Five Texas district attorneys are suing state Attorney General Ken Paxton, challenging new rules that would give his office broad authority to access their office’s case records, according to a new report. 

In the two lawsuits filed on Friday, the district attorneys said the rule, in effect since April, is an unconstitutional overreach that violates the separation of powers and would impose unnecessary burdens on county prosecutors, The Texas Tribune reported.

District attorneys in Dallas, Bexar and Harris counties filed one lawsuit while district attorneys in Travis and El Paso counties filed another. Both lawsuits seek to block Paxton from enforcing the rule, arguing that it violates the state constitution and federal law.

The rule created by Paxton's office applies to counties with at least 400,000 residents, impacting only 13 of Texas' 254 counties, The Texas Tribune reported. It requires district attorneys to provide all documents or communications produced or received by their offices, including confidential information.

TEXAS GOV. ABBOTT SIGNS $1 BILLION VOUCHER PROGRAM INTO LAW, CAPPING OFF WIN FOR SCHOOL CHOICE ADVOCATES

All documents, correspondence and handwritten notes relevant to a case can be subject to review, according to the outlet. Counties must also submit quarterly reports to the attorney general on twelve different subjects, including specific information on indictments of police officers and the number of times indictments were issued for election code violations. Information on internal policies and how funds obtained through civil forfeiture are spent would also need to be turned over under the new rule.

Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot described the rules as a violation of the separation of powers between the executive branch and the judicial branch.

"To make matters worse, the rule’s extremely burdensome reporting requirements will cause district attorneys' offices to divert resources and staff away from core prosecutorial roles and responsibilities, which harms public safety and the administration of justice," Creuzot said in a statement. "And it will cost Dallas County taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars or more to pay for the technology and resources needed to identify and produce all the responsive information under these unnecessary reporting requirements."

"AG Paxton should be working with all district and county attorneys in pursuit of justice, not picking fights with the Democrats in large cities," Creuzot added.

Paxton’s office has claimed the provision is a way to "rein in rogue district attorneys" allegedly refusing to uphold the law. District attorneys that do not comply with the reporting rule could be charged with official misconduct and removed from office.

"District and County Attorneys have a duty to protect the communities they serve by upholding the law and vigorously prosecuting dangerous criminals," Paxton said in March. "In many major counties, the people responsible for safeguarding millions of Texans have instead endangered lives by refusing to prosecute criminals and allowing violent offenders to terrorize law-abiding Texans. This rule will enable citizens to hold rogue DAs accountable."

JASMINE CROCKETT ACCUSED OF 'ABUSING HER POWER' AT AIRPORT BOARDING GATE

In response to the lawsuits, Paxton said Friday that it "is no surprise that rogue DAs who would rather turn violent criminals loose on the streets than do their jobs are afraid of transparency and accountability."

"My DA reporting rule is a simple, straightforward, common-sense measure that will shed light on local officials who are abdicating their responsibility to public safety. This lawsuit is meritless and merely a sad, desperate attempt to conceal information from the public they were sworn to protect," he continued.

The two lawsuits claim Paxton’s office does not have the sweeping jurisdiction the rule creates, and that providing the information requested would be expensive and illegal, according to The Texas Tribune. The lawsuits claim the rule seeks to achieve a political objective by burdening officials and creating strict consequences for noncompliance.

SpaceX fired six Raptor engines on the company's next Starship rocket Monday, clearing a major hurdle on the path to launch later this month on a high-stakes test flight to get the private rocket program back on track.

Starship ignited its Raptor engines Monday morning on a test stand near SpaceX's Starbase launch facility in South Texas. The engine ran for approximately 60 seconds, and SpaceX confirmed the test-firing in a post on X: "Starship completed a long duration six-engine static fire and is undergoing final preparations for the ninth flight test."

SpaceX hasn't officially announced a target launch date, but maritime warnings along Starship's flight path over the Gulf of Mexico suggest the launch might happen as soon as next Wednesday, May 21. The launch window would open at 6:30 pm local time (7:30 pm EDT; 23:30 UTC). If everything goes according to plan, Starship is expected to soar into space and fly halfway around the world, targeting a reentry and controlled splashdown into the Indian Ocean.

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Texas lawmakers are charging ahead with what they call the nation’s strongest legislative effort yet to block hostile foreign powers from purchasing land in the Lone Star State. 

Championed by Republican state Rep. Cole Hefner and state Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, Senate Bill 17 (SB17) is designed to stop governments and entities tied to countries like China, Iran, North Korea and Russia from gaining a foothold on Texas soil.

In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Hefner described SB17 as "model legislation" aimed at shutting down land purchases that pose a national security threat. 

"This bill is about actions and affiliations, not race, not nationality," Hefner said. "If you’re acting on behalf of a hostile foreign adversary, we’re going to take that land back."

TEXAS LAW GETS TOUGH ON PUBLIC, PRIVATE DRONE USE

The bill is in direct response to real-world events. 

Hefner cited the 2021 case of a retired Chinese general acquiring over 140,000 acres near Laughlin Air Force Base. 

"We've [also] seen the attempt of foreign actors or hostile foreign adversaries to buy land close to food processing plants," Hefner said. "And it's just something that we have found the more we dig into it, the more we find that there's a lot of things we don't know and a lot of vulnerabilities that are out there."

The bill prohibits entities and individuals affiliated with governments designated as national security threats, based on the U.S. Director of National Intelligence’s annual assessments, from purchasing real estate if those purchases pose risks to public health or safety. 

The law empowers the state's attorney general to investigate, block and even reverse such land deals through court-ordered receivership.

TEXAS LAWMAKERS CONSIDERING BILL TO BAN GENDER CHANGES ON BIRTH CERTIFICATES

Under SB17, "real property" includes agricultural, commercial, industrial, and residential land as well as mines, minerals, and timber. The law includes key exemptions for U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and property intended as a personal homestead.

"The strong points of our bill is that it can apply to anyone if we can prove they're acting as an agent," said Hefner. "So even if they're from a friendly country, but they're actually on behalf of a foreign adversary, then they will be subject to the bill."

The bill gives the attorney general investigative powers, and authority to appoint receivers to manage or sell properties acquired in violation of the law.

Hefner pushed back hard on critics who claim the bill is xenophobic. "This has nothing to do with skin color or ethnicity," he said. "It’s about protecting Texans and Americans from foreign espionage and influence."

He also stressed that SB17 should not be seen as a partisan move. "It shouldn't be a partisan issue. This is about national security. This is about keeping our citizens safe," said Hefner. "It's not about Republican or Democrat, it's not liberal or conservative. It is just taking care of our people. 

"And I believe that's the, you know, the number one responsibility of the government is to make sure that people can live free and safe in their state."

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SB17 is set to take effect Sept. 1. Hefner said he hopes the legislation sparks a nationwide effort. 

"We need to wake up," he said. "This is about securing the homeland, not playing politics."

Fox News Digital's Nick Butler contributed to this report.

• Texas lawmakers have passed bills to reduce the influence of small shareholders.
• Backers say the bills would attract companies, while critics call it a power grab by corporate insiders.
• Lawmakers say ExxonMobil's board shake-up and Elon Musk's pay lawsuit inspired the legislation.

As Delaware rebukes Elon Musk over his pay package, Texas is now offering corporate America a path to sidestep legal challenges from most of its shareholders.

Over the past two months, lawmakers have pushed through a pair of bills they say would bring more businesses to the Lone Star State. Senate Bill 29 would make it harder for shareholders to sue companies, while Senate Bill 1057 would raise the bar for bringing resolutions at annual meetings.

SB 29 would apply to many big companies incorporated in Texas, like Tesla and Southwest Airlines. SB 1057 could apply to businesses that are merely headquartered in Texas, like AT&T and Waste Management, even if they're legally registered elsewhere.

They have moved quickly with virtually no organized opposition, with both measures now awaiting Gov. Greg Abbott's signature.

His office told Business Insider he wanted to strengthen businesses and would "review any proposal" lawmakers send to his desk. He has previously signaled that he would sign SB 29.

Chris Babcock, a Dallas lawyer who helped draft SB 29, told BI that a wide variety of businesses and experts shaped the bill, which he said he viewed as balanced. State Sen. Bryan Hughes, a Republican and a major backer of SB 1057, said it was meant to stop politicized attacks on Texas businesses.

Critics, meanwhile, said the bills could gut minority shareholder rights and make Texas a haven for corporate officers, such as Musk, who have unusually large ownership stakes and influence over their businesses.

"There's a famous quote from John Dingell, the former Michigan congressman, who said, 'If you write the substance and you let me write the procedure, I'll screw you every time.' That's exactly what's happening here," said Joel Fleming, a lawyer who represents investors in governance disputes.

In other words, Texas wouldn't be changing the standards corporate boards are held to, Fleming believes — but would make it very hard for regular shareholders to hold them accountable if they break the rules.

Texas lends a hand to corporate managers

If publicly traded companies opt in, SB 29 would give boards of directors significantly more legal protection and make it more difficult for investors to sue directors, effectively preventing high-profile shareholder lawsuits like the one that saw a Delaware judge strike down Musk's pay package.

Babcock called the Tesla case, which is on appeal, an "accelerator." Other decisions by the state's chancery court involving the companies Moelis and Activision "challenged long-standing corporate practices," he said, and also drove discussions.

"How can you have confidence in Delaware judges?" said Eric Lentell, the top lawyer at Archer Aviation who testified in favor of SB 29 and whose company is being sued in Delaware. "A shareholder vote was essentially ignored" when Tesla investors tried to ratify Musk's compensation, he said.

Musk and Tesla did not respond to requests for comment.

SB 1057, meanwhile, would raise the bar for shareholder resolutions. It would require shareholders to own a 3% stake or $1 million in stock and to gather support from holders of two-thirds of the company's shares before submitting a proposal.

James McRitchie, a small investor from California who opposes the bill, said Texas was "leading the race to the bottom." He said soliciting support from other investors could cost millions with a company like Tesla and deter all but the wealthiest investors.

Hughes cited the small hedge fund Engine No. 1's successful campaign to reshape Exxon's board of directors in 2021 as an influence, though SB 1057 doesn't apply to director nominations.

A spokesperson for Engine No. 1 declined to comment.

AT&T and Nasdaq registered support for SB 29. The Texas Stock Exchange, a startup trying to woo listings away from New York, backed both bills.

Another bill, Senate Bill 2337, which isn't as far along, targets certain recommendations from proxy advisors. Hughes said companies like ISS and Glass Lewis had recommended that institutional investors vote their shares for environmental- and diversity-motivated reasons that may not actually increase the value of their shares.

ISS and Glass Lewis didn't respond to requests for comment.

'Dexit'

Hughes said SB 29 would build on last year's creation of a specialized Texas business court. He referred to the bill as "Dexit" at a hearing, a nod to companies like Tesla and Tripadvisor moving out of Delaware.

Delaware's defenders say its laws are applied predictably and its courts are run by expert judges who are neither pro-management nor pro-shareholder.

"We think we're putting the last pieces together to make Texas an attractive place for doing business," Hughes said.

Brian Quinn, a law professor at Boston College, said the bills would give corporate managers too much power for investors to be comfortable. He said they would turn Texas into a "rogues' gallery" like Nevada, which has been criticized over its lax, pro-management corporate laws.

"Texas isn't competing with Delaware," Quinn said. "Texas is competing with Nevada."

Babcock said Texas would still have stricter shareholder oversight than Nevada, adding that Texas directors must remain loyal to companies and could be more easily removed by shareholders.

Glenn Hamer, who leads the Texas Association of Business, said at a hearing in March that "Delaware has blown it."

"We have the best economy in the galaxy," he said. "If you have an internal issue, are you going to be better treated in Delaware, or are you going to be better treated in a state that has become the economic engine of the United States of America?"

Have a tip? Contact this reporter via Signal at 314-971-1627 or email at [email protected]. Use a personal email address and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

Correction: May 9, 2025 — An earlier version of this story misstated which school Brian Quinn is a professor at. It's Boston College, not Boston University.

• Jeff Bezos sold one of his several Washington properties after moving to Miami in 2023.
• He snapped up three mansions on Indian Creek Island, leaving behind eight properties in Washington.
• He closed the reported deal for $63 million on a Hunts Point estate.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has amassed a real estate portfolio that rivals some of America's biggest property owners. He's the 23rd-largest landowner in the US, according to the 2025 Land Report, with at least 420,000 acres to his name.

Bezos' Seattle-area real estate empire, which was worth as much as $190 million in 2023 based on Zillow estimates, is getting smaller. Almost two years after moving south, Bezos sold one of his several Seattle properties for a big profit.

He sold his 9,420-square-foot home in Hunts Point, Washington, for a record $63 million, Puget Sound Business Journal reported in April. The estate was acquired by Cayan Investments LLC, Business Insider confirmed Thursday.

His collection also includes three properties in Indian Creek Village, an island off the coast of Miami, where he announced in 2023 he'd be relocating with his fiancée Lauren Sánchez.

Bezos, worth $211 billion according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, purchased several properties with his former wife MacKenzie Scott. Their divorce was finalized in 2019, and it's unclear which of these properties Bezos still owns, as divorce records were not made public.

From two neighboring Beverly Hills mansions to multiple estates in exclusive Seattle suburbs, here are Bezos' residential properties in the US.

Caroline Cakebread, Katie Warren, Dominic-Madori Davis, and Libertina Brandt contributed to an earlier version of this article.

Jeff Bezos has spent millions of dollars amassing a collection of residential properties over the years.

A 2025 Land Report named Bezos the country's 23rd-largest landowner, with 420,000 acres to his name.

Over the years, he's picked up several New York City apartments, a ranch in Texas, and homes in Washington state, California, and Washington, DC.

 

For years, Bezos' home base was a nearly 24,000-square-foot estate in Medina, Washington.

In 1998, Bezos paid $10 million for a 5.3-acre property in the wealthy suburb on the shores of Lake Washington.

Twelve years later, in 2010, he spent $45 million on an estate nextdoor, the Puget Sound Business Journal reported.

One home is a 20,600-square-foot, five-bedroom, four-bathroom house with a basement spanning over 5,000-square-feet and five fireplaces. The other is an 8,300-square-foot, five-bedroom, four-bathroom home built in 1940.

The Wall Street Journal reported that he purchased the property next door in 2010 under Aspen Ventures LLC. That lot has a 24,000-square-foot Tudor-style, six-bedroom, six-bathroom mansion, which was listed for $53 million. 

Finally, in 2015, he purchased a $3.9 million property across the street from the Medina compound, Business Insider previously reported. The comparatively smaller property was purchased through a trust managed by the same law firm, and with the same property tax address, as the other Medina properties Bezos and Scott purchased before their divorce.

Medina is an exclusive suburb that is home to Bill Gates, Microsoft bigwigs, tech entrepreneurs, and telecom magnates.

Many of the neighborhood's mansions are hidden away behind gates and protected by elaborate security systems.

Bezos' first big New York purchases were three apartments, which he bought for $7.65 million on Central Park West in Manhattan.

The three units in The Century building on Manhattan's Upper West Side were purchased in 1999 from the former Sony Music head Tommy Mottola, The Observer reported at the time. 

More than a decade later, in 2012, Bezos bought an additional unit in the building, valued at $5.3 million in 2012, making him the owner of four condos in the building.

The Art Deco building was built in the 1930s, boasts a concierge, elevator attendants, and three separate entrances.

His next big buy was a massive ranch near the town of Van Horn, Texas.

In 2004, Bezos purchased Corn Ranch, a 165,000-acre stretch of land outside Van Horn, Texas.

He told the local paper he bought the property so his family would get the chance to live on a ranch like he did when he visited his grandfather as a child. The land is also the most productive launch site for his aerospace company Blue Origin.

Three years after buying The Washington Post in 2013, Bezos bought a former textile museum in DC's Kalorama.

He spent $23 million on the property, which dates back to 1912 and has a spot on the National Register of Historic Places, The Washington Post reported.

The neighborhood is a hot spot for Washington bigwigs.

The Obamas purchased an $8.1 million property nearby in 2017, which marked the second-most expensive transaction in the neighborhood, after Bezos' — The Washington Post reported.

The two joint structures on Bezos' property have nearly 27,000 square feet of living space, making it the largest home in Washington, DC.

It's been reported that Bezos may have also purchased the home across the street in January 2020 for $5 million, though BI could not confirm he owns the property.

In the months following his 2019 divorce, Bezos spent $45 million on four properties in other exclusive Seattle enclaves.

The largest property of the 2019 spending spree was a $37.5 million waterfront estate in Hunts Point, an exclusive neighborhood with fewer than 400 residents. The home has 300 feet of coastline, a rooftop deck with a fireplace, and a glass bridge connecting to a two-story guesthouse.

He purchased two more modest homes in Hunts Point around the same time, which his neighbors said are used for security and other staff, including a chef.

When he offloaded the $37.5 million estate in April, he got $25 million more than he purchased it for in 2019, Puget Sound Business Journal reported.

Around the same time, he purchased a home nearby in Yarrow Point.

He also purchased a staff home in the nearby Yarrow Point. The home sold for $4.2 million in January 2024, according to its listing on Compass.

Two months after Bezos and MacKenzie Scott finalized their divorce, he reportedly dropped about $80 million on three New York City apartments.

In 2019, he dropped about $80 million on three adjacent New York City apartments in the priciest-ever real-estate deal south of Manhattan's 42nd Street.

The spread included a three-story penthouse and two units directly below it.  It was the priciest real estate deal south of Manhattan's 42nd Street, appraiser Jonathan Miller told The Wall Street Journal at the time.

Renderings of the inside of the apartment from the creative agency VisualHouse show the opulence of the penthouse.

Bezos has since purchased two more units inside the prewar building. In 2020, he spent $16 million on an additional unit, and purchased a $23 million apartment in the building in 2021.

The purchases brought his grand total to $119 million of real estate in the one building, which has a fitness center, golf simulator, game room, and movie-screening room, according to the property's website.

 

Bezos also owns property in Beverly Hills, California, one of the most expensive neighborhoods in Los Angeles.

He first bought property in the cushy neighborhood in 2007, shelling out $24.45 million for a mansion that had tennis courts, a guesthouse, a six-car garage, and a pool, the Los Angeles Times reported at the time. In 2017, he bought the house next door for $12.9 million.

In 2022, Scott donated the two mansions to a housing charity.

 

After his divorce, he broke California records when he purchased the Warner Estate in 2020.

Bezos purchased the nine-acre Warner Estate in Beverly Hills for $165 million from billionaire David Geffen.

The estate was designed for Jack Warner — the former president of Warner Bros. Studios — in the 1930s. 

The most expensive home sale in California's history at the time, Bezos purchased the house for $165 million from David Geffen, who bought it in 1990 for $47.5 million. The mansion has guest homes, a tennis court, a swimming pool, and a nine-hole golf course.

Like many of his other homes, privacy is key at the Warner Estate. Hedges surround the nine acres on which the 13,600-square-foot home sits.

In 2021, Bezos and his now-fiancée Lauren Sánchez bought a home in Hawaii.

Bezos paid about $78 million for the Maui home, according to The New York Times.

In the weeks leading up to the purchase, Bezos made several donations to local organizations — including Hawaii Land Trust and Mālama Family Recovery Center, local news site Maui Now reported.

Sánchez announced that she and Bezos would donate $100 million to help Maui after neighborhoods on the island were devastated by fires.

"Jeff and I are heartbroken by what's happening in Maui. We are thinking of all the families that have lost so much and a community that has been left devastated," Sánchez wrote on Instagram. 

Their notable island neighbors include fellow billionaires Oprah Winfrey, Paul Thiel, and Oracle executive Larry Ellison, according to the Times.

Bezos purchased a home in Indian Creek in 2023, another billionaire hotspot.

In August 2023, he added a $68 million mansion on Miami's "billionaire bunker" island, Indian Creek Village, to his portfolio. 

The home reportedly spans 9,300 square feet, and the entire property is about 2.8 acres. The exclusive island has been home to Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, Tom Brady, and billionaire investor Carl Icahn.

While announcing his relocation, Bezos said that he wanted to be closer to his parents and space company Blue Origin's operations in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

He reportedly also snapped up the home next door.

Bezos bought the seven-bedroom Indian Creek mansion for $79 million in October, Bloomberg reported, citing unnamed sources.

The nearly two-acre mansion was built in 2000 and boasts features like a home theater, library, pool, and wine cellar.

But he wasn't done yet with his Indian Creek shopping spree. People representing Bezos reportedly contacted at least three other island homeowners to discuss purchasing their properties, Bloomberg reported in early January.

Bezos snapped up a third mansion on Indian Creek for $90 million

In April 2024, Bezos made his third purchase on the island known as the "billionaire bunker," Bloomberg reported. He paid $90 million for the six-bedroom home in an off-market transaction.

The house last sold for $2.5 million in 1998, according to the outlet, which noted that Bezos plans to live there while tearing down the other two properties he'd purchased on the island.

Indian Creek, located on Biscayne Bay and home to fewer than 100 residents, has its own mayor and police force, and is accessible only via a gated bridge.

Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, was slammed on social media after House Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain shared a photo of her apparently skipping ahead of two passengers in wheelchairs while boarding a flight at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Sunday.

"SPOTTED: Jasmine Crockett with a taxpayer-funded police escort, cutting everyone in line — even making DISABLED people wait. Nothing to see here, just the next leader of the Democrats, abusing her power!" McClain, R-Mich., posted on her personal campaign account on Sunday.

McClain's post included photos of Crockett apparently skipping the line, outraging the Republican's base with accusations that Crockett is "evil."

A source familiar with the incident said Crockett was the first passenger "other than the crew" to board a Sunday afternoon Delta Air Lines flight from Atlanta to Washington, D.C., including before two passengers in wheelchairs. 

‘USE A CHAIR’: JASMINE CROCKETT INVOKES 2023 MONTGOMERY BRAWL IN COLLEGE SPEECH

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, "If you self-identify as a passenger with a disability who needs additional time or assistance to board the airplane, the airline must allow you to board the airplane before other passengers."

Customers who need assistance or extra time, active duty U.S. military members and Delta 360 Members, which is an invitation-only membership, are allowed to pre-board within Delta Air Lines' policy. 

According to the source, Crockett walked up to the gate flanked by a police officer and "what looked like her staffer," had her boarding pass scanned and then proceeded to board the plane before any other passenger. 

When reached by Fox News Digital, Crockett's chief of staff said, "We do not have any comments."

TRUMP MOCKS 'LOW IQ' JASMINE CROCKETT, 'NUTJOB' BERNIE SANDERS AS POTENTIAL LEADERS FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY

Delta Air Lines did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. 

Reports last week indicated that Crockett, who is currently the vice ranking member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, has her eyes set on the chair position of the committee. Crockett would lead oversight of the federal government if she gets the gig, which could include investigating President Donald Trump's agenda. 

Crockett, a vocal opponent of Trump's second term, took aim at the president in a social media post on Sunday. 

"For you to be in charge of the WHOLE country, you sure do have my name in your mouth a lot. Every time you say my name, you’re reminding the world that you’re terrified of smart, bold Black women telling the truth and holding you accountable. So keep talking," Crockett said. 

Trump on Sunday told Kristen Welker, host of NBC's "Meet the Press," that Crockett is a "low IQ person," calling her the future of the Democratic Party, which he described as in "disarray."

Earlier that day, Crockett was criticized by conservatives for her comments during a commencement speech at Tougaloo College in Jackson, Mississippi, after suggesting the students know how to "use a chair" in the face of adversity, invoking the infamous 2023 Alabama brawl.

"There are people that are going to tell you that there is not a table in which there is not a seat for you, but I am here to remind you of Montgomery and those folding chairs. Let me tell you that we know how to use a chair, whether we [are] pulling it up or we doing something else with it," Crockett said. 

Crockett seemed to reference the viral video from August 2023 of a group of White boaters attacking a Black riverboat captain, Dameion Pickett, in Montgomery, Alabama. The white folding chair became a symbol of resistance when a Black man raised a chair over his head in Pickett's defense as the other men attacked him. 

The Texas Democrat urged the graduating class at the historically Black college to pull up their own seat at the table, reminding students of the bystanders who rushed to defend Pickett when he was attacked. Conservatives were quick to reply to the clip of Crockett's remarks, and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, said Crockett's comments were "not cool."

The Trump administration is asking a federal judge in Texas to dismiss a case that aims to restrict access to the abortion drug mifepristone. 

The request continues the Biden administration's position in defense of the drug: that Texas isn't the proper venue for the lawsuit.

In a Justice Department court filing, the Trump administration said Idaho, Missouri and Kansas have no ties to Texas, where the lawsuit was filed, arguing they lack standing in the suit against the Food and Drug Administration over its rules over the pills, which are available online and by mail.

MAJOR DRUG STORES START SELLING ABORTION PILL SOME SAY IS 'DANGEROUS' FOR WOMEN AHEAD OF LANDMARK SCOTUS CASE

"Aside from this litigation, the States do not dispute that their claims have no connection to the Northern District of Texas," the DOJ wrote. "The states cannot keep alive a lawsuit in which the original plaintiffs were held to lack standing, those plaintiffs have now voluntarily dismissed their claims, and the States’ own claims have no connection to this District." 

The three Republican-led states are challenging FDA actions that loosened restrictions on the drug in 2016 and 2021, including allowing for medication abortions at up to 10 weeks of pregnancy instead of seven, and for mail delivery of the drug without a woman first seeing a clinician in-person, Reuters reported. 

ABORTION PILL USE HAS SPIKED IN RECENT YEARS, NEW REPORT REVEALS: ‘SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE’

A lower court previously rebuffed a request to reverse FDA approval of mifepristone. 

"The States are free to pursue their claims in a District where venue is proper," the federal attorneys said. But the brief pointed to weaknesses in the states’ argument beyond standing, noting, for instance, that their challenge to the FDA’s 2016 action allowing the pills to be used up to 10 weeks of pregnancy rather than the previous seven is outside the statute of limitations.

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Last year, the Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit filed by anti-abortion doctors and medical associations after the justices ruled the plaintiffs could not show they had been personally harmed by the federal government's regulation of the pill. 

The Trump administration also argued for the dismissal, saying the states' challenge to FDA’s 2016 actions is outside the six-year statute of limitations.

Fox News Digital's Melissa Rudy contributed to this report. 

EXCLUSIVE: Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, is planning to introduce a bill that would enshrine into law President Donald Trump's executive order to rename a national park after a 12-year-old Houston girl allegedly killed by two illegal immigrants. 

The bill is being brought forward by Cornyn and U.S. Rep. Brian Babin, R-Texas, to make it more difficult for future administrations, Republican or Democrat, to change the name of the Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge.

"Jocelyn Nungaray was taken from this world far too soon at the hands of brutal killers who were in the U.S. illegally due to President Biden’s open-border policies, and her legacy deserves to live on forever," Cornyn told Fox News Digital. "I am proud to lead this legislation alongside Congressman Babin to ensure President Trump’s renaming of this sanctuary to the Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge is made permanent."

JOCELYN NUNGARAY MURDER: HOUSTON PROSECUTORS SEEK ICE, CBP RECORDS ON ILLEGAL ACCUSED OF CHILD KILLING

During his joint address to Congress in March, Trump announced the renaming of the 39,000-acre sanctuary, formerly known as the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, along the Texas Gulf Coast. 

In April, officials held a renaming ceremony for the park.

"One thing I have learned about Jocelyn is that she loved animals so much. She loved nature. Across Galveston Bay, from where Jocelyn lived in Houston, you will find a magnificent national wildlife refuge, a pristine, peaceful, 34,000-acre sanctuary for all of God's creatures on the edge of the Gulf of America," Trump said during his address. 

The bill would codify the park's new name into law, making the process to change it more difficult. 

"The heartbreaking murder of Jocelyn Nungaray shook our community to its core, and it never should have happened," Babin said in a statement. "Today, we are introducing legislation to honor Jocelyn’s life and to send a clear message: securing our border and restoring the rule of law is not optional, it’s essential. President Trump’s leadership is making America safe again, and we are proud to stand with him to ensure that no family ever has to endure such a tragedy again."

"Honoring Jocelyn isn’t a Republican or Democrat issue — it’s an American issue," he added. 

ELYN NUNGARAY'S MOTHER REVEALS HORRIFIC TIMELINE OF DAUGHTER'S MURDER IN HEARING ON OPEN-BORDER CRIME

"Ms. Nungaray loved animals and, given the close proximity of her hometown of Houston, it is fitting that the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge be renamed in her honor," the bill's text states. 

Cornyn said he learned of Nungaray's love of nature while getting to know her family.

Nungaray's killing, as well as others involving illegal immigrant suspects, became a flash point during the 2024 presidential election as Trump campaigned on a platform of deporting criminals in the U.S. illegally. Nungaray, who lived in Houston, was kidnapped, sexually assaulted before she was strangled to death and left dead under a bridge in June 2024 by Franklin Pena, 26, and Johan Martinez-Rangel, 22, Harris County prosecutors said. 

Both men, alleged members of the bloodthirsty Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua who entered the United States illegally, face capital murder charges and the death penalty. 

Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, responded to President Donald Trump Sunday afternoon on X, saying he is "terrified" of "smart, bold Black women" telling him the truth.

The post was in response to an interview on NBC News' "Meet the Press," where Trump said Crockett was a "low IQ person," and voiced concerns about the future of the Democratic Party.

"For you to be in charge of the WHOLE country, you sure do have my name in your mouth a lot," Crockett wrote in the X post. "Every time you say my name, you’re reminding the world that you’re terrified of smart, bold Black women telling the truth and holding you accountable. So keep talking…"

The social media response was not her first time addressing Trump's remarks.

JASMINE CROCKETT SETS SIGHTS ON TOP DEMOCRATIC SEAT ON OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE: REPORTS

Following the president's interview, Crockett sounded off on Jimmy Kimmel's late-night talk show, saying she would "absolutely" take a head-to-head IQ test against Trump.

JASMINE CROCKETT ROASTED FOR WORRYING ABOUT EFFECT OF DEPORTATION ON OTHER COUNTRIES

Crockett, a first-term Democrat who has been criticized for several controversial comments this year, often voices her opinions on social media — where she has accumulated more than a million followers.

In March, she was scorched online for failing to apologize for calling Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who uses a wheelchair, "Governor Hot Wheels." 

She claimed on X that she was not thinking about the paralyzed governor's condition when she made the remarks, but then took shots at Trump supporters — calling her gaffe "yet another distraction."

SOCIAL MEDIA ERUPTS OVER JASMINE CROCKETT 'GASLIGHTING' ABOUT CALLING ABBOTT 'GOVERNOR HOT WHEELS'

"I’m even more appalled that the very people who unequivocally support Trump—a man known for racially insensitive nicknames and mocking those with disabilities — are now outraged," she wrote in the post. "Keep that same energy for all people, not just your political adversaries.

"Finally, this is yet another distraction. Instead of obsessing over and hanging on to my every word, maybe my political foes should focus on doing the work of the people who elected us to improve their lives."

REP. JASMINE CROCKETT SAYS DEMOCRATS NEED TO BE 'OK WITH PUNCHING' IN RACES AGAINST TED CRUZ, REPUBLICANS

Randy Weber, R-Texas, Crockett's fellow delegation member, responded to her explanation by telling her "words have meanings & actions have consequences.

"I look forward to introducing my resolution to censure you for your words and actions," Weber wrote.

Crockett also previously called for DOGE head Elon Musk to be "taken down," and said Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, should be "knocked over the head, like, hard."

The White House and Crockett did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment.

Fox News Digital's Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.

• The South Texas residents, who are mostly tied to SpaceX, voted overwhelmingly to create the city of Starbase.
• A SpaceX vice president was voted in as the city's first mayor.
• It shifts local zoning and permit control from the county to a new SpaceX-aligned city council.

Elon Musk can now add "city founder" to his résumé after residents surrounding his SpaceX complex in South Texas voted this weekend to incorporate the area as "Starbase."

The near-unanimous decision — 212 votes in favor to just 6 against, according to county election data — formalizes SpaceX's dominance in the remote coastal area it has rapidly reshaped over the past seven years.

SpaceX employees and their families make up virtually all the residents within the roughly 1.5-square-mile zone, which was previously known as Boca Chica.

The city's first elected officials — all current or former SpaceX staff who ran unopposed — were swept into office on the same ballot.

Bobby Peden ran unopposed for mayor of Starbase, receiving 216 votes.

Peden has worked at SpaceX for over 12 years, and his current title, according to LinkedIn, is "VP - Texas Test & Launch."

Incorporating as a city moves local controls like zoning rules and building permits away from Cameron County officials and puts them directly in the hands of the new, SpaceX-aligned city commission.

A shortage of housing is causing problems for SpaceX, with hundreds of workers looking to move to the area for the company's Starship program that one day aims to send a spacecraft to Mars.

SpaceX previously tried to buy out locals near Boca Chica Village, claiming it was "not safe" to live there anymore. While many took the buyout, some stayed.

About 500 people, mostly the families of roughly 260 employees, live on-site.

The vast majority of Starbase's 3,100-plus workforce commutes daily, many from Brownsville nearby, where there is a nine-foot-tall golden bust of Musk on the road leading into the SpaceX facility.

Despite the near-unanimous vote, the incorporation has been met with resistance from some.

The South Texas Environmental Justice Network activist group has held protests and called on Texas to contact their state representatives to oppose the plans.

"Boca Chica Beach is meant for the people, not Elon Musk to control," the organization said in a statement on its site. "For generations, residents have visited Boca Chica beach for fishing, swimming, recreation, and the Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe has spiritual ties to the beach. They should be able to keep access."

The vote caps a stunning, decadelong transformation of the once-sleepy Boca Chica village.

SpaceX has rapidly terraformed the quiet coastline into a futuristic industrial campus, all geared towards Musk's goal of reaching Mars.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, signed a school choice bill into law on Saturday that will allocate $1 billion for a voucher program that allows parents to use public funds to pay for their child's private school tuition.

The program's implementation caps off a yearslong effort by Republicans who have been advocating for school choice. Voucher supporters have long focused on Texas, where previous efforts failed amid resistance from Democrats and rural Republicans.

Last month, President Donald Trump called on state lawmakers ahead of a key vote on the bill to finally send the measure to Abbott’s desk. The Texas Senate passed Senate Bill 2 by a party-line 19-12 vote on April 24 after the state House approved the bill by an 86-63 vote the week before.

"When I ran for reelection in 2022, I promised school choice for the families of Texas," Abbott said before signing the bill at the governor's mansion. "Today, we deliver on that promise."

LIBERAL SUPREME COURT JUSTICES GRILL RELIGIOUS INSTITUTION IN LANDMARK SCHOOL CHOICE CASE

Abbott was joined by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, state House Speaker Dustin Burrows, bill author and state Sen. Brandon Creighton, U.S. Senator John Cornyn, school choice advocates and students and their families.

"From here forward, [Texas students] will have unlimited potential and unlimited options in education to pursue for the rest of their path and education and what their families do best, and that in of itself was worth the journey," Creighton said.

Texas joins more than 30 other states that already have similar programs. The Lone Star State will have the largest voucher program in the country.

School vouchers have been Abbott’s main focus this year, following last year's election cycle in which he called for Republican primary voters to remove from office GOP lawmakers who voted against a similar bill in the last legislative session that the governor had supported.

'BAD FOR PARENTS': SCHOOL CHOICE SUPPORTERS PROTEST EXCLUSION OF RELIGIOUS CHARTER IN SUPREME COURT CASE

Supporters of the bill say it will give parents more options by allowing them to take their children out of poor-performing public schools in favor of alternative public or private school choices.

"Gone are the days that families are limited to only the schools assigned by government," Abbott said. "The day has arrived that empowers parents to choose the school that is best for their child."

Democrats and Republicans in rural districts who have criticized the program argue that it will pull financial resources from Texas' public school students and subsidize the private education of wealthy families.

"Let’s be clear: this bill is only best for the richest people in the state, and rural Texas especially will get the shaft," Texas Democratic Party chairman Kendall Scudder said in a statement. "To top it all off, Abbott’s school shut-downs are in full-swing with no end in sight."

Starting next school year, families can receive $10,000 per year to help pay for their child's private school tuition or costs for home-schooling and virtual learning programs. Children with disabilities can qualify for as much as $30,000 per year.

The program will be capped at $1 billion for the first year and cover up to 90,000 students. But by 2030, it could cost up to $4.5 billion per year.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A transgender swimmer won five women's races at the U.S. Masters Swimming Spring National Championship last weekend. 

The swimmer, 47-year-old Ana Caldas, dominated all five races the athlete competed in, taking gold in the women's age 45-49 category in five races, including the 50- and 100-yard breaststroke, freestyle and the 100-yard individual medley.

The controversy prompted backlash on social media. 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM 

U.S. Masters Swimming has provided a statement to Fox News Digital addressing the controversy. 

"USMS is aware of allegations regarding the eligibility of a swimmer who competed at our Spring National Championship. We have received an eligibility review request and will follow our formal process to make a determination," the statement read. 

"USMS exists to empower adults to improve their lives through swimming. The health and fitness benefits of swimming are the primary focus of that mission, but we also strive to create a community that values fairness, competition, and inclusion. In that spirit, USMS has had a longstanding policy on transgender swimmers that was created, and periodically reviewed and updated, by relevant member committees with input from subject matter experts. The policy includes procedures to address questions of eligibility."

U.S. Masters Swimming's gender eligibility policy allows transgender swimmers to participate in the gender competition category in which they identify, and they may also be recognized for accomplishments, granted certain conditions are met. 

One of those conditions requires that a "hormonal therapy appropriate for the female gender has been administered continuously and uninterrupted in a verifiable manner for a sufficient length of time, no less than one year, to minimize gender-related advantages in sport competitions" and subsequent proof of low enough testosterone levels. 

In June 2023, Texas passed the Save Women's Sports Act, which bans trans athletes from competing in girls and women's sports and only allows students to compete in the gender category listed on their birth certificate. The law only allows schools to recognize changes made to birth certificates that were made to correct a clerical error.

HOW TRANSGENDERISM IN SPORTS SHIFTED THE 2024 ELECTION AND IGNITED A NATIONAL COUNTERCULTURE

And just last week, the Texas Senate voted to pass the Texas Women’s Privacy Act by a vote of 20-11. The bill ensures women are safe in their bathrooms, locker rooms, showers and domestic abuse shelters. 

President Donald Trump has had an executive order in place since Feb. 5 that requires publicly funded institutions to ban trans athletes from women's and girls sports. 

The topic of trans competitors in women's swimming specifically became a national controversy in 2022 when former University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas, who previously competed for the school's men's swimming team, represented the school at the NCAA championships after transitioning to the women's category. 

UPenn and the NCAA are facing lawsuits over Thomas' participation in women's swimming, and the Trump administration has frozen funding to UPenn and declared it has violated Title IX. 

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is investigating two leading toothpaste makers over their use of fluoride, suggesting that they are "illegally marketing" the teeth cleaners to parents and kids "in ways that are misleading, deceptive, and dangerous."

The toothpaste makers in the crosshairs are Colgate-Palmolive Company, maker of Colgate toothpastes, and Proctor & Gamble Manufacturing Co., which makes Crest toothpastes. In an announcement Thursday, Paxton said he has sent Civil Investigative Demands (CIDs) to the companies.

The move is an escalation in an ongoing battle over fluoride, which effectively prevents dental cavities and improves oral health. Community water fluoridation has been hailed by health and dental experts as one of the top 10 great public health interventions for advancing oral health across communities, regardless of age, education, or income. But, despite the success, fluoride has always had detractors—from conspiracy theorists in the past suggesting the naturally occurring mineral is a form of communist mind control, to more recent times, in which low-quality, controversial studies have suggested that high doses may lower IQ in children.

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As DNC Vice Chair David Hogg seeks to spend millions on primarying older Democrats in blue districts, the Senate Republicans’ campaign arm suggested they are taking the exact opposite tact ahead of the 2026 midterms.

"With Democrats like Jon Ossoff openly calling to impeach President Trump, no one should put their personal ambitions above protecting the president’s legacy and majorities," National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) communications director Joanna Rodriguez told Fox News Digital on Thursday.

"Leader [John] Thune and Chairman [Tim] Scott have been clear that the NRSC’s goal is to protect President Trump’s majority in the Senate, and they know Mike Rogers and John Cornyn are the best candidates to do that in their respective races." 

The issue arose as both men – a former Michigan congressman seeking Sen. Gary Peters’ to-be-open seat and an incumbent Texas senator, respectively – may see substantive primary challenges.

SENATE FAILS TO REJECT TRUMP'S NATIONAL EMERGENCY ON TARIFFS AS REPUBLICANS SPLINTER

An NRSC official reportedly told donors on a Tuesday conference call that people seeking to aid Senate races in both states should only give to Rogers and Cornyn, according to Axios.

When reached, an NRSC official did not wave Fox News Digital off that report.

Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Mich., is considering a run for Peters’ seat, and Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, is doing the same in the Lone Star State, according to several reports.

NRSC political director Brendan Jaspers said, according to Axios, that no other candidates but Rogers and Cornyn – "declared or posturing" – should be supported by substantive donors, unless and until they decide to hold onto their seats in a narrowly Republican-majority House of Representatives.

CHINA IS ‘CAVING’ TO TRUMP'S TRADE WAR STRATEGY, EXPERT SIGNALS

A Huizenga spokesperson told Fox News Digital it is important to "remember that Michigan voters have the ultimate say."

"We continue to hear from grassroots activists, Republican primary voters and donors both here in Michigan and around the country who are looking for an alternative. Sadly, it seems that Washington insiders prefer predictable candidates, regardless of success."

Fox News Digital reached out to the DNC for comment from Hogg regarding Republicans shaping their campaign strategy in direct contrast to his own.

"Republicans are clearly so afraid of losing seats in the House with their extremely unpopular agenda that party leaders are urging House members not to run for higher office," a DNC spokesperson told Fox News Digital. 

"Republicans should be afraid of losing elections as they push a budget bill that will cut vital programs for hardworking Americans to pay for another billionaire tax handout — all as the country braces for a Trump recession."

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Hogg’s strategy incensed party elders, including Bill Clinton confidant James Carville, who recently remarked, "Does he really think the problem that we‘re facing in the United States today is because we got 65-year-old Democrats in office? Why don’t you take on a Republican? That‘s your job."

However, Carville has since softened his stance, appearing to compare Hogg to Ulysses S. Grant by referencing a popular anecdote in which President Abraham Lincoln purportedly defended Grant against calls for his dismissal after the 1862 Battle of Shiloh, reportedly saying, "I can't spare this man; he fights."

Hunt’s office could not be reached for comment for the purposes of this story. 

Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, is looking for support from fellow Democrats with her eyes on a possible run for the top Democratic spot on the House Oversight Committee, according to reports.

Although Semafor first reported about Crockett’s plans, Politico also reported that two people familiar with the matter claim the congresswoman has been making calls, sending text messages and having conversations on the floor in search of support for her quest to take the seat held by Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va.

Connolly is reportedly planning to step aside as he fights a resurgence of esophageal cancer, though he has not made an official announcement, Politico reported.

Still, Crockett reportedly told her colleagues she is "made for the moment," the sources told the publication, referring to the Democratic Party’s desire to resist President Donald Trump in a more forceful way.

JASMINE CROCKETT ROASTED FOR WORRYING ABOUT EFFECT OF DEPORTATION ON OTHER COUNTRIES

Crockett did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Politico reported that Crockett told the outlet in a text message that even though a vacancy does not currently exist, "knowing that Rep Connolly doesn’t plan to seek re-election & knowing that our oversight powers are broad, I’m ready to shine a light on the very dark things taking place in our country under this administration."

Crockett, a first-term progressive, has made headlines for several controversial comments this year.

SOCIAL MEDIA ERUPTS OVER JASMINE CROCKETT 'GASLIGHTING' ABOUT CALLING ABBOTT 'GOVERNOR HOT WHEELS'

Her most recent comments came this week as she expressed sympathy for countries that may be affected by mass deportations from the U.S. after remaining largely silent on millions of migrants pouring into the country under the Biden administration.

"As far as I'm concerned, you randomly kidnapping folk and you throwing them out of the country against their civil rights, against their constitutional rights," Crockett said in a video posted to her Instagram page, which has 1.3 million followers. 

"And, frankly, how would they feel if some other country decided that they were gonna just start throwing people randomly in our country? Like that is absolutely insane."

Crockett lambasted Republicans who had voted down an amendment to a massive budget bill being hammered out by lawmakers that aims to clarify that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) cannot detain or deport U.S. citizens under any circumstances.

REP. JASMINE CROCKETT SAYS DEMOCRATS NEED TO BE 'OK WITH PUNCHING' IN RACES AGAINST TED CRUZ, REPUBLICANS

The Republicans' actions incensed Crockett, who cited a case last week when a U.S. citizen child was deported with her noncitizen mother. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said the child and her siblings were deported because their mothers are not citizens and wanted to take them with them back to Honduras.

Crockett made the comments alongside Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., and Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., who also panned Republicans. 

"Literally they just voted, they being the other ones, not us, because we were all on the right side of history," Crockett said. "They just voted to give Trump the legal ability to deport U.S. citizens. That is what they voted for. A bunch of elected U.S. representatives, that is how they voted, Am I telling a lie Eric or not?"

She also made news in March after she called her fellow Texan, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who uses a wheelchair, "Governor Hot Wheels." She later claimed her words were misunderstood.

Crockett continues her viral media streak with incendiary comments aimed at those on the other side of the aisle, including saying DOGE head Elon Musk should be "taken down" and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, should be "knocked over the head, like, hard."

Fox News' Michael Dorgan, Rachel del Guidice, Elizabeth Elkind and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, is being torched online after she expressed sympathy for countries that may be affected by mass deportations from the U.S. after she remained largely silent on millions of migrants pouring into the U.S. under the Biden administration.

Crockett, a first-term progressive who has made headlines for several controversial comments this year, appeared unaware of the apparent double standard, which drew criticism from conservative accounts and commentators and Republican lawmakers.  

"As far as I'm concerned, you randomly kidnapping folk and you throwing them out of the country against their civil rights, against their constitutional rights," Crockett said in a video posted to her Instagram page, which as 1.3 million followers. "And, frankly, how would they feel if some other country decided that they were gonna just start throwing people randomly in our country? Like that is absolutely insane."

SOCIAL MEDIA ERUPTS OVER JASMINE CROCKETT 'GASLIGHTING' ABOUT CALLING ABBOTT 'GOVERNOR HOT WHEELS'

In the video, Crockett decries Republicans who had just voted down an amendment to a massive budget bill being hammered out by lawmakers that is aimed at clarifying that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) cannot detain or deport U.S. citizens under any circumstances.

The Republicans' actions incensed Crockett, who cited a case last week when a U.S. citizen child was deported with her noncitizen mother. Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said the child and her siblings were deported because their mothers are not citizens and wanted to take them with them back to Honduras.

Crockett made the comments alongside Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., and Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., who also panned Republicans. 

"Literally they just voted, they being the other ones, not us because we were all on the right side of history," Crockett said. "They just voted to give Trump the legal ability to deport U.S. citizens. That is what they voted for. A bunch of elected U.S. representatives, that is how they voted, Am I telling a lie Eric or not?"

Part of the clip was posted to the popular conservative account "End Wokeness."

"Other countries have been ‘just throwing people randomly’ into our country for decades, Rep. Crockett," Rep. Mark Harris, R-N.C., wrote in a comment.

"Hahaha. She is literally one never-ending campaign ad," wrote Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green, R-Ga. 

REP. JASMINE CROCKETT SAYS DEMOCRATS NEED TO BE 'OK WITH PUNCHING' IN RACES AGAINST TED CRUZ, REPUBLICANS

As part of their big tax bill, Republicans in Congress are pumping billions of dollars into President Donald Trump’s mass deportation and border security plan with nearly 20,000 new officers, $1,000 fees for migrants seeking asylum and $46.5 billion for a long-sought border wall.

Overall, the plan is to remove 1 million immigrants annually and house 100,000 people in detention centers.

Trump previously floated the idea of deporting violent criminal U.S. citizens to an El Salvador prison where many criminal migrants have already been sent during his second term.

It’s not the first time Crockett’s comments have been criticized.

In March, she called her fellow Texan, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who uses a wheelchair, "Governor Hot Wheels." The Democrat claimed her words were misunderstood.

Crockett continues her viral media streak with incendiary comments aimed at those on the other side of the aisle, including saying DOGE head Elon Musk should be "taken down" and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, should be "knocked over the head, like, hard."

Fox News' Rachel del Guidice, Elizabeth Elkind and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

A federal judge has allowed Venezuelans targeted for deportation under the Alien Enemies Act in the Southern District of Texas to proceed with a class-action lawsuit against President Donald Trump's administration. 

U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr., who was appointed by Trump during his first term, issued a 12-page order Thursday granting a group of petitioners "class certification." 

"The unusual circumstances of this case present a compelling justification to utilize a procedure equivalent to a class action authorized by Rule 23," Rodriguez wrote. 

The Trump administration has argued the petitioners have "no basis" to establish a protected legal class "to resolve whether an alien has been properly included in the category of alien enemies–necessarily individual determinations."

TRUMP TO NAME HAITIAN GANGS FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS: REPORT

The judge considered whether individual "habeas corpus hearings" would be required for every Venezuelan national targeted under the Alien Enemies Act in the Southern District of Texas to determine whether they are members of Tren de Aragua, the Venezuelan gang the State Department designated as a foreign terrorist organization in March. Rodriguez said "requiring individualized habeas corpus proceedings to repeatedly address the common legal issues unduly wastes judicial resources." 

Trump issued an executive order March 14, "Invocation of the Alien Enemies Act Regarding the Invasion of the United States by Tren De Aragua." 

About 100 people have been detained in the Southern District of Texas and "designated as alien enemies under the Proclamation," Rodriguez noted. 

"The present matter raises many common questions of law, but also indisputably raises some questions of fact that would require individualized hearings to resolve," Rodriguez wrote Thursday. "As to the former, Petitioners challenge the lawfulness of the President’s invocation of the AEA through the Proclamation. 

"They argue, primarily, that the preconditions required to apply the AEA do not exist, that the intended application of the Proclamation and the AEA violate the designated alien enemies’ due process rights under the Constitution, and that the procedures that Respondents seek to follow violate the Immigration and Nationality Act and the Convention Against Torture.

TRUMP ADMIN REVOKES 4K FOREIGN STUDENTS' VISAS IN FIRST 100 DAYS, NEARLY ALL WITH SERIOUS CRIMINAL RECORDS

"These issues hold true for any individual that Respondents designate as an alien enemy under the Proclamation and subject to removal under the AEA," the order said. "A favorable result on any of these legal theories as to one individual will prove equally applicable to other Venezuelan aliens designated as alien enemies under the Proclamation. As a result, the Court finds that Petitioners identify at least one contention that is central to the validity of each class member’s claims."

The judge acknowledged that, at the same time, "petitioners cannot deny that whether any particular individual is a member of TdA would require a fact-specific, individualized determination."

"It is true that the Court would have to determine the applicable legal standard, and this analysis would apply to every class member. But the hearings themselves would proceed individually, as the relevant facts for each person differ," he said. 

According to Reuters, the Trump administration deported at least 137 Venezuelans from the El Valle Detention Center in Raymondville, Texas, under the Alien Enemies Act March 15, but relatives of dozens of the men say they are not TdA members.

In a separate 36-page opinion, Rodriguez also said Thursday the Trump administration could not rely on the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelan nationals who are TdA member anyway because the gang's presence in the U.S. cannot be classified as an "invasion" or "predatory incursion" under federal law. 

"Neither the Court nor the parties question that the Executive Branch can direct the detention and removal of aliens who engage in criminal activity in the United States," Rodriguez, nominated by Trump in 2018, wrote. "The President’s invocation of the AEA through the Proclamation exceeds the scope of the statute and is contrary to the plain, ordinary meaning of the statute’s terms.

"The Court concludes that the President’s invocation of the AEA through the Proclamation exceeds the scope of the statute and, as a result, is unlawful," Rodriguez wrote.

In mid-April, Rodriguez granted a temporary restraining order preventing the Trump administration from removing Venezuelans held at the Raymondville detention center. The judge later broadened his ruling to protect all Venezuelans detained in his judicial district, which includes the cities of Houston, Galveston, Laredo, McAllen, Brownsville, Corpus Christi and Victoria, from deportation. 

Rodriguez’s ruling Thursday is significant because it is the first formal permanent injunction against the administration using the AEA and contends the president is misusing the law. The Trump administration claims that TdA is acting at the behest of the Venezuelan government. 

"The Proclamation makes no reference to and in no manner suggests that a threat exists of an organized, armed group of individuals entering the United States at the direction of Venezuela to conquer the country or assume control over a portion of the nation," Rodriguez wrote. "Thus, the Proclamation’s language cannot be read as describing conduct that falls within the meaning of ‘invasion’ for purposes of the AEA."

The judge also noted that the provision has only been used during the two World Wars and the War of 1812. 

If the administration appeals, it would go first to the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. That is among the nation’s most conservative appellate courts, and it also has ruled against what it saw as overreach on immigration matters by both the Obama and Biden administrations.

The Supreme Court already has weighed in once on the issue of deportations under the AEA. The justices held that migrants alleged to be gang members must be given "reasonable time" to contest their removal from the country.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.