
Illinois Democrat minimizes violent acts committed by illegal immigrants as just 'a few crimes'
Rep. Jesús "Chuy" García, D- Ill., appeared to dismiss illegal immigrants attacking and murdering Americans as simply "immigrants committing a few crimes" Wednesday.
Garcia made his remarks at a House Judiciary Subcommittee hearing on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement where he feigned surprise that Republicans were "scapegoat[ing] immigrants once again."
"Republicans have lifted up some tragedies that involve immigrants committing a few crimes," Garcia said, claiming Republicans were being "dishonest and cruel."
"This is the exception, not the rule," he added. "I live in an immigrant neighborhood in Chicago. I know what it's like."
Just before García spoke, Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., called out sanctuary city policies for releasing known violent criminals onto the streets with no clear oversight.
"There have been murders, there have been rapes, there have been disfigurements," Van Drew said.
He added, "We know what happened to Laken Riley. We know what's happened to so many people. We're trying to clean up the chaos that was left behind."
Also, shortly before García made his comments, Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, gave a series of examples of sanctuary cities ignoring ICE detainers on rapists and killers, many of whom went on to assault and kill again.
García also argued that sanctuary city polices, such as the ones implemented in Chicago, have produced lower crime and poverty rates.
He concluded that Republicans are "not interested in public safety or crime victims" because of how they've embraced President Donald Trump's deportation policies.
Chicago Flips Red Vice President Danielle Carter-Walters responded to García during her testimony.
"It's funny that Mr. García is from Chicago, and he cannot tell you what's happening in our community. If he came into our community, he would see all the gang graffiti, the Tren de Aragua signs, the MS-13. He would see across the street in a park where they're putting the shelters, all the needles in the park," Carter-Walters said.
She also attacked sanctuary city policies and claimed, based on her husband's experience as a former police officer, that crimes by illegal immigrants are often not reported.
Fox News Digital reached out to Garcia's press secretary for further comment.
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New York Post
30 minutes ago
- New York Post
Trust no one: The Pentagon needs to come clean about UFO lies
Paging Fox Mulder: In a scene right out of 'The X-Files,' the Department of Defense has uncovered evidence that the Pentagon was behind one of the most notorious conspiracy theories about little green men. The Wall Street Journal reported last week that the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, a tiny DOD crew tasked with investigating UFO sightings, found that the Pentagon itself planted the rumor that Area 51 was swarming with aliens. In the 1980s, an Air Force colonel (no word if he was perpetually shrouded in cigarette smoke) gave fake photos of flying saucers near the base to a local bar owner: The idea was to cover for the development of the F-117 Nighthawk; any locals who caught a glimpse of the stealth fighter on a test flight would be predisposed to think it was extraterrestrial tech — and so get laughed off. Advertisement In another episode of disinfo-spreading linked to the DOD, in 1996 a radio host received a piece of metal with a note claiming it came off an alien spaceship. This wasn't wartime deception aimed at America's enemies, but peacetime disinformation fed to US citizens: Not what your taxes are supposed to pay for. Nor were civilians the only victims of out-of-this-world military tall tales. Advertisement The AARO also discovered a longstanding Air Force practice in which hundreds of new commanders of highly classified programs were reportedly given photos of a 'flying saucer,' told that they would be working on reverse-engineering the tech and sworn to secrecy. Many of these men were never clued into the ruse, and so lived their lives with the belief that aliens were real, the government knew about it, and they could never tell anyone — not even their spouses. That practice continued all the way up until 2023, and AARO investigators still don't know why the Air Force was psychologically tormenting its own officers. (One theory is that it was some idiot's idea of loyalty test.) And these lies were far from harmless: As the Journal notes, the 'paranoid mythology the U.S. military helped spread now has a hold over a growing number of its own senior officials who count themselves as believers.' Advertisement As well as the likes of former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), who forced the Defense Department to burn millions on ghost hunters and psychics seeking to contact the little green men. And the Pentagon was still being shady last year, when it reported that the AARO's exhaustive search of the records had never found a shred of evidence of space aliens visiting earth . . . but omitted any mention of the military's own role in pushing disinformation. Even now, the Defense Department owes the public a lot more: Come clean on every lie told in these deceptions, with the names of who made the calls to give Americans sham 'information.' Advertisement Was this the work of a few rogue officers? Or a strategy approved by top brass over the decades? However this got started, the Pentagon's duty now is to ensure that the full truth gets . . . out there.


Politico
34 minutes ago
- Politico
Trump's invasion of California marches on
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He and others who oppose that element of the bill say it could be used to target people of color and the LGBTQ+ community. Wiener voted to move the bill forward, but he said the loitering element 'needs to come out before it comes to the floor.' 'I've already spent years repealing the loitering law,' Wiener said. 'I'm not going to be introducing the bill and having to go through that again and have all the death threats and calling me a pedophile.' Assemblymember Maggy Krell — who originally authored the legislation — plunged her house into chaos by working with Republicans to restore the stronger sentences for soliciting older teens after Democrats removed the provision. Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas then stripped the bill from Krell and gave it to Schultz, who committed to continuing discussions about the legislation as it heads to the Senate Appropriations Committee. POSTING THROUGH IT: As tensions between Trump and California have escalated, so has the intensity and, to some eyes, cringiness, of the governor's social media presence. Newsom's team this morning posted a Taylor Swift-themed Instagram reel showing Trump's Truth Social posts and photos of Newsom and the president to the soundtrack of 'You Need to Calm Down.' A Star Wars-style X post from the governor's press office account features another Truth Social post being read by a villainous-sounding voice with movie images in the background. (This newsletter writer must admit her colleagues had to tell her the voice is supposed to belong to Emperor Palpatine.) WHAT WE'RE READING TODAY — National Guard units blocked roadways near the Ronald Reagan Federal Building and Courthouse in Santa Ana on Tuesday after the city's downtown saw clashes between protesters and law enforcement. (Orange County Register) — San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie is treading lightly over Los Angeles's clash with the Trump administration, saying his priority is 'keeping San Franciscans safe.' (San Francisco Chronicle) AROUND THE STATE — The San Diego city council approved a $43.60 monthly fee for trash collection at single-family homes. (San Diego Union Tribune) — Sacramento Police Chief Kathy Lester said that she did not violate policy when she flew first-class to ten conferences in a one year period because she reimbursed the city for the difference between a coach and first-class ticket. (Sacramento Bee) — compiled by Nicole Norman


Politico
38 minutes ago
- Politico
Why the U.S. government is touting tourism in Afghanistan
Presented by Housing For US HAPPY TRAILS — If you haven't made summer plans yet, here's an idea: Have you considered Afghanistan? The State Department strongly advises against travel for Americans but the Department of Homeland Security has determined that conditions are on the upswing in the perennially war-torn country — and that even tourism is starting to come back. 'Tourists are sharing their experiences on social media, highlighting the peaceful countryside, welcoming locals, and the cultural heritage, according to some reports,' DHS said. The rosy observation appears in a recent DHS notification in the Federal Register, announcing the revocation of Temporary Protected Status for about 12,000 Afghans who have taken refuge in the U.S., part of the Trump administration's larger effort to dismantle refugee programs and remove non-citizens from the country. In a finding that has confounded experts and advocates, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem determined that there have been 'notable improvements' in the security and economy of Afghanistan such that refugees would not be in imminent danger upon their return. Afghanistan used to be a popular draw for foreign backpackers, part of the famed 'Hippy Trail.' That ended with the Soviet invasion in 1979, which ushered in nearly 40 years of conflict. By some measures, the country is indeed experiencing a period of relative calm compared to more recent years. That's because the U.S. is no longer at war with the Taliban thanks to a peace deal signed during President Donald Trump's first term and a chaotic American withdrawal completed under President Joe Biden. The White House still has a hostile view of the Taliban government, including Afghanistan on a list of 19 countries whose citizens are now banned or restricted from entering the U.S. under an executive order that took effect Monday. But in the federal register, DHS notes that attacks involving improvised explosive devices have declined by 72 percent over the past year; the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance has fallen to 23.7 million, down from 29 million a year earlier; and GDP rose 2.7 percent. DHS notes approvingly that tourism has increased a whopping 913 percent, reportedly with the encouragement of the ultraconservative Taliban, since the U.S. withdrawal – with about 7,000 people, primarily from China, visiting Afghanistan in 2023. DHS, however, seems to have been selective with its statistics. In the footnotes of its Federal Register notice, the agency three times cites a report from last year by the United States Institute of Peace – an independent organization that the Trump administration and DOGE moved to shut down (a judge has halted the effort but the organization still faces an uncertain future). USIP's report on the state of the country three years into Taliban rule is much less sanguine, concluding that Afghanistan has 'only a façade of domestic stability' and that humanitarian and human rights conditions are 'dire.' Since taking power, the Taliban has issued over 100 decrees restricting the rights of women and girls to education, employment, healthcare and mobility — even declaring that female voices cannot be heard outside the home, according to USIP. Hundreds of men and women have been subjected to public floggings. Authorities have carried out disappearances and extrajudicial killings. In any case, the report was not produced to make a case, one way or the other, for Afghan TPS, said Scott Worden, USIP's director of Afghanistan and Central Asia Programs. 'It's validating to see the US government crediting the quality of USIP's research enough to cite it in an important administrative determination,' Worden said. 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Gavin Newsom is asking a federal judge for a restraining order that blocks Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth from ordering National Guard troops and Marines to support immigration raids in Los Angeles. 'They must be stopped, immediately,' attorneys for the state wrote in a filing today. The request, submitted around 11 a.m. local time today, urged U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer to act within two hours. The urgent plea came as Newsom and other California officials continued to assail Trump's order to 'federalize' 4,000 members of the state's National Guard for a mission to protect federal immigration facilities and personnel amid street protests. The state sued Monday to block that effort as well as Hegseth's subsequent deployment of 700 Marines to assist the National Guard effort. The restraining order request, however, is focused explicitly on a growing expectation among California officials that those troops will soon be sent on arrest missions alongside agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement — raising the likelihood of direct confrontations with L.A. residents. — Troops deployed to LA will cost $134M, Pentagon official says: President Donald Trump's decision to deploy troops to Los Angeles amid mass deportation protests will likely cost $134 million, the Pentagon's budget chief told lawmakers. Acting Pentagon comptroller Bryn MacDonnell, testifying at a House budget hearing today alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, said the estimate covers costs such as travel, housing and food. — Trump administration weighs pulling education grants for California: The Trump administration is considering cutting federal education funds to California, according to people familiar with the administration's thinking. The discussion comes as Gov. Gavin Newsom and President Donald Trump feud over the president's deployment of the National Guard to Los Angeles to stop immigration protests. A Trump administration employee, who was not permitted to speak publicly about the administration's plans, told POLITICO the Education Department may stop the disbursement of 'formula funds,' which are awards based on a predetermined formula created by Congress. The administration has not yet reached a final decision, according to a separate person familiar with the discussions. But there is some uncertainty over the department's ability to pull funding that is not directly connected to California's state department of education. — Trump: Protests in DC will be met with 'very heavy force': President Donald Trump warned that any protests during this weekend's major military parade in Washington will be met with 'very heavy force.' 'If there's any protester who wants to come out, they will be met with very big force,' the president said today during an impromptu Oval Office press conference. 'I haven't even heard about a protest, but [there are] people that hate our country.' The comments come as the White House and Washington law enforcement officials are preparing for a military parade on Saturday, which coincides with the Army's 250th — and Trump's 79th — birthday. — Former Biden aides agree to testify on his mental acuity to House Oversight: Four senior Biden White House aides agreed to testify to the House Oversight Committee as part of its probe into former President Joe Biden's ailing health while in office, according to a committee aide. Chair James Comer had requested the aides' cooperation with his investigation in May, amid renewed scrutiny in Washington of the former president's mental acuity. Last week, the Kentucky Republican sent a subpoena to Biden's physician Kevin O'Connor, calling him to appear on June 27 after O'Connor rejected Comer's invitation to testify. Even after Biden largely retreated from public view, congressional Republicans have focused extensively on concerns around the octogenarian former president's health. The Senate will hold a hearing on the matter next week. AROUND THE WORLD BRITISH SANCTIONS — Britain will formally sanction two far-right Israeli ministers for their comments over Gaza, the U.K. confirmed today. The assets of Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich will be frozen and the pair will also face travel bans, the Times first reported. No financial institutions will be allowed to deal with them. U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the ministers had 'incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights.' He added: 'These actions are not acceptable. This is why we have taken action now — to hold those responsible to account.' In response, Israel said: 'It is outrageous that elected representatives and members of the government are subjected to these kind of measures.' Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said the Cabinet would meet next week to respond to what he called the 'unacceptable decision.' While the U.S. has continued to stand resolutely behind Israel as it wages war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip, other longtime allies — including the EU, Britain and Canada — have grown increasingly critical of Israel and its military tactics. Ben-Gvir and Smotrich have consistently been the most hard-line ministers in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government and are crucial allies keeping him in power. 'A DANGER TO US ALL' — The European Commission announced today its latest salvo of sanctions on Russia, taking aim at the Kremlin's energy exports, infrastructure and financial institutions. The measures, which are intended to pile pressure on Moscow to end its war in Ukraine, include proposals to lower the oil price cap from $60 to $45 per barrel and ban the use of the Nord Stream pipelines to funnel gas between Russia and Germany. A further 22 Russian banks will also be cut off from the SWIFT international banking system, with the current, partial prohibition on Russian financial institutions broadened to a 'full transaction ban,' Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. Calling the sanctions 'robust' and 'hard-biting,' von der Leyen said the Russian economy was already buckling under the pressure of the EU's past measures and the new package would pummel it further. 'Russia continues to bring death and destruction to Ukraine,' she said at a joint press conference with the EU's top diplomat Kaja Kallas. 'Our message is clear: This war must end.' Kallas said it was 'clear that Russia does not want peace' and needed to pay the price for its 'outright illegal' war. 'Russia is cruel, aggressive and a danger to us all,' she added. Nightly Number RADAR SWEEP SPEED WINS — New research suggests that the speed at which you walk can reveal how your brain is functioning. And a precipitous decline in walking speed can predict other underlying health problems. It's normal to slow down your walking pace as you age. But people who can keep up a quick pace into their later years are more likely to have a brain that's functioning like that of a younger person than those whose average gait is much slower. The research can even predict survival — a study showed that men with the slowest walking speeds at age 75 had a 19% chance of living for 10 years, compared to men with the fastest walking speeds who had an 87% chance of survival. Jasmin Fox-Skelly reports for the BBC. Parting Image Did someone forward this email to you? Sign up here.