New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, has ordered the firing of more than a dozen prison staffers in connection with the fatal beating of an inmate earlier this month.

Hochul said in a statement Saturday that she has directed the state's corrections department commissioner to begin the process of terminating 14 workers involved in a Dec. 9 incident at the Marcy Correctional Facility in Oneida County that led to 43-year-old Robert Brooks' death the following day at a hospital.

Brooks had been in prison since 2017 and was serving a 12-year sentence for first-degree assault.

The governor's office said the decision came after an internal review, but did not offer details on the circumstances leading up to Brooks' death.

HOCHUL SLAMMED FOR SAYING SHE'S MADE SUBWAYS SAFER ON SAME DAY WOMAN BURNED ALIVE ON TRAIN

"The vast majority of correction officers do extraordinary work under difficult circumstances, and we are all grateful for their service," Hochul said. "But we have no tolerance for individuals who cross the line, break the law and engage in unnecessary violence or targeted abuse."

The corrections department provided a list of 13 employees, including corrections officers, sergeants and a nurse who have been suspended without pay. It also included another corrections officer who resigned.

State Department of Corrections Commissioner Daniel Martuscello III condemned the staffers' involvement and said the suspensions are "in the best interest of the agency and the communities we serve."

LOUISIANA PRISONS ROUTINELY HOLD INMATES PAST THEIR RELEASE DATE, JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ARGUES

"There is no place for brutality in our department and we will vigorously pursue justice against the individuals who committed this senseless act," he said in a statement to The Associated Press. "These investigations are ongoing and additional suspensions may be issued."

Brooks' family said in a statement from their lawyer that they are "incredibly shocked and saddened" about the death, according to The Times-Union in Albany.

"We are grateful that Gov. Hochul is taking swift action to hold officers accountable, but we cannot understand how this could have happened in the first place," the family said. "No one should have to lose a family member this way."

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State Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, said her office is also investigating the use of force by corrections officers that led to Brooks' death. She said her staff has obtained video of the incident and it will be made public after Brooks' family has seen it.

"Law enforcement professionals must be held to the highest standards of accountability, and I am committed to providing New Yorkers with the transparency they deserve," James said in a statement.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WATCH:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

EXCLUSIVE: A conservative legal watchdog is expected to file a brief with a Kentucky court to urge a judge against blessing a consent decree forged by Attorney General Merrick Garland and the city of Louisville and Jefferson County, Ky., that would reform police practices after the controversial 2020 death of Breonna Taylor.

The Oversight Project is placing its amicus brief on the docket of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky on Friday morning as a judge prepares a schedule to rule on activating the agreement.

Oversight Project Executive Director Mike Howell said the consent decree includes a "laundry list of BLM-type standards that have been argued for over the years since George Floyd['s death in 2020]" and the riots that followed.

"Louisville would be a sanctuary city for gangbangers," Howell warned, adding he hopes Friday’s addition to the docket gives the court pause before agreeing to any accelerated timeline for approval.

PROPOSED CHICAGO POLICE RESOURCE CUTS COULD LAND CITY IN COURT UNDER CONSENT DECREE, OFFICIALS WARN

Taylor was killed in a hail of police gunfire after Louisville officers sought to serve a drug warrant at her boyfriend Kenneth Walker’s house, when her beau fired a "warning shot" through the door and struck Officer Jonathan Mattingly in the leg.

A hail of return fire followed, fatally wounding Taylor, and five officers were later involved in legal cases where one was found guilty of deprivation of rights under the color of law for reportedly firing blindly through a window amid the chaos.

Walker later alleged he mistook the police for intruders and did not hear them announce themselves. Louisville wound up paying Taylor’s family $12 million in a wrongful death settlement.

Last week, Garland announced the consent decree with Louisville, saying it will bring about needed systemic reforms to policing to prevent a repeat of what happened to Taylor.

Howell said, however, that the decree will only hamstring the police department and also defy the will of Kentucky voters who elected new Republicans on the Louisville council on the issue of law and order.

"[The decree] basically limits the ability for officers to react quickly and in a strong way. It's very heavy on the de-escalation techniques, particularly as it relates to this category of people who they call ‘behaviorally impaired’ or something to that effect," Howell said.

BIDEN ADMIN HIT WITH FOIA SEEKING 25TH AMENDMENT-RELATED COMMS

Howell said there is concern over the spiking teenage murder rate – violence committed by suspects aged 11-17 – and that the decree wrongly imposes new standards for dealing with youth offenders as well as stop-and-frisk restrictions.

One of the most glaring issues with the agreement is the fact Louisville councilmen, Kentucky lawmakers and the general public will all be prevented from making further adjustments to policing policies for five years, if the judge signs the decree.

In a consent decree system, an official monitor appointed by the judge, and not the relevant legislature, is the arbiter of policies that fall under said agreement unless both parties that forged it agree to change them.

Howell said, in that regard, the Biden Justice Department and Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg, a Democrat, appear to be rushing through the legal process to head off the likelihood a Trump Justice Department will balk at the agreement.

"The most basic responsibility of government is to keep our people safe while protecting constitutional rights and treating everyone fairly," Greenberg said in a statement about the decree. "As mayor, I promised to uphold that responsibility, and I have."

"The Department of Justice saw the action we’ve already taken and our commitment to aggressively implement police reform. As a result of these improvements, we have a consent decree unlike any other city in America."

Greenberg said any decree must build on reforms made in recent years, cannot "handcuff police as they work to prevent crime" and also be financially responsible and have a clear sunset date.

"I felt comfortable signing this because our officers will have clear guidance and goals to meet, the DOJ can’t move the goalposts, and our officers can focus on good police work, not paperwork," added Louisville Police Chief Paul Humphrey.

The Oversight Project’s amicus brief is backed by law enforcement advocacy leaders like Jason Johnson, president of the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund.

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Johnson, whose group promotes constitutional policing and studies similar consent decrees, told Fox News Digital it's clear the Biden DOJ realizes such an agreement would be "D.O.A." when President-elect Donald Trump assumes the Oval Office. 

"Most of these police consent decrees are more of an activist wish list than effective means to remedy constitutional violations by police agencies. The Justice Department is trying to impose burdensome rules that far exceed their authority under law," Johnson said.

He suggested that technical assistance letters, which aim to encourage reforms without imposing a judicial arbiter, are generally preferred in most cases.

"But, the activist lawyers in the Biden administration prefer to use a sledgehammer instead of a scalpel. This approach has proven counterproductive time and again — hurting public safety, police morale, and police-community relations more than it helps."

Meanwhile, Howell said he hopes the Kentucky judge will see that Greenberg and Garland are trying to "turn him into a legislature" when it comes to law enforcement practices.

Under the consent decree system, the policy changes will be untouchable by a more hawkish Trump DOJ for up to five years, rendering the new administration’s predicted actions in the law enforcement realm moot in Louisville.

Criminals will likely endorse the decree, he said, as they will use the encyclopedia of new policing standards to their benefit.

Law enforcement organizations and unions nationwide are throwing their support behind Republican South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as Department of Homeland Security chief, citing her as the "best leader to restore justice" and tackle immigration woes left over from the Biden administration. 

"We respectfully urge you and your colleagues in the Senate to confirm Governor Noem without delay. The border security crisis demands immediate attention, and the confirmation of Governor Noem is a critical step in addressing this urgent issue," International Union of Police Associations Local 6020, Broward Deputy Sheriffs Association, President Donald Prichard wrote in one of the endorsement letters to Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., earlier this month. 

At least eight police groups or unions have issued letters to Paul, calling on the upcoming chairman of the committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs to swiftly confirm Noem to combat the immigration crisis along the southern border, as well as stem the flow of deadly narcotics coming across the border and crack down on crime. Trump announced Noem as his pick for DHS chief shortly after his decisive win over Vice President Kamala Harris in November. 

The DHS oversees U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the U.S. Secret Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. 

'KNOWS HOW TO GET THINGS DONE': BORDER PATROL UNION RALLIES AROUND NOEM AS DHS CHIEF

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

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

The Police Officers Association of Michigan – the Great Lakes State’s largest law enforcement group – endorsed Noem in a letter to Paul this month, lamenting that, under the Biden administration, police have faced a more difficult job as illegal immigration moved north and rocked the state. 

"We represented our members as they reported for work every day while others remained home during COVID and as groups of rioters attacked our members with a variety of weapons," James Tignanelli, the president of the Michigan police group, wrote in a letter to Paul on Dec. 5. 

"The job has grown even more difficult because the Biden Administration has intentionally failed to enforce our immigration laws. Criminal aliens and deadly fentanyl have crossed our open borders and have increased crime in both rural and urban communities across Michigan. We always had the northern border to patrol. Now, the open border across the south has consumed Michigan as well. The current leadership of the Department of Homeland Security has betrayed us. Claims of ‘the border is secure’ were and are absurd," he continued. 

The National Border Patrol Council, a union representing about 18,000 Border Patrol agents, called on Paul and his Senate colleagues to "quickly" consider Noem’s confirmation. 

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

"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 this month. 

The union said Noem has already established 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. 

​​"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."

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

Noem has repeatedly deployed South Dakota National Guard troops to the southern border in Texas to help stem illegal border crossings as part of Operation Lone Star. 

"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."

Fraternal Order of Police President Patrick Yoes wrote in his letter to Paul that his organization also looks "forward to working with [Noem] to secure our border." 

"The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employs more law enforcement than any other Federal department, and as such we ask the Committee to expeditiously review and confirm nominees as soon as possible to ensure a seamless transition. We especially encourage the committee to hold the earliest possible hearing on Governor Kristi L. Noem to be the next Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The FOP supports her nomination, and we look forward to working with her to secure our border," Yoes wrote. 

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

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 winning the election. 

"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. 

EX-TRUMP OFFICIAL PREDICTS ‘ENTIRE MINDSET CHANGE’ AT SOUTHERN BORDER, HAILS ‘FANTASTIC’ PICK 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. Ahead of her tenure as governor, Noem served in the U.S. House from 2011 to 2019. 

Noem was on Capitol Hill this month meeting with senators to rally support for her confirmation, including meeting with Paul. 

"My first order of business will be getting her confirmed, and I plan on trying to do that either the day of the inauguration or that week," Paul said on The Cats Roundtable with John Catsimatidis earlier this week.  

When the federal government shuts its doors, Americans get a glimpse at a long-debated question in Washington: How much government is too much? Here's what happens during a partial government shutdown, which typically happens when Congress has failed to pass new bills authorizing spending.

Federal agencies and services deemed "nonessential" can expect to halt their operations, while "essential" services continue to function. Examples of "essential" agencies include national security, Border Patrol, law enforcement, disaster response and more. 

What's more, funding for certain programs, like Social Security, and some agencies such as the Postal Service, operate separately from the yearly appropriations process.

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A shutdown lasting less than two weeks would likely have minimal impact, as federal employees would still receive their paychecks on schedule. Longer shutdowns, meanwhile, are usually accompanied by retroactive pay for government workers and congressional staff. As a result, the actual effects of a shutdown tend to be far less severe than how it's typically described.

Partial government shutdowns can also be seen as an opportunity by some lawmakers to address unsustainable federal spending. The U.S. national debt exceeds $35 trillion, and many argue that allowing the government to function indefinitely without addressing wasteful spending is irresponsible. Shutdowns can thus force Congress to make decisions about funding priorities and eliminate bloated programs.

MATT GAETZ REPORT BY HOUSE ETHICS COMMITTEE TO BE RELEASED

The federal government’s fiscal year runs from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30, requiring Congress to pass a set of appropriations bills by the end of September to fund operations. If Congress fails to act, legal safeguards prevent executive agencies from spending money without legislative approval, effectively limiting government functions.

The annual congressional budget process begins in early February, when the president submits a budget proposal to Congress, offering recommendations for federal spending across all areas of government. 

By mid-April, Congress is expected to adopt a budget resolution that establishes overall spending limits and guidelines. Throughout late spring and summer, House and Senate Appropriations Committees work on drafting 12 bills to allocate funding for specific federal agencies and programs. These bills must be passed by Congress by Sept. 30 to prevent a partial government shutdown.

The deadline to pass a continuing resolution (CR), which is a temporary funding patch, is 11:59:59 pm ET on Friday. Without one, the federal government enters a partial shutdown on Saturday, Dec. 21.

A Tennessee state lawmaker introduced a bill to require law enforcement to send illegal migrants accused of minor crimes to sanctuary cities rather than deporting them to another country.

State Rep. Todd Warner, a Republican, filed the bill, the Tennessee Illegal Immigration Act, ahead of the legislative session. The proposal would also ensure that all law enforcement agencies report illegal migrants to federal immigration authorities.

Warner told Fox 17 that sending migrants to a sanctuary city could cost the state less than deporting them to their home countries, even if the federal government would eventually take on the deportation costs.

"It seeks to make Tennessee safer. It seeks to make the federal government, you know hold their feet to the fire and enforce immigration law and it seeks the state to recoup some costs back out of it," he said.

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Under the bill, if ICE fails to show up in 48 hours to pick up an illegal migrant who is detained, law enforcement would help send them to a sanctuary city. Warner said the arresting agency would be responsible for relocating the detained migrants.

Warner said this would be paid for by withholding money Tennessee generates for the federal government through the gas tax.

The lawmaker said he plans to add an amendment clarifying that the bill would only apply to illegal migrants charged with a minor offense. Violent criminals would still be subject to deportation.

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"This is for victimless crimes. This is not for someone that has committed a terrible crime," Warner told Fox 17.

Hannah Smalley, the Advocacy and Education Manager at Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors, argues that the proposal would unnecessarily separate migrant families.

"The mere act of being transported away from your family is damaging," she told Fox 17. "This means that people, including people who have not been charged with crimes, are going to be facing these really punitive consequences just on the basis of their immigration status."

"When U.S. citizens commit crimes and we pay a fine or we go to jail," she added. "Immigrants are also doing that. So to then make this about someone's immigration status, which is totally separate from any kind of crime that they would have committed, is not productive to our community as a whole."

Warner said he still has to tweak the bill, but he is hoping it will receive bipartisan support in the legislature.

Democratic New York Rep. Dan Goldman is being ripped for comments he made during a House hearing on illegal immigration about Nassau County law enforcement, saying he is looking forward to not having to hear from Nassau police officers again.

Nassau County Police Commissioner Pat Ryder, who testified during the hearing, told Fox News Digital he was "taken aback" by Goldman’s comments, which he said were "disrespectful" to him and all men and women in law enforcement.  

The incident occurred during a House Subcommittee on Emergency Management and Technology hearing titled "Given the Green Light: Open Border Policies and Threats to Law Enforcement."

After being recognized by subcommittee Chairman Anthony D’Esposito, Goldman, who represents portions of Manhattan and Brooklyn, launched into a rant in which he said he was shocked to have to sit through another hearing about the illegal immigration crisis and indicated he was especially tired of hearing from Nassau County, New York, law enforcement officials.

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"It is quite shocking that we are having another hearing about this same topic. We have certainly exhausted it," Goldman said.

"I think we’ve probably had every single law enforcement official from Nassau County before this subcommittee. Can’t say I’m going to miss that when the chairman is not going to be with us next term."

Goldman proceeded to repeatedly cut off some of the law enforcement officials testifying during his questioning. In one instance, Goldman shouted, "It’s my time sir," when Jonathan Thompson, executive director of the National Sheriffs’ Association, attempted to finish answering a question.

D’Esposito, who represents Nassau County in Congress, pointed out during the hearing that Goldman, who has a net worth of $253 million and is heir to the Levi Strauss & Co. jeans company, owns a summer home in the county and is one of the residents kept safe by Nassau officers.

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"Commissioner Ryder, I’m sure Mr. Goldman means no absolute disrespect to the people of Nassau County as he appreciates you keeping his summer home safe each year," D’Esposito said immediately after Goldman’s time talking had expired.  

"Unfortunately, it's as expected from a partisan hack like Dan Goldman," the chairman told Fox News Digital.

"These are the men and women that hold the line between good and evil. And the idea that Congressman Goldman had to talk about the fact that he was looking forward to not having to hear from Nassau County police officials, well, he should take inspiration from the work that's been done here in Nassau County," said D’Esposito.

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

Bill Johnson, executive director of the National Association of Police Organizations, told Fox News Digital Goldman "uniformly winds up on the wrong side of the issue" whenever he speaks out about public safety issues. 

"Thus, it isn’t very surprising that he doesn’t want to hear from the men and women who are actually out on the streets trying to protect our communities. He’s just playing to form and doesn’t know it. That’s all," said Johnson. 

Ryder told Fox News Digital he was struck by the unprofessionalism displayed by Goldman during the hearing.

"I take time out of my schedule to prepare a statement, present the PowerPoint and I send it all in. I fly down here yesterday morning at 4 a.m. I get in front of Congress … and before he even got into asking me a question, which he never did, he makes that blanket statement like I'm offending him by being there And then, [regarding] law enforcement, he's tired of hearing from the Nassau County Police Department," said Ryder.

It was Ryder’s first time testifying before Congress. He said he was eager to share his expertise on the challenges law enforcement faces responding to the migrant crisis and migrant crime in his community. Ryder had no idea why Goldman seemed to be personally bothered by his presence.

"We have to do what we have to do for our residents in Nassau County. He's got to do what he's got to do for his residents in New York City. But to be disrespectful at a public hearing like that for no reason — I didn't do any attacks on him — I was really taken aback. And I thought it to be quite unfair that he would attack somebody who is a citizen coming there to do the right thing and give up my opinion and my statistical data in support of our migrant crime issue," he said.

While he believes his message was received on the right side of the aisle, he said, "I don't believe it was received by everyone on the left side of the aisle, especially not Congressman Goldman.

"He got up right after he made his statement and left, he just walked out," added Ryder. "I thought that was also disrespectful, the hearings were not over."

Ryder said he believes Goldman and many other politicians who have criticized law enforcement for doing their jobs could learn a lesson from the officers of Nassau County.

"The men and women in law enforcement, law professionals, they will go out and do their job no matter what the law is, no matter what the challenges. We don't question it. We just go and do it. … We have a very proactive approach towards dealing with the migrant issues, but we are respectful and fair," he said. "They can all take a little bit of a lesson on that professionalism."

Texas Democratic Rep. Greg Casar, the newly elected chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, spent years as a City Council member in Austin and led the charge to strip funding from local law enforcement — at one point bragging about it on social media.

"We did it!!" Casar wrote on X after legislation he drafted in the Austin City Council passed, resulting in a more than $100 million cut in local police funding and an end to three incoming cadet classes. The measure passed unanimously in 2020 after a stint of police shootings involving people of color. 

Casar on Thursday was elevated to the highest-ranking leadership position for progressives in the House of Representatives, following a unanimous vote from his peers in the caucus. The move comes as Democrats continue to conduct a forensic analysis following the election, many of whom have called on the party to take a more centrist approach in the future. 

Casar's history as a public official, particularly at the local level, does not illustrate moderation, according to Dennis Farris, president of the Austin Police Retired Officers Association. 

"'Far-left radical' is a really good way to describe what he did in [Austin]," said Farris.

EVEN DEMOCRATIC VOTERS REJECTED LEFTIST POLICIES AND POLITICIANS IN THE MOST SURPRISING PLACES

In 2017, Casar led a charge to reject a mutually agreed upon contract between the City of Austin and the Austin Police Association, setting off a wave of retirements and hiring issues due to the uncertainty around job security and benefits for officers. Meanwhile, in 2020, Casar led the drafting of legislation to strip more than $100 million in funding to the police department, which included the elimination of funding from three planned police cadet classes. Instead, the reallocated funds went to programs related to abortion access, affordable housing and food security. 

Shortly thereafter, the City of Austin began redirecting certain 911 calls to mental health professionals. Additionally, last year, a shortage of officers compelled police in Austin to ask residents to dial 311, instead of 911, if they got robbed near an ATM. 

BLUE STATE MAKES $350M ‘DEFUND POLICE’ COMEBACK AFTER RECORD HOMICIDES, VIOLENT GANG TAKEOVERS

During his time as a City Council member in Austin, Casar also authored two "Freedom City" resolutions, which eliminated the use of discretionary arrests for certain non-violent crimes and required police to inform people that they are legally allowed to deny requests for immigration papers. Other policies Casar supported in his position as City Council member included a ban on non-lethal police munitions and certain chokeholds.

As a member of Congress, Casar has continued putting pressure on Austin's police officers, as well. 

Last year, he called on the Department of Justice to conduct oversight into "the Department's policies and practices of excessive and lethal use of force, racial discrimination, and discrimination against people with mental health conditions."

JORDAN PETERSON SAYS TRUMP'S ELECTION WAS BLOW TO WOKEISM: REJECTION OF ‘HEDONISTIC, POWER MAD PROGRESSIVES’

"There was a thought in 2020 that the Democrats were actually going to flip the Texas House, and Casar was used in several campaign ads by Republicans all over the state. Democrat friends of mine thought the ‘defund the police movement’ was the reason that Democrats didn't win," Farris said. "I've spoken to several Democratic friends of mine, and they will tell you that [Casar] was a hindrance to the state-level Democrats in 2020."

Following last month's elections, progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., was among a score of Democratic lawmakers who argued the party has lost its centrist, working-class base.

SANDERS DOUBLES DOWN ON HIS CRITICISM OF DEMOCRATS, FIRES BACK AT PELOSI'S PUSHBACK

"There is more to lose than there is to gain politically from pandering to a far left that is more representative of Twitter, Twitch, and TikTok than it is of the real world," Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., said following the election. "The working class is not buying the ivory-towered nonsense that the far left is selling."

Meanwhile, on Thursday, the same day as Casar's caucus election victory, NBC News published a story about the sophomore congressman in which he echoed much of the analysis from other Democrats that an intra-party shift is necessary.   

"We are now at a place where we have to put winning way above being right all the time," he told the outlet. "It’s less of a left-right fight and more of a getting back to a Democratic Party that’s for everyday people, no longer being seen as preachy or disconnected."

Nonetheless, during a press conference following his victory, Casar said, "If the Democratic Party was a little more like Chairwoman [Washington Rep. Pramila] Jayapal and a little less like [West Virginia Sen.] Joe Manchin, I think we would have won this election." Jayapal is the outgoing chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and has similarly led efforts to defund the police.

Fox News Digital reached out to Casar's office for comment but did not hear back in time for publication.

First on Fox – The Fraternal Order of Police sent letters to both President-elect Trump and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., outlining their staunch support of South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as secretary of homeland security, in what insiders say is the first in what will be a long list of law enforcement endorsements. 

"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. 

"Once confirmed, the FOP will work with Governor Noem to secure our border, stop the flow of fentanyl into the United States, as well as support all the critical missions of the DHS – which has more law enforcement officers than any other Federal Department – in defending our homeland and keeping the American public safe," Yoes continued. 

The FOP is the largest organization of sworn law enforcement officers, boasting roughly 377,000 members across the nation, with Yoes calling on both Trump and the Senate to swiftly confirm Noem in order for police and law enforcement officers to crack down on crimes ranging from illegal immigration to deadly fentanyl pouring over the border. 

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

The DHS oversees U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the U.S. Secret Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

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In his separate letter to Paul, Yoes called on the upcoming chairman of the committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs – who will preside over Noem's confirmation – to swiftly confirm Noem in the Senate, while arguing that under the Trump administration, DHS will be allowed "the opportunity to take bold actions towards protecting our communities."

"The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employs more law enforcement than any other Federal department, and as such we ask the Committee to expeditiously review and confirm nominees as soon as possible to ensure a seamless transition. We especially encourage the committee to hold the earliest possible hearing on Governor Kristi L. Noem to be the next Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The FOP supports her nomination, and we look forward to working with her to secure our border," Yoes wrote. 

Paul has already publicly said he would "expeditiously move President Trump’s critical nominees, including Governor Kristi Noem, in time for Inauguration Day."

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

Washington, D.C., insiders told Fox News Digital that the FOP's unwavering support of Noem is just the first in what is anticipated to be a long list of law enforcement support behind the nomination. 

Trump, who ran in part on a platform of ending the immigration crisis at the southern border and cracking down on the deadly drug epidemic ravaging communities across the nation, announced his nomination of Noem just days after his massive win over Vice President Kamala Harris last month. 

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

"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," Trump's announcement on Nov. 12 read. 

"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," Trump added. 

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. 

Republican state leaders and others praised Trump's pick of Noem to lead DHS, citing her tough stance on illegal immigration that has rocked the nation since 2021, including Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott dubbing her a "border hawk." 

"On behalf of the more than 377,000 members of the Fraternal Order of Police, I commend you on your selection of Governor Noem to lead the DHS, and we look forward to resuming our partnership with you and your Administration," Yoes wrote in his letters to both Trump and Paul. 

LiAngelo Ball, the brother of NBA stars Lonzo and LaMelo Ball, recounted the time he and two other UCLA players were arrested in China after being accused of stealing designer sunglasses in 2017. 

Ball, 26, went to a Louis Vuitton store next to the team’s hotel in Hangzhou and snagged sunglasses while on a trip as a member of the UCLA men’s basketball team.

Ball reflected on the incident during a recent appearance on "Unapologetically Angel" with Angel Reese.

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"I knew it was wrong. I was 18, wrong spot, wrong time, just making quick decisions doing dumb s---, so I don’t know how to explain. Everybody wants me to come up with this long-a-- story. Like, I don’t know how to explain it," Ball said.

"I did what I did, and I knew that s--- was wrong and then that’s that. It’s been seven, eight years. I ain’t been in trouble since."

Ball said he knew right away he had made a mistake.

"I couldn’t think nothing past like, I knew s--- was going to go south. I don’t know, right when I left the store, I’m like, ‘Damn.' I told (my teammates), ’Like, yeah, we done," Ball said. 

"I knew that s--- was f------ wrong, bro."

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President Trump personally asked Xi Jinping, president of the People’s Republic of China, to help resolve the matter regarding Ball and his two teammates, Cody Riley and Jalen Hill, Fox News reported at the time.

"To the three UCLA basketball players I say: You’re welcome, go out and give a big Thank You to President Xi Jinping of China who made…

" …your release possible and, HAVE A GREAT LIFE! Be careful, there are many pitfalls on the long and winding road of life!" Trump wrote in separate social media posts in 2017. 

After his career at UCLA, Ball was not chosen in the 2018 NBA Draft. Ball played overseas in the Lithuanian Basketball League in 2018 instead of going to the NBA.

He played with the Los Angeles Ballers of the Junior Basketball Association, which was a league founded by his father, Lavar Ball.

Ball then spent time in the NBA G-League from 2021-2023. Ball signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Detroit Pistons in 2020 but was waived shortly after signing.

The Charlotte Hornets signed him in 2021 and 2022, but he was waived shortly after being signed both times. Ball has not appeared in an NBA regular-season game. 

Ball’s brothers, LaMelo and Lonzo, are both in the NBA. LaMelo plays for the Charlotte Hornets and Lonzo plays for the Chicago Bulls.

Fox News' Brooke Singman contributed to this report. 

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Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and multiple conservative figures are speaking out against President-elect Donald Trump's nomination of Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister to serve as administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

"I’m going to call ‘em like I see ’em. Trump's nominee for head of DEA should be disqualified for ordering the arrest [of] a pastor who defied COVID lockdowns," Massie said in a post on X.

Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne was arrested in March 2020 amid the COVID-19 scare.

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"Announcing the arrest of Dr. Ronald Howard-Browne, Pastor of The River at Tampa Bay Church, who intentionally and repeatedly disregarded state and local public health orders, which put his congregation and our community in danger," Chronister noted in a tweet at the time.

The charges were later dropped.

"The State Attorney’s Office has recognized that compliance and not criminal punishment is the focus of our emergency health laws," Chronister noted, according to reports. "Law enforcement’s intervention through arrest has been rare during this health crisis, and while it remains a necessary tool to protect the health and safety of our community, we agree that further criminal sanctions are not necessary in this instance."

In a statement to Fox News Digital on Monday, Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, said, "We don't need authoritarians who refuse to use discretion and protect the Constitution - no matter which party is in power."

TRUMP NOMINATES FLORIDA SHERIFF CHAD CHRONISTER TO LEAD THE DEA

Conservative commentator Liz Wheeler suggested Trump should reverse course on the nomination.

"Chad Chronister is a COVID tyrant who arrested a Christian pastor for holding church in person during the pandemic. Chronister held a press conference bragging about the arrest. Chronister abused his power; he’s unfit to lead the DEA. Trump should withdraw his nomination," Wheeler declared in a tweet.

Sean Davis, CEO and co-founder of The Federalist, called Chronister "a woke, BLM-excusing, DEI-enforcing, immigration law-ignoring buffoon. There are thousands of solid sheriffs in this country who are far more qualified to run DEA than this left-wing clown," he added in a post on X.

But Howard-Browne is enthusiastically supporting Chronister for the DEA role.

FLORIDA SHERIFF WARNS OF ‘CATASTROPHIC RESULTS’ FROM HURRICANE MILTON

"Chad Chronister has been my friend for many years, through good times and challenges," Howard-Browne said in a message, directed to Trump, that he shared publicly on X.

"I truly believe he acted with the intention of doing the right thing, and I've witnessed firsthand how he has learned and grown from those experiences. Shortly after my arrest, Sheriff Chronister called me and told me he truly missed our friendship. We met for dinner at my house and we were able to restore the friendship we had, one I will always cherish," he continued.

"His vision, resolve, and leadership make him the ideal candidate to lead the DEA, and I am proud to stand with him as he continues to serve America with passion and purpose," Howard-Browne stated.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office on Monday to request comment from Chronister.

"It is the honor of a lifetime to be nominated by President @realDonaldTrump to serve as the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and I am deeply humbled by this opportunity to serve our nation," Chronister said in a post on X.

The Los Angeles Rams will not be doubling up on punishment for Demarcus Robinson.

Robinson, a wide receiver, was arrested early Monday morning on suspicion of driving under the influence after California police allege he was driving over 100 mph just hours after the team’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday night. 

Officers with the California Highway Patrol observed Robinson, 30, driving a white Dodge sedan "traveling in excess of 100 miles per hour" on U.S. Route 101 going northbound at around 5:10 a.m., according to a news release.

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During the traffic stop, law enforcement officials "observed objective signs and symptoms of alcohol impairment." The veteran wideout was arrested on suspicion of DUI, and he was "cited and released to a responsible party." 

Despite the incident, head coach Sean McVay said Wednesday Robinson will play Sunday against the New Orleans Saints.

"I think it was a bad decision he made. I don't think that makes him a bad person," McVay told reporters on Wednesday. "And I do believe this is something that, with the words that he said, our guys will learn from it, and hopefully nobody's ever going to repeat something like this.

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"I do believe that Demarcus has a good heart and never would have any ill intentions, and clearly there was a decision that's not in alignment with the things we want to be about. I know he was remorseful about that."

Robinson had two receptions for 15 yards and one touchdown in the game. 

Robinson is in his second season with the Rams. He has 26 receptions for 384 yards and a team-leading six touchdown catches while starting all 11 games this season.

A fourth-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, Robinson has spent the majority of his career playing for the Kansas City Chiefs, with whom he won a Super Bowl in February 2020.

Fox News' Paulina Dedaj and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Roughly half the country is represented by Democratic attorneys general, and a significant number seem ready to confront President-elect Donald Trump, just as many did during his first term.

Twenty-three states plus the District of Columbia and Northern Marianas Islands have Democrats as their top law enforcement officers, and many have positioned themselves as a line of defense against a Trump administration.

The most prolific state-government-litigant last term was Washington Gov.-elect Bob Ferguson, who as attorney general filed or was party to suits against the Trump administration 99 times. He lost three times.

He litigated the Muslim "travel ban," and has expressed concern about Trump-era changes to abortion, immigration and LGBTQ policy.

NJ GOV SAYS HE'LL ‘FIGHT TO THE DEATH' AGAINST CERTAIN TRUMP ACTIONS

Fox News Digital reached out to Ferguson, but he told the Washington Standard the state has been working "for many months … to prepare for this."

Ferguson’s team reportedly read the Heritage Foundation’s entire 900-page Project 2025 publication and prepared successor Attorney General-elect Nick Brown to continue his work.

"Obviously, Trump’s [first] administration turned out to be a train wreck for our country and his efforts to trample on the rights of Americans and Washingtonians on our environment, reproductive freedom; the list goes on," Ferguson told Democracy Docket in October.

Brown told Fox News Digital he pledged to "enforce and defend our laws, stand up for our values and protect our communities: And I intend to fully honor that commitment."

"I have no interest in needlessly creating or seeking out conflict with the incoming Trump administration," Brown said.

"But if they take actions that violate our laws or harm our people, I am ready and willing to use all available legal options to protect the residents of Washington State from such unwanted intrusions."

NEWSOM TO ‘TRUMP-PROOF' CALIFORNIA

Ferguson said a lot of Trump’s actions may be legal and "no one will be more happy than me" if Olympia never goes to court again.

In New Jersey, then-Attorney General Gurbir Grewal participated in dozens of suits against the first Trump administration, and Gov. Phil Murphy said while he hopes to find common ground with Trump, he will "fight to the death" to defend Jersey values.

Current New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin told Fox News Digital the election was fair and that Trenton will respect the democratic process that put Trump in the White House.

"As the president, he has the right to implement the policy agenda that he sees fit for the country. What he does not have the right to do is to violate the laws of this nation [or] this state…" Platkin said, citing a focus on gun safety, health care, the environment and immigration issues.

"I do not wake up every day dying to sue the president of the United States, but I also will not hesitate to do so when it’s in the best interests of our residents."

California Attorney General Rob Bonta has been preparing for another Trump administration as his office also reportedly observes the behavior of Trump’s circle.

"President Trump has made no secret of his agenda for his second term. We’re taking him at his word when he tells us what he plans to do: whether that be rolling back environmental protections, threatening immigrant and civil rights, or restricting access to essential reproductive care," Bonta said.

"Fortunately, and unfortunately, we have four years of ‘Trump-1.0’ under our belts. We know what to expect, and we won’t be caught flat-footed: What happens next is up to the president-elect. If he doesn’t violate the law, and we hope he won’t, we won’t need to take action.

"But based on our experience with the first Trump administration and the president-elect’s own words, we expect that won’t be the case…"

In Delaware, Attorney General Kathy Jennings made opposing Trump key to her 2018 campaign.

"Donald Trump threatens our civil rights. He undermines the rule of law," Jennings said in an ad. "As attorney general, I'll stand up to Donald Trump when his agenda hurts Delaware."

Fox News Digital reached out to Jennings, who previously challenged Trump’s child migrant detention system.

Wisconsin was party to several lawsuits in Trump’s first term, and Attorney General Josh Kaul signaled he's "prepared to defend the rights of Wisconsinites if necessary." 

"Let me say if the new administration infringes upon the freedoms of Wisconsinites or attempts to use our system of justice as a tool for vengeance, we will act," he said recently.

In Connecticut, Attorney General William Tong is coordinating with other attorneys general.

"I’m sad to say we are here again. But we went through this the first time with the Muslim ban and the border wall, and we are even more ready now," he said, according to WSHU.

"[W]hen they attack the American-born children of immigrants, and they talk about denying birthright citizenship, they are talking about me," said Tong.

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Then-Hawaii Attorney General Douglas Chin succeeded in blocking Trump’s "travel ban," crediting the Aloha State as the first to launch litigation. Fox News Digital reached out to successor Anne Lopez regarding her stance toward Trump.

Fox also sought comment from the most high-profile of attorney-general-litigants. New York's Letitia James pledged to be a "real pain in the a--" and led a $450 million fraud case against Trump.

She did not respond, but recently said she’s ready to "fight back again."

The Trump transition team did not respond to a request for comment, but the president-elect did recently say of James, "she’s got serious Trump Derangement Syndrome."

A Texas state lawmaker has introduced legislation to eliminate the death penalty in the state amid a high-profile death row case currently unfolding.

Democrat state Rep. John Bucy III filed the bill for the upcoming legislative session.

"I think I've been opposed to the death penalty my whole life as I've thought about its use, and should it exist in our society," Bucy said, according to Fox 7.

"Financially, if you just want to look at it economically, we spend more money to execute than to keep someone in prison, so it's really a lose-lose situation with a high risk stake if we get it wrong," he continued.

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This comes after the Texas Supreme Court cleared the way last week for the state to schedule a new execution date for inmate Robert Roberson, whose initial execution was delayed last month.

Roberson is currently on death row over his conviction in which prosecutors say he killed his two-year-old daughter, Nikki Curtis, by shaking her to death, known as shaken baby syndrome. But his lawyers say Nikki actually died from other health issues such as pneumonia and that new evidence proves his innocence. His lawyers also said doctors had failed to rule out these other medical explanations for the child's symptoms.

Roberson was scheduled to be put to death on Oct. 17 before the state Supreme Court issued a stay to delay his execution shortly before it was set to take place. 

If he is put to death, he would be the first person in the U.S. to be executed in a case based on shaken baby syndrome.

More than 80 Texas state lawmakers, as well as the detective who helped the prosecution, medical experts, parental rights groups, human rights groups, bestselling novelist John Grisham and other advocates have called for the state to grant Roberson clemency over the belief that he is innocent. A group of state lawmakers have also visited Roberson in prison to encourage him.

"I feel like I've gotten more engaged with this Robert Roberson case and wanted to make sure that we're continuing this conversation about the lack of humanity tied to the death penalty," Bucy said.

Texas has executed nearly 600 people since 1982, according to Texas Coalition to Abolish The Death Penalty executive director Kristin Houle Cuellar.

"Which is far more than any other state in the nation," Houle Cuellar told Fox 7. "We have quite a reputation when it comes to the use of the death penalty in Texas."

Houle Cuellar said that there have been fewer death sentences in the state in the last decade, which she partially attributes to the introduction in 2005 of life without parole.

"Prosecutors have used that discretion in opting not to seek the death penalty," Houle Cuellar said. "Even in about 30 percent of the cases that they've taken to trial where they've sought the death penalty, jurors have rejected it."

Houle Cuellar said that Harris, Dallas, Tarrant and Bexar counties lead the state in death sentences and more than half of all Texas counties have never issued a death sentence.

Since 2007, multiple Texas lawmakers have unsuccessfully sought to abolish the death penalty. But Bucy says there is now enough momentum regarding the issue to reintroduce legislation to eliminate the practice.

TEXAS JUDGE GRANTS INJUNCTION AHEAD OF MAN'S EXECUTION IN 'SHAKEN BABY SYNDROME' CASE

"While it's an uphill battle to end the death penalty in Texas, we've seen the number of executions go down," he said. "I think sentiment is changing, and I also think as we see these specific cases come to life, and we start learning the specific stories, people are going to get more and more concerned about the possibility of getting it wrong."

State Sen. Sarah Eckhardt and state Rep. Joe Moody, both Democrats, have filed similar bills to abolish the death penalty, which will need to be voted on by fellow lawmakers when the legislative session begins early next year.

In another Texas death row case, a judge found last month that Melissa Lucio was innocent in the 2007 death of her two-year-old daughter, Mariah. Senior State District Judge Arturo Nelson recommended that Lucio's conviction and death sentence be overturned. The judge also found that prosecutors suppressed evidence and testimony, including statements from Lucio's other children, that could support the claim that she was not abusive and that Mariah's death was accidental from falling down the stairs.

US Army military police soldiers are responsible for protecting Army posts by guarding gates, controlling traffic, and responding to emergencies. They also oversee military prisons and detention centers that house uniformed criminals, like the US Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

Business Insider spent four days at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri to see how 31 Bravos and 31 Echos spend 10 weeks training to become military police and detention specialists. Students in military police training learn skills like riot control in a mock prison, detainee operations, and firing weapons like 9-millimeters in limited visibility with the aid of their flashlight.

In early 2024, the Army announced that it would restructure its force as it moves away from counterinsurgency operations, like those used in Afghanistan and Iraq, to large-scale combat operations for potential conflicts with China and Russia. A reported 3,000 soldiers working as cavalry scouts and military police would need to move to new positions. We look into how that could affect the 1,306 military police soldiers training at Fort Leonard Wood and what that could mean for the safety of Army bases around the globe.

Illinois’ Democratic attorney general and a court-appointed monitor are among those warning Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson that his administration’s proposed cuts to police resources may land the crime-wracked city in litigation.

During a status hearing last week, monitor Maggie Hickey told Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer that cuts to the Chicago Police Department's (CPD’s) Constitutional Policing division could "could be a devastating blow to the future of CPD reforms" under a legally-mandated consent decree, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

State Attorney General Kwame Raoul separately warned Johnson that adopting cuts proposed in his new budget would place Chicago "at significant risk of being held in contempt of court for failing to comply with the consent decree."

In 2017, then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel, then-Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson and then-Illinois Democratic Attorney General Lisa Madigan entered into the consent decree after the Justice Department reportedly found evidence of systemic civil rights violations within CPD.

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Verbal warnings for use-of-force and requirements to render first aid were among the other agreed upon terms besides the funding. The decree came after Madigan sued Chicago for oversight of its police department, which effectively mooted a separate plan from then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions -- who reportedly opposed consent decrees -- according to NBC News.

In his letter to the mayor, Raoul credited Police Superintendent Larry Snelling with working diligently to deliver on the decree’s commitments to the state and the court, and overseeing a simultaneous decrease in gun violence and homicides.

"I am writing to you today because of my grave concern over your proposed budget cuts to the CPD -- the deepest of which target units within CPD responsible for implementing the consent decree's reforms. I strongly urge you to reconsider these proposed cuts," Raoul wrote in a letter to Johnson obtained by the Sun-Times.

"Now is not the time to undermine the progress the department is making through unwise budget cuts."

He told the mayor that while the progress in Chicago may be frustratingly slow, it remains "quiet and steady" through his work in Springfield.

In comments to Fox News Digital, Raoul signaled CPD itself is working in earnest toward the decree’s goals.

"Superintendent Snelling and his leadership team at CPD are building momentum toward effective, constitutional policing and, ultimately, a safer Chicago."

"I have had positive conversations with the corporation counsel and believe the right leadership team is in place at CPD," Raoul said.

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"Now is the time to build on their momentum, not to pull the rug out from under CPD’s progress. Certainly, the city at large is facing budgetary concerns; however, targeting court-ordered reform work for budget cuts is simply not an option."

Both Snelling and Raoul separately pointed to the police department’s handling of the Democratic National Convention in August as an example of the strides it has made in effective policing.

"We have to make sure the allocation of resources reflects the trends we have seen," Snelling said.

"As evidenced during the DNC, no matter what challenges we are presented with, we will get the job done with the highest levels of dedication and professionalism," he said at a City Council meeting on Friday.

Snelling added that the buck stops with him when it comes to police accountability and that he will not back away from public criticism.

"I don’t fear it," he said.

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After resources were used to create a robbery task force earlier this year, the number of such crimes has gone down by 1,400 over previous statistics, he added.

Snelling responded to an alderman’s question by saying he convinced Johnson to reverse one of the cuts: a nine-job bloc for mental health clinicians in precincts currently lacking them.

"The consent decree is extremely important," CPD Chief Angel Novalez added at the meeting, noting he meets with Pallmeyer and the court monitor’s team on a regular basis.

Johnson’s budget includes a reduction of about 450 police vacancies in areas the Chicago Sun-Times reported would greatly affect the consent decree’s reforms.

Fox News Digital reached out to Johnson’s office, as well as the CPD which referred back to a stream of Snelling’s City Council testimony.