Newsweek tries gaslighting Americans again — this time about Trump's deportation numbers



Newsweek, a left-leaning outfit that has repeatedly prioritized narrative over facts and common sense, continued the pattern last week with a story mutilating key facts in an apparent effort to paint the Trump administration's deportation efforts so far as a relative failure.

Dan Gooding, a British reporter covering immigration for Newsweek in New York City, claimed that with the Trump administration's current rate of deportations, "it would be on track to deport half the number of migrants removed during former President Joe Biden's last full fiscal year in 2024."

The trouble with Gooding's claim, which he insinuated was evidence of President Donald Trump fumbling the ball on a major campaign promise, is that he centers it on a misreading of the facts.

The Newsweek writer apparently based his assertion on the the say-so of an unnamed "expert"; the Department of Homeland Security's Feb. 4 announcement that 5,693 illegal aliens had been deported or removed from the country during Trump's first two weeks in office; and a comparison to a dataset that also incorporates the number of foreign nationals turned away by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the border.

'The failing legacy media has resorted to lying.'

Gooding noted that "the last monthly figures available from Biden's presidency, for November 2024, show 48,970 total removals, averaging around 12,200 a week."

That figure is, however, not the number of deportations or removals for that month. According to the Office of Homeland Security Statistics, the 48,970 figure reflects total repatriations for the month of November, including removals, expulsions, and returns.

Returns, which are not based on an order of removal, include voluntary departures, voluntary returns, and withdrawals of application for admission. Returns, which accounted for the majority of repatriations in fiscal year 2024, were not mentioned in the DHS announcement where Goodman sourced the starting point for his comparison.

Alex Pfieffer, White House principal deputy communications director, told Blaze News the Newsweek article, which has yet to be corrected, is "comparing apples to oranges."

"The failing legacy media has resorted to lying instead of honestly covering President Trump's successful immigration policies," said Pfeiffer.

Although Newsweek got the facts wrong again, Trump's border czar, Tom Homan, recently made clear that he wants to beef up arrests and deportations.

Homan told NewsNation Tuesday on the topic of ICE arrests, "If you look at the rest of interior enforcement, it's about three times higher than it was a year ago today. Three times higher is good, but I'm not satisfied. There are more criminal aliens that need to be arrested, hundreds of thousands."

"Sanctuary cities are putting roadblocks up. We've got leaks. So we need to increase the arrests of illegal aliens, especially those with criminal convictions. So we're going to continue," added Homan.

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'There will be violence': Homan issues warning to cartels, tells Glenn Beck next steps



Border czar Thomas Homan minced no words when speaking to Blaze Media co-founder Glenn Beck on Wednesday, detailing what's next when it comes to the Trump administration's securement of the southern border, its removal of illegal aliens, its neutralization of cartel militants, and its response to obstructionist politicians.

Homan not only put cartels on notice, indicating that any attempt on their part at retaliation will result in their erasure from existence, but made clear — specifically calling out New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy as well as the Democratic politicians in Colorado who stood by while Tren de Aragua gangsters terrorized their cities — that there will be consequences for politicians who harbor or conceal illegal aliens.

Greasing the way out

The border czar noted at the outset that "border crossings are down almost 90% across the southern border" and that not a single one of the nearly 500 people who tried stealing into the homeland on Tuesday were successful.

Evidently impressed by the difference between the outrageously high border-crossing figures during former President Joe Biden's tenure and the figures cited by Homan, Beck asked the czar whether there was yet any indication how many illegal aliens are self-deporting.

While presently uncertain about the current number of illegal aliens seeing themselves out, Homan indicated the administration has cooked up an incentive that might help them "catch that metric."

Illegal aliens who are caught then deported face a bar on legal entry, which can last for multiple decades. Homan indicated that in the coming weeks, an announcement will go out informing illegal aliens that they will receive "credit" for reporting to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement before they self-deport or stop at a port of entry.

"If you get formally deported, there's a bar that's placed on you from five to 20 years," Homan told Beck. "We're going to have a massive push in about 10 days getting people to self-deport and send 'em home."

— (@)

Annihilation

Blaze News previously reported that the El Paso Sector Intelligence and Operations Center received information on February 1 indicating that "Mexican cartel leaders have authorized the deployment of drones equipped with explosives to be used against U.S. Border Patrol agents and U.S. military personnel currently working along the border with Mexico."

'He'll wipe them off the face of the earth.'

Online posts cited by Customs and Border Protection apparently urged the very militants whom President Donald Trump has moved to designate as terrorists to assassinate ICE agents.

Referencing both the drug cartels' recent threats as well as their potential fury over losing indirect access to American foreign aid, Beck asked Homan whether he was concerned about retaliation.

Homan noted that he was very concerned and takes the threats seriously, especially since proper border enforcement under the Trump administration has cut off multiple sources of cartel income and left them scrambling.

While acknowledging "there will be violence on the border" and "more armed encounters," Homan noted that any retaliation on the part of the cartels would constitute their final mistake.

"The Border Patrol is prepared. We get great intel on this. The U.S. military is prepared," said Homan. "If they harm a single Border Patrol agent or solider, President Trump will rain hell down on them, and I think he'll wipe them off the face of the earth."

— (@)

Accountability

Homan suggested that it was shameful for any American politician to impede the deportation of illegal aliens "because we made it clear that we're prioritizing public safety threats."

'It's a felony.'

"I find it hard to believe that any politician whether Republican, Democrat, independent, does not want public safety threats removed from their communities," Homan told Beck. "But if they don't want to help, step aside, [and] we'll do it for them."

Homan, who previously emphasized that obstructionists read Title 8, United States Code 1324, which makes it a punishable offense if one "conceals, harbors, or shields from detection, or attempts to conceal, harbor, or shield from detection" illegal aliens, told Beck that "if there is a politician that knowingly and actively impedes a federal law enforcement officer, it's a felony."

While the border czar indicated that he does not believe any one politician has "crossed that line yet," he indicated that Democratic New Jersey Gov. Murphy would have been in trouble had his recent boast been true.

Murphy, who has prohibited state and local law enforcement from aiding with deportation and immigration enforcement, suggested to a leftist activist group on Feb. 1 that he was harboring an illegal alien inside his garage, adding, "Good luck to the feds coming in to try to get her."

Murphy has since indicated he misled his fellow travelers, suggesting he was actually referring to a legal resident.

Homan noted that Attorney General Pam Bondi, who directed the Department of Justice to halt all federal funding for sanctuary cities after her swearing in on Wednesday, will "have no problem if I recommend prosecution of a politician for impeding or knowingly harboring and concealing an illegal alien."

— (@)

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Mexico To Send 10K Troops to Border in Effort To Stop Trump Tariffs

Hours before President Donald Trump's tariffs were slated to go into effect, Mexico agreed to immediately send 10,000 troops to its border with the United States to curb the flow of drugs and illegal immigrants, prompting Trump to pause the tariffs for one month.

The post Mexico To Send 10K Troops to Border in Effort To Stop Trump Tariffs appeared first on .

Vermont Border Patrol agent's fatal shooting tied to radical trans murder cult



The fatal shooting of a Vermont Border Patrol agent on Inauguration Day has been tied to a radical leftist cult whose members claim to identify as transgender.

Border Patrol agent David "Chris" Maland, 44, was tragically shot and killed while performing a traffic stop on Interstate 91 in Coventry, Vermont, on January 20.

'The victim was a witness to a crime who the defendant intentionally killed for the purpose of preventing his testimony in a criminal proceeding.'

Teresa "Milo" Youngblut, a 21-year-old Washington state resident and the driver of the vehicle, is accused of fatally shooting Maland. She currently faces two charges of assault with a deadly weapon and an additional charge of resisting or impeding federal law enforcement.

Felix "Ophelia" Bauckholt, a German national, was a passenger in Youngblut's vehicle and was shot and killed during the altercation.

The Post Millennial's Andy Ngo reported that both Youngblut and Bauckholt identified as transgender.

According to authorities, the guns in Youngblut and Bauckholt's possession are owned by a person of interest in other murders.

Court filings read, "Her [Youngblut] associations with other individuals suspected of violent acts also warrants caution."

"The individual who purchased the firearms the defendant and Bauckholt possessed on January 20, 2025, is a person of interest in a dual-homicide investigation in Delaware County, Pennsylvania," it added.

The court filing appears to be referring to Michelle Jacqueline Zajko, a bioinformatics researcher who claims to identify as transgender nonbinary.

Zajko's parents, Rita and Richard Zajko, were killed in early 2023. The circumstances surrounding their deaths remain unsolved.

Michelle Jacqueline Zajko has been linked to a radical group known as the "Zizians," a transgender vegan militant cult.

Ngo reported that the militant group's members are all highly educated and "hold fringe, esoteric ideological beliefs about transhumanism and animal rights."

The leader of the group, Jack LaSota, who also goes by "Ziz" and Andrea Phelps, is a male who identifies as a female. LaSota is accused of influencing his followers to commit murders.

LaSota has a warrant out for his arrest in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. However, Zizians claim that he is deceased.

Ngo reported that LaSota's followers appear to have created a fake obituary, claiming he died in 2022 for the purpose of evading law enforcement. However, a source stated that LaSota had been living with Bauckholt and other cult members in an Airbnb in North Carolina since 2023.

In November, Youngblut applied for a marriage application with Maximilian Bentley Snyder, 22.

Last week, Snyder was arrested in California for the murder of Curtis Lind, 82.

In November 2022, three Zizian cult members who were accused of squatting on Lind's California property allegedly attempted to murder the owner.

Despite being repeatedly stabbed and impaled by a sword, Lind survived the attack. Lind, who lost an eye in the assault, shot two of his alleged attackers, killing Amir "Emma" Borhanian.

The other two alleged assailants, Suri Dao and Alexander "Somni" Leatham, are scheduled for trial in April for the attempted murder of Lind. Court filings revealed that the suspects had tried to escape custody, and both were described as "extremely dangerous."

On January 17, Lind was stabbed to death by an assailant wearing a mask and black beanie. Snyder, who has been taken into custody, was accused of lying in wait to murder Lind to prevent him from testifying against the other Zizian cult members.

According to court filings, "The victim was a witness to a crime who the defendant intentionally killed for the purpose of preventing his testimony in a criminal proceeding."

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Blaze News original: American hiker shot by 'suspected cartel terrorists' highlights chaos under sanctuary laws



A group of "suspected cartel terrorists" shot an American hiker last week in California near one of the most heavily trafficked border crossings in the nation.

According to Customs and Border Protection, the agency was notified by the Imperial County Sheriff's Office about the ruthless attack around 11:00 a.m. on January 22.

'Yet another alarming example of the chaos at our southern border.'

CBP encountered the group approximately 1,000 feet north of the U.S.-Mexico border.

U.S. Border Patrol El Centro Sector officials posted a video on social media, showing agents carrying the injured hiker to a helicopter. The victim, who sustained two gunshot wounds to his leg, was airlifted to a nearby hospital to receive treatment.

— (@)

Border Patrol referred to the incident as an "attack on [a] U.S. citizen by suspected cartel terrorists."

"A group of U.S. citizens hiking in the Jacumba Wilderness in California was brutally attacked and strafed with gunfire by suspect cartel members in El Centro Sector's area of responsibility," Border Patrol's post read. "One victim was shot twice and robbed."

"These cartels think they can bring their war to American soil," the statement continued. "Let this serve as a WARNING: The El Centro Sector will not stand idly by. The safety of our citizens is NOT negotiable; cartel terrorists have no place in our country preying on the innocent. Enough is enough."

The post noted that the Border Patrol's Mobile Response Team, Tactical Unit, and Search, Trauma, and Rescue "were dispatched to the area to rescue the hikers, evacuate them, and neutralize any threats."

'How many more Americans have to be shot, trafficked, or killed before action is taken?'

"The American people will not retreat from this kind of terror," the Border Patrol's post concluded.

A Canadian citizen who was hiking with the group was shot at and robbed during the attack, according to a CBP press release. The individual was not wounded.

"He was here legally, visiting and out for a hike with his friends," a post from the El Centro Sector read. "He was shot at (uninjured) and later robbed after bravely staying at his wounded friend's side."

The assailants took the men's cell phones and backpacks.

El Centro Sector Chief Gregory Bovino said, "The wounded hiker is an 'I told you so moment' highlighting the importance of adequate infrastructure the Border Patrol has been championing for years now."

"Suspected cartel terrorists, however, are fixing to learn this type of conduct will be an end game type of activity here in the Premier Sector. All threats, anywhere, or at any time throughout this sector will be addressed vigorously," Bovino added.

According to NewsNation's Ali Bradley, the group of approximately 10 was reportedly walking at the Valley of the Moon, a hiking area in Jacumba Hot Springs. The trailhead is located in San Diego County, and the path extends into Imperial County.

"The hikers said the bandits were armed and were talking to them, but the hikers couldn't understand Spanish so the bandits started shooting into the air and then fired shots at the group, hitting the man in the leg," Bradley wrote in a post on X.

The suspects reportedly escaped Border Patrol agents, fleeing back to Mexico.

San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond told Blaze News that the violent attack was "yet another alarming example of the chaos at our southern border."

"When cartels and border bandits feel emboldened to cross into our country, attack innocent civilians, and retreat back into Mexico without consequence, it's clear that we do not have operational control of our border," Desmond stated. "American citizens should not have to fear for their lives while hiking in their own country."

"Our Border Patrol agents do an incredible job with the resources they have, but it's not enough," he continued. "The cartels are exploiting our open border and operating with near impunity. Until the border is fully secured, we need the National Guard and military stationed there to stop these violent criminals from preying on innocent people."

"How many more Americans have to be shot, trafficked, or killed before action is taken?" Desmond questioned.

Cory Gautereaux, a San Diego resident and the founder of the Goat Initiative, an organization dedicated to combatting human trafficking along the U.S.-Mexico border, told Blaze News that the hiking area where the incident occurred is "extremely remote."

"It used to be a very popular off-road, hiking, climbing area but not much in the last two to three years," he noted.

Gautereaux stated that he is "extremely happy to see 'the boys go to work.'"

"Meaning, we have had these specialized Border Patrol teams neutered by the last admin. It took a matter of days to show how fast they can react and what they are capable of once you let them loose," he said of the Border Patrol's emergency response teams.

Imperial County informed Blaze News that the "case is currently under the jurisdiction of the FBI," directing any questions to the federal agency.

'Are we trying to protect criminals or residents?'

When asked whether the incident is currently under investigation, FBI San Diego stated, "Based on longstanding DOJ policy, we cannot confirm or deny the existence of an investigation."

The agency also did not address whether the suspects were confirmed cartel terrorists.

California suburbs push back against liberal sanctuary policies

Officials in El Cajon, a city within San Diego County, moved to reject the state's and the county's sanctuary policies.

On January 28, Mayor Bill Wells introduced a resolution "to support federal deportation efforts for criminals, ensuring that those who break our laws and threaten our families are held accountable," according to an email statement sent to Blaze News.

The city council's agenda stated that the resolution aimed to provide clarity regarding the inconsistencies between state and federal immigration laws. It further declared El Cajon's "intent to ensure the public safety of all residents" and "intent to comply with federal immigration law to the legal extent permissible under SB 54 and other applicable laws to remove violent criminals from our community."

California's Senate Bill 54, signed into law by former Gov. Jerry Brown (D) in 2017, prohibits local officials from cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.

On Tuesday, El Cajon residents packed the city council meeting to voice their opinions on the mayor's resolution. The heated debate lasted five hours with more than 80 residents requesting to speak on the matter.

Gautereaux addressed the city council, asking, "Are we trying to protect criminals or residents?"

"Two weeks ago, I had a very informative, private dinner with Tom Homan. I will tell that he's coming. He's coming here to El Cajon," he said. "He knows how everyone's going to vote today. Let's make sure we do it right so when he comes to town, we can work with him and get the violent people out of this city."

Residents against the resolution argued that such a policy was inherently racist and discriminatory. Several residents, particularly those of color, claimed that with the Trump administration promising mass deportations, they felt forced to carry around documents proving their American citizenship.

One woman stated she told her father "to carry around his birth certificate because of potential deportation due to misguided profiling."

"I had to tell my mother to carry her naturalization papers," she added. "Why do I have to carry around my own birth certificate? I was born here."

"We're already scared to call the cops. Now, we're definitely not going to," she added.

The city's decision to consider the resolution followed a December determination by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors to adopt a measure that effectively doubled down on the county's sanctuary status. The only dissenting vote was made by Supervisor Desmond, who opposed the county's "super" sanctuary status.

'The intent of this resolution is to deliberately sidestep the governor's efforts.'

Regarding his proposed resolution, Wells said, "For too long, California's Sanctuary State policies have protected illegal criminals at the expense of law-abiding citizens. These policies prevent local law enforcement from cooperating with federal authorities, allowing dangerous individuals to remain in our community and country. That must change."

"After meeting with border czar Tom Homan, it is clear that we must take action at the local level. I am proposing that our city will work with — not against — federal immigration enforcement to ensure that criminals who pose a risk to our residents are removed," he added.

On Tuesday evening, the El Cajon City Council voted 3-2 to reject Wells' resolution.

City council member Steve Goble, the swing vote, argued that he did not want El Cajon to become the center of political controversy like Huntington Beach.

Approximately 100 miles north in Orange County, city council members in Huntington Beach unanimously voted earlier this month to declare the Los Angeles suburb a "non-sanctuary city."

Huntington Beach Mayor Pat Burns stated that the resolution was "in the best interest of our community."

"The intent of this resolution is to deliberately sidestep the governor's [Gavin Newsom] efforts to subvert the good work of federal immigration authorities and to announce the city's cooperation with the federal government, the Trump administration, and border czar Tom Homan's work," the city's resolution read.

Further, Burns filed a lawsuit against California's SB 54, claiming that it "not only limits the ability of city officials ... to engage in fullest of effective law enforcement practices, but it directs city officials ... to violate U.S. federal immigration laws."

Trump admin moves to stop invasion

On Inauguration Day, just days before the attack on the group of hikers, President Donald Trump signed an executive order designating cartels "as foreign terrorist organizations."

The executive action read, "The cartels have engaged in a campaign of violence and terror throughout the Western hemisphere that has not only destabilized countries with significant importance for our national interests but also flooded the United States with deadly drugs, violent criminals, and vicious gangs."

"The cartels functionally control, through a campaign of assassination, terror, rape, and brute force nearly all illegal traffic across the southern border of the United States," it continued. "In certain portions of Mexico, they function as quasi-governmental entities, controlling nearly all aspects of society. The cartels' activities threaten the safety of the American people, the security of the United States, and the stability of the international order in the Western hemisphere. Their activities, proximity to, and incursions into the physical territory of the United States pose an unacceptable national security risk to the United States."

Also, as part of his day-one actions, the president declared the overwhelming number of illegal entries a national emergency in keeping with his promise to move swiftly to close down the southern border.

"Cartels control vast territories just south of our southern border, effectively controlling who can and cannot travel to the United States from Mexico," the order stated.

Just three days into his presidency, Trump signed another executive order to deploy 1,500 additional troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to assist Border Patrol agents with cracking down on illegal crossings.

The administration stated that the directive would deploy 1,000 Army personnel and 500 Marines to the southern border of California and Texas. The soldiers will be tasked with erecting border barriers to deter illegal entries.

There are already 2,500 soldiers stationed at the border.

An internal government memo obtained by CBS News revealed that the administration is weighing sending up to 10,000 active-duty military members.

Military personnel are not tasked with direct immigration enforcement; instead, they provide CBP with other assistance, which can include detection and monitoring, logistics, administrative, and mechanical support.

The document obtained by CBS News further stated that the Trump administration's Department of Defense "may" convert its bases into "holding facilities."

Trump has reportedly already successfully reduced the number of border crossings. On Sunday, bored encounters reached less than 600 people, with no sector experiencing more than 200, Fox News reported. For comparison, under former President Joe Biden, daily encounter peaks reached 11,000. Even in the final days of Biden's presidency, there were 1,200 to 1,400 daily.

Border czar Tom Homan has expressed a need for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to drastically increase the number of detention beds. ICE currently has 34,000 beds, but Homan hopes to secure at least 100,000.

The internal government memo stated that ICE has requested 14 new detention facilities with 1,000 beds each and four additional holding centers with 10,000 beds each.

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FACT CHECK: Viral X Video Does Not Authentically Show US Military Vehicles Patrolling The Border

A viral video shared on X purports to show U.S. military vehicles patrolling the border. Our Military is now securing America’s Borders instead of foreign countries. pic.twitter.com/dKJxYB8dV1 — Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) January 23, 2025 Verdict: False The video, which originally stems from TikTok, has been created with artificial intelligence (AI). The user who shared the video […]

Christians Who Opposed Trump Should Examine Their Hearts After His Week Of Big Biblical Wins

Trump’s actions pave the way for Christians to live out obedience to God without the retribution guaranteed by the Biden administration.

FACT CHECK: Video Showing Migrants Breaking Through Police Line Is From 2023

A video shared on X claims to show migrants breaking through a police line in 2025. These folks breakin down barriers to get into the US are in for a rude awakening Tom Homan ain’t playin around pic.twitter.com/PnE3RswfQJ — 🪶Native Patriot 🇺🇸 (@LaNativePatriot) January 22, 2025 Verdict: False The video is from 2023, not 2025. Fact Check: […]

Trump bolsters border security with 1,500 troops — also moves to block potential maritime migration threats



President Donald Trump is swiftly moving forward with his pledge to end the nation’s illegal immigration crisis by rolling out plans to deploy additional active-duty troops to the southern border, according to reports.

A United States official revealed to Fox News on Wednesday that the Trump administration’s Pentagon is preparing to disperse 1,500 troops to various locations along the U.S.-Mexico border.

'We will detect, deter, and interdict illegal migration, drug smuggling, and other terrorist or hostile activity before it reaches our border.'

It is not immediately clear which units will be sent or where they will be stationed. However, the administration is expected to release a formal announcement on Wednesday evening, according to the news outlet.

The U.S. official told Fox News that the additional troops will arrive by the end of the January.

In May 2023, former President Joe Biden stationed 2,500 military personnel at the southern border. Those troops will remain there until the end of fiscal year 2025, the news outlet reported.

Military personnel are not tasked with direct immigration enforcement. Instead, they provide Customs and Border Protection and other agencies with other support, including detection and monitoring, logistics, administrative, and mechanical.

Trump has also moved to secure the nation’s shorelines from potential maritime mass migration.

Adm. Kevin Lunday, the Coast Guard’s acting commandant, released a statement on Tuesday announcing “immediate action in support of” Trump’s presidential executive orders.

“The U.S. Coast Guard is the world’s premiere maritime law enforcement agency, vital to protecting America’s maritime borders, territorial integrity and sovereignty,” Lunday said. “Per the president’s executive orders, I have directed my operational commanders to immediately surge assets — cutters, aircraft, boats, and deployable specialized forces — to increase Coast Guard presence and focus starting with the following key areas.”

Lunday explained that the Coast Guard’s presence has been increased in “the southeast U.S. border approaching Florida to deter and prevent a maritime mass migration from Haiti and/or Cuba.”

It has also enhanced its presence around Alaska, Hawaii, and several U.S. territories.

Additionally, the Coast Guard is protecting the areas between the south of Florida and the Bahamas, the U.S. and Mexico in the Pacific, Texas and Mexico in the Gulf of America, and “maritime portions of the southwest U.S. border.”

“Together, in coordination with our Department of Homeland Security and Department of Defense teammates, we will detect, deter, and interdict illegal migration, drug smuggling, and other terrorist or hostile activity before it reaches our border,” the Coast Guard stated.

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Budget Office Report Shows Biden Could Have Inhibited The Border Crisis But Inflamed It Instead

Once Democrats realized the electoral implications of the border invasion, even their half-hearted half-measures helped to reverse the prior trends.