abused it. They've abused that gift. It should have never been made." 

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The Panamanian government has denied that China is controlling the Panama Canal, which the United States relinquished on the last day of 1999 under a treaty negotiated decades before by the late former President Jimmy Carter. 

Johnson's office referenced China's growing influence in the region around the Panama Canal. 

"In 2018, Panama was the first country in Latin America to join the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) Belt and Road Initiative, and investments from PRC firms in canal infrastructure has only increased since. Further, PRC companies have managing rights for the two ports on either side of the canal," the congressman's office wrote. 

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Two seaports on either side of the Panama Canal have been run for decades by the Hong-Kong-based company Hutchison Ports PPC, the New York Times reported. 

The newspaper highlighted how the Chinese government has increasingly implemented its national security laws on the island of Hong Kong that can force companies to comply with intelligence-gathering and military operations. 

Congressional Republicans campaigned on border security last year. 

So it should be of little surprise that their initial legislative action of 2025 focused on illegal immigration and tightening up the border. 

One can argue about whether Congressional Republicans appropriated the murder of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley for political gain. The 22-year-old Riley went for a run last February and never returned. Jose Antonio Ibarra murdered Riley. He entered the country illegally from Venezuela.

"He bashed her head in with a rock. This is one of the most heinous crimes imaginable. People need to know what this animal did to her," said Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., the main sponsor of the immigration bill.

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Republicans seized on the episode. To the right, the Laken Riley case symbolized everything which was wrong about the border and the Biden Administration. Days after Riley’s death last year, the House approved the Laken Riley Act. The bill requires federal detention for anyone in the country illegally who is arrested for shoplifting or theft. Republicans argued that Riley would be with us today had such a policy been in place to pick up Ibarra. 

It will take months for Congressional Republicans to get on the same page when it comes to President-elect Donald Trump’s demand for a combined "big, beautiful bill" on tax policy, federal spending and immigration. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., says the aim is to pass that reconciliation package in early April. 

Approving a border security package by itself would be challenging enough – and that’s to say nothing of the cost. So Congressional Republicans are targeting low-hanging fruit. Hence, the GOP turned to an old standby as their primary legislative effort for the new year: The Laken Riley Act. 

Progressive Democrats pounced, accusing Republicans of race-baiting.

"It is simply an attempt to score cheap political points off of a tragic death," said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., during the floor debate. "This is the Republican playbook over and over again. Scare people about immigrants."

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"Their bill today is an empty and opportunistic measure," said Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee. "Pick a crime. Paste into it a template immigration law covering convicted criminals and then require detention or deportation of certain persons merely accused of committing the crime or arrested for committing the crime."

"It's very clear that House Republicans are going to push an anti-immigrant agenda," said House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar, D-Calif. "I personally voted against it because this would open a path for individuals with DACA, to be deported, even if they are just around someone who committed a crime."

Republicans clapped back.

"To my Democratic colleagues, I ask you how many more laws with names attached to them do we need to pass before you take this crisis seriously?" asked Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., during a debate on the House floor.

The majority of Democratic criticisms emanated from the left-wing of the party and progressives. 

But there’s an evolution underway in the Democratic Party. A practicality when it comes to border security, immigration and how the party mostly ignored the issue in the last election. And likely paid the price. 

LAKEN RILEY ACT PASSES HOUSE WITH 48 DEMS, ALL REPUBLICANS

Thirty-seven House Democrats voted in favor of the Laken Riley Act when the House approved the initial version of the bill last year. That figure ballooned to 48 Democratic yeas this week when the House approved the 2025 Laken Riley Act in its first legislative vote of 2025.

An examination of the vote matrix demonstrates how dozens of moderate Democrats or those representing swing districts voted yes. Six Democrats who voted nay last year flipped their vote to yea this time.

That includes Reps. Brendan Boyle, D-Penn., Val Hoyle, D-Ore., Lucy McBath, D-Ga., Joe Morelle, D-N.Y., Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., and Terri Sewell, D-Ala.

"I'm concerned about what happened to Miss Riley." said Morelle, the top Democrat on the House Administration Committee. "I want to make sure it doesn't happen to other people."

Other yeas came from longtime conservative Democrats like Rep. Henry Cueller, D-Tex. He represents a border district. When asked why he voted aye, Cueller responded, "That’s an easy one. We won’t welcome people that break the law."

Other moderates representing swing districts who voted yes included Reps. Angie Craig, D-Minn., Don Davis, D-N.C., Jared Golden, D-Maine and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash. 

HOUSE, SENATE REPUBLICANS REVIVE TRUMP-BACKED PUSH TO CRACK DOWN ON NONCITIZEN VOTING

So were Democrats getting religion after the election?

"There was criticism that Democrats didn't take immigration seriously," yours truly asked House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. "Was there regret and that's why some of these votes changed?"

Jeffries attributed it to new members joining the Democratic Caucus. 

"It’s my understanding that there were approximately eight to ten additional Democratic votes this year as compared to last year. There are 30 new members of the House Democratic Caucus," said Jeffries.

But even though the bill passed the House, there’s always the Senate. And the Senate never considered the Laken Riley Act last year.

"The Senate," lamented Collins. "[The bill] got bogged down and never showed up anywhere. It fell into the black hole of the Senate. Like much of our legislation that we sent over there."

LEARNING CURVE: THE NEW PLAYERS IN CONGRESS

But Republicans now control the Senate. Not the Democrats. New Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., made sure his body also made the Laken Riley Act its primary focus for early 2025.

"Senate Democrats uniformly opposed (the Laken Riley Act) last year, despite the bill receiving bipartisan support in the House of Representatives," said Thune. "We'll see what they do when the new Senate majority brings it up for a vote."

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Penn., who often bucks his party, quickly signed on to the Laken Riley Act.

"It's not xenophobic to want a secure border," said Fetterman. "It's not xenophobic if you don't want people with criminal records and that are actively breaking the law to remain here in the nation."

Fetterman brushed off liberal concerns about violating the civil rights of undocumented persons who may be detained.

"If they’re here," said Fetterman, "Technically, they're already breaking the law."

Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., a freshman who represents a battleground border state, was among them. He argues that Democrats fouled up the border security issue in the election. 

"There was inaction all together. It certainly cost the Democratic Party. And I'd say potentially, the White House," said Gallego. "I think we have to take the lessons from that."

The Senate votes today to break a filibuster to begin debate on the Laken Riley Act. It will be set for passage next week if it clears that procedural hurdle today.

Republicans will offer other border security/immigration bills in the next few months. Watch to see if Democrats join them. The lesson culled from the Laken Riley Act is that Democrats who represent competitive turf believe the party messed up when it came to border security. They’re seeking to inoculate themselves on that issue. And even if it’s not all Democrats, this marks a different approach from the party on the border compared to last year. 

Washington, D.C. – Former President Jimmy Carter will be remembered for his kind spirit, faith and humanitarian efforts, viewers standing outside his funeral at the National Cathedral tell Fox News Digital.

Carter died on Dec. 29 at the age of 100, the only American president to have reached the century mark. Several memorials have been held for the 39th president, in both D.C. and Georgia, since his passing.

Continuing with a long-held tradition, a memorial service was held for Carter at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, where Fox New Digital spoke to people gathered outside the funeral about the late president's lasting legacy. 

One woman recalled meeting Carter when she was just 7 years old, telling Fox News Digital that the fond interaction sparked her lifelong love for politics.

JIMMY CARTER WAS A MAN OF FAITH AND THAT'S HOW WE SHOULD REMEMBER HIM

"My mom was a delegate to the '76 convention representing Arkansas. And he came to Arkansas to campaign, and I met him. And I just remember him being very sweet," she told Fox News Digital.

AMERICANS FLOCK TO THE CAPITOL TO PAY RESPECTS TO FORMER PRESIDENT CARTER AHEAD OF FUNERAL: ‘JOB WELL DONE’

"I think that was the beginning of my love of politics and I know he's just a really good man. And so we wanted to walk down and see if we could pay our respects," she said.

The woman's husband also reflected on Carter's legacy.

"What I find interesting about President Carter is that he had a very short political career, right. So no more than 8 to 10 years. But then his lifelong legacy was all the humanitarian efforts that he did to help other people. And he made no one a stranger," another individual told Fox. "I want to have a life that kind of reflects the life that he lived, really just supporting people and being there for them and making sure that everyone felt a part and no one was other."

President Biden declared Thursday to be a National Day of Mourning, meaning many Americans had the day off from work. Several of them spent the morning waiting outside the memorial to pay their respects.  

"I grew up when he was president, I was basically a kid. But also I followed him over the years for all the work he's done with the homeless and the house building," one viewer told Fox. "I had some good friends in Wisconsin who were part of his church. So I thought I would, on my day off, take a walk down and see if I could see anything."

A younger D.C. resident told Fox that while he did not experience Carter as president, he had followed his work during his post-presidency years.

"I think he was definitely president before my lifetime. But I think, like I've always heard a lot about his post-presidency work and kind of what he's done after the fact. I think, like that's been something that's really been meaningful just with Habitat for Humanity and stuff like that. I think like that generally is something that I'll be remembering him for."

Following the D.C. memorial, Carter will be transported back to his home state of Georgia, where he will be buried next to his wife of 77 years, Rosalynn Carter.

Biden, President-elect Trump and former Presidents Obama and Clinton attended Thursday's funeral service in D.C., the first time all living presidents have come together since former President H.W. Bush's funeral in 2018.

FIRST ON FOX: The House Oversight Committee is holding its first hearing of the new Congress next week focused on prolonged pandemic-era telework for federal employees, with Chairman James Comer telling Fox News Digital that his priority is to bring federal workers back into office. 

The hearing, titled the "Stay-at-Home Federal Workforce: Another Biden-Harris Administration Legacy," is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, Jan. 15 at 10 a.m. 

SENATE DOGE LEADER ERNST TO TAKE ON GOVERNMENT TELEWORK ABUSE AT FIRST MEETING WITH MUSK, RAMASWAMY

Martin O’Malley, the former commissioner of the Social Security Administration; Rachel Greszler of the Economic Policy Innovation Center; and president of the board of the Federal City Council Tom Davis are set to testify. 

O’Malley, before the end of his tenure, locked in telework agreements for 42,000 Social Security employees until 2029. 

"President Donald Trump and his incoming Administration is set to be greeted by largely vacant federal government office buildings because the federal workforce is still taking advantage of the Biden Administration’s outdated and detrimental pandemic-era telework policies," Comer told Fox News Digital. "Not only do these telework policies jeopardize the ability of agencies to deliver vital services to the American people, but reports indicate the Biden Administration is now working with federal employee unions to cement long-term guarantees of telework." 

Comer told Fox News Digital that President-elect Donald Trump’s "agenda and critical services provided by the federal government should not be hindered or prevented because of unchecked federal workforce unions that are striking deals with the Biden Administration to stay at home." 

NATION'S LARGEST LABOR UNION FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYEES REBUKES GOP'S EFFORTS TO END TELEWORK

"It’s past time for the federal workforce to get back to work in-person for the American people," he said. "The House Oversight Committee remains committed to ensuring federal employees show up for the American people they serve." 

According to a Senate report authored by Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, the federal government currently owns more than 7,000 vacant buildings and nearly 2,500 buildings that are partially empty. 

The report states that government buildings currently average an occupancy rate of 12%. 

During the hearing, the committee plans to examine how the Biden-Harris administration "failed to return federal workers to the office," and said that failure could "hinder" the incoming Trump administration’s ability to bring them back, due to long-term guarantees of telework in deals signed with federal employee unions. 

President-elect Trump and future First Lady Melania Trump paid their respects to former President Jimmy Carter at his funeral in Woodley Park, D.C. on Thursday, where he and one of his most prominent political foes appeared to put politics aside.

Seated at the end of the second row of presidential and vice-presidential families, Trump and former President Barack Obama shared several minutes of chatting and chuckling as the rest filed in.

Dressed in a dark suit and more subtle blue tie, versus his trademark red ‘Trump tie', Trump filed in a little before 10 a.m. ET.

As he entered his row, former Vice President Al Gore smiled and quickly stood up and was the first to greet him. 

CARTER'S DEATH SPURS OUTPOURING OF TRIBUTES FROM STATE LEADERS OF BOTH PARTIES: ‘A SERVANT’S HEART'

Gore, a Tennessee Democrat, did not have a significant other with him at the ceremony. He has been separated from former First Lady Tipper Gore since 2010. 

Also notably absent were former Vice President Dick Cheney and former First Lady Lynne Cheney. Trump has notably clashed with his fellow Republican leader, and Cheney notably called him a "coward" during his daughter ex-Rep. Liz Cheney's doomed 2022 reelection bid in Wyoming.

As Trump entered his row, he shared a brief moment with his onetime ally and running-mate, former Vice President Mike Pence. The two men's relationship soured following the Capitol Riot on January 6, 2021, when supporters of Trump threatened to hang the Indiana Republican.

JIMMY CARTER DEAD AT 100

It was unclear what Pence said to Trump, but a rough reading of his lips appeared to say "good to see you." 

Former Second Lady Karen Pence notably remained seated and did not engage when her husband and Gore stood to greet Trump.

After the Trumps were seated, Obama arrived without Michelle Obama by his side. Obama paused to share a quick jovial comment with former Vice President Dan Quayle. 

Quayle – the first of the two Indiana Republican vice presidents of this generation – was seated on the aisle with former First Lady Marilyn Quayle, who also sat next to Gore.

Soon after, former President George W. Bush and former First Lady Laura Bush arrived.

Bush appeared to receive the largest greeting of the living presidents assembled.

Pence, former First Lady Karen Pence, Gore and the Quayles reached over to greet Bush. Meanwhile, Obama and Trump could be seen continuing their conversation unimpeded.

When former President Bill Clinton and 2016 presidential runner-up Hillary Clinton arrived, Trump and Obama largely ignored them as they chatted.

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George Bush appeared to be the first to stand up when Hillary Clinton took her seat. Bill Clinton, who was recently hospitalized, appeared lively and healthy at the funeral.

Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff arrived next.

Trump did not visibly acknowledge Harris, nor Harris to him. 

Emhoff looked straight ahead as Harris briefly looked over her shoulder and appeared to grimace when she saw Obama conversing with Trump.

Emhoff and Harris shared a brief smile before focusing on the somber event once more, as the Clintons could be seen reading through their programs.

When President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden arrived, Trump and Obama did not appear to greet them – as Trump soon began chatting with Melania.

Jill Biden sat first, taking Joe's program off of his chair so he too could sit.

President Biden appeared to wipe a mark from his pantleg and lightly brushed his brow before looking straight ahead. None of the other families appeared to greet the Bidens.

Screenshots posted to X also showed outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau watching Trump as the president-elect filed in.

Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra warned against the impact of a preemptive presidential pardon for people like Dr. Anthony Fauci just hours after President Biden said in an interview that he was still considering it.

"It sinks my heart to think that we’re going to use the pardon process in a way that will follow the whims of whoever’s in the White House," Becerra, who previously served as California's attorney general before taking his post at HHS, said in an interview with The New York Times on Wednesday. Becerra noted that he was speaking from his legal background as opposed to his position in Biden's Cabinet.

"I think we should hold that power, that only a president has, in very high regard," he continued. "Because otherwise it becomes pedestrian, and it’s used anywhere, and I don’t think that should be the case."

When the HHS secretary was asked directly if he meant that the president should not pardon Fauci, who was Biden's former chief medical adviser during the pandemic and served as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for several decades, Becerra declined to clarify.

 BIDEN SETS RECORD WITH FIRST-TERM CLEMENCY GRANTS, HERE'S HOW OTHER PRESIDENTS RANK

"I won’t try to interpret what you’re hearing; I just told you what I think," he replied. 

Becerra's comments came hours after Biden's final interview as president with a print publication, during which he said preemptive pardons for Trump's political targets were still under consideration.

President-elect Trump's nominees for director of the FBI and attorney general, Kash Patel and Pam Bondi, respectively, have previously indicated they are in favor of using the Justice Department to go after people they believe unfairly targeted Trump. 

Meanwhile, Republicans in Congress and some of Trump's top transition advisers, such as Elon Musk, have argued that Fauci should be prosecuted over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Trump's nominee to be the successor to Becerra, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., said while he was running for president – before joining Trump's team – that he would prosecute Fauci if he won the November election and his attorney general determined that crimes had been committed in Fauci's handling of the coronavirus. During the pandemic, Fauci was accused of working to evade public records laws and lying to Congress in apparent efforts to conceal the origins of the virus.  

Democrats are split on whether Biden should offer preemptive pardons to public officials who may be politically targeted by Trump.

BIDEN COMMUTES 1,500 JAIL SENTENCES, GRANTS PARDONS FOR 39 OTHERS: ‘LARGEST SINGLE-DAY GRANT OF CLEMENCY’

"If we’re serious about stopping Trump’s authoritarian ambitions, we need to act decisively and use every tool at our disposal. Norms and traditions alone won’t stop – Trump has shown time and again that he’s willing to ignore them to consolidate power and punish his opponents," Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., said in a statement last month calling on Biden to issue a blanket pardon for Trump's political foes. "The time for cautious restraint is over. We must act with urgency to push back against these threats and prevent Trump from abusing his power."

Legal experts have said that Biden has the authority to issue premptive pardons, citing precedent set by former President Gerald Ford when he granted a blanket pardon to Richard Nixon for any crimes committed while in office, even though Nixon had not been charged with anything after resigning following the Watergate scandal.

Fox News Digital reached out to HHS for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication.

The state funeral for former President Jimmy Carter on Thursday at the Washington National Cathedral included every living former president as well as various dignitaries from around the world. 

Also notable were some VIPs not in attendance.

Former Vice President Dick Cheney was not seen at the funeral inside Washington, D.C.'s National Cathedral. The 83-year-old, who has had health issues, was the only living vice president who did not make the trip as former Vice Presidents Al Gore, Joe Biden, Mike Pence and Dan Quayle were in attendance.

Also missing from the ceremony was former first lady Michelle Obama, who was not seated alongside her husband, former President Barack Obama.

"Mrs. Obama sends her thoughts and prayers to the Carter family, and everyone who loved and learned from the remarkable former President," Crystal Carson, a spokesperson for Michelle Obama, told Politico.

JIMMY CARTER WAS A MAN OF FAITH AND THAT’S HOW WE SHOULD REMEMBER HIM 

The outlet reported that Michelle Obama, who would have sat next to Trump at the funeral, had a scheduling conflict and is in Hawaii.

Former first lady Hillary Clinton was in attendance alongside her husband, former President Bill Clinton.

Also spotted at the funeral were former first ladies Karen Pence, Laura Bush and Melania Trump, who sat alongside their husbands. First lady Jill Biden was seated alongside President Biden.

AMERICANS FLOCK TO THE CAPITOL TO PAY RESPECTS TO FORMER PRESIDENT CARTER AHEAD OF FUNERAL: 'JOB WELL DONE'

 All five living men who once occupied the White House — the so-called presidents’ club — President Biden and former presidents Clinton, George W. Bush, Obama and President-elect Trump came together for the first time since the 2018 funeral of former President George H.W. Bush.

Other notable attendees included Vice President-elect JD Vance, Pennsylvania GOP Sen. Dave McCormick, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, first son Hunter Biden and Ted Mondale, the son of late Vice President Walter Mondale.

Following the funeral, Carter's remains will be flown to Georgia by the U.S. Air Force aboard Special Air Mission 39 for a private ceremony in his hometown of Plains.

Carter, the 39th president, died on Dec. 29 at the age of 100 after he was admitted to hospice care in 2023.

Fox News Digital's Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.

Hardline conservative Reps. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., and Eric Burlison, R-Mo., have introduced legislation that would abolish the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

The one-page bill would eliminate the law enforcement agency, which regulates firearms and prosecutes federal gun crimes, in addition to crimes involving explosives, acts of arson, bombings, acts of terrorism and illegal activity related to alcohol and tobacco products.

In statements, the Republican lawmakers argue ATF regulations violate the Second Amendment rights of Americans to keep and bear arms.

ABOLISH THE ATF?: REP. BURLISON WANTS TO ELIMINATE ‘DISASTER AGENCY’ HE SAYS HAS BEEN VIOLATING 2ND AMENDMENT

"I cannot imagine under any circumstance or administration where the ATF serves as an ally to the Second Amendment and law-abiding firearm owners across America," said Boebert.  

"The ATF is emblematic of the deep-state bureaucracy that believes it can infringe on constitutional liberties without consequence," added Burlison. "If this agency cannot uphold its duty to serve the people within the framework of the Constitution, it has no place in our government."

CONGRESSMAN ERIC BURLISON: IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, ‘THE INMATES ARE RUNNING THE PRISON’

The bill to abolish ATF has seven co-sponsors in the House of Representatives, including Reps. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., Mike Collins, R-Ga., Bob Onder, R-Mo., Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., Mary Miller, R-Ill., Keith Self, R-Texas and Paul Gosar, R-Ariz.

ATF did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

MATT GAETZ URGES COLLEAGUES TO ABOLISH THE ATF BEFORE IT STRIPS AMERICANS OF GUN RIGHTS: ‘CANNOT BE TRUSTED’

In a previous interview with Fox News Digital, Burlison argued that the law enforcement responsibilities handled by ATF would be better left to the states.

"There's very few ATF officials," he said, accusing the agency of "co-opting or commandeering [local] law enforcement to enforce laws" which state lawmakers did not pass.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, ATF spokesperson Kristina Mastropasqua said, "ATF provides enormous benefits to the American public through all of its efforts fighting violent crime every day."

Burlison also said the Department of Education and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should be abolished.

As wildfires ravage California, leaving a trail of devastation in their wake, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is facing pushback for promoting climate alarmism.

Sanders asserted that "Climate change is real" and that President-elect Donald Trump must tackle the "existential crisis."

"80,000 people told to evacuate. Blazes 0% contained. Eight months since the area has seen rain. The scale of damage and loss is unimaginable. Climate change is real, not 'a hoax.' Donald Trump must treat this like the existential crisis it is," Sanders declared in the tweet on Wednesday morning.

Mike Solana, editor-in-chief of Pirate Wires, mocked the senator's comments, writing in a post on X, "'[G]lobal warming ate my homework' doesn't work anymore. literally every single politician in california responsible for the catastrophic failure to prepare for this, from water management and controlled burns to the fire department's budget, is a democrat."

ELON MUSK ANNOUNCES SPACEX WILL PROVIDE FREE STARLINK TERMINALS IN LA AMID RAGING FIRES

Conservative commentator and author Justin Haskins, director of the Socialism Research Center at the Heartland Institute, noted, "Wildfires, including ones much larger than this, have been happening in California forever." 

Nicole Shanahan — who was Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s presidential running mate last year before the pair dropped out and supported GOP candidate Donald Trump — was also among those who responded to Sanders' comments. 

"State mismanagement is real, Bernie," she noted.

Sanders has long issued such dire warnings.

CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES DEVASTATE LOS ANGELES COUNTY, KILLING 5 AND THREATENING THOUSANDS OF HOMES

"Climate change is an existential disaster facing the entire world," he asserted in a tweet nearly six years ago in February 2019. "We must transform our energy system away from fossil fuels to energy efficiency and sustainable energy. A Green New Deal can save the planet and create millions of new jobs."

Business tycoon Elon Musk has asserted that regulations prevent steps from being taken to avoid California wildfires.

"Climate change risk is real, just much slower than alarmists claim. The immense loss of homes in LA is primarily due to: 1. Nonsensical overregulation that prevented creating fire breaks and doing brush clearing. 2. Bad governance at the state and local level that resulted in a shortage of water," Musk opined in a post on X.  

Sanders was not the only left-wing lawmaker deploying the climate narrative amid the disaster.

NEWSOM CALLS TRUMP'S CLAIMS ‘PURE FICTION’ AFTER PRESIDENT-ELECT POINTS FINGER OVER CALIFORNIA FIRE TRAGEDY

"I’m so heartbroken at the devastation that’s continuously inflicted upon our country & the world & elected 'leaders' are ignorant, impotent, or just incompetent to doing the smart thing, which is to acknowledge that climate change is real & start to solve it," Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, lamented in a tweet. "California, stay safe. First responders, we thank you for your selflessness. I join the chorus of prayers for all, but as an elected, I want to actually work!"

Freshman Rep. Sarah McBride, D-Del., the first transgender-identifying member of Congress, described the fire as a climate catastrophe.

"I’m praying for the victims of the raging fires around Los Angeles. The loss of life, homes, businesses and entire neighborhoods is devastating. I stand ready to work with my colleagues representing these communities to guarantee they have the resources they need to contain these fires, recover, rebuild, and prevent these climate catastrophes in the future," McBride declared in a post on X.

Trump has declared that California Gov. Gavin Newsom should resign.

"One of the best and most beautiful parts of the United States of America is burning down to the ground. It’s ashes, and Gavin Newscum should resign. This is all his fault!!!" Trump declared in a Truth Social post late Wednesday night.

Earlier on Wednesday evening, Newsom noted in a post on X, "People are literally fleeing. Kids have lost their schools. Communities have lost their churches. Families have lost their homes. Some have even lost their lives. And the President-Elect’s response is to politicize it. We’ll continue to focus on what matters: saving lives and putting out these unprecedented fires."

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) currently reports partial containment of the Lidia and Hurst fires, while others are listed at 0% containment on fire.ca.gov. 

Fox News Digital's Danielle Wallace contributed to this report

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is facing major backlash for being in Ghana while her city battled devastating wildfires. Now, a 2021 tweet in which she criticized Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, for going to Cancun, Mexico, with his family as his state dealt with a severe winter storm.

Social media users were quick to accuse the mayor of being hypocritical. While Bass left for Ghana before the wildfires started, she still faced condemnations over the trip and fierce criticism of her leadership.

CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES DEVASTATE LOS ANGELES COUNTY, KILLING 5 AND THREATENING THOUSANDS OF HOMES

Several social media users said the mayor’s tweet did not "age well," and urged her to delete the nearly 4-year-old post.

President-elect Trump took to Truth Social to condemn the mayor, blaming the wildfires' spread on "gross incompetence" by Bass and Gov. Gavin Newsom.

NEWSOM CALLS TRUMP'S CLAIMS 'PURE FICTION' AFTER PRESIDENT-ELECT POINTS FINGER OVER CALIFORNIA FIRE TRAGEDY

Multiple wildfires are raging across California, claiming five lives, and putting thousands under evacuation orders. As of Thursday morning, more than 2,000 homes, businesses and other structures were either damaged or destroyed by the devastating fires.

Upon her return from Ghana, Bass was confronted by a reporter about her trip, but she remained silent. Bass also refused to say whether she had any "regret" about slashing the city’s Fire Department’s budget last year. However, during a news conference on Wednesday, Bass said she took the "fastest route back, which included being on a military plane." She also said that she was "able to be on the phone the entire time of the flight."

Cruz flew to Mexico as Texans faced a deadly winter storm that left millions without power.

"With school canceled for the week, our girls asked to take a trip with friends," Cruz said at the time. "Wanting to be a good dad, I flew down with them last night and am flying back this afternoon. My staff and I are in constant communication with state and local leaders to get to the bottom of what happened in Texas. We want our power back, our water on, and our homes warm. My team and I will continue using all our resources to keep Texans informed and safe."

Cruz later admitted that the trip was a "mistake."

Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Tyler Olson and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

The House passed legislation sanctioning the International Criminal Court on Thursday in protest of its arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 

In one of the new Congress' first acts, the bill passed 243-140, with 45 Democrats joining Republicans in support of it. 

The bill now heads to the Senate, where Republican Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has promised a swift vote to have it on President-elect Donald Trump’s desk by the time he takes office. 

Libertarian-minded Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who has not been afraid to break with his colleagues on Israel-related bills, questioned why the legislation was a week-one priority for the new congressional term. Massie was the only Republican "present" vote - none opposed the legislation. 

SENATE DEMS TO JOIN REPUBLICANS TO ADVANCE ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION BILL NAMED AFTER LAKEN RILEY

"The United States is a sovereign country, so I don’t assign any credibility to decisions of the International Criminal Court. But how did a bill to protect Netanyahu make it into the House rules package to be voted on immediately after the Speaker vote? Where are our priorities?!" he wrote on X last week. 

The legislation was reintroduced by Texas Reps. Chip Roy, and Foreign Affairs Chairman Brian Mast, both Republicans. 

On May 20, ICC prosecutor Karim Khan requested arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar, Ismail Haniyeh and Mohammed Deif. All three Hamas leaders were killed in the past year. 

Netanyahu fired Gallant shortly after the U.S. presidential election. 

TRUMP REINFORCES 'ALL HELL WILL BREAK OUT' IF HOSTAGES NOT RETURNED BY INAUGURATION

Khan’s application was unprecedented – the first time the criminal court had sought arrests for Western-allied officials. 

The judges on the ICC panel in November granted the warrants, finding that Netanyahu and Gallant had "committed the war crime of using starvation as a method of warfare and crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts, as a direct perpetrator, acting jointly with others. The Chamber also found reasonable grounds to believe that they are each responsible for the war crime of intentionally directing attacks against civilians as a superior." 

"The ICC is an illegitimate body that has no business interfering with our sovereignty or that of our allies," said Roy. 

LINDSEY GRAHAM DEMANDS ICC REVEAL DETAILS OF PROBE INTO PROSECUTOR KHAN'S MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS

"The ICC’s attempt to obstruct Israel’s right to defend itself has only prolonged the war and prevented the release of American hostages by boosting Hamas’ morale," Mast said in a statement. 

Israel has carried out a vicious campaign to eliminate Hamas in Gaza since Hamas' bloody attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Trump has warned both sides to wrap up the conflict, and Hamas to return the hostages by the time he takes office on Jan. 20. 

The Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act would sanction any foreigner working to investigate, arrest, detain or prosecute U.S. citizens or those of an allied country. 

It spans the 32-member NATO security alliance and 19 major non-NATO countries, including Israel. 

It would also claw back any funds the U.S. has designated for the ICC and prohibit any future money from going to the court. 

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., has introduced companion legislation in the Senate. When the legislation passed the House last during the Congress, then-Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., did not take it up for a vote in the upper chamber. With Republicans in charge, Thune is intent on passing the legislation and getting it to the president’s desk by the time he is inaugurated. 

FIRST ON FOX: New Republican Sen. Jim Banks of Indiana laced into Democrats over what he said are attempts to delay confirmation hearings for Trump nominees, in particular that of the Department of Defense pick Pete Hegseth. 

Banks urged Senate Committee on Armed Services Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., to move forward with Hegseth's scheduled confirmation hearing on Jan. 14 as planned and not to be swayed by Democrats' requests. 

"As you are aware, Senators who are going to oppose the Hegseth nomination no matter what are seeking to delay and deny President Trump his Secretary of Defense being confirmed quickly. If they are successful, this will harm America’s national security during the crucial transition of power later this month," he wrote to Wicker on Wednesday. 

TRUMP DETAILS STRATEGY TO GET NECESSARY VOTES WITH ONE-BILL APPROACH TO BORDER, TAXES

The Republican's letter comes after fellow committee member, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., sent his own correspondence to Wicker, arguing the committee needs more information and documentation from the nominee to properly consider him. 

"I am deeply concerned that the Senate Armed Services Committee is considering the nomination of Pete Hegseth for this critically significant position without full information regarding his capacity and experience to lead our military and steward a budget of nearly $850 billion," Blumenthal said, referencing allegations that Hegseth mismanaged finances while leading a veterans' nonprofit. 

The Connecticut Democrat added, "I do not see how this committee can, in good conscience, consider Mr. Hegseth's nomination without a full review of his conduct while leading these organizations - the only civilian management experience of his career."

SENATE DEMS TO JOIN REPUBLICANS TO ADVANCE ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION BILL NAMED AFTER LAKEN RILEY

Blumenthal said he requested additional documents of Hegseth's be reviewed, "including credit card transactions and other uses of resources." 

Additionally, the Democrat claimed Hegseth "refuses to make himself available to meet with me and my Democratic colleagues in advance of his nomination hearing." 

However, a source familiar told Fox News Digital that Hegseth reached out to Democrats in early to mid-December to meet. The only Democrat who was willing to was Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., who sat down with him last month. 

BORDER STATE DEMOCRAT RUBEN GALLEGO BACKS GOP'S LAKEN RILEY ACT AHEAD OF SENATE VOTE

The others, the source said, waited until days before the scheduled Jan. 14 hearing to respond. As is the case for these types of nominees, Hegseth is scheduled to be in hearing preparation in the days leading up to it. 

In his letter to Wicker, Banks blasted Blumenthal's request. "Senator Blumenthal’s letter to you and the rest of the Committee is the latest attempt to accomplish their goal. In his letter, he raises unsubstantiated and anonymous accusations against Mr. Hegseth about his time as a leader of two organizations that advocated for America’s veterans. Senator Blumenthal’s letter purposely omits the fact that veterans who have worked with Mr. Hegseth professionally are on the record supporting his nomination," he wrote. 

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The Republican acknowledged that Blumenthal has the right to question Hegseth on the floor and ultimately oppose his confirmation. But, "He does not have the right to delay the Armed Services Committee’s important work for the national security of the United States," Banks said. 

Wicker did not immediately provide comment to Fox News Digital.

After meeting with President Biden at the White House on Monday, Edmundo Gonzalez, the man who won Venezuela's presidential election in July, traveled to Argentina and then Panama with the ballots to prove that he, not Nicolás Maduro, is Venezuela's democratically elected leader.

"We elected by a landslide, a good man and Edmundo Gonzalez. We have the proof of that victory, and the whole world knows it," María Corina Machado, a top leader in the Venezuelan opposition, told Fox News. "We won."

Maduro's inauguration is slated for Friday. The Venezuelan opposition has called for massive street protests to peacefully demand that Maduro, whose mafia-style autocratic leadership has nearly bankrupted the oil-rich nation, not be inaugurated.

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"What we need is for all American institutions understand that Venezuela is the most important conflict in the Western Hemisphere for national security of the U.S.," Machado said via Zoom from her safe house in Venezuela.

"We can be the best ally the United States will have in the Americas, first of all, because we also are desperate to solve the migration problem in our region. We want those Venezuelans to come back in billions and voluntarily. And that will happen when they'll see there's a future in their country."

Machado had the following message for President-elect Donald Trump: "Venezuela has a huge energy potential that will never be taken advantage of… We're going to turn Venezuela from the criminal hub of the Americas into the energy hub of the Americas and have a strong partnership with the United States."

Gonzalez, who Venezuela elected president in July, also met with incoming National Security Advisor Cong Michael Waltz of Florida while in Washington. Maduro has warned Gonzalez will be arrested if he returns to Venezuela. 

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"I want you to know how important it is also for the safety of the American people," Machado explained. "Solving this conflict in Venezuela, I believe that what happens in the next days in Venezuela depends not only the democracy, the future of our democracy, but the future of democracy in the region."

Machado said the fall of the Assad regime in Syria is a cautionary tale for those in the military and judiciary who still support Maduro. The regime has sent secret police units to encircle her family members’ homes, sent a drone over her mother’s house and kidnapped President-elect Gonzalez's brother-in-law on Tuesday.

"Maduro has lost everything but fear and repression. Maduro lost all popular support, all legitimacy, and even he's weakened or isolated internationally. What has he left? Russia, Iran, Hezbollah," Machado, a former member of Venezuela’s National Assembly, asked.

The Maduro regime also arrested two Americans one day after Gonzalez met with President Biden at the White House, accusing them of being mercenaries sent by the U.S. government. 

The State Department issued the following statement: "We are concerned about the reports of U.S. citizens detained in Venezuela. We are working to gather more information.  Due to privacy and other considerations, we have no further comment on these cases. Any claims of U.S. involvement in a plot to overthrow Maduro are categorically false. The United States continues to support a democratic solution to the political crisis in Venezuela."

The State Department spokesman went on to warn U.S. citizens not to travel to Venezuela, because "Maduro and his associates have shown in the past, they may detain and jail, without justification or due process, U.S. citizens who enter Venezuela."