President-elect Trump filed an amicus brief late Thursday in support of a legal effort by Texas and Missouri to "immediately" stop the Biden administration’s sale of border wall materials, saying the action is "possibly criminal." 

Texas and Missouri filed a motion earlier this week in a district court in the southern district of Texas to hold a status conference to determine if the government is in breach of the court’s permanent injunction from earlier this year. That injunction barred the Biden administration from using funds obligated for wall construction for anything other than that purpose. 

'PATTERN OF DISREGARD': RED STATES SEEK COURT ACTION AGAINST BIDEN ADMIN'S ‘SHAMEFUL’ BORDER WALL DISPOSAL

"The Court should issue an order directing the Defendants to immediately stop any ongoing sale of border-barrier materials to private parties pending the Court’s review of Defendant’s conduct, and the Court should swiftly conduct a searching examination of the Government’s conduct, by formal discovery if necessary, to examine the Government’s compliance with the law, the Constitution, and the Court’s injunction," Trump’s amicus brief states. 

The Biden administration has been auctioning off border wall parts since at least 2023, with parts listed for sale on auction marketplaces, after it abruptly shut down most border wall construction in 2021.

Those auctions have continued, with border officials telling Fox that auctions now occur weekly and have been for some time. However, the practice made news last week, when The Daily Wire published video showing parts being transported and cited Border Patrol agents who said the goal was to clear them out before Christmas.

Trump’s amicus brief states that if officials in the Biden administration are "deliberately selling off border-wall materials at a major financial loss to the Government to obstruct the pro-wall policy of Congress and President Trump, such conduct likely constitutes a criminal act, such as a conspiracy to defraud the United States." 

"At the very least, the reported conduct raises troubling concerns of potentially criminal behavior," the filing states. 

GOP SENATOR MOVES TO BLOCK FEDS FROM DISPOSING OF BORDER WALL MATERIALS AMID AUCTION BACKLASH 

A Defense official told Fox News last week that the Pentagon has been disposing of excess wall construction in accordance with the fiscal year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, which required the Defense secretary to submit a plan to use, transfer or donate all remaining wall material purchased with Pentagon funds. That plan was submitted in March.

The official said border states, including Texas, were first offered that material for purchase before auction. The official also said the materials no longer belong to the U.S. government, adding the Defense Department has no legal authority to recall the material or stop further resale of it.

"Through our reutilization, transfer and donation process, nearly 60% of those materials were transferred to authorized recipients, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the states of Texas and California," the official said. "The remaining 40% was sold to GovPlanet under a competitive sales contract process beginning in June 2024. The material currently being sold through GovPlanet online auctions no longer belongs to the U.S. Government, and DOD has no legal authority to recall the material or stop further resale of material it no longer owns."

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS

However, those statements have not stopped the outrage from Republicans, who see the auctions as a move to stop the Trump administration from building the wall. Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., introduced legislation this week to put a halt to the auctions.

Trump, meanwhile, said on Monday he had been working with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and others to acquire the materials.

"What they're doing is really an act, it's almost a criminal act," he said. "They know we're going to use it, and if we don't have it, we're going to have to rebuild it. And it'll cost double what it cost years ago, and that's hundreds of millions of dollars because you're talking about a lot of, a lot of wall."

Paxton said in a statement that Texas is going to court to "prevent any border security materials from being unlawfully sold and to find out the truth about what the federal government may be doing to subvert border wall construction."

‘STANDING BY TO HELP’: RED STATE REVEALS PLAN TO PURCHASE AUCTIONED BORDER WALL MATERIALS TO STORE FOR TRUMP

"President Trump has an overwhelming mandate from the American people to build the wall and I will do everything in my power to prevent any acts of sabotage by the outgoing administration," he said.

Texas has said it intends to do all it can to help the incoming administration build the wall at the southern border when Trump enters office.

"The Biden Administration's latest attempt to block Texas and President-Elect Donald Trump's efforts to secure the southern border is downright shameful and demonstrates a continued pattern of disregard for the safety of Texas and American families in favor of increasingly disastrous open border policies," Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

Officials said this week they intend to purchase the auctioned off materials, and Buckingham said she intends to store it on state land for the new administration.

"I made a promise to use every tool at my disposal from the GLO to secure our border and protect Texans," Buckingham said in the statement to Fox. "That is why I have offered state leaders and President-elect Donald Trump the opportunity to store any wall panels his incoming administration may acquire on state land. I will never give up the fight to secure our porous southern border and protect our sons and daughters from violent, criminal illegal immigrants."

Fox News' Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report. 

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in New York arrested a Mexican-born illegal immigrant who sexually abused a child after being removed from the country five times.

According to ICE, the criminal immigrant, 36-year-old Raymond Rojas Basilio, sexually abused an 11-year-old child in the U.S.

Rojas committed this crime after being removed from the country five times and then re-entering once again on an unknown date and at an unknown location, without admission by an immigration official.

The New York Police Department arrested Rojas on Aug. 28, 2023. He was then convicted of forcible touching of the intimate parts of an 11-year-old victim by the Kings County Supreme Court in Brooklyn on Sept. 20, 2024. The court sentenced him to 60 days of incarceration and six years’ probation and required him to register as a sex offender.

DRUNK IMMIGRANT KILLED 7 YEAR OLD MONTHS AFTER HE WAS RELEASED FROM ICE DETAINER

New York ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations agents then arrested Rojas outside his residence in Queens on Dec. 17.

U.S. Border Patrol first arrested Rojas, following three separate attempts to unlawfully enter the U.S. near Douglas, Arizona, in May 2002.

Border protection officials then arrested Rojas again on Jan. 6, 2012, at Dennis DeConcini Port of Entry in Nogales, Arizona, when he attempted to enter the country using a fake Arizona Driver's License and U.S. birth certificate. Just days later, on Jan. 11, border authorities again removed Rojas after he attempted to enter the country using fraudulent documents at another port of entry in Nogales.   

New York ICE Field Office Director Kenneth Genalo commented on the arrest, saying: "This criminal has repeatedly shown he has absolutely no regard for our nation’s laws, as evidenced by his repeated attempts to unlawfully or fraudulently enter the United States."

ICE NABS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS IN ALASKA, WASHINGTON STATE, OREGON, TEXAS WITH CONVICTIONS FOR CHILD EXPLOITATION

"As this case illustrates, it only takes one successful unlawful entry to do irreparable harm to a member of our community," he continued.

He said that local "non-cooperation policies" in place had prevented ICE from taking immediate custody of Rojas following his sentencing by the Brooklyn court. 

"However, due to the diligence of our officers, ERO New York City was able to rapidly apprehend this public safety threat before he could harm any other New Yorkers," said Genalo.

According to the statement, Rojas is currently in ICE custody pending removal to Mexico. 

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced a new billboard campaign on Thursday to warn potential illegal immigrants about the "horrific" reality of human trafficking, violence and danger facing them if they attempt to illegally enter the U.S.

Abbott said the state is placing dozens of billboards with warnings in several languages throughout Mexico and Central America.

"We’re here to expose the truth to immigrants who are thinking about coming here, the truth about the traffickers who assault so many of the women and children along the way," the governor said. "The message is: Do not risk a dangerous trip just to be arrested and deported."

Abbott, who recently made another trip to the border with the incoming border czar, Tom Homan, also emphasized that the new Trump administration will "prioritize for deportation illegal immigrants who have been arrested."

INCOMING BORDER CZAR HOMAN ISSUES WARNING IN TEXAS TO DEMS OPPOSING TRUMP DEPORTATIONS: 'DON'T TEST US'

Billboards will be written in Spanish, Russian, Chinese and Arabic, and will be placed along migrant travel routes.

The governor made his announcement at a ranch on the southern border. He was standing by a burned "rape tree," where property owners have said migrant women were routinely raped. Abbott said the billboards "tell the horror stories of human trafficking" and "inform potential illegal immigrants about the reality of what will happen to them if they try to enter Texas illegally."

One billboard written in Spanish depicts a little girl and simply asks: "How much did you pay to have your daughter raped?"

'SHUT IT DOWN': RED STATE MAKES MASSIVE LAND BUY TO RAMP UP BORDER WALL EFFORTS AMID MIGRANT SURGE

Another depicts a pregnant woman and says: "Your wife and daughter will pay for their trip with their bodies."

Abbott criticized governments and private groups who "make it sound like it may be harmless going into the state of Texas," and said the state is trying to "provide reality facts for immigrants thinking about coming here to save their lives, to save them from sexual assault, save them from being arrested and let them know there are consequences if they take any further steps to come to the state of Texas."

"This is tough medicine, but we want no more rape trees in Texas," said Abbott. "Do not make the dangerous trek to Texas."

The governor went on to lament the historic surge in illegal immigration under the Biden administration, saying: "It's a deadly situation, a horrific situation, a horror that we fully expect to end beginning in about a month when President Trump takes office and shuts down the border and restores safety and normalcy to the immigration process."

EXCLUSIVE: Baltimore ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations officials on Thursday arrested eight migrants, including four convicted of child molestation and one murderer, in suburban Maryland. 

The arrests happened during an exclusive Fox News ride-along with the government agency. 

One of the migrants apprehended was convicted of sexual abuse of a minor and exposing himself in public several times. Another migrant, from the Philippines, was previously convicted of molesting a 10-year-old girl.

According to ICE, the one migrant convicted of murder was living in the U.S. on a permanent visa status.

MIGRANT CRIME PROBLEM ‘COURTESY’ OF BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, DEMOCRATIC PARTY: REP. PETE SESSIONS 

"The people we are out for are the worst of the worst," Baltimore field office Director Matthew Elliston told Fox News' David Spunt. "It's not the average person who is in the country illegally. If we are targeting you, there is a reason."

The goal is simple for the Baltimore ICE Field Office: arrest and then deport as many illegal migrants with criminal records as possible. ICE agents’ goal at the start of the day was to capture eight targets, and all eight targets are now in custody.

Now all eight of those migrants are behind bars and await hearings in front of immigration judges and potential deportation.

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH FOR ON IMMIGRATION AND BORDER SECURITY IN 2025

According to ICE data obtained by the House Homeland Security Committee in September, there are at least 650,000 criminal illegal immigrants on the agency’s "non-detained docket," meaning they are free in the U.S. interior. Of those, 14,944 are murderers and over 20,000 have been convicted of sexual assault.

Although not officially a sanctuary state, Maryland, which is led by Democratic Gov. Wes Moore and a majority Democratic state assembly, is considered immigrant friendly. The city of Baltimore, meanwhile, has an official policy that does not allow law enforcement to ask residents about their immigration status.

ICE data indicates that Baltimore ERO arrested 570 migrants with either a criminal conviction or a pending criminal charge in fiscal year 2024.

FIRST ON FOX: A top Texas official is slamming what she says is the "downright shameful" auctioning off of border wall materials as the state asks a district court to investigate whether the Biden administration has violated a court order.

"The Biden Administration's latest attempt to block Texas and President-Elect Donald Trump's efforts to secure the southern border is downright shameful and demonstrates a continued pattern of disregard for the safety of Texas and American families in favor of increasingly disastrous open border policies," Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

Buckingham’s office, along with the states of Texas and Missouri filed a motion late Tuesday in a district court in the southern district of Texas to hold a status conference to determine if the government is in breach of the court’s permanent injunction from earlier this year. That injunction barred the administration from using funds obligated for wall construction for anything other than that purpose.

The Biden administration has been auctioning off border wall parts since at least 2023 with parts listed for sale on auction marketplaces, after it abruptly shut down most border wall construction in 2021.

GOP SENATOR MOVES TO BLOCK FEDS FROM DISPOSING OF BORDER WALL MATERIALS AMID AUCTION BACKLASH 

Those auctions have continued, with border officials telling Fox that auctions now occur weekly and have been for some time. But the practice made news last week when The Daily Wire published video showing parts being transported, and cited Border Patrol agents who said the goal was to clear it out before Christmas.

A defense official told Fox News last week that the Pentagon has been disposing of excess wall construction in accordance with the fiscal year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, which required the defense secretary to submit a plan to use, transfer or donate all remaining wall material purchased with Pentagon funds. That plan was submitted in March.

The official said border states, including Texas, were first offered that material for purchase before auction. The official also said the materials no longer belong to the U.S. government, adding the Defense Department has no legal authority to recall the material or stop further resale of it.

‘STANDING BY TO HELP’: RED STATE REVEALS PLAN TO PURCHASE AUCTIONED BORDER WALL MATERIALS TO STORE FOR TRUMP

"Through our reutilization, transfer and donation process, nearly 60% of those materials were transferred to authorized recipients, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the states of Texas and California," the official said. "The remaining 40% was sold to GovPlanet under a competitive sales contract process beginning in June 2024. The material currently being sold through GovPlanet online auctions no longer belongs to the U.S. Government, and DOD has no legal authority to recall the material or stop further resale of material it no longer owns."

However, those statements have not stopped the outrage from Republicans, who see the auctions as a move to stop the Trump administration building the wall. Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., introduced legislation this week to stop ther practice.

President-elect Trump, meanwhile, said on Monday he had been working with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and others to acquire the materials.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS

"What they're doing is really an act, it's almost a criminal act," he said. "They know we're going to use it, and if we don't have it, we're going to have to rebuild it. And it'll cost double what it cost years ago, and that's hundreds of millions of dollars because you're talking about a lot of, a lot of wall."

Paxton said in a statement that Texas is going to court to "prevent any border security materials from being unlawfully sold and to find out the truth about what the federal government may be doing to subvert border wall construction."

"President Trump has an overwhelming mandate from the American people to build the wall and I will do everything in my power to prevent any acts of sabotage by the outgoing administration," he said.

Texas has said it intends to do all it can to help the incoming administration build the wall at the southern border when it enters office. Officials said this week they intend to purchase the auctioned off materials, and Buckingham said she intends to store it on state land for the new administration.

"I made a promise to use every tool at my disposal from the GLO to secure our border and protect Texans," Buckingham said in the statement to Fox. "That is why I have offered state leaders and President-Elect Donald Trump the opportunity to store any wall panels his incoming administration may acquire on state land. I will never give up the fight to secure our porous southern border and protect our sons and daughters from violent, criminal illegal immigrants."

Fox News' Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report.

FIRST ON FOX: Republicans are looking to stop welfare and other benefits from going to illegal immigrants paroled into the U.S. — and they are angling to pass it through the budget reconciliation process, bypassing the Senate's 60-vote legislative filibuster.

Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) is introducing the "America First Act" on Wednesday, which would change the requirements outlined in the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act to explicitly exclude people in the country illegally, including those granted asylum, those who are paroled into the country or people being withheld from deportation. 

FARM STATE REPUBLICANS APPEAR SKEPTICAL ABOUT RFK JR AMID HIS QUEST FOR HHS CONFIRMATION

These individuals would not be eligible to receive welfare benefits, including participation in programs such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) or certain housing benefits. 

The bill is also being introduced in the House of Representatives by Reps. Chip Roy, R-Texas and Jodey Arrington, R-Texas. 

RFK JR. SAYS HE PLANS TO ALSO MEET WITH DEMS IN BID TO GET CONFIRMED AS TRUMP HHS HEAD

Many bills have met their doom in the Senate as a result of the legislative filibuster, which can block measures that fail to reach 60 votes on a cloture motion.

However, when a policy is passed through budget reconciliation, which Republicans are set to use in the new Congress to pass key priorities of President-elect Donald Trump, it can be advanced with just a simple majority. 

ELIZABETH WARREN WANTS ANSWERS FROM TRUMP OVER ELON MUSK 'CONFLICTS OF INTEREST'

This is how Lee, Roy and Arrington are hoping to get their legislation over the finish line. The Utah senator is currently negotiating to have the policy included in the upcoming budget reconciliation package, where it would act as a "pay-for" for other items, such as border security. 

Lee's office pointed to the Congressional Budget Office's (CBO) July report on the "Effects of the Immigration Surge on the Federal Budget and the Economy." As the senator's team highlighted, the CBO revealed, "The immigration surge adds $0.3 trillion to outlays for federal mandatory programs and net spending for interest on the debt over the 2024–2034 period in CBO’s projections." 

DOGE CAUCUS FOUNDING MEMBER DEBUTS 2 BILLS TO KICK-START WASTE CUTS IN TRUMP TERM

The Republican bill would additionally remove eligibility of these outlined non-citizens for various educational, healthcare and housing benefits, disaster aid or tax credits. 

The White House did not provide comment to Fox News Digital in time for publication. 

EXCLUSIVE – Ahead of President-elect Trump's inauguration, conservatives in the most populous red state in America are launching a new Texas Republican Leadership Fund (TRLF) to elect "true" conservatives to crucial leadership roles.

Despite being led by a strongly conservative Republican governor and having a commanding majority in the legislature, the last four Texas House speakers have been elected through the support of Democrats. The result has been Democrats exercising an outsized level of power and influence in the largest Republican state in the nation. An inside track with the Texas speaker also gives Democrats significant control over some of the most important issues affecting the nation, such as enforcement of Texas’ more than 1,250 miles of border.

Alex Fairly, the TRLF’s principal donor, told Fox News Digital it is time for that to change.

TRLF, which is officially registering with the Texas Ethics Commission Tuesday and launching with $20 million of initial funding, has the support of many of Texas’ most influential leaders who are intent on making the state the definitive leader in conservative politics.

ELON MUSK MOVES TO MAKE STARBASE, TEXAS, THE OFFICIAL ‘GATEWAY TO MARS’

While he hopes that all Republicans in the Texas House will stand with the caucus to elect a conservative leader, Fairly said the $20 million will be available for use in the primaries and upcoming 2026 general election to hold elected officials "accountable" if they side with a Democratic-backed speaker.

According to Fairly, Texas conservatives are fed up with lukewarm Republicans cutting backroom deals with Democrats in the state legislature. And as Trump prepares to return to the White House in January, he said it will be more important than ever for Texas to support the new administration’s agenda through strong conservative leadership at the state level.

"Texas leads the way on many of the biggest conservative issues," he said. "I don't think there's any question that having a Republican majority in the House… has a massive impact on what happens across the country and supporting President Trump and his agenda."

This comes amid an ongoing battle in the Texas legislature over who will be the next speaker of the House. The most recent speaker, Rep. Dade Phelan, who came to power in 2021, dropped out from consideration after facing intense criticism from Republicans for failing to pass key conservative priorities such as school choice and for his role in the unsuccessful impeachment effort against vocal Trump ally Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

TEXAS BLOCKS SCHOOL CHOICE AS OTHER REPUBLICAN-LED STATES GO ALL-IN

Now, the Texas House of Representatives is set to elect a new speaker on Jan. 14. There are two frontrunners: Phelan ally Rep. Dustin Burrows and Rep. David Cook, who is backed by more hardline conservatives.

After going to the Democratic side of the aisle to help him secure the necessary 76 votes to win the speakership, Burrows declared the race over.  

However, Burrows’ attempt to bargain with Democrats has caused outrage from many conservatives, even including Donald Trump Jr., who said the move was not in line with voters’ election night "mandate" to Republicans. 

"It’s unbelievable what is happening in Texas right now," he said on X. "There is a group of so-called Republicans cutting a deal with liberal Democrats to elect a speaker instead of uniting behind the Republican nominee, @DavidCookTexas! Unbelievable! Republicans have a mandate!"

LONGTIME DEMOCRAT TEXAS JUDGE SWITCHES PARTIES IN MONUMENTAL MOVE

Fairly, who is an entrepreneur and health care executive who has been a vocal supporter of school choice, says the race for the speakership is not set in stone. This time, he believes there is strong resolve among Texas Republicans to stop moderates from handing over control to the Democrats.

"In spite of the progress made in this past election cycle toward… conservative priorities, there may still be work to do in the next primary cycle," he said. "These funds will be available to help expand a true Republican majority."

"Democrats don't give their votes away for free, they want things in return," he went on. "So, we end up with a House that's not really run by the majority, it's co-run by Democrats and a minority of Republicans. It just puts Texas in just such a weak position to accomplish what we could if we really were led by a majority of Republicans."

"This time we're bringing this out into the light."  

President-elect Donald Trump blasted the Biden administration for selling off unused border wall materials at a discounted rate, which he called "almost a criminal act."

Trump said the auctions would cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars to re-purchase the large steel bollards and concrete. He called on President Biden to "please stop selling the wall" and suggested his team would obtain a restraining order to halt the sales.

The president-elect also said he is working with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and other Texas leaders to re-acquire the materials.

"What they're doing is really an act, it's almost a criminal act," he said. "They know we're going to use it and if we don't have it, we're going to have to rebuild it, and it'll cost double what it cost years ago, and that's hundreds of millions of dollars because you're talking about a lot of, a lot of wall."

ON CLEARANCE: WHY IS THE BIDEN ADMIN SELLING OFF BORDER WALL MATERIAL?

This comes a week after videos released by the Daily Wire showed large portions of border wall materials being carted off from the border to be sold at auction. The Daily Wire reported that a whistleblower at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection claimed the administration’s goal was to sell off all the unused border wall materials along three stations of Arizona’s border with Mexico in Tucson, Nogales and Three Points by Christmas.

A representative for U.S. Customs and Border Protection told Fox News Digital that construction and management of the border wall is handled by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

An official at the Department of Defense told Fox News Digital that the materials currently being sold through online auctions were already sold off by the federal government earlier this year, with a large percentage of the materials being sold to a government surplus retailer called Gov Planet.

The Defense official said the materials no longer belong to the U.S. government, and the Defense Department has no legal authority to recall the material or stop further resale of it.

TOM COTTON DEMANDS DOD RECORDS ON BORDER-WALL MATERIAL SALES BE PRESERVED

Meanwhile, a local leader for Yuma County, which is on the far western side of Arizona, further confirmed with Fox News Digital that the Biden administration’s sales of unused border materials have continued at a regular pace since beginning in 2021.

Jonathan Lines, a Yuma County supervisor, told Fox News Digital that the equipment dealer Iron Planet has been partnering with the federal government to sell the materials over the last three years. He explained that though auctions for the pieces start at $5, they typically end up being sold for between $8,000 and $10,000.

Despite this, Lines pushed back on reports that the Biden administration is increasing its sales of border wall materials in attempts to get rid of the materials before the Trump inauguration, calling these "sensationalism."

"They sell it consistently, every week or every other week there are sections of the wall that go up for sale," he explained.

TEXAS SHERIFF FRUSTRATED WITH BIDEN ADMIN FOR SELLING BORDER WALL PARTS

Border wall materials were listed by Gov Planet last week at $5 as the minimum opening bid for 20 tons of steel bollards on an online auction site that advertised multiple lots.

Trump, who has made government efficiency a top priority for his second administration, took particular issue with the financial waste of the auctions.

"The people that are buying it or trying to buy it are trying to make a deal with us to sell it back at hundreds of times more, hundreds of times more than we paid," he said. "Just think about how ridiculous it is, and this is just people that don't want this country to succeed. And this has nothing to do with Democrat or Republican, this has to do with common sense. We won on common sense, and this is maybe one of the most egregious examples I've seen."

"So, I'm asking today, Joe Biden, to please stop selling the wall," he went on. "It's something that people can't even believe is happening. So, hopefully, Joe will be able to stop it." 

Officials in Texas say they are preparing to buy and store border wall materials being auctioned off by the federal government and keep them in place until the Trump administration takes office in January.

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick reacted to reports of continued auctions of border wall materials that have been left near the border after the sudden stop of border wall construction in 2021. 

"I will bid on all of that wall, and we will buy it in Texas, and we will give it to Donald Trump," Patrick said on "The Ingraham Angle."

"I’ve got a billion dollars in my pocket to do it," he said.

‘LEGAL AUTHORITY’: SENATE DEMS DEMAND BIDEN EXTEND PROTECTIONS FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AHEAD OF TRUMP ADMIN 

His comments were supported by Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, who said she is "fully prepared" to help in the effort.

"If you buy it, I have a place to store it — on state land! The [Texas General Land Office] is standing by to help!" she said, calling the auctioning off of border wall materials by the Biden administration "shameful."

The Biden administration abruptly ended border wall construction in January 2021 after 450 miles had been built in the first Trump administration. While border hawks say a wall is a critical tool to stopping illegal immigration, some Democrats have said a wall project is xenophobic and ineffective.

HOUSE OVERSIGHT REPUBLICANS INVESTIGATING BIDEN ADMIN'S SALE OF BORDER WALL PARTS: ‘WASTE AND ABUSE’ 

The auctioning off of border wall parts began in 2023 with parts listed for sale on GovPlanet.com, an online auction marketplace. The Defense Department's logistics agency told media outlets that the excess material had been turned over for disposition by the Army Corps of Engineers and was now for sale.

Those auctions have continued, with officials in Arizona telling Fox News Digital that auctions have been occurring weekly for some time. The practice drew attention last week when The Daily Wire published video showing unused wall parts being transported on flatbed trucks in Arizona, even though the materials could be used in the next Trump administration. 

President-elect Donald Trump has promised to restart border wall construction when he enters office next month. He described the selling off of the wall as "almost a criminal act" on Monday and appealed to the administration to stop the selling of the wall parts.

A defense official told Fox News that the Pentagon has been disposing of excess wall construction in accordance with the FY 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, which required the Defense secretary to submit a plan to use, transfer or donate all remaining wall material purchased with Pentagon funds. That plan was submitted in March.

The official said that border states, including Texas, were given preference for materials. Both Texas and California requested and received border materials, they said.

"Through our reutilization, transfer, and donation process, nearly 60% of those materials were transferred to authorized recipients, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the states of Texas and California," the official said. "The remaining 40% was sold to GOVPLANET under a competitive sales contract process beginning in June 2024. The material currently being sold through GOVPLANET online auctions no longer belongs to the U.S. Government, and DoD has no legal authority to recall the material or stop further resale of material it no longer owns."

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS

Texas has already shown it is keen to aid the incoming administration in its efforts to secure the border and engage in a mass deportation campaign.

Fox News Digital first reported last month that Texas has offered 1,400 acres of land to the incoming administration with which to stage its mass deportation operation. Border czar Thomas Homan said he is already planning on how to use the land effectively.

Fox News' Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report.

CHICAGO – Community activist and Chicago Against Violence founder Andre Smith may be a Democrat, but he says he's willing to work with incoming Trump border czar Tom Homan to deport illegal immigrants from the Windy City. 

"I welcome in Chicago the border czar [Tom Homan]," Smith told Fox News Digital in an interview. "And [truth] be told, I wouldn't mind working with him seeing that I was the first person in Chicago to stand up and fight against the migrants."

Smith, who is also a preacher, has been on the front line of helping his community in Chicago, from helping the homeless population to fighting against local efforts by Mayor Brandon Johnson to disperse migrants throughout the city. 

CHICAGO RESIDENTS SLAM THE 'STUPIDITY' OF MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON'S LIBERAL POLICIES DURING CITY COUNCIL MEETING

"I would love when he come[s] to Chicago to work with him, and getting them expedited back where they came from," Smith said of Homan. "Because to lie to a federal official is a federal offense, and if they came over on the pretenses of they are in fear of their life, then you have women, you have men, and all of them said they're in fear for their life because someone is going trying to kill them, and lying, you have to make examples."

Smith's comments come as many Chicago residents have been outraged by "sanctuary city" policies that have brought in thousands of migrants to a city already plagued by one of the highest violent crime rates in the U.S.

"Here we are in Chicago, where we [are] supposed to be celebrating a season of joy, love and happiness," Smith continued. "And a lot of people have Christmas trees and under their trees in Chicago. We are unwrapping gifts of neglect. We are unwrapping gifts of disappointment and heartaches. We are unwrapping gifts of $575 million of taxpayer dollars given to and misallocated to give to illegal migrants. We need solutions, and we need change."

NEW DATA REVEALS AMERICA HAS TENS OF THOUSANDS OF NONCITIZENS FROM US ADVERSARY WITH DEPORTATION ORDERS

Following President-elect Donald Trump's re-election, Johnson — who allocated millions of dollars to migrant resources — vowed to defend the illegal migrants residing in Chicago, saying "we will not bend or break," according to local news outlet WTTW. 

"Our values will remain strong and firm. We will face likely hurdles in our work over the next four years, but we will not be stopped, and we will not go back," Johnson said.

Meanwhile, Homan spoke in Chicago last week and told local Republicans he wanted Illinois Democrats to "come to the table," but if not to "get the hell out of the way."

That comment sparked a fiery response from Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill.

"Tom Homan, the next time you come to #IL03 — a district made stronger and more powerful by immigrants — you better be ready to meet the resistance," she warned.

ILLINOIS GOVERNOR SAYS 'VIOLENT' ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS SHOULD BE DEPORTED, OPEN TO MEETING WITH TRUMP OFFICIALS

"You may think Chicago needs to get out of the way of Trump's plans for mass deportation, but we plan to get ALL UP IN YOUR WAY."

Ramirez's comments add to a growing number of statements from Democratic leaders nationwide vowing to oppose or refuse cooperation with Trump's mass deportation plans. 

But while Homan may face opposition from Illinois Democrats, there's one Democratic leader willing to work with him: Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker. 

"Violent criminals who are undocumented and convicted of violent crime should be deported," Pritzker said at a Northwest Side GOP gathering last week. "I do not want them in my state, I don't think they should be in the United States."

Pritzker, 59, is considered a potential 2028 Democratic presidential hopeful.

Fox News Digital's Adam Shaw and Pilar Arias contributed to this report.

FIRST ON FOX: A labor union representing thousands of Border Patrol agents is all in on South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, calling on senators to confirm her nomination "qui​​ckly." 

"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 Donald 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 to Sens. Gary Peters, D-Mich., and Rand. Paul, R-Ky., the chair and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs, respectively. 

Perez sent the letter, which was obtained by Fox News Digital, to the senators on Thursday, joining a growing chorus of law enforcement groups throwing their support behind Noem. The DHS oversees U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the U.S. Secret Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The union, which represents about 18,000 Border Patrol agents, wrote in their letter to Paul and Peters that Noem has showcased her ability to "get things done" both at home in South Dakota, and on the national stage when she aided Texas’ "Operation Lone Star" to battle the immigration crisis. 

'SECURE OUR BORDER': MASSIVE POLICE ORG CALLS FOR SWIFT CONFIRMATION OF NOEM TO DHS

"Governor Noem is a seasoned leader who knows how to get things done – not only as chief executive of her home state but also in Washington, DC, where she served with distinction and integrity in the U.S. House of Representatives," Perez wrote in the letter, which was also sent to Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., the incoming Senate majority leader. 

"Governor Noem was the first governor to deploy National Guard personnel to the border in Texas to support Operation Lone Star. This deployment bolstered our resources at a critical time along the border and helped to protect Texans and Americans alike."

TRUMP SELECTS SOUTH DAKOTA GOV KRISTI NOEM TO RUN DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Noem has repeatedly deployed South Dakota National Guard troops to the southern border in Texas to help stem illegal border crossings. 

"The border is a war zone, so we’re sending soldiers," Noem said in a press release in February, which marked the fifth deployment of National Guard troops to the border under the Biden administration. "These soldiers’ primary mission will be construction of a wall to stem the flow of illegal immigrants, drug cartels, and human trafficking into the United States of America."

Earlier this month, Washington, D.C., insiders told Fox News Digital that they anticipate Noem will earn endorsements from a long list of law enforcement groups for her federal nomination. 

GOV KRISTI NOEM REFLECTS ON TRUMP WIN, SAYS DEMOCRATS 'TRY TO PUT WOMEN IN A BOX'

Fox News Digital previously reported that the largest organization of sworn law enforcement officers, the Fraternal Order of Police, sent letters to both President-elect Trump and Paul outlining their staunch support of Noem as secretary of homeland security. 

​​"Governor Noem has been a longtime ally of the FOP during both her tenure in the House of Representatives and as Governor of South Dakota. The South Dakota State Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police endorsed Governor Noem for her re-election campaign in 2022, citing her belief in the rule of law and commitment to public safety," Fraternal Order of Police national president Patrick Yoes wrote in a November letter to Trump, which was obtained by Fox News Digital. 

Perez echoed that sentiment for Border Patrol agents, specifically, calling for Noem’s speedy confirmation to bolster the border and homeland security overall. 

"We are confident that as Secretary, Governor Noem will continue to ensure Border Patrol agents have the resources and manpower that we need to secure our border. We urge you to quickly begin consideration of this critical nomination and confirm Governor Noem as Secretary once President Trump is sworn in," Perez said. 

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT KRISTI NOEM, THE 'BORDER HAWK' NOMINATED BY TRUMP TO LEAD DHS

Noem has served as governor of the Mount Rushmore State since 2019, and notably gained national attention and praise from conservatives during the pandemic when she bucked lockdown orders and mask mandates common in liberal states such as California and New York. 

Trump, who ran on a pledge to end the immigration crisis at the southern border and crack down on the deadly drug epidemic ravaging communities across the nation, announced his nomination of Noem just days after his decisive win over Vice President Kamala Harris last month. 

EX-TRUMP OFFICIAL PREDICTS ‘ENTIRE MINDSET CHANGE’ AT SOUTHERN BORDER, HAILS ‘FANTASTIC’ PICK TO LEAD DHS 

"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," he wrote last month in his announcement. 

Noem began meeting with Senate lawmakers last week to rally their support for the confirmation process. 

"We’ve just had great conversations with Sen. Peters, talked about some concerns within the agency, what we can do to solidify our national security interests," Noem told reporters, according to Roll Call. "And I think Republicans and Democrats in this country recognize how important homeland security is, and that we’re working together to make sure that we’re safe."

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said he and incoming border czar Tom Homan have the same desire to go after illegal immigrant criminals following a Thursday meeting between the pair. 

Adams met with Homan to discuss cooperation between local and federal authorities on deporting violent criminals once the Trump administration takes office on Jan. 20.

"We're not going to be a safe haven for those who commit repeated violent crimes against innocent migrants, immigrants and long-standing New Yorkers," Adams said after the meeting. "From what I heard from the incoming head of ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) is that we have the same desire to go after those who are committing violent acts, repeated violent acts among innocent New Yorkers and among migration asylum seekers. That's what I heard from him. And I was pleased to hear that, because we share the same desire."

TRUMP BORDER CZAR MEETING WITH NYC MAYOR ADAMS DESPITE SANCTUARY CITY STATUS

The mayor noted that the city doesn't allow itself to be a safe haven for American citizens committing crimes, "and we're not going to do it for those who are undocumented."

The meeting came as Homan plans to implement President-elect Trump's mass deportation plan once he takes office on Jan. 20. 

Homan has warned leaders in sanctuary cities to either cooperate with immigration authorities or step aside. Earlier this week, Adams announced the closing of dozens of migrant shelters, as the "sanctuary" city continues to see a drop in arrivals.

In total, 25 shelters are being closed in the next few months. New York has seen more than 225,000 migrants arrive since 2022. The surge coincided with a spike at the southern border, compounded by a strategy by Texas to bus migrants to sanctuary cities to relieve pressure on the border state.

Even before Thursday's meeting between Adams and Homan, immigration activists accused the mayor of "collaborating" with the new administration. 

"It’s despicable that Mayor Adams continues to shirk his responsibilities to uphold New York City’s existing policies and values as a sanctuary city by collaborating with Trump’s border czar Tom Homan," Murad Awawdeh, president and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition, said in a statement.

'WE’VE TURNED THE CORNER': BLUE CITY ANNOUNCES SHUTTERING OF MIGRANT SHELTERS AS NUMBERS DROP

Adams has been deeply critical of the federal government's handling of the migrant crisis and has taken a tougher stance on illegal immigration than many of his Democratic contemporaries, who have vowed to resist the incoming Trump administration's plan to deport illegal migrants. 

Currently, there are 170 crimes that allow New York officials to communicate and collaborate with ICE after a migrant is convicted of a crime, said Adams. 

"We need to examine them and see what is my authority, using executive orders, to ensure that I keep New Yorkers safe. That's my only goal. I cannot make any clearer. In pursuing that goal, my years and years of advocating for immigrants that are here and attempting to find the American dream, if that demonizes me, then I'm going to take it. But I'm going to save lives in this city," he said. 

The mayor criticized those he said have attempted to cast him as switching his position on illegal immigration. 

"People are trying to push their own agenda. I have one agenda. I've never lied about the agenda," he said. "Everybody, everyone in this city should be protected and should not be the victims of violent crimes. And that was a conversation I had with the incoming border czar. We shared that same belief, and we're going to pursue that same belief."

Fox News Digital's Adam Shaw contributed to this report. 

Incoming border czar Tom Homan will meet with New York City Mayor Eric Adams in the Big Apple on Thursday where they will discuss the city’s ongoing migrant crisis and ways of deporting criminal illegal migrants who have been terrorizing the city’s streets.

The pair is scheduled to meet at City Hall at 1 p.m. and then hold a press conference at 3 p.m., according to the mayor’s office. 

The main focus of the meeting is to weed out migrant criminals in the sanctuary city and deport them, as opposed to those who are undocumented, a source familiar with the matter tells the New York Post. 

VIOLENT VENEZUELAN GANG TREN DE ARAGUA SPREADS TO ONE OF AMERICA’S MOST REMOTE STATES

Homan, a hardliner on immigration, has vowed to enforce Trump’s promised crackdown on illegal immigration and carry out his mass deportation agenda. Homan has said he wants to primarily deport those migrants who pose a threat to national security and public safety. 

Adams has at times been critical of the federal government, including the Biden Administration, for its lack of financial support over the last four years as New York City has struggled to cater for the unprecedented influx of migrants -- costing taxpayers billions of dollars. The blue city has seen more than 225,000 migrants arrive since 2022, a surge that coincided with a spike in migrant crime in the city with the bloodthirsty Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua getting a foothold in the city. 

Migrant arrivals have dropped sharply in recent weeks, with Adams attributing the dip to executive orders by the Biden administration that have limited the ability to claim asylum in the U.S. and have been tied to a sharp drop in apprehensions at the border itself. He also linked it to strategies taken by the city itself to help relocate migrants, including case management and offering tickets to 47,000 migrants so they can reach their "preferred destinations." 

Trump has threatened to withhold federal funding to sanctuary cities who do not cooperate with Trump’s deportation agenda. 

'WE’VE TURNED THE CORNER': BLUE CITY ANNOUNCES SHUTTERING OF MIGRANT SHELTERS AS NUMBERS DROP

The city’s sanctuary city status stems from a 1979 class action suit brought against then-Gov. Hugh L. Carey and Mayor Ed Koch that resulted in the "Callahan Decree" – which instituted a right-to-shelter for homeless men. It has since been used as a tool to attempt to shelter homeless migrants who have descended on the city. Adams has previously criticized it being applied to migrants. 

Adams has been taking a more hawkish approach to illegal immigration in recent weeks, announcing that 25 shelters are in the city and state are being closed in the next few months. He has also suggested that immigrants charged with crimes do not necessarily deserve due process.

"We’re going to continue looking for more sites to consolidate and close, and more opportunities to save taxpayer money, as we continue to successfully manage this response," Adams said on Tuesday.

Adams has taken a more muscular approach to illegal immigration than some of his Democratic counterparts in other blue cities across the country, some of whom have promised resistance to the plan by the incoming Trump administration.

He has indicated his willingness to work with Homan on the deportation of illegal immigrants with criminal convictions while stressing the importance of work authorization, case management and protection from deportation for those who have not committed violent crimes while here.

"I would like to speak with our border czar and find out what his plans are. Where our common grounds are, we can work together. And I strongly believe, my history is sitting down with those across the aisle with different ways of thinking and sit down and share my ideas," Adams said last week. 

"I believe I have some ideas that could deal with this issue, and we can reach what the American people have been saying to us: secure our borders, address the people who are committing violent acts in our country and make sure that … our citizens are going to be safe."

Adams apparent shift to the right even left some speculating that Adams may rejoin the Republican Party, a prospect he didn’t rule out last week. 

Meanwhile, voters in the state of New York support the deportation of illegal immigrants, according to a new poll. The Siena College New York State Poll found that 54% of respondents say the state should support any Trump administration efforts to deport migrants living illegally in the state, compared to 35% of respondents who oppose the plans.

Strong support for President-elect Donald Trump's deportation plan was found throughout the state, including New York City.

Fox News' Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.

EXCLUSIVE: Nearly 40,000 Chinese nationals are among more than 1.4 million noncitizens who have deportation orders but who are not currently in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention, according to new figures obtained by Fox News.

The numbers show that there are currently 1,445,549 foreign nationals who are on ICE’s non-detained docket and have final orders of removal as of Nov. 24, 2024.

The non-detained docket includes noncitizens who have final orders of removal or are going through removal proceedings but are not in ICE custody. There are currently more than 7 million people on that docket, which includes those who are incarcerated by federal, state or local law enforcement but not by ICE. Those in ICE custody are on the detained docket.

NUMBERS OF AFGHANS, CHINESE COMING THROUGH KEY MIGRANT CROSSING SURGED SINCE 2021: REPORT

The top countries of nationals on the list include Mexico (252,044), Guatemala (253,413), Honduras (261,651) and El Salvador (203,822.)

But other countries include China, which has 37,908 nationals on the docket with final orders of removal. Other countries include Haiti (32,363), Iran (2,618), Pakistan (7,76), Uzbekistan, (975) and Venezuela (22,749.)

China is a geopolitical foe of the U.S., and Republicans have expressed concern about the potential for espionage or cyberattacks from Chinese Communist Party members who infiltrate the U.S. Last week, the Justice Department alleged that an illegal immigrant from China shipped weapons to North Korea from California.

Lawmakers have asked for a breakdown of nationalities as well as categories of reasons that make it difficult to deport them.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT FROM CHINA SHIPPED WEAPONS TO NORTH KOREA FROM CALIFORNIA: DOJ

The number of illegal immigrants on the non-detained docket has soared from 3.7 million in fiscal 2021 to nearly 4.8 million in fiscal 2022 to more than 7 million in fiscal 2023. While many of the non-detained dockets are recent arrivals, others may have been in the country for decades.

In an accompanying note, ICE said it is unable to provide case-specific reasons, but there are several reasons why ICE may not be able to remove those with final orders of removal. They include appeals and those who have been given another form of deportation protection. It also includes those on Alternatives to Detention programs.

"Noncitizens may pursue a form of relief or protection from removal, which may include asylum, withholding of removal, or protection under the Convention Against Torture. If a noncitizen is granted any form of relief from removal, ICE is unable to effectuate the removal," the note said.

According to the agency, around 55% of those final orders are executable due to the above factors. That is also a fluid number, because factors in a case can change.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS

It also noted that a number of countries will not accept flights of nationals being returned. Currently, it labels 15 countries as "uncooperative": Bhutan, Burma, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Laos, Pakistan, People’s Republic of China, Russia, Somalia and Venezuela.

Meanwhile, it considers an additional 11 countries to be at risk of non-compliance: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Gabon, Gambia, Iraq, Jamaica, Nicaragua, South Sudan, St. Lucia and Vietnam.  

House Homeland Security Committee Chair Mark Green on Wednesday accused the Biden administration of having "hamstrung" ICE's ability to detain and remove illegal immigrants.

"These devastating numbers are yet more incontrovertible proof of this reality, and should serve as a wake-up call for policymakers. It is absolutely critical that Congress fully support the incoming Trump administration’s efforts to undo this damage and once again enforce our immigration laws and secure our borders," he said in a statement to Fox.

The numbers offer a glimpse into the variety of challenges that the incoming Trump administration faces as it seeks to establish a historic mass deportation operation after it takes office in January. Border czar Tom Homan told Fox News Digital on Wednesday that public safety threats will be the priority, but officials have also said that no illegal immigrant is off the table when it comes to deportation.

The administration also faces challenges in international diplomacy and dealing with countries refusing to take back their illegal immigrants. The Biden administration announced Wednesday that it has conducted another removal flight to China, marking the fourth flight in less than six months to the communist nation.

Fox News' Bill Melugin contributed to this report.

FIRST ON FOX: Republican governors from across the United States are expressing their support for President-elect Trump’s plans for a historic mass deportation campaign next year, and promising to work with him to get it done.

"As Republican governors, we stand united in support of President Donald Trump’s unwavering commitment to make America safe again by addressing the illegal immigration crisis and deporting illegal immigrants who pose a threat to our communities and national security," 26 Republican governors said in a joint statement.

The statement was led by Republican Governors Association (RGA) Policy Chair Henry McMaster. McMaster, the governor of South Carolina, became policy chair in November and this marks his first action in this role.

‘GAME ON’: TRUMP BORDER CZAR FIRES BACK AFTER HOUSE DEM PROMISES ‘RESISTANCE’ TO DEPORTATIONS

In the statement, the governors said they had taken action during what they say is inaction by the Biden administration in the border crisis that began in 2021. 

"We mobilized state resources, including law enforcement and National Guard units, to protect Americans from disastrous open border policies and prevent illegal immigration from overwhelming our country," they say.

Trump has promised to launch the deportation campaign when sworn into office next year. He has appointed Tom Homan, former acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) director, as border czar, and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as his nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security. Noem also signed the statement.

Homan has said the primary target of the deportation operation will be public safety threats, but he has also stressed that no-one in the country illegally is off the table.

TRUMP'S INCOMING BORDER CZAR REVEALS HE'S ALREADY MAKING PLANS FOR 1,400 ACRES OF LAND OFFERED BY TEXAS

A number of Democratic governors, including Massachusetts' Maura Healey and Arizona's Katie Hobbs, have said they won’t cooperate with the administration on deportations. But the Republican governors say they are "proud to welcome President Trump back to the White House, a leader who has consistently put America first. 

"His leadership is exactly what our nation needs to restore law and order at the border, and we are eager to work alongside his Administration to tackle the critical challenges facing our nation," they say.

"Republican governors remain fully committed to supporting the Trump Administration’s efforts to deport dangerous criminals, gang members, and terrorists who are in this country illegally. We understand the direct threat these criminal illegal immigrants pose to public safety and our national security, and we will do everything in our power to assist in removing them from our communities."

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS

They say they are prepared to use every tool at their disposal "whether through state law enforcement or the National Guard – to support President Trump in this vital mission."

"The time for action is now. Together, we will make America safe again," they say.

In addition to South Carolina, governors from Alabama, Arkansas, Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming are represented in the statement. 

Already, the state of Texas has offered more than 1,400 acres of land to the incoming administration with which to stage mass deportations. Homan said this week he is already making plans for how that land can be used.

FIRST ON FOX: The mother of a woman allegedly killed by an illegal immigrant pleaded with Judiciary Committee senators to secure the border in her written testimony for a hearing led by committee Democrats titled, "How Mass Deportations Will Separate American Families, Harm Our Armed Forces, and Devastate Our Economy." 

"I live 1,800 miles from the southern border in a small town in northern Maryland. Yet a man who was wanted for murder in El Salvador made his way to my community... and ambushed my daughter on a quaint walking trail in broad daylight," wrote Patty Morin, the mother of Rachel Morin who died in 2023. 

GOP SENATOR QUESTIONS FBI OVER REPORTED IRANIAN HACK ATTEMPT OF TRUMP PICK KASH PATEL

Rachel Morin was a mother of five. Following her death, a grand jury in Maryland voted to formally charge the suspect, illegal immigrant Victor Martinez Hernandez, 23, with two counts of murder, two counts of rape and one count each of sex offense and kidnapping. 

"We felt relieved when the suspect was finally caught. But that relief quickly turned to horror and outrage when we learned that the suspect was an illegal immigrant. This man was wanted for killing a woman in his home country when he walked into ours," Patty wrote in her planned testimony. 

JOHN CORNYN 'INCLINED' TO BACK TRUMP FBI PICK KASH PATEL AFTER SENATE MEETING

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., recently previewed the Tuesday hearing, saying it "will examine the consequences of President-elect Donald Trump’s plan for mass deportations, as well as stress the need to shift our focus toward sensible solutions that would bring order to the border and provide a path to citizenship to longtime residents with no serious criminal convictions."

Patty will be one of five witnesses at the hearing. 

DEMOCRATIC GOVERNORS APPOINT INCOMING CALIFORNIA, NEW JERSEY SENATORS 3 WEEKS EARLY

"I really want you to hear my words and take to heart what I and other families across America are saying. Please hear our cries for help! You each have taken an oath...an oath to serve our nation and the citizens who make it great. Protect Americans by securing our borders," she said in her testimony. 

LARA TRUMP ANNOUNCES SHE IS STEPPING DOWN AS RNC CO-CHAIR AMIDST TALK SHE MAY BE UP FOR FLORIDA SENATE SEAT

The hearing and Patty Morin's testimony comes as both parties prepare for the mass deportations of illegal immigrants that have been promised by the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump. He has also said he will further fortify the southern border and continue building his wall. 

Rachel Morin's death was one of several high-profile deaths of women in the U.S. allegedly at the hands of illegal immigrants during the Biden administration. Some of the other cases that garnered national media attention and outrage were those of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray in Texas and Laken Riley in Georgia. 

A new report released by the Heritage Foundation offers the first comprehensive English language look at the massive Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) whose cruel exploits in the U.S. have been making national headlines.

The verdict? According to the report’s author, Joseph Humire, the threat America faces from Tren de Aragua is much worse than most people think.

Titled "Derailing the Tren de Aragua," the report offers U.S. leaders a starting point to understand the violent criminal organization that it says was "honed and perfected inside Venezuelan prison walls then exported throughout the Western Hemisphere."

Humire told Fox News Digital that he hopes the report will give the incoming Trump administration a starting point on how to respond to and dismantle the TdA before it can continue to grow more roots within U.S. borders.

EX-ICE OFFICIAL WARNS TREN DE ARAGUA HAS GROWN FASTER INSIDE US THAN MURDEROUS RIVAL GANG: ‘PUT THEM OUT NOW’

"The TdA is unique among criminal organizations because it has an ideology associated with it," Humire said in the report. "Now that the TdA is already present in America, to fix this, a proper understanding of the TdA is necessary to detect their motives, tactics, and overall strategy of organized crime."

Humire, who is director of the Center for a Secure and Free Society and a Heritage Foundation fellow, told Fox News Digital that the first thing to understand about Tren de Aragua is that it is much more than a gang. Rather, it is an organized international terrorist effort backed by some of America’s worst enemies to sow chaos and destabilize the U.S.

Born from a Venezuelan prison more than a decade ago, Tren de Aragua, which means "Train from Aragua," burst into the national consciousness in 2023 after reports of members of the group holding an entire apartment building hostage in Aurora, Colorado, a suburb of Denver.  

Since then, reports of violent crimes by Tren de Aragua members have spread like wildfire, including the high-profile murders of nursing student Laken Riley in Georgia and 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray in Houston.

AMERICANS WILL BE 'TARGETED' AS TREN DE ARAGUA GANG MEMBERS MULTIPLY ACROSS US, EXPERT WARNS

American media coverage and politicians have cast Tren de Aragua as a group of simple thugs and criminals. However, Humire’s report emphasizes that Tren de Aragua is a state-sponsored transnational criminal organization sponsored by and embedded in the Venezuelan socialist government.

Rather than working to detect and deter criminals and terror, Humire said that key aspects of the Venezuelan government help facilitate TdA’s operations, not only within Venezuela but throughout the Western Hemisphere. 

With the backing of the Venezuelan government, he said TdA has an intentional "invasion ideology" that is bent on achieving territorial control of neighborhoods and regions in a matter of weeks rather than the yearslong process taken by most gangs and transnational criminal organizations.

'SLAP IN THE FACE': MEDIA, GOVERNMENT DOWNPLAYING VENEZUELAN GANGS, SAYS WOMAN WHO FLED HER COLORADO APARTMENT

While many comparisons have been drawn between Tren de Aragua and the El Salvadoran gang La Mara Salvatrucha 13 (MS-13), TdA is expanding much more quickly, which Humire said is likely due to its unique origin and state sponsorship in Venezuela.

He also alleged that TdA’s rapid expansion in the United States is a "direct consequence of the Biden–Harris Administration’s failed immigration policies and lack of border enforcement."

The Biden Cuban, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans parole program and the Venezuelan parole program before it have made it so that in many cases Venezuelan migrants are being waved into the country en masse with little to no vetting. Because of these policies, the Venezuelan population in the U.S. has grown by nearly 1 million – 520.8% – becoming the fastest-growing nationality in the U.S. since 2021.

The result has been that though TdA is new to the U.S., it now has a presence in more than 30 major U.S. cities and at least 100 federal investigations involving the group are underway, as the report puts it, "catching most of the U.S. law enforcement community by surprise."

COLORADO REPUBLICANS SOUND OFF ON IMPACT OF MIGRANT SURGE ON CITIZENS: ‘THEIR SOULS ARE CRUSHED’

In the first 100 days of his new administration, Humire said Trump should follow the example set by Texas’ efforts to root out the gang by delivering on his promise to launch an "Operation Aurora" to take a "whole-of-government approach" that uses federal resources within the Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the military to complement state-led law enforcement efforts as well as partner with Latin American allies to hit TdA from every angle.

"It is believed that the main TdA leaders have not yet arrived in America, meaning time is of the essence to take preventive measures," says the report.

Humire said the Trump Department of Homeland Security should immediately label TdA a transnational terror group and mark Venezuelan migrants as "special interest aliens." This designation would reverse the Biden administration’s policy of waving in Venezuelan migrants and instead allow U.S. immigration officials to more properly vet Venezuelan migrants.

Though this may sound controversial, Humire said it's something that would not only better protect American citizens in the interior but also legitimize asylum seekers fleeing Venezuela.

TEXAS HAS SPENT MILLIONS PLACING RAZOR WIRE ALONG BORDER: IS IT WORKING?

"This is really meant to protect the Venezuelan migrants because just because you come from one of those countries," he said. "Most Venezuelan migrants will actually agree with this because they don't want to be infiltrated by Tren de Aragua, and all Venezuelan migrants know how brutal and dangerous Tren de Aragua truly is."

Humire said there are already positive signs from the Trump transition that the president-elect is serious about his promise to dismantle TdA.

"I think that appointing the border czar so early in the transition process was a clear signal that that's one of the top, if not the top priority of the new Trump administration," he said. "And Tom Homan, who was appointed as the border czar, is very well aware of this gang Tren de Aragua and all of the transnational criminal organizations that are undermining American sovereignty."

He also said that some of Trump’s key Cabinet appointments, such as Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state and Rep. Michael Waltz for national security adviser, is evidence of a whole-of-government approach in which people in the administration realize that TdA "could be a big problem unless we nip it at the bud immediately."

"This is something that the Biden administration could have done. They had all the tools necessary to do that, but they missed the key ingredient, which is political will," he said. "So, the political will in the new administration to tackle this issue is very high, going from the president down to his appointees and all throughout."

An incoming Missouri state lawmaker introduced a bill to provide $1,000 to people who report illegal migrants to authorities.

Republican state Sen.-elect David Gregory proposed a measure that would offer $1,000 to any person who turned in an illegal migrant who is subsequently arrested.

SB 72 would allow the state's Department of Public Safety to "develop an information system for people to report violations of this act which shall include a toll-free telephone hotline, e-mail and online reporting portal."

BLUE STATE COUNTY TEES UP VOTE ON 'KNEE-JERK' RESOLUTION TO PROTECT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM DEPORTATIONS

The bill would also create the "Missouri Illegal Alien Certified Bounty Hunter Program" which would allow local citizens to serve as bounty hunters "for the purpose of finding and detaining illegal aliens" in the state.

Only bail bond agents and surety recovery agents may apply to the program to serve as bounty hunters.

The proposal would also make it a felony for anyone to be in the state as an illegal migrant.

ANOTHER MAJOR BLUE CITY DOUBLES DOWN ON VOW TO OBSTRUCT TRUMP'S MASS DEPORTATION PLAN

"As I ran for State Senate, I promised to make Missouri a national leader in combating illegal immigration," Gregory said in a post on the social media platform X.

"Now, I'm following through with my promise. SB 72 makes it a felony to be here illegally and the bill will finally allow Missouri law enforcement to find and arrest illegal immigrants," he continued. "We need all hands on deck to ensure we catch illegal immigrants BEFORE they commit violent crimes."

President-elect Trump has promised mass deportations in his second administration.

San Diego County will soon vote on a resolution to block all county cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, including letting them know about the release of criminal illegal immigrants -- coming just weeks before the Trump administration is expected to launch a historic deportation campaign.

The resolution would go further than the state’s sanctuary law, which generally limits law enforcement's cooperation with ICE, and represents a hardline stance against all cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. 

The new resolution, which will see a vote on December 10 as part of the county’s "commitment to social justice and inclusion," will say that the county will not provide assistance or cooperation to ICE "including by giving ICE agents access to individuals or allowing them to use County facilities for investigative interviews or other purposes, expending County time or resources responding to ICE inquiries or communicating with ICE regarding individuals’ incarceration status or release dates, or otherwise participating in any civil immigration enforcement activities."

ANOTHER MAJOR BLUE CITY DOUBLES DOWN ON VOW TO OBSTRUCT TRUMP'S MASS DEPORTATION PLAN

"When federal immigration authorities, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and U.S. Border Patrol, coerce local law enforcement to carry out deportations, family members are separated and community trust in law enforcement and local government is destroyed," an overview of the resolution claims. "Witnesses and victims who are undocumented or who have loved ones who are undocumented are afraid to come to the County for help, which includes calling local law enforcement. This puts the public safety of all San Diegans at risk."

San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chair Nora Vargas said that California’s current sanctuary laws restricting ICE deportations don’t go far enough.

"While the California Values Act significantly expanded protection from deportation to California residents, it fell short of protecting all residents, because it allowed agencies to still notify ICE of release dates and transfers individuals to ICE without a warrant in some circumstances," she said.

TOP CONSERVATIVE GROUP REVEALS ROADMAP TO REBUILD NEW US IMMIGRATION SYSTEM 'FROM THE ASHES'

She argues that the "loophole" has resulted in some illegal immigrants being transferred to ICE custody or ICE being notified of their release. The resolution is similar to a 2019 policy adopted in Santa Clara County.

"By avoiding active cooperation with ICE, including through specific notification to ICE of the release dates of immigrants, the County avoids treating a group of individuals differently solely on the basis of their immigration status," she says.

Republican San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond, who opposes the resolution, says he believes the resolution will pass, given the Democratic makeup of the board of supervisors. He said he believed the move was in line with a broader effort by the state to "Trump-proof" the state, and called it a "knee-jerk" reaction. 

"This is going to really impede different agencies and working together to make sure that everyone's safe, even the immigrants that are here now that have come across the border. This is going to hurt their communities even worse," he told Fox News Digital in an interview.

"I think this is going to allow more criminals who are here illegally to stay in San Diego County, and to get away with these kinds of crimes to where law enforcement can't work with immigration or with ICE on a much broader group of crimes. So, it's going to allow more rampant crime here and make our cities and our communities less safe."

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH FOR ON IMMIGRATION AND BORDER SECURITY IN 2025

Multiple officials at state and local level across the U.S. have said they will not cooperate with the upcoming deportation campaign by the new Trump administration. In Boston this week, the city council unanimously voted for a resolution to protect illegal immigrants from "unjust enforcement actions" and restricting Boston police from cooperating with ICE. 

However, some Republican states have said they will help the administration in its plans, with Texas going a step further and offering land on which to stage the deportation operation.

President-elect Donald Trump has been aggressively rolling out his picks to serve in his Cabinet and other top roles. Thursday was no different as he focused on picks that would work hard to secure the border and carry out a mass deportation operation. 

Trump added nominees for homeland security and immigration, naming Rodney Scott as Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Caleb Vitello as acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Tony Salisbury to be Deputy Homeland Security Advisor (White House Homeland Security Council).

RODNEY SCOTT

Scott is a former Border Patrol chief who served as chief from 2020 until he was ousted by the Biden administration in mid-2021. Since then, he has been a fierce critic of the Biden administration’s immigration policies and its handling of the crisis at the southern border.

Before being chief, he had led the San Diego Sector, one of the most challenging sectors in the country. He has been highly critical of DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and recently accused him of having "intentionally" opened the southern border.

TRUMP CABINET NOMINEES, APPOINTEES TARGETED WITH 'VIOLENT, UNAMERICAN THREATS'

"Rodney served nearly three decades in the Border Patrol, building vast experience and knowledge in Law Enforcement and Border Security. Rodney served as the 24th Chief of the U.S. Border Patrol, where he implemented Remain-in-Mexico, Title 42, Safe Third Agreements, and achieved record low levels of illegal immigration," Trump said in a statement on Truth Social. "He began his career with the Border Patrol in 1992 at the Imperial Beach Station, San Diego Sector. Following the September 11th terrorist attacks, he served as an Anti-Terrorism Advisor to the CBP Commissioner, and later, as Deputy Executive Director of the CBP, Office of Anti-Terrorism." 

CALEB VITELLO

Vitello has served at the White House National Security Council as the Director for Interior Enforcement as well as serving as Unit Chief and Deputy Assistant Director of the National Fugitive Operations Program within ERO’s Enforcement Division. 

"A member of the Senior Executive Service, with over 23 years of service to ICE, Caleb currently serves as Assistant Director of the Office of Firearms and Tactical Programs, where he oversees Agency-wide training, equipment, and policy to ensure Officer and Public Safety," Trump said in a statement said in a post on Truth Social late Thursday.  

DEMOCRATS' FUROR OVER 'UNQUALIFIED' TRUMP NOMINEES PUTS BIDEN'S STAFFING DECISIONS BACK IN THE SPOTLIGHT

"Caleb led the Fugitive Operations Academy, served as Deputy Assistant Director, and directed the National Fugitive Operations Program, providing policy guidance, strategic planning, and operational oversight for efforts to locate, arrest, and remove at-large, dangerous criminals and illegal aliens from the U.S. As Chief of Staff for Enforcement and Removal Operations, he managed daily operations for an organization with a $4.7 Billion Dollar budget and 8,000 employees. At the White House National Security Council, Caleb led initiatives focused on child safety and national security threats." 

TONY SALISBURY

Salisbury currently serves as the Special Agent in Charge (SAC) for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami.

He has served as the Acting Deputy Executive Associate Director (EAD) for the entire ICE/HSI workforce and previously held key leadership, field and headquarters assignments for ICE/HIS. 

Trump noted he was particularly successful at "all of HSI's complex Federal Law Enforcement investigative programs related to National Security and smuggling violations, including counter-proliferation, financial crimes, commercial fraud, human trafficking, human smuggling, narcotics smuggling, transnational gangs, cyber-crimes, child exploitation, worksite enforcement and document and benefit fraud."

"Tony will bring his vast Law Enforcement, counter-narcotics, and counter-cartel experience to the White House where he will serve under Stephen Miller, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Advisor," Trump said in a statement.