The Trump administration is investigating the City of Chicago after Democratic Mayor Brandon Johnson bragged about the number of black people he has hired.
The Justice Department informed Johnson on Monday of the probe just one day after he appeared at a church and suggested that he had staffed his administration based on race. In a <a href="https://www.justice.gov/crt/media/1400811/dl?inline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a>, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon told Johnson that the investigation would examine whether the city violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits racial discrimination in employment.
Dhillon told Johnson the investigation was “based on information suggesting that you have made hiring decisions solely on the basis of race.”
On Sunday, Johnson <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcD_HXIFQW4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">appeared</a> at the Apostolic Church of God in Woodlawn and talked about the racial makeup of his administration. He also emphasized hiring “our people.” 
“When we say ‘our people hire our people,’ I just want to name this,” he said, pointing out how the percentage of white people in the mayor&#8217;s office had dramatically decreased during his administration making it &#8220;the most diverse administration in the history of Chicago.”
Johnson&#8217;s office later <a href="https://abc7chicago.com/post/us-department-justice-opens-civil-rights-investigation-chicago-hiring-practices-letter-mayor-brandon-johnson/16472280/">released</a> demographics of staffers in the mayor&#8217;s office, indicating 34.3% are black, 30.5% are white, 23.8% are Hispanic, and 6.7% are Asian. 
He then went on to suggest that black people should be in charge because they would govern for the greater good.  
“There are some detractors that will push back on me and say, ‘The only thing that mayor, the mayor, talks about is the hiring of black people.&#8217; No, what I’m saying is, when you hire our people, we always look out for everybody else,” he said. “We are the most generous people on the planet. I don’t know too many cultures that have play cousins. That’s how generous we are. We just make somebody a family member, right. That’s just how we are.” 
He then went on to list senior positions in his administration staffed by black people. 
&#8220;Business and economic neighborhood development, the deputy mayor is a black woman. The Department of Planning and Development is a black woman. Infrastructure deputy mayor is a black woman. Chief operations officer is a black man. Budget director is a black woman. Senior advisor is a black man. And I&#8217;m laying that out because when you ask, how do we ensure that our people get a chance to grow their business? Having people in my administration that will look out for the interest of everyone — and everyone means you have to look out for the interest of black folks, because that hasn&#8217;t happened.&#8221;
Dhillon said that these comments prompted the question of whether similar racially based hiring decisions were being made systematically throughout the city’s government. 
“Considering these remarks, I have authorized an investigation to determine whether the City of Chicago is engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination as set forth above,” Dhillon said. “If these kind of hiring decisions are being made for top-level positions in your administration, then it begs the question whether such decisions are also being made for lower-level positions.”
Johnson responded to the investigation by saying he was proud to lead the most “diverse administration in the history of our city.”

National Urban League Conference Plenary II: State of Black America

Trump DOJ Probing Chicago Mayor After He Bragged About Race-Based Hiring

Brandon Johnson

Chicago

Department of Justice

Harmeet Dhillon

Illinois

Politics

Race

Social Issues

On Monday, the Department of Justice announced that Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) has been charged in connection with a scuffle at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Newark, New Jersey, earlier this month.
&#8220;Today my office has charged Congresswoman McIver with violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 111(a)(1) for assaulting, impeding and interfering with law enforcement,&#8221; Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Alina Habba <a href="https://x.com/USAttyHabba/status/1924615111198576645" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a post on X.
In response, McIver insisted the case has been tainted by politics.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨 Today my office has charged Congresswoman McIver with violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 111(a)(1) for assaulting, impeding and interfering with law enforcement. <a href="https://t.co/TV00uwRtKq">pic.twitter.com/TV00uwRtKq</a>
— US Attorney Habba (@USAttyHabba) <a href="https://twitter.com/USAttyHabba/status/1924615111198576645?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
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McIver joined other House Democrats from New Jersey, demanding they be allowed to conduct &#8220;oversight&#8221; of the ICE detention facility at Delaney Hall on May 9. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, a Democrat running for New Jersey governor who has been protesting the ICE site, was also present. At one point, there was a breach. ICE body-cam <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrats-claim-ice-agents-roughed-them-up-body-cam-footage-says-otherwise" target="_blank" rel="noopener">footage</a> shows part of a confrontation between the New Jersey Democrats and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW: DHS has provided <a href="https://twitter.com/FoxNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FoxNews</a> ICE bodycam video from the altercation at the Delaney Hall detention facility yesterday. They say the video clearly shows <a href="https://twitter.com/RepLaMonica?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepLaMonica</a> (red clothing) shoving/elbowing her way past a DHS agent to get past the gate and into the property, followed… <a href="https://t.co/GOAKm6U80W">pic.twitter.com/GOAKm6U80W</a>
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) <a href="https://twitter.com/BillMelugin_/status/1921217033825644967?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Baraka was arrested and charged with a misdemeanor charge of trespass, but Habba said in a statement on Monday that her office agreed to dismiss it. She even offered to personally give him a tour of Delaney Hall in the &#8220;spirit of public interest.&#8221;
Yet the &#8220;dismissal against the mayor is not the end of this matter,&#8221; Habba said. &#8220;Congressional oversight is an important constitutional function and one that I fully support. However, that is not at issue in this case.&#8221;
Habba, who previously served as President Donald Trump&#8217;s personal lawyer and White House aide, said McIver had been charged because her alleged conduct &#8220;cannot be overlooked by the chief federal law enforcement official in the State of New Jersey, and it is my Constitutional obligation to ensure that our federal law enforcement is protected when executing their duties.&#8221;
The move is sure to escalate animosity between Democrats and the Trump administration in the already-tense debate on illegal immigration and deportations.
Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), who <a href="https://www.mediaite.com/politics/hakeem-jeffries-angrily-condemns-joke-dhs-spox-for-threatening-arrests-of-house-democrats-thats-a-red-line/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warned</a> last week a &#8220;red line&#8221; would be crossed if his colleagues involved in the incident were to be arrested by federal authorities or get sanctioned, said in a statement with other House Democrat leaders that the decision to charge McIver was &#8220;extreme, morally bankrupt and lacks any basis in law or fact&#8221; and they vowed to &#8220;respond vigorously in the days to come at a time, place and manner of our choosing.&#8221;
McIver struck a defiant tone in response to being charged.
&#8220;Earlier this month, I joined my colleagues to inspect the treatment of ICE detainees at Delaney Hall in my district. We were fulfilling our lawful oversight responsibilities, as members of Congress have done many times before, and our visit should have been peaceful and short. Instead, ICE agents created an unnecessary and unsafe confrontation when they chose to arrest Mayor Baraka,&#8221; McIver said in a <a href="https://x.com/RepLaMonica/status/1924617694298378675" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>.
&#8220;The charges against me are purely political — they mischaracterize and distort my actions, and are meant to criminalize and deter legislative oversight,&#8221; she added. &#8220;This administration will never stop me from working for the people in our district and standing up for what is right. I am thankful for the outpouring of support I have received and I look forward to the truth being laid out clearly in court.&#8221;
Habba said she &#8220;persistently made efforts to address these issues without bringing criminal charges and have given Representative McIver every opportunity to come to a resolution, but she has unfortunately declined.&#8221; She concluded: &#8220;No one is above the law — politicians or otherwise. It is the job of this office to uphold justice impartially, regardless of who you are. Now we will let the justice system work.&#8221;
In a <a href="https://x.com/AlexisMcAdamsTV/status/1924635219237212445" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a> on X, Fox News national correspondent Alexis McAdams reported that she was told McIver is facing several felony charges and faces possible time behind bars.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem also issued a post on X concerning the situation.
&#8220;After a thorough review of the video footage of Delaney Hall and a full investigation from HSI, the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey has made the determination to charge Congresswoman LaMonica McIver for assaulting, resisting, and impeding law enforcement officers,&#8221; Noem said.
&#8220;No one is above the law. If any person, regardless of political party, influence or status, assaults a law enforcement officer as we witnessed Congresswoman McIver do, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,&#8221; she added. &#8220;We thank our brave ICE law enforcement officers for their service to this great nation.&#8221;
DHS previously <a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2025/05/09/members-congress-break-delaney-hall-detention-center" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> two other House Democrats — New Jersey Reps. Bonnie Watson-Coleman and Rob Menendez — &#8220;stormed the gate and broke into&#8221; the facility in Newark that day. Menendez <a href="https://x.com/PhilHollowayEsq/status/1920969269350695108" target="_blank" rel="noopener">questioned</a> how it was acceptable for authorities to &#8220;put their hands&#8221; on his colleagues.
House Republicans have introduced measures to punish the Democrats involved in the altercation, including a censure <a href="https://x.com/RepTimmons/status/1922429753698484552" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resolution</a> against McIver and a <a href="https://x.com/liz_elkind/status/1922347246147780625" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resolution</a> to strip them of their committee assignments.
Fox News reporter Chad Pergram <a href="https://x.com/ChadPergram/status/1922424558449262905" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shared</a> on X last week that House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said he believed there &#8220;needs to be an appropriate measure taken&#8221; as the &#8220;video doesn&#8217;t lie.&#8221; Johnson added, &#8220;I think it was wildly inappropriate for those members to do that and we&#8217;ll have to take appropriate action.&#8221;
On Monday, House Homeland Security Chairman Mark Green (R-TN) <a href="https://x.com/KaelanDC/status/1924630593221849273" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a statement, &#8220;Like most Americans, I am so tired of seeing those on the Left constantly get away with their lawless, criminal behavior. I fully support the Trump administration’s decision to charge Mrs. McIver, who sits on the Homeland Security Committee, of all places, for her actions that are clearly documented on video.&#8221;
He added, &#8220;I will continue to work with House leadership to ensure we do our part to hold her accountable, as well. We need to send a clear message to would-be lawbreakers around this country — under this administration, no matter how privileged you are, you will be subject to the rule of law.&#8221;

Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ)

Feds Charge New Jersey Democrat Over Clash With Agents At ICE Facility

Congress

House Democrats

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

New Jersey

U.S.

U.S. House of Representatives

The Department of Justice is reportedly set to settle a lawsuit brought by the family of Ashli Babbitt, who was killed on January 6, 2021, in the U.S. Capitol, for $5 million.
Babbitt’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the federal government last year, seeking $30 million. The Justice Department previously opposed the suit and planned to argue against it in a trial scheduled for July 2026.
Attorneys for the Justice Department and for Babbitt’s family said at a May 2 hearing that they had agreed to a settlement to end the case, according to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/05/19/ashli-babbitt-lawsuit-settlement/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Washington Post</a>. No deal was filed, and U.S. District Court Judge Ana Reyes ordered the parties to update the court about the agreement this coming Thursday, May 22.
The settlement is reportedly an agreement by the Trump administration to pay Babbitt’s family $5 million. Babbitt was fatally shot by a police officer on January 6 after entering the U.S. Capitol.
The Babbitt family is being represented in the case by Judicial Watch, whose president, Tom Fitton, declined to comment on the settlement in a post on X.
“[Judicial Watch] can&#8217;t yet comment on the Ashli Babbitt settlement amount that is being reported because the settlement still hasn&#8217;t been finalized. But I can say, contrary to initial WPOST report, [Judicial Watch] is not getting a third (or any portion) of any settlement. We are representing Ashil&#8217;s family pro bono!” Fitton posted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/JudicialWatch?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JudicialWatch</a> can&#39;t yet comment on the Ashli Babbitt settlement amount that is being reported because the settlement still hasn&#39;t been finalized. But I can say, contrary to initial WPOST report, <a href="https://twitter.com/JudicialWatch?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JudicialWatch</a> is not getting a third (or any portion) of any settlement. We are… <a href="https://t.co/Cn35tbXd5H">https://t.co/Cn35tbXd5H</a>
&mdash; Tom Fitton (@TomFitton) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomFitton/status/1924552757270167958?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia conducted an investigation into Babbitt&#8217;s death, and released its findings in April 2021. Investigators concluded that the police officer who shot Babbitt did not violate federal laws “beyond a reasonable doubt.”
“Specifically, the investigation revealed no evidence to establish that, at the time the officer fired a single shot at Ms. Babbitt, the officer did not reasonably believe that it was necessary to do so in self-defense or in defense of the Members of Congress and others evacuating the House Chamber,” the U.S. attorney’s office <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/department-justice-closes-investigation-death-ashli-babbitt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
President Donald Trump has taken a more sympathetic view of those involved in January 6. On his first day in office, Trump <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/granting-pardons-and-commutation-of-sentences-for-certain-offenses-relating-to-the-events-at-or-near-the-united-states-capitol-on-january-6-2021/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued</a> a sweeping clemency order for all of the nearly 1,600 people charged in connection with the Capitol riot. Most received full pardons while over a dozen others had their sentences commuted. Those who had not yet been tried had their cases dropped.

January 6th Solidarity Rally

Trump Admin Reportedly Reaches Settlement With Family Of Ashli Babbitt

Ashli Babbitt

Capitol Riot

Courts

Donald Trump

January 6

Judicial Watch

Authorities have identified the deceased suspect in a vehicle explosion outside a fertility clinic in Palm Springs, California, over the weekend, which they are treating as an act of domestic terrorism.
The suspect is Guy Edward Bartkus, 25, of nearby Twentynine Palms, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli <a href="https://x.com/USAttyEssayli/status/1924155038236365096" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> in a Sunday post on X.
&#8220;Bartkus is believed to be the individual who is deceased at the scene. Investigators are working to positively identify the remains,&#8221; Essayli said. &#8220;An anti pro-life manifesto believed to be authored by the suspect has been located and is being examined by the FBI.&#8221;
He continued: &#8220;We are happy to report that no embryos at the IVF center were damaged by the explosion. This case is being treated as an intentional act of domestic terrorism. The investigation is ongoing.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Palm Springs Explosion Update:
We can now confirm the identity of the suspect is Guy Edward Bartkus, 25, of 29 Palms.
Bartkus is believed to be the individual who is deceased at the scene. Investigators are working to positively identify the remains.
An anti pro-life…
— U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli (@USAttyEssayli) <a href="https://twitter.com/USAttyEssayli/status/1924155038236365096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
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A vehicle exploded on Saturday in a parking lot outside of the American Reproductive Centers (ARC) facility, ARC said in post on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AmericanReproductiveCenters" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Facebook</a>. The Los Angeles Times <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-05-18/palm-springs-clinic-bombing-authorities-probe-suspect-motive" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that there was &#8220;extensive damage&#8221; to the ARC clinic and vitro fertilization lab at the location, as well as blown-out windows in buildings blocks away.
While several people were <a href="https://ktla.com/news/local-news/person-of-interest-in-palm-springs-ivf-clinic-explosion-is-dead-officials-say/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> injured in the blast, ARC said no members of its team were harmed. ARC further shared that all eggs, embryos, and reproductive materials remained &#8220;fully secure and undamaged&#8221; in the lab.
In a post on X, the FBI&#8217;s Los Angeles field office said the vehicle in the explosion was a silver Ford Fusion sedan with the plate 8HWS848. The bureau also <a href="https://x.com/FBILosAngeles/status/1924160131798839439" target="_blank" rel="noopener">released</a> a photo of the suspect and requested the public share with it any information or upload any relevant video and images.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The FBI has identified Guy Edward Bartkus, 25, of 29 Palms as the primary suspect in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PalmSprings?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PalmSprings</a> vehicle explosion. The vehicle was a silver Ford Fusion sedan, plate 8HWS848. Please call 1800 CALLFBI with information or upload relevant video/images at <a href="https://t.co/CnxyRN1YIv">https://t.co/CnxyRN1YIv</a> <a href="https://t.co/dYAG26xCYY">pic.twitter.com/dYAG26xCYY</a>
— FBI Los Angeles (@FBILosAngeles) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBILosAngeles/status/1924160131798839439?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
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A search warrant was executed at a location in Twentynine Palms in connection to the explosion, Akil Davis, assistant director in charge of the FBI&#8217;s Los Angeles field office, <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/palm-springs-explosion-riverside-county-southern-california/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a press conference. He also stressed that officials did not believe there was an ongoing threat to the community despite some residents being evacuated in the area.
Davis additionally mentioned that Bartkus &#8220;had nihilistic ideations and this was a targeted attack&#8221; against the fertility clinic. He noted later: &#8220;We believe he was attempting to livestream it and, yes, that is also part of our investigation.&#8221;
ARC said it &#8220;will be fully operational on Monday morning, and our team is here to answer any concerns you may have,&#8221; adding, &#8220;We appreciate the incredible support from our patients and local community, as well as the swift action of Palm Springs Police, Fire, and emergency responders.&#8221;

Explosion Near Fertility Clinic In Palm Springs, CA Leaves One Dead

Suspected Fertility Clinic Bomber Had ‘Anti Pro-Life Manifesto,’ Authorities Say

California

Crime

Explosion

Terrorism

The Justice Department heads to the Supreme Court on Thursday to defend President Donald Trump&#8217;s executive order on birthright citizenship in a case that could have far-reaching implications on activist judges&#8217; ability to hamper Trump&#8217;s agenda. 
While the case, <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/daycall/Day%20Call_05-15-25.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump v. Casa</a>, revolves around Trump’s day one actions on birthright citizenship, the primary arguments are expected to focus on the power of lone judges to issue universal injunctions that apply to the whole country. The Trump administration has asked the court to rule three nationwide injunctions issued against the birthright citizenship order are only applied to the parties involved and not the whole country. 
“For the first 170 years of American jurisprudence, nationwide injunctions were virtually unknown,&#8221; Solicitor General John Sauer <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/24/24A886/354849/20250407110347000_24A886%20Reply.pdf">wrote</a> in an April 7 filing. &#8220;Their use remained sparing until this century, when they saw a dramatic upsurge in 2017, followed by an explosion in the last three months.&#8221;
“These injunctions exceed the district courts’ authority under Article III and gravely encroach on the President’s executive power under Article II. This Court’s intervention is urgently needed to restore the constitutional balance of separated powers,” he added. 
A win for the Trump administration would be significant blow to the Left, which has utilized judges to block much of Trump&#8217;s policies from immigration to efforts to dismantle the sprawling federal bureaucracy.
Sauer will present arguments before the court for about 30 minutes before two lawyers from public and private groups challenging Trump’s order argue for 15 minutes each. The Justice Department has asked the Supreme Court to narrow the scope of the three injunctions issued against Trump&#8217;s &#8220;Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship,” executive order.
That executive order directed the government to stop granting citizenship to individuals who were born to people illegally in the country or who were born to people living transiently in the United States. 
During a background call on the case attended by The Daily Wire, a Justice Department official said “the key question” in the case is about “what to do about all these nationwide injunctions.” The official noted that the rash of universal injunctions was &#8220;devastating&#8221; for Trump’s “ability to effectuate the agenda that he was elected to do.”
The official noted that 35 of the 39 total universal injunctions issued against the Trump administration have come from the same five courts: the districts of Massachusetts, Maryland, Washington, D.C., Northern California, and Western Washington.
&#8220;They just shop for the favorable forums in order to drag the executive branch’s policies to a halt,” an official said, adding that the Trump administration would be ready to defend the merits of the birthright citizenship order when and if those arguments came up.
Hans von Spakovsky, a senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation, told The Daily Wire, that he suspected the Supreme Court decided to take up the case partially in response to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/heres-how-activist-judges-fought-trumps-agenda-in-the-first-100-days" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criticism</a> for not reigning in district court judges in a multitude of other cases.
“The fact that they scheduled oral arguments on this case, past their usual deadline, tells you the importance that the court is attaching to this,” he said, noting the last oral arguments are typically scheduled for the beginning of May. 
Previous rulings from the court, including U.S. v. Mendoza (1984), could provide guidance for the court. In that decision, the court ruled that when a judgment is rendered against the government, courts can only apply judgment to parties in the lawsuit, von Spakovsky said. 
Von Spakovsky said that he expects the justices to focus on the injunction issue, and not the substantive debate after Trump&#8217;s interpretation of the 14th Amendment. He said that a win for the Trump administration could act as a warning to judges to not overstep their activity.
However, a loss he said would even further open up the floodgates of challenges to the administration.
“If the government loses this particular issue, it’s like opening the gates to a rock concert and letting the crowd just rush in without giving tickets,&#8221; he told The Daily Wire. &#8220;It’s going to mean that these judges all over the country can continue to issue these nationwide injunctions against almost any executive order.&#8221;

Supreme Court Continues Busy Week With Cases On Immigration Visas And Starbucks Union

Trump DOJ Asks Supreme Court To Restrain Activist Judges

birthright citizenship

Fourteenth Amendment

Illegal Immigation

Supreme Court

Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan is claiming “judicial immunity” after officials accused her of helping an illegal alien evade immigration enforcement.
A federal grand jury indicted Dugan earlier this week on charges of concealing a person from arrest and obstruction of proceedings. Dugan allegedly attempted to aid Mexican national Eduardo Flores-Ruiz escape Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials who waited outside Dugan’s courtroom last month.
“The problems with this prosecution are legion, but most immediately, the government cannot prosecute Judge Dugan because she is entitled to judicial immunity for her official acts. Immunity is not a defense to the prosecution to be determined later by a jury or court; it is an absolute bar to the prosecution at the outset,” a Wednesday filing from Dugan’s attorneys says, according to the <a href="https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2025/05/14/hannah-dugan-moves-to-dismiss-obstruction-case-on-judicial-immunity/83624812007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Milwaukee Journal Sentinel</a>.
Dugan’s attorneys said the charges, brought by the Department of Justice, violate the U.S. Constitution’s 10th Amendment about powers reserved to the states.
“[T]he immunity and federalism issues must be resolved swiftly because the government has no basis in law to prosecute her. The prosecution against her is barred. The Court should dismiss the indictment,” the filing states. “Since at least the early 17th century in England, and carried on through common law in the United States, judges of record have been entitled to absolute immunity for official acts with a few exceptions not applicable here.”
Administration officials have said that the case against Dugan shows that all are equal under the law.
Last month, law enforcement officials <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/judge-slapped-with-federal-charges-for-helping-criminal-illegal-flee-feds" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gathered</a> outside of Dugan’s courtroom waiting for Flores-Ruiz to exit. Dugan angrily confronted officials before directing Flores-Ruiz toward a side exit instead of the public door in an attempt to bypass law enforcement, according to the complaint against her.
“Despite having been advised of the administrative warrant for the arrest of Flores-Ruiz, Judge Dugan then escorted Flores-Ruiz and his counsel out of the courtroom through the ‘jury door,’ which leads to a nonpublic area of the courthouse,” the complaint against Dugan says.
“Shame on her,” Attorney General Pam Bondi <a href="https://x.com/charliekirk11/status/1915826498533310904" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> last month. “It was a domestic violence case, of all cases, and she was protecting a criminal defendant over victims of crime.”

Milwaukee County Courthouse

Wisconsin Judge Accused Of Helping Illegal Evade Feds Claims ‘Judicial Immunity’

Wisconsin

A 19-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday and charged with planning a mass shooting at a U.S. military base in Warren, Michigan, &#8220;on behalf of ISIS.&#8221;
According to the <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/michigan-man-arrested-and-charged-attempting-attack-military-base-behalf-isis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DOJ</a>, Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said told two undercover law enforcement agents that he formulated a plan to attack the U.S. Army’s Tank-Automotive &amp; Armaments Command (TACOM) facility in Warren. The suspect was arrested after the two undercover agents indicated that they were ready to carry out Said&#8217;s plan and scheduled the attack for May 13. Said was detained after launching his drone near the base.
The suspect is accused of providing &#8220;material assistance to the attack plan, including providing armor-piercing ammunition and magazines for the attack, flying his drone over TACOM to conduct operational reconnaissance, training the undercover employees on firearms and the construction of Molotov cocktails for use during the attack, and planning numerous details of the attack including how to enter TACOM and which building to target.&#8221; TACOM is part of the Detroit Arsenal, which is <a href="https://installations.militaryonesource.mil/in-depth-overview/u-s-army-garrison-detroit-arsenal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">home</a> to 144 active-duty Army soldiers and 8,000 Department of Defense civilian employees or contractors.
Said of Melvindale, Michigan, joined the Michigan Army National Guard in September 2022 and trained at Fort Moore in Georgia, according to the criminal complaint. After being sent to the Michigan Army National Guard Taylor Armory, he was discharged in December of 2024, but the complaint did not say why, ABC News <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/former-national-guardsman-allegedly-plotted-isis-inspired-attack/story?id=121797139" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. He began planning the mass shooting at the TACOM facility in November of 2024, according to the complaint.
“The arrest of this former soldier is a sobering reminder of the importance of our counterintelligence efforts to identify and disrupt those who would seek to harm our nation,” said Brig. Gen. Rhett R. Cox, the commanding general of Army Counterintelligence Command.
Said faces charges of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and distributing information related to a destructive device, according to the DOJ. He made his first court appearance on Wednesday in the Eastern District of Michigan and faces 20 years in prison for each count if he is convicted.
“ISIS is a brutal terrorist organization which seeks to kill Americans. Helping ISIS or any other terrorist organization prepare or carry out acts of violence is not only a reprehensible crime – it is a threat to our entire nation and way of life,” said U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. for the Eastern District of Michigan. “Our office will not tolerate such crimes or threats, and we will use the full weight of the law against anyone who engages in terrorism.”

Abrams Tank

Former Army National Guardsman Charged With Planning Mass Shooting At U.S. Base ‘On Behalf Of ISIS’

ISIS

Michigan

U.S. Army

A federal grand jury indicted a Wisconsin judge on Tuesday for allegedly aiding an illegal immigrant in an attempt to avoid law enforcement.
Authorities arrested Judge Hannah Dugan of the Milwaukee County Circuit Court last month after officials say she tried to help an illegal immigrant evade immigration authorities. Dugan’s indictment charged her with concealing a person from arrest and obstruction of proceedings.
“Judge Hannah C. Dugan has committed herself to the rule of law and the principles of due process for her entire career as a lawyer and a judge,” her lawyers said in a statement, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/13/us/milwaukee-judge-hannah-dugan-immigration.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Times</a>. “Judge Dugan asserts her innocence and looks forward to being vindicated in court.”
Dugan’s legal team is expected to enter a plea on Thursday, according to the <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/05/13/us-news/wisconsin-judge-hannah-dugan-indicted-over-allegedly-helping-illegal-migrant-evade-ice/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Post</a>. The Wisconsin Supreme Court has suspended Dugan from the bench while her case progresses.
Dugan allegedly aided Mexican national Eduardo Flores-Ruiz in his attempts to evade federal authorities.
Law enforcement officials gathered in a hallway outside of Dugan’s courtroom last month waiting for Flores-Ruiz to exit. Dugan confronted the officials while she was “visibly upset and had a confrontational, angry demeanor,” according to the criminal complaint. The judge then led Flores-Ruiz out a different exit from her courtroom instead of the public exit in an attempt to evade law enforcement.
“Despite having been advised of the administrative warrant for the arrest of Flores-Ruiz, Judge Dugan then escorted Flores-Ruiz and his counsel out of the courtroom through the ‘jury door,’ which leads to a nonpublic area of the courthouse,” the indictment says.
The Trump administration has defended Dugan’s arrest as an example of an equal standard of law for all.
“Shame on her,” Attorney General Pam Bondi <a href="https://x.com/charliekirk11/status/1915826498533310904" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> last month. “It was a domestic violence case, of all cases, and she was protecting a criminal defendant over victims of crime.”

Judge Slapped With Charges For Helping Illegal Evade Feds

Illegal Immigration

Milwaukee

On Tuesday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said that he would slow the process of confirming political nominees for the Department of Justice (DOJ) until more clarity is given on President Donald Trump&#8217;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-defends-400-million-flying-palace-offered-as-gift-from-qatar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">plan</a> to receive a roughly $400 million luxury aircraft known as the &#8220;Flying Palace&#8221; from Qatar.
The move comes after sources told <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-administration-poised-accept-palace-sky-gift-trump/story?id=121680511" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC News</a> that Attorney General Pam Bondi provided a legal memo to White House lawyer David Warrington and they determined it was &#8220;legally permissible&#8221; for the donation of the Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet to be conditioned on transferring ownership to the Trump presidential library foundation shortly before the end of the president&#8217;s term.
&#8220;This is not just naked corruption, it is also a grave national security threat,&#8221; Schumer said in a Senate floor speech. &#8220;So, in light of the deeply troubling news of a possible Qatari-funded Air Force One, and the reports that the attorney general personally signed off on this clearly unethical deal, I am announcing a hold on all DOJ political nominees until we get more answers.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/SenSchumer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenSchumer</a>: &#8220;In light of the deeply troubling news of a possible Qatari-funded Air Force One and the reports that the Attorney General personally signed off on this clearly unethical deal I am announcing a hold on all DOJ political nominees until we get more answers.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/0TFPTWnxJM">pic.twitter.com/0TFPTWnxJM</a>
— CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1922301849857561063?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Schumer listed a number of questions focused on security risks and seeking clarity on whether taxpayers would be on the hook for the plane.
The top Democrat said the DOJ’s Foreign Agents Registration Act Unit needs to “disclose all activities by Qatari foreign agents inside the US that could benefit President Trump or the Trump Organization.&#8221; He also declared that Bondi &#8220;must testify before both the House and the Senate to explain why gifting Donald Trump a private jet does not violate the Emoluments Clause — which requires congressional approval — or any ethics law.&#8221;
A hold requires Senate majority leadership to schedule a floor vote for a nominee, bypassing the faster unanimous consent process that would allow the upper chamber to confirm the president&#8217;s picks in batches. Democrats have employed the hold strategy and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/schumer-intervenes-block-trumps-us-attorney-nominees" target="_blank" rel="noopener">other</a> tactics to stymie other Trump nominees.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngpt6czKdiw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">signaled</a> on Monday that Republicans would move forward with Trump&#8217;s picks, adding that he hoped Democrats would stop their &#8220;pointless obstruction&#8221; because allowing the upper chamber to confirm nominees would allow lawmakers more room to legislate and spend more time in their states. &#8220;But if we have to do this the hard way, we will,&#8221; Thune said. &#8220;We’re going to get the president’s team in place.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
It’s pretty clear that obstructing, not legislating, is Democrats’ priority right now.
Since we’re not able to consider the GENIUS Act this week, thanks to Democrats, we’re going to turn to nominations – another area where they have made obstruction the name of the game. <a href="https://t.co/n05UyFZdbf">pic.twitter.com/n05UyFZdbf</a>
— Leader John Thune (@LeaderJohnThune) <a href="https://twitter.com/LeaderJohnThune/status/1922017202061918510?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Qatar is one of the wealthiest nations in the world, and it spends massive sums of money to gain influence in the United States. It also uses its riches to bankroll the terrorist group Hamas and the Middle Eastern news powerhouse Al Jazeera. The oil-rich government frequently invites politicians on state-funded junkets to the Middle East, where they are treated to all the luxuries that Qatar has to offer.
Amid a torrent of criticism, including many who generally support Trump, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2025-05-11/trump-set-to-accept-luxury-747-from-qatar-to-use-as-air-force-one-abc-news-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>, &#8220;Any gift given by a foreign government is always accepted in full compliance with all applicable laws. President Trump’s administration is committed to full transparency.&#8221;
Trump, who is expected to visit Qatar this week during a swing through the Middle East, also dismissed the concerns in a <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114492082555622686" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a> on Truth Social.
&#8220;So the fact that the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40 year old Air Force One, temporarily, in a very public and transparent transaction, so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane. Anybody can do that! The Dems are World Class Losers!!! MAGA,&#8221; Trump said.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY)

Schumer Moves To Inflict Pain On Trump Over $400 Million ‘Flying Palace’ From Qatar

Charles Schumer

Chuck Schumer

Executive

Qatar

U.S. Senate

The Trump administration’s Department of Justice has <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/chinese-company-and-three-chinese-nationals-indicted-unlawfully-importing-pill-making" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> that a federal grand jury indicted a Chinese company and three Chinese nationals for allegedly illegally importing equipment capable of producing millions of potentially lethal fake pills.
The indictment, unsealed on Monday, targeted CapsulCN International Co. Ltd. (CapsulCN) and Xiochuan “Ricky” Pan, 40, Tingyan “Monica” Yang, 37, and Xi “Inna” Chen, 30, all of whom were charged with smuggling, Controlled Substances Act, and money laundering offenses in connection with CapsulCN’s unlawful import and distribution of tableting machines (also known as “pill presses”), encapsulating machines, and counterfeit die molds.
“Over a quarter of a million Americans have died from a fentanyl overdose since 2018,” USA Facts <a href="https://usafacts.org/articles/are-fentanyl-overdose-deaths-rising-in-the-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">notes</a>. &#8220;During 2023, approximately 72,000, or nearly seven in 10, drug overdose deaths in the United States were estimated to involve illegally manufactured fentanyls (IMFs),” the CDC has <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/wr/mm7348a2.htm#:~:text=During%202023%2C%20approximately%2072%2C000%2C%20or,in%20the%20U.S.%20drug%20supply." target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
“Four internet domains used by CapsulCN to market and sell illicit pill-making equipment to U.S. customers were seized today in connection with this investigation,” the DOJ revealed.
“This indictment and today’s domain seizures send an unmistakable message to criminals in the People’s Republic of China and across the world — the Department will use every weapon in its arsenal to combat those who facilitate the manufacture and distribution of deadly drugs in the United States,” Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated.
“This U.S. Attorney’s Office is focused on bringing the full force of justice to anyone who conspires to poison our communities with fentanyl,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas. “Whether through the importation of pill presses and related materials, as alleged in this indictment, or through trafficking precursor chemicals and the drug itself, it is evident that bad actors are determined to harm Americans with fentanyl. Our federal prosecutors, through collaborative efforts with our law enforcement partners, are determined to stop them.”
“These indictments against Chinese nationals exemplify Homeland Security Investigations’ unwavering commitment to breaking every link of the global fentanyl supply chain,” Special Agent in Charge Jason T. Stevens of the HSI El Paso Division echoed. “We are committed to continue working hand-in-hand with our domestic and international law enforcement partners to get deadly fentanyl out of our communities and put an end to the chaos and devastation resulting from this epidemic.”
The DOJ explained:
<blockquote>
Many of the fake pills containing fentanyl and other controlled substances seized in the United States are manufactured using relatively inexpensive pill-making equipment — such as pill presses, encapsulating machines, and die molds — obtained from Chinese pharmaceutical equipment companies and imported into the United States. These fake pills often mimic the look, feel, and effect of legitimate pharmaceutical drugs and are particularly dangerous and misleading to U.S. consumers, who may falsely believe they are taking legitimate prescription medication that is safer and less addictive than the fentanyl and methamphetamine the pills really contain.
</blockquote>
The effort to discover the illegal importation was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. “Established in 1982, OCDETF is the centerpiece of the Attorney General’s strategy to combat transnational-organized-crime and to reduce the availability of illicit narcotics in the nation by using a prosecutor-led, multi-agency approach to enforcement,” the DOJ <a href="https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">states</a>.

Nogales, Arizona, USA – Nov 06 2023: Fentanyl pills seized by U.S. Custom and Border Protection officers at the Port of Mariposa

Chinese Company Accused Of Smuggling Equipment To U.S. Used To Make Fake Pills, Mislead Americans

China

Fentanyl

Pharmaceuticals

smuggle

Several New Jersey Democrats claimed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents got “rough” with them on Friday, but body-cam footage told a very different story.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/newark-mayor-arrested-after-dem-reps-storm-new-jersey-ice-facility-charge-past-security-officers">incident</a> unfolded outside Delaney Hall, a detention facility housing criminal illegal aliens in Newark, New Jersey, as several House Democrats (New Jersey Reps. Bonnie Watson-Coleman, LaMonica McIver, and Rob Menendez) pushed past security and demanded access to and oversight of the facility.
According to reports, the protesters waited outside the gate until it was opened for a vehicle transporting detainees, at which point they rushed through the gate. Democratic Newark Mayor Ras Baraka also participated in the breach and was arrested.
On Saturday, after the Garden State Democrats claimed that they’d been manhandled and roughed up by the ICE agents, the Justice Department released body-cam footage of the clash between protesters and officers.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
NEW: DHS has provided <a href="https://twitter.com/FoxNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FoxNews</a> ICE bodycam video from the altercation at the Delaney Hall detention facility yesterday. They say the video clearly shows <a href="https://twitter.com/RepLaMonica?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepLaMonica</a> (red clothing) shoving/elbowing her way past a DHS agent to get past the gate and into the property, followed… <a href="https://t.co/GOAKm6U80W">pic.twitter.com/GOAKm6U80W</a>
&mdash; Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) <a href="https://twitter.com/BillMelugin_/status/1921217033825644967?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Fox News national correspondent Bill Melugin explained what was shown in the body-cam footage:
“NEW: DHS has provided @FoxNews ICE bodycam video from the altercation at the Delaney Hall detention facility yesterday,” Melugin posted via X. “They say the video clearly shows @RepLaMonica (red clothing) shoving/elbowing her way past a DHS agent to get past the gate and into the property, followed behind by @RepMenendez &amp; that it also shows Congresswoman McIver screaming in the faces of DHS agents.”
“The members of Congress claim they were assaulted and ‘roughed up’ during the incident, and deny DHS’ characterization that they ‘stormed’ the facility,” he added.
Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons joined “Fox &amp; Friends: Weekend” on Saturday to discuss the incident, and he praised the agents on the ground for doing their jobs despite the ongoing protests and opposition from lawmakers.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
&quot;I&#39;d like very much for someone to say thank you&quot;: Todd Lyons says ICE agents have put their lives on the line to detain public safety threats held at this New Jersey center <a href="https://t.co/tjeMBN0VWT">pic.twitter.com/tjeMBN0VWT</a>
&mdash; FOX &amp; Friends (@foxandfriends) <a href="https://twitter.com/foxandfriends/status/1921172148736987197?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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“I&#8217;d like very much for someone to say thank you,” Lyons said.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who is also campaigning to be New Jersey’s next governor, has been protesting the ICE detention center since before it even opened. Earlier in the week, he had city officials park a bulldozer in front of the gate, blocking access to the facility.

ICE Agents Detain Suspected Undocumented Immigrants In Raids

Democrats Claim ICE Agents ‘Roughed Them Up.’ Body-Cam Footage Says Otherwise.

A father who has been engaged in a year-long battle against his local school district asked the Trump administration on Friday to investigate Pennsylvania over its “systemic failure” to provide parents with a mechanism to hold school officials accountable. 
The controversy began after the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/school-enlists-genderqueer-witch-to-speak-to-students-about-dating-survey-them-about-their-sexuality" target="_blank" rel="noopener">allowed</a> a “genderqueer” witch to distribute a sexually-themed survey to 14-year-olds in May 2023 without parental consent. Chad Williams, a parent who lives in the district, says that no one has been held accountable for the distribution of the surveys, which he says violated state and federal privacy laws. 
Williams wants the Justice Department to look into both the school district and Pennsylvania after he says state entities failed to conduct any serious investigation. 
“Parents must be given the right to opt-out of instruction that is religiously offensive or otherwise violates parental rights and the failure of a school district to afford such opportunities is a violation of due process and equal protection,” the Pacific Justice Institute&#8217;s Janice Lorrah wrote in a complaint sent to Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education recently closed the educator misconduct complaint that Williams filed against the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District. 
In an email to district parents, Sanville celebrated the conclusion of the Pennsylvania Department of Education probe and said that school complaint processes had been &#8220;weaponized for personnel grievances.&#8221;
Williams told The Daily Wire that no one from the state interviewed him or allowed him to present evidence during its year-long investigation. He now says that he needs the Justice Department to step in because Pennsylvania has dropped the ball. 
“Unlike other states, which have robust administrative mechanisms to investigate and adjudicate privacy violations, Pennsylvania lacks a centralized complaint system, dedicated oversight, and effective enforcement, thus denying parents and students due process under the Fourteenth Amendment,&#8221; his complaint says. 
“Instead, Pennsylvania delegates complaint handling to local education agencies, leaving parents without recourse when a school district fails to — or refuses to — follow its own policies and procedures,” the complaint adds. 
Williams believes that the district violated the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. He points out that President Donald Trump’s <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/ending-radical-indoctrination-in-k-12-schooling/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">executive order</a> on “ending radical indoctrination” in public schools specifically calls out violations of the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment. 
In previous communications with parents, the district <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/school-admits-to-surveying-students-about-sexuality-without-parental-permission" target="_blank" rel="noopener">admitted</a> that the surveys were in violation of district policy and federal privacy laws. The surveys asked students about their gender identity and whether they had ever been “pressured” into a sexual act or whether someone had pressured them to do something sexual.
“The district admitted that they violated those statutes but yet the state wouldn’t take any disciplinary action for the violations of law,” Williams told The Daily Wire.

Daily Life In Washington, D.C.

Father Takes ‘Genderqueer Witch’ Survey Fight To Trump, Accuses Pennsylvania Of Failing Parents

Education

Pennsylvania

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