Homeland Security agents are largely ready for new leadership after President Donald Trump ousted Kristi Noem as their boss on Thursday.
One Border Patrol official said Noem&#8217;s ousting &#8220;was bound to happen,&#8221; citing her handling of immigration raids in Minneapolis.
Noem received backlash for labeling Alex Pretti, the anti-ICE activist who was fatally shot by a Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis, as a domestic terrorist before a federal investigation concluded.
The agent also cited scrutiny Noem received for a <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/investigations/4444838/dhs-officials-point-fingers-delay-border-wall-construction/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> delay in border wall construction and an internal campaign the secretary reportedly spearheaded to oust Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott.
Scott is highly respected among federal law enforcement officials and previously served as the national chief of Border Patrol.
&#8220;It was a questionable pick to begin with, no experience in the space,&#8221; the agent said. &#8220;What a train wreck.&#8221;
&#8220;Between the Minneapolis debacle, the slowdown on approving wall contracts, the suspected affair, and the attempt to oust Rodney, one of the most respected chiefs, she needed to go. What a disaster of a secretary,&#8221; the agent added.
One Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer said the news of Noem&#8217;s departure was &#8220;not surprising&#8221; after Trump replaced Noem&#8217;s ally and top Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino, who was leading aggressive immigration raids in Minneapolis, after the Pretti shooting.
Trump swiftly sent in White House border czar Tom Homan, who shifted to conducting more targeted arrests in the Twin Cities, while brokering agreements with local law enforcement to work with ICE.
&#8220;After she was pulled from Minneapolis and replaced by Homan, I saw the writing on the wall,&#8221; the officer said.
A Border Patrol agent echoed that sentiment, saying Noem wasn&#8217;t &#8220;listening to Homan and Scott.&#8221; The agent said she also &#8220;threw Bovino to the wolves.&#8221;
Trump announced Noem&#8217;s demotion in a Truth Social post, saying he will replace her with Republican Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin, a staunch ally of the president. Noem&#8217;s firing came after she blamed Trump during a heated Congressional hearing for questionable $200 million TV ad contracts that promoted deportations and border security.
Hours before announcing the leadership change, Trump told Reuters that he had no knowledge of the expensive contracts.
Noem testified that the contracts “went out to a competitive bid and career officials at the department chose who would do those advertising commercials.”
But the contracts were awarded using “other than full and open competition” to a company formed days before, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/docs-show-dhs-specifically-steered-200m-ad-contracts-raising-questions-about-noems-testimony?author=Luke+Rosiak&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Docs+Show+DHS+Specifically+Steered+%24200M+Ad+Contracts%2C+Raising+Questions+About+Noem%E2%80%99s+Testimony" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to records obtained by The Daily Wire</a>. That company then subcontracted the work to a group run by the husband of Noem&#8217;s former spokeswoman.
Now, Mullin will have to earn the trust of career law enforcement officials at the Department of Homeland Security who took issue with Noem over her lack of experience in the space.
Mullin doesn&#8217;t have law enforcement experience either, but is a businessman, rancher, and MMA fighter, according to his official bio.
Republican North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis, who has been calling on Noem to resign for weeks, said Mullin &#8220;is a great guy and a great choice to lead DHS, restore competence, and refocus efforts on quickly distributing disaster aid, keeping the border secure, and targeting violent illegal immigrants for deportation.&#8221;
&#8220;Another big positive: he likes dogs,&#8221; he added, referring to Noem&#8217;s book where she admitted to shooting her dog for misbehaving during a hunting outing.
Noem will finish out her term as secretary through the end of the month before Mullin takes over and begins a confirmation process, Trump said.
While Mullin has been characterized as a hawk on cracking down on illegal immigration and supporting Trump&#8217;s mass deportation campaign, he received a C+ for his record on restricting legal immigration by the conservative immigration group <a href="https://www.numbersusa.com/grades/11605" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NumbersUSA</a>.
Mullin has yet to support legislation requiring employers to use the E-Verify immigration status check, according to the conservative organization.
He has also yet to join in on legislation to end chain migration, end birthright citizenship, and limit the number of foreign workers in the United States.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem Testifies During House Judiciary Committee Hearing

DHS Rank And File Aren’t So Sad To See Noem Go

Rank And File At DHS Aren't So Sad To See Noem Go And Here's What Could Change

Department of Homeland Security

Kristi Noem

Markwayne Mullin

Days after a Virginia mother was allegedly fatally stabbed by an illegal immigrant with a lengthy rap sheet, Democrats in the state passed a series of bills to make the job of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) more difficult, limiting cooperation with local authorities.
Virginia House Democrats passed bills Wednesday that would cease local law enforcement cooperation with ICE, bar ICE from making arrests within 40 feet of the polls, ban ICE from nabbing targets inside state courts, and criminalize ICE officers for wearing masks, <a href="https://wjla.com/news/local/virginia-bills-ending-ice-cooperation-unmasking-agents-go-to-gov-spanberger-democrats-republicans-immigration-stephanie-minter-fairfax-county" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to ABC7.
Senate Democrats concurred, and the bills are now headed to Virginia Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger&#8217;s desk for signature.
It comes less than two weeks after Abdul Jalloh, 32, an illegal immigrant from Sierra Leone, allegedly murdered 41-year-old Virginia mother Stephanie Minter and left her lifeless body at a bus stop.
Upon entering office, Spanberger ended a required cooperation agreement between state and local law enforcement and ICE.
The day after the killing, the governor delivered the Democratic response to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union speech, where she characterized ICE as “unaccountable agents” who “terrorize our communities.”
ICE lodged a detainer with local police one day after Jalloh&#8217;s arrest, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Spanberger, however, said it wouldn&#8217;t be enough for local law enforcement to hand him over to immigration authorities for deportation.
Her office said ICE would need to obtain a warrant signed by a judge to receive any cooperation, according to ABC7.
Jalloh&#8217;s record includes more than 30 previous arrests for charges of rape, malicious wounding, assault, drug possession, identity theft, trespassing, larceny, firing a weapon, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and pickpocketing, according to DHS.
Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano dropped most of the charges against Jalloh, <a href="https://wjla.com/news/local/illegal-immigrant-with-long-criminal-record-accused-of-killing-woman-in-fairfax-county-abdul-emails-jalloh-stephanie-minter-commonwealths-attorney-steve-descano" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to ABC7.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Fairfax County police repeatedly warned Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano’s office about how dangerous Abdul Jalloh was before Stephanie Minter’s murder.
In November, a police major told Descano’s office, “Jenna, Good morning. I hope things are well. I wanted… <a href="https://t.co/ouqkJPgvPD">https://t.co/ouqkJPgvPD</a> <a href="https://t.co/E8bFmNMBuY">pic.twitter.com/E8bFmNMBuY</a>
— Nick Minock (@NickMinock) <a href="https://twitter.com/NickMinock/status/2029286966777229769?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
An officer with the Fairfax County Police Department also warned Descano in November against giving Jalloh more chances, according to emails obtained by ABC7 reporter Nick Minock via a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.
“I wanted to bring Mr. Jalloh’s release to your attention, because Mr. Jalloh is one of the repeat (and violent) offenders we discussed when we met. I wanted to get your background on why he is out so soon and ask if his prior suspended sentence (of I believe five years) was pursued by your office,” the email read.
“Unfortunately, based on MTV station’s numerous dealings with him, it is not a question of if, but rather when he will maliciously wound (or worse) again. My role of keeping the public safe, prompts me to follow up on his status,” it added.
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Untitled design – 2026-03-04T130616.678

Illegal Alien Arrested In Mom’s Murder — Dems Respond By Trying To Handcuff ICE

abigial spanberger

Crime

Immigration

President Donald Trump fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem Thursday after she found herself at the center of multiple scandals.
&#8220;I am pleased to announce that the Highly Respected United States Senator from the Great State of Oklahoma, Markwayne Mullin, will become the United States Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS), effective March 31, 2026,&#8221; Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Thursday
&#8220;The current Secretary, Kristi Noem, who has served us well, and has had numerous and spectacular results (especially on the Border!), will be moving to be Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas, our new Security Initiative in the Western Hemisphere we are announcing on Saturday in Doral, Florida. I thank Kristi for her service at &#8216;Homeland,'&#8221; he added.
Noem thanked Trump in a post on X, saying that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth &#8220;are incredible leaders&#8221; and that she looks &#8220;forward to working with them closely to dismantle cartels that have poured drugs into our nation and killed our children and grandchildren.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Thank you <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> Trump for appointing me as the Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas. <a href="https://twitter.com/SecRubio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecRubio</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecWar</a> are incredible leaders and I look forward to working with them closely to dismantle cartels that have poured drugs into our nation and killed our children and…
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sec_Noem/status/2029647010002055467?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2026</a></blockquote>
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It comes after a heated Senate hearing, in which Noem blamed Trump for approving questionable contracts worth over $200 million for deportation ads, which raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest.
Trump himself told Reuters that he had no knowledge of the expensive contracts.
Noem testified that the contracts “went out to a competitive bid and career officials at the department chose who would do those advertising commercials.”
The contracts were awarded using “other than full and open competition,” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/docs-show-dhs-specifically-steered-200m-ad-contracts-raising-questions-about-noems-testimony?author=Luke+Rosiak&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Docs+Show+DHS+Specifically+Steered+%24200M+Ad+Contracts%2C+Raising+Questions+About+Noem%E2%80%99s+Testimony">according to records obtained by The Daily Wire</a>.
“The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of Procurement Operations (OPO), on behalf of the Office of DHS Public Affairs office intends to limit competition to three contractors,&#8221; a justification for the decision said.
A competition waiver stated that the department used internet research and “industry publications” to identify Safe America Media LLC as the primary company capable of taking on the ad campaign. Safe America Media was only incorporated days before.
The Strategy Group said Tuesday it “has never had a contract with DHS,” adding that “We had a subcontract with Safe America for limited production services.”
“Safe America paid us $226,137.17 total for 5 film shoots, 45 produced video advertisements, and 6 produced radio advertisements,” the company said.
“If you’re going to try to question our integrity, bring actual evidence – we did,” the statement concluded.
Trump announced that Oklahoma Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin will replace Noem.
&#8220;Serving 10 years in the United States House of Representatives, and 3 in the Senate, Markwayne has done a tremendous job representing the wonderful People of Oklahoma, where I won all 77 out of 77 Counties — in 2016, 2020, and 2024! A MAGA Warrior, and former undefeated professional MMA fighter, Markwayne truly gets along well with people, and knows the Wisdom and Courage required to Advance our America First Agenda,&#8221; Trump said in his Truth Social post.
&#8220;As the only Native American in the Senate, Markwayne is a fantastic advocate for our incredible Tribal Communities. Markwayne will work tirelessly to Keep our Border Secure, Stop Migrant Crime, Murderers, and other Criminals from illegally entering our Country, End the Scourge of Illegal Drugs and, MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN. Markwayne will make a spectacular Secretary of Homeland Security. Thank you for your attention to this matter!&#8221;
Mullin called the announcement &#8220;humbling,&#8221; adding that &#8220;it happened quick.&#8221;
He said he learned of Trump&#8217;s decision &#8220;right before&#8221; the Truth Social post.

READ: Trump’s Pink Slip Post Replacing Kristi Noem As DHS Chief

Donald Trump

A prosecutor in Fairfax County, Virginia, was warned against releasing an illegal immigrant with a rap sheet before he went on to fatally stab 41-year-old mother Stephanie Minter, according to ABC7.
Abdul Jalloh, 32, an illegal immigrant from Sierra Leone, allegedly murdered Minter at a local bus stop on Feb. 23. He allegedly fled the scene, leaving behind her lifeless.
Police nabbed him the next day.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Fairfax County police repeatedly warned Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano’s office about how dangerous Abdul Jalloh was before Stephanie Minter’s murder.
In November, a police major told Descano’s office, “Jenna, Good morning. I hope things are well. I wanted… <a href="https://t.co/ouqkJPgvPD">https://t.co/ouqkJPgvPD</a> <a href="https://t.co/E8bFmNMBuY">pic.twitter.com/E8bFmNMBuY</a>
— Nick Minock (@NickMinock) <a href="https://twitter.com/NickMinock/status/2029286966777229769?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Jalloh had at least 30 previous arrests for charges of rape, malicious wounding, assault, drug possession, identity theft, trespassing, larceny, firing a weapon, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and pickpocketing, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
An officer with the Fairfax County Police Department notified Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano’s office in November, warning that he could continue on his crime rampage upon release, according to emails obtained by 7News reporter Nick Minock via a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.
&#8220;I want to bring Mr. Jalloh&#8217;s release to your attention because Mr. Jalloh is one of the repeat (and violent) offenders we discussed when we met. I wanted to get your background on why he is out so soon and ask if his prior suspended sentence (of I believe five years) was pursued by your office?&#8221; the email read.
&#8220;Unfortunately, based on MTV Station&#8217;s numerous dealings with him, it&#8217;s not a question of if, but rather when he will maliciously wound (or worse) again. My role of keeping the public safe prompts me to follow up on his status,&#8221; it added.
Most of the 40 previous charges against Jalloh have been dropped by Descano, <a href="https://wjla.com/news/local/illegal-immigrant-with-long-criminal-record-accused-of-killing-woman-in-fairfax-county-abdul-emails-jalloh-stephanie-minter-commonwealths-attorney-steve-descano" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to ABC7.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement lodged a detainer with local police on Feb. 25, asking them to transfer Jalloh to federal custody so he&#8217;s not released, DHS said.
But Democratic Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger has indicated she won&#8217;t allow local law enforcement to honor the detainer without a judicial warrant, which is not standard protocol for ICE, according to ABC7.
DHS is now putting the pressure on Spanberger to hand him over.
“We are calling on Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger and Virginia&#8217;s sanctuary politicians to commit to not releasing this murderer and violent career criminal from their jail without notifying ICE,” Homeland Security Deputy Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in a recent statement.
“This illegal alien’s murder of an innocent, beautiful American woman came less than 24 hours before Governor Spanberger’s demonization of ICE law enforcement. This heinous criminal is a perfect example of why we need cooperation from sanctuary jurisdictions and the importance of third country removals for the safety of the American people,&#8221; Bis said.
An August email between police in the county stated that Jalloh had over 100 interactions with the department. His record began with domestic violence incidents followed by multiple stabbings, the local news outlet reported.
Jalloh was identified as the offender in a stabbing that occurred in May, according to ABC7. He received a bond on July 31.
Three weeks later, he allegedly assaulted another man and stomped his head into the ground.

Receipts Show Progressive Prosecutor Warned About Illegal Alien Before Mom Was Murdered

Virginia

“Our southern border should be like our front porch; there should be a giant welcome mat out front and a lock on the door.&#8221;
James Talarico, the Democratic nominee for Texas Senate, is facing heat over his previous comments that the border should be like a &#8220;giant welcome mat&#8221; for illegal immigrants.
Talarico secured a victory in the Democratic Senate primary in Texas on Tuesday over Rep. Jasmine Crockett. As of Wednesday morning, with 92% of the votes counted, Talarico has secured 53% of the vote while Crockett lags behind with 46%, according to the Associated Press.
“Our southern border should be like our front porch; there should be a giant welcome mat out front and a lock on the door,&#8221; Talarico said in the resurfaced clip, which was from a January debate between the two Democratic candidates.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
FACT CHECK:<a href="https://twitter.com/NRSC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NRSC</a> conveniently cut Talarico’s full quote:
“Our southern border should be like our front porch. There should be a giant welcome mat out front and a lock on the door.” <a href="https://t.co/YltkYf9b3W">https://t.co/YltkYf9b3W</a> <a href="https://t.co/d4aIFhZCwz">pic.twitter.com/d4aIFhZCwz</a>
— JT Ennis (@jt_ennis) <a href="https://twitter.com/jt_ennis/status/2015277177911074956?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Senator John Cornyn, who will face a May 26 runoff against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for the Republican nomination, reacted to the clip in January, calling it &#8220;Completely unhinged.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Completely unhinged <a href="https://t.co/yxKAslwL2Z">https://t.co/yxKAslwL2Z</a>
— Senator John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) <a href="https://twitter.com/JohnCornyn/status/2015168353636061483?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Paxton also responded to the clip at the time, saying, &#8220;James, I don’t believe Texans feel the same.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
James, I don’t believe Texans feel the same. <a href="https://t.co/T4pyfSCoe1">https://t.co/T4pyfSCoe1</a>
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) <a href="https://twitter.com/KenPaxtonTX/status/2015171299803357200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Talarico&#8217;s earlier statement appears to be his official stance on the border and immigration. His campaign website also <a href="https://jamestalarico.com/issue/immigration-border-security/">states</a>: &#8220;Most of us agree on what should happen. Our border should be like a front porch — it should have a welcome mat out front and a lock on the door.&#8221;
It adds: &#8220;We can both welcome the stranger — refugees, asylum seekers, and folks who want to contribute to our economy and pursue the American dream — and we can keep people out who mean to do us harm.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The Democratic nominee for Senate in Texas, James Talarico, has repeatedly said the border “should have a giant welcome mat and a lock on the door.” <a href="https://t.co/Mmc3Ami4yZ">pic.twitter.com/Mmc3Ami4yZ</a>
— Jennie Taer (@JennieSTaer) <a href="https://twitter.com/JennieSTaer/status/2029207736450273335?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Talarico has made the statement during other stops along the campaign trail, including while visiting the southern border in El Paso.
In one of the earlier clips, Talarico said, &#8220;If anyone commits a violent crime in this country, they should be deported immediately,&#8221; adding, &#8220;Every law enforcement resource that is spent going after hard-working members of our community is law enforcement resources that aren&#8217;t spent on going after folks who are actually a threat to public safety.&#8221;

welcome_montage_final

Dem Nominee Wants ‘Giant Welcome Mat’ On America’s Front Porch — And It Gets Crazier

'Giant Welcome Mat': Talarico Faces Heat For Border Stance

illegal immigrants

James Talarico

Jasmine Crockett

Texas

Democratic California Rep. Eric Swalwell tried to upend Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem&#8217;s testimony with a deportation sob story, but left out the detail that the illegal immigrant had a criminal history.
Swalwell shared the story of Miguel Lopez, 47, who was deported to his home country of Mexico in June, during a House Judiciary Committee hearing Wednesday. Lopez received a deportation order in 2008, which a judge later blocked, <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/deported-to-mexico-miguel-lopez-livermore-bay-area-family-life/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to CBS News.
In 2016, the Department of Homeland Security again tried to pursue a deportation order that Lopez has fought ever since, the outlet reported.
&#8220;He does not have a job, he has not been able to provide, and he said his Spanish isn&#8217;t even that great because he hasn&#8217;t been there for 30 years, and it&#8217;s hard for him to communicate. Do you see the pain of families like Miguel Lopez, someone who did not commit a violent crime, but has been separated from his family and is not providing, is not working, do you see that pain?&#8221; Swalwell asked Noem.
Noem then asked if Lopez had a &#8220;criminal record.&#8221;
Swalwell paused before responding: &#8220;In 1995, he pled to a lesser nonviolent charge. But do you see the pain &#8230;&#8221;
Miguel was arrested in 1998 for DUI and was convicted of a lesser charge, according to CBS News.
Additionally, on his first attempt to cross the border illegally in 1996, Lopez lied to border agents by claiming to be an American citizen before he was ultimately removed to Mexico, CBS News reported. He then tried again and made it into the country on his second attempt.
Lopez, who is married to a U.S. citizen and has two children who are also U.S. citizens, was nabbed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement during an immigration hearing in May, according to CBS News.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/RepSwalwell?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepSwalwell</a> beclowns himself by telling a sob story of a deported illegal alien who he admits has a criminal record.<a href="https://twitter.com/Sec_Noem?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Sec_Noem</a> informs him that he had the chance to remain with his family by self-deporting, and returning home with $2,600 per eligible family member. <a href="https://t.co/jtYH6X2Luw">pic.twitter.com/jtYH6X2Luw</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2029241779535409649?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;I do see the pain, and I wish people would do things correctly. If they&#8217;re not in legal status in this country, they can return home, we will pay for them to return home. I hope he got the $2,600 he could&#8217;ve gotten,&#8221; Noem said in response to Swalwell&#8217;s question.
&#8220;Do you think that makes up for not being with his family?&#8221; the California Democrat asked.
Noem said the self-deportation incentives help &#8220;because we have agreements with these countries, where they are helping to facilitate housing and training.&#8221;
&#8220;It was a nonviolent crime, secretary,&#8221; Swalwell said.
Noem went on to add: &#8220;But then he gets a chance to come back the right way. Now that he&#8217;s waited until he&#8217;s been detained and deported, he will never get the chance to come back to the United States. And so I wish that he would&#8217;ve made the right decision and decided to go home to help his family and him to be together. They have choices that they can make to be together, and we&#8217;re hopeful that they will continue to do that.&#8221;

Former US Special Counsel Jack Smith Testifies Before House Judiciary Committee

Swalwell Shares Illegal Immigrant Sob Story, Leaves Out Critical Detail

Swalwell’s Sob Story About Deported Illegal Immigrant Gets Reality Check Over One Key Detail

Deportations

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem faced heated questions from Republican senators while testifying on Capitol Hill Tuesday.
Noem&#8217;s testimony was the first time she appeared for questioning after two earlier shootings in Minneapolis by federal immigration agents that resulted in the deaths of two anti-ICE activists, Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Louisiana Senator John Kennedy was the first Republican to press Noem, grilling her about the ads she&#8217;s running to encourage illegal immigrants to self-deport and the contracts behind them.
&#8220;I believe you have a policy, Madam Secretary, that you have to approve all contracts at your department over $100 million,&#8221; Kennedy said.
Noem denied the claim, saying, &#8220;I have a policy in place that I review contracts,&#8221; adding, &#8220;My deputy chiefs have the ability to review anything under five million, above that I evaluate &#8230;&#8221;
The secretary also claimed that the policy was &#8220;extremely effective&#8221; in saving taxpayer dollars.
Kennedy, however, continued to push, asking how she squares &#8220;that concern for waste &#8230; with the fact that you have spent $220 million running television advertisements that feature you prominently.&#8221;
Noem responded that &#8220;the president tasked&#8221; her &#8220;with getting the message out to the country and other countries where we were seeing the invasion come from with putting commercials out that told them if they were in this country illegally that they needed to leave or we would detain them and remove them and they would not get the chance to come back to America the right way.&#8221;
&#8220;That has been extremely effective,&#8221; she added.
Kennedy then asked if she &#8220;bid out&#8221; the contracts for the companies that produced the ads, alluding to a potential conflict of interest.
A company known as The Strategy Group ran the ad campaign. The company had helped with Noem&#8217;s 2022 gubernatorial campaign in South Dakota and is run by the husband of the secretary&#8217;s recently-departed spokesperson, <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/kristi-noem-dhs-ad-campaign-strategy-group" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to ProPublica.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The Strategy Group has never had a contract with DHS.
We had a subcontract with Safe America for limited production services. Safe America paid us $226,137.17 total for 5 film shoots, 45 produced video advertisements and 6 produced radio advertisements.
If you&#8217;re going to try…
— The Strategy Group Co. (@StrategyGroupCo) <a href="https://twitter.com/StrategyGroupCo/status/2028931636314710113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2026</a></blockquote>
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In a statement Tuesday, The Strategy Group said it &#8220;has never had a contract with DHS,&#8221; adding that &#8220;We had a subcontract with Safe America for limited production services.&#8221;
&#8220;Safe America paid us $226,137.17 total for 5 film shoots, 45 produced video advertisements, and 6 produced radio advertisements,&#8221; the company said.
&#8220;If you&#8217;re going to try to question our integrity, bring actual evidence &#8211; we did,&#8221; the statement concluded.
The Strategy Group’s ad work is the first known example of money flowing from Noem’s agency to businesses controlled by her allies and friends.
&#8220;Yes, they did, they went out to a competitive bid and career officials at the department chose who would do those advertising commercials,&#8221; Noem said.
&#8220;And the people that you ended up picking were people who had formerly done your political work in South Dakota, is that right?&#8221; Kennedy followed.
Noem replied: &#8220;No, that&#8217;s not correct, sir.&#8221;
To which Kennedy asserted, &#8220;I think it is.&#8221;
Noem insisted it wasn&#8217;t the case, and career employees had chosen the firms.
Kennedy then asked if Trump himself approved the $220 million ads &#8220;ahead of time.&#8221;
Noem eventually said he did, adding, &#8220;And one thing senator I think would be helpful to know is how effective that communication has been &#8230;&#8221;
Kennedy then gave a scathing response, saying: &#8220;Well they were effective in your name recognition &#8230; to me it puts the president in a terribly awkward spot and I&#8217;m not saying you&#8217;re not telling the truth, it&#8217;s just hard for me to believe &#8230; that he would&#8217;ve agreed to that &#8230; it&#8217;s something that we have to defend, I&#8217;m on the appropriations committee.&#8221;
&#8220;My research shows that you did not bid them out. In fact, one of the people you picked &#8230; was a company formed eleven days before you picked them and that the strategy group got most of the money,&#8221; Kennedy continued. &#8220;The head of that is married to your former spokesperson,&#8221; he said, adding, &#8220;It troubles me. A fifth to a quarter of a billion dollars in taxpayer money when we&#8217;re scratching for every penny, and we&#8217;re fighting over [unintelligible] packages. I just can&#8217;t agree with Madam Secretary.&#8221;
Still, Noem insisted she didn&#8217;t have any say in the contracts.
Kennedy then pivoted to the fatal shootings in Minneapolis, asking about Noem&#8217;s assertion that the deceased were committing &#8220;acts of domestic terrorism.&#8221;
&#8220;It appeared to be,&#8221; she said.
Noem faced heat for getting ahead of any investigations by making the statement.
That led Noem to blame &#8220;Mr. Stephen Miller at the White House&#8221; for making her jump the gun, Kennedy said.
Noem, however, denied that and said Kennedy received that information from &#8220;a news article of anonymous sources&#8221; who &#8220;say a lot of things.&#8221;
But Kennedy continued to press the issue, saying, &#8220;Well, here&#8217;s what you said on the record, I&#8217;m gonna read you your words, &#8216;Everything I&#8217;ve done, I&#8217;ve done at the direction of the president and Stephen.'&#8221;
Noem asked Kennedy for the source of that statement.
&#8220;You said that on January 27 of 2026, did I read your words accurately?&#8221; the senator asked.
&#8220;I enjoy working with the president and with Stephen Miller, and that day we were working to get as much information to the American people as possible &#8230; that is what we&#8217;ll continue to do,&#8221; Noem responded.
Kennedy asked Noem if she thought &#8220;it was fair to blame&#8221; Miller.
Noem, however, continued to deny making the statement.
&#8220;Are you denying that you said that?&#8221; he asked.
&#8220;Sir, I&#8217;m not going to speak to a situation that is relayed on anonymous sources that no one has heard me say that,&#8221; she said.
Still, Kennedy said &#8220;it was you&#8221; and that the news article was &#8220;quoting&#8221; Noem &#8220;on the record saying it&#8217;s Stephen&#8217;s fault.&#8221;
Later in the hearing, North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis used his time to give Noem what he called a &#8220;performance evaluation&#8221; while renewing his previous calls for her resignation.
Tillis opened his questioning by railing against Noem for the arrest quotas that were thrust upon federal immigration agents.
&#8220;We just want numbers, we want 1,000 a day, 6,000 a day, 9,000 a day because numbers matter, right? No, they don&#8217;t matter. Quality matters, not quantity. Quality. And what we&#8217;ve seen is a disaster under your leadership, Ms. Noem.&#8221;
Tillis then took issue with her handling of the Minneapolis shootings, saying she should admit to the mistakes made by her officers.
&#8220;I believe the president recognized that you weren&#8217;t getting it done in Minneapolis, and you&#8217;re putting us further away from pointing to this. We&#8217;re beginning to give the American people to think that deporting people is wrong, it&#8217;s the exact opposite. The way you&#8217;re going about deporting them is wrong. The fact that you can&#8217;t admit to a mistake, which looks like, under investigation, is going to prove that Ms. Good and Mr. Pretti probably should not have been shot in the face and in the back,&#8221; Tillis said.
&#8220;Law enforcement needs to learn from that,&#8221; the North Carolina Republican said. &#8220;You don&#8217;t protect them by not looking after the facts. Not only should the FBI be investigating it, but every single law enforcement agency in that jurisdiction should be invited to it, so our law enforcement officers don&#8217;t have this fog cast upon them. One of the reasons that ICE officers are having threats and damn the people that threaten ICE officers because so many of them are doing a good job is because you&#8217;ve cast a pall on them by acting like we should investigate things differently.&#8221;
&#8220;Law enforcement, we&#8217;ve gotta have their back, we&#8217;ve got to make it clear when they make a mistake, then they get corrected for it, but you don&#8217;t walk away from it, and you&#8217;ve done it too many times,&#8221; he added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
TILLIS slams NOEM for Minneapolis:
&#8220;The fact that you can’t admit to a mistake which looks 
like under investigation, it’s going to prove that Ms. Good and Mr. Pretti probably should not have been shot in the face and in the back.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/UPRwb4wBxp">pic.twitter.com/UPRwb4wBxp</a>
— Jennie Taer (@JennieSTaer) <a href="https://twitter.com/JennieSTaer/status/2028880895785017415?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Tillis said he also recently read Noem&#8217;s earlier book, where she revealed she shot her 14-month-old dog. Noem earlier defended the action, saying it was due to the dog&#8217;s aggression and that it was untrainable.
He slammed them as &#8220;bad decisions made in the heat of the moment, not unlike what happened up in Minneapolis.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
TILLIS brings up NOEM&#8217;s book, saying her choices to shoot a dog and later a goat &#8220;are bad decisions made in the heat of the moment, not unlike what happened up in Minneapolis.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/JKO4jjvpJU">pic.twitter.com/JKO4jjvpJU</a>
— Jennie Taer (@JennieSTaer) <a href="https://twitter.com/JennieSTaer/status/2028881834432508145?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Tillis also threatened Noem over the department&#8217;s failure to respond to his month-old inquiry about federal immigration raids in Charlotte.
&#8220;If I don&#8217;t get an answer to these questions &#8230; as of today, I&#8217;ll be informing leadership that I&#8217;m putting a hold on any unblocked nominations until I get a response. And in two weeks, if I don&#8217;t get a response, I&#8217;m gonna deny quorum and markup in as many committees as I can until I get a response,&#8221; he said.

Untitled design – 2026-03-03T121301.634

Noem Pressed As Republican Senators Demand Answers In Heated Senate Hearing

Noem Faces Grilling From Some Republicans During Heated Senate Hearing

Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Thom Tillis

The sheriff of Laramie County, Wyoming, just sent a loud and clear warning to illegal immigrants in his county: &#8220;Truck around and find out.&#8221;
Sheriff Brian Kozak said his office conducted &#8220;a three-day operation called &#8216;Truck Around and Find Out'&#8221; that led to 177 vehicle stops, nabbing 32 illegal immigrants along major interstates in the Cowboy State. Those illegal immigrants have since been turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
&#8220;I really want to thank the truck drivers who are out there doing it right. I especially want to thank the truck drivers that were honking at our deputies, waving at them, stopping, thanking our deputies for helping them keep their industry safe and our roadways safe in Laramie County,&#8221; Kozak said in a recent Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/laramiecountysheriff/reel/DVOvAy7kcHN/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video</a>.
&#8220;So hopefully now the word is out, this is not the county that you want to truck around and find out. And when I say truck around, I mean drive a truck undocumented, unlicensed, and unsafe,&#8221; he said.
The operation focused on commercial trucks and cars driving recklessly near them. Deputies also issued 51 citations overall.
“Our traffic unit, which I have three full-time deputies assigned to traffic enforcement, they are looking for these violations every day,” Kozak <a href="https://cowboystatedaily.com/2026/02/27/32-illegal-drivers-turned-over-to-ice-during-3-day-laramie-county-truck-crackdown/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> the Cowboy State Daily Friday. “And they seem to be bringing in either unlicensed or undocumented truck drivers every other day.&#8221;
“So, it’s a continuing thing for us,&#8221; he said.
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Similar operations have been done along major highways in Indiana, Oklahoma, Texas, and California, where hundreds of illegal immigrant truckers have been pulled off the roads.
The issue earned national attention after Harjinder Singh, an illegal immigrant from India, allegedly killed three people after making an illegal U-turn on a Florida interstate in August.
Singh had received a California commercial driver’s license after crossing the southern border illegally in 2018. He later failed his commercial driver&#8217;s license test ten times in two months before he received it, Fox News previously reported.
Singh&#8217;s fatal crash is part of a larger string of devastating collisions caused by illegal immigrant truckers.
The issue <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/congress-to-spotlight-illegal-immigrant-trucking-crashes-in-upcoming-hearing?author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Congress+Turns+Spotlight+on+Deadly+Crashes+Involving+Illegal+Immigrant+Truckers">will also be spotlighted</a> at a House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Accountability hearing on Wednesday that will feature the sheriff from the county where Singh&#8217;s crash occurred, The Daily Wire first reported.
“We’re seeing in Wyoming and throughout the country, these big trucks are causing crashes and people are dying,&#8221; Kozak told the Cowboy State Daily.

Untitled design – 2026-03-03T091600.618

‘Truck Around And Find Out’: Wyoming Sheriff Nabs 32 Illegal Immigrant Truckers In Just Three Days

'Truck Around And Find Out': Wyoming Sheriff Nabs 32 Illegal Immigrant Truckers In Three Days

Illegal Immigration

Wyoming

The Austin shooter once mowed down a woman in New York City, leaving her disabled for life, the New York Post reported Monday, citing a lawsuit.
The shooter, Ndiaga Diagne, 53, was driving a company car recklessly through Brooklyn on Jan. 30, 2016 as his vehicle “made contact” with pedestrian Jennifer Antoine, the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/02/us-news/austin-mass-shooter-ndiaga-diagne-once-plowed-into-woman-in-nyc-while-driving-recklessly-disabling-her-for-life-lawsuit/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. As a result, Antoine &#8220;sustained severe and permanent personal injuries, became sick, sore, lame and disabled; suffered injuries to her nervous system; suffered mental anguish, was confined to hospital, bed and home and may, in the future, be so confined,” the lawsuit reportedly alleged.
The suit described Antoine as being &#8220;incapacitated from attending to her usual duties and vocation,&#8221; adding that she may “suffer a loss and/or limitation of quality and enjoyment of life.&#8221;
Diagne opened fire just before 2 a.m. Sunday near Buford’s bar on West Sixth Street in Austin, Texas, leaving two victims dead and 14 others wounded, according to KVUE. At the time of the attack, he was said to be wearing a sweatshirt reading &#8220;Property of Allah&#8221; with a t-shirt featuring the Iranian flag underneath, according to multiple reports.
Authorities have yet to confirm any motive as speculation mounts about a possible lone-wolf domestic terror attack fueled by the Iran strikes.
Alex Doran, the acting special agent in charge of the FBI&#8217;s field office in San Antonio, said Sunday that investigators are looking into a &#8220;potential nexus to terrorism&#8221; as they review the evidence.
After searching Diagne&#8217;s home Sunday, authorities found an Iranian flag, along with images of Iranian leaders, according to CBS News. A Quran was also found in the gunman&#8217;s car.
One victim is expected to be taken off life support and two others are in critical condition, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said during a press conference Monday.
Diagne and the company he worked for at the time were “negligent, careless, reckless, grossly negligent in the ownership, operation, management, maintenance, repair, inspection and control” of the car, the lawsuit alleged.
The suit read that the “plaintiff is only seeking to recover those damages not recoverable through no-fault insurance under the facts and circumstances in this action.”
It is not clear how the case played out in the end.
Diagne was working as a taxi driver in the 2010s, according to the New York Post. His taxi and limousine license expired in 2020.
It is also not known if he was driving a taxi at the time of the incident, according to the report.

APD Austin police shooting

Austin Shooter Once Mowed Down Pedestrian In NYC, Leaving Her With Life-Altering Injuries: Report

Austin

Iran

Terrorism

U.S.

The Trump administration is urging Democratic Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger against releasing an illegal immigrant suspect with 30 prior arrests who is now accused of fatally stabbing a local mother at a bus stop.
Just after assuming office, Spanberger signed an executive order last month that ended required cooperation between state and local law enforcement and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Weeks later, Abdul Jalloh, 32, an illegal immigrant from Sierra Leone, allegedly murdered 41-year-old Virginia mother Stephanie Minter. Minter&#8217;s lifeless body was found at a bus stop on Feb. 23.
The Fairfax Police Department began a search for the suspect, later identifying him as Jalloh. He was arrested the day after the killing after a local business employee recognized him and called the police. ICE lodged a detainer with local police on Feb. 25, requesting that they hand Jalloh over if he&#8217;s to be released to ensure he&#8217;s not back on the streets, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Detectives are seeking Abdul Jalloh, 32. He was the last person seen with our victim in Hybla Valley. He may be dangerous so please do not make any attempt to interact with him. Anyone with info on his whereabouts is asked to call 911 or <a href="https://twitter.com/FFXCrimeSolvers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FFXCrimeSolvers</a> @ 1-866-411-TIPS <a href="https://t.co/4ouD5nBKdK">https://t.co/4ouD5nBKdK</a> <a href="https://t.co/MroiKbIIaU">pic.twitter.com/MroiKbIIaU</a>
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) <a href="https://twitter.com/FairfaxCountyPD/status/2026279250324840862?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
DHS called on &#8220;Spanberger and Virginia&#8217;s sanctuary politicians to commit to not releasing this murderer and violent career criminal from their jail without notifying ICE,” the agency&#8217;s deputy assistant secretary Lauren Bis said in a recent statement.
Just a day after the fatal stabbing, Spanberger delivered the Democratic response to President Donald Trump&#8217;s State of the Union speech, where she labeled ICE as &#8220;unaccountable agents&#8221; who &#8220;terrorize our communities.&#8221;
“This illegal alien’s murder of an innocent, beautiful American woman came less than 24 hours before Governor Spanberger’s demonization of ICE law enforcement. This heinous criminal is a perfect example of why we need cooperation from sanctuary jurisdictions and the importance of third country removals for the safety of the American people,&#8221; Bis said.
Jalloh has more than 30 previous arrests for charges of rape, malicious wounding, assault, drug possession, identity theft, trespassing, larceny, firing a weapon, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and pickpocketing, according to DHS.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
If an illegal alien lives in a sanctuary jurisdiction they will be allowed by Democrat leaders to commit infinity crimes. <a href="https://t.co/UsTJGH0B5Q">https://t.co/UsTJGH0B5Q</a>
— Stephen Miller (@StephenM) <a href="https://twitter.com/StephenM/status/2028505744794915307?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
On Monday, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller called out &#8220;Democrat leaders&#8221; in &#8220;sanctuary&#8221; states who allow illegal immigrants like him &#8220;to commit infinity crimes.&#8221;

Untitled design – 2026-03-02T111227.981

A Mother Killed At Bus Stop — Now Dem Governor Could Let Illegal Alien Suspect Walk

abigail spanberger

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill plan to examine how illegal immigrant truck drivers ended up on America&#8217;s roads following a string of devastating crashes, The Daily Wire has learned.
The House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Accountability will hold a hearing Wednesday entitled, “Highway Safety Under Threat: Examining Non-Domiciled CDL [commercial driver&#8217;s license] Issuance to Illegal Aliens,” to investigate the now-frequent collisions.
The hearing comes after President Donald Trump mentioned the issue during his State of the Union speech Tuesday while honoring 7-year-old Dalilah Coleman, who was nearly killed in a collision allegedly caused by an Indian illegal immigrant allowed into the country by the Biden administration and who received a commercial driver&#8217;s license in California.
Since then, Republican Senator Jim Banks has introduced &#8220;The Dalilah Law,&#8221; which seeks to strip illegal immigrants of their commercial driver&#8217;s licenses and issue stricter requirements for issuing them.
“Granting commercial driver’s licenses to people who have violated our immigration laws, and in many cases, can’t read traffic signs in English, raises serious safety concerns. Tragically, we have seen the death or injury of innocent Americans due to this practice,&#8221; the subcommittee chairman, Republican Oklahoma Rep. Josh Brecheen, said in a statement to The Daily Wire.
&#8220;This is a matter of saving lives. Next week&#8217;s hearing will provide an important opportunity for local, state, and federal leaders to address this risk and work together to better protect American roads,&#8221; Brecheen added.
The upcoming hearing will feature testimony from Tim Tipton, the commissioner of the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, and Sheriff Richard Del Toro Jr. of St. Lucie County, Florida.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
The alleged semi-truck driver who killed three people while making a U-turn at an “Official Use Only” turn on the Florida Turnpike is an ILLEGAL MIGRANT who was granted a commercial driver’s license by the State of California. 
<a href="https://t.co/Ky7w9hsojX">pic.twitter.com/Ky7w9hsojX</a>
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) <a href="https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1957118057563750441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The sheriff&#8217;s county was the site of a fatal trucking crash that thrust the issue into the national spotlight.
Harjinder Singh, an illegal immigrant from India, killed three people after making an illegal U-turn in St. Lucie County in August.
Singh was handed a commercial driver&#8217;s license in California after crossing the southern border illegally in 2018. It was later discovered that Singh failed his license test ten times in two months before he received it, Fox News previously reported.
Meanwhile, Tipton&#8217;s department has spearheaded operations in the state that have pulled illegal immigrant truckers off the roads.
In September, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, alongside Immigration and Customs Enforcement, <a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2025/10/06/icymi-ice-and-oklahoma-highway-patrol-arrests-91-illegal-aliens-driving-18-wheelers#:~:text=In%20September%202025%2C%20the%20U.S.%20Department%20of,aliens%20from%20a%20nearby%20marijuana%20grow%20operation**" target="_blank" rel="noopener">caught</a> 91 illegal immigrant truckers with commercial driver&#8217;s licenses.
During a two-day operation in October, state troopers caught 34 illegal immigrant truck drivers. The illegal immigrants had rap sheets that included assault and battery, soliciting prostitution, and DUI, <a href="https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ice-and-oklahoma-bolster-public-safety-states-highways-removing-34-illegal-alien" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to ICE.
Two of them also had warrants for fraud and burglary overseas.
“Many of the illegal aliens arrested behind the wheel of an 80,000-pound tractor trailer can’t even read basic English, endangering everyone they encounter on the roads,&#8221; ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Executive Associate Director Marcos Charles said at the time.

Untitled design – 2026-02-27T115452.072

Congress Turns Spotlight on Deadly Crashes Involving Illegal Immigrant Truckers

Congress To Spotlight Illegal Immigrant Trucking Crashes In Upcoming Hearing

Drivers Licenses

Truckers

This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/introducing-upstream-a-lifestyle-and-culture-section-of-the-daily-wire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Upstream,</a> The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
***
I&#8217;m in a very Chinese time in my life. No, you didn&#8217;t misread that.
A new trend has emerged on TikTok where Chinese-American girls are sharing the Eastern lifestyle with the rest of us. The videos have taken off, garnering millions of views from non-Chinese users looking to improve their health with the help of generations-old wellness routines.
It&#8217;s not cultural appropriation; it&#8217;s cultural appreciation.
&#8220;Tomorrow, you’re turning Chinese,&#8221; Chinese-American TikToker Sherry, one of the viral creators behind the craze, told her followers in a recent video. “I know it sounds intimidating, but there’s no point fighting it now. You are the chosen one.&#8221;
The viral fad has taken off as more and more young women are looking for ways to make America healthy again and turn to natural and homeopathic remedies. It has even converted the macho men of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXhW9H9bCmM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Barstool Sports</a>, who are now starting their days with an &#8220;ancient Chinese&#8221; workout featuring &#8220;lymphatic hops&#8221; in the hopes of getting shredded.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Day 2 of the Chinese work out. We’re both insanely sore but we’re here and about to dominate the day <a href="https://t.co/tBtv1aG7wG">pic.twitter.com/tBtv1aG7wG</a>
— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) <a href="https://twitter.com/BarstoolBigCat/status/2024135141912707213?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2026</a></blockquote>
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KB may be too brolic for the Ancient Chinese Workout™️… <a href="https://t.co/r4kcmNyATm">https://t.co/r4kcmNyATm</a> <a href="https://t.co/4TCg5aJSLD">pic.twitter.com/4TCg5aJSLD</a>
— The Yak (@BarstoolYak) <a href="https://twitter.com/BarstoolYak/status/2025963212231922044?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2026</a></blockquote>
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I tried some of the ancient practices for a week to see if the routine would change my physical and emotional health.
Each day, I started my morning with warm tea before I ate anything. I then went on a short walk to promote digestion after eating my breakfast, which was usually eggs and toast. The key is to keep your digestive system warm and not shock it first thing in the morning with cold food or ice water.
A study <a href="https://www.sdsu.edu/news/2025/10/sdsu-study-links-food-and" target="_blank" rel="noopener">released</a> last year by San Diego State University found that individuals who consumed cold drinks had &#8220;increased anxiety, more sleep disturbances, and greater feelings of abdominal fullness.&#8221; On the other hand, those &#8220;who drank more hot beverages &#8230; reported lower levels of depression, improved sleep quality, and fewer digestive symptoms.&#8221;
&#8220;Researchers found food and beverage temperature, long recognized in traditional Asian medicine, has measurable links to anxiety, insomnia and gut discomfort,&#8221; the university said in a release at the time.
I wore slippers and never went barefoot, which Sherry explains is meant to prevent illness. Some of the Chinese creators also say it promotes kidney health and fertility by keeping the womb and abdomen warm.
&#8220;You&#8217;re letting cold enter your body and thus you&#8217;re weakening your body,&#8221; Sherry said in one video. &#8220;But if you&#8217;re wearing house slippers, you&#8217;re more likely to maintain that warmth and you&#8217;re less likely to get sick.&#8221;
Some of the girls behind the trend suggested drinking broth first thing in the morning. The broth wasn&#8217;t for me and felt too heavy to start my day. Instead, I opted for peppermint tea.
If I drank or ate anything cold, I would balance it out with a hot tea to keep my digestive system warm, as directed by the Chinese baddies. I also had a warm apple drink, which I made by boiling apples, ginger, honey, and goji berries, which are used in traditional Chinese medicine to support the kidney and liver detoxification systems. It was really delicious, but didn&#8217;t change my life in a week.
<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@jenniethereporter/video/7608251340040572190" data-video-id="7608251340040572190">
<section><a title="@jenniethereporter" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@jenniethereporter?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@jenniethereporter</a>Chinese baddie tea!<a title="♬ Relaxed and chill lofi hip hop long version(1580488) - Koko ni studio" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/Relaxed-and-chill-lofi-hip-hop-long-version-1580488-7426811894536849424?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">♬ Relaxed and chill lofi hip hop long version(1580488) &#8211; Koko ni studio</a></section>
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The routine has also helped me prioritize self-care. I&#8217;ve found myself journaling, praying, reading, and adopting tasks that promote mindfulness.
One of the biggest differences I noticed was that a few days into walking after meals, I craved movement. I am usually a low-impact workout kind of girl and like doing pilates and yoga a couple times a week. But as I adopted more of the &#8220;Chinese baddie&#8221; lifestyle of increasing my movement throughout the day, I started going ham in the gym. For days, I&#8217;ve been lifting and even running on the treadmill. The endorphins were addicting, and so were the points on my Oura ring. I found I was walking for longer periods and exceeding 10,000 steps per day.
<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@mollymyattporter/video/7599784621575884063" data-video-id="7599784621575884063">
<section><a title="@mollymyattporter" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@mollymyattporter?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@mollymyattporter</a> Woke up a Chinese baddie <a title="chinesebaddie" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/chinesebaddie?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#chinesebaddie</a> <a title="♬ original sound - alex" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7313321369772854048?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">♬ original sound &#8211; alex</a></section>
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Another mood boost came from spending more time outside. As a result, I found myself interacting with the outside world more, rather than spending most of my day mindlessly scrolling on my phone. In many of the viral TikTok videos, Chinese-American girls said they intentionally make time to phone a friend or have social time in the morning to promote longevity. When I was out with the dog in the park during my walks, I ran into neighbors whom I&#8217;d never before interacted with and quickly fostered new friendships with them.
Former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy in 2023 <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">declared</a> an &#8220;epidemic&#8221; of &#8220;loneliness and isolation&#8221; in America.
Loneliness affects somewhere between &#8220;one third to well over half of people in industrialized societies,” <a href="https://lifestylemedicine.stanford.edu/how-social-connection-supports-longevity/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">says</a> Steven Crane, a research scholar at Stanford University.
“While healthy networks of social connection provide powerful protective health effects, increasing odds of long-term survival by 50%, loneliness itself is associated with many distinct detrimental health impacts on sleep, physical health, and mental health,&#8221; Crane says.
Overall, I see no harm in implementing the &#8220;Chinese baddie&#8221; routine in your day, even if it&#8217;s just one of your habits. After this week of wellness, I plan to continue walking in the morning after breakfast and keeping my slippers on at home. But I probably will ditch drinking warm water as soon as the Texas heat takes hold.
***
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

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I Followed TikTok’s Hottest Wellness Trend For A Week — Here’s What Happened

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