The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a rare statement admonishing the immigration policies of President Donald Trump.

The conference voted nearly unanimously to pass the statement at the Fall Plenary Assembly in Baltimore, Maryland, on Wednesday. There were 216 votes in favor of the statement, only five against, with three abstentions.

‘We recognize that nations have a responsibility to regulate their borders and establish a just and orderly immigration system for the sake of the common good.’

“As pastors, we the bishops of the United States are bound to our people by ties of communion and compassion in Our Lord Jesus Christ. We are disturbed when we see among our people a climate of fear and anxiety around questions of profiling and immigration enforcement,” read the special statement.

“We are saddened by the state of contemporary debate and the vilification of immigrants. We are concerned about the conditions in detention centers and the lack of access to pastoral care. We lament that some immigrants in the United States have arbitrarily lost their legal status,” the bishops added.

The statement went on to call for reform of immigration policies that would preserve national security while also respecting the human dignity of immigrants.

“We are troubled by threats against the sanctity of houses of worship and the special nature of hospitals and schools,” they continued. “We are grieved when we meet parents who fear being detained when taking their children to school and when we try to console family members who have already been separated from their loved ones.”

The statement also expressed opposition to “indiscriminate mass deportation” and called for the end of “dehumanizing rhetoric and violence” against immigrants as well as law enforcement.

RELATED: Bishop in largest California county frees Catholics from obligation to attend Mass over fear of deportations

“We recognize that nations have a responsibility to regulate their borders and establish a just and orderly immigration system for the sake of the common good,” the bishops added. “Without such processes, immigrants face the risk of trafficking and other forms of exploitation. Safe and legal pathways serve as an antidote to such risks.”

The last time the USCCB issued a similar statement was in 2013 against political policies related to contraceptives.

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Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D) is not a moderate or a centrist; rather, as BlazeTV host Liz Wheeler describes him, he’s a “radical leftist.”

But squad member Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) doesn’t care, as his opponent for mayor, Omar Fateh, is a Somali-American — and she was furious when he lost the race, giving an angry speech in her native tongue — likely in the hopes that it wouldn’t be translated into English.

“When a Somali person becomes an enemy, they become a serious one,” she yelled in Somali. “There are people like that living right here in our city. We all see them. Some of us try to dismiss it, saying, ‘Oh, that person just talks too much, it doesn’t mean anything,’ or, ‘Leave them alone, that’s my relative.’”

“You’ve seen them. We need to get rid of these people. We will never gain power and move forward as Somalis as long as these people live among us and we don’t kick them out. The same people [Somalis] we try to defend, they’re the ones who spread lies about us. And when that happens, there’s no way to defend ourselves. I can’t keep saying all day, ‘I didn’t say that,’ because I’ve got work to do,” she continued.

“We’re busy doing our jobs, defending you [Somalis], protecting this country. I can’t waste every day fighting against accusations … that’s your responsibility, and your job is to not welcome those people who work to block and undermine Somalis,” she added.

“The point that’s critical to understand right now is Ilhan Omar is a member of the Democrat Socialists of America. She’s obviously a member of the squad. She’s a crony of Bernie Sanders and AOC and those people who dislike America and want to transform us into a socialist nation,” Wheeler says.

“Ilhan Omar primarily presents herself as being a DSA candidate. This sort of radical sect of the Democrat Party, but that’s not really who she is. Because Jacob Frey, the incumbent mayor of Minneapolis, actually meets all of those qualifications,” she continues.

“If Ilhan Omar wants someone who abides by transgender ideology … who abides by stupid radical leftist unconstitutional policies like gun control, that’s what Jacob Frey does. Jacob Frey is such a pandering leftist that he actually spoke Somali in his victory speech after he defeated Omar Fateh,” she adds.

Wheeler points out that it is because it is not all about politics to someone like Ilhan Omar.

“It’s about Islam. Socialism and Marxism and communism are a means to an end. They are a tool to achieve a secondary outcome. But to Ilhan Omar, the ultimate outcome is Islam,” Wheeler says, pointing out that in the video of her speech after Fateh’s loss, she is speaking like “she’s living in a caliphate.”

And Omar Fateh is, of course, not innocent either.

“Omar Fateh has ties to radical imams. He’s been defended by the Council on American Islamic Relations, who was an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation case, the largest terror financing prosecution in U.S. history,” Wheeler explains.

“And Ilhan Omar endorsed him and campaigned for him and defended him despite his shady background,” she adds.

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California Rep. Eric Swalwell is the latest of several Democrats to come under fire from the Trump administration, this time for alleged mortgage fraud.

Swalwell was referred to President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice for allegations of mortgage and tax fraud related to his residence in Washington, D.C.

The California Democrat is just one of four political adversaries the Trump administration has investigated. Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff of California, Federal Reserve Gov. Lisa Cook, and New York Attorney General Letitia James are also facing allegations of mortgage fraud.

‘I will not end my lawsuit against him.’

Because of the Trump administration’s string of legal cases against Democrats, Swalwell argues his referral was motivated purely by political purposes.

“As the most vocal critic of Donald Trump over the last decade and as the only person who still has a surviving lawsuit against him, the only thing I am surprised about is that it took him this long to come after me,” Swalwell said in a statement Thursday.

RELATED: When I brought the truth to Congress, Democrats lost their minds

Photo by Tom Brenner/Getty Images

In a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency Bill Pulte alleged that there were several million dollars’ worth of loans and refinancing based on Swalwell’s declaration of his D.C. home as his primary residence.

Pulte also alleged that Swalwell may have made inaccurate or misleading statements in certain loan documents, prompting an investigation into potential mortgage fraud, state and local tax fraud, insurance fraud, and any other related crimes.

“Like James Comey and John Bolton, Adam Schiff and Lisa Cook, Letitia James and the dozens more to come — I refuse to live in fear in what was once the freest country in the world,” Swalwell said.

RELATED: Eric Swalwell finally answers Chinese spy allegations: ‘I would hope that would be enough’

Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

“Of course, I will not end my lawsuit against him,” Swalwell added. “And I will not stop speaking out against the president and speaking up for Californians.”

“As Mark Twain said, ‘Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.’ Mr. President, do better. Be better.”

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Acting U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba was the target of an alleged act of political intimidation according to a statement from Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Bondi revealed few details about the incident from Wednesday evening in a post on social media.

‘Any violence or threats of violence against any federal officer will not be tolerated. Period.’

“Last night, an individual attempted to confront one of our U.S. Attorneys — my dear friend @USAttyHabba — destroyed property in her office, and then fled the scene. Thankfully, Alina is ok,” wrote Bondi Thursday.

“Any violence or threats of violence against any federal officer will not be tolerated. Period,” she added. “This is unfortunately becoming a trend as radicals continue to attack law enforcement agents around the country.”

Habba posted a brief but defiant statement about the incident.

“I will not be intimidated by radical lunatics for doing my job,” she wrote.

Bondi vowed to find the alleged culprit and bring them to justice.

“Our federal prosecutors, agents, and law-enforcement partners put their lives on the line every day to protect the American people,” Bondi added, “and this Department will use every legal tool available to ensure their safety and hold violent offenders fully accountable.”

RELATED: Federal judge rules Alina Habba is not lawfully acting as US attorney for NJ

Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel reiterated the promise to lead the hunt against those threatening public servants.

He added, “Zero tolerance for these acts of violence.”

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A former teacher’s aide at a Wisconsin Christian school has been accused of having sex with a boy she reportedly began getting “flirty” with when he was just 12 years old.

Stephanie Jensen, 41, was arrested Nov. 4.

‘Victim 1 mentioned Stephanie Jensen was not only sending him nude pictures, but that she was sending his buddies nude content as well.’

According to the Wisconsin Circuit Court, Jensen was hit with 13 charges, including four counts of exposing genitals, pubic area, or intimate parts to a child; four counts of child enticement by exposing genitals, pubic area, or intimate parts; three counts of sexual intercourse with a child 16 or older by an actor 19 or older; second-degree sexual assault of a child; and possession of child pornography.

The New York Post, citing allegations laid out in the criminal complaint, reported that Jensen had worked as a second-grade classroom aide at the Faith Lutheran School in Fond du Lac.

The Faith Lutheran School has a primary goal to “teach students in grades 3K-8 about the love of Jesus in a safe Christian environment.”

As outlined in the criminal complaint, WBAY-TV reported that when the boy was in eighth grade, the pair would “regularly bump into each other on campus before she started the illegal relationship.”

Citing the criminal complaint, the Post reported that the boy told investigators Jensen started becoming “flirty” with him when he was only 12 years old.

The boy told investigators that he first had sex with the former teacher’s aide in September 2024 — shortly before his 16th birthday, according to charging documents.

The student — identified as “Victim 1” in the criminal complaint — told investigators he remembered the pair first had sex when he was 15 years old because it happened shortly before he obtained his driver’s license, according to charging records.

The student told investigators that he had sex with Jensen four times until he was 17 years old, according to court documents.

WLUK-TV said charging documents it reviewed indicate Jensen sent nude photos to the boy and also to his friends: “Victim 1 said word traveled throughout his friend group that she was willing to share so people he knew would add her to see what she would share with them.”

The criminal complaint said Jensen allegedly admitted to detectives that she sent sexual content but denied having sex with the boy in question.

According to the New York Post, a detective informed Jensen that she was being placed under arrest, but she allegedly replied, “I am not under arrest,” and she reportedly refused to stand up from the couch.

The criminal complaint stated that the detective had to pull Jensen from the couch by her arm and that officers struggled to handcuff the suspect until police ordered her to stop.

RELATED: Middle school teacher accused of raping her former student who’s now in high school, sending nude video of herself to teen

Following her arrest, Faith Lutheran School fired Jensen, according to school officials.

Faith Lutheran School Principal Benjamin Rank told WLUK:

Faith Lutheran School has terminated the employment of Stephanie Jensen upon formal charges being filed in court on Monday. The faculty, staff, and administration at Faith are committed to the safety and care of our students, staff, families, and community. We pray for all who are affected by these events as we continue to put our faith and trust in the Lord.

A judge initially ordered Jensen to have no contact with the victim, his family, or other minors and not to use social media, drugs, or alcohol.

In an update from WBAY, a judge allowed Jensen to have contact with her own children but not with other minors.

Jensen’s cash bond was set at $200,000, and she is scheduled to return to court on Nov. 17.

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A New Mexico police chief who went viral for calling out a local court for constantly releasing a dangerous man has announced that federal officials have stepped in.

Chief Jeremy Story posted a video documenting the numerous arrests of Neal Garcia. According to Story, Garcia has been arrested 108 times, 15 of which were for felonies, but the court has repeatedly released him after finding him incompetent to stand trial.

The video went viral as an example of the broken justice system.

‘To every law enforcement agency and prosecutor across New Mexico, the US Attorney’s Office is open for business.’

On Thursday the police chief released a video announcing the collaboration between the Las Cruces Police Dept., the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico, and the Albuquerque Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

“The day we released that video, the U.S. attorney contacted me and committed to working together to try and hold this dangerous criminal accountable,” he said.

“I want to note that the local district attorney’s office tried everything under New Mexico law to keep Mr. Garcia off the streets and from continuing to victimize Las Cruces. They tried [assisted outpatient treatment], a dangerousness hearing, and even petitioned for civil commitment,” Story added. “But all those efforts were unsuccessful in New Mexico District Court.”

Ryan Ellison, U.S. attorney for the District of New Mexico, said that Garcia was in federal custody.

“Today, Neal Garcia is in federal custody facing Hobbs Act robbery charges involving threats of violence and interference with commerce,” he said.

“To every law enforcement agency and prosecutor across New Mexico, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is open for business,” he added. “If you have violent, repeat offenders who continue to victimize your communities, contact our office or the FBI.

RELATED: Police chief’s viral video demands action against man accused of dozens of crimes — and Trump admin responds

“We are actively working to identify and federally charge the most violent criminals across this state. When state options have been exhausted and federal law applies, we will prosecute,” Ellison continued.

Special Agent Justin Garris spoke last and applauded the collaboration between local and federal law enforcement to “hold criminals accountable and protect the innocent more effectively.”

Ellison noted that those convicted in federal court serve at least 85% of their sentences in a federal facility. Garcia faces up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted.

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A new campaign spending report filed with the Federal Election Commission revealed that far-left Democrat Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas has spent tens of thousands of dollars living the high life in 2025.

Crockett has emerged as one of the louder foul-mouths on the left to criticize the policies of President Donald Trump and gained prominence on social media for her outbursts.

She is weighing whether to run for US Senate as a way of dealing ‘karma’ for the redistricting passed by Republicans.

The filing documents more than $25K in luxury services that included high-end hotels and ritzy limousine rides while Crockett was visiting locations outside of her district, the 30th district in Texas.

The expenses were made in the period since January at locations that included Martha’s Vineyard, Chicago, New York City, Las Vegas, San Francisco, as well as Los Angeles.

Among the hotel expenses were the following:

$4,175.01 at the Ritz-Carlton $2,304.79 at the Luxury Collection$5,326.52 to the West Hollywood Edition in Los Angeles$1,173.92 to the Times Square Edition in New York CityOver $2,000 to the Cosmopolitan and Aria resort in Las Vegas $2,703.14 to the Edgartown Inn in Martha’s Vineyard $3,160.93 at the Coco, also in Martha’s Vineyard

The congresswoman also reported paying $50K for security services.

Crockett has indicated that she is weighing whether to run for U.S. Senate as a way of dealing “karma” for the redistricting passed by Republicans.

“Because if you want to take my seat of 766,000 away, I feel like there has to be some karma in that to where I take your seat that is for 30 million away,” she said in October. “So we are, you know, the primary is the primary. That’s cool, but you got to win the general. So we are doing some testing here shortly to see if I can expand the electorate.”

RELATED: Progressive radio show host posts photo of herself kissing Jasmine Crockett’s sneakers

A Blaze News request for comment from Crockett’s office was not immediately returned.

She also made headlines recently when progressive radio show host Stephanie Miller posted photographs of herself kissing Crockett’s sneakers. Many thought the joke exemplified how the media favors the left.

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Just one day after their shutdown fiasco, Democrats have released new Epstein emails in an attempt to incriminate President Trump — but their plan has backfired miserably.

“They magically discovered and released some new emails from Jeffrey Epstein. And you’ll never believe: They finally got him. They got him. House Democrats release Epstein emails that mention Donald Trump,” BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales jokes.

One email, Gonzales says, “looks pretty bad” and reveals Epstein saying the “dog that hasn’t barked is Trump,” before saying that a redacted victim “spent hours” at Epstein’s house with the now-president though he had “never once been mentioned.”

The victim’s name turned out to be Virginia Giuffre, who has “gone on record multiple times and said that President Trump did nothing wrong.”

“There is so much sworn testimony that she has provided about it. … She is on the record saying Trump couldn’t have been friendlier and that he never had sex with her or any of those underage girls,” Gonzales explains.

“The Democrats didn’t redact it because they care about protecting victims. They redacted it because they didn’t want you to be able to go, ‘I think there’s more to that. I don’t know that I buy that,’” she continues.

In another email thread between Epstein and journalist Michael Wolff discussing CNN preparing to ask Trump about his relationship with Epstein, Epstein asks Wolff what his answer would be for Trump if he could “craft an answer for him.”

“I think you should let him hang himself. If he says he hasn’t been on the plane or to the house, then that gives you a valuable PR and political currency. You can hang him in a way that potentially generates a positive benefit for you, or, if it really looks like he could win, you could save him, generating a debt,” Wolff replied.

“Of course, it is possible that, when asked, he’ll say Jeffrey is a great guy and has gotten a raw deal and is a victim of political correctness, which is to be outlawed in a Trump regime,” he added.

Gonzales, again, is not fazed by the left’s new “evidence.”

“Right off the bat, you know, Michael Wolff is not only very aware of what Jeffrey Epstein is doing because he mentions the island … and yet, instead of calling the police, dialing up the FBI, giving some sort of law enforcement or federal official or, I don’t know, literally anyone who could help these young girls who are being trafficked, this guy, instead of doing any of that, he’s just like, ‘I’m going to give PR advice to Jeffrey Epstein,’” Gonzales says.

Not only that, but Wolff’s career as a journalist has been spent writing negative books on Donald Trump.

“A Trump-hater that stands to profit off of a scandal for President Trump. Got it. Not a guy I’m willing to trust,” Gonzales says.

The last email cherry-picked by the Democrats is an email from Epstein to Michael Wolff, where he writes a redacted victim’s name and the word Mar-a-Lago and says, “Trump said he asked me to resign. Never a member ever. Of course he knew about the girls as he asked Ghislaine to stop.”

“So that doesn’t track with Donald Trump participating in anything, as he asked him to stop. We already know that Donald Trump said, ‘You cannot be a member of Mar-a-Lago any more. You cannot set foot on my property any more.’ We already know that to be true,” Gonzales comments.

Gonzales also notes that not too long ago, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) revealed that Trump was an FBI informant ordered to help take Epstein down.

“It would make a whole lot of sense,” she says.

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The Department of Homeland Security handed out bonuses to Transportation Security Administration agents who went above and beyond during the Democrat shutdown.

The 43-day shutdown forced essential government workers to continue working despite not receiving a paycheck.

‘We will be continuing to not only recognize employees across the country, but we will be looking at every single TSA official who helped serve during this government shutdown, and do what we can to recognize that.’

On Thursday, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced during a press conference at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport that the federal government would provide a $10,000 bonus to TSA agents who showed “exemplary service.”

“Today we are announcing that we are going to be handing out bonus checks of $10,000 to TSOs, to agents who work for TSA who served with exemplary service,” Noem stated. “What that means is that we are going to not only continue their paychecks like they should have received all along, but also they’re going to get a bonus check for stepping up, taking on extra shifts, for showing up each and every day, for serving the American people.”

During the press conference, Noem handed out envelopes containing bonus checks to roughly two dozen TSA agents.

RELATED: Trump officially ends ‘pathetic’ Democrats’ record-breaking shutdown

Photographer: Shelby Tauber/Bloomberg via Getty Images

“Every single one of these individuals served with exemplary service, which means they were an example of, not only taking seriously the security concerns and measures that TSA has to every single day and the Department of Homeland Security, but also they went above and beyond,” Noem said.

The DHS secretary stated that the department will continue to recognize government employees nationwide who stepped up during the shutdown.

RELATED: FAA cancels hundreds of flights, sparking holiday travel concerns amid ongoing Democrat shutdown

Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images

“We will be continuing to not only recognize employees across the country, but we will be looking at every single TSA official who helped serve during this government shutdown, and do what we can to recognize that and help them financially with a bonus check to get them and their family back on their feet,” Noem stated.

She also noted that the TSA will implement new security screening lanes for families with small children, as well as for veterans and active-duty military.

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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit on Monday, alleging that $1.34 million in taxpayer funds had been allocated “to radical leftist organizations that will use the money to oppose the lawful deportations of illegal aliens.”

The 17-page complaint claimed that county funds had been used to pay for legal representation for illegal aliens facing deportation proceedings.

‘So far, the county has spent over $8M with the ability to spend an additional $1.3M after the latest contract renewal.’

It stated that the Harris County Commissioners Court in mid-October approved allocating the funds to private nonprofits “for the stated purpose of providing ‘direct legal representation to immigrants in detention or facing the threat of deportation.'”

“We must stop the left-wing radicals who are robbing Texans to prevent illegals from being deported by the Trump administration,” Paxton said. “Beyond just being blatantly unconstitutional, this is evil and wicked. Millions upon millions of illegals invaded America during the last administration, and they must be sent back to where they came from.”

In late October, the commissioners court allegedly approved an additional $100,000 to create an “immigrant resource hotline” that connects foreign nationals with legal service providers.

Paxton’s complaint accused Harris County of “misusing public funds to subsidize private deportation defenses that advance no public purpose.”

RELATED: AG Paxton sues Texas school district for refusing to display Ten Commandments in classrooms

Photo by BRYAN R. SMITH/AFP via Getty Images

“Harris County receives no return consideration or public benefit from these expenditures, and it exercises little or no control over how the recipient organizations select clients or perform legal work,” it added.

The lawsuit names the following defendants: Harris County, the commissioners court, County Judge Lina Hidalgo (D), County Administrator Jesse Dickerman, Harris County Housing & Community Development Executive Director Thao Costis, and Commissioners Rodney Ellis (D), Adrian Garcia (D), Tom Ramsey (R), and Lesley Briones (D).

The complaint claimed that Garcia previously made remarks that “illustrate that Harris County’s decision to fund deportation-defense services is driven by opposition to federal immigration enforcement rather than by any legitimate public purpose.”

The lawsuit referred to Garcia’s comments during a September 9 Special Commissioners Court, when he stated, “Would the court be able to make some request short of a demand that our county law enforcement not cooperate with ICE?”

Paxton requested temporary and permanent injunctive relief to prevent Harris County from providing taxpayer funds to the nonprofits, noting that the funds could not be recovered once disbursed, even if later determined to be unconstitutional.

RELATED: Thousands of possible illegal aliens found on Texas voter rolls, officials say

County Attorney Christian D. Menefee. Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for National Urban League

“I have opposed this initiative over the last five years,” Commissioner Ramsey told Blaze News. “So far, the county has spent over $8M with the ability to spend an additional $1.3M after the latest contract renewal. We should be spending these funds on infrastructure, the county jail, or other county statutory responsibilities.”

Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee (D) called Paxton’s lawsuit “a cheap political stunt” in a statement provided to Blaze News.

“Harris County has funded this program for years because it’s the right thing to do. We’re helping people who live in our communities and who contribute every day to our local economy. That’s what good government looks like,” Menefee said. “At a time when the president has unleashed ICE agents to terrorize immigrant neighborhoods, deport U.S. citizens, and trample the law, it’s shameful that Republican state officials are joining in instead of standing up for Texans.”

“Let’s be clear: This program is perfectly legal, and it ensures that people in our communities have access to due process, something every American should support. Despite the narratives pushed by … [the] worst elements of the Republican Party, we know that immigrants in our communities obey the law, work hard, and strengthen our state,” Menefee continued. “My office will fight back and defend Harris County’s right to lead with fairness, compassion, and common sense, no matter how many times Republican state officials try to erase that.”

When reached for comment, Ellis’ office referred Blaze News to a statement published on Facebook.

Ellis called the lawsuit “cruel and frivolous.”

“Everyone has the right to feel safe in their own community,” Ellis wrote. “The attorney general’s reckless lawsuit flagrantly attacks civil rights and the very notion of community safety.”

“At a time when Donald Trump’s ICE raids are fueling anxiety and ripping apart families, we should be investing in trust, not fear,” the statement continued. “Instead of mounting yet another wasteful, unconstitutional taxpayer-funded campaign stunt, the attorney general should be supporting actions taken by Harris County to promote true public safety.”

Ellis vowed to continue fighting for his constituents’ “rights, health, safety, and dignity … regardless of immigration status.”

The Harris County Commissioners Court, Hidalgo, Garcia, Briones, Dickerman, and Costis did not respond to Blaze News’ comment request.

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Bishop Joseph Strickland, the cleric removed from his office in Tyler, Texas, in 2023 by the late Pope Francis, urged his colleagues gathered on Wednesday for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ plenary assembly to address the matter of a woke priest’s apparent willingness to run afoul of the church’s custom and to turn a hallowed Catholic ceremony into a non-straight spectacle.

Gio Benitez, a homosexual ABC News correspondent who is “married” to a man, apparently decided after Pope Francis’ passing last year to make his way back to the Catholic Church. Benitez, who was allegedly baptized in secret at the age of 15, was confirmed at St. Paul the Apostle’s Church in New York City on Nov. 8.

‘Here we are talking about doctrine.’

“My Confirmation Mass was a very small gathering of family and friends who have quietly been with me on this journey,” Benitez wrote on Instagram. “I found the Ark of the Covenant in my heart, stored there by the one who created me… exactly as I am.”

The ABC News correspondent also received holy communion from the church’s woke pastor, Rev. Eric Andrews, at the highly publicized mass where LGBT activist Fr. James Martin was a concelebrant and where Benitez’s “husband” served as his sponsor.

Blaze News reached out to Rev. Andrews for comment, but did not receive a response.

While the Catholic Church holds that homosexual acts are “acts of grave depravity,” “intrinsically disordered,” “contrary to the natural law,” and “can under no circumstances” be approved, the Catechism states that homosexual persons must nevertheless “be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity.”

RELATED: New head of US Catholic Bishops said he would deny communion to pro-abortion politicians

Bishop Joseph Strickland. Photo by Craig F. Walker/Boston Globe via Getty Images

The church has also made clear that Catholics with same-sex attraction who are chaste can “participate fully in the spiritual and sacramental life of the Catholic faith community.”

However, those who regularly engage in sexual activity or are partners in a committed homosexual relationship that includes regular sexual relations are not to receive holy communion or serve in public ministries.

“Receiving the sacrament is the ultimate expression of our Catholic faith, an intensely personal matter between communicant and priest,” wrote the late and posthumously exonerated Cardinal George Pell. “It’s not a question of refusing homosexuals or someone who is homosexually oriented. The rule is basically the same for everyone.”

“If a person is actually engaged in — by public admission, at any given time — a practice contrary to Church teaching in a serious matter, then that person is not entitled to receive Holy Communion,” continued Pell. “This would apply, for example, to a married person openly living in adultery. Similarly, persons who openly declare themselves active homosexuals take a position which makes it impossible for them to receive Holy Communion.”

During a USCCB discussion of doctrine on Wednesday, Bishop Strickland raised the matter of Benitez’s highly publicized reception of holy communion while flanked by his “husband.”

“I don’t know how many of us have seen on the social media priests and others gathered, celebrating the confirmation of a man living with a man openly,” said Strickland. “It just needs to be addressed. Father James Martin once again involved. Great pictures of all of them smiling.”

Bishop Strickland and Martin have traded barbs over the years, largely around Martin’s subversive LGBT activism and apparent efforts to liberalize the Catholic Church’s stance on such matters.

Martin — who shared an article titled “Gio Benitez, Openly Gay ABC Anchor, Joins the Catholic Church” on social media this week with the caption “Happy to be a part of your journey!” — has made no secret of his activism. For instance, he took issue with the Supreme Court’s June 2025 decision to let parents opt their children out of lessons featuring LGBT propaganda and insinuated that homosexual persons aren’t really bound by church teaching.

“Here we are talking about doctrine,” continued Strickland. “I just thought I need to raise that issue. I know it’s not part of any agenda, but this body gathered, we need to address it.”

The panel, focused on updated ethical and religious directives for Catholic health care services, did not take up Strickland’s concern.

The Catholic Herald noted that Strickland’s tenure as bishop of Tyler was “marked by a reputation for directness, a strong emphasis on Eucharistic devotion, and a willingness to challenge trends in the wider Church that he believed risked undermining the clarity of Catholic teaching.”

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​Abide, Faith, Religion, Catholic, Christian, Bishop, Strickland, James martin, Lgbt, Gay, Homosexual, Queer, Gio benitez, Confirmation, Eucharist, Communion, Velvet mafia, Church, New york city, Politics 

A crew of carjackers most definitely picked the wrong guy to steal from in Seattle over the weekend.

Officers around 3:30 a.m. Sunday responded to a shooting in the 2200 block of 1st Avenue, police said.

‘Stories like this just warm my heart. I love a happy ending.’

Officers found a suspect suffering from multiple gunshot wounds and detained him, police said, adding that they also detained the victim — a licensed gun owner — for questioning and recovered the firearm.

Firefighters responded with police and provided medical aid to the suspect, police said, adding that medics transported him to Harborview Medical Center in serious condition. Police said the suspect was under armed guard by officers.

Police determined that the victim parked his sports car along 1st Avenue when the driver of a white sedan approached him.

RELATED: ‘I’ll blow your head off’: Carjacking victim threatened crook after turning the tables on him. Now carjacker learns his fate.

Image source: Seattle Police

Four individuals wearing face masks were in the vehicle, police said, adding that after a short conversation, two males armed with guns tried to steal the victim’s car.

Fearing for his safety, the victim fired multiple rounds, striking one of the suspects, police said.

The remaining suspects fled the area in the sedan before police arrived.

While they were investigating, police said the driver of a white sedan dropped off a second suspect at Harborview Medical Center. The second suspect also had been shot, was in serious condition, and was under armed guard, police said.

The driver of the sedan fled before officers arrived, police said.

One of the wounded suspects is a 14-year-old male, while the other is a 20-year-old male, KING-TV reported, citing police.

Both wounded suspects will be booked into custody when they are released from the hospital, the station noted.

Officers and robbery detectives processed the scene, collected evidence, and spoke to witnesses, police said, adding that officers took the victim to Seattle Police headquarters, where detectives interviewed him; he was then released. KING said the victim is 24 years old.

Police said the case is an open and active investigation assigned to the Robbery Unit.

More than 3,000 comments have flooded KING’s Facebook post about the shooting, and as you might expect, folks seem quite happy about the outcome. The following are a few of their reactions.

“Not every hero wears a cape,” one commenter said.”The vehicle owner doing the Lord’s work,” another user noted.”Awesome story,” another commenter wrote before adding “buy that man a beer.””Stories like this just warm my heart,” another user gushed. “I love a happy ending.””FAFO! Whahahaha! I love it!!!” another user exclaimed.”When you allow your streets to become the Wild West, sometimes you run into Wyatt Earp,” another commenter observed.

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​Crime thwarted, Seattle, Attempted carjacking, 2nd amend., Shooting, Turning the tables, Guns, Gun rights, Self-defense, Protecting property, Fighting back, Crime 

Vice President JD Vance joined Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at the Make America Healthy Again summit on Wednesday in discussing the Trump administration’s revolution against the unworkable state of affairs and orthodoxies that have left so many Americans sick, censored, poor, and behind.

After the duo discussed President Donald Trump’s penchant for taking “a bulldozer to Overton windows,” Kennedy raised the matter of the dire health and social conditions in Appalachia, noting that Vance’s incredible success serves as a “tragic reminder of the lost potential of almost everybody else in Appalachia.”

‘Their loved ones are dying much sooner than everybody else.’

“It’s got the worst health data of any region in the country — the highest cardiac disease, the highest obesity, the highest diabetes, the highest stroke rates — but also addiction, alcoholism, and suicide,” said Kennedy.

Although dubbed a “golden child of Appalachia” by the HHS secretary, Vance emphasized his firsthand familiarity with the bleak conditions experienced by so many in the region, noting that he was hard-pressed to identify a single important male family figure who lived past the age of 70.

“You want to talk about, like, ‘populism’? And you want to talk about people being pissed off? Well, yeah, people are pissed off when they don’t have good jobs; and people are pissed off when things disappear and move overseas; and people are pissed off when they feel like, you know, other countries are being prioritized over the United States of America,” said Vance. “All of that is part of the populist resentment of the past 20 or 30 years in American politics.”

RELATED: Vance identifies the perfect mascot for the Democrats — then outlines what America actually needs

Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images

“But you know what really pisses people off?” continued the vice president. “When they realize that their loved ones are dying much sooner than everybody else.”

Life expectancy has long been lower and infant mortality higher in Appalachia than in the rest of the country.

Vance noted that while on the one hand, he feels guilty that so many of his fellow Appalachians have not enjoyed the opportunities for economic and familial stability that he has enjoyed, he also feels “a great sense of anger because we never should have gotten to the point that we are today, and the reason that we have is because of failed leadership — and it’s failed leadership over generations.”

The vice president stressed that one of the reasons he strongly supports Kennedy’s health initiatives is because therein lies a major opportunity to do right by Appalachian residents who have been “left behind by this country’s leadership.”

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​Jd vance, Vance, Vice president, Vance 2028, Appalachia, Populism, Conservatism, Maha, Robert f. kennedy jr, Rfk, Make america healthy again, Ohio, Politics 

Either hell froze over, or Apple finally listened to its users for once.

Following a wave of legibility complaints about Liquid Glass, the iPhone maker released an update that ditches the transparent layers for something much easier on the eyes. To get the Liquid Glass fix, all you need is your iPhone, the latest version of iOS 26.1, and a quick tweak to your display settings.

RIP Liquid Glass, 2025–2025. We won’t miss you.

We sounded the alarm on Liquid Glass when iOS 26 first landed in September. For reasons only Apple’s design team can understand, it launched with transparent layers that made text difficult to read, especially in the Notification Center and Control Center. Back then, the only fix was to “Reduce Transparency” via the Accessibility settings, a feature that was really only meant for folks with visual impairments, not for the masses.

One month later, a permanent fix is out, and you can try it right now.

The new setting comes with iOS 26.1, and it goes a step further than a simple transparency reduction, bringing back the old frosted glass layers of iOS 18 that you know and love. After you turn it on, your phone will look much more familiar, not to mention you won’t have to squint at your screen nearly as often.

How to disable Liquid Glass in iOS 26.1

The new feature is called Tinted Liquid Glass. To enable it, open the Settings app on your iPhone. Scroll down to Display & Brightness and tap into the next pane. From there, find the Liquid Glass section. The default option is Clear mode, but you can change it over to Tinted with a couple taps. Follow the red arrows:

Screenshots by Zach Laidlaw

That’s it! The transparent layers of Liquid Glass are now banished to the furthest reaches of your iPhone, never to be seen again — exactly the way it should be. RIP Liquid Glass, 2025–2025. We won’t miss you.

The iPhone isn’t the only Apple device that gets some relief. Tinted Liquid Glass is also available on iPads running iPadOS 26.1, and the steps to enable it are the same. Make sure you turn it on over there too for instant eye relief.

Pro tip: If you previously enabled “Reduce Transparency” in iOS 26 or iPadOS 26 last month, make sure you turn it off, otherwise you won’t see the full effect of the new Tinted Liquid Glass. Simply follow our step-by-step guide to undo it.

Liquid Glass isn’t dead dead

As fun as it would be to get rid of Liquid Glass entirely, you’ll still find pieces of it on your phone after the newest update. The Tinted setting removes those unsightly transparent panes that have tortured your eyes for the last month, but it doesn’t take away the other UI elements sprinkled throughout the operating system, like the liquid bubble icons, fancy light refractions, and bloopy animations. Those are all here to stay. Still, a win is a win, and it’s great to get back the frosted look from the previous iOS generation.

More changes to come?

The addition of a Tinted Liquid Glass option might not seem like a big deal on the surface, but it’s actually a huge shift in the way Apple does business. Historically, the company holds firm on its hardware and software decisions, a philosophy held by the late Steve Jobs, who once said, “People don’t know what they want until you show it to them.” Rarely does Apple cave to user feedback.

RELATED: Apple is falling — is the smartphone next?

Photo by Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Tinted Liquid Glass is a silent admission that Apple was wrong to force such a polarizing design on its users. It’s also proof that Apple no longer discards fervent customer feedback like it has in the past. This new version of Apple can be swayed by public criticism, opening the door for future changes if and when it makes another design choice that doesn’t bode well with users.

Leave a comment below if there’s something you hate about iOS 26 or Liquid Glass. We’d love to hear about it.

Download iOS 26.1 now

Tinted Liquid Glass isn’t the only feature to look forward to in iOS 26.1. The latest update comes with some other notable changes and bug fixes, including improved alarm controls, song-switching gestures in Apple Music, and customizable workout plans in the Fitness app.

To grab the latest update, open the Settings app on your iPhone, tap on General, then dive into the Software Update section. Pull down on the page to refresh if the screen is blank, and install iOS 26.1. After that, circle back to the middle of this article and follow the steps to get rid of those transparent Liquid Glass layers for good. Your eyes will thank you.

​Tech, Apple, Liquid glass, Ios 

When Disney-owned ABC briefly pulled Jimmy Kimmel off the air over comments he made about the assassination of Charlie Kirk, “Star Wars” actor Oscar Isaac took it personally.

In an interview with GQ magazine, Isaac was asked what his stance was on returning to “Star Wars” — and while he recently claimed to be on board with starring in the franchise again, things changed after Kimmel’s removal from the air.

“Yeah. I mean … I’d be open to it, although right now I’m not so open to working with Disney. But if they can figure it out and not succumb to fascism, that would be great,” Isaac said.

“If that happens, then yeah, I’d be open to having a conversation about a galaxy far away,” he added.

“What universe am I living in that now Hollywood is saying that Disney are fascists because, of course, the ABC thing and suspending Jimmy Kimmel? And so now, Oscar Isaac, who, you know, just made, what, $2 million off of ‘Star Wars,’ $6 million off of ‘Moon Knight,’ I’m told,” BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales says.

“Now he has morals and standards,” she adds.

“The funny thing,” BlazeTV contributor Matthew Marsden says, “is that’s an absolute bait and switch right there, what he was doing, because he knows that the series that he was in was terrible and that ‘Star Wars’ was ruined and nobody likes it.”

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​Video phone, Sharing, Camera phone, Upload, Free, Video, Youtube.com, Sara gonzales unfiltered, Sara gonzales, The blaze, Blazetv, Blaze news, Blaze podcasts, Balze podcast network, Blaze media, Blaze online, Blaze originals, Oscar isaac, Star wars, Jimmy kimmel, Disney, Fascism, Fascist 

A spokesperson for Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania says that the Democrat has been hospitalized after falling while on a morning walk.

Fetterman was quoted as joking about the injury to his face in the statement released Thursday.

Fetterman is said to be doing well and opted to stay at the hospital so that doctors can ‘fine-tune’ his medicinal regimen.

“During an early-morning walk, Senator Fetterman sustained a fall near his home in Braddock. Out of an abundance of caution, he was transported to a hospital in Pittsburgh,” read the statement.

He is receiving routine observation at the hospital.

“Upon evaluation, it was established he had a ventricular fibrillation flare-up that led to Senator Fetterman feeling light-headed, falling to the ground, and hitting his face, with minor injuries,” the spokesperson added.

Fetterman is said to be doing well and opted to stay at the hospital so that doctors can “fine-tune” his medicinal regimen.

A comment from the senator was included: “If you thought my face looked bad before, wait until you see it now!”

RELATED: Liberals viciously attack Sen. John Fetterman for defending ICE: ‘F**k you, f**k your mom, your family’

Fetterman is one of the few Democrats who split from the party to vote to reopen the government after a budget impasse shut it down.

This is an developing story, and additional information may be added.

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​John fetterman, Fetterman injured, Senator falls, Democrat hospitalized, Politics 

A Tuesday American Airlines flight carrying several members of Congress was abruptly diverted over a “disruptive passenger.”

‘Law enforcement met the flight and removed the customer, and the flight later re-departed for DCA, where it landed normally.’

The flight took off from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Arizona and was en route to Washington, D.C. Roughly two hours and 41 minutes into the flight, the pilots diverted the plane to Kansas City International Airport.

U.S. Reps. from Arizona Greg Stanton (D), Eli Crane (R), Andy Biggs (R), and Paul Gosar (R) were passengers on the interrupted flight.

“Flying to DC rn to vote no on CR that fails to lower health care costs. @RepEliCrane, @RepAndyBiggsAZ & @RepGosar all on this flight,” Stanton wrote on X. “We’re making [an] emergency stop in Kansas City to remove [a] disruptive passenger. None of my colleagues is the disruptor. Freedom Caucus losing its mojo.”

Stanton thanked Kansas City police for “handling the situation professionally and without incident.”

RELATED: FAA cancels hundreds of flights, sparking holiday travel concerns amid ongoing Democrat shutdown

Rep. Greg Stanton. Photographer: Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Adam Burtner, a passenger on the flight, responded to Stanton’s X thread with a video showing an unidentified woman being escorted off the flight by a police officer. Right before exiting the plane, she stated, “Sorry, folks. We live in a fascist state.”

American Airlines confirmed that the flight was diverted due to a “disruptive passenger.” However, the details of the incident are unclear.

RELATED: Trump officially ends ‘pathetic’ Democrats’ record-breaking shutdown

Rep. Andy Biggs. Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images

“On Nov. 11, American Airlines flight 1218, with service from Phoenix (PHX) to Washington, D.C. (DCA) diverted to Kansas City (MCI) due to a disruptive customer,” the airline told KSHB. “Law enforcement met the flight and removed the customer, and the flight later re-departed for DCA, where it landed normally. We thank our customers for their patience and our crew members for their professionalism.”

Burtner claimed that the woman said she was removed for taking a photograph of one of the lawmakers.

“Since there is some confusion on what she said, it’s as follows: ‘I took a picture of someone and they didn’t want me to tweet it.’ (Picture of a congressman aboard the flight.),” Burtner wrote.

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​News, American airlines, Flight, Washington dc, Dc, Phoenix, Arizona, Greg stanton, Eli crane, Andy biggs, Paul gosar, Politics 

Secretary of State Marco Rubio called out European officials on Wednesday for criticizing America’s self-defense while expecting the U.S. to provide military support for their own.

The Trump administration has obliterated at least 19 alleged narco-terrorist drug boats since Sept. 2 with the stated aim of “protecting the homeland and killing these cartel terrorists who wish to harm our country and its people.”

‘I don’t think that the European Union gets to determine … how the United States defends its national security.’

President Donald Trump has suggested that each drug boat vaporized by U.S. fighter jets, AC-130J gunships, and drones amounts to 25,000 American lives saved.

— (@)

A day after War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the U.S. had sunk an additional two boats in the Eastern Pacific, altogether killing six alleged narco-terrorists, French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot joined the chorus of foreign dignitaries who have been complaining about the strikes.

Barrot reportedly said at the G7 summit on Tuesday, “We have observed with concern the military operations in the Caribbean region, because they violate international law and because France has a presence in this region through its overseas territories, where more than a million of our compatriots reside.”

RELATED: ‘Begin repatriating’: German chancellor admits it’s time to give Syrian migrants the boot

Photo by Omar Zaghloul/Anadolu via Getty Images

When confronted with questions about the U.S. maritime strikes during a meeting with Latin American leaders last week, the European Union’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said that the EU upholds international law and “international law is very clear on that. You can use force for two reasons: one is self-defense, the other one is the U.N. Security Council resolution.”

Rubio addressed the European pearl-clutching on Wednesday, politely suggesting to reporters that the continentals should pound sand.

“I don’t think that the European Union gets to determine what international law is, and what they certainly don’t get to determine is how the United States defends its national security,” said Rubio. “The United States is under attack from organized criminal narco-terrorists in our hemisphere, and the president is responding in the defense of our country.”

After indicating that the Europeans are out of their depth, Rubio hammered America’s allies across the Atlantic for their apparent hypocrisy.

“I do find it interesting that all these countries want us to send, you know, and supply, for example, nuclear-capable Tomahawk missiles to defend Europe, but when the United States positions aircraft carriers in our hemisphere where we live, somehow that’s a problem,” said the secretary of state.

Rubio added, “The president ordered it in defense of our country. It continues. It’s ongoing. It can stop tomorrow if [terrorist cartels] stop sending drug boats.”

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​Foreign policy, Policy, State department, Department of state, Marco rubio, Secretary of state, Europe, Tomahawk, Narcoterrorists, Venezuela, Interventionism, Politics 

The BBC has been exposed for editing President Donald Trump’s January 6, 2021, speech — deceiving viewers into thinking that the president was cheering on violence.

The network played a clip of Trump that appeared to be him inciting an insurrection, saying, “We’re going to walk down to the Capitol, and I’ll be there with you, and we fight. We fight like hell.”

However, Trump didn’t say that at all.

According to a report from GBN News, the “BBC spliced together two clips that took place 54 minutes apart.”

Rather, Trump said, “We’re going to walk down to the Capitol, and we’re going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women,” before saying the second part of what the BBC played.

Tim Davie, director, and Deborah Turness, the chief executive in the news division, have now resigned following the revelation.

“Trump was on to something,” BlazeTV contributor Jeff Fisher tells BlazeTV host Pat Gray on “Pat Gray Unleashed,” referring to Trump calling the BBC “fake news” during a press conference.

“How about that?” Gray asks.

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​Camera phone, Free, Sharing, Upload, Video, Video phone, Youtube.com, Pat gray unleashed, Pat gray, The blaze, Blazetv, Blaze news, Blaze podcasts, Blaze podcast network, Blaze media, Blaze online, Blaze originals, Donald trump, Bbc, January 6th, Insurrection, Incitement, Violence, Fake news 

Digital identification is the latest frontier in privacy and data protection, according to its newest purveyor.

Apple rolled out support for digital ID in its Apple Wallet this week, boasting that users can provide a plethora of personal data in order to add their digital identifiers to their phones.

‘Biometric authentication using Face ID and Touch ID helps make sure that only you can view and use your Digital ID.’

In order to be eligible for the privilege of digital ID, Apple requires users to have the following:

an iPhone 11 or newer or an Apple Watch Series 6 or newer.the latest software version.an Apple account with two-factor authentication turned on.a valid U.S. passport.a device with the region set to the United States.

If meeting the prerequisites, users must scan their passports into their phones, in addition to providing another live photo.

The photo and information must then be authenticated with Face ID or Touch ID.

Digital ID users can present their e-documents at TSA checkpoints for boarding domestic flights and at select businesses, Apple wrote in a blog post.

RELATED: UK government makes digital ID mandatory to get a job: ‘Safer, fairer and more secure’

TSA lists digital ID as being supported in at least 16 different states for domestic air travel, as well as Puerto Rico. Apple ID particularly is eligible in most participating states, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Maryland, Montana, New Mexico, and Ohio.

States like Arkansas, Louisiana, New York, and Virginia only support a state-sponsored digital ID.

“Digital ID in Apple Wallet takes advantage of the privacy and security features already built into iPhone and Apple Watch to help protect against tampering and theft,” Apple claimed.

“Your Digital ID data is encrypted. Apple can’t see when and where you use your Digital ID, and biometric authentication using Face ID and Touch ID helps make sure that only you can view and use your Digital ID,” the company added.

The justification for digital ID on the grounds of increased privacy and security mirrors reasoning used by the U.K. government during its recent introduction of mandatory digital ID for its citizens.

RELATED: Can anyone save America from European-style digital ID?

Photo Illustration by Thomas Trutschel/Photothek via Getty Images

“This government will make a new, free-of-charge digital ID mandatory for the right to work by the end of this parliament. Let me spell that out: You will not be able to work in the United Kingdom if you do not have digital ID,” U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced in September.

The leader stated that the digital ID would help crack down on illegal employment and immigration, before adding a moral justification to his argument.

“Because decent, pragmatic, fair-minded people, they want us to tackle the issues that they see around them. And, of course, the truth is we won’t solve our problems if we don’t also take on the root causes.”

As Blaze News previously reported, the digital ID movement seemingly started in the U.K. around 2004. At that time, the BBC published a report criticizing the government and the IDs as a “badly thought out” means of fighting organized crime and terrorism.

Since then, the idea has long been perpetuated by the World Economic Forum, the yearly gathering of government officials and international businessmen who discuss global policy and reform.

The WEF published “A Blueprint for Digital Identity” in 2016, citing the Aadhaar program, a government ID from India. The initiative was meant to “increase social and financial inclusion” for Indians. The Unique Identification Authority of India holds a database of user information “such as name, date of birth, and biometrics data that may include a photograph, fingerprint, iris scan, or other information.”

Over 1 billion Indians have enrolled in the program for the 12-digit identity number.

In 2023, the WEF promoted a report on reimagining digital ID.

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​Return, Digital id, Uk, India, Apple, Apple wallet, Tsa, Tech