Why 4 Democrats defied their party to protect American elections from illegal aliens



The House passed a Republican-led bill requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration on Thursday. Despite Democrats' overwhelming disapproval of the key legislation, four Democratic lawmakers reached across the aisle.

Texas Republican Rep. Chip Roy's SAVE Act was passed in a 220-208 vote almost entirely along party lines, similar to the bill's narrow passage in the previous Congress.

Just as they did in 2024, Democrats voted to tank Roy's bill, with just a handful defecting and joining Republicans: Reps. Ed Case of Hawaii, Henry Cuellar of Texas, Jared Golden of Maine, and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington.

While this handful of Democrats bucked their party on a key vote, they likely did so just for political survival.

"I voted for the SAVE Act for the simple reason that American elections are for Americans," Golden said in a statement Thursday. "Requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote is common sense."

Golden, who has previously defected from his party on other key votes, additionally defended the SAVE Act and even debunked some misconceptions about the bill.

"Some claim that requiring proof of citizenship is too onerous a burden, or that it will 'disenfranchise' those whose names have changed for reasons like marriage," Golden said. "The truth is the SAVE Act ensures name changes will not prevent anyone from registering to vote."

"The bill allows for several different ways to prove citizenship," Golden added. "But most importantly, it requires state leaders to establish protocols to allow citizens to register even if there are discrepancies in documents, such as name changes."

In statements shared with Blaze News, both Cuellar and Case echoed Golden's position, arguing that the standards put forward by the SAVE Act ensure that the law is enforced properly.

"Noncitizen voting is illegal, and we should all know that noncitizens are not voting," Case said. "The SAVE Act provides consistent national standards for what documentation is necessary to prove citizenship and the right to vote."

"It includes various acceptable forms of identification which most voter-eligible citizens should have and those who don’t should be able to obtain," Case added. "Fears of voter suppression because of these standards are overstated and should not prevent reasonable citizen ID requirements, and voter suppression is in any event illegal.”

"Ultimately, this is about protecting the integrity of our elections while ensuring every eligible American has a fair chance to vote — whether you are a man or a woman, single, married, divorced, or widowed," Cuellar said. "That’s how we keep trust in our democracy, and that’s something worth standing up for.”

Notably, every Democrat who voted for the SAVE Act, with the exception of Case, resides in a district that President Donald Trump won in 2024. Trump won Golden's district with 53.8%, Cuellar's district with 53.1%, and Perez's district with exactly 50%.

These Democrats also narrowly won re-election in their respective purple districts last election cycle. Golden won with just 50.3% of the vote, Cuellar won with 52.8%, and Perez held on to her seat with 51.7%.

While this handful of Democrats bucked their party on a key vote, they likely did so just for political survival.

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Blaze News investigates: ​Democrats attack parents and parental rights in Colorado



Democratic lawmakers in the Colorado Senate are poised to pass a controversial piece of legislation that would grossly undermine parental rights and compel speech.

House Bill 1312 would, specifically, classify "misgendering" and "deadnaming" as child abuse; define both perceived offenses as discriminatory acts under state law; force schools to honor students' "chosen names" for any reason; and prohibit educational institutions from enforcing sex-based dress codes.

Democrats in the state legislature not only invoked House Rule 16 to kill debate before passing HB 1312 in a party-line vote on April 6 but smeared parental rights organizations critical of the legislation as hate groups on par with the Ku Klux Klan, indicating they were undeserving of consultation by virtue of their opposition.

Leftist lawmakers' latest attack on parental rights in the Centennial State might have largely gone under the radar had they not also viciously attacked those parents who expressed concern. The rhetorical attack has, however, helped draw attention to the legislative attack.

Blaze News reached out to some of those parental groups that Democrats have smeared as hateful and apparently want to ignore as well as to other critics of the "unlawful" legislation.

It appears that what leftists regard as "hatred" is actually an admixture of Americans' fidelity to the U.S. Constitution and their concern over further encroachments on parental rights.

As for the legislation, critics made clear that it will be challenged in the courts if ratified — although Focus on the Family culture and policy analyst Jeff Johnson indicated there was hope yet as of Thursday that the bill could die before reaching Democratic Gov. Jared Polis' desk.

Hatred, redefined

When Republican state Rep. Jarvis Caldwell raised the matter last week of whether non-LGBT parent groups were consulted ahead of the bill's passage in the state House, Rep. Yara Zokaie stated, "A well-stakeholdered bill does not need to be discussed with hate groups," adding, "We don't ask someone passing civil rights legislation to go ask the KKK their opinion."

'Colorado parents should be concerned.'

State Rep. Javier Mabrey later noted, "There's no reason to go to the table with people who are echoing the hateful rhetoric going around about the trans community."

Caldwell told Blaze News in a statement that "equating caring and concerned parents to 'hate groups' and the KKK is typical Democrat propaganda."

"Colorado parents should be concerned," continued Caldwell. "It's not hateful to be outraged by their agenda. We have crossed the Rubicon for parental rights in this state."

Blaze News reached out to Zokaie and Mabrey as well to Colorado House Speaker Julie McCluskie (D), the office of Gov. Jared Polis (D), and the Colorado House Democratic Caucus about the Democratic smear of parents across the state. They did not respond by deadline.

The El Paso County chapter of Moms for Liberty is among the groups critical of the legislation that were not consulted and then smeared as hateful by the Democratic lawmakers.

Chapter chair Kristy Davis clarified to Blaze News that Moms for Liberty's opposition to HB 1312 isn't rooted in hatred but rather in the U.S. Constitution. After all, the Democratic bill "infringes on parental rights and compels speech."

"Our advocacy for parental rights is rooted in the U.S. Constitution and should never be labeled as 'hate,'" wrote Davis. "We strive to ensure that all parents' rights are protected, and we oppose HB25-1312, which seeks to use legislation to separate parents from their children."

"Sections 2 and 3 [of HB 1312] represent government overreach by mandating the judicial system to apply transgender ideology in custody cases, while Sections 4, 5, and 6 force policies that limit parental authority over their children's names and gender expression," wrote Davis. "This legislation appears to be anti-family, pushing an agenda that appeals to only a fraction of Colorado taxpayers. It is harmful to both parents and children, creating unnecessary stress, fear, and separation and negatively impacting their mental health."

Davis, who has faced apparent threats online in recent months, noted that "parents have every right to be concerned about policies that affect their children's well-being and their ability to make decisions for their families."

'We hate that children are getting sterilized and mutilated.'

Corey DeAngelis, senior fellow at the American Culture Project and executive director at the Educational Freedom Institute, told Blaze News that Zokaie "let the mask slip."

"She detests parents who disagree with her so much that she doubled down on comparing them to the KKK," said DeAngelis. "Colorado Democrats are control freaks trying to force their insane ideology onto the rest of society. Colorado Democrats want to punish parents who don't accept the delusions of a small child."

"They're stomping on the rights of parents and hoping no one notices," added DeAngelis.

Alvin Lui is the president of the parental rights advocacy group Courage Is a Habit — a group that has furnished some parents in the state and elsewhere with tools to tackle gender ideology and has, along with Moms for Liberty and Parents Defending Education, been designated an "extremist group" by the leftist Southern Poverty Law Center. Lui told Blaze News that his group has neutralized the "hate group" label in part by adopting it.

"I say, 'Absolutely we are a hate group. 100%. We hate what's happening to children. We hate the people that pass transgender trafficking bills, which is what this HB 1312 is, essentially. We hate that children are getting sterilized and mutilated before they can even get their driver's license,'" said Lui. "'We hate everything that you stand for. We want to run you out of schools. We want to run you out of any political office.'"

'Colorado Democrats just told Virginia's Terry McAuliffe "hold my beer."'

Regardless of what parent groups do with Democrats' "hate" label, its use in the first place is telling.

"What these assertions reveal is a troubling disconnect between some Democrats and the real, everyday concerns of parents," said Davis. "It feels as though they're dismissing the legitimate worries of moms and dads who simply want to have a say in their children's well-being. Parents are the ones who know their children best, and when they speak up, they should be heard — not labeled as radicals or adversaries."

Battle lost, war undecided

"Colorado Democrats just told Virginia's Terry McAuliffe 'hold my beer,'" DeAngelis told Blaze News. "Mr. McAuliffe, a Democrat, lost his race for governor after revealing he didn't want parents to have a say in their children's education."

McAuliffe was governor of Virginia from 2014 until 2018. He ran again for governor in 2021. Whereas his opponent, Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R), championed parental rights — particularly parents' prime authority over their children's education — the former Democratic governor signaled a desire for a difference balance of power.

During a gubernatorial debate in September 2021, McAuliffe stated, "I'm not going to let parents come into schools and actually take books out and make their own decision."

At the time, the battle over critical race theory and LGBT propaganda in the classroom was a hot-button issue for Virginia parents.

"I don't think parents should be telling schools what they should teach," added McAuliffe.

Youngkin handily beat the critic of parental authority and remains governor of the state.

With McAuliffe's defeat in mind, DeAngelis told Blaze News, "Colorado Republicans should follow Glenn Youngkin's playbook and capitalize on this issue. They need to fight back to rescue parents from socialist takeover."

Numerous Republican lawmakers in the state Senate — where they are outnumbered 23-12 — have indicated they will oppose the legislation, which as of April 9 had not been assigned to a committee.

In a statement shared with Blaze News, Colorado Senate Minority Leader Paul Lundeen (R) noted that "HB25-1312 undermines one of the most sacred and time-honored principles of our society: the right of parents to raise their children in accordance with their values, beliefs, and faith."

"When government policies attempt to substitute the judgment of bureaucrats for that of parents, we risk eroding a foundational pillar of liberty and personal responsibility," added Lundeen.

'Colorado used to be very red.'

Lundeen insinuated that the legislation would not only undermine the "sacred right of parents to direct the upbringing of their children without unjust interference," but "pave the way for future intrusions into how families educate, discipline, or spiritually guide their children."

Lundeen vowed to "stand firmly" against the bill and comparable legislation.

While Republicans could, as DeAngelis suggested, capitalize on this issue, it will take time to gain ground in the state legislature.

Both Brittany Vessely, executive director of the Colorado Catholic Conference, and Jeff Johnson of Focus on the Family separately told Blaze News that Colorado's political capture by leftists was decades in the making, orchestrated in part by a cabal of billionaires who poured billions of dollars into the state to strategically flip local districts.

"Colorado used to be very red," Vessely told Blaze News. "It was more of a libertarian state — very rancher-dominated."

"But [entrepreneur] Tim Gill, Jared Polis, and a couple others poured money into the state and flipped these districts," said Johnson. "Once Democrats had control, they passed legislation that appealed to the left, to radicals."

The legalization of marijuana, the promise of other forms of social deregulation, and the state's general leftward shift apparently drew multitudes of radicals to the state, especially from California.

"So there's just been, in the last 10 years specifically, a huge move from Colorado being very red to purple for a while to now being dominated with majorities of progressive Democrats in both chambers and an LGBTQ progressive governor and very progressive courts," said Vessely. "So we have a trifecta in Colorado in the legislation where parental rights are being completely violated."

'HB 1312 is going to end up in litigation.'

The disconnect between leftist lawmakers and traditional Coloradans has been enough to drive majorities in numerous counties to vote either to break away and form their own state, "North Colorado," or to become part of Wyoming.

For the time being, they are stuck with lawmakers who are keen to undermine parental rights; to force them to fund abortion; to bar health benefit insurance plans from denying or limiting coverage for sex-change mutilations; and to keep up the lies about transvestites' sexes even after death.

From Polis' desk to the courts

Opponents of HB 1312 do not presently have sufficient time to change the state of play politically; hence the ongoing discussions of legal action.

Colorado state Rep. Brandi Bradley (R), for instance, vowed to sue and "keep suing" if the bill succeeds, stating, "I've birthed five children" and "will protect them to the Nth degree."

Brittany Vessely told Blaze News that "HB 1312 is going to end up in litigation because it directly impedes upon the religious freedom of conscience and expression for all Coloradans across the state but especially for the faith-based community."

Vessely explained that the public accommodation section of HB 1312 requiring compliance with gender ideology-based speech codes refers to the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act — the law at issue in the case 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis decided by the Supreme Court in 2023 — which was amended in 2021 to add the terms "gender expression" and "gender identity" to statutes prohibiting discrimination against members of a protected class.

While there is a religious exemption in the state anti-discrimination law, Vessely indicated it really protects only places like parishes and church halls — not diocesan offices, not Catholic schools, hospitals, homeless shelters, or cemeteries.

"These are areas where a lot of our Catholic ministries are going to be directly impacted by the effects of this bill," said Vessely, adding that Christian publications could similarly be impacted.

Jeff Johnson suggested to Blaze News that HB 1312 is clearly unconstitutional and fit for a challenge, adding that he has never seen a piece of legislation "try to do so many things at once."

"So you have the attack on parents' rights, which is unconstitutional," said Johnson. "The Supreme Court has said over and over again that parents have the right to raise their children — they're the ones in charge of their nurture and care and education — and this bill basically usurps that and says, 'No, it's abusive if a parent doesn't go along with the child's sexual identity confusion.'"

Johnson noted that while the bill presently targets court decisions in custody cases, once so-called "deadnaming and misgendering" have been "defined as abusive in this realm, it would be pretty easy for regulations to follow along saying, 'Hey, if you're not affirming your child's sexual identity confusion, that's abusive in any case. And [Child Protective Services] could step in and start taking children away."

In addition to standing on shaky ground because of the abuse classification, Johnson said that HB 1312 is vulnerable to legal challenges both because it tells the court to ignore other states' court mandates regarding parenting and because "it also coerces speech, requiring schools and businesses and employees to agree to the idea that a man can become a woman or a woman can become a man, and it forces people to use a person's 'chosen name' and pronouns rather than going by the biological sex."

'They're waking up to the agenda, and they're saying, "No."'

Courage Is a Habit's Lui suggested that besides legal challenges, Coloradans also have the choice of civil disobedience.

"They can arrest one or two people" for reality-affirming language, said Lui. "They're not going to arrest 1,000 people. They're not going to arrest 5,000 people for calling a man a man."

"It's not an easy answer once you get to this point," continued the parental rights advocate. "Once you make fear a habit, they keep pushing you until they've got you over a barrel. And that's why we always remind people: You got to make courage a habit."

Vesseley noted that while the pro-life cause is presently facing neglect, especially at the federal level, there is a "tremendous amount of momentum right now for the parents in those organizations that are fighting back against the LGBTQ narrative that's happening, especially in schools. We're seeing that across the nation."

Johnson suggested that Democrats have unwittingly awoken the sleeping giant by "trying to get every area of society in Colorado to comply with this agenda."

"I don't know if the pushback is from [the transgender agenda] or if it's the parental rights issue, but I think people are starting to wake up and say, 'A man can't become a woman, a boy can't become a girl, and vice versa.' They're waking up to the agenda, and they're saying, 'No, this is harmful to children and adults, and you can't force me to go along with this,'" said Johnson.

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13-year-old girl lured into sex trafficking by man she met on popular social media platform, police say



A 29-year-old man is accused of luring a 13-year-old girl into sex trafficking after meeting her on a popular social media platform, according to Pennsylvania prosecutors.

Zachary Lee McCauley from Louisville, Kentucky, pretended to be a 17-year-old boy named "Jake" when he allegedly groomed the teenager on Snapchat.

'This case exemplifies just how long the reach is of a child sexual predator using these social media platforms.'

Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn said in a media briefing that the girl's mother grew suspicious when she walked in on the girl taking lurid photos and videos of herself in her bedroom. The mother brought her daughter's phone, iPad, and MacBook to the Buckingham Township Police in October.

In February, she then contacted the Bucks County District Attorney's office after seeing a report about child sex abuse. An investigation led police to McCauley.

"He used grooming tactics to lower her inhibition, and then those tactics evolved into threatening to inflict harm upon her mother if she did not comply with his demands," Schorn said.

She said that McCauley allegedly ordered the girl to make a profile on the Grindr dating app so that men could meet her to pay for sex. Two Pennsylvania men were arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting the girl.

A third man changed his mind after meeting her, said Schorn.

"There was actually a third man who met with this child, and when he met her in person, it was immediately apparent that she was a child and that he did not engage in the sexual encounter that he intended to engage in," she explained.

The two suspects who met the victim on Grindr posted bail, while McCauley was arrested in Kentucky and awaited extradition to Pennsylvania.

"This case exemplifies just how long the reach is of a child sexual predator using these social media platforms," Schorn added. "I can assure you that currently this investigation is still very much active, and if there are additional victims, we will make sure that this individual is prosecuted for those crimes."

Experts say parents should monitor their children if they are allowed access to smartphones and the internet. Children should also be restricted from apps that allow strangers to contact them.

"This is unfortunately a theme we see time and time again, and you know these forums, it allows for these type of predators to really do so with anonymity, and it's quite frightening," Schorn concluded.

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Females caught on video punching, kicking, stomping restaurant waitress — reportedly after she rejected their refund demand



Video captured two females physically attacking a waitress in a Chicago restaurant last weekend. The females are seen kicking, stomping, and punching the waitress — and the attack reportedly came after the waitress rejected the culprits' refund demand.

Martha Garcia — owner of El Taco Azteca — told WBBM-TV two females wanted a full refund after they picked up a to-go order, departed, and then returned about 15 minutes later after having consumed nearly all their food and saying they didn't like it.

'I feel rage, primarily because something like this has never happened, and for it to be over $50 just doesn’t make any sense.'

The 23-year-old waitress told them she couldn't give them a refund, WLS-TV reported, and then things heated up.

Surveillance video shows one female walking behind the bar and tossing the waitress' cell phone into a vat of liquid, WBBM said, adding that the females also tried to destroy the restaurant's decorations. El Taco Azteca posted still images of the culprits from Saturday night's incident.

When the waitress, who is remaining anonymous, threatened to call 911, WMAQ-TV reported that the females turned their anger toward her. Surveillance video shows them punching, kicking, stomping, and dragging the waitress in an attack that lasted about two minutes, WMAQ added.

A cook tried to intervene, WBBM said. You can view WBBM's video report here.

WMAQ's video report includes the entire incident caught on surveillance cameras.

“I came in when I heard what was going on, and I was able to pull off one of her attackers," Garcia told WMAQ. "When I finally got them separated, one of them then turned to me and started swinging."

Garcia said her employee had bruises all over her, WMAQ added.

"Her head, her arms," Garcia told WMAQ. "And her other finger was broken."

Garcia walked the two female attackers out of the restaurant, WMAQ said, adding that the owner said she's hoping police find them before they repeat their offenses somewhere else.

"I'm concerned," Garcia added to WMAQ. "It's terrible, the situation."

Believe it or not, the two females actually called 911 when they were denied a refund, WMAQ noted, but the station said they were gone by the time police arrived at the scene.

The injured worker is taking time off, WMAQ also said.

The other restaurant owner, chef Carlos García, told WMAQ, “I feel rage, primarily because something like this has never happened, and for it to be over $50 just doesn’t make any sense."

He also has a message for the offenders, adding to WMAQ that “we’re going to find you whatever it takes. I’m putting everything I have into this."

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Dan Bongino publicly responds to FBI appointment of J6-obsessed official



In a move no conservative saw coming, a key player in the January 6 witch hunts was recently named the assistant director of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.

That key player is Steven Jensen.

While conservatives had been counting on newly crowned FBI Director Kash Patel to root out people like Jensen, FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino posted a few cryptic X posts that seemed to defend the FBI’s decision to give him the position.

“As I dive back into work, I want to reassure you that nothing that is happening here is happening by accident. Because of the sensitivity of what the FBI deals with, both the Director and I have to be circumspect in what we can make public. Bad guys read this stuff too. Neither one of us came here to play games,” Bongino wrote in a post on X.


“Measure us by results. You will see them. But just because you don’t see something happening right this second, doesn’t mean it isn’t happening,” he continued, noting that not every decision made will “please everyone,” and they won’t be “pandering” in order to do so.

“When you see something happen, and the entire story isn’t public, and the underlying facts aren’t all public, it may appear counterintuitive to our reform agenda,” he wrote in a follow-up post, adding, “I promise you, it’s not an accident.”

“We are assuming that Bongino was responding to this controversy,” Blaze News investigative reporter Steve Baker tells Jill Savage and Matthew Peterson on “Blaze News Tonight.” “If, in fact, he was responding to that, it still does not answer one of the hardest questions that I think and one of the most important questions that I have.”

That question, Baker reveals, is, “Why have we been a week and a half into this appointment and there’s been no announcement from the FBI, not even the lowest level public relations or spokesperson from the FBI?”

That includes FBI Director Kash Patel.

“There’s always an announcement about important positions when they are filled like this, and for him to take over the most important position in the Washington Field Office with no announcement, no press release,” Baker says, noting that the controversy surrounding the move would be incredibly hard for them to ignore.

“And still, the only thing that we have seen posted from Kash Patel on his X account so far is the intramural fundraising hockey game that they had in Chicago, and maybe a couple of other arrests, but nothing to do with this particular controversy whatsoever,” Baker continues.

“So they are obviously ignoring it for some reason,” he adds.

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Democrat governor says Oregon will 'hold the line' against Trump ban on DEI despite threat of defunding



The Democrat governor of Oregon says the state will defy President Donald Trump's executive order ending the implementation of diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.

Trump included the ban on DEI in the flurry of executive orders he signed after his inauguration. Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek (D) said the state would not comply with the order during a media briefing alongside the state's education director on Thursday.

'We celebrate our differences and common humanity.'

“Since the start of the new federal administration, I promised Oregonians that I would not back down from a fight when it comes to safeguarding Oregon values,” said the governor. “Making sure every child has the opportunity to meet their future promise with a strong public education is one of the most fundamental responsibilities of government and one of my top priorities as governor.”

The U.S. Department of Education has given states the deadline of Sunday to end their support of DEI policies in education or face the cessation of federal funding.

Oregon Education Department Director Charlene Williams replied to the threat in a letter refusing to change the policies.

“Oregon has implemented and continues to implement education programs in accordance with state and federal law,” Williams said in the letter. “Oregon remains fiercely committed to its values of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and we celebrate our differences and common humanity. Our moral and ethical obligation is to stand up for public education.”

She went on to relate some procedural problems she had with the order to justify the noncompliance.

“There is no circumstance where it is okay to leverage children’s resources as a political tool,” she added.

Kotek said she ordered the department of education to "hold the line" against Trump's order.

Some school districts have filed a lawsuit against the president's DEI ban that argues that the directive was vague and is an unconstitutional reading of law.

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China escalates trade war against US with 134% tariff hike: 'It's become a joke'



The communist government of China did not back down from massive tariffs issued by President Donald Trump and instead slapped the U.S. with a retaliatory tariff of 134%.

Trump hiked up his tariff against China to 145% in total at the same time that he announced a 90-day pause in the tariffs on other countries. The volatility in the global trade war led to the same in the stock market, which recovered some of its massive losses by the end of trade on Friday.

'Given the current level of tariffs, US goods exported to China are no longer market-viable.'

The president had fulfilled his campaign promise to impose new tariffs in order to raise federal revenue as well as encourage the creation of new manufacturing jobs in the U.S. After a week of losses in the stock market, however, Trump relented and called for a tariff pause, with China as an exception.

The president issued an ultimatum to China to drop its retaliatory tariff or face a hike to more than a 100% tariff, which would basically end trade between the two nations.

"CHINA PLAYED IT WRONG, THEY PANICKED - THE ONE THING THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO DO!" Trump wrote on social media.

China refused to back down, and the president made good on his threat.

A spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said that Trump's trade negotiation had become a “numbers game which has no practical significance on economics" in a news conference on Friday.

“It’s become a joke,” the spokesperson added.

But Chinese officials also said they were through raising tariffs no matter what the U.S. did.

"If the U.S. continues to increase tariffs on Chinese exports, China will not respond," read a statement from China's Ministry of Finance. "Given the current level of tariffs, U.S. goods exported to China are no longer market-viable."

Some members of Congress have suggested legislation to retrieve the tariff power from the executive, but not enough have shown support to overcome an almost certain veto from the president. The Constitution grants the power of tariffs to Congress, but the legislature incrementally transferred that power beginning in World War I and through the Great Depression.

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Darién Gap crossings nearly disappear as Trump drops hammer on illegal immigration



Under President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, a once heavily trafficked jungle passage between Colombia and Panama experienced a 99% drop in crossings in February.

Days before Trump’s inauguration in January, border czar Tom Homan vowed to shut down the Darién Gap in order to “protect our national security.”

'The problem we had in Lajas Blancas eliminated.'

“It’s going to save thousands of lives,” he told NBC News.

The Associated Press reported that over 500,000 individuals traveled through the crossing in 2023. During a peak period in 2022, an average of 16,400 individuals passed through every week.

The news outlet shared photos from Lajas Blancas, a Panamanian river port once teeming with migrant camps with tight rows of small tents and clotheslines strung with drying laundry. Now, only about 10 people trickle through per week. The AP’s most recent photos revealed a ghost town.

The news outlet reported that humanitarian organizations that previously frequented the area have since shut down operations.

“Doctors Without Borders, the Red Cross, no one comes here any more,” a Venezuelan national told the AP. “It’s deserted.”

Panamanian authorities now reportedly strictly control access.

Last month, Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino declared the Darién Gap effectively “closed.”

“The problem we had in Lajas Blancas eliminated,” he stated.

The New York Post reported that traffic plummeted by 99%, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Only 408 migrants were recorded as crossing through the Darién Gap in February, compared to 37,166 over the same month the previous year.

Bloomberg reported that of those who traversed the Darién Gap in February, 151 were from Venezuela, 43 from Cameroon, and 22 from Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, the U.S.-Mexico border has also seen steep declines in illegal crossings.

In February, the most recent data available, 28,654 border encounters were recorded, compared to 256,071 the year prior — an 89% drop.

Trump has implemented many initiatives to find and deport the illegal aliens who made it into the U.S. under the previous administration, including requiring immigrants to submit their information to a new online registry.

According to a memo obtained by the Post on Friday, individuals who fail to self-report or do not carry proof of registration could be referred to the Department of Justice for “criminal prosecution.”

The memo instructed Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to “treat the alien’s case as an immigration enforcement priority.”

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem told the Post that those who fail to comply with the registration order could be fined up to $1,000 daily.

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Judge allows Trump's DHS to proceed with another tool to keep track of illegal immigrants



A federal judge is allowing the Trump administration to proceed with its plans to require illegal immigrants to register with the government or face consequences following a lawsuit from the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights.

The new federal program stems from an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on his first day in office, which orders the Department of Homeland Security to ensure that aliens comply with section 262 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1302). Failure to comply with the registration requirement will be treated as a civil and criminal enforcement priority.

The CBP One app, which was used by the Biden-Harris administration to allow would-be illegal immigrants to enter through ports of entry, was changed into the CBP Home app.

Axios reported that Judge Trevor Neil McFadden sided with the Trump administration in the suit, with the government saying its agents are simply enforcing federal law.

Any illegal aliens over the age of 14 must register through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services if they are in the country illegally for more than 30 days. Fingerprinting is part of the process. Once they are registered, they must carry proof on their persons at all times.

USCIS warns that failing to register "may result in criminal and civil penalties, up to and including misdemeanor prosecution, the imposition of fines, and incarceration."

The New York Post reported that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has ordered all agents to check illegal immigrants' status with the registry. An ICE source told the Post that officials believe many illegal aliens will not register, becoming prime targets for arrest and deportation.

The registry is one of the many "carrot and stick" methods being used by the Trump administration not only to increase the number of apprehended illegal immigrants, but also to get people to leave of their own accord.

The CBP One app, which was used by the Biden-Harris administration to allow would-be illegal immigrants to enter through ports of entry, was changed to the CBP Home app. The app now lets illegal immigrants register their departure from the United States with the federal government to avoid any potential penalties.

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Man from Butler, Pennsylvania, arrested for alleged threats to kill Trump and Elon Musk



A Pennsylvania man has been arrested for allegedly threatening to assault and murder President Donald Trump and other political officials, according to a statement from the Department of Justice.

Thirty-two-year-old Shawn Monper of Butler is accused of making statements on social media about his intent to kill the president after stockpiling ammunition, weapons, and body armor.

'We just need to start killing people, Trump, Elon, all the heads of agencies Trump appointed, and anyone who stands in the way.'

Monper posted under the moniker "Mr Satan" on YouTube, according to the DOJ, which was tipped off about the comments on April 8. The agency published several of the more incendiary comments allegedly attributable to Monper.

“I have bought several guns and been stocking up on ammo since Trump got in office," he reportedly wrote. “Eventually im going to do a mass shooting.”

A week later the man allegedly wrote: “I have been buying 1 gun a month since the election, body armor, and ammo.”

The DOJ said that he also registered to obtain a firearm permit very soon after Trump's inauguration in January.

“Nah, we just need to start killing people, Trump, Elon [Musk], all the heads of agencies Trump appointed, and anyone who stands in the way," Monper allegedly wrote. "Remember, we are the majority, MAGA is a minority of the country, and by the time its time to make the move, they will be weakened, many will be crushed by these policies, and they will want revenge too. American Revolution 2.0."

He also allegedly called agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement "terrorist people" and called for them to be killed.

“If I see an armed ice agent, I will consider it a domestic terrorist, and an active shooter and open fire on them.”

Monper was arrested by the FBI in cooperation with the Butler Township Police Department on Wednesday on federal charges over the threats.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi praised the arrest.

“I want to applaud the outstanding and courageous investigative work of the FBI and the Butler Township Police Department, who thankfully identified and apprehended this individual before he could carry out his threats against President Trump’s life and the lives of other innocent Americans,” wrote Bondi.

“Rest assured that whenever and wherever threats of assassination or mass violence occur, this Department of Justice will find, arrest, and prosecute the suspect to the fullest extent of the law and seek the maximum appropriate punishment," she added.

Many on social media remarked on the bizarre coincidence that Monper is from the same town where Trump narrowly escaped assassination at a rally in July before the election.

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