Category: blaze media

A gun-control advocate apologized and claimed to accidentally accuse President Donald Trump of being involved in the Epstein trafficking ring.

Cameron Kasky made the comments while speaking on a CNN panel before posting his apology on social media on Tuesday. Many called on the president to sue the activist over the comments that could be considered slanderous.

‘I said that by accident and didn’t mean it.’

Kasky was confronted by commentator Scott Jennings during the segment, which led Kasky to repeat the claim. He was singing a far different tune the next day.

“I would like to retract my comments from CNN last night and truly apologize,” Kasky wrote.

“Donald Trump was obviously not involved with a giant international child sex trafficking ring where women and children were systematically raped by elites,” he added. “I said that by accident and didn’t mean it.”

Some online believed the tone of the message was sarcastic.

While the president had a past connection to Jeffrey Epstein, he has never been convicted of participating in Epstein’s alleged sex-trafficking ring. The billionaire financier later accepted a plea deal where he admitted guilt to a felony state charge of soliciting a minor for sex.

Kasky became an advocate for gun control after surviving the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in 2018. He has since spoken at rallies and in the media about restricting gun rights.

RELATED: The Clintons refuse to testify in Jeffrey Epstein probe — GOP threatens contempt of Congress

Epstein was found dead in a Manhattan jail while awaiting trial for additional sex-trafficking charges in 2019.

The allegations that he orchestrated an underage sex-trafficking ring for the wealthy and powerful have led to many suspicions that he was killed to avoid incriminating alleged co-conspirators.

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BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales appears to have uncovered a rash of possible H-1B visa fraud in the Lone Star State.

“If you thought Somalian day-care fraud was a problem, it turns out that’s just the tip of the iceberg,” said Gonzales. “There’s a whole new problem that it turns out is taking tens of thousands of jobs away from Americans and changing our communities forever that you probably haven’t even thought of. I’m talking about H-1B visas.”

The H-1B visa program enables U.S.-based employers to temporarily hire foreign workers into specialized positions that American citizens supposedly can’t do. H-1B specialty occupation workers are generally admitted for a period of up to three years, which can in most cases be extended for another three years.

‘I’m not buying it.’

While the H-1B is a nonimmigrant visa, it paves the way for foreigners to obtain permanent residency in the country.

Lawmakers from both parties have in recent years expressed concerns about H-1B visa fraud and abuse, proposing amendments to the Immigration and Nationality Act that would reform or even abolish the program.

Amid chatter online about serial abuse of the program in Texas, Gonzales began scrutinizing H-1B employers operating in her region, two of which didn’t pass the smell test.

One of the two companies, which appears in the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ H-1B Employer Datahub as Qubitz Tech Sysystems [sic] LLC, had 12 H-1B beneficiaries approved last year. The company, whose visa job contact is Hari Madiraju, has apparently been hiring “software developers” from abroad for years.

RELATED: Woke Whitmer appointee from Nigeria admits to day-care scam, stealing millions from Michigan taxpayers

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Gonzales went to the address listed for Qubitz in Frisco, Texas — a four-bedroom house in a residential neighborhood where a man responding to “Hari” answered the door.

In footage of the encounter, Hari appears greatly vexed by Gonzales’ presence and even more so when she asks about Qubitz and its H-1B visa workers.

The moment that Gonzales mentions Qubitz, Hari announces that he is calling the police.

“I would love for the cops to come out here,” says Gonzales.

“Are the workers in here? Are the 12 workers for your company in here? Do they work out of here?”

Hari indicates that the workers are located at his “company.” When Gonzales asks where his company is, Hari appears to tell the 911 operator, “Somebody is knocking on my door and then they are like threatening me. … Please, can you help me?”

Gonzales later paid a visit to the supposed Qubitz office Hari suggested was headquarters for his dozen or more workers only to find a prison-cell-sized room with a single chair and some folding tables.

“Pretty cramped working quarters for 12 H-1B workers,” said Gonzales. “I’m not buying it.”

3Bees Technologies Inc., which is listed as active on the Texas Comptroller website, similarly raised eyebrows.

According to the H-1B Employer Datahub, the company — whose agent, director, and president is Vamsi Krishna Vajinapally — had 27 H-1B beneficiaries approved in 2022 and 19 visa petitions apparently denied the following year.

While the visas approved in 2022 for Vajinapally’s foreign workforce — which at one time supposedly comprised software developers, software quality assurance analysts, and software engineers — are apparently no longer valid, Gonzales was nevertheless surprised to find little evidence the recipients had a legitimate workplace to leave behind.

The BlazeTV host visited the location listed as the company’s address in Irving, Texas. As with Qubitz, she found a house in a residential neighborhood.

After finding no discernible evidence of people working at the location during business hours and receiving passing insight from a neighbor that something shady was afoot on the block, Gonzales traveled to the recently updated Plano address on the 3Bees website.

At that location, Gonzales found a building under construction, devoid of signs of office workers and software development. Gonzales indicated that while the location is currently being transformed into a social club, the location was formerly a WeWork, a remote office space that anyone can rent.

Gonzales indicated that Vajinapally of 3Bees has attempted to hire H-1B workers for another supposed tech business whose alleged Texas-based office is another rentable virtual office in Lewisville.

Qubitz and 3Bees did not respond to Blaze News’ request for comment.

“Once you start scraping data from H-1B databases, you start seeing immediately all of these patterns,” said Gonzales.

“The biggest question I have right now is: If we were able to find this with just a little bit of Google-searching and follow-up, why hasn’t USCIS done anything to combat this?”

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​Fraud, Scam, Sara gonzales, Blazetv, Somalia, Fraudsters, India, Indian, Texas, Irving, Plano, Frisco, H-1b, H-1b visas, Visas, Immigration, Politics 

After months of threats and recriminations, President Donald Trump announced that he has reached a “framework” of a deal on Greenland with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

The president made the announcement on social media Wednesday after speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

‘This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO Nations.’

“Based upon a very productive meeting that I have had with the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, we have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region,” the president wrote. “This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO Nations.”

He added that he would revoke the threat to impose tariffs on eight nations after reaching the deal. The tariffs had been scheduled to go into effect February 1.

“Additional discussions are being held concerning The Golden Dome as it pertains to Greenland,” he added, referring to a missile defense system proposal.

Earlier in the day, he argued that annexing Greenland was essential to U.S. security as well as that of the Western Hemisphere.

“Greenland is a vast, almost entirely uninhabited and undeveloped territory. It is sitting undefended in a key strategic location between the United States, Russia, and China,” he said in his speech.

“This enormous, unsecured island is actually part of North America — on the northern frontier of the Western Hemisphere,” he added. “That’s our territory. It is therefore a core national security interest of the United States of America — and in fact, it’s been our policy for hundreds of years to prevent outside threats from entering our hemisphere.”

RELATED: Bessent slaps down Newsom at Davos: ‘He’s here with his billionaire sugar daddy, Alex Soros’

The president said that Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and special envoy Steve Witkoff would lead the negotiations on the deal.

The president has also said he would focus less on peace in his tactics on Greenland after the Nobel Committee snubbed him for the Peace Prize.

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“I gotta start out with a confession,” Joe Allen said. “Human beings get on my f**king nerves.”

He paused for effect. “I think the only creatures on earth more annoying are mosquitoes, AIs, and robots.”

It was an unexpected confession from a man who has spent the post-COVID years as a sort of John the Baptist for the cause of the human race. Joe Allen, a contributor to Steve Bannon’s War Room and author of “Dark Aeon,” has been on a speaking tour, warning against the machinations of tech titans and how they intend to turn the human race into a sort of human/machine hybrid, a mix of genetically optimized meat meshed with artificial intelligence.

A comprehensive worldview where humanity either upgrades or disappears.

Here’s the thing: They really believe in this stuff, and Joe has the receipts. Heady stuff for a Thursday night in Nashville.

The Emperor and the Twink

Allen frames the transhuman future around two figures he calls “the Emperor and the Twink”: Elon Musk and Sam Altman. Augustus and Hadrian. The productive empire-builder and the more, as Allen puts it, “degenerate” aesthete.

Both are building toward the same goal through different paths: a future where humanity merges with machines or gets left behind. Maybe eliminated entirely.

Altman’s funding a start-up called Conception that would let two men produce biological children together through synthetic ova. He’s backing Genomic Prediction for algorithmic eugenics. Scraping embryos for height, IQ, looks, then selecting the “best” ones. “Sanitized eugenics,” Allen calls it. “At scale, it would be an algorithmic filter for humanity.”

Then there’s the AI work itself. OpenAI and ChatGPT aren’t just productivity tools. They’re the foundation for what Altman believes will be artificial superintelligence. First the little-g gods, then maybe the big-G God. Artificial general intelligence self-improving into something that makes humanity obsolete.

RELATED: Cash-starved OpenAI BURNS $50M on ultra-woke causes — like world’s first ‘transgender district’

Photo by AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

To keep humans relevant in that future, Altman’s pushing World ID: biometric iris scans linking your eyeballs to a government ID and blockchain cryptocurrency. “One of the many tentacles,” Allen said, “of the vast digital beast system slowly strangling the life out of everything we once knew to be human.”

He’s also invested in Merge Labs, ultrasound systems to read brain waves and create higher-bandwidth communication with AI. A chance for some biological humans to keep up when the machines take over.

The South African car dealer

Musk presents himself as the alternative. The “based” option. xAI is the competitor to OpenAI’s “woke” ChatGPT, because when we’re all consulting chatbots to determine what’s racist or sexist, you’ll want “maximally truth-seeking” AI that hasn’t been neutered by progressive ideology.

Fair enough. But the destination’s the same.

Neuralink is the centerpiece. First sold as healing technology, helping the paralyzed walk and the blind see. But Musk’s open about the long-term plan: hundreds of millions of normal humans drilling holes in their skulls to install high-bandwidth interfaces with AI. “If I’m not to be emperor,” Allen said, “I’ll at least be cooler than the gaybies wielding drones and flamethrowers around me.”

Then there’s Optimus: the humanoid robots Musk promises will outnumber humans three or four to one within a decade or two. “Algorithmic immigrants,” Allen calls them, “coming across the border from the platonic realm of mathematical possibilities and swarming into reality.”

Right now, they can barely fold laundry. But if the vision succeeds, we’ll be surrounded by entities that can do everything we can do, only better. Which raises an obvious question: What are we for?

Race, robots, and religion

Allen organized his talk around three concepts: race, robots, and religion. Or as he rephrased it: bloodline, cultural transmission, and cosmic worldview. Genes, memes, and spirit.

The bloodline question is straightforward enough when it comes to Altman’s synthetic reproduction technology. But it applies more broadly. Who continues? What survives? The transhumanist vision explicitly embraces what Allen calls “cultural and perhaps even biological genocide”: the gradual or rapid replacement of biological humans by superior cyborgs and AI.

“First the coders, then white-collar workers, then blue-collar workers,” Allen said, echoing Musk and Altman’s own predictions. “We’re left completely economically unviable. Obsolete.”

The robots are the mechanism. They’ll do our work. They’ll fill our needs. They’ll provide “radical abundance.” A world where no one has to labor, where everything is taken care of, where we live as pets or preserve species while the AI spreads through the solar system and beyond.

Or we get turned into biofuel. “Better to reconfigure our atoms into robot components,” Allen notes, “than keep us around using up resources as pets.”

The religion part is where it gets really dark. This isn’t just technology. It’s theology. The conscious creation of artificial gods to rule over us or replace us entirely. A “sacred canopy” that fills the void in a godless universe.

Allen quotes Bryan Johnson, whom he describes as a vampire who injects his son’s blood to stay young, laying out the five goals every ambitious man should have: Found a company, found a country, found a religion, don’t die, become God.

“It’s a bold claim,” Allen said dryly. “I am somewhat skeptical.”

The war against humanity

Championing humanity doesn’t come naturally to Allen. He grew up in the hollers of Appalachia, developing “a keen sense of misanthropy and technophobia,” where he related better to the trees and streams than to people.

But we have to put that aside for what Allen sees as a war. “If we’re not going to be replaced by machines, if we are not to become robotic entities ourselves, it’s going to require a certain degree of tolerance for humanity.”

He means accepting human messiness. Human imperfection. The “dirtiness and nastiness of humanity” that makes us frustrating but also makes us us. Because the alternative is accepting that machines really are superior. That Silicon Valley’s wealthiest men, backed by the most powerful governments on earth, are right about where we should go.

“Everyone is going to have to make a choice,” Allen said. “Accept the status quo or reject it outright.”

The rejection requires something most of us aren’t good at: forgiving people we disagree with. Looking past differences. Banding together. “When you are fighting a hyper-cooperative superorganism,” Allen said, “you’re going to need a gang.”

Allen argued that human solidarity, even with people whose beliefs or lifestyles or sins we can’t stand, is the only viable resistance to algorithmic replacement.

“That person is a human being,” he said, “and you will have to put humans first.”

The prophets

At one point, Allen pitched a satirical product: transhumanist trading cards. Each card would feature a prominent figure in the movement (or occasionally an anti-transhumanist). Statistics like net worth, number of concubines, humans replaced. A small stick of gum “alternately dosed with LSD or nanobots.”

It was a bit. But like good satire, it made a point: These people have names. Sigmund Freud, who prophesied humanity becoming “a kind of prosthetic God.” Julian Huxley, who coined the term transhumanism to describe a human race taking control of its own evolution through technology. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, the priest who saw technological civilization as the face of Christ incarnating on earth.

Then the modern saints: Ray Kurzweil and the singularity. Peter Thiel, the accused vampire with rumored interest in young-blood transfusions. Ben Goertzel with his leopard print cowboy hat, giving “dire prophecies of machines taking over with a kind of jolly glee.”

And of course, Yuval Noah Harari. “Looking like the demonic dark elf that he is,” Allen said. “So often quoted, almost never understood, but probably the greatest anti-tech propagandist of our time. Which goes to show you how stupid people are that they believe he’s a transhumanist himself.”

The point isn’t the cards. It’s that these aren’t random technologists tinkering in garages. They’re building toward a vision. A comprehensive worldview where humanity either upgrades or disappears.

We’re already transhuman

Allen’s message is bleak enough that you want to dismiss it as paranoia. Nobody’s actually going to drill holes in billions of skulls. Sam Altman’s not really going to create algorithmic master races. This is science fiction, not policy.

Except they’re building it right now. They’re funding it. They’re selling it. They’re openly stating these goals.

Allen compared it to communism. An insane vision that seems impossible until you realize people really believed it and acted on it and reshaped the world trying to achieve it. The reality that emerged wasn’t the utopian dream, but it killed tens of millions of people and enslaved hundreds of millions more.

“These futures that these guys are putting forward,” Allen said during the Q&A, “some approximation already exists. A greater degree of approximation will exist, and you just simply have to draw your lines where you will.”

Here’s the uncomfortable part: Most of us have already crossed some lines. We’re already cyborgs, as Allen admits. Smartphones, wearables, the constant digital interface with our brains. The question isn’t whether to engage with technology. It’s where the sacred boundary sits. How much is too much.

Allen compared it to having “a pristine, simple cyborg on one shoulder and a very smelly Amishman on the other. And you’re never going to be either of those things, but they’re always vying for your decisions, trying to steer you one way or the other.”

Fair enough. But the cyborg has enough cheerleaders. We need more people willing to LARP as armed Amishmen.

The middle path

Allen was asked: Is there a peaceful way to interface with these technologies? Some middle path between full rejection and full adoption?

“I’m no fundamentalist,” he said. “These sacred boundaries are really important, but they’re always going to be bound against.”

His line for himself: zero use for AI in creative work. Anyone using AI to write, compose music, or create images should list the model alongside their name “as a mark of shame for being a hack and basically a vessel for an algorithmic parasite.”

That’s harsh. But it’s a clear boundary. And it matters because the question isn’t just about capabilities. It’s about what makes us human and what makes work meaningful. Whether the polished precision of algorithmic output is worth losing the messy, opaque, human quality of actual creation.

Allen mentioned reading “Paradise Lost” and finding the confusing passages charming “because they’re self-evidently the personal creation of John Milton.” The alternative is flawless, efficient, and utterly dead.

Allen mentioned James Poulos, a tech thinker he respects, who takes a different approach. Poulos argues we need to “identify the tools that are of use to you to protect against this sort of nightmare future” while cultivating deeply religious life and communities. But crucially, “not to reject technology out of hand and see it as somehow inherently evil.” It’s a middle path that acknowledges we’re already compromised but still draws meaningful boundaries based on what actually serves human flourishing.

What happens next

Allen’s not optimistic about avoiding horror. “I don’t suspect maybe that won’t be the case,” he said when asked about preventing a high-tech repeat of 20th-century atrocities. He sees deepfakes and AI erosion of trust requiring “a hyper-vigilant posture in which we don’t trust anything at face value.”

His advice: Cultivate human relationships with people you trust. Develop channels where the person on the other end is verified. “Hope for the best. I’m not going to say all of us are going to make it. But enough of us are going to make it.”

But here’s the thing he said that stuck with me: “This war against humanity, this war in favor of machines and more particularly in favor of the men who own the machines — this isn’t something that will be solved or concluded in our lifetimes. This is something that began long before we were born, will continue long after we die.”

If you care about your children or other people’s children, you have to accept this isn’t ending anytime soon.

Allen closed by urging us to write our own futures. Not to accept the vision laid out by Musk, Altman, and the rest. “Write it boldly,” he said. “Write it without apology. Write it beautifully. And for God’s sake, write it in a way that is not cliché or irritating.”

Then he added, “Because I don’t think I can take any more.”

The question now is what we do about it. Whether we have the will to resist the most powerful technological and financial forces on earth. Whether we can tolerate each other enough to band together. Whether we can draw our sacred boundaries and hold them.

Allen’s asking us to make a choice. I don’t know what mine is yet. But I know that men like Altman and Musk aren’t waiting for us to decide.

They’re building the future right now. Whether we like it or not.

Memento mori

You might expect Joe to be an angry misanthrope, but nothing could be further from the truth. I’ve known Joe for a few years now, and he’s quite possibly the most upbeat, happy-go-lucky guy I know. Always the life of the party, always a joy to hear speak, and a walking encyclopedia of esoterica.

After his talk, I was talking to folks in the crowd who would ask, “How did he memorize all that?” The thing about Joe is that he is always “on.” What you see on stage is what you see in person: a happy warrior riding full bore into existential dread with a grin and a devil-may-care attitude.

I asked Joe how he’s able to retain such a sunny disposition in the face of seemingly insurmountable darkness. “Memento mori: In the end, it’s all a momentary drama,” he told me.

​Tech, Sam altman, Elon musk, Transhumanism 

Democrats Salman Bhojani and Dr. Suleman Lalani are the first-ever Muslims to be elected to the Texas legislature — and BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales is sounding the alarm that their presence is more insidious than Texans might think.

“They were both born in Pakistan. They were both, by the way, sworn in as Texas House representatives with the Quran, which, in my opinion, shouldn’t be allowed. And they’re both attempting to implement Islamic laws, values, morals, principles, honor into our state,” Gonzales explains.

“They’re both running again for re-election in the Democrat primaries. … I want to show you what they just did — both did and attempted to do in the last legislative session,” she continues.

Lalani has put forward several resolutions that concern Gonzales, like HR32, recognizing “Pakistan Day” at the Capitol.

“Now, again, it’s a resolution. It’s very informal. You know, you might say, ‘Well, it doesn’t really mean much.’ Well, actually it does. Actually it does — that the Republicans in the state of Texas would go along with this. Actually it does, because this is not about freedom of religion,” Gonzales explains.

“In Pakistan, sex outside of marriage is illegal. The punishment for that particular offense ranges from up to five years in prison for minors to 100 lashes for unmarried adults to — it could be as severe as stoning to death for married adults,” she says.

“And because the majority of citizens believe in Islam and Sharia law, including law enforcement, there’s actually a lot of things that happen that are technically illegal, but they just kind of cover their eyes and let it happen,” she continues, pointing out that this covers “honor killings.”

Honor killings occur usually when a woman or girl is perceived to have brought shame on her family by her actions. A male typically carries one out by murdering the girl or woman for her actions.

“By the way, child marriage? Fine in Pakistan,” Gonzales comments, disturbed.

“Data from the National Police Bureau indicates that at least 405 women fell victim to honor crimes during the year. Domestic violence accounted for at least 1,641 cases of murder and 3,385 cases of beating,” she reads from a report. “That’s what the culture is like over in Pakistan.”

Another piece of the report Gonzales refers to covers the story of a Christian man who was badly beaten by a mob after being accused of “blasphemy” and died from his injuries shortly after.

“Can’t be Christian there. You can’t say anything. You better not say anything bad about Allah or Muhammad, else you get killed in Pakistan. And acid attacks are also a thing there, of regular occurrence,” she explains.

“By the way, journalists are mysteriously killed. If you criticize the government, if you criticize any of the leaders, you might just mysteriously end up unalived. Also, you’re not allowed to protest the government. If you’re a citizen and you protest the government, you may actually just poof, disappear,” she continues.

“Hearing what the culture in Pakistan is all about, hearing what it’s like in this Islamic state, the Islamic state of Pakistan … are any of those values that you align with?” she asks. “I’m guessing the answer is no. So why did the Texas House honor Pakistanis on Pakistan Day?”

Want more from Sara Gonzales?

To enjoy more of Sara’s no-holds-barred takes on news and culture, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

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Things allegedly got ugly at a Texas 24 Hour Fitness earlier this month when authorities said a 25-year-old female became enraged after spotting another women she believed was involved with her boyfriend.

Deputies with the Precinct 4 Constable’s Office said Aralyn Martinez grabbed a 25-pound weight plate and rushed toward the other woman who was working out on the floor of the gym in Spring, KHOU-TV reported. Spring is about 30 minutes north of Houston.

‘Now the boyfriend & the victim are enjoying date night while she’s in lockup. Do better.’

Cellphone video deputies reviewed reportedly shows Martinez threatening to drop the weight on the woman before throwing it toward her head, the station said.

The woman was able to move out of the way just in time, avoiding serious injury, KHOU reported.

Precinct 4 Capt. Juan Flores told the station that other gym users intervened and were able to calm the situation before it escalated further.

Martinez left the gym shortly after the confrontation but was later arrested, KHOU said.

RELATED: Texas yoga teacher who murdered love rival and fled country seeks retrial, pushing victimhood narrative

Image source: Harris County (Texas) Constable Precinct 4

Martinez is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a felony, the station said, adding that she has since been released on a $1,000 bond.

As part of her bond conditions, Martinez was ordered to stay at least 200 feet away from the home and workplace of the alleged victim, KHOU said.

Authorities added to the station that Martinez and the other woman did not know each other personally before the incident.

“Not very often with weights and not very often at a gym,” Flores remarked to KHOU regarding the unusual case.

“We do know a 25-pound weight, or any weight … can be a deadly weapon considering where you hit the person.”

RELATED: Deadly love triangle: Michigan woman accused of murdering ‘best friend,’ they had been brawling for days over the same man

Commenters under KHOU’s video report about the incident were incredulous over the bond amount — among other issues:

“That bond is ridiculously low,” one commenter said. “These courts don’t hold very much respect for human life. She tried to kill someone.””Hold up, she could’ve killed her, and she got a $1,000 bond?” another commenter inquired.”Only $1,000 to repeat it successfully next time,” another commenter observed. “How nice, always for the criminals.””There’s an epidemic of people [who] can’t control their emotions,” another commenter noted.”Goofy. Now the boyfriend & the victim are enjoying date night while she’s in lockup,” another commenter wrote. “Do better.”

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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) is taking action in response to a public school district’s alleged plan to use its facilities for an event sponsored by a designated foreign terrorist organization, according to a letter obtained by Blaze News.

The Islamic Games Houston 2026 is scheduled to be held in Cypress, Texas, in September or October, according to the event’s website. The event will feature several competitive sports, including basketball, soccer, a charity run, track, and swimming.

‘Texans expect immediate action to curb the spread of Islamic extremism, and public facilities funded by their tax dollars will not be utilized to benefit terrorist organizations.’

While the event webpage notes that the date and location of the games are still being determined, it features an aerial map of Sprague Middle School and Bridgeland High School, unified campuses in the Cypress Fairbanks Independent School District. The map of the schools’ properties indicates where attendees can enter, register, pray, grab food, and participate in the various sporting events.

According to an archived version of the Islamic Games Houston 2025, Bridgeland High School and Sprague Middle School hosted the games last year.

The website previously listed the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ New Jersey chapter as a sponsor but has since removed the organization’s logo. Abbott designated CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organizations in November. CAIR has pushed back against the governor’s designation.

On Wednesday afternoon, Abbott’s office sent a letter to the Cypress Fairbanks Independent School District demanding it “immediately preserve all records and communications concerning this event.”

“You must confirm with my office within seven days of receiving this letter that any negotiations or agreements for this event have been terminated. If you fail to do so, I will direct the Texas Education Agency to immediately seize and uncover any communications direct employees may have regarding CAIR, any attempts to conceal CAIR’s involvement, and any agreements or financial statements related to the proposed event,” Abbott wrote.

He stated that he would also direct the Texas Education Agency to refer any of its findings to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for possible legal action.

RELATED: ‘Total ban’ on Sharia law is on the horizon, Texas Gov. Abbott tells Glenn Beck: ‘That will pass overwhelmingly’

Photo by John Greim/LightRocket via Getty Images

In the letter to the school district, Abbott accused CAIR-NJ of praising “Hamas’ slaughter of innocent civilians.”

“You cannot invite such dangers through the front doors of our schools. In fact, state law requires public schools to prohibit illegal activities from taking place on school property. It is obvious, then, that you may not use taxpayer-funded public facilities to host events sponsored by a designated terror organization. To do so would violate your duty to taxpayers and the safety of students. Radical Islamic extremism is not welcome in Texas — and certainly not in our schools,” Abbott wrote.

“Texans deserve immediate action to curb the spread of Islamic extremism, and public facilities funded by their tax dollars will not be utilized to host terrorist related groups,” he added.

The Islamic Games’ website also indicated that it was slated to host the 2026 Dallas event at a school within the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District on May 9 and 10. However, the district told Blaze News that the reservation for the facility “was still in negotiation review and not yet finalized.”

“On January 19, GCISD was made aware that an organization listed as a sponsor of the Islamic Games in North Texas has been declared a Terrorist Organization by the Governor of Texas. Texas Government Code § 2252.152 states that, ‘[a] governmental entity may not enter into a governmental contract with a company identified as a foreign terrorist organization,'” Nicole Lyons, GCISD’s executive director of communications, told Blaze News.

“Thus, GCISD provided notice that it is severing the negotiations for the use of District properties for the 2026 Islamic Games,” Lyons added.

Abbott’s letter to CFISD noted that GCISD “rightfully” announced it had severed negotiations and encouraged CFISD to do the same.

RELATED: Gov. Abbott talks redistricting victory, action against CAIR with Glenn Beck

Greg Abbott. Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images

A spokesperson with CAIR-NJ told Blaze News that its chapter “fully supports” the Islamic Games but noted that the group typically sponsors the events held in New Jersey.

“This one is outside of our state,” the spokesperson stated.

The Islamic Games have upcoming events outside Texas, including in New Jersey, Ontario, Illinois, Maryland, and Michigan.

CFISD and the Islamic Games did not respond to a request for comment.

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​News, Texas, Greg abbott, Colleyville, Colleyville texas, Grapevine-colleyville isd, Texas education agency, Ken paxton, Council on american-islamic relations, Cair, Cair-nj, Cair nj, Islam, Politics 

While the Minnesota fraud scandal and ensuing investigation are nothing to joke about, two Health and Human Services officials took a moment out of their busy schedules to share some “unsolicited commentary” about their job performance.

On Wednesday morning, HHS Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill and assistant secretary of the Administration for Children and Families Alex Adams stepped in front of the camera to respond to the humorous feedback they have received from those paying attention to their work.

“Protecting state and federal child care dollars and holding Governor Walz accountable, courtesy of Bert and Ernie,” read a caption to the video.

— (@)

‘This is what I want my government to be.’

The two officials took turns reading comments from viewers.

“Why does this feel like a late-night class-action lawsuit commercial? ‘Do you or a loved one have mesothelioma? Call 1-800 …'” O’Neill read.

RELATED: Trump administration sends Democrats into hysterics by freezing funding to 5 blue states over fraud concerns

Photographer: Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images

“They look like injury-claim lawyers that have the nickname ‘the Hammer’ on a billboard in rural Indiana,” Adams read out loud.

“These are the kind of nerds that will save the union,” O’Neill said.

“I’m getting strong Bert and Ernie energy,” Adams said.

“You’re Bert,” O’Neill joked.

A lengthier comment said, “These dorks are amazing. They found policies that enable the massive fraud, they’re stopping it, and they got in front of a camera to explain it to us. This is what I want my government to be.”

In a final comment, Adams read, “I love these guys. The vibe feels like ‘behind the camera’ people being told they need to wear a suit tomorrow.”

The fraud investigation was helped by the outpouring of information into HHS’ tip line at childcare.gov, where they said that they had quickly received more than 500 tips for their investigation.

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​Politics, Jim oneill, Alex adams, Health and human services, Childcare, Childcare fraud, Hhs, Minnesota, Minnesota fraud 

President Donald Trump addressed the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday and had a tough message for a rapidly transforming Europe.

Trump began his message by lamenting the direction Europe is going. Trump pointed out that by most metrics, Europe is shrinking where it should be growing.

‘That’s why issues like energy, trade, immigration, and economic growth must be central concerns to anyone who wants to see a strong and united West.’

“The consequences of such destructive policies have been stark, including lower economic growth, lower standards of living, lower birth rates, more socially disruptive migration, more vulnerability to hostile foreign adversaries, and much, much smaller militaries,” Trump said.

He also referred to European leaders as “stupid people” for buying Chinese-made windmills and other “Green New Scam” materials instead of investing in more efficient means of energy.

“You’re supposed to make money with energy, not lose money,” he quipped.

RELATED: ‘Have some godd**n balls’: Newsom posts bizarre meltdown video about Trump from Davos

Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Despite the jab, President Trump reminded these European leaders that the United States is deeply vested in the future and well-being of their countries.

“The United States cares greatly about the people of Europe. We really do. I mean, look, I am derived from Europe. Scotland and Germany. … We believe deeply in the bonds we share with Europe.”

“As a civilization, I want to see it do great. That’s why issues like energy, trade, immigration, and economic growth must be central concerns to anyone who wants to see a strong and united West.”

Trump called for a stark reversal of European decline: “Europe and those counties have to do their thing. They have to get out of the culture that they’ve created over the last 10 years. It’s horrible what they’re doing to themselves. They’re destroying themselves … these beautiful, beautiful places.”

“We want strong allies, not seriously weakened ones. We want Europe to be strong,” Trump concluded.

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​Politics, Trump, President trump, Davos, Wef, World economic forum, Donald trump, Europe, Davos switzerland, Immigration, Energy, Strong europe, West, Western civilization 

President Donald Trump delivered a scathing rebuke of mass migration, pointing to Minnesota as a cautionary tale.

During his Wednesday speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump warned of the dangers and destabilization caused by mass migration. As in many European countries, whose leaders were in attendance, migrants have flooded the United States by the millions, many of them taking advantage of social programs, committing crimes, and failing to assimilate.

‘We have to defend that culture.’

Trump pointed to Minnesota as a prime example of the failures of mass migration, noting the immense fraud and cultural disruption brought about by Somalian immigrants.

“The situation in Minnesota reminds us that the West cannot mass-import foreign cultures which have failed to ever build a successful society of their own,” Trump said.

RELATED: Trump administration halts visas for 75 nations whose people gobble up American welfare

Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

“We’re taking people from Somalia, and Somalia … it’s not a nation,” Trump said. “Got no government. Got no police. Got no military. Got no nothing.”

Trump went on to criticize Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, a Somalian immigrant.

“She comes from a country that’s not a country,” Trump said. “And she’s telling us how to run America. Not going to get away with it much longer.”

RELATED: Woke Whitmer appointee from Nigeria admits to day-care scam, stealing millions from Michigan taxpayers

Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg via Getty Images

“The explosion of prosperity, in conclusion, and progress that built the West did not come from our tax codes. It ultimately came from our very special culture,” Trump said. “This is the precious inheritance that America and Europe have in common. We share it. We share it, but we have to keep it strong.”

“We have to defend that culture and rediscover the spirit that lifted the West from the depths of the Dark Ages to the pinnacle of human achievement,” Trump said.

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​Donald trump, Somalia, Ilhan omar, Minnesota, Tim walz, Mass migration, Failed countries, Minnesota fraud, Fraud waste and abuse, Assimilation, Migrant crisis, Davos, World economic forum, Europe, The west, Politics 

Whether it’s Jimmy Kimmel’s increasingly unhinged rhetoric or carbon-copy monologues from all the late-night hosts accusing President Trump of having a relationship with Epstein — comedy has taken a serious nose dive.

And BlazeTV host Stu Burguiere is among those getting a little tired of it.

“Late-night hosts have come to this place where now they seemingly, anytime Trump does anything, they just accuse it as being somehow tied to the Epstein files,” BlazeTV host Stu Burguiere tells film critic and reporter Christian Toto on “Stu Does America.”

“Jimmy Kimmel … he’s one of the smallest, and he obviously had this big back-and-forth with the president where he tried to be Mr. Tough Guy, and he was praised by Hollywood and the left for this,” he continues.

“He’s calling him a maniac for not only just killing people overseas but killing an unarmed 37-year-old woman during the ICE operation. He put a shirt on TV that said Donald Trump is going to come kill you. This is a man who’s almost been assassinated multiple times,” he adds.

“Yeah, squint all you want. You’re not going to see comedy,” Toto responds. “That’s not even the point at this point.”

“You know, the thing that makes me really sad about the culture at large is that I think it was 2017, Kathy Griffin put up that fake Trump head, you know, it was bloody, it was disgusting. And collectively, as a culture, we recoiled, and her career just vanished overnight,” he continues.

However, while Griffin’s move was career-ending, Toto points out that today no one would bat an eye.

“I think people on the right would blink for sure, and they’d be upset about it, but I think center-left people, people who just go about their day-to-day business, I don’t think anyone would bat an eye. … And Jimmy Kimmel is part of the reason why,” he says, adding, “And what he’s doing is wildly irresponsible.”

Want more from Stu?

To enjoy more of Stu’s lethal wit, wisdom, and mockery, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

​Blaze media, Blaze news, Blaze online, Blaze originals, Blaze podcast network, Blaze podcasts, Blazetv, Camera phone, Christian toto, Comedy, Epstein, Free, Hollywood, Jeffrey epstein, Jimmy kimmel, Kathy griffin, President trump, Sharing, Stu burguiere, Stu does america, The blaze, Upload, Video, Video phone, Youtube.com 

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent issued a rhetorical beatdown against Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Newsom is trying to expand his national and global profile for the sake of a possible presidential campaign in 2028 and used the forum to criticize President Donald Trump. On Wednesday, Bessent issued a strong rebuke of the Democrat.

‘Shame on him. He is too smug, too self-absorbed, and too economically illiterate to know anything.’

“I think it’s very, very ironic that Governor Newsom — who strikes me as Patrick Bateman meets Sparkle Beach Ken — may be the only Californian who knows less about economics than Kamala Harris,” said Bessent.

“He’s here this week with his billionaire sugar daddy, Alex Soros. And Davos is the perfect place for a man who, when everyone else was on lockdown, when he was having people arrested for going to church, he was having thousand-dollar-a-night meals at the French Laundry [restaurant],” he added.

“My message to Governor Newsom,” Bessent said, “is the Trump administration is coming to California, we are going to crack down on waste, fraud, and abuse.”

He went on to list California’s problems, including homelessness, the mass exodus of residents, a massive budget deficit, and continued fallout from the devastating Palisades fire a year ago.

“Shame on him. He is too smug, too self-absorbed, and too economically illiterate to know anything,” he concluded.

“Let me know if you need any further clarification!” he added.

RELATED: Scott Bessent has joined the effort to uncover funders of Antifa violence, White House says

President Donald Trump also spoke at Davos and defended his campaign to annex Greenland while touting the state of the economy under his leadership.

“Greenland is a vast, almost entirely uninhabited and undeveloped territory. It is sitting undefended in a key strategic location between the U.S., Russia, and China,” said the president.

“It is a core national security interest of the U.S. — and in fact, has been our policy for hundreds of years to prevent outside threats from entering our hemisphere,” Trump added.

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​Scott bessent, Bessent vs gavin newsom, Trump at davos, Newsom for president, Politics 

The communist regime in Beijing has long worked to undermine the United States.

China — which the first Trump administration recognized as a “revisionist” power keen on shaping “a world antithetical to U.S. values and interests” — and its agents have run intimidation and coercion campaigns out of illegal police stations on American soil; engaged in espionage and political destabilization efforts in the U.S.; and launched numerous cyberattacks on American institutions and critical infrastructure.

Perhaps most importantly, China has bought up vast swathes of strategically significant U.S. land.

‘Arkansas was the first state in the country to kick communist China off our farmland and out of our state.’

Some states have taken meaningful steps to fight back against these and other subversive initiatives.

The efforts by Arkansas, in particular, to defend against Chinese communist influence and infiltration have not only captured Beijing’s attention but that of State Shield, a foreign-influence watchdog group founded by Joe Gebbia, the co-founder of Airbnb who went to work last year for the Department of Government Efficiency.

State Shield, which works in over 10 states to advance policies to counter Chinese influence and bolster regional and national security, has awarded Arkansas an A+ rating in its inaugural 2025 State Shield Scorecard and named Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) “Best Governor for National Security.”

“Arkansas was the first state in the country to kick Communist China off our farmland and out of our state, and we didn’t stop there,” Sanders said in a statement obtained by Blaze News.

“We’ve taken real action to protect our land, our data, and our taxpayers from hostile foreign influence,” continued the governor. “This recognition shows that strong leadership at the state level makes a real difference in keeping our people and our economy secure.”

RELATED: The truth behind Trump’s Venezuela plan: It’s not about Maduro at all

Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images

Whereas subsequent scorecards will reflect annual reviews of legislative activity, State Shield indicated its inaugural scorecard reflects an evaluation of work completed from 2021 to 2025. During that period, Arkansas passed numerous laws aimed at curbing foreign influence.

Last year, for instance, the Natural State, enacted legislation:

withholding funding for a state-supported institution of higher education that has a Confucius Institute or similar institute related to China, prohibiting state-sponsored investment in China, and banning sister cities with China;barring Chinese Communist Party-controlled businesses from leasing any interest in Arkansas land or holding any interest in agricultural land located within a 10-mile radius of critical infrastructure; andprohibiting colleges and universities from engaging in the creation of agricultural products, conducting classified research, or conducting agricultural research under a contract with a prohibited foreign party.

In addition to ratifying these and other pieces of legislation on-theme, Gov. Sanders moved the needle on countering Chinese influence with numerous actions and executive orders.

‘It is indeed necessary to be vigilant against Arkansas’ anti-China moves.’

Among the gubernatorial actions highlighted by State Shield was Sanders’ January 2023 executive order aimed at protecting Arkansas information and communications technology from the influence of adversarial foreign regimes, and her EO banning CCP-linked TikTok on state networks and state-issued devices.

Arkansas’ efforts to curb Chinese influence have infuriated the communists in Beijing.

When, for instance, Arkansas ordered the subsidiary of a China-owned agricultural firm ChemChina to sell off land in the Natural State pursuant to Arkansas Act 636 — legislation ratified in 2023 by Sanders — the CCP propaganda publication Global Times viciously attacked the governor.

The publication accused Sanders both of advancing “undignified” rhetoric and proving that “American politicians are incapable of driving local development, but are good at orchestrating political farces.”

It further warned that “it is indeed necessary to be vigilant against Arkansas’ anti-China moves, as they could potentially lead to imitation and similar actions by other conservative U.S. states.”

State Shield’s scorecard indicates that while Arkansas leads the pack, other red states — especially Nebraska — aren’t far behind.

Sanders, whose efforts have in some cases dovetailed with the Trump administration’s, said early last year, “President Trump is the first president in my lifetime to take a hard line against communist China, and we are proud to support that work in Arkansas by getting communist China off our land and out of our state.”

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​Sarah huckabee sanders, Sanders, Arkansas, Chinese communist party, Ccp, China, Beijing, Foreign adversary, Influence, Farm land, Politics 

Europeans breathed a sigh of relief after President Donald Trump ruled out using military intervention to acquire Greenland.

Trump took another victory lap Wednesday during his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, recapping all the successes of the first year of his second term. During these remarks, Trump clarified that he would not send boots on the ground in the “piece of ice” known as Greenland.

‘I don’t have to use force.’

“We want a piece of ice for world protection, and they won’t give it,” Trump said. “We’ve never asked for anything else.”

“They have a choice,” Trump added. “You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative, or you can say no, and we will remember.”

RELATED: Trump cites Nobel Peace Prize snub in latest push for Greenland takeover

Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Trump followed his ominous statement with a reassuring one, remarking for the first time publicly that the United States will not forcefully take Greenland.

“We probably won’t get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force, where we would be, frankly, unstoppable, but I won’t do that,” Trump said.

RELATED: ‘Make America Go Away’: Protests erupt in Greenland after Trump threatens tariffs on Europe

Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg via Getty Images

“That’s probably the biggest statement I made, because people thought I would use force. I don’t have to use force. I don’t want to use force.”

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Christians are called to be people of truth. But when we fail to ground our thinking in biblical principles, we can end up telling inadvertent lies — and mischaracterizing fellow believers in the process.

Exhibit A: this post from a Christian writer and speaker, sharing with her Christian followers, regarding current events centered in Minneapolis.

Empathy for the hurting extends to all those who hurt, and plenty have been hurt by the assault on our borders over the past few years.

She writes:

I’m reading through the gospels right now, and I’m struck by what the leaders of Israel enticed the crowds to demand — that an innocent man be put to death and a murderer (Barabbas) be freed from prison and the obvious consequences of his egregious actions. This is the hallmark of an unjust society, where we vilify those who have done nothing wrong (and treat them like criminals), or we applaud and set free those who harm others.

She never mentions Minnesota or Immigration and Customs Enforcement, but her followers’ responses make it abundantly clear they got (and “loved”) the intended message.

‘Vilifying’ crime?

Apparently the writer perceives illegal immigrants as “those who have done nothing wrong” who we are “vilifying” and “treating like criminals.” (Pro tip: Breaking a law makes you a criminal.) ICE agents, apparently, are “those who harm others” that we are supposedly “applauding” or “setting free.”

She goes on:

I am heartbroken by the current state of things in my country. Deeply troubled. Praying. Worrying, if I’m honest. I keep watching documentaries about tyranny and cult leaders and history.

Tyranny and cult leaders? Since we hear this from the left constantly, we know exactly what she’s trying to say.

And that’s what “deeply troubles” ME.

That the current administration — which is carrying out the federal government’s long-neglected role in protecting our borders and thus our communities — is somehow tyrannical. That those of us who support this, many of us who voted for this, are akin to a “cult.”

Thinking it through

I’m troubled by Christians who knee-jerk react to the world without thinking issues through biblically, as she demonstrates here:

I do understand the nature of evil — to call evil good and good evil.

My friend, we are not the ones confusing evil and good here. Let’s break it down.

First, sin is evil. Period. So when we are talking about evil, we are talking about sin.Second, breaking the law is sin/evil. Unless the law directly contradicts the word of God.

Can we agree on those two principles?

If I break down your door to get into your home — even if I just walk in your unlocked door — that is a sin.

It’s a sin because it’s against the law (and that law in no way contradicts the word of God).It’s also a sin because I am taking — stealing — something that belongs to you. Your home, your privacy, your sense of safety, your peace. I have no right to invade your space. I have no right to breach your border.

Profoundly hypocritical

Doors and locks exist for a reason, just like borders and guarded crossing points do. Those who advocate for open borders (identified by their yelling, “No one is illegal!”) live in homes with doors and locks. They are profoundly hypocritical.

They are worse than hypocritical actually. Because while they still seek to protect themselves, they are happy for other people to be stripped of that right. And for other people to have to deal with the loss of safety and peace.

Consider these females, all attacked and murdered by men here illegally: Kayla Hamilton, Ruby Garcia, Lizbeth Medina, Rachel Morin, Laken Riley, Jocelyn Nungaray, Joselyn Toaquiza, Melody Waldecker, and Mollie Tibbetts.

And these women are hardly the only victims. In Texas alone, hundreds of people have died in recent years at the hands of people who entered illegally. I mention Texas because nobody else is tracking this particular statistic — Americans killed by illegal border-crossers.

Meantime thousands of illegal border-crossers who are also convicted murderers still roam free nationwide.

Of course, murder isn’t the only evil aided and abetted by illegal immigration. As we’ve seen in recent days from the same troubled state, fraud and taxpayer abuse is rampant as well, with wholly corrupt public officials turning a blind eye or benefiting from the scams.

RELATED: A protest doesn’t become lawful because Don Lemon livestreams it

Law and sin

But even if an illegal border-crosser never committed another crime nor took a dime of taxpayer money — it would STILL not be wrong to send him/her home. There is a line to get in, there are people waiting in that line, and they cut in front. They broke the law. It’s a sin. It’s evil.

(By the way, speeding is against the law too, in case we’re feeling superior in any way. God’s standards are high!)

The left cannot and will not see border issues for what they are, but Christians should take no part in the ungodly confusion of thinking that wanting to curb this evil is itself evil.

No true Christian

One of the comments to the post came from a Canadian:

I don’t even live in the USA but I am deeply troubled also. I am praying for the so called “Christian” to wake up from their slumber and see what’s really going on. True followers of Christ would not support this evil.

This comment, actually, is a sin. Because it’s wrong to assume that fellow Christians whose viewpoints on deportation proceedings differ from yours are therefore not “true followers.”

Especially in an age when people tend to get their news from the same sources over and over, we should tread very lightly in making assumptions about someone’s salvation. That is in fact the judging we’re not supposed to do, because we don’t know people’s hearts — as opposed to the judging we can do, when people say or do specific sinful things.

Can we talk?

A reasonable discussion we might have here could center around specific ICE tactics. But we can’t have that discussion because one side refuses to acknowledge the legitimacy of ICE in the first place (many also seem to be under the wholly ignorant impression it didn’t exist or take action before Trump). They also refuse to acknowledge the legitimacy of a border, for the most part.

And they certainly refuse to acknowledge the fact that actively impeding lawful efforts to enforce law is in fact breaking the law and is therefore … yes, a sin/evil.

Peacefully holding a protest sign is not wrong in any way. But let’s not pretend that’s what’s happening here, when “playbooks” are being disseminated online for physically engaging with these federal officers and “anti-ICE” groups openly call for violence. These things, as we have already seen, put the protesters — whether they are paid or just easily misled — in danger too.

Empathy for all

A topic for another time, perhaps, is the over-the-top emotion and angst over this American situation, which at this point involves the sad death of exactly one person who arguably put herself squarely in harm’s way. This response to the writer’s post is a good example:

It’s really hard for me to enjoy life like nothing is happening when so many others are hurting.

This Christian American woman is struggling to enjoy life. Because ICE. Not because thousands of Iranians are being slaughtered by the Islamic Republic of Iran, or the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, or any other people hurting, but because America is deporting people who shouldn’t have illegally crossed in.

Empathy for the hurting extends to all those who hurt, and plenty have been hurt by the assault on our borders over the past few years. With that in mind, another quote from the original post:

The way of Jesus is not conquest, nor is it victory over our so-called enemies. … It means listening to the hurting, entering into the worlds of those who differ from us, and loving people we disagree with.

I could not agree more. We Christians, who believe any government’s God-ordained job is to protect its own citizens and therefore support deportation of people who “skipped the line” to get in (especially violent people), would appreciate having a civil conversation about this topic.

That — as opposed to indirectly or directly calling us nonbelievers — would be the loving thing to do.

This article was adapted from an essay originally published on Diane Schrader’s Substack, She Speaks Truth.

​Christianity, Christian, Gospel, Immigration, Culture, Ice, Biblical, Lifestyle, Abide, Faith 

A former football sideline reporter has announced a strong Donald Trump-style platform in her run for office.

Michele Tafoya is a former Sunday Night Football staple, interviewing coaches, players, and the like from 2011 to 2022.

Now Tafoya has launched a bid for a Senate seat in Minnesota that will be vacated by retiring U.S. Sen. Tina Smith (D).

‘I will clean up the system, fighting corruption, ending the fraud, and protecting your tax dollars.’

On Wednesday, Tafoya launched her campaign with a video, stating that “massive government fraud” has been “ripping off” hardworking Americans while showing clips of journalist Nick Shirley’s viral videos that uncovered alleged fraud at Somali-run day cares.

Tafoya also pointed the finger at Gov. Tim Walz (D) and said the state has been forcing “radical ideologies” in schools and sports, putting young women in danger.

RELATED: Whitlock: Michele Tafoya risked everything to start her own Freedom Convoy

“I will clean up the system, fighting corruption, ending the fraud, and protecting your tax dollars,” Tafoya said. “I will protect what’s fair and safe, standing with our law enforcement officers, deporting dangerous criminals, and keeping female sports for female athletes.”

She added, “And I will make our lives affordable again.”

Furthermore the former broadcaster promised to cut taxes for the middle class, strengthen manufacturing, and lower the cost of groceries, prescription drugs, and mortgages.

Tafoya will have stiff competition, even if she is the most notable name in the Republican primary field. Other candidates include former NBA player Royce White, retired Navy officer Tom Weiler, and retired Navy SEAL Adam Schwarze.

RELATED: Facing down cancel culture: 4 courageous women who stand firm in their beliefs

Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Tafoya, 61, is originally from California but relocated to Minnesota to cover the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings and then the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves before shifting to national coverage.

In mid-December, Tafoya reportedly met with members of the National Republican Senatorial Committee to discuss the potential run. On Tuesday, paperwork for “Tafoya for Senate” was filed with the Federal Election Commission.

Retiring U.S. Sen. Smith, who is from the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party wing of the DNC, won her primary in 2018 after former comedian Al Franken resigned over a picture of him pretending to squeeze a news broadcaster’s breasts while she was asleep.

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​News, Nfl, Football, Reporter, Minnesota, Senate, Tim walz, Ilhan omar, Politics 

A 12-year-old boy accused of striking a woman in the face with a screwdriver and beating her amid a weekend robbery in Seattle went before a juvenile court judge Tuesday, KOMO-TV reported.

Despite the boy’s attorney referring to him as a “good kid” who should be released to his parents — and his father making what a KOMO video report said was an emotional plea to the court — the judge didn’t see it that way.

‘He turned 12 about three months ago.’

The first-appearance judge determined there was probable cause to believe the boy committed first-degree robbery, which under state law involves the display of a deadly weapon or the infliction of bodily injury, the station said.

The judge ordered the boy held in secure juvenile detention, KOMO reported, adding that bail is not considered in juvenile court and a respondent is either released or held.

The defense argued that the boy’s parents would watch him and monitor his behavior, while the state said the boy has chronic issues, the station report. The defense still asked for the boy’s release to his parents and wasn’t opposed to electronic home monitoring, KOMO added.

In the station’s video report, the boy’s attorney is heard arguing that her client is “quite young; he turned 12 about three months ago. He has no criminal adjudication history.” The boy — whose face isn’t shown in the video — is seen apparently wiping his eyes with tissue during the proceedings.

But Judge Tanya Thorp said he’ll remain in detention, noting that his “multiple contacts” with police deemed “chronic is of great concern to me.”

RELATED: 3 males — ages 8, 11, 12 — steal car, crash into house; driver, 11, says he learned how to steal cars from YouTube: Cops

More from KOMO:

The case remains under investigation by Seattle police and has not yet been formally referred to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors said that timeline is typical, noting that charging decisions require a higher burden of proof than the probable cause standard used at a first-appearance hearing.

King County prosecutors said they expect to receive the case referral from Seattle police on Thursday and anticipate making a charging decision later this week. Prosecutors said first-degree robbery cases are not eligible for diversion and are instead handled in juvenile court with input from juvenile probation counselors.

Washington state law says a 12-year-old charged with first-degree robbery must remain in juvenile court, the station noted, adding that officials said prosecutors and judges lack the authority to transfer such a case to adult court, regardless of the circumstances.

Authorities told KOMO the next update is expected Thursday evening.

In regard to Saturday evening’s incident, police said a juvenile suspect wearing a “hot pink ski mask” robbed a 43-year-old woman at an Amazon Fresh store. Police said the suspect “attacked the victim, hitting her multiple times in the face with his hands,” after which he struck the woman in the face with a screwdriver.

The suspect rifled through the victim’s handbag in a parking garage — and then returned to the victim and assaulted her again before running off, police said.

While police located the suspect, they said he fled from them on foot. However, police recognized the suspect based on previous interactions — as well as his age and unique clothing description — and went to his family’s house and got a search warrant for his arrest, police said.

Officers took the suspect into custody without incident and recovered the screwdriver, police said.

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​Arrest, Seattle police, 12-year-old boy, Physical attack, Boy attacks woman, Robbery, Judge, Juvenile court, Detained, Screwdriver, Good kid, Crime 

Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) faced intense — but warranted — backlash from Fox News’ Sean Hannity after voting against a bill that would have mandated the deportation of illegal immigrants convicted of sex crimes, a position that exposes the Democratic Party’s dangerous priorities.

And BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales isn’t thrilled with Thanedar either, whom she likens to Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) as another foreigner in our government.

“We’re allowing foreigners to come into our country and lecture us about what America stands for. And in some cases, not just lecture us, but that we then allow them to actually participate in representing constituents,” Gonzales says, before playing the clip of Hannity and Thanedar.

“You voted against a bill mandating the deportation of illegal immigrants convicted of sex crimes. Can you explain that to me?” Hannity asked.

“Well, look, look, anybody who breaks U.S. laws, an immigrant that breaks U.S. laws, should be deported. Anyone that commits —” Thanedar responded, before Hannity cut him off to say, “Sir, sir, you voted against a bill that mandated the deportation of illegals convicted of sex crimes. Do you regret that vote now?”

“No, I don’t regret that vote,” Thanedar responded. “Look, no bill is perfect.”

“What if it was your wife, your sister, your daughter that was raped? That’s a sex crime. You want that person to stay?” Hannity asked.

Thanedar continued to make the excuse that there are multiple reasons to vote on a bill, but Hannity isn’t the only one calling him out.

“You’ve got Shri Thanedar over here thinking that he can just come in here and lecture us about how to run our country while he is voting not to deport illegals convicted of sex crimes. Those are his values that he’s bringing from, I don’t know, I guess wherever he came from,” Gonzales says.

“The Democrats are having a very, very difficult time. They’re having an identity crisis because they’re dealing with all of these radicals who are taking over their party. They’re dealing with, literally, their position is, ‘We should protect illegal criminals from being deported. We want to keep the violent gang members, rapists, child diddlers,’” she continues.

“‘And on top of that, oh wait, hold on,’” she says, still mocking the Democrats. “‘President Trump is actually eliminating fraud and corruption at the federal level? No. No. We won’t stand for it. In fact, if you vote for us in the midterms, we will both make sure that the illegal criminals are protected and also apparently make fraud great again.’”

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​Video phone, Free, Upload, Camera phone, Video, Sharing, Youtube.com, Sara gonzales unfiltered, Sara gonzales, The blaze, Blazetv, Blaze news, Blaze podcast, Blaze podcasts, Blaze podcast network, Blaze media, Blaze online, Blaze originals, Shri thanedar, Illegal immigrants, Sex offenders, Criminals, Illegal immigrant criminals, Illegal immigration crisis 

Democrats and their friends in the liberal media have worked overtime to demonize U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers who have in recent months faced a massive spike in death threats and attacks.

President Donald Trump confronted the legacy media on Tuesday with insights into the real villains — those degenerate criminal noncitizens whose removal from Minnesota streets leftists have fought and in at least one case died obstructing.

‘They have to be abused by guys like Don Lemon, who’s a loser, lightweight.’

At the outset of a press conference, during which he highlighted some of what he accomplished in his first year back in office, Trump noted that it was appropriate to shine a spotlight on some of the individuals whom ICE has arrested “because Minnesota is so much in the fray.” He produced a stack of illegal alien mugshots, then began showing them one by one.

“They’re apprehending murderers and drug dealers and a lot of bad people,” said Trump. “And these are just some of the more recent ones that we have, and I could show you some of the people — vicious, many of them murderers. These are all out of Minnesota.”

Aldrin Guerrero-Munoz was one of the illegal aliens whose mugshots Trump showed reporters. Guerrero-Munoz is an illegal alien from Mexico with a final order of removal from 2015.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, Guerrero-Munoz is “a criminal illegal alien who has been incarcerated on the taxpayer’s dime since 2004 following a 32-year prison sentence for the intentional murder of his three-month-old son.” During his time in Stillwater Prison, Guerrero-Munoz assaulted a fellow inmate, resulting in another conviction.

RELATED: More UNHINGED anti-ICE extremist footage: ‘I am a liberal, leftist, pagan, lesbian, transgender woman, and witch!’

Photo by Joshua Lott/The Washington Post via Getty Images

“Do you want to live with these people?” Trump asked as he parsed through pages of mugshots depicting killers and sex offenders.

Trump also held up the mugshots for:

Abdirashid Adosh Elmi, a Somali national convicted of homicide; Chong Vue, a criminal illegal alien from Laos with a final order of removal dated March 11, 2004, who was convicted of strong-arm rape of a 12-year-old girl, kidnapping a child with intent to commit sexual assault, and vehicle theft; Hernan Cortes-Valencia, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico with a final order of removal dated Dec. 1, 2016, who was convicted of sexual assault against a child, sexual assault-carnal abuse, and four DUIs;Sriudorn Phaivan, a criminal illegal alien from Laos with a final order of removal from March 8, 2018, who was convicted of strong-arm sodomy of a boy, strong-arm sodomy of a girl, another aggravated sex offense, nine counts of larceny, unauthorized use of a vehicle, four counts of fraud, vehicle theft, two counts of drug possession, obstructing justice, possession of stolen property, receiving stolen property, burglary, and check forgery; andothers.

Abdirashid Adosh Elmi, Chong Vue, Hernan Cortes-Valencia, and Sriudorn Phaivan. Mugshots courtesy of ICE.

“These are just in Minnesota,” said Trump. “In California, it’s worse. In other states, it’s worse.”

ICE previously noted in reference to several of the criminals identified by Trump that these “are some of the monsters Walz, Frey, and rioters are defending in MN.”

“ICE arrests criminal illegal aliens. Communities get safer,” said ICE. “Governor Walz and Mayor Frey’s radical sanctuary agenda is doing the opposite — putting Minnesotans at risk.”

Trump emphasized on Tuesday that ICE simply wants to get the criminal noncitizens typified by those in the mugshots out of the country.

“That’s all they want to do. They’re patriots, and they have to be abused by guys like Don Lemon, who’s a loser, lightweight,” said the president, alluding to the storming of St. Paul’s Cities Church on Sunday by Lemon and other anti-ICE radicals.

— (@)

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced on Monday that ICE has “arrested over 10,000 criminal illegal aliens who were killing Americans, hurting children, and reigning terror in Minneapolis because Tim Walz and Jacob Frey refuse to protect their own people and instead protect criminals.”

Noem indicated further that “vicious murderers, rapists, child pedophiles, and incredibly dangerous individuals” were among the 3,000 criminal illegal aliens captured over the past six weeks during Operation Metro Surge.

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​Us immigration and customs enforcement, Ice, Metro surge, Minnesota, Minneapolis, Illegal alien, Criminal noncitizen, Donald trump, Truth, Liberal media, Don lemon, Walz, Frey, Illegal immigration, Arrests, Kristi noem, Dhs, Politics 

You won’t hear many people object to President Trump’s executive order to ban corporate purchases of residential homes. The idea sounds like common sense. But it targets a minor symptom while leaving the real disease untouched — and in some respects, it risks making that disease worse.

Institutional home-buying already peaked during the COVID-era bubble and has receded since then. In most markets, corporate ownership represents a small share of total inventory. Even at its height, it never explained why housing costs exploded for everyone else. High prices created the opportunity for institutional buyers, not the other way around.

The goal should not be cheaper debt. It should be cheaper homes.

Government policy inflated the housing market. Institutional buyers simply responded.

During COVID, the Federal Reserve pushed interest rates toward zero. Mortgage rates fell below 3%. At the same time, the Fed bought roughly $2.7 trillion in mortgage-backed securities, and HUD expanded “affordable homeownership” programs that widened the pool of subsidized buyers. Those policies produced predictable results.

When the government offers 2.5% interest for 30 years — often paired with minimal down payments backed by the FHA — buyers flood the market. Sellers respond by raising prices. The bubble becomes a feature, not a bug.

Institutional buyers entered that environment because it looked like easy money. Higher home prices also pushed rents up, so developers built more homes for long-term rental. Both trends flowed from the same source: a government-shaped market that made housing unaffordable, then subsidized the unaffordability.

Trump now seems focused on the symptom — corporate buyers — while ignoring the machinery that inflated the market in the first place.

He has spent months fighting Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to bring rates back down toward zero. Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve still holds about $2.1 trillion in mortgage-backed securities. Trump has also announced a plan for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to purchase another $200 billion in MBS. The stated goal is to lower mortgage rates.

But the goal should not be cheaper debt. It should be cheaper homes.

RELATED: ‘Rents will come down’ — but not in sanctuary cities: Loan agent chronicles homes apparently abandoned by illegal aliens

mphillips007 via iStock/Getty Images

Artificially lowering rates props up prices and slows correction. Prices in many markets have begun to soften. That correction should continue. Policies designed to suppress rates will keep prices elevated and risk inflating the next bubble.

That brings us back to corporate home-buying. Even at the COVID peak, institutional buyers — defined as entities owning at least 100 single-family homes — owned about 3.1% of the housing stock. That number has since fallen to around 1%. Investors see the market turning, and they have started backing away.

So Trump’s corporate-purchase ban arrives late, targets a relatively small share of the market, and risks becoming cosmetic cover for policies that keep the bubble inflated.

If Trump wants to drive prices down and permanently realign housing with median incomes, he has to reverse the policies that inflated the bubble. That means attacking the structure, not the headline.

Get government out of the mortgage market. Trump’s next Federal Reserve chair must commit to unwinding the Fed’s mortgage-backed securities portfolio. That $2.1 trillion cushion keeps mortgage rates lower than the market would otherwise set. Those artificially low rates inflate home prices.

End universal “homeownership for everyone” policy. The federal government keeps subsidizing buyers who are not ready to buy. Those programs inject cash into housing demand that would not exist in a real market. The goal should align prices with income, not chase a utopian dream of universal ownership. After decades of subsidies, deductions, and federal credit support, the home ownership rate still sits around the mid-60% range.

Stop chasing near-zero interest rates. A 30-year loan at 2% sounds appealing until you realize what it does to prices. Cheap money bids up homes across the board. Buyers pay the price forever even as politicians brag about the “deal.” Trump should let the market set rates. Recent rate cuts have not restored normal home buying either. Sales remain weak because prices remain too high.

End the 30-year fixed mortgage. Instead of floating longer loans — 50 years? Madness! — the country should move in the opposite direction. Before the New Deal era, short-term mortgages, often three to seven years, dominated the market. Federal policy transformed that structure.

Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the National Housing Act of 1934, establishing the Federal Housing Authority. The FHA insured long-term, fully amortizing mortgages with fixed rates, low down payments, and standardized payment schedules. That system moved the market away from short-term balloon loans and laid the foundation for longer terms.

RELATED: America tried to save the planet and forgot to save itself

jhorrocks via iStock/Getty Images

Congress eventually authorized the 30-year mortgage in 1954. VA loans under the GI Bill and the expansion of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac later built a secondary market that made long-term fixed-rate loans attractive to lenders.

Government insurance, guarantees, and liquidity support made 30-year fixed mortgages feasible, which is why they represent 80%-90% of U.S. mortgages today. Without those interventions, lenders would not carry that risk.

The larger point remains simple: Sellers can’t charge prices buyers can’t pay. Prices explode only when government subsidies and government-backed long-term debt expand what buyers can “afford” on paper.

Unwind the subsidies. Unwind the guarantees. Unwind the cheap-money machinery. Let incomes, not federal policy, set the ceiling.

Housing should function like other consumer markets, not be engineered by Washington. Prices should reflect what people earn.

That’s the fix. Everything else treats symptoms and pretends to solve the problem.

​Opinion & analysis, Donald trump, Housing, Affordability, Housing bubble, Federal housing authority, Subsidies, Fannie mae and freddie mac, Taxes, Debt, Interest rates, Jerome powell, Federal reserve, Supreme court, 30-year mortgage, Mortgage rates, Homeownership, American dream, Blackstone, Blackrock, Covid-19, Hud, Mortgage-backed securities, Mbs