Downdetector has reported that several US banks are facing service disruptions on Friday morning. Update (1315ET): Fed Reserve Says ACH Error Impacting Customers Bitcoin literally [more…]
Category: blaze media
‘Convicted and f**king dangles’: NeverTrumper Rick Wilson calls for execution of top White House adviser
As uncertainty around the violence against law enforcement grows in Minneapolis, many people seemed to have missed the memo about cooling down the rhetoric after the events of the past weekend.
And a co-founder of the Lincoln Project was among those apparently calling for capital punishment.
‘When this is done, I want Stephen Miller to be the first one who is tried and convicted and f**king dangles.’
On the Saturday episode of his show, NeverTrumper Rick Wilson had a pointed message for leaders in Trump’s administration, with special ire for deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security adviser Stephen Miller.
Wilson said he knew he would “get canceled for saying this. I know I’m going to get in trouble.”
He went on nonetheless: “I want Stephen Miller to be the number one in the Nuremburg trials when this is done. When this is done, I want Stephen Miller to be the first one who is tried and convicted and f**king dangles.”
Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
He continued, “I want him to be brought before a court of law, because he is the sole executive that runs all this DHS, ICE stuff — the ‘ICEstapo.'”
Wilson was apparently angry at Miller and his characterization of male nurse Alex Pretti, the man who interfered with United States Border Patrol in Minneapolis and was subsequently fatally shot.
Wilson took issue with the fact that Miller called Pretti a “would-be assassin” on social media in more than one instance. Though the details of the incident are still debated, Pretti was carrying a gun at the time of his standoff with Border Patrol agents.
Wilson, the DOJ, and the DHS did not respond to Blaze News’ request for comment.
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
Politics, Lincoln project, Rick wilson, Icestapo, White house, Doj, Dhs, Stephen miller, Ice, Alex pretti
Conflicting narratives, one dead American: Glenn Beck cuts through the media spin on Alex Pretti shooting
Minneapolis’ anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement protests have continued to intensify. Over the weekend, several clashes between protesters and ICE agents occurred, one that resulted in 37-year-old Minnesota local Alex Pretti, who was carrying a legally concealed handgun, being shot and killed by several ICE agents during a federal immigration enforcement operation on January 24.
The reporting on the circumstances surrounding Pretti’s death has been conflicting. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, as well as other Trump administration officials, have framed the ICE officers’ actions as justified.
In her official statement, Noem said, “An individual approached U.S. Border Patrol officers with a 9-millimeter semi-automatic handgun. The officers attempted to disarm this individual, but the armed suspect reacted violently. Fearing for his life and for the lives of his fellow officers around him, an agent fired defensive shots.”
She further described the incident as “a situation where an individual arrived at the scene to inflict maximum damage and kill law enforcement,” labeling it “domestic terrorism.”
Multiple bystander videos, forensic audio analyses, and video analyses and reporting from major outlets including the New York Times, BBC, and NPR, however, directly contradict these claims. This evidence indicates Pretti was already pinned to the ground, disarmed (his concealed handgun removed from his waistband during the scuffle), and no longer posing a threat when agents fired numerous rounds.
As of now, many American citizens appear genuinely confused and divided about what really happened in Alex Pretti’s shooting due to the sharply conflicting narratives.
On this episode of “The Glenn Beck Program,” Glenn offers some insight to the truth behind Alex Pretti’s shooting — examining the conflicting claims, the chaotic scuffle, and why rushing to judgment or prosecution could miss the bigger picture of escalating unrest.
“First of all, what Noem said is not true,” says Glenn frankly.
“If you want to say technically he approached carrying a 9mm, he did, but it was holstered and in his back. And you have a right to carry a gun at a protest. … It is perfectly legal and constitutionally protected,” he adds.
While it was unwise for Pretti to carry a gun and get involved with federal officers, it was not technically illegal because he never actually pulled the gun, Glenn explains.
On the other hand, the officers who shot Pretti were in an extremely “chaotic situation,” Glenn pivots, noting that these men are on edge after enduring ceaseless violence, doxxing, and threats from protesters.
Video footage captures a tangle of people — officers in tactical gear, one in plainclothes, Pretti, and other protesters — in a wrestling match on the ground. The officer who discovered Pretti’s handgun and removed it from his waistband was wearing plainclothes, meaning bystanders — including the ones who yelled “gun” — could have easily mistaken him for an armed protester.
Further there’s a good chance agents in the scuffle with Pretti didn’t see the plainclothes officer remove the handgun and could have assumed that the people yelling “gun” were referring to Pretti.
Glenn says that the civil rights protests spearheaded by Martin Luther King Jr. were only successful because they were peaceful. Protesters didn’t bring guns to demonstrations; they didn’t escalate confrontations with police; and they didn’t intentionally create chaos.
“King would have let [Pretti] rot in prison and wouldn’t have marched for that guy because he had a gun, because he made the rest of the movement look dangerous. Even though he had a right to have a gun, Martin Luther King would have said, ‘You don’t bring a gun. You don’t push back. You don’t do it because that’s the way peaceful protests win,’” says Glenn, “and everybody who knows anything about protesting knows this.”
“The left, they’ve been preaching Martin Luther King forever. They know this is not the tactic of Martin Luther King. This is the tactic that escalates, not de-escalates, things.”
All evidence considered, Glenn falls somewhere in the middle on Pretti’s death.
“We have to be very careful with our words and speak the truth at all times, even if it hurts our side,” he says.
“I don’t think he should have been shot, but I also don’t think they should prosecute [the officers who shot him] because it’s a chaotic situation. … It’s just a really nasty, bad situation.”
To hear more of Glenn’s analysis, watch the video above.
Want more from Glenn Beck?
To enjoy more of Glenn’s masterful storytelling, thought-provoking analysis, and uncanny ability to make sense of the chaos, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.
The glenn beck program, Glenn beck, Minneapolis protests, Minnesota, Anti ice protests, Anti ice, Alex pretti, Renee good, Blazetv, Blaze media, Mlk, Civil rights protests
‘Fixing the mess’: Retired Navy SEAL aims to flip Connecticut congressional district red
A retired U.S. Navy SEAL with more than 30 years of service announced Tuesday that he is running for Congress in Connecticut’s 5th District, seeking the Republican nomination.
Christopher Shea enters a competitive race against incumbent Democrat Rep. Jahana Hayes, who won re-election in 2024 with 53.4% of the vote. She squeaked through the 2022 general election by just 0.8%.
‘This campaign is about restoring trust, normalcy, and accountability.’
“I’ve spent my entire adult life serving this country — overseas in uniform and here at home protecting our communities,” Shea said in a statement given to Blaze News. “That sense of duty doesn’t end at retirement. I’m running for Congress to put people over politics, restore common sense in Washington, and make sure families in Connecticut’s 5th District can get ahead again.”
In an ad to launch his campaign, Shea, founder of the nonprofit Hero to Hero and a North Haven firefighter, indicates he is dedicated to “protecting the vulnerable,” “restoring hope,” and “fixing the mess.”
Shea said his campaign will focus on economic growth, public safety, affordability for families, veterans’ issues, and protecting America.
“Connecticut’s 5th District is hardworking and grounded in common sense. Our current representative has chosen a different path — consistently siding with the most extreme voices in Washington and backing policies that drive up energy costs, undermine public safety, and leave working families like mine paying the price,” Shea said. “That’s exactly why we need new leadership. This campaign is about restoring trust, normalcy, and accountability. And most of all, it’s about service to the people of Connecticut’s 5th District. I’m ready for this mission, and I’m honored to stand up for the people of this district.”
RELATED: ‘Warfighter’ son of a popular Michigan sheriff is now gunning for Congress
Photo given to Blaze News. Used with permission.
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
Connecticut, Congressional race, Politics
‘I have a gun; don’t move!’ Concealed carrier protecting his wife and kids confronts burglar — and shocked crook wises up.
The date on the indoor surveillance video reads January 19, and the time reads 12:44 a.m.
In that moment, the clip shows a break-in at a home in the affluent neighborhood of Jamaica Estates in Queens, New York. WABC-TV reported that the crew allegedly was looking to steal a luxury car’s key fob.
‘If they want to come back, let them.’
But the homeowner had a little surprise. He’s a licensed concealed carrier — and was armed, the station said.
One of the burglars came into the home through a window, using a phone flashlight to check items in the kitchen, WABC said.
“I’m like, ‘I have a gun; don’t move!'” the homeowner recounted to the station.
Then the crook got lucky.
“I pull the trigger and the gun jams,” the homeowner added to WABC. “By whatever divine intervention, the gun doesn’t shoot.”
Not that the burglar knew. Surveillance video shows the culprit running through the window where entry was gained — and the other crew members followed suit.
“Both of my cars are in the driveway. My lights turned on as soon as they approached the front gate. And so they knew somebody was home. But they didn’t seem to care,” the homeowner recalled to the station, adding that it was the one night he didn’t activate the alarm system at his residence.
The homeowner said his wife and kids also were home at the time of the break-in, and the targeted item apparently was a key fob for his luxury Bentley vehicle, WABC said.
“The detectives told me. There was a dispatch for three other burglaries. Two of them were successful; they stole another Porsche and a Range Rover,” the homeowner noted to the station.
The crime spike has put on alert Jewish residents who might be on vacation for Yeshiva, WABC said.
“If they want to come back, let them. This time the gun won’t be jammed. Hopefully, it won’t get there. But I don’t feel like I have a target on my back, because everybody here is a target — it’s a collective community,” the homeowner added to the station.
Police are looking for the three suspects involved in the incident, WABC added.
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
Crime thwarted, New york city, Jamaica estates, Queens, Home invasion, 2nd amend., Guns, Gun rights, Self-defense, Protecting family, Fighting back, Concealed carrier, Crime
Minnesota police FINALLY fight back: Cops hit violent anti-ICE mob with tear gas, arrests outside hotel supposedly housing feds
Radicals swarmed a hotel in Maple Grove, Minnesota, on Monday night, working under the presumption that U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino was inside. While some in the mob appeared keen at the outset to simply scream, bang their pans, and impotently blow whistles in protest of CBP and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, others decided to get violent.
The Maple Grove Police Department, which responded around 8 p.m. to reports of a protest at the SpringHill Suites by Marriott, demonstrated that it has a lower tolerance for attacks on law enforcement than their local counterparts in Minneapolis — and the proof manifested in tear gas and arrests.
‘These violent anarchists will not deter ICE from carrying out the American people’s mandate.’
“The situation escalated when individuals in the crowd engaged in unlawful behavior,” the MGPD said in a statement. “Property damage occurred, and objects were thrown at officers. At that point, the activity was no longer considered peaceful.”
After declaring the mob action an unlawful assembly, police issued a dispersal order. Footage shows police securing the area around the hotel, standing off with radicals, then systematically driving away the mob.
In addition to using pepper balls, Maple Grove police — who were assisted by the Minnesota State Patrol, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office hours after President Donald Trump had positive calls with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D) and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) — apparently utilized tear gas to drive away rioters.
RELATED: Democrats threaten to shut down government over ICE funding: ‘We are not powerless’
Law enforcement stands ready outside the Spring Hill Suites on Jan. 26. Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images.
Police told CNN that approximately 26 people were arrested outside the hotel.
Radicals advertised the anti-Border Patrol rally as a “Goodbye Bovino Noise Demo.”
Blaze News has reached out to the hotel and Marriott for comment.
The evening before the riot in Maple Grove, leftists stormed a hotel in Minneapolis where they believed federal immigration agents were staying. Radicals vandalized the Home2 Suites by Hilton Hotel late Sunday, smashing windows and throwing debris into the lobby.
Footage shows a solitary, bloody federal agent holding his ground at one stage in the evening while radicals assembled in front of the hotel. According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, federal agents successfully cleared that group with the help of chemical irritants.
The Department of Homeland Security indicated that the Sunday hotel attack was “part of a coordinated campaign of violence against law enforcement.”
“These violent anarchists will not deter ICE from carrying out the American people’s mandate to arrest and deport the worst of the worst,” added the DHS.
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
Protest, Riot, Bovino, Customs and border patrol, Border patrol, Anti-ice, Ice, Immigration and customs enforcement, Minnesota, Minneapolis, Maple grove, Tear gas, Politics
Activists ask for compassion for mother who allegedly drowned her baby in bathtub: ‘She is loved. She is valued.’
A woman called police to tell them that she had drowned her 7-month-old baby in a bathtub, and police confirmed the horrific claim when they went to her home.
Tierra Scott-Franklin, 23, was arrested on Wednesday afternoon by Gainesville police at her residence in the Sweetwater Square Apartments.
‘She did what she did, but we stand behind her. She is loved. She is valued.’
Police found the baby unresponsive and transported the child to UF Health Shands Pediatrics Hospital, where the child was declared deceased.
Scott-Franklin was charged with first-degree premeditated murder.
When the woman appeared in court, activists argued for compassion on her behalf.
“She did what she did, but we stand behind her. She is loved. She is valued. She is cared for,” Saudia Bradley said. “We’re asking that you please do what you do to help her to get the help she needs.”
Scott-Franklin was previously arrested for allegedly assaulting a 67-year-old woman and is also facing a charge for battery of a person 65 years or older.
Another activist said that Scott-Franklin sought help before the incident.
“She’s not well. She let people know she was not well and asked them to take the baby,” Chanae Jackson said.
A neighbor of the woman said the shocking incident should bring awareness for struggling people.
“I was inside my apartment, and I just kept hearing, like, people around the neighborhood kept yelling, like, ‘No, not a child, not a child, not a child,'” Aarion Hamilton said.
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
Tierra scott-franklin arrest, Mother kills baby, Florida mom drowns baby, Drowned in a bathtub, Crime
Detransitioner was only 12 years old when doctors began her medical transition
Detransitioner Chloe Cole joined BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales at AMFEST to expose what she calls the medical abuse behind youth gender transitions — and why the damage is permanent.
“I speak on behalf of this community of people who have been harmed and then ignored by our own doctors who harmed us. The detransitioners, people who have been through the gender transition process and gone through the medical parts and then came back out of it embracing the way that God has beautifully created us,” Cole told Gonzales.
“I was only 12 when they started putting me down this route … they put me on cross-sex hormones. They put me on chemical castration agents to stop my puberty, and before I was even old enough to drive a car, they surgically removed my breasts. And obviously with that came a lot of harm to my body,” she continued, adding.
“And I’m not alone.”
Cole discovered that there were thousands of young people who were just like her and had been duped by their doctors into damaging their bodies.
“I think this is one of the biggest issues of our time for that reason. My generation has been completely disrupted by this. And I think that children deserve to be fought for, that their parents deserve to be able to raise their children the way that they see fit, the way that goes with their instincts in raising them,” she told Gonzales.
And Cole’s parents, like many parents of “transgender” youth, were also duped.
“When I read your story, I had such empathy for your parents who were told by the doctors, ‘If you don’t do this, if you do not allow your daughter to go through with this, to take these cross-sex hormones, to take these puberty blockers, she’s going to kill herself,’” Gonzales commented.
“That was the exact lie that they fed my mom and dad,” Cole responded, adding, “And that’s the standard. My story is not just a one-off. It wasn’t just a mistake or an accident. That is the standard that they use that doctors have in order to coerce parents into saying yes to things that in any other world, they never would have.”
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.
Camera phone, Upload, Video, Free, Sharing, Video phone, Youtube.com, Sara gonzales unfiltered, Sara gonzales, The blaze, Blazetv, Blaze news, Blaze podcasts, Blaze podcast network, Blaze media, Blaze online, Blaze originals, Chloe cole, Detransitioner, Transgender youth, Medical lies, Western medicine, Transgenderism, Trans drugs, Trans children
America should eliminate the H-1B and replace it with THIS
Every time immigration comes up, it’s painted as a choice of extremes. Compassion or common sense? No immigration or no rules?
That’s a false choice — and it’s one that benefits only the politicians who’d rather argue than govern.
Preferring immigration that strengthens our economy instead of undercutting it is just common sense.
The recent controversy over H-1B visas is a perfect example. Americans are waking up to the reality that this program, sold as a way to fill “critical skills gaps,” too often does the opposite. It replaces U.S. workers, suppresses wages, and gives leverage to corporations that have every incentive to choose cheaper foreign labor over American talent. That’s not America First. That’s America Last — with a diversity slogan slapped on top.
But here’s what the media and the political class won’t tell you: Not all immigration programs are created equal. And if we’re serious about prioritizing American workers, jobs, and communities, we should be talking a lot more about the policies that actually deliver.
Programs like the EB-5 investor visa system.
Unlike H-1B, EB-5 doesn’t take jobs from Americans. Instead, it creates them. It doesn’t offer handouts. It requires real skin in the game from applicants. And with a strict cap of 10,650 visas, it maintains a controlled influx of immigrants, keeping America stable and secure.
Here’s how it works: A foreign applicant invests at least $1.05 million — or $800,000 if the investment is in a targeted employment area, such as a rural community or a region with high unemployment. Returns are not guaranteed. If the investment fails, the investor loses his money.
In exchange, he gets a chance at a green card — only if he meets strict requirements and proves his investment generated American jobs.
That’s the key: EB-5 doesn’t promise success; it requires it.
RELATED: ‘A direct path to Citizenship’: Trump announces official launch of Trump Gold Card visa program
Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images
EB-5 aligns incentives the way immigration policy should. Investors succeed only if American communities succeed. Jobs must be created here, projects must be built here, and money must stay here. That’s a far cry from visa programs that reward outsourcing, encourage dependency, and leave taxpayers holding the bag. EB-5 treats U.S. residency as something to be earned.
The results speak for themselves. Between 2008 and 2021, the program generated $43.9 billion in foreign direct investment. That money translates to real American improvement through projects like hotels, infrastructure, commercial developments, and housing. From 2010 to 2013 alone, EB-5 investments were responsible for creating over 100,000 American jobs.
Contrast that with H-1B, where companies can import foreign workers, often at lower wages, to the detriment of American citizens.
Critics love to point to early reports of fraud in the EB-5 program. What they conveniently leave out is that those cases were tied to bad actors running projects — not the investors themselves. The perpetrators were prosecuted. Reforms followed.
In fact, the program has been significantly strengthened over time. Investment thresholds were raised in 2019 to ensure only serious investors qualify. Then came the 2022 reforms, which added even more transparency, oversight, and accountability.
That’s how a healthy immigration system is supposed to work. When abuse was identified, Congress stepped in. Oversight increased. Standards tightened. Transparency improved. Instead of scrapping a productive program, lawmakers fixed it — proving that enforcement, not abandonment, is the answer when a policy shows real promise.
The compliance data doesn’t lie. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services reported a 94% decrease in I-829 petition denials by 2015 — meaning the overwhelming majority of participants were meeting the program’s requirements.
That’s what responsible immigration looks like: high standards, strict enforcement, and real benefits for America.
RELATED: Chip Roy’s immigration blitz hits the lawless left and the squish right
Photo by Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images
And let’s address another elephant in the room. EB-5 doesn’t fast-track voters. It doesn’t hand out political favors or rely on emotional blackmail about being “anti-immigrant.” It’s transactional, transparent, and limited by design.
You invest. You create jobs. You follow the rules. Or you don’t qualify.
That’s it.
For years, Americans have been told that questioning immigration policy makes them heartless. But there’s nothing heartless about asking whether a program actually helps this country. Preferring immigration that strengthens our economy instead of undercutting it is just common sense.
If Washington insists on talking about immigration, let’s at least talk honestly. Programs like H-1B deserve scrutiny — and reform — because they too often put corporations ahead of citizens. Programs like EB-5, when properly enforced, do the opposite.
America doesn’t need more slogans. We need smarter policy. And that starts with rewarding systems that put Americans first.
Opinion & analysis, Immigration reform, H-1b visas, Eb-5 visa program, Investment, Jobs, Employment, Green cards, America first, Sara gonzales
Minneapolis Mayor Frey outlines deal reached with Trump on Operation Metro Surge: ‘The president agreed’
President Donald Trump and Democratic Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey apparently agreed on de-escalating the situation that led to the lethal shooting of an anti-ICE protester.
The president said on social media that he had spoken via phone with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D), before adding that he had a positive phone call with Frey as well.
‘Violent criminals should be held accountable based on the crimes they commit, not based on where they are from.’
“I just had a very good telephone conversation with Mayor Jacob Frey, of Minneapolis,” Trump said.
“Lots of progress is being made!” he added. “[Border czar] Tom Homan will be meeting with him tomorrow in order to continue the discussion.”
Frey posted about the call on his account soon after.
“I spoke with President Trump today and appreciated the conversation. I expressed how much Minneapolis has benefited from our immigrant communities and was clear that my main ask is that Operation Metro Surge needs to end. The president agreed the present situation can’t continue,” the mayor said.
“Some federal agents will begin leaving the area tomorrow, and I will continue pushing for the rest involved in this operation to go,” he added.
Frey could be referring to reports that top Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino and some other agents agreed to leave Minneapolis.
The mayor went on to say that the city would continue to cooperate with federal investigations but not with “unconstitutional arrests of our neighbors” or to help enforce federal immigration law.
“Violent criminals should be held accountable based on the crimes they commit, not based on where they are from,” he added.
“I will continue working with all levels of government to keep our communities safe, keep crime down, and put Minneapolis residents first,” he continued.
Anti-ICE protester Alex Pretti was shot and killed during a scuffle with federal immigration agents when he tried to interfere with an operation on Saturday. Pretti was carrying a firearm at the time, but one agent grabbed it away from him before shots rang out.
Democrats responded to the incident by demanding that all of the federal troops be pulled out of the state.
“Minnesota has had it. This is sickening,” Walz replied. “The President must end this operation. Pull the thousands of violent, untrained officers out of Minnesota. Now.”
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
Minneapolis mayor jacob frey, Operation metro surge, Trump and frey deal, Minneapolis federal surge, Politics
Ilhan Omar accuses Trump of ulterior motive for ICE raids — and JD Vance shuts her down
Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota claimed that President Donald Trump’s true aim with the surge in Minnesota had to do with rigging elections, and Vice President JD Vance issued a brutal rebuke.
Omar said that Trump was trying to gain possession of voter rolls in order to rig the upcoming midterm election that could stall the president’s agenda for the rest of his term.
‘This was never about immigration or fraud.’
“‘ICE will leave Minnesota if you hand over your voter rolls’ tells you everything you need to know. This was never about immigration or fraud. It was always about rigging elections,” Omar posted on social media.
She was referring to reports that U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi had included in her demands from the state the requirement that they hand over voter rolls. Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon responded on Sunday with an unequivocal “no.”
Vance reposted Omar’s message and offered a satirical translation of what she really meant, according to his estimation.
“‘We really want illegal aliens to vote in elections and will riot to ensure that it is so,'” he posted.
Trump said Monday that he had a phone call with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D), and the mayor laid out the agreements they made. He said that some of the federal agents would leave Minneapolis and that he would continue to seek for all of them to leave.
The White House said that border czar Tom Homan would be sent to Minneapolis to look over the operations after Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino agreed to leave the city.
Democrats have begun publicly voicing a plan to block a bill to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement in order to oppose the president’s mass deportation policies. If they are unable to reach a compromise, it may result in a partial government shutdown.
“Government funding expires at the end of the week, and Republicans are determined to not have another government shutdown,” said a Senate Republican spokesperson about the disagreement. “We will move forward as planned and hope Democrats can find a path forward to join us.”
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
Jd vance vs ilhan omar, Minnesota voter rolls, Ice in minnesota, Ice agents leave minnesota, Politics
Glenn Beck goes SCORCHED-EARTH on church protest ringleader after his ‘come and get me’ taunt to Pam Bondi
Last week, anti-ICE agitator and left-wing activist William Kelly, also known as “DaWokeFarmer” on social media, was arrested by the FBI and charged with obstruction, conspiracy to deprive rights, and violating the FACE Act for his role in invading Cities Church during a worship service as part of an anti-ICE protest on January 18 in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Shortly following the demonstration, Kelly took to social media and posted a profanity-laden video challenging Attorney General Pam Bondi to arrest him.
“Yesterday, I went into a church with Nekima Armstrong, and I protested these white supremacists. The pastor of the church is a f**king ICE leader in the city. How can you be a f**king pastor and be a f**king ICE agent? F**k ’em,” Kelly railed, donning a “F**K TRUMP” beanie.
“They want to come after me. F**k ’em. How can they live so comfortably while the f**king people from Somalia that are in this country legally that have f**king citizenship can’t even go to their mosque and pray? How do they deserve any f**king different? F**k those f**king Nazis. Come and get me, Pam Bondi, you f**king traitorous bitch. F**k, all power to the people,” he continued.
To Kelly’s expletive-filled video, Bondi humorously replied, “OK,” before arresting him just days later.
When Glenn Beck saw the footage, he was appalled by Kelly’s delusional rant.
“Hey, farm boy,” he taunts, “the policies that you’re pushing for right now, let me ask you: How’d they work out for the farmers in the Soviet Union? How’d they work out for the farmers in Ukraine? How’d they work out for the farmers in China?”
When it comes to “these policies that you’re so in love with … you know who loses their farms right away? The stupid farmer like you!”
On this episode of “The Glenn Beck Program,” Glenn responds to “DaWokeFarmer” with a truth bomb so savage, you’ll feel the heat through your screen.
In communist regimes like the one Kelly advocates for in the U.S., farmers are some of the first to be targeted, Glenn points out.
“They take people like you, and they shoot them. And then they take dummies like you who know nothing about farming and say, ‘Hey, now you go farm.’ … And then everybody starts to starve, and then the government comes back and says, ‘You’re part of the problem too.’ And they take those people and shoot them. … And it just, lather, rinse, repeat,” he excoriates, denouncing Kelly as a “moron.”
Glenn then pleads with Kelly to send him the “list of Somali citizens that are citizens who have done nothing wrong.”
If such a list exists, he vows to “stand with” Kelly — but, of course, no such list exists.
“How do I know? Because if you had that evidence, it would be all over ABC, NBC, and CBS. It’d be everywhere. But I don’t see that,” Glenn says. “I just see people like you using the F-word, wearing a hat with the F-word … saying they’re coming and they’re arresting innocent people.”
The truth is, in the first year of the Trump administration, ICE has arrested only two Somali-American citizens.
“One was released a couple of hours into it. The other one, they didn’t sort it out until the next day, but they were immediately released once the problem was found,” Glenn says.
“These victims are all made-up people,” he says.
The fact that these protesters are still so concentrated on Renee Good — the 37-year old woman who was lethally shot after she struck an ICE officer with her vehicle while deliberately impeding a federal immigration operation — is proof that there isn’t a genuine victim list, Glenn says. Otherwise they wouldn’t need Good to be their convenience linchpin.
“They know they have nothing,” he concludes.
To hear more of his epic rant, watch the video above.
Want more from Glenn Beck?
To enjoy more of Glenn’s masterful storytelling, thought-provoking analysis, and uncanny ability to make sense of the chaos, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.
Glenn beck, Beck, Glenn, Minnesota church protest, Minneapolis protests, Minnesota protests, Anti-ice, William kelly, Dawokefarmer, Pam bondi, Leftwing violence, Somali fraud, The glenn beck program, Blazetv, Blaze media
Holocaust museum says ICE comparisons to Anne Frank are ‘never acceptable’ — after Walz did just that
The U.S. Holocaust Museum released a statement strongly criticizing politicians who compare the plight of illegal aliens in the U.S. to the horrors faced by Anne Frank from the Nazi regime.
While the statement did not include the name of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Democrat had just made the comparison in a speech condemning the Trump administration’s actions.
‘Exploiting the Holocaust is deeply offensive, especially as antisemitism surges.’
“Anne Frank was targeted and murdered solely because she was Jewish. Leaders making false equivalencies to her experience for political purposes is never acceptable,” the organization stated in a post on social media.
“Despite tensions in Minneapolis, exploiting the Holocaust is deeply offensive, especially as antisemitism surges,” they added.
Walz demanded Sunday that President Donald Trump pull back federal troops after the lethal shooting of anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement agitator Alex Pretti the day before in South Minneapolis.
“President Trump, you can end this today. Pull these folks back. Do humane, focused, effective immigration control,” said the governor.
“You’ve got the support of all of us to do that. Let our law enforcement continue to do what they do, making Minnesota one of the safest states in the country, one of the best places to live. Allow our children to go back to school. We have got children in Minnesota hiding in their houses, afraid to go outside,” he added.
“Many of us grew up reading that story of Anne Frank,” Walz said. “Somebody’s going to write that children’s story about Minnesota. And there’s one person who can end this now.”
The attempt to equate immigration enforcement agents to Nazis angered many at a time when tension is high and some are calling for cooler rhetoric.
“A truly disturbed, unstable individual,” read a statement from the White House Rapid Response team.
RELATED: Tim Walz tries to dunk on Trump and gets pantsed on social media
Walz, however, appeared to relent on Monday when he spoke with President Trump on the phone. According to Trump, Walz wants to “work together” on the crisis in Minnesota.
“Governor Tim Walz called me with the request to work together with respect to Minnesota. It was a very good call, and we, actually, seemed to be on a similar wavelength,” said the president about the call.
“I told Governor Walz that I would have [border czar] Tom Homan call him, and that what we are looking for are any and all Criminals that they have in their possession,” Trump continued. “The Governor, very respectfully, understood that, and I will be speaking to him in the near future.”
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
Holocaust museum vs tim walz, Walz compares ice to nazis, Anne frank vs ice, Minnesota shooting, Politics
Josh Allen cast as the next ‘great white villain’
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen has it all — a great job, a beautiful wife, with whom he is expecting a child.
And because of this, he is being framed as the next “great white villain.”
In an article written by Bobby Burack and published by OutKick, Burack argues that Allen is getting much the same treatment as Caitlin Clark.
“If you’re starting to see a trend, there are no Great White Hopes in 2026. The racial discourse in sports is largely the product of commentators convincing themselves that any praise or popularity of a white athlete must be rooted in racial bias,” Burack explains.
“Much of the sports media, which is not an especially impressive or rigorous group, operates from a Marxian worldview in which one person’s success must come from another’s exploitation. Translated, they believe the popularity of a white athlete comes at the expense of a black athlete,” he continues.
“They are so committed to this worldview that they go on television and onto their made-for-Bluesky podcasts to throw tantrums over things no one actually said about athletes like Josh Allen and Caitlin Clark,” he adds.
BlazeTV host Jason Whitlock could not agree more.
“There aren’t people running around caping up for Josh Allen,” Whitlock says. “To the contrary: When Josh Allen just played a poor playoff game and cost his team that playoff game with ridiculous mistakes and interceptions and fumbles and whatnot, everybody criticized Josh Allen,” he says on “Fearless.”
“What actually does transpire is that when a black athlete, particularly one who Ryan Clark and others have deemed as authentically black, meaning they wear cornrows or they braid their hair or they talk Ebonics very effectively on TV … there is a caping-up for them,” Whitlock explains.
“Everybody loves to celebrate the black athlete that acts like a buffoon,” he continues, adding, “And then when that black athlete who acts like a buffoon washes out and fails because of his immaturity, everybody gets amnesia that they were celebrating this buffoonery.”
Want more from Jason Whitlock?
To enjoy more fearless conversations at the crossroads of culture, faith, sports, and comedy with Jason Whitlock, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.
Camera phone, Upload, Video, Free, Sharing, Video phone, Youtube.com, Fearless with jason whitlock, Fearless, Jason whitlock, The blaze, Blazetv, Blaze news, Blaze podcasts, Blaze podcast network, Blaze media, Blaze online, Blaze originals, White privilege, Black privilege, Josh allen, Josh allen wife, Nfl, National football league
Knifed for ‘being a Christian’? Suspect allegedly stabs man and his dog after asking about victim’s religion
A suspect allegedly stabbed a man and his dog Sunday in Washington state after the suspect asked the victim what religion he is, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office said.
The 54-year-old male victim called 911 reporting that an unknown male stabbed him near the S S Quickstop Grocery in Parkland just before 6:30 a.m. and that the male fled southbound on Park Avenue S., officials said. Parkland is about 45 minutes south of Seattle.
‘This would actually be a hate crime based on religion.’
When deputies arrived, the victim was in serious condition and told deputies the unknown man had come up to him and asked what religion he was, officials said.
“The victim answered the man and said something about being a Christian, and the man then attacked and stabbed the victim and his dog,” officials added.
The victim provided a description of the suspect prior to being transported to a local hospital; the victim’s dog was also in serious condition and was transported to a local animal hospital and was taken into surgery immediately, officials said.
Deputies used a K-9 to search the area for more than two hours but were unable to locate the suspect, officials said.
At 8:40 a.m. while conducting an area check, a deputy saw the suspect in the 800 block of 112th St. S, and the suspect fled behind a nearby home, officials said.
Deputies followed the suspect and reported that shots had been fired at 8:47 a.m., officials said.
KOMO-TV reported that the sheriff’s office confirmed the suspect was dead and that multiple deputies shot the suspect.
The sheriff’s office added to KOMO that the suspect was armed with multiple knives, was resisting arrest, and approached deputies before shots were fired.
Detectives do not know the suspect’s identity or his connection, if any, to the area or the house he fled behind, KOMO added.
KING-TV said the stabbing victim, Eddie Nitschke, lives in the convenience store’s parking lot in a car with his girlfriend and two dogs.
Nitschke told KING he initially responded to the suspect that he wasn’t religious, but the suspect kept pushing the issue about what religion he was, after which Nitschke told the suspect, “I guess Christian.”
The suspect then accused Nitschke of pursuing him, KING added: “He said, ‘You’ve been looking for me for some time,’ and I said, ‘I don’t even know you.'”
KING said the suspect soon struck Nitschke multiple times with two knives and punctured his lung.
During the attack, Nitschke told his girlfriend to release their dog from the car, KING reported, adding that the dog attacked the suspect and was also stabbed.
“My shirt was drenched with blood,” Nitschke recounted to KING.
More from KING:
At the hospital, Nitschke discovered the suspect was being treated in an adjacent room. While being interviewed by police, he heard commotion next door.
“And then I’m sitting there and then I hear ‘Code red, code red’ and they wheeled the guy in right beside me in the next room,” Nitschke said.
After learning the suspect had died, Nitschke said he felt conflicted.
“When I found out that he died, I thought to myself, ‘Oh, he died.’ I felt bad, but then I thought, ‘He just stabbed me,’” he said.
Nitschke discharged himself from the hospital, KING said.
“They didn’t want to let me go,” he recalled to KING. “I just don’t want to be in the hospital. I wanted to find out about my dog.” It appears from KING’s video report that the dog is OK.
More than 500 comments have appeared under the sheriff’s office Facebook post about the incident. As you might imagine, some commenters didn’t take too kindly to the suspect’s actions apparently related to the victim reportedly telling him he’s a Christian.
“I believe this would be on major news if he, the victim, wasn’t Christian,” one commenter wrote.”This would actually be a hate crime based on religion,” another user said. “Will it be prosecuted that way? Doubtful due to the religion being Christianity.””It’s not a hate crime if the victim is Christian,” another user said with seeming sarcasm.”No protests?” another commenter wondered with tongue fully in cheek.”Another hate crime attack that the mainstream media will ignore since facts don’t support their agenda,” another user stated. “Libs will post laughing emojis since they are mentally ill and have twisted morals.”
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
Anti-christian, Anti-christian bias, Chiristianity, Dog, Faith, Fatal shooting, Man, Pierce county sheriff’s office, Police-involved shooting, Religion, Stabbing, Washington state, Crime
Private jet linked to ‘top anti-ICE / anti-Trump’ lawyers crashes, resulting in 7 fatalities
A private jet linked to a Texas-based law firm crashed at Maine’s Bangor International Airport on Sunday evening.
The aircraft, a Bombardier Challenger 600 belonging to KTKJ Challenger LLC, was reportedly carrying eight people when it crashed around 7:45 p.m., shortly after takeoff. The crash prompted the airport to close.
‘AIRCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES ON DEPARTURE, CAME TO REST INVERTED AND CAUGHT ON FIRE.’
The incident occurred as a winter storm rolled through the region, causing heavy snowfall.
Steve Robinson, the editor in chief of the Maine Wire, stated that the plane belonged to “top anti-ICE / anti-Trump lawyers.”
Robinson stated that KTKJ Challenger LLC “is registered to Jason Itkin and Kurt Arnold, two trial attorneys who’ve made waves fighting conservatives in Texas and defending illegal aliens.”
The Texas Voice previously reported that the Arnold & Itkin law firm has claimed to have obtained the “largest settlement for an undocumented worker in the United States history.” It described Arnold & Itkin as a “major” donor of a “left-wing” political action committee during the 2024 election.
RELATED: Video shows deadly plane crash at Arizona airport involving jet of ’80s rocker
Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images
According to the Federal Aviation Administration’s preliminary crash data, at least seven passengers are dead, and one flight crew member was seriously injured.
The identities of those on board the aircraft have not been released to the public.
“AIRCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES ON DEPARTURE, CAME TO REST INVERTED AND CAUGHT ON FIRE, BANGOR, ME,” the FAA’s summary of the incident read.
RELATED: Trump ousts Biden’s Democratic NTSB vice chair amid aviation crisis
Photo by: aviation-images.com/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash.
“The preliminary information we have is the plane crashed upon departing Bangor International Airport and experienced a postcrash fire,” a press release from the NTSB read.
The NTSB’s preliminary report will be available within 30 days and will include a probable cause of the crash.
“The airport remains closed at this time. There are numerous flight cancellations and diversions. Passengers are encouraged to contact their airlines for information regarding impacts to their travel plans,” Bangor International Airport stated.
Arnold & Itkin did not respond to a request for comment.
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
News, Maine, Bangor international airport, Plane crash, Jason itkin, Kurt arnold, Federal aviation administration, Faa, National transportation safety board, Ntsb, Politics
More Virgin Islands corruption: Another appointee of Democrat governor reaps whirlwind
Albert Bryan, the Democrat governor of the Virgin Islands, has apparently surrounded himself in recent years with fraudsters and grafters.
Bryan’s former commissioner of the territory’s parks and recreation department, Calvert White, was sentenced on Friday to five years in prison following his conviction for one count of honest services wire fraud and one count of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds.
‘This is unacceptable.’
The sentencing — relatively light given that the fraud offense carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and the bribery offense carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison — took place just weeks after the Democrat governor’s former police commissioner and former budget director were found guilty of extensive corruption.
White, who resigned last January, solicited and accepted a bribe from David Whitaker, the founder of the cybersecurity firm Mon Ethos Pro Support — a bribe that was facilitated by local businessman Benjamin Hendricks.
In exchange for $16,000 to later be paid by Hendricks, White agreed to help Whitaker obtain a contract valued at over $1.4 million for the installation of security cameras at U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Sports, Parks, and Recreation properties.
The Justice Department indicated that as part of the scheme, which lasted from late 2023 until the FBI intervened in June 2024, White provided confidential bidding information to Whitaker and proactively worked in an official capacity to ensure that Whitaker would get the contract.
Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images
“Calvert White rigged a public bid process in exchange for a bribe,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the DOJ’s Criminal Division. “He abused the trust of those who live in the community he was supposed to serve.”
While not ordered to pay a fine, White was required to forfeit $5,000, the amount he received from Whitaker via Hendricks as partial payment for the contract, reported the St. Thomas Source. He will reportedly wear a GPS monitoring bracelet until he surrenders to authorities on March 2.
For his role in the scheme, Hendricks was sentenced last week to 68 months in prison.
“Public officials take an oath based on trust and assume a responsibility of service to the people,” said Claudia Dubravetz, acting special agent in charge of the FBI’s San Juan field office. “When that trust is violated through acts of corruption, it undermines confidence in government and harms the communities it is meant to serve. This is unacceptable.”
Whitaker, who pleaded guilty in 2024 to two counts of wire fraud and one count of bribery and is set to be sentenced later this year, was apparently also in cahoots with former Virgin Islands Police Department Commissioner Ray Martinez and former Virgin Islands Office of Management and Budget Director Jenifer O’Neal.
Martinez was found guilty last month of five counts of honest services wire fraud, one count of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, one count of money laundering conspiracy, and two counts of obstruction of justice. O’Neal was found guilty of two counts of honest services wire fraud, one count of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, and one count of money laundering conspiracy.
The DOJ indicated that Martinez accepted roughly $100,000 in bribe payments from Whitaker — “including cash, luxury travel, personal expenses, private-school tuition, and restaurant equipment” — in exchange for wielding his official authority to approve invoices and award Whitaker a $1.4 million contract federally funded under the federal American Rescue Plan Act.
O’Neal knowingly approved a $70,000 inflated invoice under that contract and, in exchange, accepted a $17,730 lease payment for her business in federal funds from the inflated invoice.
Blaze News has reached out to Gov. Bryan’s office for comment.
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
Democrat, Albert bryan, Fraud, Bribery, Virgin islands, Territory, Calvert white, Department of justice, Justice, Fbi, Corruption, Wire fraud, Politics
Exposed H-1B firm may have ‘accidentally admitted’ to fraud
BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales is doubling down on her investigation into alleged H-1B visa fraud — especially after the response she received.
“The community that we have angered, they’re really not happy. And we keep hearing the claim that we’ve invaded someone’s privacy, ‘You’re doxxing people,’” she explains. “No, actually we’re not. The information that we’re providing is newsworthy and serves the public interest and has to be exposed for what it is.”
“How else can you expose the fraud and the corruption and the scams if you can’t put it in front of people and show them,” she continues.
And 3Bees Technologies — one of the companies she discovered to be operating out of an empty office space where no employees were to be found — updated its website to attempt to combat what Gonzales exposed.
“They’ve made quite certain to just make everyone know, ‘3Bees Technologies is an IT consulting company, and all the employees in 3Bees Technologies work at client site address, and no one works from 3Bees office address as we are a IT consulting company,’” Gonzales says, reading from its updated website.
“How’s that for broken English?” she asks.
“But also you may have just accidentally admitted to committing fraud because it’s against the law to not properly disclose where your workers are to the government. They have to know. USCIS says, ‘Employers must file amended H-1B petitions when a new Labor Condition Application for Nonimmigrant Workers (LCA) is required due to a change in the H-1B worker’s worksite location.’”
“So if you’re saying that your employees are working off-site and you have not actually amended their LCAS, you are committing fraud. You are breaking the law. Thank you 3Bees. We will definitely intend to use that against you when we deliver all of this to the authorities,” Gonzales continues.
Gonzales also points out that if all their employees are working remotely, there’s no point in them living in America in the first place.
“I would just like to point out if you’re just an IT consulting firm and all you do is consult, you’re just a firm that consults, you don’t need a workplace. Why the hell are we bringing these people into this country anyway?” she asks.
“They can just stay in India. They can just hop on a Zoom call. They can just hop on the phone,” she adds.
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.
Upload, Video, Sharing, Camera phone, Free, Video phone, Youtube.com, Sara gonzales unfiltered, Sara gonzales, The blaze, Blazetv, Blaze news, Blaze podcasts, Blaze podcast network, Blaze media, Blaze online, Blaze originals, H-1b investigation, H-1b scam, Texas scam, 3bees technologies, Indian scam, H-1b fraud, Fraud, Fraud investigation
A federal ‘kill switch’ for your car is coming — and neither Democrats nor Republicans will stop it
The federal government is moving closer to giving your car the authority to decide whether you are allowed to drive — without a warrant, without due process, and with no guaranteed way to reverse the decision once it is made.
And it is happening not because of one party alone, but because Congress, across party lines, has failed to stop it.
This is not about defending drunk driving. It is about stopping a government overreach that treats every driver as a suspect.
No accident
It’s no accident that all this happened quietly. It was written into law under the Biden administration’s 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, buried deep in Section 24220 — a provision few lawmakers publicly debated, but one that now threatens to fundamentally alter the relationship between Americans and their vehicles.
Section 24220 directs the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to mandate “advanced drunk and impaired driving prevention technology” in all new passenger vehicles. In plain terms, it requires systems that continuously monitor drivers and can prevent a vehicle from operating if impairment is suspected. No breath test is required. No police officer is involved. The judgment is made by software.
Once flagged, a vehicle may refuse to start or restrict operation. Here is the most troubling part: Federal law provides no clear process for getting out of that lockout. There is no required appeal. No mandated reset timeline. No human review. Drivers can find themselves trapped in what critics have begun calling “kill switch jail,” with no guaranteed path to restore access to their own car.
This is not targeted enforcement. It applies to every driver, every time, regardless of driving history.
That alone should raise constitutional alarms.
Proven approach
Drunk driving laws already exist — and they work. Ignition interlock devices have long been required for convicted offenders, and there are 31 approved interlock systems currently in use nationwide. Those systems require a breath sample and are imposed only after due process. Section 24220 discards that proven, targeted approach and instead subjects all drivers to pre-emptive punishment, including those who do not drink at all.
To comply with the mandate, automakers may choose from a range of technologies: driver-facing cameras that track eye movement and head position; software that analyzes steering, braking, and lane-keeping behavior; or touch-based alcohol sensors embedded in the steering wheel or start button. None of these systems determine guilt. They calculate probability — and then deny access.
False positives are inevitable. Fatigue, prescription medications, medical conditions such as diabetes or neurological disorders, and even stress can trigger impairment alerts. Shift workers, caregivers, parents, and first responders are especially vulnerable. When the system is wrong, the consequences are immediate — and the driver has no guaranteed recourse.
Pre-emptive denial
This is not a passive safety feature like an airbag. It is a government-mandated, pre-emptive denial of mobility enforced by an algorithm.
Despite growing concern, Congress has chosen not to stop the mandate, with Democrats largely supporting continued funding and a number of Republicans also voting to keep the program intact.
In January 2026, the House voted on an amendment offered by Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky that would have blocked funding for NHTSA’s implementation of Section 24220. That amendment failed, allowing the mandate to continue moving toward full enforcement.
Supporters argue the technology does not allow government agents or police to remotely shut down vehicles. While that may be technically true today, the mandate still requires continuous driver monitoring. Once that hardware becomes standard across the national vehicle fleet, expanding its use becomes a political decision — not a technical limitation.
RELATED: Dystopian future as misguided safety push sends drivers to ‘kill switch jail’
Library of Congress/Getty Images
Privacy risks
Privacy and cybersecurity risks only deepen the concern. Any system capable of denying vehicle operation must meet extraordinarily high standards of accuracy and security. Those standards have not been proven at national scale. A malfunctioning or compromised system could strand drivers during extreme weather, medical emergencies, or in remote locations.
Cost is another unavoidable consequence. Vehicles are already becoming unaffordable for many Americans. Adding cameras, sensors, software, and compliance infrastructure will only accelerate price increases and reduce consumer choice. Drivers who want simpler, more reliable vehicles will have fewer options — because mandates do not allow opting out.
Proponents often compare this mandate to seatbelts or airbags. That analogy fails. Seatbelts do not prevent you from driving. Airbags deploy after an accident. This system intervenes before any wrongdoing occurs, based on assumptions rather than certainty, and enforces compliance by denying access altogether.
This is not about defending drunk driving. It is about stopping a government overreach that treats every driver as a suspect and hands control of personal mobility to software.
If Americans want to prevent this future, Section 24220 must be defunded — before “kill switch jail” becomes the default setting for the next generation of cars.
The following are the Republican members who voted against the amendment to block funding for NHTSA’s implementation of Section 24220:
Mark Amodei (Nev.-02)
French Hill (Ark.-02)
Max Miller (Ohio-07)
Don Bacon (Neb.-02)
Jeff Hurd (Colo.-03)
Mariannette Miller-Meeks (Iowa-01)
Stephanie Bice (Okla.-05)
Brian Jack (Ga.-03)
Blake Moore (Utah-01)
Gus Bilirakis (Fla.-12)
John James (Mich.-10)
Tim Moore (N.C.-14)
Mike Bost (Ill.-12)
David Joyce (Ohio-14)
James Moylan (Guam-A.L.)
Ken Calvert (Calif.-41)
Thomas Kean Jr. (N.J.-07)
Greg Murphy (N.C.-03)
John Carter (Texas-31)
Mike Kelly (Penn.-16)
Dan Newhouse (Wash.-04)
Tom Cole (Okla.-04)
Jen Kiggans (Va.-02)
Zach Nunn (Iowa-03)
Mario Diaz-Balart (Fla.-26)
Kevin Kiley (Calif.-03)
Hal Rogers (Ky.-05)
Neal Dunn (Fla.-02)
Young Kim (Calif.-40)
Maria Elvira Salazar (Fla.-27)
Chuck Edwards (N.C.-11)
Kimberlyn King-Hinds (Northern Mariana Islands-A.L.)
Mike Simpson (Idaho-02)
Jake Ellzey (Texas-06)
Darin LaHood (Ill.-16)
Elise Stefanik (N.Y.-21)
Randy Feenstra (Iowa-04)
Nick LaLota (N.Y.-01)
Glenn “GT” Thompson (Penn.-15)
Randy Fine (Fla.-06)
Mike Lawler (N.Y.-17)
Mike Turner (Ohio-10)
Chuck Fleischmann (Tenn.-03)
Frank Lucas (Okla.-03)
David Valadao (Calif.-22)
Vince Fong (Calif.-20)
Nicole Malliotakis (N.Y.-11)
Derrick Van Orden (Wis.-03)
Brian Fitzpatrick (Penn.-01)
Celeste Maloy (Utah-02)
Rob Wittman (Va.-01)
Andrew Garbarino (N.Y.-02)
Brian Mast (Fla.-21)
Steve Womack (Ark.-03)
Carlos Gimenez (Fla.-28)
Dan Meuser (Penn.-09)
Ryan Zinke (Mont.-01)
Kill switch, Auto industry, Lifestyle, Thomas massie (r-ky.), Privacy, Big tech, 2021 infrastructure investment and jobs act, Joe biden, Nhtsa, Align cars
‘Proud to be a sanctuary city’: Mamdani announces another handout for illegal aliens in NYC
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) says that taxpayers will be on the hook for another handout available to illegal aliens.
The socialist mayor and Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul had previously announced their plan to provide free child care for 2-year-olds in the city as well as other programs for children across the state.
‘These are programs for every single New Yorker. These are not programs that are going to ask the immigration status of any one of the children.’
During a roundtable discussion Friday, Mamdani said that the program would be open to illegal immigrants.
“Just to put it very clearly, these are programs for every single New Yorker. These are not programs that are going to ask the immigration status of any one of the children,” he said.
“All of those children are New Yorkers,” he added. “They should all be enrolled in 3-K and pre-K, no matter where they were born or where they come from.”
He went on to clarify the sanctuary city policies of New York City.
“And we are also proud to be a sanctuary city,” Mamdani continued. “What a sanctuary city means is that we have policies in place, policies have existed for years in the city, that deny ICE agents access into schools, hospitals, city properties, or even the properties of city contractors unless those ICE agents can present a judicial warrant signed by a judge.”
Hochul has previously had to cut education funds in order to make up for spending on the immigration crisis. She has also set aside funds to help fight the Trump administration in court.
“As New York’s first mom Governor, fighting for New York’s families has always been at the core of my agenda,” said Hochul earlier in the month. “Since taking office, I’ve put families front and center, fighting to make our state more affordable and laying the groundwork to deliver universal childcare.”
RELATED: ‘Such an a**hole’: Mamdani rejects kids’ snow day despite brutal forecast — backlash is fierce
President Donald Trump has made the dismantling of sanctuary city policies a central goal of his second term. His efforts to defund local governments with the policies have been stymied by legal opposition.
Critics of socialism are watching New York City closely to watch the effects of Mamdani’s policies on the prominent U.S. city. He has vowed to significantly hike up taxes in order to fund massive increases in social spending.
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
Zohran mamdani, Nyc sanctuary city, Free childcare for illegal aliens, Illegal aliens in nyc, Politics
‘Advocate for the Democratic Party’: Democrat judge loses free-speech appeal over partisan social media posts
Last week, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court issued an opinion on the free-speech parameters for sitting judges in the commonwealth in a major decision related to a 2024 case.
The case concerned former Judge Mark B. Cohen, a Democrat who was suspended from the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas by the Court of Judicial Discipline in October 2024 over his outspoken political posts on Facebook.
‘When, as here, a sitting judge adopts the persona of a political party spokesperson and abuses the prestige of his office to advance that party’s interests, he detracts from the reputation of the entire judiciary.’
These posts, the Philly Voice reported, involved, for example, Cohen’s views about former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), the hammer attack on California Democrat Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s husband, and the election of Democrat Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, among other national and state political issues.
RELATED: Activist Democrat judge sabotages National Guard surge in Memphis after 100 children rescued
Photo by MARTIN BUREAU/AFP via Getty Images
The opinion outlined some of the other issues that Cohen advocated for on Facebook, demonstrating his apparent partisanship.
“Judge Cohen advocated for legislation, such as the Build Back Better Bill that was then being promoted by the Democratic Party, cheered on Democratic politicians, impliedly endorsed a candidate for congressional office, touted his own legislative achievements as a Democrat, and criticized the policies of predominately Republican legislatures.”
Cohen previously served as a Democrat Pennsylvania state representative from 1974 to 2016 prior to his election to the Court of Common Pleas in 2018, according to his biography on the Pennsylvania House of Representatives website.
Six of the seven justices on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court affirmed the opinion. However, Justice Wecht filed a concurring opinion in which he expressed his refusal to endorse “any suggestion that a jurist” who formerly served in a political branch of government “may not in some appropriate fashion refer to … his or her record of actions taken or accomplishments achieved while serving.”
The seventh, Justice McCaffery, did not participate in the decision or deliberation of the case.
While the court affirmed that judges are in fact uniquely qualified to share their professional opinions on some matters, the issue with Cohen’s posts was consistently the “volume and tone” of the content he was sharing.
Justice Dougherty, who wrote the opinion of the court, said, “Thus, Judge Cohen did not put just his own reputation at risk. When, as here, a sitting judge adopts the persona of a political party spokesperson and abuses the prestige of his office to advance that party’s interests, he detracts from the reputation of the entire judiciary.”
The opinion of the court upheld the CJD’s concerns “not just that Judge Cohen publicly posted his personal, political views, but that he posted so regularly and one-sidedly that he appeared to be ‘an advocate for the Democratic Party.'”
The Court concluded that “the Commonwealth’s interest in protecting the efficiency of the administration of justice outweighed Judge Cohen’s interest in posting partisan political content on Facebook where the volume and tone of his posts cast him as little more than a spokesperson for the Democratic Party.”
Cohen’s lawyer, Samuel Stretton, suggested that Cohen is considering an appeal before the U.S. Supreme Court.
“It’s very important for a judge to have the right to be involved in issues that don’t come before them or their colleagues,” Stretton said.
According to prior court documents, Cohen, 77, was suspended without pay in October 2024 through December 31, 2024, at which point he was mandated to retire due to age. Based on available court documents, it is not clear whether his benefits would continue, though his legal counsel appealed the decision to suspend his medical benefits.
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
Politics, Free speech, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Philly voice, Mark b cohen, Us supreme court, Scotus, Social media, Facebook, Democrat
