Federal immigration authorities detained dozens of workers and arrested company officials during a major raid at a South Carolina manufacturing plant this week, the culmination of what state officials described as a years-long investigation into the employment of illegal immigrants.
The operation, <a href="https://www.foxcarolina.com/2026/06/04/ag-48-detained-by-ice-operation-burnstein-von-seelen-6-indicted/">dubbed</a> “Operation Ghost Story,” targeted Burnstein von Seelen Precision Castings in Abbeville, a city roughly 86 miles from Columbia. Authorities said 48 workers were detained and are being investigated for potential immigration violations. 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
🚨HOLY CRAP!!!
An absolutely MASSIVE operation is underway as ICE has SURROUNDED a casting company in rural South Carolina.
A criminal search warrant is currently being executed for the alleged hiring of illegal aliens&#8230;
There are literally HUNDREDS of people in handcuffs!!! <a href="https://t.co/lcBLPj7cKn">pic.twitter.com/lcBLPj7cKn</a>
— Matt Van Swol (@mattvanswol) <a href="https://x.com/mattvanswol/status/2062293719945019527?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Officials also announced criminal charges against plant manager Christopher Ramey and human resources coordinator Sandy Willis. The two are accused of conspiracy, identity fraud related to employment, and forgery. 

Four additional defendants were charged with supplying fake identification documents that workers used to obtain employment. One of the defendants, Jose Luis Aguilar Mejia, is currently at large and wanted by authorities.
ICE partnered with the Department of Homeland Security, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the Abbeville and Greenwood County Sheriff&#8217;s Offices, the Eighth Circuit Solicitor’s Office, and other state and local agencies in carrying out the operation.
South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Chief Mark A. Keel <a href="https://www.wyff4.com/article/ice-raid-employees-arrested-south-carolina-business/71493075">called</a> this raid “the direct result of an exhaustive, years-long investigation.”  
 
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson said the operation demonstrates the state&#8217;s commitment to enforcing immigration and identity fraud laws.
“If you are unlawfully aiding illegal immigrants in South Carolina, you are going to be investigated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Wilson stated in a press conference. “If you are taking advantage of hard-working Americans, stealing their identities, and are intentionally ignoring your responsibilities as an employer in an effort to circumvent the law, we are coming for you.”
Burnstein von Seelen Precision Castings manufactures precision pieces for major corporations such as General Electric, General Dynamics, and Siemens.

Immigration Advocates Demonstrate And Clash With Officers Outside Delaney Hall Detention Facility In Newark

Years-Long Probe Leads To Major ICE Raid At Manufacturing Plant

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Illegals

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Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the Trump administration is drafting plans to stop processing foreign travelers at airports located in sanctuary cities, but the possible change has some former officials questioning the political implications.
Mullin revealed on “Hannity” Tuesday night that officials are “currently drawing up plans” to pull Customs officers from international airports in jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement efforts amid escalating anti-ICE protests outside a facility in Newark, New Jersey.
He then doubled down Thursday, telling Fox News host Brian Kilmeade that while his department won&#8217;t &#8220;halt&#8221; international flights, it will pull Customs officers away from processing those passengers as they attempt to enter the United States.
&#8220;When we have situations like what&#8217;s happening in New Jersey right now, when we have to prioritize where we put federal employees because local law enforcement won&#8217;t help protect their streets &#8230; and keep them from barricading and causing harm to our employees, then we have to decide where we&#8217;re going to prioritize our federal employees,&#8221; Mullin said.
&#8220;What we&#8217;re saying is we just won&#8217;t be able to process them because we don&#8217;t have officers there,&#8221; he added.
The idea immediately sparked concerns from former Homeland Security officials, who questioned the political fallout and consequences of such a move ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which the United States is set to co-host.
Former Homeland Security advisor Charles Marino said that while there&#8217;s a need for &#8220;consequences for sanctuary cities, there&#8217;s no way this would be allowed to happen with the World Cup coming up.&#8221;
&#8220;The political pressure on the admin from FIFA, the international community, stadiums, local governments, and businesses would be immense. It also undercuts President Trump, who routinely takes credit for bringing the World Cup to the U.S. To do this now is all risk and no reward,&#8221; he said.
Trump&#8217;s Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy also appeared skeptical of the proposal.
“We shouldn’t shut down air travel in a state that doesn’t agree with our politics,&#8221; Duffy said during a Congressional hearing last week.
Another former Homeland Security official, who was granted anonymity to speak more freely on the issue, said the Trump administration is trying to play &#8220;hardball,&#8221; adding that it&#8217;s &#8220;the federal government&#8217;s right&#8221; to carry out such a plan. The official, however, warned that &#8220;it is only going to piss off the unaffiliated voters and at the end of the day will not change sanctuary jurisdictions.&#8221;
&#8220;Democrats will still vote for sanctuary,&#8221; the former official said.
Former ICE New York field office deputy director Scott Mechkowski said that Trump&#8217;s base will likely support that move, but that Mullin will need to focus his messaging to present it to the general public as a last-ditch effort to force cooperation from sanctuary cities.
Mechkowski said Mullin has to &#8220;frame&#8221; the initiative as &#8220;an extreme measure.&#8221; He pointed to the Trump administration&#8217;s attempts to &#8220;withhold&#8221; federal funds from sanctuary cities, an effort that has been repeatedly blocked by court orders.
It would also have &#8220;devastating effects,&#8221; spelling financial trouble for sanctuary cities, which he expects would cave easily to meet the Trump administration&#8217;s demands as a result.
&#8220;I think they need to realize that [Mullin] means business,&#8221; Mechkowski said.
Mullin first mentioned the proposal in April, presenting it as a tactic to force sanctuary cities to play ball with federal immigration agents.
“I believe sanctuary cities is not lawful,” Mullin told Fox News’ Bret Baier at the time. “I don’t think they’re able to do that, and so we’re gonna take a hard look at this.”
“If they’re sanctuary cities, should they really be processing Customs into their city?” Mullin asked. “If they’re a sanctuary city and they’re receiving international flights, and we’re asking them to partner with us at the airport, but once they walk out of the airport they’re not gonna enforce immigration policy, maybe we need to have a really hard look at that because we need to focus on cities that want to work with us.”

Newark Liberty International Airport

Mullin’s Proposal To Pull Customs From Airports Gets Mixed Reviews

Airports

Markwayne Mullin

Politics

Sanctuary Cities

Transportation

Travel

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

World Cup

Foreigners roaming the United States and wanting a green card must return to their home country to apply, closing a major loophole that contributed to the growth of the illegal immigrant population in the country, according to a new federal rule.
The move shows that the United States is &#8220;returning to the original intent of the law to ensure aliens navigate our nation’s immigration system properly,&#8221; U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) spokesman Zach Kahler said in a <a href="https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/news-releases/us-citizenship-and-immigration-services-will-grant-adjustment-of-status-only-in-extraordinary">statement</a> Friday. Before the new rule came into play, immigrants who were in the United States for temporary work, tourism, or school could stay in the country while applying for a green card.
As a result, the illegal immigrant population grew since many stayed in the country after being denied permanent residency. Their failure to depart forced federal authorities to hunt them down for deportation, according to USCIS.
&#8220;This policy allows our immigration system to function as the law intended instead of incentivizing loopholes,&#8221; Kahler said. &#8220;When aliens apply from their home country, it reduces the need to find and remove those who decide to slip into the shadows and remain in the U.S. illegally after being denied residency.&#8221;
When immigrants come to the United States under temporary terms, they shouldn&#8217;t use the visit as &#8220;the first step&#8221; in getting a green card, Kahler said.
“Following the law allows the majority of these cases to be handled by the State Department at U.S. consular offices abroad and frees up limited USCIS resources to focus on processing other cases that fall under its purview, including visas for victims of violent crime and human trafficking, naturalization applications, and other priorities,&#8221; Kahler said.
&#8220;The law was written this way for a reason, and despite the fact that it has been ignored for years, following it will help make our system fairer and more efficient,&#8221; he said.
Some immigrants will be exempt if there are &#8220;extraordinary circumstances&#8221; in their case, according to USCIS.
Around 500,000 immigrants overstayed their visa permissions as of September 2024, according to Homeland Security data.
The latest action comes as the Trump administration looks to crack down on abuse of legal immigration programs. As part of the effort, USCIS is auditing <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-admin-targets-citizenship-of-naturalized-terror-suspects">naturalization</a> cases, which has resulted in several foreign-born nationals accused of committing fraud or who are tied to terrorism losing their citizenship.
The Trump administration has already denaturalized 15 individuals as of April and has filed a total of 35 denaturalization complaints.

Children Receive U.S. Citizenship Certificates In New York

Trump Closes Major Loophole Used By Illegal Immigrants

Donald Trump

Federal investigators have made yet another discovery of a sophisticated fraud scheme involving a work authorization program for foreigners.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) <a href="https://x.com/JennieSTaer/status/2054232420522598520">announced</a> Tuesday that the Optional Practical Training program, known as OPT, has &#8220;become a magnet for fraud&#8221; with foreign students claiming employment from &#8220;highly suspect employers,&#8221; Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said. He described the controversy at a press conference, noting the program allows foreign students to work in their area of study for up to one year while attending school.
Federal investigators say OPT fraud has exploded nationwide, reporting shocking discoveries upon visiting the alleged worksites claiming to employ the foreign students.
They found empty buildings with locked doors where hundreds of foreign students were said to be working. In some cases, multiple employers claimed the same address, but none of them actually had a lease there.
Some small homes were also listed as worksites for hundreds of foreign students, but had no employees present. When someone answered the door at one of the residences, they claimed to have no knowledge of the business.
Other alleged employers claimed to have offshore HR and payroll personnel. Many of the employers had tax liens, civil lawsuit collections, and breaches of contract on their records.
In some instances, foreign students who obtained work permits through the OPT program never showed up to work at the jobs they claimed to hold.
Lyons said the employment program has &#8220;ballooned into an uncontrolled guest worker pipeline with hundreds of thousands of foreign students working in the United States,&#8221; adding that the latest fraud findings may be &#8220;only the tip of the iceberg.&#8221;
Last week, agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), a branch of ICE, visited 18 worksites in north Texas and made an &#8220;alarming&#8221; discovery of &#8220;coordinated employer clusters, where numerous employers in the same building complex are running nearly identical websites, sharing job postings and management personnel, but claiming no business relationships with each other,&#8221; John Condon, the agency&#8217;s Acting Executive Associate Director, said during Tuesday&#8217;s presser.
In Houston, agents found an alleged &#8220;pay to stay visa fraud&#8221; scheme in which a company was &#8220;charging students under the table to help them fraudulently maintain visa status,&#8221; he added.
Other cases also raised red flags. In New York, a supposed employer became visibly upset with federal investigators and denied having any knowledge of a company linked to his address &#8220;despite Homeland Security records and student reports confirming otherwise,&#8221; Condon said. A foreign student told investigators that the individual owned the worksite &#8220;but could not explain his denial.&#8221;
Condon discussed an OPT employer in New Jersey claiming to support more than 150 foreign students who couldn&#8217;t answer federal investigators&#8217; &#8220;basic questions about who they were or what they were hired to do.&#8221; The investigators encountered only one student at the site, &#8220;who had revealed that he had not worked for the listed copy in over a year&#8221; and &#8220;was instead being trained by a company based in India.&#8221;
Lyons called the fraudulent activity &#8220;deliberate, coordinated, and criminal,&#8221; vowing that &#8220;more actions are forthcoming.&#8221;
&#8220;DHS will relentlessly investigate, disrupt, and refer for prosecution anyone who exploits our programs. We have intensified our vetting at consular posts overseas, targeting trafficking, forced labor, document fraud, and unauthorized employment among student visa applicants,&#8221; Lyons said.
&#8220;This fraud is not victimless. It is a blatant attack on the goodwill of the American people who generously allow foreign nationals access to our education system,&#8221; he added.

Trump Floats Death Penalty For All Convicted Of Murder In DC

ICE Makes New Major Fraud Discovery Involving 10,000 Foreign Students

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Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Todd Lyons

The suspect who attempted to storm the White House Correspondents&#8217; Dinner with a plan to assassinate President Donald Trump and top administration officials was potentially motivated by anger about the war in Iran, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
A DHS intelligence report obtained by <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/iran-conflict-may-have-motivated-trump-dinner-shooting-suspect-us-intelligence-2026-05-06/">Reuters</a> on Wednesday concluded that the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran &#8220;may have contributed&#8221; to Cole Allen&#8217;s &#8220;decision to conduct the attack.&#8221; Posts on a social media account linked to Allen raged against the U.S. government&#8217;s actions in Iran and recently called for Trump to be impeached over the president&#8217;s warning that &#8220;a whole civilization will die.&#8221;
A DHS spokesman told Reuters that the intelligence report was created to &#8220;notify our partners of the latest available information following significant incidents that have impacts to homeland security.&#8221;
Allen wrote out some of his motivations in a manifesto that he shared with family members minutes before he attempted to charge into the ballroom at the White House Correspondents&#8217; Dinner, according to federal prosecutors. In a 1,000-word document, the suspected would-be assassin referred to Trump as a &#8220;pedophile, rapist, and traitor&#8221; and wrote that his goal was to murder Trump administration officials at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, targeting them from “highest-ranking to lowest.&#8221;
While Allen did not mention any frustrations about the Iran war in his manifesto, in a criticism of the security at the Washington Hilton, the suspect wrote, &#8220;If I was an Iranian agent, instead of an American citizen, I could have brought a damn Ma Deuce in here and no one would have noticed sh*t.&#8221; A Ma Deuce is a .50-caliber heavy machine gun used by many militaries.
In the manifesto, Allen condemned other U.S. military action, highlighting strikes on suspected drug runners in the Caribbean. Allen said the suspected drug runners were “fisherman executed without trial.”
In the manifesto, the suspect called himself the “Friendly Federal Assassin” and invoked his Christian faith, arguing that &#8220;Turning the other cheek when someone else is oppressed is not Christian behavior; it is complicity in the oppressor’s crimes.&#8221;
Minutes after President Trump arrived at the Washington Hilton for the White House Correspondents&#8217; Dinner on April 25, Allen ran through a security checkpoint and fired one shot from his Mossberg 12-gauge pump-action shotgun that struck a Secret Service agent, according to the Justice Department. A Secret Service agent returned fire, and Allen was detained shortly after he got past the security checkpoint when he fell to the ground. Allen was not hit by any of the agent&#8217;s shots, and the agent who was shot by Allen was protected by a bulletproof vest.
Allen was also carrying a fully-loaded Rock Island Armory 1911 .38 caliber pistol and multiple knives when he attacked, the Justice Department said. Allen was initially charged with attempting to assassinate the president of the United States, transportation of a firearm and ammunition in interstate commerce with intent to commit a felony, and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence. On Tuesday, federal prosecutors added an additional charge of assault on a federal officer. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said Sunday that the Secret Service agent was &#8220;definitively&#8221; shot by Allen.
“He had every intention to kill him and anyone who got in his way on his way to killing the president of the United States,&#8221; Pirro <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/03/trump-assassination-cole-allen-suicide-pirro.html#:~:text=%7C%20Getty%20Images-,U.S.%20Attorney%20for%20the%20District%20of%20Columbia%20Jeanine%20Pirro%20said,his%20bullet%2C%22%20Pirro%20said.">said</a>.
Earlier this week, the judge overseeing Allen&#8217;s case <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/judge-issues-stunning-apology-to-accused-trump-assassin">apologized</a> to the suspect for the conditions he has faced in jail. Judge Zia Faruqui, who has a soft-on-crime <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/woke-judge-who-apologized-to-wannabe-trump-assassin-has-a-radical-leftist-record">record</a>, grilled jail officials for placing Allen on a temporary suicide watch that required 24-hour isolation.

Cole Allen/Police

Feds Uncover Critical Link In Radicalization Of Wannabe Trump Assassin

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White House Correspondents’ Dinner

The Department of Homeland Security shutdown is now set to be largely over, after the House of Representatives approved the Senate-backed plan to fund every element of the department except for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). A reconciliation bill is anticipated to fund the other two critical law enforcement agencies.
The move in the House was conducted with a voice vote, according to <a href="https://x.com/BillMelugin_/status/2049899389435449379?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox News</a>.
President Donald Trump will now have to sign off on the funding, as there were concerns once again about being able to pay employees of the department starting on Friday.
The shutdown began in mid-February, as Democrats wanted sweeping federal immigration enforcement reforms in opposition to the Trump administration, particularly Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota.
On April 1, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) came to an agreement with the president on how to best tackle the shutdown, as the Senate passed the deal that left out ICE and CBP in late March, whereas House Republicans passed a 60-day continuing resolution that funded everything.
“In the coming days, Republicans in the Senate and House will be following through on the President’s directive by fully funding the entire Department of Homeland Security on two parallel tracks: through the appropriations process and through the reconciliation process,” the Republican leaders <a href="https://x.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/2039413952220631443?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a> at the time.
“While we hoped they would accept the 60-day CR to fund the Department entirely so that bipartisan negotiations could continue, it is now abundantly clear that Democrats place allegiance to their radical left-wing base above all else — including their own power of the purse — which means open borders and protecting criminal illegal aliens,” the statement continued.
While Democrats wanted a long list of changes made to immigration enforcement, including the end of masking and the use of judicial warrants, it’s highly unlikely they will get the reforms they sought given the workaround nature of a reconciliation deal. A reconciliation bill allows the Senate to bypass its 60-vote procedural threshold, but it follows strict rules about what’s allowed and not allowed in the legislation.
The DHS shutdown most clearly played out before Americans due to long TSA lines, as agents were going without pay for weeks until executive action was taken.

Mullin To Face Senate Scrutiny Over Ability To Lead Behemoth DHS

DHS Shutdown Ends For TSA And Secret Service, But Border Security Left Hanging

Congress

Government Shutdown

In a blow to national security and maritime safety, the U.S. Coast Guard is facing an internal crisis as the partial Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown reaches its 75th day.
Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Kevin Lunday revealed that the funding lapse has become so severe that utility companies are beginning to shut off power, water, and gas at active military installations across the country.
During a CBS News interview, Lunday confirmed that &#8220;the lights are shutting off&#8221; at stations tasked with life-saving missions. In the last several days, Station Channel Islands in California and Station Port Huron in Michigan had their power cut off, while Air Station Barbers Point in Hawaii saw its natural gas service interrupted.
While the Coast Guard was able to restore these specific services, Lunday warned that the number of shutoffs is expected to rise. These stations operate 24/7, 365 days a year, standing ready to respond to mariners in distress or national security threats.
&#8220;I think a lot of Americans would be pissed to hear this is happening,&#8221; the CBS interviewer posited to the Admiral.
&#8220;Furious,&#8221; Lunday responded. &#8220;That’s exactly right.&#8221;
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EXCLUSIVE: Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Kevin Lunday tells CBS News’ <a href="https://twitter.com/NicoleSganga?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NicoleSganga</a> that several Coast Guard stations across the country recently lost power, water or gas. Service has been restored, but he warns more outages could happen as the DHS shutdown continues. More tomorrow… <a href="https://t.co/G0k6qtz80h">pic.twitter.com/G0k6qtz80h</a>
&mdash; CBS News (@CBSNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSNews/status/2049637221385506868?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The Coast Guard acts as the nation&#8217;s maritime police force. Because they have Title 14 authority, they can board vessels at sea without a warrant to ensure compliance with U.S. laws.
<ul style="font-weight: 400;">
<li>Drug Interdiction: They are the lead agency for stopping the flow of illegal drugs into the U.S. via the sea, often seizing billions of dollars worth of cocaine and marijuana annually.</li>
<li>Migrant Interdiction: They patrol the Caribbean and the Pacific to intercept human trafficking and illegal migration, often rescuing people from unseaworthy vessels.</li>
<li>Ports &amp; Waterways Security: They protect 361 U.S. ports from terrorism and ensure that &#8220;high interest&#8221; vessels (like tankers or cruise ships) are screened before entering.</li>
</ul>
The Coast Guard currently holds the distinction of being the only military branch impacted by the funding stalemate. Because the service falls under the Department of Homeland Security rather than the Department of Defense, its personnel are caught in a legislative &#8220;procedural loop&#8221; over immigration enforcement and the SAVE Act.
The human cost of the 75-day impasse is <a href="https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2026/04/28/utility-shutoffs-mounting-debt-coast-guard-endures-hardships-in-ongoing-shutdown/">mounting</a>:
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<li>
Personnel Hardship: While active-duty members have received intermittent pay through discretionary funding shifts, there is no guarantee of future checks. Families are reportedly relying on interest-free loans from Coast Guard Mutual Assistance to buy groceries.
</li>
<li>
Civilian Crisis: Nearly 10,000 civilian employees went unpaid for nearly two months. One civil servant in Alaska reportedly sold his car to pay rent before emergency funding was briefly released.
</li>
<li>
Operational Decay: Over $200 million in unpaid bills has caused private contractors to cease maintenance on ships and aircraft.
</li>
</ul>
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has staunchly refused to bring the bill funding DHS to a vote, as House Republicans are insisting on a funding package that includes strict immigration reforms and the SAVE Act, using the DHS budget as legislative leverage.
“We have to move DHA funding because it’s urgent … we are out of money,” Johnson stated.
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Phil Waldron told a House subcommittee that the workforce&#8217;s focus is being &#8220;dangerously fractured&#8221; by financial anxiety. &#8220;Their focus is required for dangerous missions,&#8221; Waldron said. &#8220;That focus is fractured when they’re worried about paying their rent.&#8221;
As of April 30, 2026, the shutdown remains the longest in DHS history. While the Coast Guard continues to answer distress calls under its &#8220;Always Ready&#8221; motto, leadership warns that every day of the shutdown creates a 2.5-day recovery backlog, hollowing out the readiness of the nation’s primary maritime shield.

U.S. Coast Guard Helicopter

‘The Lights Go Out’: Coast Guard Faces Shutoffs, Financial Crisis As DHS Shutdown Hits Day 75

Coast Guard

Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz boasted about his moves to crack down on fraud during his final State of the State address on Tuesday night, just hours after federal agents raided numerous daycares in the Minneapolis area as part of an investigation into government fraud that has plagued Minnesota for years.
In his <a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/sHPaQk2GD6U?si=FpadFG6TkHzIIdoq&amp;t=2295">remarks</a> before state legislators, Walz highlighted steps he&#8217;s taken to address the rampant fraud in recent months as his second term as governor nears its end. The Democratic governor has come under pressure from the Trump administration after federal prosecutors uncovered a massive fraud scheme that has seen tens of millions of taxpayer dollars stolen from state government programs.
&#8220;In February, I introduced a comprehensive anti-fraud package and began to implement a nine-part fraud prevention roadmap developed by Director of Program Integrity Tim O’Malley,&#8221; Walz said. &#8220;We’ve created additional checks and balances. We have brought on more investigators, more auditors, and more law enforcement agencies, as well as an outside firm to take a look at high-risk programs. People who have ripped us off are getting caught, and they are going to jail just like today.&#8221;
Walz then claimed that more fraud is taking place in Republican-led states.
&#8220;I’ve said the buck stops with me. And I know some of you will take that as an open invitation to play politics with every incident of fraud that takes place here in Minnesota, even though I have to tell you the statistics show it&#8217;s happening in red states more than here,&#8221; Walz said. &#8220;But, so be it. But taking responsibility doesn’t just mean taking the blame. It means taking it upon yourself to fix the problem.&#8221;
The governor&#8217;s remarks came around 12 hours after the FBI and Department of Homeland Security <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-wave-hits-as-feds-raid-more-minnesota-daycare-sites-in-growing-fraud-scandal?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowHeadline=Up+Next&amp;rowType=Up+Next+Carousel&amp;title=New+Wave+Hits+As+Feds+Raid+More+Minnesota+Daycare+Sites+In+Growing+Fraud+Scandal">raided</a> 22 daycares and learning centers in the Minneapolis area as part of President Donald Trump&#8217;s anti-fraud crackdown. Earlier on Tuesday, Walz <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tim-walz-takes-credit-for-fbi-raids-on-minnesota-daycares?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Tim+Walz+Takes+Credit+For+FBI+Raids+On+Minnesota+Daycares">took credit</a> for helping orchestrate the raids and was blasted by FBI Director Kash Patel.
“Come again? This FBI and DOJ with our DHS partners drafted and executed every search warrant today,” Patel fired back. “But go ahead and take credit for our work while we smoke out the fraud plaguing Minnesota under your governorship.”
Tuesday&#8217;s raids focused on many Somali-owned daycares and learning centers around Minneapolis. Under Walz&#8217;s watch, dozens of Somalis defrauded numerous Minnesota social programs for years before they were caught. The fraud scandal included the federally funded Feeding Our Future nonprofit, which claimed to hand out meals to children during the COVID pandemic, but greatly exaggerated its work.
Walz, along with Minnesota Democratic Attorney General Keith Ellison, has been accused of attempting to cover up the state&#8217;s fraud problem and silence government employees who raised concerns. Walz and Ellison have denied those accusations and claim that the state government has been properly investigating and prosecuting fraud.
In January, Walz announced that he would not seek a third term for governor so he could focus on addressing the state&#8217;s fraud problem. In his State of the State address, Walz called on the Minnesota state legislature to pass legislation to strengthen government oversight.
&#8220;My ask for you tonight is simple,&#8221; Walz told state lawmakers. &#8220;If you&#8217;re taking fraud seriously, take your responsibility to help me stop it seriously. If you talk about oversight, vote for that oversight in the bills that are working their way through the chamber.&#8221;
Four months ago, Walz accused President Donald Trump of &#8220;politicizing the issue&#8221; of fraud as Trump deployed federal agents and immigration officers to the Minneapolis area.

Tim Walz/Quality ‘Learing’ Center

Tim Walz, Awash In Fraud Investigations, Crowns Himself Anti-Fraud Champ In Final State Address

Minnesota

Trump Administration

Hundreds of Border Patrol agents are being pulled from across the country to address an influx of illegal immigrants trying to run from authorities in a Texas border town, multiple Department of Homeland Security sources told The Daily Wire.
At least 200 Border Patrol agents from both the southern and northern borders are being pulled for 30-day volunteer duties to support colleagues in Laredo, Texas, who are trying to chase down the &#8220;gotaways,&#8221; sources said. The number of &#8220;gotaways&#8221; running through Laredo is not public.
&#8220;Everyone from across the country is getting sent there,&#8221; one source said.
A spokesperson for Customs and Border Protection, the agency that oversees Border Patrol, confirmed the deployment, which they characterized as part of their effort &#8220;to continue to secure our border.&#8221;
&#8220;That sector is bordered entirely by river, with no natural barriers to slow illegal crossings, which makes it a target when smuggling routes shift and evolve,&#8221; the spokesperson said, referring to Laredo.
“Thanks to President Trump, we have the most secure border in American history,&#8221; the spokesperson added. &#8220;Thanks to record low crossings, we have the manpower and flexibility to move agents quickly, concentrate resources, and take enforcement action where it matters most.”
Border agents monitor gotaways through sensors and cameras, but the true number isn&#8217;t known. During the Biden administration, the number of known gotaways surged past 2 million illegal immigrants, <a href="https://homeland.house.gov/2024/09/23/startling-stats-factsheet-biden-and-harris-border-crisis-still-wreaking-havoc-at-the-borders-and-in-the-interior/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the House Homeland Security Committee.
A Border Patrol source stationed along the northern border told The Daily Wire they&#8217;re not volunteering to head south because there&#8217;s not enough manpower to cover the smuggling traffic coming from Canada. While fewer than 600 illegal migrants have been caught crossing the northern border each month since November, some stations find it difficult with fewer agents to cover the largest land crossing in the world.
Border agents stationed in the Laredo border sector were seeing thousands of illegal migrants cross each month under the Biden administration. Now, the numbers are in the hundreds and slightly jumped in March, when agents caught 1,242 illegal migrants.
&#8220;They&#8217;re asking for manpower, they already have close to 2,000 agents on the southern border, so if you&#8217;re having that many gotaways then that&#8217;s a leadership thing,&#8221; the agent said. &#8220;None of us need to go over there because we got our own stations to take care of, that&#8217;s how most of the agents feel.&#8221;
<div>
&#8220;On the northern border, we&#8217;re in small towns that are south of these small cities that are hubs for illegals. There is this massive influx coming out of all of these cities and they&#8217;re coming into small towns so we have to be vigilant of local police resources. Sometimes, you&#8217;re the only agent out in the field and you have to deal with people that are trying to get in pursuits,&#8221; the agent added.
</div>
President Donald Trump has imposed harsher consequences for illegal border crossers, while carrying out a mass deportation campaign. That effort has driven illegal crossings down to historic lows.
More than 8 million illegal immigrants crossed the southern border during the Biden administration, which was releasing them en masse.

Border Patrol

EXCLUSIVE: Agents Pulled Nationwide As ‘Gotaways’ Surge In Border Town

Southern Border

I attended White House Correspondents’ Dinner receptions at the Washington Hilton and never had to go through security to get there. It is no surprise that a gunman was able to get as far as he did.
Walking up to the Hilton, security outside the front entrance asked to see tickets before reaching the hotel’s circular driveway and main entrance. A ticket was required for entry, whether to the official dinner or any associated reception hosted by outlets such as Fox News, POLITICO, or CBS. I was invited to a reception, and didn&#8217;t have a ticket to the official dinner. But once inside the lobby, attendees roamed freely. Escalators led down to the red carpet area, the International Ballroom where the dinner took place, and smaller ballrooms hosting numerous receptions. Only the main ballroom was secured by metal detectors.
All I showed to get into the hotel was an email with my reception ticket on my phone. It would have been easy to forward the email to someone else. No one inspected it closely — they only glanced at the graphic. I carried a purse on my shoulder that was never checked, and I was never screened through any metal detector. I stood shoulder to shoulder with officials and VIPs, including Speaker Mike Johnson, Stephen Miller, Karoline Leavitt, and Erika Kirk, without ever being screened. Once inside the Hilton, I never showed my ticket again.
Security and law enforcement were present throughout the hotel, and protestors or disgruntled journalists were escorted out during the night. Yet every person entering the building, where the president, vice president, cabinet members, and other senior officials were present, just levels below, should have been thoroughly screened. Hotel guests should never have had unrestricted access.
That lack of basic checks left an immediate sense of exposure that many commented on even hours before the shooting. Moving through packed crowds with nothing more than a quick glance at a phone screen made the vulnerability feel obvious, especially with high-level figures standing right beside me.
The shooter, 31-year-old Cole Thomas Allen of Torrance, California, was reportedly a registered guest at the Washington Hilton. This gave him initial access to the building and lobby areas. The Hilton maintains the longstanding practice of keeping public spaces and guest areas open during the event, with full screening limited to the magnetometer checkpoint outside the International Ballroom.
Allen, armed with a shotgun, handgun, and multiple knives, reached that checkpoint and opened fire. One Secret Service agent was struck but protected by a ballistic vest. President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and cabinet members were evacuated. The dinner was disrupted. Video <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/116468650367386223">released</a> by President Trump shows the gunman advancing through the checkpoint as agents responded.
Some have noted that the final checkpoint ultimately stopped the gunman from entering the ballroom. But this misses the central failure: He should never have been allowed that deep into the Hilton. Armed as he was, he could have opened fire much earlier — in the lobby, on the escalators, or inside any of the crowded pre-dinner receptions. The last security layer should not have been the only meaningful barrier.
This incident resulted from two policy shortcomings. The Hilton has hosted the WHCD for decades, attracting the president and top officials, yet it has continued to have minimal outer-perimeter controls. Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security has been operating under a partial shutdown for more than 70 days since February 14 due to congressional disputes over immigration enforcement. Secret Service personnel have worked with constrained resources amid record threat levels.
Venues hosting the president and other protected officials require layered security starting at the outer perimeter. Critical protective agencies like the Secret Service must have stable, full funding to maintain effectiveness. The arrangements at the Washington Hilton on Saturday night fell far short of those basic standards.
Trump praised the Secret Service response and says the dinner will be rescheduled. It should be held somewhere else.
***
Bethany Miller is the director of communications at NRB, managing editor of The Conservateur, and a senior fellow at Concerned Women for America.

US-POLITICS-TRUMP

I Never Went Through WHCD Security At The Washington Hilton

DW Opinion

Secret Service

The GOP-led Senate moved early Thursday morning to pass a budget plan that would provide funding for the Department of Homeland Security and allocate another $70 billion for immigration enforcement for the remainder of President Trump&#8217;s time in office.
The proposal <a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/votes_new.htm">passed</a> the closely divided chamber 50-48, with Republicans backing the measure and Democrats voting in opposition. Republicans said that the measure, which now goes to the House, would help to secure the border. The passage means the resolution moves forward toward the reconciliation process, meaning Republicans can pass a funding bill without having to get past the filibuster.
“We have a multistep process ahead of us, but at the end, Republicans will have helped ensure that America’s borders are secure and prevented Democrats from defunding these important agencies,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-ND).
Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) criticized Democrats for blocking funding for the Department of Homeland Security 16 times. The department has been defunded since February 14, 2026.
“Democrats are playing to the most radical members of their party.  Through their actions, Democrats are putting the safety and security of our nation behind the safety and security of their own political careers,” he said from the Senate floor.
Democrats tried to add a number of amendments to the proposal that they claimed would address the cost of housing, childcare, and health care.
“Instead of pumping hundreds of billions of dollars into ICE and Border Patrol, Republicans should be working with Democrats to lower out-of-pocket costs,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said.
A number of Republican-backed amendments also fell short after Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) and Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) sided with Democrats. Those senators voted against a proposal from Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) to cut off funding for Planned Parenthood.
&#8220;One recent study found that in three years alone, Planned Parenthood got a billion and a half dollars from Medicaid and Medicare.  Money to be used on these risky surgeries and [transgender] procedures for our children. This is wrong,” Hawley said. “This is a terrible misuse of federal funds, and we should put a stop to it today.”
Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Mitch McConnel (R-KY), Murkowski, and Collins and also <a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1192/vote_119_2_00096.htm">voted</a> with Democrats to block an effort from Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) to attach the SAVE Act, which would require photo ID to vote in federal elections, to the proposal.

Republicans Ice Out Dems On Key Move Tied To A Top Trump Campaign Promise

Republican Party

U.S. Senate

Secretary Markwayne Mullin warned Tuesday that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will run out of emergency cash by May, and said that Democrats must either agree to fund the department or explain why they want &#8220;open borders.&#8221;
President Donald Trump earlier approved emergency funds from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to pay Homeland Security personnel. More than two months into the DHS shutdown, that money is nearly gone.
&#8220;But that money is dried up if I continue down this path the first week of May,&#8221; Mullin said on Fox &amp; Friends Tuesday.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
MULLIN says DHS will run out of emergency cash to pay his workforce at the end of April
&#8220;There&#8217;s no more money.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/KYdXI8Algt">pic.twitter.com/KYdXI8Algt</a>
— Jennie Taer (@JennieSTaer) <a href="https://twitter.com/JennieSTaer/status/2046583932825612546?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
DHS is shelling out more than $1.6 billion to pay its workforce every two weeks, the new secretary said, adding, &#8220;so the money is going extremely fast.&#8221;
&#8220;After we get through April, which I got two more weeks,&#8221; Mullin said. &#8220;I&#8217;ve got one payroll left, and there is no emergency funds, so the president can&#8217;t do another executive order for us to use money because there&#8217;s no more money there.&#8221;
Roughly two-thirds of DHS employees are furloughed, according to Mullin.
The Senate is expected to vote as early as this week on a budget blueprint for a reconciliation package to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). However, Republicans and Democrats have yet to reach a final agreement on a long-term funding solution.
&#8220;What the Democrats need to do is explain to the American people why they want open borders and why they don&#8217;t want to deport these illegals that are truly running our cities and running our streets. And at some point, they need to be held accountable because they&#8217;re putting the homeland at risk &#8230; because our adversaries are taking advantage of the weakness,&#8221; he said.
Senate Republicans, including Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), are pushing for a funding package that would extend ICE and CBP funding into the next decade, while also including defense spending, <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5835883-reconciliation-dhs-fisa-warsh/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to The Hill.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has advocated for a &#8220;skinny&#8221; funding package that is more likely to pass both chambers, the outlet reported.
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) has advocated for a &#8220;tight&#8221; bill, according to The Hill.
“Why are we trying to make this more difficult? In fact, if you’ve got a really great set of ideas, then convince Sen. Graham to create another reconciliation vehicle, and we can do it after we dispense with the matter at hand,” he said.

Untitled design – 2026-04-21T094902.185

‘We’ve Got One Payroll Left’: DHS Cash Crisis Is Closer Than You Think

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