Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned on Tuesday that “mass chaos” and potential airspace shutdowns will affect air travelers if the government shutdown continues into next week, with shortages of air traffic controllers and TSA agents reaching a critical level.
“If you bring us to a week from today, Democrats, you will see mass chaos, you will see mass flight delays,” Duffy told reporters at a Tuesday news conference held by Pennsylvania Sen. Dave McCormick (R) and Sen. John Fetterman (D), one of only three Democrats who have repeatedly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-daily-wire-sits-down-with-john-fetterman-who-doesnt-hear-from-democrats-anymore">voted</a> to end the shutdown.
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BREAKING: The Department of Transportation might be forced to shut down airspace in certain parts of the country if the government shutdown continues into next week, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on Tuesday.
Read more: <a href="https://t.co/8OnWWD1VUl">https://t.co/8OnWWD1VUl</a> <a href="https://t.co/dHrYJVreDQ">pic.twitter.com/dHrYJVreDQ</a>
— ABC News (@ABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABC/status/1985763806228988307?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
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“You’ll see mass cancellations, and you may see us close certain parts of the airspace, because we just cannot manage it because we don’t have the air traffic controllers.”
Nearly 50% of major air traffic control facilities across the country already face critical staffing shortages as the shutdown extends into its 35th day, with approximately 13,000 controllers currently required to work without paychecks during the shutdown.
The Federal Aviation Administration <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/delays-safety-concerns-shortages-air-traffic-controllers/story?id=127055961">reported</a> on Friday that 80% of aviation staff in the New York area had called out, a problem Duffy only expects to worsen as the shutdown continues.
“If this shutdown doesn’t end now, air traffic controllers will receive another $0 paycheck,” Duffy wrote Monday on X. “Many controllers are not coming to work because they have to find a job that WILL pay them so they can survive.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Yesterday saw another horrible record set: 84% of delays were due to staff shortages.
If this shutdown doesn’t end now, air traffic controllers will receive another $0 paycheck.
Many controllers are not coming to work because they have to find a job that WILL pay them so they… <a href="https://t.co/PHK4gwaPzt">pic.twitter.com/PHK4gwaPzt</a>
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDuffy/status/1985420348687516025?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Delays and disruptions have already <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/10/07/flight-delays-shutdown-air-traffic-control-staffing-issues">impacted</a> airports in the Los Angeles area, Newark, and Denver over the past month, with Duffy stating that staffing shortages were the cause of 84% of the delays over the weekend.
The staffing shortages have led to many controllers working overtime or covering roles that other controllers would otherwise fill, in addition to their own.
“There is a level of risk that gets injected into the system when we have a controller that’s doing two jobs instead of one,” Duffy warned on Saturday amid a ground stop that was in effect at Newark Liberty International Airport due to staffing issues. “We will delay, we will cancel any kind of flight across the national airspace to make sure people are safe.”
The shutdown shows no sign of resolution in the near future, as nearly every Senate Democrat has <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/11/04/us-news/trump-admin-may-be-forced-to-close-parts-of-us-airspace-if-shutdown-lasts-into-next-week-duffy-says/">voted</a> 14 times against a stopgap measure that would fund the government until November 21, using it as leverage to force concessions from Republicans to extend Obamacare subsidies set to expire at the end of this year.
The Obamacare tax credits were expanded under former President Joe Biden during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the New York Post.
In an interview with The Daily Wire on Monday, Pennsylvania Democratic Senator John Fetterman said he didn’t buy his party’s justification for the shutdown.
“I think shutting our government down simply because we have to ‘fight,’ or because that’s part of this resistance, I don’t agree with it,” the senator said. “And I think we’re gonna hurt the kinds of people who are at the center of our party.”

CrowdedAirport

‘We Just Cannot Manage’: Duffy Warns Shutdown Will Force Airspace Closures

Air Travel

Congress

Department of Transportation

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

Government Shutdown

John Fetterman

Politics

Sean Duffy

Trump Administration

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on Sunday that air traffic controller shortages are causing a “level of risk” that might necessitate flight delays and cancellations to ensure traveler safety as the government shutdown drags on.
Appearing Sunday on ABC’s “This Week” with host Martha Raddatz, Duffy was asked about various issues being caused by air traffic control shortages.
“Americans have experienced major delay. There&#8217;s a ground stop this morning at Newark all because air traffic controllers are calling in sick. The FAA is saying that currently, nearly 50% of major air traffic control facilities are experiencing staffing shortages, and nearly 80% of air traffic controllers are out at New York-area facilities,” Raddatz said. “We know that safety is your greatest concern, but at some point, might you have to shut down portions of the U.S. airspace, maybe even airports? What point are we at that possibility?”
After noting that he’s been speaking with air traffic controllers who are understandably frustrated as “Democrats are focusing on illegal health care,” Duffy stated that the administration will do what’s necessary to ensure passenger safety.
“We will delay, we will cancel any kind of flight across the national airspace to make sure people are safe. But there is a level of risk that gets injected into the system when we have a controller that&#8217;s doing two jobs instead of one. We manage that, we look out for it, and safety is the priority. We&#8217;ll take all steps necessary, though, to make sure that you get from point A to point B, and you do it safely,” Duffy said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Transportation Sec. Duffy warns of a “level of risk” when air traffic controllers are stretched too thin, but says that safety is his department’s priority: “We will delay, we will cancel, any kind of flight across the national airspace to make sure people are safe.”… <a href="https://t.co/CALMD4sufL">pic.twitter.com/CALMD4sufL</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/1984995260431323486?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Raddatz also pressed Duffy on a timeline: “How close are we to this point where you might have to close airspace or airports as we watch air traffic controllers calling in sick?”
Duffy responded that as expenses pile up for air traffic controllers who aren’t being paid, decisions will have to be made on supplemental employment.
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“And the problem is these controllers, a lot of them are new controllers, or they&#8217;re trainee controllers. They don&#8217;t make a lot of money, and so they may be the only person that is bringing money into the household. They have to make a decision: do I go to work and not get a paycheck and not put food on the table, or do I drive for Uber or Door Dash or wait tables?”
“I hope Democrats are going to come to their senses and open the government back up. But I would just tell you, as bad as it is, the numbers you just gave … if the government doesn&#8217;t open in the next week or two, we&#8217;ll look back as these were the good days, not the bad days. It&#8217;s only going to get worse,” the Transportation Secretary said.
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&#8220;If the government doesn&#8217;t open in the next week or two, we&#8217;ll look back as these were the good days, not the bad days.&#8221;
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy speaks with <a href="https://twitter.com/MarthaRaddatz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@martharaddatz</a> about the growing difficulty ATC workers face while going without pay. <a href="https://t.co/x73HSd9XsC">https://t.co/x73HSd9XsC</a> <a href="https://t.co/mZpj7sku0n">pic.twitter.com/mZpj7sku0n</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/1984995693518352749?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Transportation Secretary: If Shutdown Continues, Flights Will Be Delayed, Canceled To Ensure Safety

Trump brings home some major W’s from his Asia trip, the administration looks to crack down on commercial driver&#8217;s licenses for illegal immigrants, and South America trends toward the Right. 
It’s Friday, October 31, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below, and the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/mrn-2501031-member-exclusive?elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+Show+Episodes+Carousel">video version can be seen on The Daily Wire</a>:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trumps-asia-victory-south-americas-right-turn-10-31-25/id1576594336?i=1000734411033" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump And Xi Reach Agreements</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-994029 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Beijing-Breakthrough-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Beijing-Breakthrough-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Beijing-Breakthrough-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Beijing-Breakthrough-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Beijing-Breakthrough-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Beijing-Breakthrough.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
Topline: Following his showdown with Chinese President Xi Jinping, President Trump has returned from his Asia tour with new deals in hand and perhaps most importantly, reduced tensions with China. 
After the meeting, Xi described the feeling as “warm” and Trump touted what he called an “amazing meeting.” Here he is grading the talk aboard Air Force One. 
“Overall, I guess on the scale of 0-10, with ten being the best, I would say the meeting was a 12,” <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2hY2qJYtj0">said</a> Trump.
Trump said official terms of a deal are “very close to resolved,” but it appears the big ticket items on his wishlist were met. In a Truth Social post early Thursday, the President said Xi had agreed to “work diligently with us to stop the flow of Fentanyl into our Country.” As a result of those assurances, Trump announced plans to lower the existing tariff that was imposed on China in response to fentanyl trafficking. 
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In addition, Trump said Xi agreed to “purchase American energy,” potentially oil and gas from Alaska. Trump is looking to keep Beijing from buying Russian oil, so that would be a win-win.
On the agricultural front, Trump says China has also agreed to begin purchasing massive amounts of soybeans, sorghum, and other farm products. With that news, he encouraged farmers to “immediately go out and buy more land and larger tractors.” And finally, he said the Chinese would resume the sale of rare earth minerals used for tech products and large magnets.
Trump says the overall tariff rate on Chinese exports will fall from 57% to 47%, leaving significant trade barriers in place, but far lower than the 100% plus rate that was looming without a deal. The two countries also agreed to remove port fees that had been impacting cargo ships from each side. Looking ahead, Trump said the two leaders will continue to meet on a more regular basis — he’ll travel to Beijing in April, and Xi will come to the US shortly after, potentially to Mar-a-Lago.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">How Illegals Keep Scoring CDLs</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-994027 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/The-CDL-Loophole-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/The-CDL-Loophole-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/The-CDL-Loophole-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/The-CDL-Loophole-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/The-CDL-Loophole-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/The-CDL-Loophole.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
Topline: The Trump administration has pledged to crack down on illegal immigrant drivers, but Americans have been left wondering: why do these crashes keep happening?
An accident in Florida brought this issue into the national spotlight. An accident was allegedly caused by an illegal immigrant identified as Harjinder Singh, an Indian national. Singh allegedly made an illegal u-turn, blocking a highway, and causing a van to careen into Singh’s trailer. Three people were killed in the crash.
Several similar cases have happened since then, often involving illegal immigrants carrying California-issued commercial driver&#8217;s licenses (CDLs).
Some of the major contributors to this issue of illegal immigrants obtaining CDLs have been the flood of illegal immigration into the United States under former President Joe Biden, and then the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-illegal-immigrant-truck-drivers-ended-up-on-americas-roads">failure</a> of the federal government to ensure that CDL applicants received proper testing before they were handed driver&#8217;s licenses.
In Singh’s case, the Indian national failed an English language proficiency test in the aftermath of the fatal collision, “providing correct responses to just 2 of 12 verbal questions and only accurately identifying 1 of 4 highway traffic signs,” according to the Department of Transportation.
A Republican-backed bill in Congress <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/republican-bill-takes-aim-at-democrat-states-giving-truck-licenses-to-illegal-aliens">aims</a> to crack down on these holes in the system. Under the legislation, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy would have the authority to revoke a state’s ability to grant “non-domiciled CDLs,” or commercial licenses for applicants who live out of state, if the state were found in violation of federal rules around CDLs.
The bill would also standardize some rules about the CDL process by requiring all testing to be conducted in English and that all CDL applicants hold a driver’s license for at least one year.
The Trump administration is taking steps to ensure that all testing is done in English. Duffy is also conducting a nationwide audit of state CDL permitting programs. The worst offender is California, where more than 25% of non-domiciled CDLs reviewed by the feds were improperly issued, <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/trumps-transportation-secretary-sean-p-duffy-takes-emergency-action-protect-americas">according</a> to the Department of Transportation.
The Trump administration is also restricting who can get a CDL. Foreigners must have specialized work visas. They can&#8217;t be border crossers who are awaiting the fate of their asylum cases.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">South America Moves Right</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-994025 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/South-American-Shifts-Right-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/South-American-Shifts-Right-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/South-American-Shifts-Right-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/South-American-Shifts-Right-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/South-American-Shifts-Right-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/South-American-Shifts-Right.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
Topline: Massive political shifts are taking place in South America – including rightward shifts in multiple countries, such as Bolivia and Argentina – and the Trump administration is playing a key role on several fronts. Morning Wire spoke to Andres Martinez-Fernandez, senior policy analyst for Latin America at The Heritage Foundation, for more on South American governments. (The following interview has been lightly edited.)
Morning Wire: We’ve seen rapidly changing dynamics between the administration and various political leaders in South America. Let’s start with Argentina. We just saw Javier Milei’s party win a landslide victory. How significant is this victory in the country?
Martinez-Fernandez: It&#8217;s really significant because President Milei is representing a major departure from what has been for the past couple decades. Argentine leadership is typically Left, far-Left leaning and socialist in its nature for economic policies. That has brought about generally an anti-American bent. But President Milei has brought an agenda which is really the opposite of all those – very pro-market, individual responsibility, cutting government. As far as relations with the United States, we&#8217;ve likely never had a more aligned leader in Argentina. This victory really solidified what was, with his victory a couple years back for the presidency, a massive shift. But it really solidifies that with this legislative win, which is going to help him with his agenda.
Morning Wire: The U.S. recently helped Argentina with a $40 billion support package – how much of a role did that play in this election?
Martinez-Fernandez: I think a very significant role, and President Trump deserves a lot of credit for the victory that we saw for Milei’s party. What we saw was, just in the days prior to the election, the White House meeting with President Milei and President Trump and the announcement of this package, which is directly aimed at stabilizing the financial crisis, which was generated by the socialist policies which dominated in Argentina for so long. This is a vital economic stability move, but in addition to that, it&#8217;s a major sign of confidence from the United States and from the world, which I think translated into more confidence from Argentines in the president of Argentina&#8217;s ability to stabilize the economy and try a new path forward.
Morning Wire: Turning to Bolivia. We recently saw a monumental election there  – the first conservative president in 20 years. What is the significance of the election there and does it fit into a larger trend in South America?
Martinez-Fernandez: Yeah, absolutely. It does seem to be certainly part of a broader trend that we&#8217;ve seen. In a lot of ways, President Milei was the start of this as far as the current wave of right-of-center leaders coming to power, Bolivia being the most recent. But before that, we saw elections in Ecuador, which solidified a more conservative leader, and also elsewhere in the region. We have upcoming elections in countries like Chile, Brazil, and Peru, where a conservative candidate is well-poised also for victory there. I do think part of that is centering from the impetus that we see from the successes of Argentina, but more broadly, the Trump administration&#8217;s very positive engagement with these partners. The shift in Bolivia specifically is historic. This is a country which has just been completely controlled politically by the socialist movement there, which has dominated institutions and weaponized those to maintain power. The people just overwhelmingly, despite all of that, rejected that movement and now have a more conservative leader who has promised to do a series of shifts – not only as far as domestically aligning with more pro-market economic and stable policies, but also as far as shifting toward the United States and Western alliances.

MRN_251030_V1

Morning Brief: Trump Moves Needle With Xi, Illegals Endanger U.S. Roads, & South America Shifts Right

Morning Brief: Trump-Xi Make A Deal, CDL Loophole For Illegals, And South America Moves Right

Argentina

California

Donald Trump

Javier Milei

Morning Wire

South America

Xi Jinping

WASHINGTON — Major pilots associations are calling on Congress to end the government shutdown, citing the &#8220;strain&#8221; on the United States aviation system as the shutdown drags into its twenty-fourth day.
During Thursday&#8217;s White House Press Briefing, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt highlighted that the Thanksgiving holiday is approaching, warning that the White House fears &#8220;there will be significant flight delays, disruptions and cancellations across the country this holiday season.&#8221;
&#8220;If Democrats continue to shut down the government, they will also be shutting down American air travel,&#8221; Leavitt warned. There are about 13,000 air traffic controllers who are considered &#8220;essential&#8221; workers and are currently working without pay due to the shutdown. TSA agents are also having to work without pay.
The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (which represents 11,000 Southwest Airlines pilots), the Airline Pilots Association (which represents 80,000 pilots), <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/10/23/pilot-unions-congress-government-shutdown/86857014007/">the Allied Pilots Association</a> (which represents 16,000 American Airlines pilots), and the <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/10/23/pilot-unions-congress-government-shutdown/86857014007/">NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots</a> (which represents 3,700 pilots who fly for the private company NetJets) are all issuing statements begging lawmakers to end the shutdown ahead of the holidays.
The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association and the Airline Pilots Association put out public statements, while USA Today <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/10/23/pilot-unions-congress-government-shutdown/86857014007/">reported</a> that NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots and the Allied Pilots Association both called for the shutdown to end as well. Additionally, the Regional Airline Association (RAA) and the Modern Skies Coalition spoke out against the shutdown in late September.
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“Considering the strain on our nation’s aviation system, SWAPA strongly urges Congress to pass a clean Continuing Resolution to fund the government,” said Captain Jody Reven, the president of Southwest Airlines Pilot Association (SWAPA).
“Our air traffic controllers and the broader air traffic system are already operating under immense pressure — a government shutdown only compounds that stress and threatens the efficiency of our skies as we see the impact of reduced controller availability at facilities across the country,&#8221; he added. &#8220;Likewise, TSA professionals continue to show up every day to safeguard the traveling public, even without pay. These men and women deserve our full support and the certainty of a paycheck.”
&#8220;We have seen the stress and tension this year on the National Airspace System due to short-staffed air traffic controllers,&#8221; <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/10/23/pilot-unions-congress-government-shutdown/86857014007/">argued</a> the Coalition of Airline Pilot Associations in a statement to USA Today. &#8220;This shutdown only compounds the pressures they face as they now report to work without a paycheck.&#8221;
The Air Line Pilots Association also said this week that the shutdown is &#8220;undermining our system&#8217;s safety.&#8221;
&#8220;Resources are stretched thin, negotiations delayed tech &amp; strain grows daily,&#8221; the association said in an X post. &#8220;Show your solidarity with those still on the job—ATC, TSA, techs—keeping aviation safe without pay. It’s time for Congress to end the shutdown.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
This shutdown is undermining our system’s safety. Resources are stretched thin, negotiations delayed tech &amp; strain grows daily. Show your solidarity with those still on the job—ATC, TSA, techs—keeping aviation safe without pay. It’s time for Congress to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EndTheShutdown?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EndTheShutdown</a>. <a href="https://t.co/TXFRiUcrOy">pic.twitter.com/TXFRiUcrOy</a>
— Air Line Pilots Association (@ALPAPilots) <a href="https://twitter.com/ALPAPilots/status/1980715753478259120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
On Thursday morning, White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers stressed to The Daily Wire that Democrats believe they are benefitting from the shutdown — and thus refuse to end it.
“Democrats say that every day of the shutdown gets better and that they want to use suffering families as leverage to achieve their radical left-wing agenda — but the people they’re using as ‘leverage’ disagree,&#8221; Rogers said. &#8220;From pilots to flight attendants and air traffic controllers, their message is simple: the Democrats need to stop causing chaos and end the shutdown.”

Landing in sunset hues, airplane landing at sunrise.

Major Pilots Associations Call On Congress To End Government Shutdown

Pilots

U.S.

Several Republican lawmakers are expected to introduce a bill on Thursday aimed at stopping illegal aliens from getting licenses to drive commercial trucks in deep blue regions.
Kentucky Congressman Andy Barr has partnered with Senators Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Bill Hagerty of Tennessee to advance legislation that would authorize the Trump administration to crack down on states found to be granting Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDL) to illegal aliens, according to documents reviewed by The Daily Wire.
Under the legislation, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy would have the authority to revoke a state’s ability to grant “non-domiciled CDLs,” or commercial licenses for applicants who live out of state, if the state were found in violation of federal rules around CDLs.
“By issuing CDLs to illegal immigrants, states like California are undermining federal law and endangering public safety,” Barr, who is running to succeed Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, told The Daily Wire. “Our bill restores accountability by strengthening President Trump’s authority to hold liberal states in check when they defy federal law and recklessly grant CDLs to illegal immigrants.”
The bill would also standardize some rules about the CDL process by requiring all testing to be conducted in English and that all CDL applicants hold a driver’s license for at least one year.
“For everyone’s safety, you must be able to read and understand English road signs when operating a commercial vehicle. Our bill would require commercial drivers to pass the test given in English,” said Cotton in a statement.
Duffy has taken action to clamp down on California’s CDL program after authorities say an illegal alien trucker <a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2025/08/18/criminal-illegal-alien-recklessly-driving-18-wheeler-kills-three-florida" target="_blank" rel="noopener">caused</a> a wreck in Florida that killed three Americans. The trucker, Harjinder Singh, <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/08/19/us-news/illegal-migrant-truck-driver-in-deadly-florida-crash-failed-english-road-sign-tests-despite-getting-licenses-from-2-sanctuary-states/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">obtained</a> a CDL most recently in California and allegedly caused the wreck after attempting an illegal U-turn. Singh is believed to have illegally entered the United States in 2018.
The Transportation Secretary has targeted California’s federal funding. On Wednesday, Duffy’s department <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/trumps-transportation-secretary-sean-p-duffy-announces-consequences-californias" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> that it had revoked over $40 million in funding for California from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Duffy slashed funding for the deep blue state after the Department of Transportation investigation into California’s CDL program <a href="https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/newsroom/trumps-transportation-secretary-sean-p-duffy-takes-emergency-action-protect-americas-roads#:~:text=Moving%20forward%2C%20non%2Dcitizens%20will,presence%20in%20the%20U.S.%20expired" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found</a> that more than a quarter of non-domiciled commercial licenses issued by the state were improperly awarded.
While Duffy can revoke funding, the Republican-led legislation would give the Transportation Secretary further authority to pull a state’s ability to issue commercial licenses altogether.

Semi trucks

Republican Bill Takes Aim At Democrat States Giving Truck Licenses To Illegal Aliens

GOP Bill Takes Aim At Democrat States Giving CDLs To Illegal Aliens

Bill Hagerty

Tom Cotton

The Trump administration is freezing $2.1 billion in funding for Chicago infrastructure projects over accusations of “race-based contracting” as the government shutdown continues. 
Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought announced the move Friday morning, saying that the freeze would impact construction to modernize the city’s public transit system. It comes just two days after the Department of Transportation <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-freezes-18-billion-for-nyc-infrastructure-over-unconstitutional-dei-principles?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Freezes+%2418+Billion+For+NYC+Infrastructure+Over+%E2%80%98Unconstitutional+DEI+Principles%E2%80%99">froze</a> $18 billion for New York City infrastructure projects over “unconstitutional” diversity, equity, and inclusion “principles.”
“$2.1 billion in Chicago infrastructure projects — specifically the Red Line Extension and the Red and Purple Modernization Project — have been put on hold to ensure funding is not flowing via race-based contracting,” Vought wrote on X. 
Shortly after Vought’s announcement, the Department of Transportation <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/us-department-transportation-statement-review-chicagos-discriminatory">confirmed</a> the freeze and suggested that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) were to blame for leading the Democrats’ resistance to a temporary government funding bill. 
The department said that it was “committed to conducting these reviews as fast as possible so reimbursements can move forward. Unfortunately, Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries’ decision to shut down the government has negatively affected the Department’s staffing resources for carrying out this important analysis.”
“We urge Democrats in Congress to stop holding the federal government’s budget hostage so USDOT can get back to the important work of the American people,” the department added. 
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It sent letters on Friday to the Chicago Transit Authority, stating that it had initiated an administrative review of two ongoing projects to modernize the city’s rail system, and added that it was concerned about preferential treatment in construction contracting based on race. 
“Together, these critical reviews are intended to ensure no additional federal dollars go towards discriminatory, illegal, and wasteful contracting practices,” the department said. “The American people don’t care what race or gender construction workers, pipefitters, or electricians are. They just want these massive projects finally built quickly and efficiently.”
President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-meeting-set-to-axe-democrat-agencies?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump%3A+Meeting+Set+To+Axe+‘Democrat+Agencies’">has urged</a> Republicans to take advantage of the shutdown to cut “Democrat Agencies” and eliminate wasteful spending. 
“I can’t believe the Radical Left Democrats gave me this unprecedented opportunity. They are not stupid people, so maybe this is their way of wanting to, quietly and quickly, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” Trump posted on Truth Social on Thursday. 
The White House has tasked Vought with reviewing the federal bureaucracy amid the shutdown and identifying areas for spending cuts.

MixCollage-03-Oct-2025-10-22-AM-1097

Blue City Blues: Another Democrat-Run Stronghold Gets Infrastructure Funding Frozen

Blue City Blues: Another Democrat-Run Stronghold Gets Infrastructure Funding Frozen Amid Shutdown

Chicago

Chuck Schumer

Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

Economy

Hakeem Jeffries

Illinois

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

Russ Vought

President Trump fires a Biden-appointed Federal Reserve governor over an investigation into alleged mortgage fraud, setting up a historic legal showdown. In a surprising policy shift, President Trump calls for allowing hundreds of thousands of Chinese students into U.S. universities. The Department of Transportation cracks down on states that issue commercial driver&#8217;s licenses to truckers who are not proficient in English.
It’s Wednesday, August 27, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here:
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<h2>Trump Fires Fed Governor, Setting Up Legal Battle</h2>
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Topline: President Trump has fired Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, a Biden appointee, citing a Department of Justice investigation into alleged mortgage fraud, a move that Cook is refusing to accept, setting up a historic legal showdown.
On Monday night, President Trump fired Cook &#8220;for cause,&#8221; citing a DOJ investigation into whether she committed mortgage fraud by allegedly claiming primary residence in two separate states to secure more favorable loan terms. &#8220;We need people that are 100% above board — and it doesn&#8217;t seem like she was,&#8221; Trump said.
Cook responded with a statement saying the president &#8220;has no authority to do so&#8221; and that she will not resign, announcing her intention to file a lawsuit. The move marks the first time in the Fed’s history that a president has removed a member of the board of governors and could set up a legal battle that goes to the Supreme Court.
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The shakeup at the Fed comes as the Trump administration made another major economic move, with the U.S. government acquiring a 10% stake in tech giant Intel for nearly $9 billion. The White House framed the move as a matter of national security, aimed at reviving the U.S. semiconductor industry and breaking America&#8217;s reliance on China.
<h2>Trump Calls for More Chinese Students in U.S. Universities</h2>
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&nbsp;
Topline: In a surprising policy shift that has drawn criticism from some allies, President Trump has called for raising the quota for Chinese nationals allowed to study in the United States to 600,000.
The president defended the move in a cabinet meeting, arguing that many less prestigious U.S. universities would not survive financially without the revenue from Chinese students. The proposal has drawn criticism from some conservatives who worry about the national security risks, including the theft of technology and research by students with ties to the Chinese Communist Party.
The move also appears to contrast with the administration&#8217;s previously announced hardline stance. In May, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the administration would &#8220;aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students&#8221; who are connected to the CCP or are studying in &#8220;critical fields.&#8221;
<h2>DOT Cracks Down on Non-English-Speaking Truckers</h2>
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Topline: Following a fatal crash in Florida caused by an illegal immigrant, the Department of Transportation is cracking down on states that issue commercial driver&#8217;s licenses to truckers who are not proficient in English.
The move comes after Harjinder Singh, an illegal immigrant from India, killed three people in a crash caused by an illegal U-turn in a semi-truck. Singh had a Commercial Driver&#8217;s License (CDL) from a sanctuary state and was later found to be unable to properly identify most highway traffic signs.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that states currently in violation of an executive order requiring English proficiency, such as Washington, California, and New Mexico, have 30 days to come into compliance or risk losing federal funding. &#8220;We just want to keep drivers safe,&#8221; Duffy said. &#8220;Not in just red states, Americans drive in all states &#8230; and they deserve to be safe.&#8221;
In a related move, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced last week that the State Department has paused the issuance of work visas for foreign truck drivers. Rubio said the move was necessary because &#8220;the increasing number of foreign drivers operating large tractor-trailer trucks on U.S. roads is endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers.”

MRN 8.27.25 Thumbnail V1

Morning Brief: Fed Governor Defies Trump, Chinese Student Deal & WH Clamps Down On Foreign Truckers

Communist China

Education

Federal Reserve

Jerome Powell

Truckers

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Tuesday gave California, New Mexico, and Washington 30 days to comply with federal English proficiency rules for truckers or risk losing federal funding.
Duffy criticized the three states for failing to enforce new Trump administration rules requiring English proficiency for truck drivers. He announced the move after the Department of Transportation launched an investigation into a deadly August 12 crash on the Florida Turnpike, in which an illegal immigrant driver allegedly killed three people after making an illegal U-turn.
“We at DOT and Federal Motor Carriers, we are not going to tolerate states that don’t comply with the rules that come from this department,” Duffy said at a press conference. “We are going to give these states 30 days to come into compliance with truck drivers speaking proficiently the English language, or we’re going to look at the federal funding that they receive under the Motor Carriers Safety Assistance Program.”
Harjinder Singh, the accused driver in the Florida crash, was given a commercial driver&#8217;s license by both California and Washington. New Mexico law enforcement also failed to administer an English proficiency test to Singh when he was pulled over in July for speeding, the Transportation Department found.
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California could lose $30 million, Washington $10 million, and New Mexico $7 million if they don’t align with the English proficiency standards. The policy was first announced in May and then implemented at the end of June.
“When we did that, there was a lot of press that complained to us that we were being unfair to people, that we were being mean to people,” Duffy said. “And what we said was, ‘no, this is a safety issue.’ Making sure drivers of very heavy, 80,000-pound rigs can speak the language is truly a critical safety issue.”
Duffy said his department would take additional steps to ensure compliance if the states did not satisfy the requirements.
An investigation from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration found that from June 25 to August 21, California allowed at least 23 drivers with documented violations of English proficiency in other states to remain on the road.
During that same period, Washington allowed four drivers to stay on the road with proficiency violations from other states and two drivers who violated proficiency regulations in Washington.
New Mexico also allowed seven drivers to stay on the road who had documented failures in English proficiency.
The Trump administration has taken other steps to crack down on the number of truck drivers who are unable to understand English. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced last week that he had paused the issuance of work visas for commercial truck drivers.

Trump Threatens To Pull State Funds Over English Language Rule

Three States Could Lose Federal Funding For Defying Trump’s Trucking Mandate

Duffy Gives Three States 30 Days To Enforce English Rules For Truckers Or Lose Federal Funding

General

Immigration

New Mexico

Washington

Washington state violated federal safety rules when it granted a commercial driver’s licence to an illegal immigrant now accused of vehicular homicide in a deadly Florida car crash, and New Mexico State Police did not administer a required English Language Proficiency test during a traffic stop involving the same individual, a preliminary review from the Department of Transportation found.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Tuesday that he had launched an <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/trumps-transportation-secretary-announces-investigation-deadly-florida-truck-crash" target="_blank" rel="noopener">investigation</a> into an August 12 crash on the Florida Turnpike in St. Lucie County, where a semi-truck driver allegedly made an illegal U-turn that caused a fatal collision with a minivan, resulting in the deaths of three individuals. Authorities have identified the driver of the truck as 28-year-old Harjinder Singh, an illegal immigrant from India who crossed into the country in 2018. 
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A 37-year-old woman, a 54-year-old man, and a 30-year-old man died in the crash. Singh has been charged with three counts of vehicular homicide. Duffy said the investigation by the feds would support Florida’s criminal investigation. 
“If states had followed the rules, this driver would never have been behind the wheel and three precious lives would still be with us,” Duffy said. “This crash was a preventable tragedy directly caused by reckless decisions and compounded by despicable failures.”
Duffy said that the probe from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration would focus on Singh and White Hawk Carriers, the California-based company that owned the truck involved in the crash, which has a <a href="https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/crime/article311752619.html">history</a> of safety violations. 
Initial findings from the Department of Transportation indicate that Washington issued Singh a regular full-term Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) on July 15, 2023, even though illegal immigrants and asylum seekers are not eligible for such licenses. 
California also issued Singh a limited-term/non-domiciled CDL on July 23, 2024. Duffy said that the issuance of this license was still under investigation to determine if it was done in accordance with federal law. The Trump administration and California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom have clashed in recent days over responsibility for the fatal crash. 
The investigation also found that Singh was pulled over by New Mexico State Police on July 3, and given a roadside inspection and speeding ticket. Investigators found that law enforcement did not administer an English Language Proficiency test despite being required to under Trump administration guidelines implemented on June 25. 
When the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration interviewed Singh, officials found that he was not proficient in English and did not understand basic road signs. He could only provide correct responses on two out of twelve verbal questions and only identified one out of four highway traffic signs, investigators found. 
“Non-enforcement and radical immigration policies have turned the trucking industry into a lawless frontier, resulting in unqualified foreign drivers improperly acquiring licenses to operate 40-ton vehicles,” Duffy added. “We will use every tool at our disposal to hold these states and bad actors accountable. President Trump and I will restore safety to our roads. The families of the deceased deserve justice.”

MixCollage-20-Aug-2025-07-58-AM-812

‘Preventable Tragedy’: Duffy Blames Multiple States As Illegal Alien Faces Charges In Florida Crash

Crime

Florida

Illegal Immigation

During his four years in office, the former Transportation Secretary, Pete Buttigieg, reportedly oversaw a department that spent more than $80 billion on grants for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
That total represented “at least half of the DOT’s entire budget for a typical fiscal year,” <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/07/21/us-news/pete-buttigiegs-dot-spent-80-billion-on-dei-grants-delayed-air-traffic-control-upgrades-records-industry-insiders/">The New York Post</a> reported.
Sources told the Post that at a meeting, Buttigieg told an airline industry executive that improving existing air traffic control would simply increase air traffic, “and so why would that be in his interest?” sources said.
“He was definitely pushing an agenda,&#8221; one air industry official told the Post, adding that Buttigieg had “little to no interest” and took “definitely zero action” for bringing air traffic control up-to-date.
In February 2023, on the same day a FedEx cargo plane almost crashed into a Southwest Airlines plane in Austin, Texas, Buttigieg posted a video to celebrate “Transit Equity Day.”
“Transit is not just about getting from A to B, it’s about reaching jobs, education, health care, and so much more,” Buttigieg wrote on X. “On this Transit Equity Day, we reinforce our commitment to transportation systems that serve those who count on them the most. Transit is not just about getting from A to B, it’s about reaching jobs, education, health care, and so much more.”
That same month, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy ripped the Federal Aviation Administration, <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/03/15/buttigieg-airline-faa-billy-nolen-00087176">saying, </a>“We’ve essentially given you the road map on how to improve safety. &#8230; Too often we’ve seen the federal government and industry act after an incident, after lives are lost, once headlines are made. Our entire mission at the NTSB is to prevent that next accident.”
In August 2023, Buttigieg’s DOT announced the appointment of 24 members to the Advisory Committee on Transportation Equity (ACTE). “They include experts in community engagement, transportation planning, design, research, policy, advocacy, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA),” the Department of Transportation <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/secretary-buttigieg-appoints-members-advisory-committee-transportation-equity-acte">wrote</a>.
In February 2025, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated, “Effective immediately, the Department of Transportation will no longer participate in celebrations based on immutable traits or any other identity-based observances. These distractions do nothing to keep planes in the air, trains on the tracks, or ports and highways secure.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Effective immediately, the Department of Transportation will no longer participate in celebrations based on immutable traits or any other identity-based observances. These distractions do nothing to keep planes in the air, trains on the tracks, or ports and highways secure. In…
&mdash; Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDuffy/status/1885855599390245367?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Indiana v Notre Dame – Playoff First Round

Transportation Took A Back Seat As Buttigieg Pushed $80 Billion DEI Agenda

Pete Buttigieg

Transportation

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Tuesday sent a <a href="https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/memorandum/Governors_Safe_Roads.htm">letter</a> to every governor in America, as well as the mayor of Washington, D.C., and the governor of Puerto Rico, urging them to remove political messages from crosswalks, including crosswalks painted in rainbow colors that recognize the LGBTQ community.
“Roads are for safety, not political messages or artwork,” Duffy told <a href="https://www.dailysignal.com/2025/07/01/exclusive-trump-admin-urges-governors-remove-rainbow-crosswalks-roads-promoting-safety/">The Daily Signal</a>.  “Today I am calling on governors in every state to ensure that roadways, intersections, and crosswalks are kept free of distractions.”
Noting that there were an estimated 39,345 traffic fatalities in 2024 across the nation and more than half of them occurred at intersections, Duffy implemented the Safe Arterials for Everyone through Reliable Operations and Distraction-Reducing Strategies (SAFE ROADS) plan, which would “focus on the non-freeway arterials within your State, including safety and operation at intersections and along segments, consistent and recognizable traffic control devices including crosswalk and intersection markings, and orderly use of the right‑of‑way that is kept free from distractions.”
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Duffy gave the governors 60 days “to develop a list of arterial segments, including intersections, with the highest safety, operational, or compliance concerns that will be addressed by the end of Fiscal Year 2026.”
Rainbow sidewalks have proliferated across the nation in recent years. The list of cites with rainbow crosswalks includes San Francisco, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Milwaukee, Seattle, Chicago, New York City, Washington, D.C., Nashville, and smaller cities such as West Hollywood, California — where the first rainbow intersection was installed in 2012 — Key West, Florida, Huntington, West Virginia, and Ames, Iowa.
“Crosswalk markings are classified as either transverse line or high-visibility,” the 2023 <a href="https://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/pdfs/11th_Edition/mutcd11thedition.pdf">edition</a> of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Devices for Streets and Highways — which is issued by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) of the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) — states. “Transverse crossing markings consist of two transverse lines. High-visibility markings consist of longitudinal lines parallel to traffic flow with or without transverse lines. Crosswalk markings shall be white.”
“The FHWA is concerned that considerable ambiguity continues regarding how colored pavement can be used, especially between the white transverse lines of a legally marked crosswalk,” the Department of Transportation <a href="https://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/resources/interpretations/3_09_24.htm">stated</a> in 2013. “In 2011, the FHWA issued an additional Official Ruling<a href="https://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/resources/interpretations/3_09_24.htm#fn4">4</a> that crosswalk art—defined as any freeform design to draw attention to the crosswalk—would degrade the contrast of the white transverse lines against the composition of the pavement beneath it. In deviating from previous Official Rulings on the matter that concluded an increased factor of safety and decreased number of pedestrian deaths were not evident after installation, this 2011 Official Ruling stated that the use of crosswalk art is actually contrary to the goal of increased safety and most likely could be a contributing factor to a false sense of security for both motorists and pedestrians.”

Rainbow Flag

Trump Admin Targets Rainbow Crosswalks: ‘Roads Are For Safety, Not Political Messages’

Rainbow crosswalks

Social Issues

States that do not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement will lose funding from the Department of Transportation, Secretary Sean Duffy announced.
&#8220;The USDOT will NOT fund rogue state actors who refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement,&#8221; Duffy said.
The policy also applies to cities that do not protect infrastructure from rioters.
&#8220;And to cities that stand by while rioters destroy transportation infrastructure — don&#8217;t expect a red cent either. Follow the law, or forfeit the funding.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The <a href="https://twitter.com/USDOT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USDOT</a> will NOT fund rogue state actors who refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.
And to cities that stand by while rioters destroy transportation infrastructure — don’t expect a red cent from DOT, either. Follow the law, or forfeit the funding. <a href="https://t.co/cCRi4ALT23">https://t.co/cCRi4ALT23</a>
&mdash; Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDuffy/status/1934659228750188941?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The announcement comes after President Donald Trump recently ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers &#8220;to do all in their power to achieve the very important goal of delivering the single largest Mass Deportation Program in History,&#8221; The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-orders-ice-to-step-up-operations-in-major-democrat-run-cities?author=Daniel+Chaitin&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=18&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Trump+Orders+ICE+To+Step+Up+Operations+In+Major+Democrat-Run+Cities">reported</a>.
Trump said he directed his &#8220;entire Administration to put every resource possible behind&#8221; federal deportation efforts.
Trump&#8217;s announcement specified Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, &#8220;where Millions upon Millions of Illegal Aliens reside.&#8221;
Anti-ICE riots have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-vows-to-liberate-los-angeles-shut-down-migrant-riots-and-insurrectionist-mobs">raged</a> in Los Angeles for over a week, with protesters looting stores, burning Waymo robotaxis, and attacking federal officers.
The riots led to Trump deploying the Marines and the National Guard to protect federal agents and buildings.
In Seattle last week, masked protesters surrounded an ICE field office with ICE agents and detained illegal aliens inside, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/masked-protesters-surround-seattle-ice-office-with-agents-and-detained-illegals-inside?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=33&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Masked+Protesters+Surround+Seattle+ICE+Office+With+Agents+And+Detained+Illegals+Inside">reported</a>. After agents successfully escaped with the detainees, the protesters attacked nearby police vehicles.
A &#8220;No Kings&#8221; protest in Portland on Saturday also led to a riot at an ICE facility, where protesters threw fireworks, smoke grenades, and rocks at federal officers, The Daily Caller <a href="https://dailycaller.com/2025/06/15/rioters-storm-oregon-ice-building-injure-officers/">reported</a>.
Despite the violence, L.A. Democrat Mayor Karen Bass said she would &#8220;not put up with&#8221; Trump deploying the National Guard to Los Angeles.
&#8220;I’m with more than 20 state and federal elected officials, and together, we are here to say we will NOT put up with what the administration is doing,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/MayorOfLA/status/1933687520145064067">said</a> Bass. &#8220;Enough is enough. Stop the raids.&#8221;
Bass also said Trump&#8217;s recent ICE announcement was &#8220;manufacturing a crisis.&#8221;
&#8220;Make no mistake: this is illegal, divisive, and flies in the face of everything we stand for in Los Angeles,&#8221; she said.
Trump said the federal government will &#8220;reverse the tide of Mass Destruction Migration.&#8221;
“Our Federal Government will continue to be focused on the REMIGRATION of Aliens to the places from where they came, and preventing the admission of ANYONE who undermines the domestic tranquility of the United States,” Trump said.

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