One of the biggest victories of President Donald Trump&#8217;s first 100 days <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hold-trump-scores-big-beautiful-victory-house-budget-vote" target="_blank" rel="noopener">came</a> when Congress passed a budget reconciliation framework, paving the way for his domestic agenda in a single, comprehensive bill. The measure — which the president has dubbed &#8220;one big, beautiful bill&#8221; — aims to extend tax cuts, enhance border security, and boost national defense.
The budget reconciliation process allows for more streamlined consideration of legislation pertaining to the federal budget. With it, the Senate requires only a simple majority — 51 votes — to pass a bill that gets developed after Congress passes a blueprint for how to proceed, bypassing the three-fifths majority threshold needed to overcome a filibuster. Currently, Senate Republicans hold a 53-seat majority.
Before taking office in January, Trump expressed his preference for passing a single bill, <a href="https://x.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1876089056817455175?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1876089056817455175%7Ctwgr%5E00f92e1a263f9d2933e2e879f4433950b013a16b%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.newsweek.com%2Fdonald-trump-vows-one-powerful-bill-pass-major-maga-policies-2010106" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arguing</a> that such a &#8220;powerful&#8221; measure would &#8220;bring our Country back, and make it greater than ever before,&#8221; and would be offset by tariffs in response to countries he says have been taking advantage of the United States for years.
Each chamber of Congress charted a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/two-ways-about-it-house-and-senate-chart-different-paths-for-trump-budget-priorities-and-tax-cuts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">different</a> course, at least initially.
The Senate took a two-step approach, wherein one bill would address budget priorities while leaving tax cuts for a future measure. But House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) opted to pursue legislation with everything in one package.
Reaching the finish line first, the Senate <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/senate-passes-late-night-budget-bill-focused-on-border-defense-spending" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passed</a> a $340 billion budget resolution tackling immigration and border security, defense, and energy in early February. The House ignored the Senate framework and later that month <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trumps-one-big-beautiful-budget-vision-clears-house-in-massive-victory-for-mike-johnson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">advanced</a> its own plan that would not leave the tax cuts for a future piece of legislation.
In the weeks that followed, the Senate essentially abandoned its two-step plan and pressed ahead with taking up the House resolution. Unlike the House, the Senate has to contend with the <a href="https://x.com/AndrewDesiderio/status/1905623315378471013" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Byrd Rule</a> for budget reconciliation, which constrains the upper chamber to focus solely on fiscal measures such as extending tax cuts and raising the debt ceiling while stripping out non-budgetary provisions.
What ultimately passed through the Senate was an amended framework that seeks to retain the 2017 tax cuts set to expire this year, raise the debt ceiling by $5 trillion, and increase spending on border security and defense. It also includes several billion dollars in spending reductions — far less than the more than $2 trillion goal in the original House resolution.
The lesser spending-reduction goals that made it into the Senate&#8217;s version proved to be disagreeable for several House conservatives, though Republican leadership managed to overcome the resistance. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) had offered his assurances that the upper chamber would strive to become &#8220;aligned&#8221; with the House in terms of savings. And, on April 10, the framework narrowly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hold-trump-scores-big-beautiful-victory-house-budget-vote" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passed</a> the House, with two Republicans casting their no votes alongside 212 Democrats.
Although Democrats who oppose the budget plan <a href="https://x.com/HouseDemocrats/status/1909984102641512926" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claim</a> that it could lead to $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid and benefit the wealthy, Trump has <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2025/03/fact-check-president-trump-will-always-protect-social-security-medicare/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">insisted</a> he would not touch Medicaid, Medicare, or Social Security. He has, however, said fraud and illegal immigrants will be rooted out of the system. The president has also pushed for a number of tax cuts that could help Americans in the middle and lower-income brackets. Among his ideas are eliminating taxes on tips and <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114410073592204291" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reducing</a> income taxes for people making less than $200,000 a year.
The &#8220;big, beautiful bill&#8221; is coming together under the shadow of a national debt that is <a href="https://www.usdebtclock.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">approaching</a> $37 trillion.
Trump&#8217;s administration has engaged in a Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) effort led by tech executive Elon Musk, which <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/elon-significantly-cut-back-doge-time" target="_blank" rel="noopener">says</a> its “estimated savings” have reached $160 billion amid cuts to programs and jobs across the federal bureaucracy. The White House also unleashed &#8220;Liberation Day&#8221; tariffs, with which the president contends he is trying to dismantle unfair trade practices. And yet another stopgap bill to avert a partial government shutdown — this one lasting for six months — was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/senate-officially-sends-funding-bill-to-trumps-desk-after-dems-cave" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passed</a> and signed by Trump in March.
Negotiators are now working on putting together the budget reconciliation legislation, using the amended resolution as a guide.
&#8220;It’s a complicated piece of legislation. I think it can be and probably will be one of the most consequential pieces of legislation ever passed by the United States Congress,&#8221; Speaker Johnson told host Will Cain in a Fox News <a href="https://x.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1915179044288815247" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> last week, adding later, &#8220;Here&#8217;s the update. What you&#8217;ll see over the next four weeks is the pieces, the various components of that big bill, rolling out of these committees. You&#8217;ll have committee markups scheduled and all those 11 committees successively over the four weeks. And you&#8217;re going to see this thing come together.&#8221;
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested the legislation could be complete by Independence Day following a gathering on Monday of the so-called &#8220;Big Six,&#8221; which includes himself, White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, Johnson, Thune, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-ID), and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO).
&#8220;We had another successful &#8216;Big Six&#8217; meeting today, and we hope to have a tax bill done by the Fourth of July,&#8221; Bessent <a href="https://x.com/SecScottBessent/status/1916968595650695616" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a post on X. &#8220;The House is moving things along quickly, and the Senate is in lockstep. I&#8217;m happy to announce that they are in substantial agreement and that this is going to be a very big, pro-growth win for the American people.&#8221;

Donald Trump Delivers Joint Address To Congress

Trump 2.0 In 100 Days: ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill’ Comes Together

Budget

Congress

Donald Trump

Spending Bill

U.S.

U.S. House of Representatives

On Monday, the GOP-led House overwhelmingly passed a bill championed by First Lady Melania Trump to protect victims of non-consensual intimate imagery, including <a href="https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sen-cruz-leads-colleagues-in-unveiling-landmark-bill-to-protect-victims-of-deepfake-revenge-porn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">revenge porn</a> using AI-generated deepfakes.
The <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/146/text" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bill</a>, called the &#8220;Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on Websites and Networks (TAKE IT DOWN) Act,&#8221; <a href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2025104" target="_blank" rel="noopener">received</a> the support of 207 Republicans and 202 Democrats.
Once signed into law, the legislation would prohibit the non-consensual online publication of intimate visual depictions, including digital forgeries, imposing fines, imprisonment, and mandatory restitution for violations, particularly when intended to harm adults or exploit minors. The bill also requires online platforms hosting user-generated content to remove such depictions within 48 hours of a removal request, with the Federal Trade Commission enforcing compliance.
The Senate <a href="https://www.commerce.senate.gov/index.php/2025/2/cruz-klobuchar-bill-to-protect-teenagers-from-deepfake-revenge-porn-unanimously-passes-the-senate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unanimously</a> passed the bill, authored by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), in February. In the weeks that followed, Melania Trump encouraged the House to pass the bill during a roundtable discussion with Cruz, other lawmakers, survivors of non-consensual intimate imagery, and online safety advocates, according to the <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/2025/03/readout-from-first-lady-melania-trumps-roundtable-discussion-on-online-protection-and-the-take-it-down-act/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White House</a>. During her remarks, the first lady <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Yr6AvaDnXo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spoke</a> about protecting young people, especially girls, from &#8220;malicious online content&#8221; such as deepfakes.
&#8220;This toxic environment can be severely damaging. We must prioritize their well-being by equipping them with the support and tools necessary to navigate this hostile digital landscape,” she said. &#8220;Every young person deserves a safe online space to express themself freely, without the looming threat of exploitation or harm.&#8221;
Having passed both chambers, the bill now awaits President Donald Trump’s signature.
&#8220;Today, the House took a critical step to combat the growing online publication of real and deepfake nonconsensual intimate images with the passage of the Take It Down Act. I want to thank First Lady Melania Trump for championing this important legislation that empowers and provides protections to victims of online sexual exploitation,&#8221; Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said in a statement. “It also criminalizes the publication of nonconsensual intimate images and mandates their removal from online platforms once reported. The First Lady’s leadership has been instrumental in the bill’s passage, and we look forward to seeing this signed into law.&#8221;
Melania Trump also released a statement, mentioning her &#8220;Be Best&#8221; initiative.
&#8220;Today’s bipartisan passage of the Take It Down Act is a powerful statement that we stand united in protecting the dignity, privacy, and safety of our children,&#8221; she said. &#8220;I am thankful to the Members of Congress — both in the House and Senate — who voted to protect the well-being of our youth. Through this critical legislation and our continued focus with ‘Be Best,’ we are building a future where every child can thrive and achieve their full potential.&#8221;
Just two members, Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Eric Burlison (R-MO), voted against it.
Before the House vote, Massie <a href="https://x.com/RepThomasMassie/status/1916984817767579966" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> on X screenshots of a Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/04/08/take-it-down-act-deepfakes-ncii-flaws/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">analysis</a> that highlighted how critics said the deepfake bill is &#8220;flawed.&#8221; The Kentucky Republican said: &#8220;Tonight we’re voting on the &#8216;TAKE IT DOWN Act,&#8217; a bill that would impose federal criminal and civil penalties for publishing unauthorized intimate pictures generated with AI. I’m voting NO because I feel this is a slippery slope, ripe for abuse, with unintended consequences.&#8221;

First Lady Melania Trump

House Passes Melania-Backed Bill To Fight Deepfake Revenge Porn

Artificial Intelligence

Deepfake

Melania Trump

Online porn

Politics

Pornography

Ted Cruz

On Monday, a House Democrat introduced seven articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, kicking off a bid that has virtually no chance of succeeding in the Republican-led Congress.
The impeachment resolution from Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI) accuses Trump of &#8220;high crimes and misdemeanors&#8221; over alleged constitutional violations related to taxpayer funds, deportations, tariffs, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) effort led by Elon Musk, retaliation against the press, and others.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI) has introduced 7 articles of impeachment against <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>.
Alleged violations range from usurping approps. powers to dismissing criminal cases “for personal and political gain.” <a href="https://t.co/qoZGNBvu2v">pic.twitter.com/qoZGNBvu2v</a>
— Sam Lisker (@slisker) <a href="https://twitter.com/slisker/status/1916922167918317817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
&#8220;Donald Trump has repeatedly demonstrated that he is unfit to serve as President and represents a clear and present danger to our nation&#8217;s constitution and our democracy,&#8221; Thanedar said in a <a href="https://thanedar.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-shri-thanedar-introduces-articles-of-impeachment-against-president-donald-j-trump-for-high-crimes-and-misdemeanors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. &#8220;His unlawful actions have subverted the justice system, violated the separation of powers, and placed personal power and self-interest above public service. We cannot wait for more damage to be done. Congress must act.&#8221;
In a video posted on social media, Thanedar claimed the &#8220;final straw&#8221; was Trump defying a Supreme Court ruling that the government must &#8220;facilitate&#8221; the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an illegal immigrant deported to his home country of El Salvador.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I have introduced articles of impeachment against President Trump.
When Trump ignores the Constitution, Congress, and the courts, he is not “fighting for America.”
He is tearing it down and endangering our democracy. <a href="https://t.co/40iBTZKjkC">pic.twitter.com/40iBTZKjkC</a>
— Congressman Shri Thanedar (@RepShriThanedar) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepShriThanedar/status/1916920864521519363?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
The announcement came hours after Michigan state Rep. Donavan McKinney launched a 2026 primary campaign for the Detroit-area district against Thanedar, a 70-year-old Indian immigrant serving his second term in the House. McKinney joins former state Sen. Adam Hollier, who is challenging Thanedar for a <a href="https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/elections/2025/04/14/adam-hollier-shri-thanedar-detroit-congressional-district/83080051007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">third time</a>, and has already received an <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5270956-michigan-state-rep-challenges-thanedar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">endorsement</a> from the leftist Justice Democrats.
&#8220;People like our congressman, Shri Thanedar, are the problem,&#8221; McKinney <a href="https://x.com/DonavanMI13/status/1916838690044719129" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in an announcement video. &#8220;A multimillionaire who spent millions to buy a seat in Congress, who has more in common with Donald Trump and Elon Musk than people like us.&#8221;
During his first term, Trump was impeached twice when the Democrats commanded the House. One inquiry dealt with Ukraine, and the other with January 6. Both efforts ended in acquittal by a GOP-led Senate.
Because the House and Senate are now controlled by Republicans who are largely aligned with the president, Thanedar&#8217;s articles of impeachment are likely to go nowhere. That has been the case with articles of impeachment <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-democrat-moves-to-impeach-trump-over-dastardly-deeds" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> by Rep. Al Green (D-TX), who accused Trump of committing &#8220;dastardly deeds&#8221; in the first couple of weeks of his second term.
&#8220;This is not about partisanship,&#8221; Thanedar said in his statement. &#8220;It’s about protecting our democracy and ensuring that no one, not even a President, is above the law.&#8221;
Referring to what has been dubbed &#8220;Trump Derangement Syndrome,&#8221; Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) was among those to mock the latest impeachment attempt.
&#8220;It&#8217;s a day that ends in &#8216;-Y&#8217;, which means liberal Democrats are again trying to impeach [the president] for delivering the will of the people,&#8221; Mullin <a href="https://x.com/SenMullin/status/1916932777036984584" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a post on X. &#8220;TDS is strong. MAGA is stronger.&#8221;

Rep. Shri Thanedar

Democrat Unveils 7 Articles Of Impeachment Against Trump

House Democrats

Impeachment

Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA), the top Democrat on the powerful House Oversight Committee, announced on Monday that his cancer has &#8220;returned&#8221; and he will not seek re-election next year.
Connolly, 75, first <a href="https://connolly.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6160" target="_blank" rel="noopener">revealed</a> in November, right after the 2024 election, that he had cancer of the esophagus with no symptoms aside from some &#8220;intermittent&#8221; abdominal aches and pains. At the time, he pledged to keep working while undergoing treatment.
&#8220;When I announced my diagnosis six months ago, I promised transparency,&#8221; Connolly <a href="https://connolly.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6412" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &#8220;After grueling treatments, we&#8217;ve learned that the cancer, while initially beaten back, has now returned. I’ll do everything possible to continue to represent you and thank you for your grace.&#8221;
He continued: &#8220;The sun is setting on my time in public service, and this will be my last term in Congress. I will be stepping back as Ranking Member of the Oversight Committee soon. With no rancor and a full heart, I move into this final chapter full of pride in what we&#8217;ve accomplished together over 30 years. My loving family and staff sustain me. My extended family – you all have been a joy to serve.&#8221;
In December, Connolly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/aoc-loses-bid-to-become-top-oversight-dem" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defeated</a> Rep. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/alexandria-ocasio-cortez" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez</a> (D-NY) to become the ranking member of the oversight panel. With Connolly stepping aside, Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) will take over the role &#8220;for now,&#8221; sources <a href="https://x.com/bresreports/status/1916886850679304677" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Punchbowl News.
Some of Connolly&#8217;s colleagues, from both the Democratic and Republican parties, were among those to respond to his announcement on X.
&#8220;Thank you, Ranking Member [Connolly], for your decades of service. It’s been an honor to work with you on [Oversight Democrats], where your leadership has helped bring transparency and accountability to the new administration. Keeping you in my prayers,&#8221; said Rep. Shontel Brown (D-OH).
&#8220;Although we may differ passionately on many topics, we can unite on one truth: cancer sucks. I extend my heartfelt wishes to my colleague [Connolly] for strength, fortitude, and energy in his battle against cancer,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/Kat_Cammack/status/1916878078795563230" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL).
Connolly began his announcement, which was addressed to &#8220;friends,&#8221; by &#8220;thanking you for your good wishes and compassion as I continue to tackle my diagnosis. Your outpouring of love and support has given me strength in my fights – both against cancer and in our collective defense of democracy.&#8221;

Rep. Gerry Connolly

Top House Oversight Dem Won’t Seek Re-Election After Cancer Resurgence

Cancer

Democrats

Former Rep. George Santos (R-NY), who was expelled from Congress last year after extensive fraud revelations, received a hefty 87-month prison term on Friday.
Santos, 36, pleaded guilty last year to committing wire fraud and aggravated identity theft while also admitting he “filed fraudulent FEC reports, embezzled funds from campaign donors, charged credit cards without authorization, stole identities, obtained unemployment benefits through fraud, and lied in reports to the House of Representatives,” per a Department of Justice press <a href="https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/former-congressman-george-santos-pleads-guilty-fraud-and-identity-theft#:~:text=In%20pleading%20guilty%2C%20Santos%2C%2036,to%20the%20House%20of%20Representatives">release</a>.
As U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert handed down the sentencing, Santos could be seen putting his hands over his head in apparent disbelief, The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/former-congressman-george-santos-sentenced-to-seven-years-for-fraud-90d88f55">reported</a>.
Despite Santos saying in a Monday <a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/852698897/Letter-From-George-Santos">letter</a> to the presiding judge that he &#8220;accepted full responsibility&#8221; for his crimes and was &#8220;profoundly sorry&#8221; for his actions, John J. Durham, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York under President Donald Trump&#8217;s DOJ, had pushed for an 87-month sentence, characterizing Santos as “unrepentant,” and “blamed his circumstances on misplaced trust in others,” per The Wall Street Journal.
Judge Seybert reportedly concurred with this sentiment, saying at the sentencing, &#8220;Where’s the remorse? Where do I see it?&#8221;
After his expulsion from Congress, Santos attempted to monetize his notoriety, likely in an attempt to pay the $375,000 in restitution, through personalized videos on Cameo and launching a podcast aptly titled &#8220;Pants on Fire&#8221; – a possible reference to his numerous falsehoods about his education, work history, and personal background, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/25/nyregion/george-santos-sentencing-prison.html">according</a> to The New York Times.
Santos was making &#8220;twice his congressional salary&#8221; through the personalized video platform, according to The Times, with the former congressman pushing a &#8220;last week on Cameo&#8221; promotion in a last-ditch effort to raise money before his sentencing.
Durham <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nyed.497086/gov.uscourts.nyed.497086.118.0.pdf">argued</a> in a supplemental court memo that Santos&#8217; recent social media posts claiming he is a “<a href="https://x.com/MrSantosNY/status/1909311390160240990">scapegoat</a>” and a victim of DOJ overreach and selective prosecution &#8220;suggested he had little remorse for his actions.&#8221;
“His actions speak louder than any words, and they cry out for a significant carceral sentence in this case,” the U.S. attorney said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Hi my name is George Santos and the DOJ has had a hard on for me since December of 2022.
I refuse to let them break me or my spirit and that makes them big Mad… they have used elaborate language to drag me and hinder my ability to earn income…
Long story short, I will NOT…
&mdash; Pants On Fire with George Santos (@MrSantosNY) <a href="https://twitter.com/MrSantosNY/status/1908567430403596655?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Santos&#8217; dramatic fall began shortly after his 2022 election victory when it was <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/new-york-congressman-elect-santos-admits-to-lying-about-employment-history-and-college-education?utm_source=chatgpt.com">revealed</a> that he had fabricated much of his background, such as graduating from Baruch College, working for Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, and even playing collegiate volleyball.
“I didn’t graduate from any institution of higher learning. I’m embarrassed and sorry for having embellished my resume,&#8221; Santos admitted in 2023, adding, “I own up to that. … We do stupid things in life.”
Santos was expelled from the House of Representatives after fellow Republicans led the charge following a bipartisan House Ethics Committee report, which found that he had stolen hundreds of thousands of dollars from donors. Some funds were <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/onlyfans-botox-george-santos-ethics-report-b2457313.html">reportedly</a> spent on luxury goods, OnlyFans, and Botox.
His attorneys had requested the minimum 24-month sentence, arguing that his actions &#8220;stemmed largely from a misguided desperation related to his political campaign, rather than inherent malice,&#8221; <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/05/nyregion/george-santos-sentencing-prison.html">according</a> to The New York Times, with the judge ultimately accepting the prosecution&#8217;s recommended sentence.

Former Representative George Santos Faces Sentencing For Fraud

Disgraced Ex-Congressman George Santos Sentenced To More Than 7 Years In Prison

Corruption

Courts

Department of Justice

Fraud

George Santos

New York

On Monday, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) announced it would cover travel costs for House Democrats to visit Kilmar Abrego Garcia in El Salvador amid his wrongful deportation lawsuit — on one condition.
&#8220;The NRCC is offering to pick up the tab for any House Democrat eager to hang out with their new poster child in El Salvador, a confirmed illegal immigrant, MS-13 gang member, and alleged domestic abuser,&#8221; the statement said. &#8220;We just have one condition: Livestream the whole thing. Snap plenty of selfies with your MS-13 buddies — the same violent criminals you’re trying to reimport into American neighborhoods to rape, kill, and terrorize law-abiding citizens.&#8221;
NRCC&#8217;s statement linked to a <a href="https://x.com/KatiePavlich/status/1912616487744950580" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a> on X about Abrego Garcia, whom the Trump administration <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/facilitate-not-effectuate-wh-responds-to-scotus-ruling-on-mistakenly-deported-salvadoran" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accuses</a> of being a member of MS-13. Abrego Garcia&#8217;s attorneys <a href="https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69777799/1/abrego-garcia-v-noem/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deny</a> the claim, but the government has released <a href="https://www.justice.gov/ag/media/1396906/dl?inline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">documents</a> to substantiate the affiliation. A 2021 restraining order <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/deported-illegal-immigrant-who-dems-have-championed-accused-of-beating-wife-court-docs?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News+and+Commentary&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Deported+Illegal+Immigrant+Who+Dems+Have+Championed+Accused+Of+Beating+Wife%3A++Court+Docs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shows</a> Abrego Garcia was accused of beating his wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, who now says they worked through the incident.
“If out of touch House Democrats are so desperate to cozy up to violent gang members, the least they can do is let Americans watch the show. We’ll pay for the plane tickets, they just can’t forget to smile for the camera while they sell out their constituents,&#8221; said NRCC spokesman Mike Marinella.
The NRCC released its statement on the same day that four House Democrats <a href="https://x.com/AnthonyAdragna/status/1914298706561552550" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrived</a> in El Salvador to &#8220;pressure&#8221; the Trump administration to abide by a Supreme Court order to &#8220;facilitate&#8221; Abrego Garcia&#8217;s return to the United States. C-SPAN&#8217;s Craig Caplan <a href="https://x.com/CraigCaplan/status/1914337664402079985" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> the Democrats&#8217; offices said their trip &#8220;is not being financed by taxpayer dollars&#8221; after House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY) <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gop-leaders-deny-taxpayer-money-for-dems-to-make-el-salvador-prison-trip" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rejected</a> a <a href="https://robertgarcia.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-robert-garcia-and-congressman-maxwell-frost-demand-oversight-codel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">request</a> for a Congressional Member Delegation (CODEL) to El Salvador.
&#8220;We have arrived in El Salvador. [President Donald] Trump is illegally arresting, jailing, &amp; deporting people with no due process. We must hold the Administration accountable for these illegal acts and demand Kilmar’s release. Today it’s him, tomorrow it could be anyone else,&#8221; Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL) <a href="https://x.com/MaxwellFrostFL/status/1914321852920479774" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on X.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) took a swipe at Frost and his Democrat colleagues who made the journey to El Salvador.
&#8220;Today, House Democrats travel to El Salvador as part of their obsession to bring a violent illegal alien and member of MS-13 BACK INTO the United States,&#8221; Johnson <a href="https://x.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1914390276266975378" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on X. &#8220;Could the contrast be more clear? House Republicans remain committed to doing everything we can to protect American families and keep dangerous gang members OUT of our country.&#8221;
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) travelled to El Salvador last week to check on Abrego Garcia, whom he claims is a Maryland &#8220;constituent.&#8221; A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sipping-margaritas-dem-senator-finally-meets-deported-illegal-immigrant-in-el-salvador" target="_blank" rel="noopener">meeting</a> took place on Thursday evening. Van Hollen later <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1913954303418474622" target="_blank" rel="noopener">conceded</a> during an interview on &#8220;Fox News Sunday&#8221; that his trip to El Salvador was funded by taxpayer dollars.

Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL)

GOP Offers To Pay For Dem Trips To El Salvador — On One Condition

El Salvador

Illegal Immigation

Mike Johnson

Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) issued a stark warning to El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele and other foreign leaders, cautioning that Democrats will not &#8220;look kindly&#8221; on those who cooperate with President Donald Trump when they return to power.
In a recent <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxYsbcWdjS0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">episode</a> of &#8220;Pod Save America,&#8221; Raskin spoke with host and former Obama aide Tommy Vietor about the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an illegal immigrant living in Maryland who was deported and sent to prison in his home country of El Salvador despite a 2019 court order prohibiting him from being sent back there. While at a White House meeting with Trump last week, Bukele <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/el-salvador-nayib-bukele-meeting-trump-white-house/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> his nation will not send Abrego Garcia back to the United States, even after the Supreme Court upheld an order for the federal government to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/facilitate-not-effectuate-wh-responds-to-scotus-ruling-on-mistakenly-deported-salvadoran" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;facilitate&#8221;</a> his return.
Vietor said a &#8220;Latin America policy expert&#8221; suggested to him that &#8220;Democrats should threaten to take action against any foreign government that participates in the extraordinary rendition of American citizens.&#8221; He listed cutting off future aid and seeking to prosecute foreign officials as possible forms of retaliation.
Raskin, who is the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, said he liked the idea, calling it a &#8220;complement to something that we need to be doing right now, which is engaging in far more work of transnational democratic solidarity with the democratic governments and the democratic movements and peoples and parties of the world to try to prevent the spread of the lawlessness and the fascist chaos that&#8217;s been unleashed against us.&#8221;
&#8220;But implicit in it,&#8221; Raskin continued, &#8220;should be the idea that if and when we come back to power — and we will — we are not going to look kindly upon people who facilitated &#8230; authoritarianism in our country. That&#8217;s an assault on our Constitution and on our people.&#8221;
The comment prompted rebukes from some of Trump&#8217;s GOP allies on X.
&#8220;[Raskin] says he will go after Trump officials when he returns to power. They haven’t learned a single lesson,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/RichardGrenell/status/1913810950060380439" target="_blank" rel="noopener">quipped</a> Richard Grenell, who is Trump&#8217;s special presidential envoy for special missions and interim director of the Kennedy Center.
&#8220;They aren&#8217;t coming into power any time soon if things continue as they are&#8230; that&#8217;s the only silver lining in their chaos and lunacy,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/NancyMace/status/1914352540575048113" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC).
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-border-czar-tears-into-dem-senator-van-hollen-for-el-salvador-trip" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump Border Czar Tears Into Dem Senator Van Hollen For El Salvador Trip</a>

Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD)

Raskin Threatens Countries Working With Trump, Says Dems Will Retaliate ‘When We Come Back To Power’

Global Politics

Jamie Raskin

A top Republican in Congress rejected on Sunday CNN anchor Dana Bash&#8217;s assertion that Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an illegal immigrant deported from the United States and sent to prison in his home country of El Salvador, has been robbed of due process.
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) shot back after Bash began an <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/20/politics/video/sotu-majority-whip-emmer-defends-trump-handling-of-brego-garcia-deportation-case" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> on &#8220;State of the Union&#8221; by pressing the lawmaker on the case of Abrego Garcia, a 29-year-old living in Maryland who was sent back to El Salvador last month despite a 2019 court order prohibiting him from being sent back to the country.
&#8220;I want to start with what the core issue is here. And that is the fact that the administration detained and deported Kilmar Abrego Garcia without any due process, violated a judge&#8217;s deportation protection order, refused to provide evidence in court to back up its allegations. Does that concern you?&#8221; Bash asked.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/GOPMajorityWhip?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GOPMajorityWhip</a>: &#8220;President Trump made it very clear — [he&#8217;s] going to get rid of the gang members, the murderers, the rapists, the terrorists &#8230; and I think they&#8217;re doing a good job of it.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/n7U5zjan5x">pic.twitter.com/n7U5zjan5x</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1913948030983700628?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Actually, if you look at this, it&#8217;s very interesting when people talk about the fact that this illegal alien, who is not a resident of the U.S. — he is a citizen of El Salvador — actually did have due process in an asylum hearing, where his request for asylum was rejected,&#8221; Emmer said, noting how Abrego Garcia was granted protection from being returned to El Salvador in 2019 due to concerns about local gangs endangering him, but not asylum.
&#8220;The Trump administration, as part of the promise that they made during the campaign, President Trump made it very clear, I&#8217;m going to get rid of the gang members, the murderers, the rapists, the terrorists. And this is part of that process in keeping that campaign promise. And I think they&#8217;re doing a good job at it,&#8221; Emmer said.
Emmer was alluding to how the Trump administration <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/facilitate-not-effectuate-wh-responds-to-scotus-ruling-on-mistakenly-deported-salvadoran" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accuses</a> Abrego Garcia of being a member of MS-13, which has been <a href="https://www.state.gov/designation-of-international-cartels/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">designated</a> as a foreign terror organization, and has released <a href="https://www.justice.gov/ag/media/1396906/dl?inline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">documents</a> to substantiate the affiliation. Abrego Garcia&#8217;s attorneys <a href="https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69777799/1/abrego-garcia-v-noem/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deny</a> the claim.
&#8220;There&#8217;s no evidence that was provided because there was no hearing in which to do so that he is either a murderer or a criminal or a gang member,&#8221; Bash replied. &#8220;Isn&#8217;t that something that should be provided to a judge, even an immigration judge, before somebody who has been in this country illegally, no question, but has been in this country and has appeared before judges before should be afforded?&#8221;
Emmer responded, &#8220;Actually, I think he was afforded that due process. In this case, an illegal alien was transported back to El Salvador. The administration initially thought it was a mistake, subsequently says it was not a mistake. The courts, interestingly, have suggested that we need to understand what &#8216;facilitate&#8217; means in the order. So they have deferred back to the lower court, Dana, to tell the administration, &#8216;facilitate&#8217; means this. And what&#8217;s going on in El Salvador now is, you have a citizen of El Salvador that is within the country of El Salvador. It really isn&#8217;t the U.S.&#8217; ability to go in and remove someone. It&#8217;ll be up to the president of El Salvador.&#8221;
Bash later read from a federal appeals court <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ca4.178400/gov.uscourts.ca4.178400.8.0.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">order</a> refusing to stop a judge’s demand for Trump administration officials to testify on whether they are making an effort to &#8220;facilitate&#8221; getting Garcia back, saying, &#8220;The government is asserting a right to stash away residents of this country in foreign prisons without the semblance of due process that is the foundation of our constitutional order &#8230; This should be shocking not only to judges, but to the intuitive sense of liberty that Americans far removed from courthouses still hold dear.&#8221;
Asked for his response, Emmer said, &#8220;Yes, and it&#8217;s been referred to the lower court to interpret what &#8216;facilitate&#8217; means. Dana, you make it — you want to make it about a much bigger thing. This is isolated incidents like the order that was issued after midnight this morning saying that they&#8217;re going to delay some deportations so that the lower court process can continue. These will happen on a case-by-case basis. And, again, the administration is absolutely following the law. I see nothing that they have done that&#8217;s illegal. Certainly, judges may disagree here and there, but the Supreme Court has been pretty good about supporting what this administration is doing legally.&#8221;

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn

Top Republican Takes On CNN Anchor’s Claim That Abrego Garcia Did Not Get Due Process

Due Process

Illegal Immigration

Republican leaders in the House have denied requests by Democrats to approve congressional trips to check on deportees at a mega prison in El Salvador.
With a post to X on Friday, House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY) revealed a letter in which he told a pair of Democrats that he was rejecting their <a href="https://robertgarcia.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-robert-garcia-and-congressman-maxwell-frost-demand-oversight-codel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">demand</a> for authorization of a Congressional Member Delegation (CODEL) to visit the Terrorism Confinement Center or CECOT.
&#8220;If Democrats wish to travel to El Salvador and meet with a foreign illegal MS-13 gang member, they can spend their own money to do so,&#8221; Comer <a href="https://x.com/RepJamesComer/status/1913321711958712768" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in his social media post that showed a screenshot of the letter. &#8220;I will not approve a single dime of Oversight Committee taxpayer funds for use on the excursion Democrats have requested.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
If Democrats wish to travel to El Salvador and meet with a foreign illegal MS-13 gang member, they can spend their own money to do so.
I will not approve a single dime of Oversight Committee taxpayer funds for use on the excursion Democrats have requested. <a href="https://t.co/ldokDJBTve">pic.twitter.com/ldokDJBTve</a>
— Rep. James Comer (@RepJamesComer) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepJamesComer/status/1913321711958712768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
Comer&#8217;s letter was addressed to Reps. Robert Garcia (D-CA) and Maxwell Frost (D-FL), who had sent a <a href="https://robertgarcia.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/robertgarcia.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/garcia-frost-letter.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">request</a> to the chairman this week, saying they wanted to visit CECOT to check on the wellbeing of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an illegal immigrant from El Salvador who Democrats say has been unlawfully deported and imprisoned, and others held at the prison. Reps. Garcia and Frost noted they would &#8220;gladly include&#8221; any Republicans who wanted to join.
Abrego Garcia, a 29-year-old living in Maryland, was detained and deported to El Salvador last month <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-blasts-legacy-media-for-focusing-on-deported-salvadoran-ignoring-angel-mom-patty-morin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">despite</a> a 2019 court order prohibiting him from being sent back to the country. His legal team has been <a href="https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69777799/1/abrego-garcia-v-noem/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fighting</a> the federal government in a high-profile court to secure his return to the United States. The Trump administration <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/facilitate-not-effectuate-wh-responds-to-scotus-ruling-on-mistakenly-deported-salvadoran" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accuses</a> Abrego Garcia of being a member of MS-13, which has been <a href="https://www.state.gov/designation-of-international-cartels/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">designated</a> as a foreign terror organization. Abrego Garcia&#8217;s attorneys <a href="https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69777799/1/abrego-garcia-v-noem/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deny</a> that their client is part of the gang, but the government publicly released <a href="https://www.justice.gov/ag/media/1396906/dl?inline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">documents</a> to substantiate the affiliation.
In his letter, Comer said Reps. Garcia and Frost requested that he approve from the oversight panel&#8217;s budget &#8220;official travel for you both to visit the country of El Salvador to meet with a foreign MS-13 gang member whose wife accused him of crimes and who is strongly suspected of human trafficking.&#8221;
The chairman was referring to a 2021 restraining order that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/deported-illegal-immigrant-who-dems-have-championed-accused-of-beating-wife-court-docs?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News+and+Commentary&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Deported+Illegal+Immigrant+Who+Dems+Have+Championed+Accused+Of+Beating+Wife%3A++Court+Docs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shows</a> Abrego Garcia was accused of beating his wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, who now says they worked through the incident. He also pointed to a <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/kilmar-abrego-garcia-suspected-human-trafficking-report-obtained-fox-news" target="_blank" rel="noopener">memo</a> that said Abrego Garcia was pulled over in 2022 and suspected of human trafficking, although authorities <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/04/18/us-news/alleged-ms-13-gangbanger-kilmar-abrego-garcia-suspected-of-human-trafficking-feds-say/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">say</a> the Biden administration&#8217;s FBI opted not to make an arrest at that time.
Comer told Reps. Garcia and Frost it is &#8220;absurd that you both displayed active hostility for over two years toward the Committee&#8217;s oversight of the Biden Border crisis and the consequences of millions of illegal aliens entering the country, yet now, you are seeking travel at Committee expense to meet with foreign gang members.&#8221;
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) travelled to El Salvador this week and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sipping-margaritas-dem-senator-finally-meets-deported-illegal-immigrant-in-el-salvador" target="_blank" rel="noopener">met</a> with Abrego Garcia on Thursday evening. He claims Abrego Garcia is a “constituent” who endured an “abduction and unlawful deportation.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Kilmar Abrego Garcia, miraculously risen from the “death camps” &amp; “torture”, now sipping margaritas with Sen. Van Hollen in the tropical paradise of El Salvador!🍹 <a href="https://t.co/r6VWc6Fjtn">pic.twitter.com/r6VWc6Fjtn</a>
— Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) <a href="https://twitter.com/nayibbukele/status/1913028548001923259?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
Alluding to photos shared by El Salvador President Nayib Bukele, Comer quipped to Reps. Garcia and Frost they would be &#8220;pleased to know&#8221; Van Hollen &#8220;was photographed just yesterday in El Salvador enjoying margaritas garnished with cherry slices with the foreign gang member your letter references.&#8221;
Van Hollen, for his part, <a href="https://x.com/CollinRugg/status/1913332841972466132" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claimed</a> neither he nor Abrego Garcia &#8220;touched&#8221; the drinks that appeared to be margaritas. Van Hollen also <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88_htG1N-1w" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Abrego Garcia told him that he had been moved to another detention center with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88_htG1N-1w" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;better&#8221;</a> conditions.
The chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, Rep. Mark Green (R-TN), similarly rebuffed multiple Democrats pushing for a visit with Abrego Garcia.
&#8220;There is no excuse for Democrats to waste taxpayer dollars visiting and defending a transnational gang member and reported domestic abuser,&#8221; Green said in a <a href="https://homeland.house.gov/2025/04/17/chairman-green-responds-to-homeland-democrats-calls-to-visit-deported-salvadoran-ms-13-gang-member-domestic-abuser/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> on Thursday. &#8220;If Democrats care so much about defending this individual, they can use their own personal credit cards — not taxpayers’ money — to virtue-signal to their radical base.&#8221;
Yet another committee leader, House Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO), recently shared photos of a trip he took to CECOT.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Thanks to President Trump, the CECOT prison in El Salvador, which is home to some of the country&#8217;s most vicious criminals, now includes illegal immigrants who broke into our country and committed violent acts against Americans.
It is unconscionable that Democrats in Congress are… <a href="https://t.co/nWTxveW9bs">pic.twitter.com/nWTxveW9bs</a>
— Rep. Jason Smith (@RepJasonSmith) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepJasonSmith/status/1912326135934837215?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
&#8220;Thanks to President Trump, the CECOT prison in El Salvador, which is home to some of the country&#8217;s most vicious criminals, now includes illegal immigrants who broke into our country and committed violent acts against Americans,&#8221; Smith said. &#8220;It is unconscionable that Democrats in Congress are urging the release of more foreign criminals back into our country.&#8221;

Representative James Comer

GOP Leaders Deny Taxpayer Money For Dems To Make El Salvador Prison Trip

James Comer

Republican Mayra Flores has been hospitalized, her team announced Tuesday, hours after she launched a new House campaign for a seat held by a Texas Democrat.
&#8220;Former and future Congresswoman Mayra Flores, a devoted conservative fighting corruption in Texas&#8217;s 28th District, has been hospitalized,&#8221; said a post on X from her team. &#8220;During this challenging time, we humbly ask for your prayers and support. We pray that Mayra will return stronger than ever, ready to continue her unwavering commitment to serving our country.&#8221;
&#8220;Mayra&#8217;s passion for building a brighter future for our children, grandchildren, and generations to come is at the heart of everything she does,&#8221; it added. &#8220;Guided by faith and determination, she remains steadfast in her mission during this critical moment.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Former and future Congresswoman Mayra Flores, a devoted conservative fighting corruption in Texas&#39;s 28th District, has been hospitalized. During this challenging time, we humbly ask for your prayers and support. We pray that Mayra will return stronger than ever, ready to continue…
&mdash; Mayra Flores (@MayraFlores4TX) <a href="https://twitter.com/MayraFlores4TX/status/1912207347734159761?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The post did not divulge any details on why Flores was hospitalized.
Flores became the first Mexican-born woman ever elected to Congress when she won the special election for Texas’s 34th Congressional District in June 2022. She <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/elections-2022-texas-house-republican-mayra-flores-projected-to-lose-seat-no-red-wave/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lost</a> her bid for a full term in the general election later that year to Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX) after district maps were redrawn. Gonzalez defeated Flores again in the 2024 election.
Hours earlier on Tuesday, Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/first-mexico-born-rep-targets-indictment-plagued-democrat-house-gop-comeback-bid" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that Flores was embarking on a new campaign in the 28th Congressional District against Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX), who was indicted along with his wife in 2024 on federal bribery charges. Cuellar denied that he and his wife committed any wrongdoing. A trial is still <a href="https://x.com/nicholaswu12/status/1865123044601033126" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pending</a>.
&#8220;I am deeply honored to announce my candidacy for Congress — a chance to serve the people and uphold the values that make our nation great. This campaign is driven by a love for our country and a commitment to fight for justice, opportunity, and unity for all,&#8221; Flores <a href="https://x.com/MayraFlores4TX/status/1912169274996822277" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on X, in response to the report on her new candidacy.
&#8220;To carry this vision forward, I humbly ask for your financial support,&#8221; she added. &#8220;Your contribution, no matter the size, is a powerful investment in the future of our community and our nation. Together, let’s stand strong and work tirelessly to build a brighter tomorrow for every American. Thank you for believing in this cause and in the promise of our great country.&#8221;

Mayra Flores

Republican Hospitalized Hours After Launching New House Campaign In Texas

Election

Republicans

Texas

As a former member of the House Ways and Means Committee, the leading tax-writing body in Congress, I am encouraged to see the White House finally providing the legislative branch the support it needs to reform the Internal Revenue Service.
During a recent Ways and Means subcommittee hearing, Rep. Max Miller (R-OH) stated, &#8220;Taxpayers deserve an agency that keeps up with the times, operates efficiently, and acts as a responsible fiduciary of the American people&#8217;s money.&#8221; Unfortunately, for generations, they have received anything but this. Everyone knows that the IRS has been plagued by inefficiency, poor customer service, and outdated operational processes. It is no surprise that it remains one of the most unpopular federal agencies.
Under President Donald J. Trump&#8217;s leadership, real change is finally underway.
On March 25, he signed an executive order directing the IRS to modernize its payment processing — transitioning it away from slow, outdated mail-based methods and towards electronic payment processing. This long-overdue move will significantly benefit millions of Americans each year, reducing delays and improving agency efficiency.
More importantly, however, Trump is forcing the IRS to begin operating like a business, not a bureaucracy.
In January, he issued a hiring freeze on IRS employees, preventing the agency from filling new or vacant positions so that his administration can assess what is (and isn&#8217;t needed). The importance of this move can&#8217;t be overstated.
Before Trump took office, the IRS appeared to be undergoing an identity crisis, expanding beyond its intended role without first working out the kinks of delivering on its core mission (tax collection). Before it hires thousands more employees to further this misguided expansion, the administration is wisely insisting on a strategic reassessment.
A prime example of the IRS&#8217;s overreach is its recent attempt to enter the tax preparation business. Despite the existence of highly effective private-sector solutions, the IRS launched a pilot program in 2024. A Treasury Department Inspector General report from March 20, 2025, revealed serious flaws. For example, the Direct File program failed to allow taxpayers to claim key deductions, including the education tax credit — potentially costing some filers nearly $1,000 in overpayments.
The system also proved rather complicated to use, so only one-third of those who started a return through Direct File actually completed and filed an accepted one.
The cost of Direct File? A staggering $61 million once over 2.3 million use it, at least according to IRS estimates — though the Inspector General warns that actual costs may be even higher.
Why is the IRS expanding its reach into tax preparation while continuing to fail at its core responsibility — tax collection?
In 2022, the agency reported a tax gap — the difference between taxes owed and taxes collected — of $606 billion.
Despite receiving an $80 billion funding boost from the Inflation Reduction Act, the IRS has yet to show any real progress in closing this gap.
Maybe that is because, instead of focusing on its fundamental mission, it is diverting resources to unnecessary new initiatives that create more inefficiencies and confusion.
President Trump understands that before an organization expands, it must first perfect its primary function.
Successful businesses refine their operations before scaling; failing ones expand too early and collapse under their own inefficiencies. The IRS is behaving like the latter — a bloated bureaucracy that is overextending itself.
That&#8217;s why Trump&#8217;s IRS hiring freeze is so crucial. By pausing new hires, the administration is forcing the agency to reassess its priorities, eliminate waste, and become a leaner, more effective agency. This is common sense and deserves broad bipartisan support.
The Ways and Means Committee will undoubtedly back these necessary reforms, and for the sake of American taxpayers, the rest of Congress should do the same. The future of meaningful IRS modernization depends on it.
 * * *
Mike Bishop represented Michigan in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2015 to 2019, where he served on the Committee on Ways and Means.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Tax Day 2025: Why Trump’s Effort To Reign In The IRS Makes Sense

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A Senate Democrat announced plans to travel to El Salvador later this week if an alleged MS-13 gang member, who was detained last month in Maryland, deported, and imprisoned in his home country, is not returned to the United States.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) issued the statement on Monday as an ultimatum, expressing his desire to speak with El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, who is currently in Washington, D.C., to meet with President Donald Trump.
&#8220;Kilmar Abrego Garcia never should have been abducted and illegally deported, and the courts have made clear: the Administration must bring him home, now,&#8221; Van Hollen <a href="https://www.vanhollen.senate.gov/news/press-releases/van-hollen-requests-meeting-with-president-bukele-to-discuss-return-of-kilmar-abrego-garcia-announces-intent-to-travel-to-el-salvador-this-week-if-abrego-garcia-is-not-returned" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &#8220;However, since the Trump Administration appears to be ignoring these court mandates, we need to take additional action.&#8221;
He continued, &#8220;That’s why I’ve requested to meet with President Bukele during his trip to the United States, and — if Kilmar is not home by midweek — I plan to travel to El Salvador this week to check on his condition and discuss his release.&#8221;
The Trump administration has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/facilitate-not-effectuate-wh-responds-to-scotus-ruling-on-mistakenly-deported-salvadoran" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accused</a> Garcia, who illegally entered the United States but got permission to stay in 2019, of being an MS-13 gang member. Garcia&#8217;s attorneys have <a href="https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/politics-power/national-politics/van-hollen-demands-maryland-man-return-ALNOE5THZZHQLP2NAAWQYP3GJ4/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> denied there is evidence of such a claim. The Supreme Court <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/scotus-rules-partially-against-trump-in-deported-migrant-case" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued</a> a ruling last week that said the government must “facilitate,” but not necessarily “effectuate,” Garcia&#8217;s return amid a legal battle.
On Monday, White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/stephen-miller-blames-doj-saboteur-for-claiming-salvadoran-migrant-mistakenly-deported" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dismissed</a> claims that Garcia was deported by mistake and contended that the withholding order the suspect received six years ago is no longer valid because the Trump administration has designated MS-13 as a foreign terror organization.
While meeting Trump at the White House on Monday, Bukele <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-officials-bukele-tear-into-cnn-reporter-who-asked-if-illegal-alien-will-be-returned-to-u-s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that he would not send Garcia back. &#8220;How can I smuggle a terrorist into the United States?&#8221; Bukele said to reporters, adding, &#8220;I don&#8217;t have the power to return him.&#8221;
Van Hollen also revealed on Monday that he sent a letter to El Salvador&#8217;s U.S. ambassador, Milena Mayorga, &#8220;urgently&#8221; requesting a meeting with Bukele.
The Democrat senator faced some blowback from the GOP for his efforts.
&#8220;Young girls are being abused, Americans are being killed, and our communities are being overrun by illegals — and Democrats like Chris Van Hollen are busy fighting for people who shouldn’t even be here while ignoring the needs of real Americans,&#8221; Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL) <a href="https://x.com/RepMaryMiller/status/1911839877215240448" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a post on X, adding, &#8220;Disgraceful!&#8221;

Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)

Dem Senator’s Ultimatum: Bring Back Deported MS-13 Suspect Or I’ll Go To El Salvador

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