After years on the run, one of Canada’s most wanted murder fugitives has been arrested in Mississippi by federal law enforcement after he illegally crossed into the United States. 
A federal and state task force captured fugitive Adrian Vincent Walker in Tupelo, Mississippi, on March 23 after the 30-year-old evaded Canadian law enforcement for nearly two years, landing on Canada’s top 25 most wanted list. He faces charges in Canada for murder and attempted murder. 
“Thanks to the brave men and women of ICE, one of Canada’s most wanted criminals is behind bars. This illegal alien was wanted for a murder in Canada,” Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis told The Daily Wire. “He is now facing charges for illegal entry into the U.S. and illegal possession of a firearm. DHS is grateful to our law enforcement officers and partners who took this illegal alien off of our streets and behind bars where he will finally face justice for his crimes.”
<div id="attachment_1069049" style="width: 372px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1069049" class="wp-image-1069049 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/image001-3.png" alt="" width="362" height="480" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/image001-3.png 362w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/image001-3-226x300.png 226w" sizes=" (max-width: 362px) 100vw, 362px" />Walker: DHS.</div>
It is unclear when Walker illegally entered the United States, but Toronto Police <a href="https://www.tps.ca/media-centre/news-releases/65497/">said</a> he murdered 31-year-old Trevor Dalton John and wounded an unidentified woman on May 7, 2024. 
Under former President Joe Biden, illegal crossings at the northern border <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illegal-immigrant-crossings-are-spiking-at-the-northern-border">surged</a>, with thousands crossing from Canada into New York, New Hampshire, and Vermont. After coming into office, President Donald Trump took steps to pressure Canada into cracking down on illegal immigration into the United States and the trafficking of drugs and guns over the border. 
Walker previously spent three years behind bars in Canada for aggravated assault, according to the Department of Homeland Security. 
After his arrest on March 23, 2026, by a Homeland Security Investigations task force, Walker was charged with illegally entering the country and possession of a firearm by an alien. ICE has placed an immigration detainer on Walker so he will not be released after he faces his charges in the United States. 
“This was a serious case. A Canadian national, wanted for murder, entered our country illegally and was living in our midst. He even made a Canadian Most Wanted list. Seeking sanctuary in Mississippi is not a smart move,” <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndms/pr/violent-international-fugitive-arrested-lee-county-northern-district-mississippi">said</a> United States Attorney Scott Leary. “Those that continually criticize law enforcement are not in the arena; our agents and officers are, and the folks in our district can sleep soundly knowing law enforcement officers did their job.”

Northern NY State Border With Canada Becomes Illegal Crossing Area For Asylum Seekers Fleeing U.S. For Canada

How ICE Tracked Down A Most Wanted Murder Fugitive Living In The U.S.

Feds Nab Most Wanted Murder Suspect Who Snuck Across Northern Border

Canada

Department of Homeland Security

Illegal Immigation

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Mississippi

NASHVILLE—It was a humid night in June 2024 when Matt Carney encountered a pair of men rummaging through his truck.
Carney, who owned the popular chicken restaurant Smokin&#8217; Thighs, went to confront the men. As he did, they sped out of the parking lot, striking Carney and knocking him onto the street. As police hunted for the men behind the fatal hit-and-run, Carney succumbed to his injuries in the hospital.
Eventually, Nashville police arrested Ulises Martinez, first confirmed by The Daily Wire to be an illegal immigrant from Mexico, and charged him with murder over the incident. Martinez <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illegal-immigrant-confesses-to-killing-nashville-man-in-hit-and-run" target="_blank" rel="noopener">admitted</a> to police that he was driving the car that fatally struck Carney, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement slapped a detainer on him.
Smokin&#8217; Thighs, which Carney built from the ground up, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/saying-goodbye-is-hard-nashville-restaurant-closes-doors-after-owner-killed-by-illegal-immigrant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">closed</a> a few short months after his death. Martinez has yet to face justice as his case <a href="https://sci.ccc.nashville.gov/Search/CriminalHistory?P_CASE_IDENTIFIER=ULISES%5EMARTINEZ%5E09131999%5E624024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">makes</a> its way through the Davidson County court system.
The case quickly made headlines as then-candidate Donald Trump talked about the incident as he warned about a “migrant crime wave.”
“Look at what’s happening to our cities. Our cities are being overrun,” Trump said. “On July 4th, a 42-year-old Nashville man died after he tried to stop an illegal alien from stealing tools out of his truck. The illegal alien did a number on this man that nobody could even believe. The police officers said one of the most vicious crimes they’ve ever seen.”
<div id="attachment_1062437" style="width: 1287px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1062437" class="size-full wp-image-1062437" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-19-at-10.41.02-AM.png" alt="" width="1277" height="692" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-19-at-10.41.02-AM.png 1277w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-19-at-10.41.02-AM-300x163.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-19-at-10.41.02-AM-1024x555.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-19-at-10.41.02-AM-768x416.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1277px) 100vw, 1277px" />Martinez/Smokin Thighs.</div>
The case illustrated how illegal immigration can impact even deeply red states like Tennessee. While Joe Biden was in office, conservative states struggled to respond as the federal government released millions of illegal immigrants into the United States. With the Trump administration, some Republican lawmakers see a golden opportunity to crack down on illegal immigration.
<h4>‘Once In A Generation Opportunity’ </h4>
Since Trump’s return to the White House, states like California and Minnesota have made headlines for resisting the president’s immigration agenda. Republican leaders in Tennessee, spurred on by cases like Carney’s, want the Volunteer State to be different.
“We have what I refer to as kind of a once in a generation opportunity, given the Trump administration&#8217;s emphasis on removing illegal immigrants and mass deportation,” Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson told The Daily Wire.
“When we look at states like Michigan, New York, and California, others that are literally fighting the Trump administration on those efforts, we wanted to send a very clear message that we were not only going to cooperate, but do everything we could to help make them successful in their efforts in Tennessee,” he added.
Johnson, alongside other state Republican leaders like House Speaker Cameron Sexton and House Majority Leader William Lamberth, introduced an immigration package at the beginning of the 2026 legislative session focused on reducing illegal immigration.
The legislative package, crafted with input from White House officials, includes bills that would make illegal immigration a crime in Tennessee; mandate legal status for public employees and citizenship verification for those who receive public benefits; protect ICE agents from being doxed; and increase cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration officials.
Sexton says he had discussions with the White House after they began collaborating on a project to clean up crime in Memphis. He praised federal officials for their input on the legislative package and said they viewed Tennessee “as being the beacon of showing other states how to do something comprehensive and really transform your state.”
The White House said that it was happy to speak with all state lawmakers about how to fight illegal immigration.
“Illegal aliens should not be receiving federal welfare benefits while hardworking Americans foot the bill,” a White House official told The Daily Wire. “The President’s entire Intergovernmental Affairs team has been willing to speak with state legislators seeking advice on how to effectively enact the President’s agenda and protect the American people from fraud and abuse perpetrated by illegal aliens.”
<h4>A ‘Beacon’ To The Nation </h4>
Republican leaders are confident that most of the bills will make it across the finish line before the legislative session wraps up next month. The proposals are focused on increasing cooperation with the federal government and safeguarding taxpayer dollars.
One of the <a href="https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default?BillNumber=HB1710&amp;ga=114" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proposals</a> making its way through the legislature would mandate that local governments verify legal residency before doling out benefits. It would also mandate reporting to ICE applicants whose citizenship couldn’t be verified. Under that bill, the Tennessee attorney general would be empowered to withhold shared tax revenue from entities that refuse to restrict public benefits.
“I want to help our people who are Tennessee citizens, who are here legally and lawfully, that need help and assistance,” Sexton told The Daily Wire, noting that reports show 20% of public housing is taken up by illegal immigrants. “That&#8217;s taken up space from someone who is here legally and lawfully in a Tennessee resident who&#8217;s homeless and on the streets, that&#8217;s a problem.”
Another <a href="https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default?BillNumber=HB1705&amp;ga=114" target="_blank" rel="noopener">key plank</a> of the package is making <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-the-law-that-would-make-companies-who-hire-illegal-aliens-feel-the-pain" target="_blank" rel="noopener">E-Verify</a> — a free platform from the Department of Homeland Security that employers use to authenticate the legal status of potential employees — mandatory for all state and local government employers, including schools. The proposals come as reports of illegal immigrants being hired as police officers throughout the country. Local entities that don’t implement E-Verify could lose out on shared sales tax revenue.
Some of the proposals are intended to assess the monetary cost of illegal immigration in the state, Sexton told The Daily Wire. He noted that the monetary costs of illegal immigration for the Volunteer State could be as high as $700 million.
One <a href="https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default?BillNumber=HB0793&amp;GA=114" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proposal</a> from Lamberth would instruct schools to count how many illegal immigrants are in Tennessee schools. That would allow officials to determine how much taxpayers were paying to educate kids brought across the border illegally. Originally, the proposal would have required parents to pay tuition if they were illegally in the United States or disenroll their kids.
Other bills would increase the frequency of reporting for state agencies to increase tracking of illegal immigrants by both law enforcement and for the state finance report to produce a report on the cost of illegal immigration, drawing from places like schools, prisons, hospitals, and social services.
Another series of bills would require lawful status for nurses, teachers, contractors, and all licensed professions. One from Johnson and Rep. Jason Zachary <a href="https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default?BillNumber=HB1706&amp;ga=114" target="_blank" rel="noopener">would</a> make it a crime for a person illegally in the country to operate a commercial motor vehicle. Other components would make it a requirement to take the driver’s test in English and make it impossible for an illegal immigrant to register a vehicle with the state.
Sexton noted Republicans were also working on legislation to make sure reciprocal licenses are not issued to those from states where citizenship is not verified.
“If you come from a state that does not verify your legal status, then before you get the reciprocal license, you&#8217;re gonna have to show the state of Tennessee that you&#8217;re here legally and lawfully and if you can&#8217;t, then we&#8217;re not giving your license,” he said.
One bill sponsored by Johnson and Lamberth would make it a crime for someone with a final order of deportation to be in the state of Tennessee.
“If that deportation order has been issued for whatever reason and you&#8217;re out and about, but you set foot in Tennessee, we can arrest you and charge you,” Johnson told The Daily Wire, noting that the proposal was crafted to be in line with the Supreme Court on federal immigration enforcement.
Another <a href="https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Bill/SB1486.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proposal</a> would further require local law enforcement to hold illegal immigrants arrested for ICE.
<h4>Cost To Tennesseans </h4>
Thanks to reporting requirements implemented by the legislature last year, district attorneys across the state must produce a report every year on the number of crimes illegal immigrants are arrested and charged with.
The <a href="https://www.tndagc.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2025-PC998-Immigration-Report-Final-2.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> for 2025 found that there were 11,344 illegal immigrants charged or convicted of a crime during the year. The defendants came from 119 different countries and were charged with a total of 21,648 charges. The report identified  2,183 violent offenses, including 41 murders.
Those crimes are in the minds of lawmakers as they advance their immigration package.
Johnson believes that the immigration package from the General Assembly will “demonstrate to our constituents and to the Trump administration that we welcome your efforts to come in and get violent, illegal aliens out of our communities.”
He noted that presidents have vowed for years to secure the border, but he said Trump was the first one serious about doing it. He said Trump is “serious about it” and “we want to be a good partner with [him] and his administration.”
Sexton said that even one crime by an illegal against a Tennessean is unacceptable.
“You still had thousands of victims in Tennessee who became victims because of an illegal, who came into our country illegally, and they&#8217;re still here,” he said. “One victim by one illegal immigrant is one too many still, so I don&#8217;t care if it&#8217;s a 3% number, a 1% number, or a 10% number. Just one crime committed by an illegal against someone in Tennessee should not happen.”

MixCollage-27-Mar-2026-01-03-PM-3477

Red State Seizes ‘Once-in-a-Generation’ Chance To Crack Down On Illegal Immigration

Donald Trump

Nashville

Tennessee

Trump Administration

An 83-year old U.S. Air Force veteran who was shoved onto subway tracks in Manhattan earlier this month has died from his injuries, and the suspect, identified as a Honduran national in the country illegally, has now been charged with second-degree murder.
Richard Williams, a grandfather, succumbed to his injuries on March 17 after the March 8 attack at the Lexington Avenue–63rd Street station on the Upper East Side, according to authorities. The suspect, 34-year-old Bairon Hernandez, was arrested on March 10 at a homeless shelter. Following Williams’ death, prosecutors upgraded the charges from assault to second-degree murder, court records show.
The incident occurred just before noon, when police alleged Hernandez <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nypd-search-for-suspect-who-pushed-two-men-onto-subway-tracks">pushed Williams and a 30-year-old man</a> onto the southbound F train tracks. Bystanders managed to pull both victims back onto the platform before an oncoming train arrived. The second victim, identified as 30-year-old Jhon Rodriguez, was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. Williams hit his head on the tracks and immediately lost consciousness, bleeding heavily from a head wound, according to Rodriguez.
Hernandez fled the scene but was later taken into custody. Authorities have not publicly indicated a motive. Prosecutors previously said Williams had been left “brain-dead” following the attack, and his daughter indicated in the days afterward that he was unlikely to recover. The medical examiner has since ruled his death a homicide. 
Williams, a retired Air Force pilot, had recently overcome a five-year battle with prostate cancer and was described by family as having found a renewed lease on life in the months before the attack. His daughter expressed outrage at the suspect in earlier remarks, calling for severe punishment in the wake of the attack. 
Hernandez, according to the Department of Homeland Security, is a “serial criminal” with a lengthy rap sheet of at least 15 prior charges, including aggravated assault, weapons possession, and domestic violence. Federal authorities say he had been deported from the United States four times after first entering the country illegally in 2008, but repeatedly reentered. He has since been indicted on a second-degree murder charge.
The killing has intensified concerns over public safety in New York City, which has seen a series of high-profile violent incidents in recent months. While overall crime rates fluctuate year to year, recent acts of violence, specifically by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illegal-indicted-after-allegedly-burning-woman-to-death-on-nyc-subway" target="_blank" rel="noopener">migrants</a> and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mamdani-breaks-silence-after-nypd-confirms-bomb-was-used-in-terror-attempt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Islamic-aligned elements,</a> have drawn sustained public attention and political debate.
The case also comes amid ongoing scrutiny of the city’s handling of migrants and the strain on public resources. 
New York has taken in tens of thousands of migrants in recent years, many of whom have been housed in shelters across the city, including facilities similar to the one where <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illegal-immigrant-accused-of-shoving-air-force-veteran-onto-subway-tracks-was-deported-four-times">Hernandez</a> was arrested. Critics argue that gaps in vetting, supervision, and coordination between federal immigration authorities and local jurisdictions have contributed to public safety risks, while city officials maintain that the vast majority of migrants are law-abiding.
Still, for many New Yorkers, the death of Williams, a veteran who survived war and cancer only to be killed in a random act of violence, has become a stark symbol of the city’s ongoing struggle to balance public safety, immigration policy, and criminal justice enforcement.
The proximity of the events has contributed to a broader sense of unease in the city, particularly as officials grapple with overlapping challenges related to crime, policing, and social services. For many New Yorkers, the death of Williams, a veteran and elderly commuter, has become a stark symbol of those concerns.
Hernandez is to be arraigned in Manhattan Supreme Court on March 30.

A910878F-E263-420E-A192-895BD53C4078_1_201_a

Elderly Veteran Dies After Being Pushed Onto Subway Tracks, Illegal Alien Charged

Crime

New York City

Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy announced on Friday that the Trump administration would make America’s roads safer by continuing to ensure that truck drivers understand English.  
Joined by GOP Rep. Derrick Van Orden, Duffy visited Monroe County, Wisconsin, on Friday to highlight the allocation of $8.4 million to improve infrastructure in the region and the moves made by the Trump administration to make highways safer. Duffy&#8217;s comments come amid several high-profile incidents involving illegal immigrant truck drivers across the country. 
“We have a longstanding rule that you have to speak English if you&#8217;re going to have a commercial driver&#8217;s license,” Duffy said Friday. “And the Obama administration had put a slap on the wrist for that offense. We brought a penalty back for not being able to be English proficient in the cab.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚛 ATTENTION TRUCKERS: I HAVE YOUR BACKS 🚛
I joined <a href="https://twitter.com/RepVanOrden?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepVanOrden</a> in Wisconsin to talk about the backbone of America’s economy 🇺🇸
💰$8.4 MILLION SECURED TO RURAL WISCONSIN
We also heard you loud and clear: on roads, ❌ NO ENGLISH, NO TRUCKING 🗣️🚫
Make Trucking Great Again! <a href="https://t.co/wfcSaQlTmG">pic.twitter.com/wfcSaQlTmG</a>
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDuffy/status/2033224920818172167?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Duffy added that he wished he had law enforcement under his control to help enforce the English proficiency requirements, saying the Department of Transportation was dependent on state partners to crack down on unauthorized drivers. 
“I rely on my state partners to actually help enforce our rules and our laws. And some states are great. Some are not, like California, not so great, or New York or Minnesota, they&#8217;re not good partners,” Duffy said. 
At the same event, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Administrator Derek Barrs said that the agency would be taking steps to make sure that certified truck drivers can pass the written and skills test in English. 
“It doesn&#8217;t make sense where you can go and take the written test in any language that you want to, but then you can do the skills test,” he said. “It has to be in English. It should all be done in English, and that&#8217;s the direction that we&#8217;re going from an agency.”
In one incident highlighted by the White House, an Indian illegal immigrant, Partap Singh, allegedly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illegal-immigrant-trucker-wrecked-a-little-girls-life-newsom-wont-even-take-her-fathers-calls">caused significant</a> injuries to a 5-year-old girl after triggering a multi-car pileup while driving an 18-wheeler with a California commercial driver’s license in June 2024. The young girl, Dalilah Coleman, suffered a traumatic brain injury, cerebral palsy, and developmental delay as a result of the crash. 
The House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Accountability <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/congress-to-spotlight-illegal-immigrant-trucking-crashes-in-upcoming-hearing">held</a> a hearing earlier this month on the safety issue related to illegal immigrant truck drivers.

Green Truck Exiting Interstate 5 on an Overcast Day

‘No English, No Trucking’: How Trump Admin Just Made Roads Safer For Americans

'No English, No Trucking': Duffy Says Roads Will Be Made Safe For Americans

Sean Duffy

Truckers

Wisconsin

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) only allowed four hand-picked companies to bid on a $200 million ad campaign, including a brand new company that later subcontracted the work to the spouse of a top department official, a document reviewed by The Daily Wire shows.
The records raise questions about the testimony by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to the Senate on Tuesday, in which she told senators that contracts for a television ad campaign starring herself &#8220;went out to a competitive bid and career officials at the department chose who would do those advertising commercials.”
Procurement records show that the anti-illegal immigration ad work was awarded using &#8220;other than full and open competition.&#8221; A <a href="https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/73477226ef6b4bd093263512124126e9/view" target="_blank" rel="noopener">justification</a> for that decision says, &#8220;The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of Procurement Operations (OPO), on behalf of the Office of DHS Public Affairs office intends to limit competition to three contractors.&#8221;
The competition waiver suggested the department used internet research and &#8220;industry publications&#8221; to identify Safe America Media LLC as one of only four companies capable of quickly doing a successful $200 million ad campaign, even though Safe America Media was only incorporated days earlier. A Google search brings up little web presence or industry publications about the firm.
&#8220;DHS reviewed industry publications, analyzed recent DHS initiatives, and evaluated vendors specializing in hyper-targeted media and advertising services. Targeted sources included government websites, industry articles, vendor platforms, and subject matter expertise. Given the immediate action to significantly reduce illegal immigration and border crossings, DHS identified four companies that specialize in domestic and international advertising campaign development, media buying, and media production. These companies are positioned, based on available resources and capabilities, to respond to this immediate need,&#8221; the justification said.
Three of those four companies &#8220;expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition.&#8221; The first was Safe America Media, which ultimately got the contract, and which later subcontracted a portion of the work to Strategy Group. That company is run by Ben Yoho, the husband of Noem&#8217;s first Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs, Tricia McLaughlin.
After Noem was grilled on Capitol Hill about the contracts, Strategy Group <a href="https://x.com/StrategyGroupCo/status/2028931636314710113">posted</a> a response on X, confirming they were subcontracted through Safe America and were paid more than $200,000 for five film shoots and 51 advertisements.
Safe America Media LLC was registered by Mike McElwain, who has worked in the conservative ad industry through the firm DMM Media, though that firm also has little online presence.
Safe America Media LLC was incorporated in Delaware on February 6, 2025. The contract was awarded one week later, on February 13. That leaves just seven days for &#8220;government websites&#8221; and &#8220;industry publications&#8221; to have been written about the firm, to have led DHS to conclude that it was one of the only companies that could do the work, to approach the firm, and for it to write back with its interest.
People Who Think LLC, the second company suggested for the contract by DHS, is based in Louisiana and is linked to Innovative Advertising LLC. Its website is just an empty <a href="https://peoplewhothink.com/lander/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">landing page</a>. As of 2022, it had a federal tax lien against it, and as of 2020, it owed money to the Small Business Administration, according to a database of corporation records. The Daily Wire called for comment, but its number had been disconnected.
Its phone number is also shared by Innovative Politics, which <a href="https://innovativepolitics.com/clients/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lists</a> as a client the Trump 2016 campaign and the Louisiana Attorney General campaign of Jeff Landry. Corey Lewandowski, a top Noem adviser, previously <a href="https://lailluminator.com/2023/09/20/jeff-landry-campaign-hires-ex-trump-adviser-accused-of-sexual-misconduct/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">worked for</a> Landry&#8217;s campaign.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1053841" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/dhs-contract.jpg" alt="" width="1772" height="736" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/dhs-contract.jpg 1772w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/dhs-contract-300x125.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/dhs-contract-1024x425.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/dhs-contract-768x319.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/dhs-contract-1536x638.jpg 1536w" sizes=" (max-width: 1772px) 100vw, 1772px" /></div>
The third company that was allowed to bid on the contract is redacted in the document, but The Daily Wire has learned that it is Knox Strategies, the firm of Erica Knight, a onetime spokeswoman for now-FBI Director Kash Patel. Knight is the only employee listed on the firm&#8217;s <a href="https://www.knoxstrats.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a>, which does not list ad campaigns as one of its services. Knight told The Daily Wire she received no money from DHS, and has done no work for the department.
Both Safe America Media LLC and People Who Think LLC were <a href="https://www.usaspending.gov/award/CONT_IDV_70RDA225D00000004_7001">awarded</a> <a href="https://www.usaspending.gov/award/CONT_IDV_70RDA225D00000003_7001">lucrative</a> open-ended &#8220;indefinite delivery&#8221; contracts, giving them the ability to keep getting additional work without new solicitations, up to $200 million, through February 2027.
In November 2025, that was modified to raise the ceiling to $240 million. Safe America Media LLC was paid $62 million for work beginning in February 2025, $15 million for work beginning in August 2025, and $65 million for work taking place from August 2025 to February 21, 2026. McLaughlin left the administration in February 2026.
People Who Think was <a href="https://www.usaspending.gov/award/CONT_IDV_70RDA225D00000003_7001" target="_blank" rel="noopener">paid</a> $77 million, according to contract records, with the most recent tranche of $25 million covering from September 2025 to March 25, 2026.
The Daily Mail <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14664625/Kristi-Noem-Corey-Lewandowski-DC-living-arrangement-affair.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suggested</a> that Noem and Lewandowski are having an affair, saying that they had apartments across the street from each other and that it observed Lewandowski emerging from her apartment. Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA) asked Noem during a hearing Wednesday if she had sexual relations with Lewandowski. She did not directly answer the question.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/RepKamlagerDove?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepKamlagerDove</a>: &#8220;Secretary Noem, at any time during your tenure…have you had sexual relations with Corey Lewandowski?&#8221;
Noem: &#8220;That is garbage and it is offensive that you have brought that up.&#8221;
Kamlager-Dove: &#8220;It is about your judgment and decision-making.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/H7pQywH3g7">pic.twitter.com/H7pQywH3g7</a>
— CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2029292010633331156?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Lewandowski has volunteered as a Special Government Employee, a classification that allows people to work in government for 130 days a year without adhering to the financial conflict-of-interest rules that apply to traditional government employees. The <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/chaos-kristi-noem-homeland-security-f095ac95" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wall Street Journal</a> said Lewandowski wanted to serve as Noem&#8217;s chief of staff, but that Trump &#8220;rejected the idea due to reports of a romantic relationship between the two.&#8221; DHS&#8217;s leadership webpage currently <a href="https://www.dhs.gov/leadership">lists</a> no chief of staff.
President Trump is considering replacing Noem for dishonesty in telling Congress that he personally greenlit spending hundreds of millions on ads starring herself, National Review <a href="https://www.nationalreview.com/news/exclusive-trump-privately-furious-with-noem-over-senate-testimony-considering-mullin-as-replacement/">reported</a> Thursday. The procurement document, in conjunction with her answers in her testimony, could make that problem worse for Noem.
Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) <a href="https://x.com/ryanobles/status/2029582283145986526?s=46&amp;t=o-U3qwC25WnWaylJ0oeG7Q">told reporters Thursday</a> that he spoke to Trump about Noem&#8217;s testimony, and that &#8220;his recollection and her recollection are different.&#8221;
Noem told Congress that no political appointees were involved in the ad campaign procurement process. Four people signed the document limiting competition, but their names are redacted.
Yet Noem has also said she personally approves all large expenditures, and told the Senate, “I have a policy in place that I review contracts &#8230; My deputy chiefs have the ability to review anything under five million; above that, I evaluate.”
McLaughlin&#8217;s replacement as Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, Lauren Bis, reiterated that the government is not in control of who a contractor subcontracts with, and said the ads were money well-spent. &#8220;This hyper-targeted ad campaign ran in eight countries and reached over 46 million people. The results show the world heard our message that America’s borders are CLOSED,” she wrote.
The action to direct hundreds of millions of dollars was taken just days after the Trump administration took office, in February 2025. &#8220;Government would be seriously injured unless the executive agency is permitted to limit the number of sources from which it solicits bids or proposals,&#8221; the justification said. &#8220;The immediate action supported by this authority is in response to a national emergency declaration.&#8221;
On Tuesday, Sen. John Kennedy <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/noem-pressed-as-republican-senators-demand-answers-in-heated-senate-hearing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">grilled</a> Noem about the contracts, saying the ads warning illegal immigrants to leave the country — some of which ran on Fox News, and which starred Noem personally — were a costly exercise in personal brand-building.
&#8220;They were effective in your name recognition … to me it puts the president in a terribly awkward spot,&#8221; he said. “The head of that [firm] is married to your former spokesperson&#8230; A fifth to a quarter of a billion dollars in taxpayer money when we’re scratching for every penny.”
The majority of money in ad buys passes through to TV stations that run the ads. Subcontracts are not reported in public records, but Strategy Group — which previously worked for Noem&#8217;s gubernatorial campaign in South Dakota — said this week that &#8220;Safe America paid us $226,137.17 total for 5 film shoots, 45 produced video advertisements, and 6 produced radio advertisements.” Its CEO, Ben Yoho, declined to comment.
This piece was updated with comment from Erika Knight.

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and senior adviser Corey Lewandowski

Docs Show DHS Specifically Steered $200M Ad Contracts, Raising Questions About Noem’s Testimony

John Kennedy

Kristi Noem

What makes America great?
Some attribute American greatness to the brilliant system of government inaugurated two and a half centuries ago. The first groups that came to this continent were Christians, and so were most of the Founding Fathers. Fifty-three out of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence were Christians who believed that “God who gave us life gave us liberty” and endowed us “with certain unalienable rights” as Thomas Jefferson so eloquently stated. They developed a political and economic system that reflected this Judeo-Christian belief.
For the first time in human history, there existed a nation where freedom not only guaranteed the rights of citizens but also ensured the smooth operation of a market economy. Individuals, regardless of their origin or social status, could attain the American Dream by applying themselves in exercising their God-given talents to the fullest extent. Thus, our political and economic structures helped build this great nation. Rightly so.
As someone who grew up in China, I, however, have another perspective. America is great because for many decades her immigrants came from a similar cultural background that bore a heavy Christian influence.
For two centuries, the majority of immigrants came from Western countries whose civilization was based on Judeo-Christian beliefs. In this new environment where they shared the same traditions, they didn’t experience severe cultural clashes. In fact, American freedom enhanced and protected the Christian values that had already been observed in their mother countries. Consequently, most of the immigrants naturally embraced the culture of their new country. The fusion of freedom and Christianity has produced — in addition to unprecedented prosperity — citizens who feared God, were honest, compassionate, hardworking, independent, and law-abiding.
Together, they made America great.
<h3>The Rise Of Multiculturalism</h3>
However, America&#8217;s immigration policy underwent a significant shift in the 1960s. On October 3, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Hart-Celler Act, abolishing the &#8220;country-of-origin&#8221; quota system, which favored immigrants from Western countries. This change was most likely influenced by the civil rights movement, aiming at eliminating the perceived discriminatory practice in immigration. In subsequent decades, it led to an increase in immigration from outside the West, drastically altering immigration patterns and the demographic makeup of the United States. Ultimately, it contributed to the rise of multiculturalism.
<div id="attachment_1049789" style="width: 856px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1049789" class="size-large wp-image-1049789" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-615297060-846x576.jpg" alt="President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Immigration Bill of 1965 on Liberty Island in New York Harbor with a view of the New York City skyline in the background. Next to the president on his right are First Lady Lady Bird Johnson and Vice President Hubert Humphrey. To the president's left are Senator Edward Kennedy (third from right) and Robert Kennedy (second from right). (Photo by © CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)" width="846" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-615297060-846x576.jpg 846w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-615297060-300x204.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-615297060-768x523.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-615297060.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 846px) 100vw, 846px" />President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Immigration Bill of 1965 on Liberty Island in New York Harbor. (Photo by © CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)</div>
Those on the Left believe that there is no good or bad culture. Every culture is equal.
I strongly disagree. They mistake the concept of the individual with the notion of culture. While individuals who are made in the image of God have innate value and rights regardless of which culture they are from, culture, on the other hand, is a complex system of learned behavioral patterns deriving from outside influences. Not all behavioral patterns are the same, and some clearly should be condemned and rejected, as the various wicked nations surrounding Israel described in the Hebrew Scripture.
In addition, culture is a powerful force that dictates and controls individuals’ thoughts and behavioral patterns; even those who strive to go against the flow often feel compelled to comply with the socially endorsed behaviors. If culture had not had such a strong pull, then God would not have commanded the Israelites to painstakingly separate themselves from the surrounding nations.
For nearly two millennia, since the death and resurrection of Christ, Western civilization has implemented a new set of behaviors and social expectations centered on the gospel message. This Western shift toward Christianity radically diverged from other non-Western cultures. It was on this Christian foundation that America was established.
<h3>Coming To America</h3>
When I first arrived in America, I could tell immediately that American culture differed fundamentally from that of China. I noticed how free Americans were; even young children could candidly express their thoughts without worrying about being silenced by adults. I also noticed how Americans, by and large, demonstrated a strong sense of law and order and right from wrong.
In contrast, in the province where I grew up, the concept of individual value and rights was totally absent. No one could exist apart from a group. Thus, who you knew was more important than who you were. The intricate interpersonal social structure and the lack of individual rights made it impossible to execute law and order successfully. Practicality often preempted rules and morality.
<div id="attachment_1049825" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1049825" class="size-large wp-image-1049825" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2188546758-864x576.jpg" alt="BEIJING, CHINA - DECEMBER 06: Large images of the late former leader Mao Zedong hang behind a vendor as a customer looks at items at a stall at the Panjiayuan Market on December 6, 2024 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2188546758-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2188546758-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2188546758-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2188546758.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Kevin Frayer/Getty Images</div>
Corruption has been a common practice throughout Chinese history. It’s ironic, though, that quite a number of individuals in Chinese history have stood up against the dominant culture, championing integrity and honesty. They were hailed and are still remembered as heroes and role models for the Chinese people to emulate. Nonetheless, it takes culture to transform beliefs into behaviors. That is why being upright and incorruptible has never become part of Chinese culture, only a quality to be admired. The impact of those role models, thus, remains minimal.
By no means do I suggest that every aspect of American culture — and by extension Western culture — is preferred and that all features outside of Western civilization are questionable. However, from the perspective of cultural expectations — the shared beliefs about how people should behave in society — the difference between the two groups remains unbridgeable.
For instance, take corruption. Though not all Americans are honest, and corruption does occur among American citizens and politicians, it is widely condemned by society and has not become a cultural phenomenon.
In contrast, in many non-Western countries, bribery, fraud, and dishonest dealings are often given tacit consent, even by those who despise such practices. This is why the Chinese government’s repeated attempts to crack down on corruption are more of a show than a sincere effort. It is ultimately unattainable.
Under no circumstances do I disapprove of immigrants from outside the Western world. I am one of them. What I oppose is the notion of multiculturalism, which differs from the concept of multiethnic societies.
<h3>Multiculturalism Vs. Multiethnic Societies</h3>
A multiethnic society comprises people from different cultural backgrounds who are united by a set of essential beliefs, analogous to conservative Christian denominations that share the orthodox Christian core doctrines and moral principles, while still able to retain non-essential elements in their practices.
Multiculturalism, on the other hand, is an attempt to form a co-existence of different cultures that do not share a basic conviction and whose ideologies are irreconcilable, comparable to a church encompassing Christians, Muslims, and Buddhists. The ideological incompatibility will eventually result in the dominance of one group with the extinction of the other two.
Is a multiethnic society achievable in America? My own experience says, yes. Most immigrants from a non-Western country do not ponder and analyze their own cultures before immigrating to America. They will, however, perceive the cultural differences once arriving in the United States. In a way, America’s freedom and Christian values — the core of American culture — function as a mirror, reflecting the condition of an immigrant’s own culture. Those immigrants who truly love America and treasure what she stands for would be inclined to assimilate into the American culture, relinquishing the elements in their culture that are contrary to the core beliefs of America. They would want to live in conformity with the features that have made America great — freedom, individual rights, personal responsibility, self-reliance, honesty, compassion and other Christian principles. The prerequisite of a multiethnic society is assimilation.
<div id="attachment_1050899" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1050899" class="size-large wp-image-1050899" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1460709041-864x576.jpg" alt="LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 28: People holding national flags of the United States attend a parade celebrating the Chinese Lunar New Year, or the Spring Festival, at Chinatown on January 28, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by I RYU/VCG via Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1460709041-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1460709041-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1460709041-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1460709041.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />I RYU/VCG via Getty Images</div>
My own assimilation experience has not reduced my ethnic identity. Rather, it has in some way enhanced it. Take the concept of The Middle Way, for instance. It’s a prominent Chinese philosophical concept that advocates making compromises so as to find the more effective, appropriate, and harmonious path in a given situation. In a free society where excess tends to be the norm, an active pursuit of equilibrium through balance is especially practical. For me, the benefit of The Middle Way was more acutely felt after I immigrated to the United States. Indeed, while living in America, I have been able to practice many of the positive features of Chinese culture.
Even so, I am keenly aware that I am an American now and must abide by her fundamental beliefs. While I can still speak Chinese, enjoy Chinese food, and celebrate Chinese New Year, I must treasure freedom and be ready to fight to preserve it. While I can still visit the country of my origin, I must give America my first allegiance and live as the host and owner of the country, not as a guest. I must also be attentive to the events in society, knowing my constitutional rights and striving to contribute to her greatness, instead of taking advantage of her magnanimity.
Unfortunately, not every immigrant from outside the Western world shares my conviction.
<h3>Leftist Multiculturalism Courts Disaster</h3>
What Nick Shirley exposed about the Somali fraud in Minnesota may shock us, but it should not be a surprise. Aside from the green light given by the Democrat run state government, our immigration policy that encourages and enables mass immigration from a non-Western culture should also bear responsibility. This practice, in accordance with the multiculturalism of the Left, courts disaster by allowing immigrants — whose ideology is worlds apart from ours, and who love neither America nor what she stands for — bind together as a group, and thus permitting them to live as Somalians on American soil and openly and shamelessly steal American taxpayers’ money. Perhaps for them, America feels like heaven, whose welfare system has offered them such an auspicious opportunity to do what their culture is inclined to. It would have been a genuine shock if they had not stolen so much already.
<div id="attachment_1024577" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1024577" class="size-large wp-image-1024577" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/GettyImages-2249632399-864x576.jpg" alt="MINNEAPOLIS, MN. - DECEMBER 2025: Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey speaks during a press conference to address the media following reports that the Trump administration will be targeting Somali immigrants in the Twin Cities, held at City Hall in Minneapolis, Minn., on Tuesday, December 2, 2025. Behind Frey is Minneapolis city council member Jamal Osman." width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/GettyImages-2249632399-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/GettyImages-2249632399-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/GettyImages-2249632399-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/GettyImages-2249632399.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Leila Navidi/The Minnesota Star Tribune via Getty Images</div>
Multiculturalism — people of different races, religions, and traditions living together — is a mirage, looking attractive only from a distance. No nation can afford multiculturalism, for diverse religions and traditions can never co-exist. One will eventually dominate the others. If we allow the idea of multiculturalism to progress, America soon will repeat the fate of Turkey and Egypt, which once were major Christian centers but were tragically replaced by Islam.
Alexis de Tocqueville once said, “America is great because she is good. If America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.”
America is good because her culture — centered around Judeo-Christian values and freedom — is good. Multiculturalism poses an existential threat to our culture. In contrast, a multiethnic approach protects the integrity of American culture by welcoming immigrants from diverse backgrounds, Western or not, but demanding assimilation.
* * *
<a href="https://stream.org/author/chenyuansnider/">Chenyuan Snider</a> was raised in Communist China and majored in Chinese language and literature in college. After immigrating to the United States and studying at Assemblies of God Theological Seminary and Duke Divinity School, she became a professor at Christian colleges and seminaries. She and her husband live in Northern California and have two grown children.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Shadows of People on the road and Flag of China concept picture

I Came From China — And I’ve Seen How This Ends For America

China

Chinese Communist Party

Constitution

Founding Fathers

Immigration

Leftists

The federal government&#8217;s presence in Minnesota may be winding down, but leftist activists are mobilizing to the Twin Cities for a week of harassing Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, calling for the abolition of prisons, and eating at Mexican restaurants. 
Documents <a href="https://defendinged.org/investigations/a-minnesota-melt-the-ice-week-of-action-includes-a-scheduled-student-walkout-and-sit-in-school-patrols-and-a-training-session-on-sanctuary-schools-facilitated-by-rank-and-file-members/">reviewed</a> by The Daily Wire show the detailed coordination and planning that goes into a week of anti-law enforcement protests collectively called “Bring the Heat! Melt the ICE!.&#8221; From February 25 to March 1, anti-ICE organizers are demonstrating at the state capitol, at hotels where federal agents are staying, and hosting training sessions at local churches. 
“For months now, the Twin Cities have been at the forefront of a struggle against ICE in this country,” a <a href="https://defendinged.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Week-of-Action-Welcome.pdf">welcome packet</a> for the week of protest, originally obtained by Defending Education, said. “The stakes have been high, and many strategic and tactical innovations quickly developed here. Such experiments have been promising, but there&#8217;s a long journey ahead of us on the road to abolishing ICE, and we&#8217;re just getting started.”
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-1050391 aligncenter" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-9.56.35-AM-1.png" alt="" width="1995" height="772" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-9.56.35-AM-1.png 1995w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-9.56.35-AM-1-300x116.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-9.56.35-AM-1-1024x396.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-9.56.35-AM-1-768x297.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-9.56.35-AM-1-1536x594.png 1536w" sizes=" (max-width: 1995px) 100vw, 1995px" /></div>
The activists demand the removal of ICE from Minnesota, the release of “our abducted neighbors,” and closure of &#8220;detention camps,” a statewide eviction moratorium, the dropping of charges against protesters who harassed or assaulted ICE officers, amnesty for illegal immigrants, and the abolishment of ICE, the Department of Homeland Security, and prisons. 
The protest comes after border czar Tom Homan <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/homan-strikes-deal-in-minnesota-yanks-hundreds-of-immigration-officers">announced</a> a massive drawdown of federal officers in Minnesota. Homan said he had reached a deal with local officials to get more cooperation for ICE officers seeking to arrest illegal aliens. 
One of the activities being planned for the week is protesting at hotels where ICE agents are staying. 
“Grab some friends, noisemakers, and head to a hotel that houses ICE on this list,” a <a href="https://defendinged.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2-23_WOA_Schedule.pdf">calendar</a> of planned actions says. “There is no big public noise demo—these are autonomous and decentralized. Please go to the training or check out this guide if you need support hosting one with your affinity group.”
<div id="attachment_1050343" style="width: 1430px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1050343" class="wp-image-1050343 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-10.22.54-AM.png" alt="" width="1420" height="430" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-10.22.54-AM.png 1420w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-10.22.54-AM-300x91.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-10.22.54-AM-1024x310.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-10.22.54-AM-768x233.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1420px) 100vw, 1420px" />Defending Education.</div>
Defending Education also obtained a spreadsheet showing hotels that were options for protests, which are being organized by the Sunrise Movement.
<div id="attachment_1050345" style="width: 2135px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1050345" class="size-full wp-image-1050345" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-10.23.47-AM.png" alt="" width="2125" height="803" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-10.23.47-AM.png 2125w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-10.23.47-AM-300x113.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-10.23.47-AM-1024x387.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-10.23.47-AM-768x290.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-10.23.47-AM-1536x580.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-10.23.47-AM-2048x774.png 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 2125px) 100vw, 2125px" />Defending Education.</div>
Multiple anti-ICE protests are also planned at the state capitol building on Thursday and Friday, including a student walkout and sit-in organized by “Twin Cities student organizers,” according to the calendar. 
In the welcome packet, protesters are not instructed to obey the law, but just not document an illegal activity they engage in or witness. 
“In the event that somebody around you is engaging in illegal activity, do not take photos or videos of that, unless it is to record an interaction with law enforcement,” organizers said. “Don&#8217;t write in incriminating ways about illegal activity you observe or participate in.”
<div id="attachment_1050423" style="width: 1440px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1050423" class="size-full wp-image-1050423" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-9.53.42-AM.png" alt="" width="1430" height="366" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-9.53.42-AM.png 1430w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-9.53.42-AM-300x77.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-9.53.42-AM-1024x262.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-9.53.42-AM-768x197.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1430px) 100vw, 1430px" />Defending Education.</div>
Activists showing up for the week of action will also have the opportunity to join “school patrols” to drive around looking for ICE agents. 
“In Minneapolis, ICE incidents occurred at or within two blocks of public schools every single day for 6 weeks straight. We responded by running about 3000 patrol shifts per week, and that doesn’t even include private schools, charter schools or day cares,” the calendar says. 
The calendar and welcome documents reveal the scope of planning and professional coordination that go into these large-scale protests and the participation of churches and local teachers. 
For example, a Thursday training hosted by Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church is on creating “sanctuary schools.” The training was hosted by activist group Take Action MN. According to the group, they have a presence at “hundreds” of school districts. 
“Sanctuary school teams are a combination of educators and caregivers who do daily protective presence and rapid response around schools, coordinate mutual aid (rides, food relief, rent relief, legal support) and organize together for longer term demands like returning Sanctuary status to schools and abolishing ICE,” the calendar says. “Come learn from caregivers and organizers about how we started these teams and have grown them at hundreds of schools in districts across the state.”
The Minnesota Federation of Educators is set to host a training at the First Universalist Church focused on organizing “our schools to be bases of the working class.”
Erika Sanzi, the senior director of communications at Defending Education, told The Daily Wire that educators&#8217; involvement in these protests reveals how leftist ideology has infiltrated the education system. 
&#8220;It&#8217;s high time that people come to terms with the fact that the call is coming from inside the house. Groups of radicals and revolutionaries that have always agitated on the fringe are now becoming embedded in the K-12 ecosystem by way of teachers&#8217; unions, student unions and even teacher training programs,” she said.  
“The sooner the public accepts that these protests and walkouts are highly coordinated by outside actors, the sooner we can put a stop to it or at least drastically reduce it in our public schools,” she added. 
Other groups participating in the protests include Spring House Ministries, the Red Pine Revolutionary Collective, Twin Cities Democratic Socialists of America, and Indigenous Roots. 
Activists will get free food from the group Seeds of Peace. Many will stay in other people’s homes for the week of protest. 
“Eat First. Then Smash the State,” the welcome packet said, noting that Muslims participating in Ramadan will be given priority for dinner meals. 
Organizers led by the Twin Cities Democratic Socialists of America are <a href="https://defendinged.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Twin-Cities-DSA-%E2%80%94-Donate-via-ActBlue.pdf">fundraising</a> on Democrat platform ActBlue for food, training, and lodging. 
Other tips from organizers include asking other people their pronouns, using Signal to communicate, and supporting a variety of Mexican restaurants located in St. Paul and Minneapolis. They also warn participants about “right-wing” influencers becoming embedded in their communication systems. 
“We also know that Minneapolis&#8217;s rapid response systems have already been infiltrated by right-wing influencers and government agents,” the welcome packet said. 
Activists are also encouraged to make pilgrimages to the location where convicted felon George Floyd died during an encounter with police, as well as the spot where Renée Nicole Good was shot after attempting to hit an ICE agent with her car.
“As resistance grows, so does our collective grief about those we have loved and lost in the struggle for liberation,&#8221; the welcome packet reads. &#8220;We ask that if you choose to visit these sites, please do so with respect and reverence.&#8221;

Protest For Immigrants And Against ICE In Minneapolis

‘Eat First. Then Smash The State.’ Inside The Anti-ICE Weeklong Plan

Minneapolis

Minnesota

St. Paul

Congressional Democrats refused to stand during President Donald Trump’s Tuesday night State of the Union address when he asked lawmakers to show support for prioritizing American citizens over illegal immigrants. 
“I’m inviting every legislator to join with my administration in reaffirming a fundamental principle,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;If you agree with this statement, then stand up and show your support: The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens.&#8221;
Republican lawmakers stood while Democrats remained seated. 
&#8220;Isn&#8217;t that a shame? You should be ashamed of yourself, not standing up,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;That is why I&#8217;m also asking you to end deadly sanctuary cities that protect the criminals and enact serious penalties for public officials who block the removal of criminal aliens.&#8221; 
That moment was one of several throughout the night when Trump confronted Democrat lawmakers for refusing to stand. 
Later during his speech, Trump introduced Sage Blair, a Virginia teen who was taken from her parents after they declined to support her &#8220;assertion of a male gender identity,&#8221; <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/who-is-sage-blair-trump-state-of-the-union-11575541">according</a> to a counselor&#8217;s testimony. Blair ultimately returned to her parents following a lengthy legal battle. 
“Surely we can all agree no state can be allowed to rip children from their parents’ arms and transition them to a new gender against the parents&#8217; will. Who can believe that we’re even talking about it? We must ban it, and we must ban it immediately,” Trump said.
That line drew applause from Republicans, while Democrats remained seated. 
“Look, nobody stands up. These people are crazy. I’m telling you, they’re crazy,” Trump said. 
At another point in the address, Trump spoke about the murder of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, who was stabbed to death on a bus in Charlotte, North Carolina. The man accused in the killing has an extensive criminal record. Democrats remained seated when Trump introduced Zarutska&#8217;s mother, Anna, and vowed to get justice for her daughter. 
“Mrs. Zarutska, tonight I promise you that we will ensure justice for your magnificent daughter, Iryna,” Trump said, earning support from Republican lawmakers. 
“How do you not stand?” Trump asked, gesturing toward the Democrat side of the chamber. 
The moment earned criticism from other Republican lawmakers.
“If Democrats couldn’t stand for Iryna Zarutska’s grieving mother last night, they won’t stand for any victim. She wept feet away, and they stayed seated,&#8221; Rep Mark Harris (R-NC) told The Daily Wire. &#8220;Their silence says it all: Democrats care more about criminals than victims.” 
Democrats also remained seated as Trump highlighted his administration&#8217;s border security efforts and record stock market gains in the last year. Trump’s address broke the record for the longest State of the Union in history.

President Trump Delivers The State Of The Union Address

‘How Do You Not Stand?’: The Jaw-Dropping Moments Democrats Remained Seated At SOTU

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