“This case could completely wipe out the ATF’s ability to create law and subvert congress, which would be a massive win for the Second Amendment.” [more…]
Category: blaze media
How self-indulgence and dependence are murdering the American media
Don’t get lost in the latest scandal. Step back and take in the American media landscape in all its tortured absurdity. What’s the narrative? What stories get elevated? What, if anything, are we supposed to learn?
If your answer is, “Not a darn thing,” you’re exactly right. So let’s
check it out.
The reporters can’t help themselves.
The top story in American media right now — front and center, above all else — is an illegal immigrant and court-confirmed MS-13 affiliate from El Salvador. You might have missed that detail amid the wall-to-wall, overwrought coverage of a Maryland father dragged from his home. But his case perfectly illustrates the media’s favorite tactics: obfuscation, distortion, and outright lies.
Turn on the news or pick up the paper. Good luck learning that the man in question was selected for deportation in 2019, denied his initial appeal based on asylum (because if he was a refugee he should have applied for that at the outset, instead of seven years later when facing deportation), denied a second appeal under the Convention Against Torture treaty, but on third appeal was told he needed to be deported to a country that was
not El Salvador.
During the appeals process, the court was convinced by photographic evidence and an informant’s testimony that Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia was in fact affiliated with the MS-13 gang.
So why couldn’t he return to El Salvador? He claimed a gang there would torture him to extort money from his mother’s successful pupuseria.
Before the Trump administration could deport Abrego Garcia, Joe Biden took office. Over the next four years, Biden’s team let him carry on with his life in the United States.
When Trump returned to the White House, officials began reviewing the files of known MS-13 affiliates. That’s when Abrego Garcia was arrested (again) — and, in what the U.S. government admits was a mistake, deported to the very country he claimed to fear. The one with the pupusa gang.
What a travesty.
Anyway, a judge
who looks like this said, “No way, Jose,” and ordered the U.S. government to “effectuate” Abrego Garcia’s release and to “facilitate” his return. So the Supreme Court stepped in and ruled last week that the lower court’s order for the White House to make the return happen (“effectuate” it) was vague and may have overstepped the separation of powers. The White House, it declared, should “facilitate” Abrego Garcia’s departure from El Salvador and keep the district judge appraised of its moves to do so.
As this has all unfolded, the story has dominated the news cycle. Donald Trump has been questioned about it. The president of El Salvador has been questioned about it. Top White House advisers have been grilled and harangued about it.
The reporters can’t help themselves. To state things as clearly as possible, this man is not an American citizen. He was here illegally, affiliated with a murderous international gang, and cleared for deportation. If he’d been sent to Guatemala, he would not be in the news. Yet he’s now the poster child for the Democrats — the story they decided to highlight after losing working-class voters and losing ground among black and Hispanic men, in particular.
Does it address a single concern that rigorous, deep-dive Democrat-led studies have pointed to for why Vice President Kamala Harris so handily lost the election? Does it contain an iota of the self-reflection corporate media once again (and hysterically, as always) promised after November? It does not.
Not to be outdone, let’s swing over to Brian Stelter’s newsletter, where he warns at
the top of the Tuesday edition of “growing authoritarianism” and dives into a book about “How Democracies Die,” published in 2017 by two Harvard University professors.
It’s difficult to find a credible after-action on the decided diminishment of Democratic (and media) influence and popularity that fails to mention the overreliance on poncy professors and the obsession with “democracy is under attack” fearmongering. Stelter nails them both, squarely on the head. It’s actually funny in its willful self-indulgence.
It’s also not surprising. America’s Democratic Party-aligned and Trump-obsessed media have promised repeatedly to address the giant misalignments between their own opinions and the concerns of the American people, but it’s pathological. They can’t help themselves.
Worse, it’s enforced by the audiences they’ve built over the past eight years, in particular. They crave more. You can’t simply tiptoe back from the precipice, like Jeff Bezos directed his Washington Post to do last fall, without massive drops in subscriptions, internal leaks and resignations, and condemnation from the paper’s supposed friends.
More than an addiction, it’s a dependence. They can’t quit it — the withdrawal could kill them. But like any chemical dependence, the drug itself is killing them too. It’s a vicious cycle, and all that’s left is rock bottom. If the past week of coverage is any indication, we’re not even close.
Blaze News: Obama judge prevents Trump admin from eliminating ‘flawed’ Biden migrant parole program
Blaze News: Dem senator pledges to go to El Salvador for Abrego Garcia
Shipwrecked Crew: The case for not correcting the ‘mistake’ of deporting an El Salvadoran to El Salvador
Blaze News: El Salvador’s president tells reporters why he won’t return El Salvador citizen
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Opinion & analysis, Politics
Police officer demoted over wild alcohol-fueled antics on security video also accused of attaching sex toy to police cruiser
A Washington state police officer was demoted after lying to police on a vehicle stop, where he admitted he was drunk and had flashed his badge at a bar to gain special favor, according to a memo obtained by KCPQ-TV.
The memo said that officer Todd Roggenkamp had acted inappropriately during an alcohol-fueled series of incidents on October 18, 2023, that began at the Last Frontier Saloon in Fall City, about 25 miles east of Seattle.
‘Roggenkamp texted an image of the prank and added, “What’s up with the weird tactical antenna that [name redacted] was driving around with last night?'”
Roggenkamp’s wife reportedly left her cell phone inside the bar, but a bartender told them he could not reopen the business without a code to the alarm. That set off Roggenkamp, who flashed his badge and demanded that he reopen.
“’This badge says I can get in the building’ … is verbatim what he says,” said Andrew Goodman, a friend of the bartender who was present at the bar that evening.
Roggenkamp then threatened to fight the men at the bar and bragged about knowing “lethal combat laws” before his wife kicked Goodman in the groin and slapped him. Cameras outside the bar captured the incident.
The officer had a contentious debate with King County deputies, who can be heard on bodycam videos saying they could smell alcohol on him. Roggenkamp questioned the legality of the stop and told them to handcuff his wife, which they did eventually.
When a deputy indicated that they were merely trying to determine if his wife had assaulted someone, Roggenkamp interrupted and yelled, “Okay, let’s f**king go. Now!”
He also called one deputy a “f**king amateur” and the other one fat. He then drove to the King County jail and identified as a sergeant to try to have his wife released from custody.
Footage showed Roggenkamp mixing up his words and then adding, “I am drunk.”
The investigation into that night led to renewed interest in another incident where Roggenkamp was accused of attaching a phallic sex toy onto another officer’s marked police car in late 2023. The other officer drove around the community for several hours with the sex toy on the vehicle.
Roggenkamp texted an image of the prank and added, “What’s up with the weird tactical antenna that [name redacted] was driving around with last night?”
He admitted to investigators that it had been a bad idea, after saying he found it funny.
The Mercer Island Police Department reached a last-chance agreement with the officer rather than terminate him after 18 years of service. The department quietly demoted Roggenkamp from sergeant to officer in November 2024.
Roggenkamp did not respond to requests from KCPQ for comment by text, phone, and email.
He is being investigated by the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission, but a spokesperson for the commission said that the case of the sex toy incident had been closed over lack of jurisdiction.
Video from the bar’s security camera and the police vehicle stop can be viewed on the news report from KCPQ on YouTube.
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Todd roggenkamp, Washington state officer scandal, Roggenkamp arrest, Video of roggenkamp at bar, Crime
Left-wing magazine says dogs are bad for the environment — the reaction is brutal and hilarious
Left-wing magazine Mother Jones argued that people should stop taking dogs as pets, and people reacted predictably with humorous jabs and bitter scorn.
The article called pet dogs “environmental villains” and cited a review of studies that concluded “the environmental impact of owned dogs is far greater, more insidious, and more concerning than is generally recognised.”
‘Is there any enjoyable part of life these insufferable kill joys won’t attack?’
Dog owners and their allies rushed to social media to register their opposition to the bizarre conclusions about their four-legged friends.
“My dog offers far more value than every environmentalist and Mother Jones staffer and contributer combined,” responded writer Kevin Boyd.
“The institutional capture by the Cat Ladies continues,” joked car enthusiast David Burge.
“If you needed a final straw before you decided that the people at Mother Jones were simultaneously idiotic and psychopathic, here it is. Do not trust any person, group, or movement which demonizes and/or hates dogs,” responded an aspiring radish farmer.
“So now leftists are coming after dogs? They’ve already come after motherhood and patriotism. What’s next? Apple pie and Chevrolet? Given the choice, I would rather live in a world full of dogs, rather than leftists who read Mother Jones,” said another detractor.
“Broooo this is peak cat lady journalism energy. Mother Jones really published ‘Your golden retriever is basically an oil spill with paws’ and hit publish like it was the Pentagon Papers,” responded another critic.
“Did a cat write this?” replied Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw of Texas.
Even some on the left objected.
“Is there any enjoyable part of life these insufferable kill joys won’t attack?” asked Ana Kasparian, host of “The Young Turks.”
The article mostly pointed to the habits of dog owners as the problem and recommended that governments institute laws to restrict dogs and mitigate their impact on the environment.
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Dog and climate change, Mother jones vs dogs, Dogs and environment, Mother jones ridiculed, Politics
ABC News EDITED Stephen A. Smith interview on presidential bid?
In an exclusive interview on ABC News, Stephen A. Smith discussed the possibility of running for president. However, Jason Whitlock of “Fearless” has noticed a glaring error in the interview — that is, that ABC and Disney may have edited the footage in order to favor him.
“Did you catch it? Did you catch those examples of this clip being edited?” Whitlock says. “Early on, like 30 seconds in there, there’s a little gap where I think Stephen A. and they edited the clip. And it’s Kamala Harris-type editing.”
Whitlock notes that Smith also works for ESPN, a Disney product, which is a curious connection — especially considering the interviewer didn’t ask him one hard or critical question.
“They’re paying you $20 million a year to talk about sports nonstop. Stephen A., given all that, given your job, what you’ve been doing, how hyper-focused you’ve been on sports, what makes you qualified to be the president of the United States?” Whitlock asks as if he were interviewing him.
“Why isn’t that the first question?” he asks. “Why do they go to, ‘Stephen A., what’s your reaction to what Donald Trump is doing?’”
While Smith certainly has a right to critique the president, Whitlock doesn’t believe only critiquing the president while planning to run for his position in the future is a good look.
“I mean, seriously. Stephen A. Smith works at ESPN. He’s an employee. It’s not like he’s run some major company and has a hundred people that are direct reports to him or that he oversees a bunch of people that have direct reports to him,” Whitlock says.
“He sits on TV and talks about sports. And now he’s flirting with the idea of being president of the United States,” he adds.
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‘Die Elon’: Man charged for firebombing Tesla dealership and GOP headquarters in New Mexico; Pam Bondi vows consequences
The U.S. Department of Justice has brought significant criminal charges against a New Mexico man who is accused of carrying out arson attacks against the New Mexico Republican Party’s headquarters and a Tesla dealership in the state.
Jamison Wagner, a 40-year-old resident of Albuquerque, New Mexico, was arrested and charged with two counts of malicious damage or destruction of property by fire or explosives, according to federal authorities. If convicted, Wagner faces between five and 20 years in prison for each count.
‘Hurling firebombs is not a political protest.’
Federal prosecutors claim the first arson attack took place at a Tesla dealership in Albuquerque on Feb. 9. Wagner is accused of arson of the Tesla dealership and also of vandalizing the building with inflammatory graffiti, including allegedly writing: “Die Elon,” “Tesla Nazi Inc,” “Die Tesla Nazi,” and swastika symbols, according to a report from the Justice Department.
There has been outrage — at times violent — by leftists incensed by Elon Musk’s efforts with the Department of Government Efficiency to get rid of excessive or fraudulent federal government spending.
On March 30, the headquarters of the Republican Party of New Mexico was allegedly attacked. The office reportedly suffered from shattered glass and extensive fire damage to a door, and the outside walls were spray-painted with graffiti that read: “ICE=KKK.”
Surveillance cameras at both locations captured a white 2015 Hyundai Accent near the crime scenes.
Evidence collected from both crime scenes led to the home of Wagner.
During a search of Wagner’s home, investigators allegedly discovered a stencil with the term “ICE = KKK,” an apparent reference to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Authorities also found eight suspected incendiary devices.
No one was injured in either incident, according to investigators.
The Justice Department announced in a statement that FBI and ATF agents found “blue styrofoam egg cartons consistent with the polystyrene material found in the improvised napalm used in the Tesla fire, materials for manufacturing additional incendiary devices, ignitable liquids consistent with the gasoline used at both fire scenes, as well as black and red spray paint matching the graffiti used at both crime scenes” at Wagner’s residence.
Authorities also allegedly found Wagner’s 2015 white Hyundai Accent in his garage.
Federal authorities have declared that Wagner will now face the full force of the law if he is found guilty.
U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche declared, “Hurling firebombs is not a political protest. It is a dangerous felony that we will prosecute to the maximum extent. The impressive work by law enforcement in New Mexico sends a clear message to perpetrators of all of the shameful attacks on Tesla facilities and political establishments: We are coming for you, you can’t hide, and you will do serious jail time to pay for your crimes.”
Deputy Director Robert Cekada of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives added, “A key suspect is now in custody thanks to the exceptional work of ATF’s Special Agents, certified fire investigators, and forensic specialists. This arrest marks a critical step toward justice in the firebombing that targeted a Tesla dealership and the New Mexico Republican Party Headquarters. Our teams worked around the clock — collecting, analyzing, and connecting forensic evidence across both scenes. With the support of our local partners, the FBI, and the rapid work of ATF’s forensic lab, we were able to link the crimes, identify those responsible, and take swift action to protect the public. This is what ATF does best: We follow the evidence, we find the truth, and we bring offenders to justice.”
FBI Director Kash Patel stated, “This arrest is part of the FBI’s aggressive efforts to investigate and hold accountable those who have targeted Tesla facilities in various states across the country. Thank you to our agents and support teams in Albuquerque who did an outstanding job executing the mission. Under Attorney General Bondi’s leadership, we will continue to locate and arrest those responsible for these acts of domestic terrorism, and the FBI will work with partners at the Department of Justice to ensure such lawbreakers face justice.”
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated of the case on the X social media platform, “We will be prosecuting to the fullest extent of the law. We are seeking up to 40 years in prison — no negotiating.”
Bondi also hinted this week that federal prosecutors would not accept plea deals.
“Let this be the final lesson to those taking part in this ongoing wave of political violence,” said Bondi. “We will arrest you, we will prosecute you, and we will not negotiate. Crimes have consequences.”
FBI spokesperson Ben Williamson told the New York Post, “Following Attorney General Bondi’s leadership, Director Patel immediately took steps to have the FBI quickly locate and arrest domestic terrorists attacking Tesla facilities — and we’re glad to see the latest operation succeed not just in this effort, but also bring to justice the same alleged attacker of the New Mexico Republican Party from February.”
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Tesla, Republican party, Arson, Vandalism, Ice, Kkk, Elon musk, Atf, Jamison wagner, Pam bondi, Kash patel, Politics, Crime
Trump’s DOT left to clean up Biden admin’s $43 billion grant fiasco
The Trump administration’s Department of Transportation revealed that it inherited an “unprecedented backlog of grants” left by the Biden administration.
In late March, the DOT’s Federal Highway Administration reported that Secretary Sean Duffy had finalized a $221 million federal grant to rebuild Rhode Island’s Washington Bridge — its westbound side has been closed since December 2023 following a “critical failure.” The funding for the project was initially announced in the fall of 2024, but the Biden administration “failed to sign the agreement.”
‘Under the Trump administration, we’ve ripped out this red tape and are getting back to what matters.’
The DOT’s announcement noted that “the Trump administration inherited roughly 3,200 unobligated grants that had been promoted by the previous administration but never fulfilled.”
Duffy stated, “Since coming into office, my team has discovered an unprecedented backlog of grants leftover from the previous administration.”
He slammed “ridiculous DEI and Green New Deal requirements” for preventing “real infrastructure from being built and funded.”
“Under the Trump administration, we’ve ripped out this red tape and are getting back to what matters. As part of our work to deliver real results, we are pleased to announce $221 million in grants for Rhode Island’s Washington Bridge — a critical link that carries thousands of vehicles a day,” Duffy declared.
A DOT spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the backlogs totaled $43 billion. After Trump won the election but before he took office, the Biden administration reportedly announced $9 billion worth of grants to 1,000 recipients that were not made official before Biden departed.
“Nothing was done to actually get these grant agreements signed and sent to projects,” the DOT spokesperson stated.
During the April 10 Cabinet meeting, Duffy told President Donald Trump about the previous administration’s massive grant backlog.
“The last administration announced 3,200 projects, big, beautiful roads and bridges — most of them are good. But they announced them — they didn’t sign a grant agreement,” he explained. “So the money doesn’t go out the door to build the infrastructure in the country. And it’s fun to do an announcement. It’s actually the harder work to put together these grant agreements.”
Duffy noted how the Biden administration included “green and social justice requirements.”
“We’re pulling all that out and putting the money toward the infrastructure, not the social movement from the last administration,” he said.
Trump responded, “Good steel, right? As opposed to green papier-mache.”
On Monday, Duffy announced that the DOT had saved taxpayers $63.9 million by terminating a grant between the Federal Railroad Administration and Amtrak to build a high-speed rail project in Texas.
Duffy called the project “a waste of taxpayer funds and a distraction from Amtrak’s core mission of improving its existing subpar services.”
“If the private sector believes this project is feasible, they should carry the pre-construction work forward, rather than relying on Amtrak and the American taxpayer to bail them out. My department will continue to look for every opportunity to save federal dollars and prioritize efficiencies,” Duffy said.
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News, Donald trump, Trump, Trump admin, Sean duffy, Department of transportation, Dot, Biden admin, Biden administration, Biden, Joe biden, Pete buttigieg, Infrastructure, Politics
New York City Council sues to shield illegal aliens from ICE’s return to Rikers Island
The New York City Council filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against Mayor Eric Adams (D) to prevent Immigration and Customs Enforcement from returning to Rikers Island.
Last week, Adams’ first deputy mayor, Randy Mastro, issued an executive order allowing ICE to occupy office space at Rikers Island, the site of a prison managed by the city’s Department of Correction.
‘While we will review the lawsuit, this one seems baseless and contrary to the public interest in protecting New Yorkers from violent criminals.’
ICE was previously booted from the area in 2014 after then-Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) formalized New York City’s sanctuary policy protecting illegal aliens ultimately at the expense of public safety.
Mastro’s action indicated that there is a “critical” need for federal law enforcement officers’ presence on the island to enable them to share intelligence with the DOC and the New York Police Department, particularly to curb “criminal gang activity.”
The order stated, “The safety of the City of New York has been jeopardized by violent transnational gangs and criminal enterprises — including transnational gangs such as MS-13 and Tren de Aragua — that have been designated by federal authorities as foreign terrorist organizations.”
“There is historical precedent for federal law enforcement authorities to have office space and personnel on Rikers Island as recently as a decade ago,” it read.
Adams’ administration noted that ICE’s return to Rikers Island would not conflict with the city’s sanctuary laws because it allows the agency to coordinate only on criminal investigations and not civil matters.
The council’s lawsuit argues that Mastro lacked the authority to issue the order, further citing that he failed to first complete a “meaningful independent analysis.”
Additionally, the council claims that the action was tied to an alleged “corrupt bargain” between Adams and the Trump administration to have the criminal case against him dropped. Adams and the White House have denied any allegations of a quid pro quo.
“The ‘purchase price’ — which was agreed to in advance and is now being proffered — is the safety and well-being of immigrant communities and all New Yorkers whose rights are protected by our city’s prized sanctuary law,” the lawsuit reads.
City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, who is running against Mayor Adams in the upcoming election, stated, “Once again, this City Council is standing firm to protect the rights and safety of all New Yorkers against attacks by the Trump administration — because the city’s mayor won’t stop placing his own personal interests ahead of the people of our city.”
“New York cannot afford its mayor colluding with the Trump administration to violate the law, and this lawsuit looks to the court to uphold the basic standard of democracy, even if our mayor won’t,” she added.
Kayla Mamelak Altus, a spokesperson for the mayor, told the Gothamist that Mastro’s executive action “is expressly authorized by New York City’s local laws — the very laws enacted by the City Council.”
She noted that Mastro “independently concluded that a federal presence at Rikers to conduct federal criminal investigations is in New York City’s best interest and protects public safety, particularly in our ongoing efforts to target violent transnational gangs now present in our city, including those designated as terrorist organizations.”
“While we will review the lawsuit, this one seems baseless and contrary to the public interest in protecting New Yorkers from violent criminals,” Mamelak Altus added.
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News, New york city council, Nyc council, Eric adams, New york city, New york, Randy mastro, Sanctuary city, Sanctuary cities, Sanctuary jurisdictions, Immigration and customs enforcement, Ice, Immigration crisis, Immigration, Politics
Woman accused of drowning 7-year-old daughter was distraught over immigration status, fiancé claims
A woman who allegedly killed her 7-year-old daughter had been severely distraught over her immigration status, says the woman’s fiancé.
Thirty-seven-year-old Graciela Castellanos is the primary suspect in the drowning death of her daughter in a Van Nuys neighborhood of Los Angeles on Friday. Castellanos’ fiancé told KABC-TV that she had been a good mother but that she had episodes of mental illness.
They overhead a girl yelling, ‘Mommy, please no. Mommy, please no,’ on the day of the incident.
The grieving man didn’t want to be identified and spoke in Spanish to KABC reporter Leo Stallworth.
“First, I want to say that my wife was an almost perfect mom. She never told a bad word, yelled at the girl, didn’t hit her,” he said, as translated to English. “She was the sweetest mom in the world.”
The man said he arrived at the apartment at about 7 p.m. after police had already arrived.
First responders had found the child’s body in a bathtub and pronounced her dead soon afterward.
Castellanos’ fiancé said that she had suffered episodes that caused her to scream and isolate herself until they passed, but he claimed she had never been violent. He said that they were planning on getting married in about two months, and he was going to adopt the woman’s daughter.
The Los Angeles Police Department released few details about the case as the investigation is ongoing.
The fiancé also said that Castellanos had fallen into deep depression after finding out that she may not become a legal resident.
Castellanos was arrested and booked into jail on bail of $2 million.
A resident of the Van Nuys neighborhood told KABC that they overhead a girl yelling, “Mommy, please no. Mommy, please no,” on the day of the incident.
Images of the victim and the interview with the fiancé can be viewed on the news video report from KABC-TV on YouTube.
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Immigration status murder, Graciela castellanos murder, Mom kills daughter, Lethal drowning immigration, Politics
Top Hegseth adviser escorted out of Pentagon as part of probe into Houthi text leak
An adviser to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was escorted out of the Pentagon as part of the investigation into the leak about a military operation against the Houthi terror group.
Dan Caldwell, a Marine Corps veteran who was deployed to Iraq, was placed on administrative leave over “an unauthorized disclosure,” according to a U.S. official who spoke to Reuters.
‘We can confirm the Reuters reporting is accurate …’
Caldwell was included in the text chain, published by the Atlantic, of officials in the Defense Department and others who were planning the military attack. The text conversation was inadvertently leaked when the outlet’s editor in chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, was included as one of the text participants.
Hegseth’s chief of staff, Joe Kasper, called for an investigation into the embarrassing leak in a memo signed on March 21.
Jennifer Griffin of Fox News confirmed the report through a top U.S. official.
“We can confirm the Reuters reporting is accurate, but we do not comment on ongoing investigations,” the official said to Griffin.
Critics of the administration pointed out that sensitive and classified information should not have been sent over unsecured applications like the one used for the Houthi strike group.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt denied that war plans were leaked and went on the offensive against Goldberg.
“Jeffrey Goldberg is well known for his sensationalist spin. Here are the facts about his latest story,” said Leavitt at the time.
This is a developing story, and additional information may be added.
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Pete hegseth advisor, Dan caldwell on leave, Houthi attack thread leak, Hegseth thread leak, Politics
Egg ‘donation’ centers prey on young women — and don’t disclose the dangers
If you’re a young woman who’s in a bit of a financial pinch, becoming an egg donor might seem like an easy, painless way to make some fast cash.
But the emotional and physical cost is much more than what these egg donation centers let on — so much so that the executive director of the Center for Bioethics, Kallie Fell, thinks these young women desperately need to steer clear.
“You have to start with thinking about what kinds of women are targeted to become egg sellers,” Fell tells Allie Beth Stuckey on “Relatable.” “These women are young, typically between 20 and 30 because those are our fertile years, that’s when we’re healthiest, our eggs are healthiest, our egg quality and quantity are the best,” Fell explains, calling the advertisements targeting these women “slick.”
“‘Free tanning sessions,’ ‘pay for spring break,’” Fell mimics. “Often, too, the advertisements will list a higher amount than what they’re often given, because a woman might answer an advertisement and say, ‘Oh, I saw an advertisement for X amount.’ But then she might find out that she’s not quite what they’re looking for.”
The women are also targeted for their empathy, as they believe they don’t need their eggs at that moment and would love to help out a family in need.
“Their altruistic intentions are exploited,” Fell says, and Stuckey couldn’t agree more.
“I mean, it sounds like the song ‘Fancy’ by Reba McIntyre. I mean, she’s talking about being a young prostitute because her mom is sending her out to help pay their bills. This is not sex, but it is selling your body for money, sometimes for desperation,” Stuckey says.
“And not just your body,” Fell says, “You’re not just putting your health at risk, but you are in essence, as an egg seller, sperm seller, you are giving away your future child that is your genetic material that will make a future child. And I think that young women don’t always think that through.”
“You are willing to give up your own child to someone else, and you have no idea how that child will be raised,” Stuckey agrees.
However, it’s not just the future of the child or the “slick” advertising targeting young women that bothers Stuckey and Fell — but the fact that the advertising does not include the known health risks to the young women they’re targeting.
“In nowhere on them do they include the known risks or even the statement that we don’t know what the risks are,” Fell explains, noting that she’s been speaking with an “egg seller” who’s trying to file a class-action lawsuit in Canada for the physical harm she experienced.
“She just talks to me about how she called the clinic with pains, complaints of shortness of breath, and other side effects, and instead of talking to a doctor, she talked to a coordinator who just reassured her that it was normal. She never actually saw a physician or a provider of medical care until she was sedated on the table, ready to collect her eggs,” she continues.
“These advertisements are very flowery, they use very cunning and slick language, and once they’re exploited for their eggs, they’re put on high doses of hormones and medications that have long-lasting side effects,” she says.
In a film for the Center of Bioethics and Culture, the stories of these women who were harmed are told — and they face everything from strokes to ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome to losing their own fertility.
“And those are just kind of immediate risks. We don’t know what happens to these women long-term, their risk for cancer later, or their children,” she adds.
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Orlando mayor backtracks after stating city would not fully enforce Florida’s immigration laws
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer (D) is walking back statements about half-heartedly enforcing Florida’s immigration laws after a warning from Attorney General James Uthmeier (R).
While Dyer had confirmed that Orlando’s police department would participate in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s 287(g) program, as mandated by new state law, he added that officers would still follow the Trust Act, a sanctuary city policy that was voided under a law signed by Governor Ron DeSantis (R) in 2019.
“So, if somebody is subject to a traffic stop or calls the police to report a crime, the police will not ask what their status is and will not be subject to any proactive activities of that sort,” Dyer said recently, according to WESH 2.
The implementation of the statewide requirement to be part of ICE’s program has been rocky in some parts of Florida.
“If the city enforces the policy as Mayor Dyer suggested, especially with [Orlando police] signing a 287(g) agreement with ICE, there will be consequences,” Uthmeier said on Monday.
The next day, Uthmeier posted a letter Dyer sent to him, which said that officers will be fully complying with state law and will be fully participating in the 287(g) program.
“I want to assure you that we take your letter, Florida law, and federal immigration law very seriously. Neither I nor the Orlando Police Department have any intention of violating federal or state law,” Dyer wrote to Uthmeier. “We assure you we will continue to use our best efforts to support the enforcement of federal immigration law, as well as state law.”
The 287(g) program trains local law enforcement officers to be able to perform certain immigration enforcement duties while they are carrying out their daily duties. The federal program is different from joint task forces, where federal agencies such as ICE or Border Patrol are present with local law enforcement and solely focusing on immigration duties.
The implementation of the statewide requirement to be part of ICE’s program has been rocky in some parts of Florida. The Fort Myers City Council did not pass an ICE agreement when it was first brought up, but after public backlash and warnings from the DeSantis administration, members passed the measure.
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Politics
Canadian transvestite cancels US music tour because of America’s reality-affirming visa policy
Canadian singer Bells Larsen, a woman who pretends to be a man,
announced Friday that she canceled all of the American shows on her spring tour, blaming the Trump administration’s requirement that visa applicants state their actual sex on their applications.
The female singer, who planned to exclusively play in blue states, indicated that she received an email last week from the American Federation of Musicians “stating that I am no longer able to apply for a Visa because US Immigration now only recognizes identification that corresponds with one’s assigned sex at birth.”
Contrary to Larsen’s suggestion, which was uncritically embraced by leftists online —
including the United Musicians and Allied Workers union — the singer is entirely capable of applying for a visa. However, to do so successfully would require her acknowledgment that she is indeed a woman.
On his first day in office, President Donald Trump
signed an executive order rejecting gender ideology and instructing the government to recognize only two sexes, male and female.
The president directed Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to “implement changes to require that government-issued identification documents, including passports, visas, and Global Entry cards, accurately reflect the holder’s sex.”
‘I truly don’t know which phrasing holds more truth.’
Rubio gave guidance in February instructing all visa-issuing posts to ensure that the sex listed on an issued visa corresponds to the visa holder’s immutable biological classification as either male or female.
The guidance noted that:
generally, the sex listed on the foreign passport should be considered as prima facie evidence of the applicant’s sex as defined in the E.O. However, there may be instances when a consular officer becomes aware that the sex listed on the foreign passport may not be the applicant’s sex as defined in the E.O. In such cases, the adjudicator should confirm the applicant’s sex as defined in the E.O., indicate that sex on the visa, and add a case note documenting any discrepancy between the passport and the visa to prevent issues at the [point of entry].
Canadian passports are unreliable when it comes to evidencing an applicant’s sex because Canadian passport holders can
request a gender identifier for the opposite sex and even for “another gender” besides male or female.
The request form winks at this unreliability, notifying Canadians that the sex identifier on their travel document “may not be universally accepted for entry or exit by border authorities of another country.”
Larsen apparently failed to read the fine print.
“To put it super plainly, because I’m trans (and have an M on my passport), I can’t tour in the States,” wrote the female singer. “I hesitate to include a ‘right now’ or an ‘anymore’ at the end of my previous sentence, because — in this sociopolitical climate — I truly don’t know which phrasing holds more truth.”
Larsen suggested that her announcement was somehow ironic because her new album is about her adoption of a male persona following
elective mastectomies and testosterone therapy, adding, “This new policy has crushed my dreams.”
‘President Trump promised the American people a revolution of common sense.’
After doing her best to use the manufactured controversy to promote herself, Larsen implored her fellow Canadians to vote in the upcoming federal election in which conservative populist Pierre Poilievre seeks to unseat as prime minister the
self-identified “European” World Economic Forum frequenter Mark Carney.
Earlier this month, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
announced it was updating its policy manual to clarify that it recognizes only two biological sexes, male and female.
“President Trump promised the American people a revolution of common sense, and that includes making sure that the policy of the U.S. government agrees with simple biological reality,” Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary for public affairs Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. “Proper management of our immigration system is a matter of national security, not a place to promote and coddle an ideology that permanently harms children and robs real women of their dignity, safety, and well-being.”
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Gender, Transgender, Lunacy, Bells larsen, Canada, Canadian, Us, Visa, Marco rubio, Visa application, Gender ideology, Donald trump, Politics
‘Mind-boggling’: White House shames Democrats for defending illegal immigrants instead of US citizens
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt tore into Democrats during Tuesday’s briefing for continuing to demand that an illegal immigrant deported to El Salvador be returned to the United States.
Democrats and the mainstream media have been outraged that Salvadoran national Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia was deported to the Central American country even though he had a deportation stay after claiming he was in fear of a rival gang. The Trump administration carried out the deportation because Abrego Garcia was in the United States illegally and violent gangs are no longer an issue in El Salvador.
‘I’m not sure what is so difficult about this for everyone in the media to understand.’
When the Washington Reporter’s Matthew Foldi asked Leavitt about Democrats like Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland advocating for illegal aliens like Abrego Garcia to stay in the United States, she said Democrats’ priorities have been “mind-boggling.”
“I think it’s atrocious that you have Democrats in Congress, on Capitol Hill, who swear an oath to protect their constituents and to serve them in Washington, D.C., spending more time defending illegal immigrant gang members than their own constituents and law-abiding American citizens like Rachel Morin,” Leavitt said.
Morin was a Maryland mother who was killed by an illegal immigrant during the Biden-Harris border crisis. The man accused of her murder was found guilty on Monday.
Leavitt said Democrats’ actions prove “they could not care less about the American public. Maybe if they did, they’d see a bit higher approval ratings.”
When Leavitt was asked about Abrego Garcia again, she expressed disdain for media attempts to create an outrage cycle over someone who was rightfully removed from the United States.
“Abrego Garcia was a foreign terrorist. He is an MS-13 gang member. He was engaged in human trafficking. He illegally came into our country. Deporting him back to El Salvador was always going to be the end result. There is never going to be a world in which this is an individual who is going to live a peaceful life in Maryland,” she explained, noting El Salvadoran President Nyaib Bukele’s government has confirmed his MS-13 membership.
“I’m not sure what is so difficult about this for everyone in the media to understand,” Leavitt continued.
“It’s truly striking to me.”
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Politics
Lawmaker flat-out admits Democrats regularly discuss ‘legal strategy’ to thwart Trump administration
President Donald Trump and his administration have long been the targets of lawfare motivated by leftists, stretching back to his first term. Although Democrats have played semantic games to categorize these attacks as anything other than politically motivated, one lawmaker finally said the quiet part out loud.
Democratic Rep. Laura Friedman of California told town hall attendees Monday that she and her colleagues regularly gather in closed-door meetings dedicated to plotting legal attacks against Trump and his administration.
While this practice has become commonplace within the Democratic Party, congressional Republicans are doing what they can to put a stop to it.
“Every single week we have a litigation working group where a large group of us, and I’m talking there’s maybe 75 members of the House, sit down every single week with the [attorneys general] to talk about legal strategy,” Friedman said. “This is all going on every single week behind the scenes. It is nonstop.”
Friedman quickly diluted the severity of her admission by mentioning additional and more common avenues politicians use to attack each other.
“It is nonstop introduction of bills and legislation, nonstop being on social media as much as we can without being throttled, without the, you know, crazy analytics, and doing all these things,” Friedman said.
Friedman finally confirmed that Democrats are in fact coordinating behind closed doors to weaponize the justice system against their political opponents. While this practice has become commonplace within the Democratic Party, congressional Republicans are doing what they can to put a stop to it.
In light of Friedman’s remarks, it’s clear that these safeguards are more important than ever.
In recent weeks, numerous federal judges have blocked many of Trump’s executive orders in an attempt to stifle his administration. Most notoriously, U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg blocked the administration’s deportations of illegal migrants from Venezuela despite their affiliation with the violent gang Tren de Aragua.
As a result, both House and Senate Republicans have introduced legislation to combat these rogue judges.
Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah introduced the Restraining Judicial Activists Act in late March, which would establish a district court with three judges to check rulings made against the executive branch. At the same time, Republican Rep. Darrell Issa of California introduced the No Rogue Rulings Act, which limits district judges’ power of imposing nationwide injunctions. Issa’s bill passed the House in early April and is now on its way to the Senate.
In light of Friedman’s remarks, it’s clear that these safeguards are more important than ever.
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House democrats, Senate democrats, House republicans, Senate republicans, Democrats, Republicans, Donald trump, Trump administration, Government weaponization, Doj, Lawfare, Politically motivated, Lauren friedman, James boasberg, Rogue judges, Activist judges, Mike lee, Darrell issa, Politics
Armed mom allegedly threatens lesbian teacher over Pride flag: ‘Say ur prayers and kiss ur kids goodbye and goodnight’
An Indiana mom is facing charges for allegedly sending threatening messages to a teacher after going on campus and complaining about a lesson to her daughter that included a Pride flag.
Forty-eight-year-old Carrie Rivers was upset that the teacher had used a Pride flag with the words “be kind” while teaching children about flags, according to Indiana police.
She added, ‘God will condemn you to hell,’ and she called the teacher a ‘child predator.’
Rivers angrily confronted the sixth-grade teacher at Valley Mills Elementary School in Indianapolis on Wednesday over the lesson and accused her of trying to indoctrinate her daughter to accept LGBTQ relationships.
The Decatur Township School Police Department said they were called to the grade school about an “irate parent,” and when they arrived, they noticed that Rivers was armed.
“Carrie Rivers stated that she did have a gun as I was removing it from her person,” according to Tabetha Emenaker, the responding officer. “I advised Carrie Rivers on the law in regard to having a firearm on school premises and that it was an arrestable offense. She understood and stated that she didn’t even realize that she had it on because she is so used to wearing it and has been on school property with it before.”
Police let Rivers go after she said she was pulling her daughter out of the school and intended to homeschool her. Rivers also referred to the lesbian teacher by a slur, according to the affidavit.
Rivers then allegedly sent threatening messages to the teacher. She first used the school’s messaging app, and after she was blocked there, she moved onto Facebook to send more messages, according to WTHR-TV.
The mom said in alleged messages to the teacher, “Say ur prayers and kiss ur kids goodbye and goodnight u never know when god says its (sic) our time so be prepared.”
She added, “God will condemn you to hell,” and she called the teacher a “child predator.”
The teacher said that the child was allowed to skip the assignment. Rivers’ husband said that his wife carries a gun often for security and simply forgot she was carrying it. He told NBC News that other parents often carry guns without incident when dropping their children at the school.
The district released a statement about the incident.
“No threats were made against students or staff at that time. The police suspected that the parent had possession of a concealed handgun on her person and escorted her out of the building. At that point, they took possession of the weapon from the parent without incident outside the school. The parent stated that she forgot to remove the handgun before arriving on school property,” read the statement.
They went on to say Rivers was not allowed on school property any longer.
“After the incident, it came to our attention that the parent then sent harassing and threatening messages to her child’s teacher,” the district said. “A warrant was filed for her arrest, and she is not permitted on any Decatur Township school property.”
Rivers was charged with harassment and possession of a firearm on school property.
Scenes from the school can be viewed on the news video report from WTHR.
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Armed mom threatens lesbian, Mom vs lesbian teacher, Parental rights arrest, Carrie rivers arrest, Politics
YouTuber arrested for trying to contact forbidden island tribe — his ‘peace offering’ will crack you up
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a Union Territory of India located in the Bay of Bengal, roughly 750 miles southeast of mainland India. While several of the islands are tourist attractions, there is one island that is strictly prohibited from visiting.
North Sentinel Island is fiercely protected by the Indian government, as it is home to the Sentinelese tribe – an uncontacted, indigenous people who are extremely hostile to outsiders.
In the 1970s, a National Geographic filmmaker was injured by an arrow while attempting to make a documentary. In 2018, an evangelical Christian missionary, who traveled illegally to the island intending to convert the tribe to Christianity, was killed after being shot with many arrows.
Now, another attempt to reach the Sentinelese tribe has been made, this time by a YouTuber named Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov.
On March 31, Polyakov was arrested after illegally attempting to contact the Sentinelese people. According to reports, he landed on the restricted island and filmed his visit.
But if risking his neck for adventure or clicks (or both) wasn’t wild enough, the “offering” he left the Sentinelese people will truly shock you — and maybe even make you laugh.
Dave Landau of “Normal World” hilariously unpacks this bizarre adventure and the absurd “offering” left behind.
“He brought them a coconut and a can of Diet Coke as his offering,” Dave says, reading from reports.
He’s immediately reminded of the 1980 comedy “The Gods Must Be Crazy,” where a Coca-Cola bottle dropped from an airplane turns a Kalahari tribe on its head.
“So [Polyakov] pulled a ‘Gods Must Be Crazy’ and must have thought that somebody didn’t know the reference,” laughs Dave. “I know what you’re doing; you’re not original.”
“Except in the movie, they don’t bring a coconut because they’re not stupid,” he quips.
Dave’s movie reference sparks a wild panel discussion on ’80s movies, cartoon chaos, and 5G paranoia.
To hear it and see a picture of the fool who offered the Sentinelese tribe a can of Diet Coke and a coconut, watch the clip above.
Want more ‘Normal World’?
To enjoy more whimsical satire, topical sketches, and comedic discussions from comedians Dave Landau and 1/4 Black Garrett, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.
Normal world, Dave landau, 1/4 black garrett, Andaman and nicobar islands, North sentinel island, Sentinelese tribe, Blazetv, Blaze media, Mykhailo viktorovyvh polyakov
Liberals outraged at gay dad adoption sketch on ‘SNL,’ but many on the right love it
A sketch on “Saturday Night Live” about a gay couple adopting a child is getting some praise from many on the right, but liberals are outraged over it.
The sketch stars guest Jon Hamm as part of a homosexual couple visiting a group of friends, and they unexpectedly bring their newborn child. The friends are bewildered as they try to understand how the couple was able to obtain a child.
‘The culture is shifting. This is hilarious and promising.’
Some viewers expressed their outrage on social media that “SNL” broadcast a sketch that appeared to be politically incorrect.
“So SNL, widely disdained among conservatives, is now alienating it’s (sic) liberal core fans – because, why? I’ve never seen a TV show commit suicide before,” responded one critic.
“Snl gay dad with baby sketch is awful. putting us back years,” replied one account with pronouns in its profile.
“The people that want queer people dead already won, must you also validate them by trying to curry their favor? what are you doing. really,” said writer Ayesha Siddiqi.
Video of the sketch on the show’s account went viral with millions of views.
Many on the right were shocked that “SNL” would promote a sketch they found hilarious.
“At this rate I might watch SNL again. The culture is shifting. This is hilarious and promising. First time in 15 years I’ve seen the LGBT third rail be mocked on TV,” responded Charlie Kirk of TPUSA.
“We’re so back and I don’t even watch SNL. Thank God the tides are turning so we can make fun of the insanity in our world again,” read another comment.
“Hey! SNL is getting kinda funny again! I hope this keeps up. It’s been DECADES of super not funny,” read an account identifying as libertarian.
Others, like Allie Beth Stuckey, host of BlazeTV’s “Relatable,” found an important lesson in the sketch.
“Oh my gosh. ‘You guys said that after dinner you were going to go to a rave called ‘bulge dungeon’—and now today you have a baby?’ The purchasing of children deserves mockery and derision,” she wrote.
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Johnson & Johnson worried about losses from China tariffs despite projecting $700 million in profits
Johnson & Johnson’s CEO said President Trump’s tariffs on pharmaceuticals could cause a problem for drug supply chains.
During an investor call, CEO Joaquin Duato told his colleagues that they should work with the Trump administration to address supply chain vulnerabilities that could arise as a result of tariffs.
The remarks were seemingly an effective call for the Trump administration to ease tariffs on raw ingredients and drugs from China, the country the president has hit hardest in his new economic plan.
At the same time, however, Johnson & Johnson reported strong first-quarter revenues that even surpassed Wall Street estimates, Reuters stated.
According to the report, the pharmaceutical giant detailed plans to raise U.S. investments by 25% in the next four years — with some commitments already made — which would total more than $55 million.
Sales for 2025 were forecast to be around $700 million, and an upcoming nasal spray that allegedly treats depression is expected to generate sales between $3 billion and $3.5 billion annually by 2028. The company’s chief financial officer reportedly claimed that a $400 million loss, as a result of tariffs, had been worked into the profit margin calculations.
Following a third failed bankruptcy attempt, the company is still facing over 90,000 lawsuits from families who alleged that talc-based Johnson & Johnson products were contaminated with asbestos and caused ovarian cancer after prolonged use.
The Lawsuit Information Center reported that a bankruptcy court rejected Johnson & Johnson’s $9 billion settlement proposal. Divided equally among 90,000 cases, that figure would equate to $100,000 per lawsuit.
At least 3,500 claimants are from the United Kingdom, making this case one of the largest class-action suits in English and Welsh history. While the majority of claimants are women, some men are included in those claims that also said the company’s powder products contained asbestos and caused cancer.
According to the Guardian, the number of lawsuits has nearly doubled since November 2024.
‘[Duato] oversaw the company’s rapid response to the COVID-19 pandemic.’
As for CEO Duato, the executive is coming off one of the most lucrative years of his career after his income increased to $28.4 million in 2023, versus $13.1 million in his first year as CEO in 2022, per Fierce Pharma.
Duato is a dual citizen of the U.S. and Spain and got his start at Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals. In 2021, BioSpace reported that Duato sat on the board of directors for UNICEF USA, while Fox Business noted he is the executive sponsor of Johnson & Johnson’s African Ancestry Leadership Council.
Duato was also praised by his company for his work during COVID-19:
“[Duato] oversaw the company’s rapid response to the COVID-19 pandemic and led coordination of global initiatives to safeguard the health of employees and ensure business and supply chain continuity,” a company release said.
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Big pharma, China, Tariffs, Trump, Johnson & johnson, Vaccine, Politics
LA schools deny DHS welfare checks on migrant kids Biden lost, left exposed to trafficking
Two Los Angeles Unified School District elementary schools prevented Department of Homeland Security officers from entering campus to perform welfare checks on five migrant children who reportedly entered the U.S. by themselves.
On April 7, the agents arrived at Lillian Street Elementary and Russell Elementary to check on the children but were turned away by the schools’ principals, who feared the officers were there for immigration enforcement matters.
‘DHS is leading efforts to conduct welfare checks on these children to ensure that they are safe and not being exploited, abused, and sex trafficked.’
Superintendent Alberto Carvalho applauded the principals for turning away the federal officers.
“What interest should a Homeland Security agent have in a first-grader?” Carvalho stated during a press conference. “They wanted access to the students to determine their well-being based on, according to the agents, the fact that when they entered this country, they entered as unaccompanied minors.”
“It is well-known that these students are under the care of relatives,” Carvalho declared.
He admitted that the agents confirmed they were not with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, but he noted that they arrived in unmarked vehicles and were wearing casual clothing.
“When the principals attempted to write down details about their IDs, they quickly hid their IDs,” Carvalho claimed.
According to the superintendent, the agents claimed that the legal guardians had permitted them to check on children at school. Carvalho insisted that was “absolutely, blatantly untrue.”
Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) and 17 other Democrats sent a letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem demanding the agency “desist from immigration enforcement activity targeting children who pose no threat to public safety.”
The letter stated that the officers arrived at the schools without warrants and were “rightly turned away.”
“LAUSD staff have informed us that the four students targeted at Russell Elementary were not, in fact, unaccompanied minors,” the letter claimed. “We therefore demand that your (sic) provide a briefing to our offices to prove your claims about the agency’s operations.”
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin addressed the incident in a Sunday post on X.
She wrote, “[Homeland Security Investigations] officers were at these schools conducting wellness checks on children who arrived unaccompanied at the border. This had *nothing* to do with immigration enforcement.”
“DHS is leading efforts to conduct welfare checks on these children to ensure that they are safe and not being exploited, abused, and sex trafficked,” McLaughlin continued. “Unlike the previous administration, President [Donald] Trump and Secretary Noem take the responsibility to protect children seriously and will continue to work with federal law enforcement to reunite children with their families.”
McLaughlin stated that Noem and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “have already reunited nearly 5,000 unaccompanied children with a relative or safe guardian” after former President Joe Biden’s administration lost track of 320,000 unaccompanied migrant children.
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News, Los angeles, California, Department of homeland security, Dhs, Kristi noem, Alberto carvalho, Los angeles unified school district, Lausd, Rober garcia, Robert f kennedy jr, Rfk jr, Immigration, Immigration crisis, Unaccompanied minors, Unaccompanied migrant children, Politics
Blaze News original: ’Austin Metcalf got exactly what he deserved — point blank, period’: Karmelo Anthony defenders go viral
As the case heats up against Karmelo Anthony — the 17-year-old charged with murdering Texas high school star athlete Austin Metcalf earlier this month in connection with the fatal stabbing at a Frisco track meet — something else has been playing out apart from the legal and investigative aspects.
There’s been no shortage of beliefs expressed on social media concerning how the case should conclude. Indeed, many believe Anthony should go to prison for a very long time. Prosecutors cannot seek the death penalty or life without parole for juveniles, however, due to a 2005 Supreme Court ruling, Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis told WFAA-TV.
‘Y’all said 17-yr-old Kyle Rittenhouse was justified in killing two people with an AR-15 because he felt threatened. 17-yr-old Karmelo Anthony was defending himself when he killed Austin Metcalf with a knife, and y’all think he deserves to go to prison. I wonder whyTE.’
But others on social media are defending Anthony, saying he stabbed Metcalf in self-defense and should be freed. Indeed, a judge on Monday granted Anthony house arrest and reduced his bond from $1 million to $250,000. Also as of Monday, the GiveSendGo fundraising page for Anthony eclipsed $415,000 after topping $250,000 early last week.
Whether or not Anthony’s release from jail is a first step toward a not-guilty verdict remains to be seen, but there is a growing number of folks who would seem to love nothing better.
One X user — in a post that has attracted 1.2 million views — predicted that “Karmelo Anthony will be a free young man soon.” The user based the prediction on a now-apparently deleted TikTok video included in the post from an individual who claimed that a Texas male recently was given just 30 days in jail and 10 years probation after fatally stabbing a friend amid mutual combat.
The reason for the seemingly lenient sentence, according to the video creator, is because in Texas, if you’re legally allowed to be in a given place, you can use deadly force to protect yourself from serious bodily injury — and that Anthony was legally allowed to be at the track meet.
“Maybe we should train people to not put their hands on people,” the video creator also said, adding “control your urges; control this neanderthal, territorial bulls**t.”
Another X user — in a post that has attracted over 773,000 views — pointed out a video by a white male who defends Anthony and supports his innocence. And what did the X user say about Anthony’s white supporter? “See, this cracka gets it. Karmelo Anthony is innocent — free him!”
An X post with over 683,000 views insists that Anthony “is an exceptional, upstanding, suburban, young teen boy. He is an honor roll student, works an honest job, and he’s a hero! If we allow them to paint this teenage boy as some Thug or reckless ‘YN,’ we failed, and no Black boy in America is safe!”
A post in defense of Anthony — containing numerous unproven allegations — managed to attract nearly 330,000 views, and another X user — in a post that has pulled in 329,000 views — wrote that “Kyle Rittenhouse can be 17 with an AR-15, Karmelo Anthony CAN’T be 17 with a knife. Make it make sense.”
Another X poster who pulled in nearly 288,000 views claimed that students who were at the fatal stabbing said Metcalf “beat up” Anthony “at a party a week prior over a girl” — despite witnesses telling police that Anthony and Metcalf, in fact, did not know each other.
Then, there are those who have called Anthony an “American hero” (123,000 views) and even claimed an image of an infant wearing KKK attire is Metcalf’s “baby photo” (84,000 views).
That’s already a lot of claims reaching a lot of eyes — and well before those who actually matter in the case bring evidence and testimony.
But the latter posts are nothing compared to the ones coming up. The following is a breakdown of five of the most viral social media takes defending Anthony:
Female in viral clip declares that ‘Austin Metcalf got exactly what he deserved — point blank, period’
Perhaps the most-viewed and controversial reaction in support of Anthony is a 51-second viral video showing a female — with the words “Free Karmelo” superimposed over her forehead — declaring that Metcalf “got exactly what he deserved — point blank, period.”
The following is the entirety of her spoken statement:
Y’all not gonna make me believe or feel any kind of sympathy for Austin Metcalf at all. He put his hands on that young man when he should’ve kept them hands to himself. When the young man told him, ‘Touch me and see, you [better] not touch me,’ that meant that ‘I don’t want you in my space, I don’t want you touching me.’ Rosa Park[s] days is [sic] over. You cannot think that can move somebody out of a seat that you don’t own and think that it’s gonna be OK. And you can’t determine how I’m gonna retaliate on you when [you] put your hands on me in an aggressive manner. Austin Metcalf got exactly what he deserved — point blank, period. It’s time out for feelin’ sorry for somebody[‘s] feelings or feelin’ emotional about somebody[‘s] feelings. Austin Metcalf should’ve kept his damn hands to himself — point blank, period.
The identity of the female in the video is not clear, but the clip can be found in numerous spots on social media. The X post from End Wokeness featuring the video has received 5.2 million views since April 8. Some responses to her take include the following:
“How do you fix this kind of sociopathy?” one commenter wondered.”Disgusting crap,” another user declared. “If we are now in a place of defending murder, what’s next[?]””She wasn’t there,” another commenter noted. “She wasn’t a witness. She doesn’t know the facts. So what is she talking about??”
Not all of the commenters pushed back against the female in the video, however. One person posted the following reaction: “I wouldn’t say he got what he deserved, but a very valuable lesson was learned for others. For every action, there’s a reaction. ‘Touch me and see what happens.’ He f**ked around and found out.”
Chilling video shows smiling female speaking softly while warning viewers, ‘Keep your motherf**king hands to yourself’ — and as children are heard playing in background
Another viral video featuring another unidentified female defending Anthony is rather chilling. She smiles and speaks softly as she warns viewers, “Keep your motherf**king hands to yourself” — all while children are heard playing in the background.
The following is the entirety of her unsettling spoken statement:
Keep your hands to yourself … keep your motherf**king hands to yourself. Yeah. Why should I have to tell you over and over again to f**k around and find out? … Keep your motherf**king hands to yourself. ‘Why he brought a knife to the school? … Oh, he was lookin’ to go there to murder.’ Y’all motherf**kers trying to act like y’all purposely tryin’ to misunderstand the situation when you see it clear as day like we all do. Hmm. He ain’t went there to stab no whole school up. He ain’t went there to stab no whole track meet up — like y’all go there to shoot a whole school up. Yeah, he had [a knife] for protection; anything can happen — just like anything happened that day! That’s why he had it. It tells you right there. Mmm hmm. Yeah. I can’t even stroll good without hearing that sound. Y’all know the sound. When you’re black, you’re never really lonely. ‘Cuz there’s always a person all up in your business. Yeah. Mmm hmm. Now let’s ask the realest question of ’em all: Why that boy feel entitled to go over there and put his hands on somebody else? Hmm? Why? If the parents was there like they claimin’ to be, and the mom that’s on TV [crying] her eyes out, why didn’t she step up and get up and say, ‘Hey baby, you can’t be over here. You should find your own original tent.’ I’ve ran track. They’ve been doing this for the longest, the same way. Kids are spread out everywhere. I have a niece that does it. Mmm hmm. Keep your hands to yourself. When I was in my yard the other day minding my business [someone asked] why me and my baby in the sun in our own yard. Like I told her, ‘I ain’t answerin’ no questions. If you step in this yard, you’ll be the next bitch to find out.’
The video is part of an April 8 X post from Unlimited L’s, and it has received 4.8 million views so far. Here are some responses to the video:
“Her attitude and demeanor during her entitled rant is enough to just piss you off,” one commenter stated.”I don’t like to typically wish misery upon people, but this lady needs to have karma come knocking at her door. I hope she is humbled in some way shape or form. If not, I hope she feels an influx of misery. She is everything wrong with this world, absolute scumbag!” another user declared.”She is recording this while little kids are playing next to her smh,” another commenter observed.”The spirit coming out of this is evil — just murderously evil,” another user wrote. “I feel like I’m listening to a demon talking through her, and it’s practically licking its lips.”
Since Kyle Rittenhouse and Daniel Penny were ‘justified’ in using ‘lethal self-defense,’ Karmelo Anthony also was ‘justified’ in doing so, activist says
With 4.3 million views so far is an April 4 pro-Anthony reaction from Tariq Nasheed, who has more than 377,000 followers on X. It reads: “If Kyle Rittenhouse was justified in using lethal self-defense… And Daniel Penny was justified in using lethal self-defense…. Then Karmelo Anthony was justified in using self-defense against alleged bullies who instigated an altercation, correct?”
Another April 4 take from Nasheed has garnered 2.2 million views and reads as follows: “A suspected white supremacist named Austin Metcalf … allegedly demanded honor student Karmelo Anthony give up his seat — like it was the Jim Crow era. Karmelo defended himself from the alleged threat. The Daniel Penny case set this precedent.”
One commenter responded by saying, “You’re a disgusting human, Tariq Nasheed. Austin Metcalf was just m*rdered by a thug, and you falsely accuse Metcalf of being a ‘white supremacist’ and the aggressor. Shame on you. You need to be sued for defamation.” Nasheed’s response — which was ratioed fairly decisively — reads as follows: “I didn’t say he was a white supremacist. There are many people who SUSPECTS [sic] him of being one. That’s why I said SUSPECTED.”
Nasheed has posted or reposted more than 20 reactions focusing on the Anthony-Metcalf situation. He also has a YouTube channel called “Tariq Radio” and links to a website highlighting “Foundational Black Americans,” which defines them as “proud descendants of the Black men and women who endured and survived one of the greatest atrocities in human history—American slavery.”
Bishop Talbert Swan blasts those who believe Karmelo Anthony should go to prison — and brings up race in the process: ‘I wonder whyTE’
Bishop Talbert Swan — who has been covered more than a few times by Blaze News over the years — offered the following April 6 reaction to the Anthony-Metcalf controversy: “Y’all said 17-yr-old Kyle Rittenhouse was justified in killing two people with an AR-15 because he felt threatened. 17-yr-old Karmelo Anthony was defending himself when he killed Austin Metcalf with a knife, and y’all think he deserves to go to prison. I wonder whyTE.”
Swan has just over 216,000 X followers, and his above X post attracted 2.1 million views. As you can imagine, Swan’s racially charged take was met with just a bit of hostility:
“Are you really this stupid or are you just pretending?” one commenter asked.”Are you f**king serious?” another user remarked before declaring Swan’s take as “one of the most delusional” and that he “should be ashamed” to refer to himself as a “bishop.””I’m pretty sure there’s a special place in hell for people who stoke racial hatred under the guise of religion… you damn false prophet!” another commenter declared.”Throwing gasoline on the race fire. As usual,” another user wrote.
Swan posted a separate but similar April 6 X reaction, which has drawn 653,000 views: “White folks out here asking why Karmelo Anthony had a knife but had no problem with 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse having an AR-15 that he wasn’t licensed to carry.”
‘Racist people’ assume Anthony ‘must not have had his father in his life,’ that his dad must be a ‘no-good person to raise this thug,’ video creator says. Then, she declares Metcalf, his twin brother came from ‘a broken home.’
Another video from yet another unidentified female asserts that “racist people” assume Anthony “must not have had his father in his life, and his father must be a deadbeat, no-good person to raise this thug, and that he must be livin’ in the hood and not livin’ good.” The female on the video is surrounded by what she says are photos of Anthony’s “very middle, upper-class family” that include “his father, his mother, and his siblings”; she adds that the family has been together “for over 17 years.”
“Interesting,” she continues. “Because I think a lot of racist people were saying that [Anthony] didn’t come from a loving family, and that his father was probably in prison or a loser and had abandoned him when he was young because of the stereotypes that you guys hear about black people — ‘the black father must not have been in the home.’ Well, it seems like his father loves him very much, and it seems like he was raised a good, young man — whether you guys like it or not. But you know who came from a broken home? The Metcalf boys came from a broken home because their parents aren’t together. … I wonder how coming from a home where the parents aren’t together … would have affected the twins? Hmm. I wonder.” A clip of Anthony practicing with his football team ends the video.
The female’s video appears in a post from a different X user who prefaces the clip by saying, “Karmelo was raised in a stable two-parent home, unlike the Metcalf twins, who came from a broken household. Given the circumstances, the stabbing was clearly an act of self-defense — and self-defense is not a crime.” The post has received 1.5 million views.
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Murder charge, Texas, Frisco, Austin metcalf, Karmelo anthony, 17-year-olds, Defending karmelo anthony, Self-defense plea, X, Social media, T3, Keep your hands to yourself, Crime