Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin will soon leave the Trump administration, a source familiar with her plans told The Daily Wire on Tuesday.
McLaughlin had planned to leave the department in December, but according to POLITICO, stayed on board in the wake of the two fatal shootings in Minneapolis last month.
<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/17/dhs-spokesperson-tricia-mclaughlin-to-leave-trump-administration-00783378" target="_blank" rel="noopener">POLITICO</a> first reported the news of McLaughlin&#8217;s departure, saying that she intends to inform colleagues on Tuesday. She will be leaving the department next week.
McLaughlin was a top communications aide on Vivek Ramaswamy&#8217;s 2024 presidential campaign and on Ohio GOP Governor Mike DeWine&#8217;s, according to POLITICO. She also served in the first Trump administration, working for Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and at the Department of State, where she was tasked with arms control issues.
Lauren Bis, who currently serves as the deputy assistant secretary for media relations at DHS, will step into McLaughlin&#8217;s role as Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, according to a source.
News of McLaughlin&#8217;s exit comes just days after the Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/chaos-kristi-noem-homeland-security-f095ac95?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqdoqYAY21iva280uFyu3A60ncSOX1BQJSGo1epU2ckT5CJ-582aSSTr_-JX3nc%3D&amp;gaa_ts=69948e43&amp;gaa_sig=GQBU8pYBpMhkx6bfWgg5bZbZhXRqZAdcSDV3OPWHNZfIMHBELgMXCt2baAvO42MN94XVLDgGlRe32SPwje2zfA%3D%3D" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> a culture of &#8220;constant chaos&#8221; enduring at DHS under Secretary Kristi Noem, &#8220;who has attempted to burnish her personal stardom at every turn.&#8221; The report also highlighted a purported incident in which a Coast Guard pilot was fired by longtime Trump aide Corey Lewandowski for misplacing the secretary&#8217;s blanket.
It also comes amid a government shutdown largely targeting DHS, as Congressional Democrats attempt to force the Trump administration to meet a laundry list of demands to reform Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
McLaughlin <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dhs-shutdown-drags-4th-day-senate-democrats-block-funding-over-ice-reforms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">appeared</a> on Fox News Sunday to discuss the funding freeze, saying ICE won&#8217;t stop operations during the shutdown because it is a critical federal law enforcement agency.
&#8220;Our immigration enforcement efforts will not be hampered by this in any way,&#8221; McLaughlin said.
The lapse in funding, however, will significantly impact other DHS subagencies, such as TSA, she said.
&#8220;The Democrat politicians here, Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, they are holding the American people&#8217;s national security hostage just in the name of scoring cheap political points, it&#8217;s really nonsensical,&#8221; she said.
When <a href="https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics/2026/01/17/tricia-mclaughlin-dhs-ice-homeland-security-leads-the-nations-immigration-conversation/87185578007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asked</a> by the Cincinnati Enquirer recently if she intended to run for office, McLaughlin said she &#8220;wouldn&#8217;t rule anything out.&#8221;
&#8220;I don&#8217;t know if that&#8217;s going to be a year from now or that&#8217;ll be five years from now,&#8221; McLaughlin said. &#8220;I love Cincinnati. It&#8217;s my home and I don&#8217;t think there&#8217;s any place like it.&#8221;
Several top officials at DHS have recently left their posts. That includes former deputy ICE director Madison Sheehan, who resigned last month and subsequently launched a bid for Congress in Ohio.
ICE&#8217;s former spokeswoman, Emily Covington, also recently moved to the Department of Justice.

Tricia McLaughlin

Top DHS Spokeswoman To Leave Trump Administration

Department of Homeland Security

Immigration

Kristi Noem

Politics

Trump Administration

President Donald Trump is barely into his second year of his second term, and Democrats and the legacy media are still pulling out all the stops to cast doubt on the people he has chosen to serve as Cabinet members across his administration.
For those who don&#8217;t spend their Sunday mornings glued to the television — and their Sunday afternoons attempting to dig through a week&#8217;s worth of network and cable news media spin — The Daily Wire has compiled a short summary of what you may have missed.
There was no shortage of breaking news on Sunday — from coverage of the Winter Olympics to the latest on the suspected kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie — but that didn&#8217;t stop the Sunday political talk shows from focusing on a few key members of the president Trump&#8217;s Cabinet. Several high profile politicians took to the airwaves to express their concern in the ability of certain Cabinet members to carry out their responsibilities.
On ABC&#8217;s &#8220;This Week,&#8221; host Martha Raddatz spoke with Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) about a combative exchange he&#8217;d had with Attorney General Pam Bondi earlier in the week, and asked whether he still had &#8220;confidence&#8221; in her ability to serve in that particular role.
&#8220;I don’t think Pam Bondi has confidence in Pam Bondi,&#8221; Massie said. &#8220;She wasn&#8217;t confident to engage in anything but name-calling in the hearing, so no, I don&#8217;t have confidence in her. She doesn&#8217;t have any sort of accountability there at the DOJ.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
When asked by ABC News’ Martha Raddatz whether he has confidence in Pam Bondi as attorney general, Rep. Massie responded: “I don’t think Pam Bondi has confidence in Pam Bondi.” <a href="https://t.co/v6q311NGOu">https://t.co/v6q311NGOu</a> <a href="https://t.co/vqhcQ9kV3r">pic.twitter.com/vqhcQ9kV3r</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/2023055290904543673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2026</a></blockquote>
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At Raddatz&#8217;s suggestion, Massie went on to criticize Bondi for failing to address the victims of convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, some of whom were present in the Capitol Hill hearing — and he argued that it was &#8220;cold&#8221; on her part and that she may have been afraid to do so.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Rep. Thomas Massie reacts to the image of Attorney General Pam Bondi not looking at the Epstein victims behind her during a hearing: “I think she was afraid to.” <a href="https://t.co/eiC9PK4xdH">https://t.co/eiC9PK4xdH</a> <a href="https://t.co/FgRK4lyPiS">pic.twitter.com/FgRK4lyPiS</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/2023052573532447151?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2026</a></blockquote>
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On CBS News, &#8220;Face the Nation&#8221; host Margaret Brennan pressed Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) to weigh in on discrepancies between previous admissions made by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and information that has come out of the recently-released Epstein-related documents.
Garcia said that he and some others in Congress would like to speak with Lutnick — who has conceded that he had &#8220;limited interactions&#8221; with Epstein — but that he&#8217;s gotten no response from Republicans on how and when that might come about.
&#8220;Not only did [Lutnick] visit the island, he had tons of communication with Jeffrey Epstein after it was already known that Jeffrey Epstein was essentially convicted for preying on children. So, it is shameful that he is actually in our government. He should not be the commerce secretary. He should come talk to the Oversight Committee,&#8221; Garcia said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) says the House Oversight Committee has asked Republican Chairman James Comer (R-KY) to “bring in [Commerce Secretary] Lutnick” for questioning on his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, but “have had no response.”
“Not only did… <a href="https://t.co/PSkJpmwOpN">pic.twitter.com/PSkJpmwOpN</a>
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/FaceTheNation/status/2023094193409646947?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Credit: @FaceTheNation/X.com
CNN anchor Jake Tapper raised the question regarding Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, asking several guests about recent comments she made on making sure &#8220;the right people&#8221; were voting in American elections.
Noem herself explained that she was talking about the role played by the Department of Homeland Security in ensuring that elections were secure — primarily by preventing illegal aliens from remaining in the United States and voting in American elections — and accused media personalities of &#8220;manufacturing&#8221; outrage over something that should have been straightforward.
&#8220;It must be exhausting to regularly manufacture outrage even over the most commonsense statement,&#8221; she said.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer responded to Noem&#8217;s statement, saying, &#8220;That&#8217;s a lot of bull.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
&#8220;That&#8217;s a lot of bull.&#8221;
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer reacts to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem&#8217;s comments about making sure &#8220;we have the right people voting, electing the right leaders.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/6bjFePUPBr">pic.twitter.com/6bjFePUPBr</a>
— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNNSOTU/status/2023039537056788898?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Credit: @CNNSOTU/X.com
Tapper pressed Border Czar Tom Homan to answer for Noem as well, but he wasn&#8217;t having it. Instead, he told Tapper that he&#8217;d have to ask Noem directly if he wanted to know what she&#8217;d meant.
&#8220;That would be a question for the secretary&#8230; That would be something she&#8217;d have to answer,&#8221; Homan said, later adding, &#8220;Do me and Secretary Noem agree on everything? No &#8230; It&#8217;s one team, one fight. I&#8217;m not going to divide this administration.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
TAPPER: &#8220;What does [Noem] mean when she says &#8216;electing the right leaders&#8217;? That&#8217;s not really immigration enforcement or DHS responsibility.&#8221;
HOMAN: &#8220;I don&#8217;t know. That would be a question for the secretary&#8230; That would be something she&#8217;d have to answer.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/Btz1dpSf0i">pic.twitter.com/Btz1dpSf0i</a>
— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNNSOTU/status/2023068352369803597?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Credit: @CNNSOTU/X.com
Tapper also raised the same question with Governor Andy Beshear (D-KY), who called Noem&#8217;s comments &#8220;un-American.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Gov. Beshear says DHS Secretary Kristi Noem&#8217;s comments about &#8220;electing the right leaders&#8221; are &#8220;wild and they are un-American.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/EOW55pqBAv">pic.twitter.com/EOW55pqBAv</a>
— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNNSOTU/status/2023070275126853884?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Credit: @CNNSOTU/X.com

Spin Cycle: In Shocking Twist, Dems And Media Still Don’t Like Trump’s Cabinet

Spin Cycle: In Shocking Twist, Dems And Media Still Don't Like Trump's Cabinet

ABC News

CBS News

Donald Trump

Epstein Files

Jeffrey Epstein

Media

Pam Bondi

A Nicaraguan national illegally in the United States, who was indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for allegedly assaulting an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer, was released into the U.S. by the Biden administration, The Daily Wire has first learned.
Darwin Alexander Davila-Perez, 33, came to the U.S. through the Paso Del Norte bridge in Texas on Dec. 2, 2022, the Department of Homeland Security told The Daily Wire.
During his arrest on Dec. 17 by ICE in a “targeted vehicle stop,” he allegedly “forcefully resisted, including backing his vehicle into a law enforcement vehicle with an officer still inside, fleeing his vehicle, elbowing an officer in the face, attempting to unholster an officer’s service weapon, biting an officer’s arm, and striking an officer in the forehead with a swinging handcuff,” according to the <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdpa/pr/nicaragua-national-who-unlawfully-attempted-purchase-firearm-indicted-assault-ice" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Department of Justice (DOJ)</a> and DHS.
The operation was triggered by Davila-Perez’s effort to illegally obtain a firearm from a federal firearms licensee by pretending to be an American citizen. The purchase was ultimately rejected due to his illegal status, according to the DOJ, which announced his indictment on Wednesday.
Officers walked away from the incident with “contusions, abrasions, and a bite mark.” If convicted, Davila-Perez could face up to a $250,000 fine and 20 years behind bars.
<div id="attachment_1039685" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1039685" class="size-medium wp-image-1039685" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Image-300x270.png" alt="Darwin Alexander Davila-Perez" width="300" height="270" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Image-300x270.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Image.png 420w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Mugshot of Darwin Alexander Davila-Perez, first obtained by The Daily Wire. (Department of Homeland Security)</div>
“Davila-Perez not only chose to break our nation’s immigration laws, but he also lied in an attempt to illegally  purchase a gun and then brutally assaulted law enforcement. These are the dangerous situations our officers are facing every day in the field,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement on Thursday.
“Thanks to rhetoric by sanctuary politicians and encouragement of illegal aliens to evade arrest, our officers are facing a 1,300% increase in assaults against them, a 3,200% increase in vehicular attacks, and an 8,000% increase in death threats against them. Secretary Noem has been clear: anyone who assaults law enforcement will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” she continued.
The indictment comes as ICE continues enforcement operations throughout the United States, as Congress will attempt negotiations on enforcement tactics following recent tensions in Minnesota between federal officers and anti-ICE protesters.
DHS funding is set to run out on Feb. 13, as Democrats have released a long list of demands fundamentally changing the way immigration enforcement is currently conducted. However, much of the key funding for ICE’s goals was provided through the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” last year.
The government dealt with a brief shutdown that ended Tuesday, as the House had to go back and pass amended appropriations bills after the White House and Senate Democrats agreed to split DHS funding from the rest of the federal government’s funding.
The push for the funding split came after the Alex Pretti shooting in Minneapolis, which resulted in numerous other changes made in how the Trump administration approached the end of Operation Metro Surge in the region, leading to the arrests of thousands of people in the country illegally. White House Border Czar Tom Homan announced on Wednesday that 700 agents are headed out as part of a “drawdown” effort.

Illegal Alien Indicted In Major ICE Assault Case Released Into Country Under Biden Admin

Illegal Immigration

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Pennsylvania

Tom Homan

U.S.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested an illegal immigrant accused of fraud who was just one week away from graduating the New Orleans Police Department academy, <a href="https://x.com/BillMelugin_/status/2018762909602721977?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Fox News.
Larry Temah, 46, who hails from Cameroon, was hired by the New Orleans Police Department in June, the agency&#8217;s superintendent, Anne Kirkpatrick, said following his arrest last month.
The Department of Homeland Security slammed the department for not only hiring Temah, but also for arming him.
“This illegal alien from Cameroon, Larry Temah, is not only breaking the law with every step he takes in this country illegally, but the New Orleans Police Department hired him and issued him a firearm &#8211; what kind of law enforcement department gives criminal illegal aliens guns and badges?&#8221; the agency said in a statement to Fox News.
&#8220;It’s a FELONY for illegal aliens to even possess a firearm. Sanctuary cities like New Orleans ignore ICE detainers and are protecting illegal aliens at the expense of American citizens,&#8221; the agency said.
Temah entered the United States in 2015 using a visitor&#8217;s visa, the Department of Homeland Security told Fox News. After marrying an American citizen in 2016, he was granted conditional residency.
The federal government denied his application for permanent status in 2022, citing fraud. Temah failed to show for three separate hearings in immigration court, resulting in a judge issuing a deportation order.
Temah, however, didn&#8217;t comply with that order to leave the country, forcing ICE to hunt him down.
Kirkpatrick said last month that the police department had no information to suggest Temah was in the country illegally during his hiring process.
&#8220;There was nothing in the [personnel] packet that would have given us reason to believe that this person did not have legal status,&#8221; she said. &#8220;There is some question that may have developed later.&#8221;
Temah applied to become an officer in June 2025, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/ice-detains-new-orleans-police-recruit-after-immigration-judge-signed-removal-order-following-his-hiring" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Fox News. He also had a valid driver&#8217;s license and Social Security number, and passed the E-Verify check, which ensures workers are in the country legally and eligible to work.
Kirkpatrick said they learned of his deportation order on Dec. 5, which was after he applied for the role with the department.
&#8220;The order of removal occurred after we had already hired him,&#8221; she said.
She said that the NOPD had conducted standard criminal background checks, including a search through the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database, and found no criminal history.
Temah&#8217;s case isn&#8217;t the first involving ICE arresting an illegal immigrant cop.
In October, federal authorities nabbed Radule Bojovic, an illegal immigrant from Montenegro, who was working as a police officer for the Hanover Police Department in Illinois.
Bojovic overstayed a tourist visa that required him to leave the United States on March 31, 2015, the Department of Homeland Security <a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2025/10/16/governor-jb-pritzkers-illinois-illegal-alien-working-sworn-police-office-badge-gun" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> at the time of his arrest. A judge later granted Bojovic a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/judge-releases-illegal-immigrant-cop-from-ice-custody" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$2,500 immigration bond</a> and he has since <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illegal-immigrant-cop-previously-nabbed-by-ice-returns-to-work-for-illinois-police-department">returned</a> to work with the Hanover Police Department.
The department hired Bojovic in January 2025 since he had a federal work permit and passed all background checks, they previously said.

Super Bowl LIX – Previews

New Orleans Police Recruit Turns Out To Be Illegal Immigrant Fraudster

illegal immigrant

Immigration and Customs Enforcement

New Orleans

Every federal immigration officer on the ground in Minneapolis will now have a body camera following two recent fatal shootings of anti-ICE agitators.
The decision comes after President Donald Trump replaced Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino with his border czar, Tom Homan, who took command of immigration operations in Minneapolis last week.
Homan&#8217;s arrival was sparked by the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by a Border Patrol agent and came just weeks after an ICE agent fired fatal shots at Renee Good after she appeared to hit him with her car. It has also led to a more targeted approach for arrests, with agents prioritizing the worst criminals first.
The officer who shot Good recorded the interaction on his phone.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
I just spoke with <a href="https://twitter.com/RealTomHoman?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RealTomHoman</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ICEDirector?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ICEDirector</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CBPCommissioner?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CBPCommissioner</a>. Effective immediately we are deploying body cameras to every officer in the field in Minneapolis.
As funding is available, the body camera program will be expanded nationwide. We will rapidly acquire and deploy body…
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sec_Noem/status/2018435428932538861?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the latest policy change following a conversation with Homan, acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, and Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott, she said in an X post on Monday.
&#8220;Effective immediately, we are deploying body cameras to every officer in the field in Minneapolis,&#8221; Noem said.
She added that the program &#8220;will be expanded nationwide&#8221; &#8220;as funding is available.&#8221;
&#8220;We will rapidly acquire and deploy body cameras to DHS law enforcement across the country,&#8221; she said.
&#8220;The most transparent administration in American history—thank you @POTUS Trump. Make America Safe Again,&#8221; she added.
When Daily Wire White House reporter Mary Margaret Olohan asked the president about Noem&#8217;s announcement, he didn&#8217;t appear to have prior knowledge of the decision.
Still, he said he supports it.
&#8220;It wasn&#8217;t my decision; I leave it to her. They generally tend to be good for law enforcement because people can&#8217;t lie about what&#8217;s happening,&#8221; Trump said during a signing ceremony in the Oval Office on Monday.
&#8220;If she wants to do the camera thing, that&#8217;s ok with me,&#8221; Trump said.
Body-worn cameras for federal immigration agents have become a centerpiece of Congress&#8217; latest battle to fund the Department of Homeland Security since the recent fatal shootings in Minneapolis.
Just days before Pretti was shot, footage originally published by The News Movement showed him kicking in the taillight of a vehicle driven by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis.
The video also showed Pretti spitting on an officer and raising his middle finger to the vehicle before one agent gets out of the vehicle and quickly wrestles him to the ground.
The agents eventually let him go, and he was reportedly left with a broken rib. Pretti appeared to have a gun in his waistband as he walked away.
“A week before Alex was gunned down in the street — despite posing no threat to anyone — he was violently assaulted by a group of ICE agents,” attorney Steve Schleicher, who represents Pretti’s family, told the <a href="https://www.startribune.com/bystander-video-reveals-confrontation-between-alex-pretti-and-federal-agents-11-days-before-killing/601572009" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Minnesota Star Tribune</a> after reviewing the footage.

US-IMMIGRATION-ICE-SHOOTING

Trump Admin ‘Deploying Body Cameras To Every’ Federal Immigration Agent In Minneapolis

Border Patrol

Executive

Minneapolis

NASHVILLE—A man accused of raping a teen girl in Nashville on New Year’s Eve is an illegal alien from Egypt who entered the country through a diversity lottery program now paused by the Trump administration, The Daily Wire has learned. 
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) placed an immigration detainer on 31-year-old Mena Mohsen Farez Nmn Awad after he was arrested by law enforcement in Louisville, Kentucky, for allegedly raping a 16-year-old girl in Nashville. The girl said that she awoke in the early hours of December 31 to find Awad raping her. 
Awad, who has a lengthy <a href="https://sci.ccc.nashville.gov/Search/CriminalHistory?P_CASE_IDENTIFIER=MENA%5EAWAD%5E08221994%5E576023">criminal history</a>, entered the country in 2017 through the Diversity Lottery program. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-stops-diversity-program-that-allowed-brown-university-shooter-into-u-s">paused</a> the program in December and called on Congress to pass legislation to permanently shut it down. 
“Horrendous immigration policies allowed this monster into our country and made victims of children and families,” Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told The Daily Wire. “This child rapist was allowed into our country by the Diversity Lottery program. Secretary Noem paused the diversity lottery to ensure no more Americans are harmed by this disastrous program. ICE lodged an arrest detainer to ensure he is not released onto our streets to victimize more children.” 
The “diversity visa” program allowed up to 55,000 immigrants from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States into the country every year, according to the State Department. Awad lost his legal status after a previous criminal conviction. 
Awad is currently behind bars in the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office in Nashville. He is charged with aggravated rape, two counts of aggravated burglary, and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. 
According to the girl, she was sleeping in bed with her nephew when she woke up around 6:00 a.m. on December 31 to find Awad raping her. She repeatedly asked him to stop and was afraid because he had a handgun in his waistband, the police report <a href="https://www.wsmv.com/2026/01/22/child-rape-suspect-returned-nashville-officially-charged-following-arrest-kentucky/">obtained</a> by WSMV 4 showed.
Awad left the apartment, and police identified him as a homeless man who lived behind a market in southeast Nashville, the report said. Police in Louisville arrested him at a hotel on January 16 before he was extradited to Nashville. 
Court records show that Awad has a lengthy criminal background, including assault with a deadly weapon in 2018, convictions for domestic assault in 2020, driving without a license, and other driving violations in 2023. Awad had another domestic assault charge dismissed in 2023.

MixCollage-30-Jan-2026-03-09-PM-8240

ICE Takes Action Against Egyptian Illegal Immigrant Accused Of Raping Nashville Girl

Child rape

Nashville

Tennessee

White House border czar Tom Homan arrived in Minneapolis on Monday to address the ongoing illegal immigration raids and anti-ICE protests, but did not appear publicly until Thursday morning, when he spoke at a press conference.
Homan, who has been in meetings with federal, state, and local officials since he touched down in the Twin Cities, made clear that he wasn&#8217;t there for &#8220;photo ops or headlines.&#8221;
President Donald Trump sent the former acting ICE chief to Minneapolis to replace Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino, who was known for parading through the city flanked by fellow agents in a more aggressive show of force.
Homan indicated that he was there to clean up a mess.
&#8220;I&#8217;m not here because the federal government has carried out its mission perfectly,&#8221; Homan said.
&#8220;I come here looking for solutions. I do not want to hear that everything&#8217;s been done here has been perfect. Nothing&#8217;s ever perfect. Anything can be improved on. And what we&#8217;ve been working on is making this operation safer, more efficient, by the book. The mission is going to improve because of the changes we&#8217;re making internally. No agency organization is perfect,&#8221; Homan said.
&#8220;President Trump and I, along with others in the administration, have recognized that certain improvements could and should be made. That&#8217;s exactly what I&#8217;m doing here,&#8221; he said.
During his meetings with local officials, Homan has already made strides. Homan met with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, all of whom have been critical of the immigration raids.
Still, they were able to agree on some things, including a loose pledge from Ellison to allow ICE into county jails and a promise from police chiefs to respond to 911 calls when agents are under assault.
&#8220;I&#8217;ve heard many people want to know why we&#8217;re talking to people who they don&#8217;t consider friends of the administration. Bottom line is you can&#8217;t fix problems if you don&#8217;t have discussions,&#8221; Homan said. &#8220;What we did agree upon is not to release public safety arrests back in the community, and they could be lawfully transferred to ICE.&#8221;
If Ellison can deliver on his word, the federal presence in the state will decrease, Homan said.
&#8220;Attorney General Ellison, and he has clarified for me that county jails may notify ICE of the release dates of criminal public safety risks so ICE can take custody of them upon the release from the jail,&#8221; Homan said.
&#8220;More agents in the jail means less agents in the street. This is common sense cooperation that allows us to draw down on the number of people we have here. Yes, I said it, draw down the number of people here because we have the efficiency and safety of the jails and the prison,&#8221; he said.
Homan has opposed the strategy of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Bovino, whose focus has been on meeting quotas rather than expending federal resources on hunting down the worst criminal illegal immigrants roaming Minneapolis, Homeland Security sources recently told The Daily Wire.
That all looks to be changing with Homan&#8217;s arrival in the Twin Cities.
&#8220;All operations will be targeted, but the prioritization [is] going to be criminal aliens, public safety threats, and national security threats&#8230; we&#8217;ve got a lot of them to keep us busy&#8230; if you&#8217;re in the country illegally, you&#8217;re never off the table,&#8221; Homan said.
Homan also appeared to depart from Noem&#8217;s earlier messaging regarding Saturday&#8217;s fatal shooting of Alex Pretti. Hours after the shooting, Noem labeled Pretti a &#8220;domestic terrorist&#8221; who intended &#8220;to inflict maximum damage on individuals and to kill law enforcement.”
Unlike Noem, Homan made clear that he wouldn&#8217;t speak on the incident until the investigation concludes. He also noted that if any agents are not adhering to their &#8220;standards of conduct &#8230; they&#8217;ll be dealt with.&#8221;
&#8220;From day one, I said on any of these shootings as a career law enforcement officer, we&#8217;ll let &#8230; the investigation play out and let it go where it goes. I&#8217;m not going to come out making any comments I think is right, wrong. Do I have an opinion? Yeah, my personal opinion, but I&#8217;m not going to share that with you. I&#8217;m going to tell you, let the investigation play out and see where it goes.&#8221;

Border Czar Tom Homan Speaks In Minneapolis During Operation Metro Surge

Homan’s Presser Sheds Light On Trump Admin’s Shift On Minneapolis Immigration Raids

Tim Walz

Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins said Thursday that Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed to her that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had ended “enhanced” operations in her state. 
Collins, who has been critical of the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration, previously urged ICE to “pause” operations in both Minnesota and Maine. 
“While the Department of Homeland Security does not confirm law enforcement operations, I can report that Secretary Noem has informed me that ICE has ended its enhanced activities in the State of Maine,” Collins wrote on X. “There are currently no ongoing or planned large-scale ICE operations here. I have been urging Secretary Noem and others in the Administration to get ICE to reconsider its approach to immigration enforcement in the state.”
Collins added that she appreciated Noem’s “willingness to listen to and consider my recommendations and her personal attention to the situation in Maine. ICE and Customs and Border Patrol will continue their normal operations that have been ongoing here for many years.”
“I will continue to work with the Secretary on efforts to end illegal immigration, drug smuggling, and other transnational criminal activity,” Collins said. 
The Department of Homeland Security  told The Daily Wire that it would &#8220;continue to enforce the law across the country, as we do every day.&#8221;
On Tuesday, Collins<a href="https://x.com/SenatorCollins/status/2016300115116409332"> said</a> that she had spoken with both the White House and Noem about limiting the scope and target of immigration operations in Maine and Minnesota in the wake of the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal agents. 
Collins’ call for ICE to pause operations in Maine was echoed by Democrat Governor Janet Mills, who recently demanded that President Donald Trump withdraw ICE agents from Maine. Mills also demanded that ICE&#8217;s funding be cut and that Noem be brought before Congress to testify.
Last week, ICE <a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2026/01/21/ice-launches-operation-catch-day-targeting-worst-worst-criminal-illegal-aliens">launched</a> operation “Catch of the Day” in Maine to target illegal immigrants convicted of crimes. Those arrested as part of the operation included illegal immigrants arrested for aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and endangering the welfare of a child, according to DHS. In total, around 200 illegal immigrants were arrested as part of the operation. 
“Governor Mills and her fellow sanctuary politicians in Maine have made it abundantly clear that they would rather stand with criminal illegal aliens than protect law-abiding American citizens,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “We have launched Operation Catch of the Day to target the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens in the state.”

Senate Advances Plan To End Shutdown After Some Democrats Agree

GOP Senator Says ‘Enhanced’ ICE Operations Have Ended In Maine

Illegal Immigation

Maine

Susan Collins

White House border czar Tom Homan&#8217;s arrival in Minneapolis has already led to discussions about making changes to which illegal immigrants federal authorities should be targeting.
Homan arrived in the Twin Cities on Monday after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti. Behind closed doors, the former ICE chief has already been critical of the strategy Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and her ally, El Centro sector Border Patrol chief Gregory Bovino, have employed to increase the number of arrests rather than to focus on the quality of arrests in nabbing the worst criminals, sources within the federal government recently told The Daily Wire.
President Donald Trump sent Homan to Minneapolis, replacing Bovino, who was commanding arrests in the region with more aggressive and showy tactics. Bovino has since been reassigned to the border.
Homeland Security sources on the ground told The Daily Wire that Homan&#8217;s arrival has already brought about changes to their target lists, but noted that nothing is final. The sources were granted anonymity to speak because they&#8217;re not authorized to do so publicly.
&#8220;Targeting is changing strategies,&#8221; one source said.
Another source said they&#8217;ve &#8220;been told strictly target packages for now until they decide how to designate targets and collateral.&#8221; Collaterals are illegal immigrants that federal agents find near their criminal targets.
The source noted that on Tuesday, &#8220;the policy changed three times in the matter of four hours.&#8221;
Senior DHS officials are currently in discussions about what arrests will look like going forward, sources said.
On Monday, federal immigration agents arrested illegal immigrants in Minnesota who carried convictions for kidnapping, child rape, assault on a law enforcement officer with a firearm, assault, and possession of fraudulent documents, according to DHS.
A White House official told The Daily Wire that Minnesota immigration raids &#8220;should be targeted enforcement operations,&#8221; adding that &#8220;when a target is located, if there are others with them that are illegally present, these individuals should absolutely be arrested.&#8221;
&#8220;No one has directed an end to collateral arrests,&#8221; the official said.
A Customs and Border Protection spokesperson said that &#8220;no such order was given&#8221; to change arrests.
“CBP will continue to enforce the law in Minneapolis, just as they do across the country,&#8221; the spokesperson said.
While in Minneapolis, Homan has also met with Democratic Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey in an attempt to negotiate better cooperation from local police.
Frey, however, appears to be digging in his heels and said the city &#8220;does not and will not enforce federal immigration laws.&#8221;
Trump fired back at the sanctuary city mayor, saying he was &#8220;playing with fire.&#8221;

Tom Homan Joins White House Press Briefing

Homan’s Arrival In Minneapolis Could Change Who Feds Arrest In Immigration Raids

President Donald Trump blasted Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) as “losers” after the two Republicans called for the removal of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem amid scrutiny over Minneapolis immigration operations that resulted in the fatal shooting of a leftist protester.
&#8220;Well, they&#8217;re both losers. You know, what can I tell you? They&#8217;re terrible senators. One is gone and the other should be gone,&#8221; he told <a href="https://x.com/rachelvscott/status/2016487301942022340?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC News</a> on Wednesday morning, referring to Tillis&#8217;s announcement last year that he would not seek re-election.
&#8220;In the meantime, I have a border that&#8217;s perfect – the strongest, one of the strongest borders anywhere in the world. We went from the weakest border in the world to one of the strongest borders in the world,” the president added. “So what Murkowski says –  she&#8217;s always against the Republicans anyway. And Tillis decided to drop out. So you know, he lost his voice once he did that.&#8221;
On Tuesday, the president said “no” outright when asked whether Noem would step down and that he stood by her performance, echoing similar sentiments about the border now being much calmer than under the Biden administration.
Murkowski and Tillis have at times openly criticized the president, breaking with much of the GOP, as Democrats have predictably called for Noem&#8217;s removal in recent days.
“We would be better served with new leadership at [the] department,” Murkowski told <a href="https://x.com/mychaelschnell/status/2016301844809580658?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MS NOW</a>, noting that it’s ultimately up to the president to decide.
A DHS spokesperson slammed Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) after he called for Noem to be “immediately fired” on Tuesday.
“DHS enforces the laws Congress passes, period. If certain members don’t like those laws, changing them is literally their job,” the department said in a statement to The Daily Wire.
Still, a government shutdown looms as a larger fight over DHS funding brews — and Democrats in Congress have indicated that a change in leadership is not enough to change course, instead hoping for serious immigration policy changes.
Several Democrats, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren, have urged Senate Republicans to separate DHS funding from the broader spending package to limit the impact of a potential shutdown, a move widely viewed as unlikely to succeed. Any changes to DHS funding or other provisions would require the legislation to return to the House of Representatives, which has already approved the spending bills and is out of session this week. Even if the Senate reaches an agreement on amended legislation, the House&#8217;s absence makes a government shutdown on Friday increasingly likely.
The fatal shooting of Alex Pretti intensified internal debates over leadership and execution of Trump’s immigration agenda over the weekend, prompting the White House to deploy border czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis. Homan was tasked with coordinating and communicating with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, both Democrats, on a path forward in the region.
Trump told ABC News, “We’d like to finish the job and finish it well, and I think we can do it in a de-escalated form. A lot of the hardest work is already done.” However, he warned in a Truth Social post on Wednesday that Frey is “PLAYING WITH FIRE,” to which Frey replied on X that “the job of [Minneapolis] police is to keep people safe, not enforce fed immigration laws.”
DHS’ Operation Metro Surge has resulted in thousands of arrests of people in the country illegally, including those with other criminal charges and convictions.

UK Hosts President Trump And First Lady Melania Trump For State Visit – Day Three

Trump Fires Back At GOP ‘Losers’ Demanding Noem’s Removal

homeland security

Minnesota

President Donald Trump touts his first-year economic wins as American allies make trade deals behind the scenes, the White House switches things up in Minnesota, and another government shutdown looms as Senate Dems hold up a funding bill.
It’s Wednesday, January 28, 2026, 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:
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump Sells Economy While Europe Turns To India</h2>
President Trump hit the campaign trail Tuesday to tout his economic agenda, as Europe finds a new trading partner, and sends a message to Washington. Trump has traveled the country in recent months, working to convince the American people that he has made progress on the economy. While he won’t be on the ballot, he is fighting to maintain control of the Senate. He delivered a speech on Tuesday in Iowa, where an open Senate seat is up for grabs. Meanwhile, Europe is pivoting away from the United States in trade, thanks in part to the president&#8217;s aggressive trade wars. On Tuesday, the European Union announced the framework of a massive trade deal with India, the world’s most populous nation. The agreement will eliminate or significantly reduce nearly all tariffs between the two sides, mainly on agricultural products, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals, and allow Europe to finally sell its cars on the Indian market. 
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump Changes Tack After Pretti Killing</h2>
President Trump is shuffling his personnel and changing his administration’s message after Border Patrol agents shot and killed Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. But he remains committed to deporting illegals in Minnesota. As Trump looks to shift his strategy on mass deportations, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is facing criticism for labeling Pretti a domestic terrorist and claiming he showed up armed to massacre federal agents. Some Congressional Democrats, including Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), have called on Trump to oust Noem. Trump, however, appears to be standing his ground. Meanwhile, in Minnesota, Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, has begun settling in and meeting with state and local officials, including Democratic Governor Tim Walz. They agreed to an “ongoing dialogue” on continued federal immigration operations.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">DC Stares Down A Shutdown</h2>
In Washington, the government is inching closer to a partial shutdown on Friday as the Senate debates funding for Homeland Security. As funding runs out, the House is out of town this week, even though it already approved the funding bills. But since Border Patrol agents shot and killed Pretti, an ICU nurse, the tone on Capitol Hill has shifted, and Democrats want a shutdown over DHS funding because they want strings attached. It is unclear if there could be any deal that would avoid even a short shutdown. Democrats want DHS funding separated from other bills to prevent a broader shutdown. Many Democrats have called for “constraints” on ICE and Border Patrol, as Sen. Fetterman and House Democrats have called for Homeland Security Secretary Noem to be fired. Senate Republican Conference Chairman Tom Cotton of Arkansas has warned against a “mob veto.”

MRN_260128_V1

Morning Brief: Trump’s Midterm Pitch, Minnesota Tactic Shift, & Shutdown Showdown

Morning Brief: Trump’s Midterm Pitch, Deportation Shuffle, And DC Heads Toward A Shutdown

Congress

European Union

Morning Wire

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) is calling on Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to be “immediately fired” as the federal government approaches a possible partial shutdown over DHS funding, but Trump outright said “no” on Tuesday when asked about whether she will leave the role.
The moderate Pennsylvania Democrat could be a key swing vote as a second shutdown in just three months looms, and his post on X on Tuesday was meant to be a “direct appeal” to President Donald Trump.
“Americans have died. She is betraying DHS’s core mission and trashing your border security legacy,” Fetterman posted. “DO NOT make the mistake President Biden made for not firing a grossly incompetent DHS Secretary.” Trump and Fetterman notably met at Mar-a-Lago early last year.
However, the departure of Noem does not seem likely based on public statements currently available, including from the president on Tuesday.
&#8220;I think she&#8217;s doing a very good job &#8230; the border is totally secure. You know, you forget, we had a border that I inherited where millions of people were coming through. Now, we have a border where no one is coming through,” Trump said on Tuesday before leaving to speak at an event in Iowa.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday that the secretary “still has the utmost confidence and trust.”
It’s unclear if it could become a point of leverage for Democrats in the government funding fight, but many Democrats have indicated they want to see changes beyond just leadership. Meanwhile, House Democratic leadership is asking for Noem to &#8220;be fired immediately, or we will commence impeachment proceedings in the House of Representatives&#8221; – a move that could face difficulty with a Republican-majority Congress. The Republican-majority congress successfully impeached then-DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in 2024 as the southern border crisis raged on.
Most of the funding for major immigration goals of the Trump administration, such as increasing the number of ICE officers, was already signed by the president last year with the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” Over the weekend, DHS and the White House pointed out to The Daily Wire that other funding for emergency management and TSA would be impacted if DHS were not funded.
Democrats are calling for the DHS funding to be separated from other spending bills to minimize the impact of a shutdown, but top lawmakers like Senate Republican Conference Chair Tom Cotton (R-AR) have said there will be “no mob veto.”
“If Senate Republicans refuse to strip out the DHS bill to put real constraints on ICE — and hold hostage the vast majority of government funding — then Republicans are complicit in the chaos and own the potential government shutdown,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) posted. “It’s time to stop ICE’s violence.”
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/inside-the-trump-administrations-growing-divide-over-mass-deportation-raids?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=Original&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Inside+The+Trump+Administration%E2%80%99s+Growing+Divide+Over+Mass+Deportation+Raids" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> reported on Monday that there has been some internal debate over the best approach moving forward regarding mass deportations, as Trump sends White House Border Czar Tom Homan to meet with Minnesota Democratic leaders. Tensions hit a breaking point following the Border Patrol-involved shooting of Alex Pretti.
On Tuesday evening, a DHS spokesperson responded to the comments made by Fetterman.
“DHS enforces the laws Congress passes, period. If certain members don’t like those laws, changing them is literally their job. Secretary Noem oversees the Department of Homeland Security, and she is very happy that Tom Homan, who is a great asset to the President, and has a great depth of experience and insight, will be overseeing Minneapolis operations,&#8221; the spokesperson stated. &#8220;Secretary Noem also oversees FEMA where she has been living there for the last three days.  Her portfolio also includes the US Coast Guard, US Secret Service, TSA, CISA, CBP, ICE and 23 total components. Under her leadership, DHS law enforcement have arrested and deported over 700,000 criminal illegal aliens. Over 2 million self-deportations and we will continue with that work.”

John Fetterman

Fetterman Calls On Trump To Fire Noem As Shutdown Fears Grow

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