Police raided the Paris offices of Elon Musk&#8217;s social media company X on Tuesday amid a wide-ranging probe into allegations that X has allowed sexually explicit deepfakes on its platform and has abused its algorithms.
The Paris prosecutor&#8217;s office sent a cybercrime unit to X&#8217;s offices and summoned Musk and former X CEO Linda Yaccarino to appear for a hearing in Paris on April 20, Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/paris-prosecutors-cybercrime-unit-searches-french-office-musks-x-2026-02-03/">reported</a>. France&#8217;s investigation into X began last year with the European country looking into alleged bias in the social media platform&#8217;s algorithms. That investigation has now expanded as prosecutors in Paris are investigating allegations that pornographic deepfakes, including child pornography, and Holocaust denialism have been allowed to spread on X.
Prosecutors are also seeking to interview X managers to gain more information into the platform&#8217;s operations, NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/world/europe/france-paris-prosecutors-x-office-elon-musk-sexual-deepfakes-holocaust-rcna257202">reported</a>. The European Union&#8217;s law enforcement agency Europol also commented on the raid, saying it involved &#8220;a range of suspected criminal offenses linked to the functioning and use of the platform, including the dissemination of illegal content and other forms of online criminal activity.&#8221;
X&#8217;s artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, has been criticized for allowing users to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-chatbot-diaries-how-ai-sex-is-getting-mainstreamed">generate</a> sexually explicit images and videos. The chatbot also allows users to upload images to alter or to make into videos. Musk&#8217;s platform warns users against &#8220;depicting likenesses of persons in a pornographic manner.&#8221;
Musk has not commented on the Paris raid directly, but the X owner shared multiple posts from other X users who slammed France over the raid. Musk also shared a House Judiciary GOP <a href="https://x.com/JudiciaryGOP/status/2018683758006665352">report</a> on Tuesday, which found that the European Union began pressuring American social media companies to censor political posts that it opposed as early as 2015. House Judiciary GOP <a href="https://x.com/JudiciaryGOP/status/2018683797630276083">said</a> that in the past ten years, the European Union &#8220;successfully pressured social media platforms to censor true information in the United States; Targeted U.S. political content for censorship; and Interfered in elections across Europe.&#8221;
The raid on X&#8217;s offices in Paris comes as European countries continue to pressure American social media companies to crack down on certain posts. In December, the European Union <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/engaging-in-censorship-european-union-hits-elon-musks-x-with-massive-fine-draws-white-house-ire">fined</a> X $140 million under its expansive internet accountability regulations. The European Union accused X of failing to meet advertising transparency requirements in violation of the Digital Services Act, which was put into place to clamp down on what the bloc views as illegal content and misinformation on social media.
Europe&#8217;s actions have also drawn criticism from President Trump and his administration. After the European Union fined X, Trump told reporters that &#8220;Europe has to be very careful.&#8221;
&#8220;They’re doing a lot of things. … Europe is going in some bad directions. It’s very bad for the people,&#8221; he added.
In December, the State Department announced that it would bar some of the people involved in Europe&#8217;s tech censorship effort from entering the United States.
&#8220;For far too long, ideologues in Europe have led organized efforts to coerce American platforms to punish American viewpoints they oppose. The Trump Administration will no longer tolerate these egregious acts of extraterritorial censorship,&#8221; Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.

Elon Musk, X

French Police Raid X’s Paris Offices As Part Of Investigation Into Elon Musk’s Social Media Company

Big Tech

Elon Musk

Europe

France

Social Media

World

President Donald Trump suggested that Republicans may have to &#8220;nationalize the voting&#8221; in a Monday interview, predicting that &#8220;interesting&#8221; details would come out of the FBI&#8217;s probe of a Fulton County, Georgia, election office last week.
Trump <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2018378177387577835">told</a> conservative podcaster and former FBI deputy director Dan Bongino that Republicans &#8220;should take over the voting in at least 15 places,&#8221; citing his belief that it&#8217;s the only way to secure elections.
“The Republicans should say, we want to take over, we should take over the voting, the voting in at least many, 15 places. The Republicans ought to nationalize the voting,” Trump told Bongino.
&#8220;We have states that are so crooked and they&#8217;re counting votes. We have states that I won that show I didn&#8217;t win,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Now, you&#8217;re going to see something in Georgia where they were able to get the ballots with the court order. You will see some interesting things come out. But like the 2020 election. I won that election by so much. Everybody knows it.&#8221;
Last Wednesday, the FBI raided a Georgia election office and took 700 boxes of election materials. The raid was reportedly related to a federal probe into allegations of interference in the 2020 election, which Trump lost to former President Joe Biden. Trump has argued that the 2020 election results from Georgia were rigged against him. Trump lost to Biden by fewer than 12,000 votes in Georgia in 2020.
Fulton County officials are questioning the legality of the FBI&#8217;s search and said the county would sue and attempt to &#8220;force the government to return the ballots taken.&#8221;
When asked about Trump&#8217;s comments to Bongino, a White House official told The Daily Wire on Tuesday morning that Trump doesn&#8217;t believe states taking election security seriously. The official <a href="https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/voter-id">highlighted</a> more than a dozen states, including California, New York, and Illinois, that do not require photo ID to vote, and accused many states of refusing to comply with federal law on sharing voter-roll information.
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told The Daily Wire: &#8220;President Trump cares deeply about the safety and security of our elections – that’s why he’s urged Congress to pass the SAVE Act and other legislative proposals that would establish a uniform standard of photo ID for voting, prohibit no-excuse mail-in voting, and end the practice of ballot harvesting.&#8221;
The SAVE Act, which passed the House last year, would require voters to provide ID and proof of citizenship before casting their ballots in an attempt to prevent illegal immigrants and noncitizens from voting. It has stalled in the Republican-controlled Senate.
Trump also told Bongino that Republicans must deport the millions of illegal immigrants who were allowed to flood the country under Biden, or the party &#8220;will never win another election.&#8221;
&#8220;It&#8217;s crazy how you can get these [illegal immigrants] to vote,&#8221; he added. &#8220;And if we don&#8217;t get them out, Republicans will never win another election. Think of it, I won in a landslide. I won every swing state. I won the popular vote by millions. I won everything.&#8221;
&#8220;But you&#8217;re never going to have that again if you don&#8217;t get these people out. These people were brought to our country to vote, and they vote illegally,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;And it&#8217;s amazing that the Republicans aren&#8217;t tougher on it.&#8221;
Trump has also recently claimed that he won Minnesota in each of the past three elections as his administration focuses on the state&#8217;s fraud and immigration issues. Trump&#8217;s Democratic opponent carried the state in the past three presidential races.
“They’re crooked officials,” he said of Minnesota leaders. “I feel that I won Minnesota. I think I won it all three times &#8230; and I didn’t get credit for it.&#8221;

Donald Trump

Trump Predicts FBI Georgia Raid Will Expose ‘Interesting Things,’ Calls To ‘Nationalize The Voting’

Trump Demands 'Nationalize The Vote,' Says FBI Georgia Raid Will Expose ‘Interesting Things’

Elections

Georgia

Republicans

President Donald Trump is escalating his fight with Harvard University, demanding $1 billion in damages over what he calls the Ivy League school&#8217;s &#8220;strongly antisemitic&#8221; behavior.
Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116004776659519984">said</a> late Monday night that &#8220;Harvard has been, for a long time, behaving very badly&#8221; and suggested that the case against Harvard &#8220;should be Criminal, not Civil.&#8221; His comments came as The New York Times published a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/02/us/politics/trump-harvard-payment.html">report</a> claiming that the Trump administration was dropping its previous demand for Harvard to pay $500 million to settle allegations that the university mishandled antisemitism on its campus.
The president refuted the New York Times report and accused Harvard of &#8220;feeding a lot of &#8216;nonsense'&#8221; to the &#8220;failing&#8221; newspaper.
&#8220;Harvard has been, for a long time, behaving very badly! They wanted to do a convoluted job training concept, but it was turned down in that it was wholly inadequate and would not have been, in our opinion, successful. It was merely a way of Harvard getting out of a large cash settlement of more than 500 Million Dollars, a number that should be much higher for the serious and heinous illegalities that they have committed,&#8221; Trump said.
In a follow-up post, Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116004978871320100">wrote</a>, &#8220;The Failing New York Times story was completely wrong concerning Harvard University. I hereby demand that the morons that run (into the ground!) the Times’ change their story, immediately.&#8221;
Trump has fought with Harvard over multiple issues since the beginning of his second term. In April, the Trump administration froze $2.2 billion in federal grants to Harvard over the Ivy League school&#8217;s diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and allegations of an antisemitic culture. A federal judge blocked Trump&#8217;s funding freeze, and most of the funds were restored after Harvard <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/harvard-sues-to-restore-taxpayer-funding-frozen-by-trump-admin">sued</a>. The Trump administration also pushed to bar foreign students from attending Harvard, a move that was also blocked by a federal judge.
As the months-long fight continued last year, the Trump administration was also negotiating with Harvard leaders on a settlement. Last June, Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-teases-mindbogglingly-historic-deal-with-harvard-they-have-acted-extremely-appropriately?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Teases+%E2%80%98Mindbogglingly+Historic%E2%80%99+Deal+With+Harvard%3A+%E2%80%98They+Have+Acted+Extremely+Appropriately%E2%80%99">praised</a> Harvard for acting &#8220;extremely appropriately&#8221; during the negotiations and suggested that a &#8220;mindbogglingly historic&#8221; deal could be made &#8220;over the next week or so,&#8221; but nothing came of those talks.
Much of the criticism of Harvard began after the university was accused of allowing antisemitism to fester on its campus following Hamas&#8217; attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Harvard&#8217;s previous president, Claudine Gay, resigned shortly after she was grilled by Congress in late 2023 over the anti-Israel protests that popped up on college campuses, including Harvard&#8217;s.
On Monday night, Trump lambasted new Harvard President Alan Garber over the negotiations and raised his demand from $500 million to $1 billion.
&#8220;Dr. Alan Garber, the President of Harvard, has done a terrible job of rectifying a very bad situation for his institution and, more importantly, America, itself. He was hired AFTER the antisemitism charges were brought &#8211; I wonder why??? We are now seeking One Billion Dollars in damages, and want nothing further to do, into the future, with Harvard University,&#8221; Trump said.
The president added that his administration &#8220;turned down&#8221; an offer from Harvard to put $500 million toward a workforce training program to address some of the federal government&#8217;s complaints.
&#8220;They wanted to do a convoluted job training concept, but it was turned down in that it was wholly inadequate and would not have been, in our opinion, successful,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;It was merely a way of Harvard getting out of a large cash settlement of more than 500 Million Dollars, a number that should be much higher for the serious and heinous illegalities that they have committed.&#8221;
Harvard leaders reportedly want to avoid paying the federal government directly, out of concern that it would harm the university&#8217;s independence. The New York Times reported, however, that Harvard&#8217;s reliance on federal funding could likely force it to cut a deal with Trump.

Donald Trump/Harvard

Trump Escalates Fight With Harvard, Ups Demand To $1 Billion Over ‘Strongly Antisemitic’ Campus

Trump Escalates Fight With Harvard, Ups Demand To $1 Billion Over 'Strongly Antisemitic' Campus

antisemitism

Harvard

Ivy League

Trump Administration

House Republican Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY) rejected requests from former President Bill Clinton and first lady Hillary Clinton on Monday. The two Democrats face contempt of Congress votes over their refusal to appear for depositions over an investigation into convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
The House is set to vote as early as Wednesday to hold the Clintons in contempt of Congress after the former president and first lady did not show up for their scheduled depositions in January. The Clintons&#8217; lawyers, however, are still hoping to work out a deal with Comer and sent the Republican a letter Saturday saying the former president would be willing to sit for a four-hour transcribed interview instead of a deposition under oath. The lawyers also said Hillary Clinton would submit a sworn declaration rather than appear in person for a deposition.
Comer <a href="https://x.com/GOPoversight/status/2018378201039282202/photo/3">called</a> the offers &#8220;unreasonable,&#8221; adding, &#8220;It has been nearly six months since your clients first received the Committee&#8217;s subpoena, more than three months since the original date of their depositions, and nearly three weeks since they failed to appear for their depositions commensurate with the Committee&#8217;s lawful subpoenas.&#8221;
&#8220;Your clients&#8217; desire for special treatment is both frustrating and an affront to the American people&#8217;s desire for transparency,&#8221; Comer wrote in a reply to the Clintons&#8217; attorneys.
Comer said that the Clintons&#8217; requests for the transcribed interview would mean that Bill Clinton could &#8220;refuse to answer whatever questions he wanted for whatever reasons he wanted.&#8221; The House Oversight chairman added that the four-hour time limit requested would give Bill Clinton an &#8220;incentive to attempt to run out the clock by giving unnecessarily long answers and meandering off-topic.&#8221;
&#8220;This is a particular concern where a witness, such as President Clinton, has an established record of being a loquacious individual,&#8221; Comer added.
Regarding the request for Hillary Clinton, Comer told the attorneys that the Oversight Committee &#8220;has made clear on numerous occasions the necessity of her in-person testimony and unacceptability of simple sworn declarations.&#8221;
A majority of the House must vote in favor of a contempt resolution for it to pass. If found in contempt of Congress, the Clintons face large fines and potentially jail time.
Bill and Hillary Clinton were subpoenaed to appear before the House Oversight Committee last year as the committee conducted its investigation into Epstein. The Clintons&#8217; deposition dates were initially scheduled for October and then moved to December, and finally moved to January, but the former president and his wife were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/republicans-seek-to-hold-bill-clinton-in-contempt-after-he-refuses-to-testify-on-epstein?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Republicans+Seek+To+Hold+Bill+Clinton+In+Contempt+After+He+Refuses+To+Testify+On+Epstein">no-shows</a>.
After the Clintons skipped their depositions, nine Democrats <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/clintons-in-the-hot-seat-as-oversight-committee-recommends-contempt-charges-over-epstein-scandal?author=Cameron+Arcand&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Clintons+In+The+Hot+Seat+As+Oversight+Committee+Recommends+Contempt+Charges+Over+Epstein+Scandal">joined</a> with all Republicans on the House Oversight Committee to hold Bill Clinton in contempt, and three Democrats voted with Republicans to hold Hillary Clinton in contempt.
The Clintons were friends of Epstein&#8217;s in the early 2000s, with Bill Clinton often flying with Epstein on the sex predator&#8217;s infamous private plane. Neither the former president nor the first lady has been accused of any wrongdoing related to Epstein&#8217;s crimes. After receiving their subpoenas, the Clintons argued that they &#8220;already provided the limited information they possess about Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell to the Committee.&#8221;
Bill Clinton has appeared multiple times in the Epstein files, as the Justice Department continues to release batches of documents and photos to the public. Some of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bill-clinton-responds-to-shocking-photos-in-epstein-file-dump">images</a> released by the Justice Department from Epstein&#8217;s estate show Bill Clinton enjoying a hot tub with a woman whose face was redacted and swimming in a pool with Epstein&#8217;s associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for her role in the sex trafficking scheme. Bill Clinton was also pictured getting a shoulder massage from one of Epstein&#8217;s accusers, Chauntae Davies. Davies has not accused the former president of any wrongdoing.
Bill Clinton’s chief of staff, Angel Ureña, said in December that the former president &#8220;knew nothing and cut Epstein off before his crimes came to light.&#8221;

House Oversight Committee Votes On Holding Bill Clinton In Contempt Of Congress

House Oversight Chair Rejects Last-Ditch Effort From Clintons To Avoid Contempt Vote

Bill Clinton

Epstein Files

Hillary Clinton

House Republicans

James Comer

Jeffrey Epstein

Nashville Democratic Mayor Freddie O&#8217;Connell blasted the city&#8217;s electric service over the weekend just days after praising its efforts to restore power to residents left in the cold.
O&#8217;Connell said that he met with Nashville Electric Service (NES) leaders on Sunday and told them that the agency&#8217;s response and messaging around widespread power outages has been &#8220;unacceptable.&#8221; Tens of thousands of Nashville residents have gone nine days without power following a massive ice storm that ripped down trees and power lines across the city. At least four deaths have been <a href="https://www.wsmv.com/2026/01/30/victims-suspected-winter-storm-related-deaths-across-nashville-identified/">linked</a> to the storm and ensuing power outage in Nashville.
&#8220;What I learned today is that NES is unequipped to communicate about a crisis,&#8221; O&#8217;Connell <a href="https://x.com/peytonTVkennedy/status/2018298760242033103">said</a> after the meeting. &#8220;Nashvillians can&#8217;t get the last week back—nights huddled under blankets, unplanned shelter or hotel stays, the uncertainty and fear of not knowing what&#8217;s happening and how long it will take to simply return home. And that&#8217;s why it&#8217;s so troubling that details NES leadership shared about their internal outlook—that they hadn&#8217;t previously shared with us—would&#8217;ve had a huge impact on the public guidance we gave from the beginning of the crisis. That is unacceptable.&#8221;
The mayor&#8217;s statement following the meeting marked a change in tune from when O&#8217;Connell defended the Nashville Electric Service last week as residents grew frustrated with the agency&#8217;s response.
&#8220;Let’s be clear about what this is — it is a historic ice storm. This is the largest single outage in NES history. We do not have these kinds of weather events all the time,&#8221; O&#8217;Connell said at a press conference last Tuesday.
On Thursday, O&#8217;Connell suggested that the Nashville Electric Service&#8217;s response was a &#8220;success.&#8221;
&#8220;The fact that this is their largest ever number of line crews out with line workers and vegetation support ever, I think that&#8217;s a sign of their success,&#8221; he <a href="https://fox17.com/news/local/nashville-mayor-freddie-oconnell-nes-power-outages-changes-tune-says-he-is-not-satisfied-tennessee-winter-storm">said</a>, according to Fox 17 Nashville. Later during Thursday&#8217;s briefing, O&#8217;Connell said he was &#8220;not satisfied&#8221; with the power restoration efforts.
The Nashville Electric Service is led by a CEO, but it also has a five-member board that is appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the city council. Two of the current NES board members have been <a href="https://nashvillebanner.com/2026/02/02/nashville-ice-storm-recovery-nes-criticism/">appointed</a> by O&#8217;Connell. The Daily Wire reached out to the mayor&#8217;s office and asked if O&#8217;Connell met with NES leaders before the storm hit on January 24 to discuss the city&#8217;s response.
The Nashville Electric Service has faced increased criticism as over 20,000 homes and businesses remain without power in the Music City on Monday. The agency deployed only 200 linemen at the beginning of the storm to repair downed lines, far below the total number of linemen that would eventually be needed. NES officials said over 1,000 linemen are now working on restoring power in the city.
&#8220;Progress has been made with power restored to 80% of our customers who had outages,&#8221; NES CEO Teresa Broyles-Aplin <a href="https://x.com/NESpower/status/2017753965769732192">said</a> on Saturday. &#8220;By Tuesday, 90% will be restored, and by Sunday, February 8, 99% of our customers will have power back.&#8221;
She added that extensive damage in some areas means it will take the electric service more time to get power restored.
Broyles-Aplin&#8217;s past <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nashville-electric-ceo-touted-tree-hugging-over-aggressive-trimming-months-before-massive-ice-storm">comments</a> on tree maintenance have also come under scrutiny. Last August, the NES leader stressed the importance of saving Nashville&#8217;s tree &#8220;canopy&#8221; and avoiding aggressive trimming practices. Some Nashville tree service professionals argued that the Nashville Electric Service doesn&#8217;t do enough to keep trees away from power lines.
Tennessee Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-senator-declares-war-on-woke-nashville-power-company-after-week-long-outage?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=7&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Tennessee+Senator+Declares+War+On+%E2%80%98Woke%E2%80%99+Nashville+Power+Company+After+Week-Long+Outage">ripped</a> the electric service for spending time focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
&#8220;The Nashville Electric Service held 102 DEI-related training sessions by the end of 2024. They should’ve been using those resources to trim trees and bury utilities. This is what happens when companies put woke politics over the needs of the people they serve,&#8221; Blackburn said on Sunday.
Last week, the Tennessee Star <a href="https://tennesseestar.com/politics/letter-from-nashville-electric-service-ceo-shows-utility-company-held-102-dei-training-sessions-by-end-of-2024/tpappert/2026/01/29/">highlighted</a> a 2024 NES &#8220;community investment&#8221; <a href="https://www.nespower.com/-/media/project/nes/common/pdfs/annual-reports/2024/nes-esg-2024-report-interactive.pdf">report</a>, which stated, &#8220;To foster a culture of civility and belonging within our organization with the hopes of extending that dynamic beyond our walls, NES’ Human Relations Department implemented Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, &amp; Belonging (DEIAB) trainings, hosting a total of 102 sessions in 2023 and the first quarter of 2024 for both organization-wide education and nuanced resources for leadership positions.&#8221;
Blackburn argued that while linemen are working hard to restore power to Nashville residents, leaders are botching the response.
&#8220;The linemen who are on the ground making repairs and working in the frigid temperatures to restore power are the unsung heroes of the response to this horrible winter storm,&#8221; Blackburn said. &#8220;So grateful for these men and women.&#8221;

Freddie O’Connell

Nashville’s Dem Mayor Slams Electric Service He Just Praised As City Hits 9 Days Without Power

Nashville

Severe Weather

Tennessee

U.S.

Winter storm

New York Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul proposed a new law on Friday that would ban local police departments from working with the federal government to enforce immigration laws.
Hochul, who has recently condemned Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpeoM879718">said</a> at a press conference that she would seek to end participation in a federal program that grants local police power to enforce immigration laws. Hochul called her proposal the &#8220;Local Cops, Local Crimes Act,&#8221; arguing that ICE should not &#8220;expect local law enforcement to team up with them because we have other responsibilities.&#8221;
&#8220;We are called to act in this moment of tyranny,&#8221; Hochul said.
&#8220;So today, with this proposal, we&#8217;re sending a strong message to ICE,&#8221; she added. &#8220;You will not weaponize local police officers against their own communities in the state of New York. You will not use our police technology to track people who have done nothing wrong. You will not throw innocent people into our jails.&#8221;
Hochul&#8217;s proposal targets <a href="https://www.ice.gov/identify-and-arrest/287g">ICE&#8217;s </a>287(g) program, which establishes agreements with state and local law enforcement agencies and allows ICE to deputize those officers. The program also allows ICE to use local police facilities for immigration enforcement. If Hochul&#8217;s proposal becomes law, New York would become the seventh state to ban the agreement with ICE, joining California, Illinois, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington, and Connecticut.
The Democratic governor accused the federal government of abandoning its responsibility to pursue public safety &#8220;lawfully, transparently, and with humanity.&#8221;
&#8220;In every corner of our state, New Yorkers are feeling traumatized and stunned as they watch federal agents carry out unspeakable acts of violence in a country they no longer recognize,&#8221; Hochul said, surrounded by New York officials, such as NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
&#8220;For weeks, our eyes have been turned to the horrors unfolding on the streets of Minneapolis,&#8221; she added, accusing federal immigration agents of &#8220;murder&#8221; in the shooting of anti-ICE demonstrators Alex Pretti and Renee Good. Hochul said her announcement on Friday was in response to Minneapolis Democratic Mayor Jacob Frey&#8217;s &#8220;call&#8221; for leaders throughout the country to stand up to ICE.
New York Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman, a current Nassau County executive, ripped Hochul after her announcement, calling her &#8220;the most pro-criminal governor in the United States who has a callous disregard for the safety of our communities and victims of crime.&#8221;
&#8220;By banning local law enforcement partnerships with ICE, Hochul is allowing dangerous criminals to return to our neighborhoods. That ends when I’m Governor,&#8221; Blakeman added.
Hochul&#8217;s effort to push back against ICE operations in New York comes as the Trump administration seeks to negotiate with Democratic leaders for greater cooperation on immigration enforcement, especially in major cities such as Minneapolis and New York City. Zohran Mamdani, New York City&#8217;s newly elected democratic socialist mayor, is also strongly opposed to any cooperation with federal immigration agents on arresting and deporting illegal immigrants in the Big Apple.
Democrats doubled down on their opposition to President Donald Trump&#8217;s massive deportation push after Minneapolis residents Alex Pretti and Renee Good were shot and killed by federal agents this month.

Kathy Hochul

Kathy Hochul Seeks To Ban Local Police Agreements With ICE, Says She Must Act In ‘Moment Of Tyranny’

Illegal Immigation

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

New York

A Manhattan judge ruled on Friday that federal prosecutors cannot seek the death penalty against suspected assassin Luigi Mangione, a major twist ahead of the highly anticipated trial.
Attorney General Pam Bondi directed federal prosecutors to pursue the death penalty last year after Mangione was arrested and hit with federal charges for the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett, however, said the parts of the case that made the death penalty a possibility had &#8220;legal infirmities,&#8221; The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/01/30/us-news/luigi-mangione-case-federal-judge-throws-out-death-penalty/">reported</a>.
The federal charge against Mangione that made him eligible for the death penalty accused him of &#8220;using a firearm to commit murder in furtherance of a crime of violence.&#8221; Garnett said that she was dismissing that part of the indictment “solely to preclude the death penalty as an available punishment when the jury determines if the Defendant caused Brian Thompson’s death.”
Garnett <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/luigi-mangione-latest-judge-rule-death-penalty-stays/story?id=129677290">agreed</a> with Mangione&#8217;s defense team and said that stalking does not constitute &#8220;a crime of violence.&#8221; The judge acknowledged that her decision was &#8220;strange,&#8221; but argued that violence is defined by using force, and stalking could technically be committed without using force, ABC News <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/luigi-mangione-latest-judge-rule-death-penalty-stays/story?id=129677290">reported</a>.
Thompson was gunned down from behind in Midtown Manhattan on December 4, 2024, as he was walking to a hotel during his company&#8217;s annual investor conference. Thompson, a Minnesota resident, left behind a wife and two small children. Shell casings retrieved from the scene had the words “delay,” “deny,” and “depose” written on them, according to the New York Police Department. The words found on the shell casings have been connected to a 2010 book that was critical of the health insurance industry. Mangione&#8217;s fingerprints allegedly matched fingerprints found on shell casings at the murder scene.
Garnett&#8217;s ruling means that Mangione now faces a maximum of life in prison without parole. Prosecutors plan on appealing the decision, NBC 4 New York <a href="https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/luigi-mangione-death-penalty-judge-decision-evidence/6452337/">reported</a>.
In another decision on Friday, Garnett sided against Mangione&#8217;s defense team and said that the prosecution could use evidence that was seized from Mangione&#8217;s backpack when he was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania. While the suspected assassin&#8217;s backpack was searched by police without a warrant, Garnett said there are exceptions to the requirement for obtaining a warrant, such as the discovery of a weapon.
Mangione was arrested at a McDonald&#8217;s in Altoona following a five-day manhunt, and police found a firearm, silencer, and what appeared to be a manifesto in the man&#8217;s backpack. In one section of a notebook found in Mangione&#8217;s possession, the author planned to &#8220;whack” the health care CEO “at the annual parasitic bean-counter convention.”
Mangione pleaded not guilty to the federal and state murder charges. With the death penalty thrown out, opening arguments for the trial are set to begin in October, with jury selection scheduled for September 8.
The case has already gripped the nation, and Mangione has gained a following, with some of his supporters defending the murder of Thompson and <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/luigi-mangione-protesters-call-death-elon-musk-other-corrupt-healthcare-ceos.print">calling</a> for more health care executives to be killed.
Attorney General Bondi <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-pamela-bondi-directs-prosecutors-seek-death-penalty-luigi-mangione">said</a> last year that the murder of Thompson was &#8220;a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America.&#8221;

Luigi Mangione Appears In Court To Face NY State Murder Charges

Federal Judge Says Prosecutors Can’t Pursue Death Penalty Against Luigi Mangione

assassination

Court

federal judge

Luigi Mangione

President Donald Trump said on Friday that video of Alex Pretti&#8217;s altercation with federal agents 11 days before he was shot and killed proves that the Minneapolis man was an &#8220;agitator and, perhaps, insurrectionist.&#8221;
Trump argued that Pretti&#8217;s &#8220;stock has gone way down&#8221; after the video <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/alex-pretti-attacked-immigration-enforcement-days-before-fatal-shooting-video-shows">shows</a> the man confronting federal agents in Minneapolis and kicking out the taillight of a federal vehicle. The video was released by The News Movement earlier this week and published by numerous news outlets.
&#8220;Agitator and, perhaps, insurrectionist, Alex Pretti’s stock has gone way down with the just released video of him screaming and spitting in the face of a very calm and under control ICE Officer, and then crazily kicking in a new and very expensive government vehicle, so hard and violent, in fact, that the taillight broke off in pieces,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115982625271651077">wrote</a> in an early morning Truth Social post. &#8220;It was quite a display of abuse and anger, for all to see, crazed and out of control. The ICE Officer was calm and cool, not an easy thing to be under those circumstances!&#8221;
The footage shows a man yelling and spitting at federal immigration agents on January 13 before he damaged a federal vehicle as it began to drive away. Federal agents then got out of the vehicle and tackled the man to the ground. Pretti&#8217;s family confirmed that it was him in the video.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The Minnesota Star Tribune confirmed with Alex Pretti&#8217;s family that the man in this video is indeed Alex Pretti.
Filmed by <a href="https://twitter.com/thenewsmovement?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@thenewsmovement</a> on January 13, two weeks before Pretti was shot by ICE: <a href="https://t.co/1yLKLApXvB">pic.twitter.com/1yLKLApXvB</a>
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/2016661993671811210?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Pretti family&#8217;s attorney, Steve Schleicher, said the video shows Pretti getting &#8220;violently assaulted by a group of ICE agents.&#8221; Before the video was released, CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/27/us/alex-pretti-protesters-minneapolis-invs">reported</a> that Pretti broke a rib during an altercation with ICE agents a week before his death. One source who spoke to Pretti after the altercation told CNN, “That day, he thought he was going to die.” Pretti was reportedly released at the scene after the confrontation.
A little over a week later, Pretti was shot and killed in the street by Border Patrol agents after confronting authorities who were conducting an immigration operation. Pretti, who was armed with a 9 mm handgun, got into an altercation with agents as they were pushing demonstrators off the road. Video shows Pretti getting pepper-sprayed before he&#8217;s taken to the ground. Pretti then resists as officers attempt to detain him. The video appears to show one agent taking Pretti&#8217;s gun while he&#8217;s on the ground before two other agents fire around 10 shots in five seconds, killing Pretti.
After the deadly shooting, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called Pretti a &#8220;domestic terrorist,&#8221; a response that sparked criticism from within Noem&#8217;s department, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/inside-the-trump-administrations-growing-divide-over-mass-deportation-raids?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=Original&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Inside+The+Trump+Administration%E2%80%99s+Growing+Divide+Over+Mass+Deportation+Raids">reported</a>. Earlier this week, Trump said he did not believe Pretti was &#8220;acting as an assassin,&#8221; as was suggested by top officials in his administration.
“With that being said, you can’t have guns,&#8221; Trump added. &#8220;You can’t walk in with guns. You just can’t. You can’t walk in with guns, you can’t do that. But it’s a very unfortunate incident.&#8221;
After another Minneapolis resident, Renee Good, was shot and killed by an ICE officer earlier this month, the Trump administration also labeled her a domestic terrorist. The president, however, later said that &#8220;under normal circumstances,&#8221; Good was likely a &#8220;very, solid wonderful person,&#8221; adding, &#8220;But, you know, her actions were pretty tough.&#8221;

Trump: Video Suggests Alex Pretti May Have Been An ‘Insurrectionist’

Border Patrol

Minneapolis

Minnesota

A man posing as an FBI agent walked into the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn on Wednesday night in an attempt to spring suspected assassin Luigi Mangione from jail, according to a criminal complaint.
The suspect, 36-year-old Mark Anderson of Minnesota, was charged on Thursday with impersonating a federal agent. Anderson allegedly illegally approached the jail&#8217;s intake area and told authorities at the jail that he had an order “signed by a judge” to free an inmate. While the criminal complaint does not specify who Anderson was allegedly attempting to free, law enforcement sources told <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/man-allegedly-break-luigi-mangione-jail-impersonating-fbi/story?utm_source=facebook&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=dhfacebook&amp;utm_content=app.dashsocial.com/abcnews/library/media/635358670&amp;id=129679620">ABC News</a> and the<a href="https://nypost.com/2026/01/29/us-news/lunatic-luigi-mangione-fan-posed-as-fbi-agent-in-botched-bid-to-break-accused-ceo-killer-out-of-nyc-jail-feds/"> New York Post</a> that it was Mangione.
Anderson told officials that he had weapons in his bag, and when officials searched the bag, they found a pizza cutter and a barbecue fork, according to the criminal complaint. When asked to provide his credentials, Anderson handed officials his Minnesota driver&#8217;s license, the complaint stated. Anderson reportedly moved to New York City recently and was working at a pizza parlor. The Minnesota man was scheduled to appear in court on Thursday afternoon.
<div id="attachment_1035785" style="width: 701px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1035785" class="wp-image-1035785 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/Untitled-design-2026-01-29T172313.983-691x576.jpg" alt="" width="691" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/Untitled-design-2026-01-29T172313.983-691x576.jpg 691w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/Untitled-design-2026-01-29T172313.983-300x250.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/Untitled-design-2026-01-29T172313.983-768x640.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/Untitled-design-2026-01-29T172313.983.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 691px) 100vw, 691px" />U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York</div>
Mangione is being held in the Metropolitan Detention Center as his trial unfolds. The 27-year-old University of Pennsylvania graduate is charged with the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, who was gunned down on a New York City street on December 4, 2024.
Mangione has been charged at the state and federal levels, with his federal murder charge opening up the door to the death penalty if he is convicted. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to the state and federal murder charges. The suspected assassin has attracted fans, who have called for him to be released. Some of Mangione&#8217;s supporters have used the murder of Thompson to condemn the U.S. health care system and to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/luigi-mangione-protesters-call-death-elon-musk-other-corrupt-healthcare-ceos.print">call</a> for other health care executives to be killed.
The Mangione fans, some of them wearing costumes of Luigi from Super Mario, have flocked together outside of the courthouse in New York City when the suspected killer was due in court. Mangione is due back in court for his federal case on Friday as the judge considers whether the death penalty can remain on the table.
The accused killer&#8217;s attorney&#8217;s wants the judge to prevent the prosecution from using items found in Mangione&#8217;s backpack when he was arrested as evidence. The lawyers argue that Altoona, Pennsylvania, police illegally searched Mangione&#8217;s backpack when they arrested him. Among the items found in Mangione&#8217;s backpack were a gun, a loaded magazine, and a notebook that allegedly described Mangione&#8217;s plan to &#8220;whack&#8221; the health care CEO &#8220;at the annual parasitic bean-counter convention.&#8221;
U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett said last week that Mangione&#8217;s federal trial will start on September 8.

Man Armed With BBQ Fork And Pizza Cutter Posed As FBI Agent To Spring Luigi Mangione From Jail

Jail

President Donald Trump said that he spoke to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum over the phone on Thursday about multiple issues and praised the leader, whom he has recently criticized.
Trump said the call with Sheinbaum &#8220;focused on the Border, stopping Drug Trafficking, and Trade&#8221; and went &#8220;extremely well for both Countries.&#8221; He added that he hopes to set up a meeting between the United States and Mexico soon.
&#8220;Mexico has a wonderful and highly intelligent Leader — They should be very happy about that!&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115979311914390909">said</a>.
Sheinbaum <a href="https://x.com/Claudiashein/status/2016893373026607529">said</a> her call with Trump was &#8220;productive and cordial.&#8221;
&#8220;We continue to make progress on trade issues and the bilateral relationship,&#8221; she added.
Trump and Sheinbaum have butted heads throughout the past year over Trump&#8217;s tariffs and his suggestion that the United States could target drug traffickers in Mexico. Last May, Trump reportedly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-pressures-mexico-to-allow-u-s-military-to-lead-fight-against-drug-cartels?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Pressures+Mexico+To+Allow+U.S.+Military+To+Lead+Fight+Against+Drug+Cartels">pressured</a> Sheinbaum to allow U.S. troops to go into the country to fight the drug cartels, but Sheinbaum was not willing to give U.S. forces the green light. Trump then <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-mexicos-president-afraid-to-let-american-troops-come-fight-cartels?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Says+Mexico%E2%80%99s+President+%E2%80%98Afraid%E2%80%99+To+Let+American+Troops+Come+Fight+Cartels">blasted</a> Sheinbaum, saying she was &#8220;afraid&#8221; and &#8220;can’t even think straight.&#8221;
The Mexican president <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mexican-president-says-u-s-military-will-not-fight-drug-cartels-on-its-soil?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Mexican+President+Says+U.S.+Military+Will+Not+Fight+Drug+Cartels+On+Its+Soil">doubled down</a> on her opposition to Trump sending U.S. troops to her country in August after The New York Times reported that Trump quietly signed an order to use military force against drug cartels in foreign countries.
&#8220;The United States is not going to come to Mexico with the military,&#8221; Sheinbaum said, adding, &#8220;We cooperate, we collaborate, but there is not going to be an invasion. That is ruled out, absolutely ruled out. It is not part of any agreement, far from it. When it has been brought up, we have always said no.&#8221;
After the United States captured Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, Trump <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/09/americas/analysis-mexican-drug-cartels-trump-intl-latam">said</a> the cartels are &#8220;running Mexico,&#8221; adding that &#8220;we have to do something&#8221; about drugs &#8220;pouring through Mexico.&#8221; He again said Sheinbaum was &#8220;afraid&#8221; to deal with Mexican cartels.
As the United States conducts strikes on suspected drug runner boats in international waters in the Caribbean, Trump also suggested last week that he would authorize strikes on drug runners on highly-trafficked land passages, which could include Mexico.
&#8220;We’re going to hit the cartels,” he <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/01/24/us-news/trump-reveals-to-the-post-on-land-drug-strikes-could-hit-anywhere-including-mexico-central-and-south-america/">told</a> the New York Post. &#8220;We know their routes. We know everything about them. We know their homes. We know everything about them. We’re going to hit the cartels.&#8221;
Trump&#8217;s tariffs have also represented a conflict between him and the Mexican leader. After Trump hit Mexico, Canada, and China with tariffs over what he called their failure to address fentanyl trafficking, Sheinbaum said Mexico would retaliate, but the country paused its retaliatory tariffs on the United States as it sought to negotiate a trade deal, and many products from Mexico are protected under the United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement (USMCA).
On Wednesday, Mexico&#8217;s economy chief Marcelo Ebrard met with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Washington, D.C., to discuss potential changes to the USMCA, Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/mexicos-sheinbaum-says-she-had-productive-call-with-trump-trade-2026-01-29/">reported</a>. The USMCA went into effect in 2020 and is up for a joint review in July, when the United States, Mexico, and Canada must come to an agreement for the pact to be extended.

Trump/Sheinbaum

Trump Praises Mexico’s President After Phone Call Addressing Border, Drug Trafficking, And Trade

Claudia Sheinbaum

Drug Cartels

drug trafficking

Mexico

trade

The top official at the Nashville Electric Service touted her effort to save Nashville&#8217;s tree &#8220;canopy&#8221; last August instead of aggressively trimming trees away from power lines. Nashville Electric Service CEO Teresa Broyles-Aplin&#8217;s past comments have now come under scrutiny after an ice storm wrecked Nashville, bringing trees down onto roads and power lines and resulting in the worst power outage in the city&#8217;s history.
The Tennessee Star <a href="https://tennesseestar.com/culture/woke-nes-ceo-on-tree-trimming-i-dont-want-us-out-destroying-the-canopy/khousler/2026/01/29/">reported</a> on Thursday that Broyles-Aplin, who took over as CEO of the electric service in 2022, touted her tree-hugging efforts during an August appearance on &#8220;<a href="https://www.newschannel5.com/plus/urban-league-live/nashville-electric-service">Urban League Live</a>&#8221; on NewsChannel 5 Nashville.
&#8220;We have customers sometimes that are concerned that we may be trimming aggressively and not taking into account the health of the trees, and that couldn&#8217;t be further from the truth,&#8221; she said. &#8220;We do species-specific trimming that is intended to ensure the health of the tree. &#8230; I think most people don&#8217;t realize that we go to that depth of effort, and we have arborists on our staff &#8230; that oversee the planning and the post-cutting inspections, so we take a lot of pride in making sure that we are cutting the trees in a healthy fashion.&#8221;
“We care about the [tree] canopy. We have to live here, too,” Broyles-Aplin said. “And so I don’t want us out destroying the canopy.&#8221;
The Daily Wire reached out to the Nashville Electric Service for comment.
While Broyles-Aplin assured people last August that the electric service takes extreme care in its trimming, some Nashville tree service owners told <a href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/davidson/2026/01/29/nes-nashville-power-outage-ice-tree-experts/88409270007/">The Tennesseean</a> that the Nashville Electric Service wasn&#8217;t properly keeping up with tree maintenance.
“If they maintained it better, there would be less power outages, at the end of the day,” said Lucas Crenshaw, but he also acknowledged that &#8220;you can only prepare so much.&#8221;
Meagan Cowles, another tree service owner, told the Nashville outlet, &#8220;I am very confident in my opinion to say that NES does not follow the proper cutting procedures to follow the standards.&#8221;
Tree cutting professionals told The Tennessean that the Nashville Electric Service should expand how far it cuts trees from power lines to ensure that falling trees don&#8217;t crash into the lines. They also suggested that homeowners should trim or cut trees on their property that could pose a risk to the power lines near their homes.
The Nashville Electric Service is the 11th largest public utilities agency in the country. The service&#8217;s five-member board is appointed by the mayor and confirmed by Nashville&#8217;s Metro Council. The Nashville Electric Service has been criticized over its preparedness and response to the winter storm that pounded the city with snow and ice last weekend. Tens of thousands of Nashville residents have gone without power for five days as the city also faces extremely cold temperatures.
Along with facing scrutiny over its tree trimming strategy, the agency has also been slammed by many residents who say there is a lack of manpower in the field to address the vast power outages. The Nashville Electric Service had around 200 linemen prepared to work on downed lines, and the agency has nearly quadrupled the number of linemen in the field since the weekend, relying on help from other states.
One lineman told <a href="https://fox17.com/news/local/nashville-electric-service-accused-of-rejecting-help-amid-massive-power-outages-nes-winter-storm-middle-tennessee-union-memebers">Fox 17 Nashville</a> that he doesn’t think Nashville has deployed enough workers to address the widespread outages, adding that the city needed &#8220;a minimum of 2,000&#8221; linemen. The lineman said he believes the electric company didn’t want to pay union wages for outside help.
Broyles-Aplin released a <a href="https://x.com/NESpower/status/2016901409342374389">statement</a> on Thursday morning addressing the ongoing power outages.
&#8220;Many of you are waking up to day #5 without power, which is a significant hardship. It’s our job at NES to keep the power on, and we will not stop until every household in Nashville has power again,&#8221; she said. &#8220;This storm was unprecedented for Nashville and our country, affecting almost half of the U.S. Its icy layers caused widespread damage across our service area to transmission lines, substations and distribution networks.&#8221;
Broyles-Aplin said that around 230,000 residents lost power at the peak of the outages, but it was around 230,000 homes and businesses without power at the peak. Since multiple people reside in many homes, the outages likely affected far more than 230,000 people.
&#8220;Today, we have less than 90,000 homes remaining without electricity. NES has brought in partners from around the country to engage additional available, qualified crews,&#8221; Broyles-Aplin added.
The utilities CEO said that some Nashville residents should be prepared for the power outages to continue &#8220;through the weekend or longer.&#8221; Temperatures are expected to plunge again in the Music City this weekend, with lows nearing 10 degrees.

Nashville Electric CEO Touted Tree-Hugging Over Aggressive Trimming Months Before Massive Ice Storm

Power

A group of protesters clashed with Texas Department of Public Safety troopers on Wednesday outside of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement family detention center, where a 5-year-old boy, who has made headlines, is being held with his suspected illegal immigrant father.
At least two protesters were arrested as troopers attempted to clear the crowd of around 150 people who were blocking a road outside of the South Texas Family Residential Center near Dilley, Texas. Law enforcement officers deployed tear gas and shoved the crowd back, a <a href="https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2026/01/28/protesters-detained-hit-by-tear-gas-outside-dilley-family-detention-facility/">video</a> from ABC&#8217;s San Antonio affiliate KSAT shows.
The Texas Department of Public Safety said that it sent troopers to the facility &#8220;at the request of the City of Dilley.&#8221;
“During today’s response, after dispersal orders were given, approximately 150 demonstrators refused to leave and began to breach the established protest barrier and spit on officers,” the department said. “Despite continued orders to disperse, the group remained and DPS took less-lethal action, deploying pepper ball grenades and pepper ball projectiles to ensure officer safety and maintain order. DPS personnel arrested two individuals on various charges, including resisting arrest and interfering with public duties.”
The demonstrators showed up outside the ICE detention facility to protest federal authorities holding a 5-year-old Ecuadorian boy after his father was arrested during the Trump administration&#8217;s immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota. A picture of the boy standing with federal agents went viral last week, with many on the Left pointing to the incident as an example of ICE cruelty.
The Department of Homeland Security said that the young child was &#8220;abandoned&#8221; by his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, when Conejo Arias allegedly attempted to flee from federal agents.
&#8220;For the child’s safety, one of our ICE officers remained with the child while the other officers apprehended Conejo Arias,&#8221; Homeland Security added. &#8220;Parents are asked if they want to be removed with their children, or ICE will place the children with a safe person the parent designates. This is consistent with past administration’s immigration enforcement.&#8221;
A Minnesota pastor told CNN that the child&#8217;s mother feared going outside to get her child because of ICE&#8217;s presence. Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, however, said that federal agents &#8220;assured [the mother] she would NOT be taken into custody.&#8221;
&#8220;The alleged mother refused to accept custody of the child. The father told officers he wanted the child to remain with him,&#8221; McLaughlin added.
On Tuesday, a federal judge <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/federal-judge-blocks-ice-from-deporting-minnesota-man-5-year-old-son">blocked</a> the Trump administration from deporting the boy and his father.
Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN) blasted ICE and those who support the agency after the story of the 5-year-old boy went viral. Craig claimed that ICE &#8220;used&#8221; the 5-year-old to &#8220;lure his father out.&#8221;
&#8220;This is the worst of the damn worst,&#8221; Craig added. &#8220;This is not humanity in Minnesota, folks. If you can look at this 5-year-old and actually with a straight face still support [ICE] and be silent in the face of what the Trump administration and Kristi Noem [are] doing, I just can&#8217;t even believe this is America. I will not vote for a damn penny to Kristi Noem or ICE in this Congress.&#8221;
Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn, who has opposed President Donald Trump on some issues, has defended ICE in recent weeks. When addressing the Camp East Montana ICE facility in El Paso earlier this month, Cornyn said that people “are treated humanely” at the facility.
The controversy over ICE holding the 5-year-old boy has further inflamed tensions in Minnesota over Trump&#8217;s immigration enforcement in the state. Chaos erupted on the streets over the weekend after Border Patrol agents shot and killed anti-ICE protester Alex Pretti. The shooting and the political fallout resulted in President Trump making changes to his strategy in Minnesota, sending his border czar, Tom Homan, to the state to take charge of the operation.
The move effectively sidelined Homeland Security Secretary Noem, and Border Patrol commander-at-large Gregory Bovino was reassigned after leading the Minnesota enforcement operation for the past month.
During a press conference on Thursday, Homan said the Trump administration was working on drafting a &#8220;drawdown plan&#8221; to reduce the number of immigration agents in Minnesota.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/live-updates-ice-agent-fatally-shoots-agitator-as-chaos-erupts-in-minneapolis?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Daily+Wire&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=LIVE+UPDATES%3A+%E2%80%98You%E2%80%99re+Never+Off+The+Table%E2%80%99%3A+Homan+Says+U.S.+Needs+To+Send+Strong+Message+To+Illegals">LIVE UPDATES: ‘You’re Never Off The Table’: Homan Says U.S. Needs To Send Strong Message To Illegals</a>
This article has updated to state that Sen. Cornyn was speaking about an ICE facility in El Paso, not the facility near Dilley, as was previously reported.

Protesters Clash With Troopers Outside Of ICE Family Detention Center Holding 5-Year-Old Boy

Protesters Clash With Troopers Outside Of ICE Family Detention Facility Where 5-Year-Old Boy Is Held

Immigration

Protesters

Texas

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Zach Jewell