Cruz to reintroduce bill labeling Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist group after Boulder attack
Soliman, an Egyptian citizen, has publicly supported the group on his social media accounts, according to reports from CNN.
Cruz said Tuesday that he would craft a 'modernized version' of the Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act he previously backed while blaming Democrats for a lack of constraints.
'The Muslim Brotherhood uses political violence to achieve political ends and destabilize American allies, both within countries and across national boundaries. The Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood is Hamas, a terrorist group which on October 7th committed the largest one day massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, and which included the murder and kidnapping of dozens of Americans,' Cruz said in a statement to The Hill.
'The Brotherhood used the Biden administration to consolidate and deepen their influence, but the Trump administration and Republican Congress can no longer afford to avoid the threat they pose to Americans and American national security,' he added.
The Muslim Brotherhood has been designated as a terrorist organization in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The label was given after members were successfully elected to political positions of power prior to military rule in Egypt, where the group was founded.
Their worldwide reputation is linked to violence although its originators renounced brutal attacks in the 1970s and earned popular support by providing social services such as pharmacies, hospitals, and schools according to the Council on Foreign Relations.
Lawmakers across the aisle have sided with Cruz, urging President Trump to denounce the Muslim Brotherhood with a terrorist organization designation.
'Its history of promoting extremist ideologies and terrorist activities through affiliates like Hamas threatens our national & global security,' Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) wrote in a Tuesday post on X.
Trump considered undertaking the measure during his first administration but ultimately never designated the organization as a terrorist group.
At the time, lawmakers and national officials did not believe the group met the criteria to be labeled as a foreign terrorist organization.
The White House and Cruz's office did not immediately respond to The Hill's request for comment on the matter.
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Newsweek
7 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Colin Allred's Chances of Beating Cornyn and Paxton in Texas—New Poll
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Former Democratic Representative Colin Allred trails bothSenator John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who are locked in a tight race for the Republican nomination for Texas' U.S. Senate seat in next year's midterm election, according to a new poll. "This remains a seat that Democrats could win," Matthew Wilson, associate professor of political science at Southern Methodist University, told Newsweek in an email Friday. However, he noted, "this new polling data showing Cornyn and Paxton tied, both candidates leading Allred, and the redistricting fight a draw in the court of public opinion is music to Republican ears." Why It Matters Texas, which is embroiled in a redistricting battle in the state legislature, is among the states Democrats hope to make competitive in the 2026 midterms. President Donald Trump carried the Lone Star State by double digits last November, and the GOP controls the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives, with Democrats hoping to make some inroads. The outcome of the GOP primary between Cornyn and Paxton could have key implications for how competitive the race is. Cornyn leads Allred by a more comfortable margin in polling than Paxton. However, Paxton is favored by many of the state's more conservative voters and has built an early primary polling lead. What To Know A new Emerson College Polling survey finds Allred is the favored Democratic nominee, with 57.7 percent saying they would vote for him if the primary were held today and 34.4 percent undecided. However, in hypothetical matchups, Allred trails both Republican contenders. Allred, a former NFL player, lost his 2024 Senate bid to incumbent Ted Cruz. Allred repeatedly broke fundraising records throughout the campaign. In the new poll, Allred draws 38.1 percent to Cornyn's 45.2 percent, with 16.7 percent undecided. Face-to-face with Paxton, Allred garners 40.6 percent to Paxton's 45.9 percent, with 13.6 percent undecided. Cornyn was first elected to the Senate in 2002, and served as Republican Whip from 2013 to 2019. Paxton has served as the attorney general of Texas since 2015 and previously served in the Texas Senate and House. Paxton has been a vocal supporter of Texas' proposed redistricting maps and has called for the arrest of former Democratic Senate candidate Beto O'Rourke over his support for Democrats blocking the GOP plan. Many respondents said they were following the state's redistricting efforts, with 35 percent "very closely" and 43 percent "somewhat closely." Support and opposition to the proposed map for the 2026 midterm elections, were nearly split ahead at 36 percent and 38 percent, respectively. Texas Democratic Senate candidate Representative Colin Allred speaks during a watch party on election night on November 5, 2024, in Dallas. Texas Democratic Senate candidate Representative Colin Allred speaks during a watch party on election night on November 5, 2024, in Dallas. AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez The poll of 1,000 registered Texas voters was conducted August 11-12 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. It included 432 Republicans, 295 Democrats and 273 independents, however, 491 said they would vote in the Republican primary and 370 in the Democratic. A previous poll from YouGov and Texas Southern University, which surveyed 1,200 registered voters from May 9 to 19, showed Cornyn led Allred by 4 percentage points, 48 to 44 percent, while Paxton led by only two points, 48 to 46 percent. It had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.8 percentage points. For decades, Democrats have had an uphill battle in the Lone Star State, which has not voted Democratic on the presidential level since 1976. Stateside, voters have not sworn in a Democratic senator since 1988, nor a Democratic governor since 1990. What People Are Saying Matthew Wilson, associate professor of political science at Southern Methodist University, told Newsweek in an email Friday: "This poll is the best news that Republicans have had on this race in a while—mostly because it shows Cornyn having closed the gap with Paxton among the primary electorate. Cornyn is widely perceived to be the stronger general election candidate, as he has less baggage and more appeal to independent voters... The redistricting fight appears unlikely to have much impact in the Senate race. This poll shows it to be largely a wash in terms of public opinion, and voters have short memories—the election is, after all, over a year away." Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, said in the poll release: "Seven months ahead of the Republican Primary, the contest between the four-term incumbent and the Attorney General is a toss-up, with 37% of voters still undecided. Among these undecided voters, President Trump's job approval stands at 73%, suggesting his endorsement could be pivotal in such a close race." Senator John Cornyn's campaign senior adviser, Matt Mackowiak, previously told Newsweek: "It would be political malpractice for the GOP to have to invest $200+ million to hold a safe Senate seat if Crooked Ken Paxton is the nominee. John Cornyn hasn't been on the ballot in five years. Educating voters about his actual record is job #1 — especially his 99.2% record voting with Trump while President. All public polling shows Cornyn's image with Republican voters is solid and it will continue to grow as voters learn about his actual record. We have a plan to win this race and we are executing it." Former Representative Colin Allred wrote in a Thursday X post: "Today is the 90th anniversary of Social Security. Four million Texans rely on Social Security to get by - John Cornyn and Ken Paxton are gearing up to destroy it. I'm looking at how to make it stronger, because my mom needed it, my family needed it, and I know Texans need it." Texas AG Ken Paxton wrote in an April X post announcing his run: "For years, John Cornyn has betrayed President Trump and the America First movement. Texas deserves better, and that's why I'm running for U.S. Senate." What Happens Next? The primary will be held on March 3, 2026.
The Intercept
8 minutes ago
- The Intercept
Can Congress Stop Trump From Starting a War in Mexico?
More than 30 humanitarian, public interest, immigrant rights, faith-based, veterans' advocacy, and drug policy reform groups are calling on Congress to oppose the use of military force against drug cartels in Latin America by the Trump administration. Melding two failed American wars — the war on drugs and the war on terror — would 'put people at risk of violence and destabilize hemispheric relations while hindering, not helping, efforts to protect communities from drug trafficking and other crime,' according to the organizations, which include the Alianza Americas, Center for Civilians in Conflict, Drug Policy Alliance, Public Citizen, and Win Without War. President Donald Trump has secretly signed a directive to the Pentagon to begin using military force against select Latin American drug cartels that his administration has deemed terrorist organizations, according to an Intercept interview with a U.S. official who was not authorized to speak to the media. The authorization was first reported by the New York Times. The decision to involve the American military in what has previously been considered a law enforcement effort comes as Trump has increasingly turned to U.S. troops for law enforcement purposes on American soil and taken over the D.C. police. These efforts are seen as dangerous escalations of the use of military force and violations of long-held norms. The letter, sent to top congressional leaders on Friday, urges lawmakers 'to use the full slate of its powers to prevent the administration from launching a new war in Latin America without democratic debate or public accountability' by 'organiz[ing] hearings to assess the scope of the administration's envisioned use-of-force policy and its likely diplomatic, economic, and human impacts' and 'withhold[ing] funding for unauthorized, undebated, and unaccountable military action.' In January, the State Department declared eight Mexican drug cartels — the Sinaloa cartel, CJNG, the Northeast cartel, the Michoacán family, the United Cartels, and the Gulf Cartel — to be foreign terrorist organizations. The Salvadoran MS-13 and the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang were also named. That designation activates U.S. sanctions, including restrictions on financial transactions and bans on U.S. citizens from providing support to the groups. That same month, Trump mused that he might send U.S. commandos into Mexico to battle cartels. 'Could happen,' he said. 'Stranger things have happened.' Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also threatened military action on Mexican soil. And a Justice Department guidance document urged employees to work toward the 'total elimination of cartels.' The coalition of groups pointed to the potential blowback of expanding the forever wars to Mexico and beyond. 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'We are grateful to Mexico's National Security team for their collaboration in this matter.' The U.S. war on drugs, first declared by Richard Nixon in 1971, has been an abject failure. It's estimated that the United States has spent more than $1 trillion battling the drug trade and drug use with dismal results. Nearly 1 million arrests are made for drug law violations in the U.S. each year, according to FBI statistics, making it the leading cause of arrest in the United States. One in 3 people in the U.S. has lost someone they know to a drug overdose. In 2024, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk called the worldwide war on drugs a 'clear failure' and called out 'militarized law enforcement responses' around the world. 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Los Angeles Times
8 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
Back-to-school season sees LAUSD, parents work to protect kids from ICE
Benjamin Marcelo Guerrero-Cruz was walking his family's dog in Van Nuys last week when Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents took him, according to a GoFundMe page started on behalf of Guerrero-Cruz's family. The 18-year-old rising senior at Reseda Charter High School was scheduled to start the academic year Monday, along with more than half a million other students in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Instead, Guerrero-Cruz is spending his first week of school in a detention center — 'in a freezing detention cell with 50 strangers,' the GoFundMe page alleges. The detainee locator tool on the Department of Homeland Security website confirms that Guerrero-Cruz, who was born in Chile, is 'in ICE custody.' In a statement to KTLA-TV, a Homeland Security official said: 'Benjamin Guerrero-Cruz, an illegal alien from Chile, overstayed his visa by more than two years, abusing the Visa Waiver Program under which he entered the United States, which required him to depart the United States on March 15, 2023.' The fundraiser's organizer, Rita Silva, alleges that Guerrero-Cruz does not currently have access to basic hygiene or an adequate food source. 'He has only water, and since being detained, he has not had proper access to a bathroom, there are just two toilets for everyone to share. He is cold, scared, and one of the youngest there,' Silva says. 'Other detainees, many older than him, have taken him under their wing to protect him.' The fundraiser looks to help Guerrero-Cruz's single mother with legal services, immigration fees and living expenses while caring for her 5-month-old twin sons and 6-year-old son. As the school year starts this week, LAUSD is forced to deal with the reality of the ongoing ICE raids throughout the city and being monitored for how it plans to protect students and families.s This week, my colleague Howard Blume reported that a 15-year-old boy was reportedly handcuffed, detained and had guns drawn at him by immigration agents just outside Arleta High School on Monday. The situation was later described as an alleged case of mistaken identity by L.A. schools Supt. Alberto Carvalho. 'He was not an adult,' Carvalho said. 'This is the exact type of incident that traumatizes our community and it cannot repeat itself.' The teenager — a student with disabilities who attends a different school — was with his family members when the arrest occurred. He was ultimately released after his family intervened, L.A. Unified School District officials said. 'Such actions — violently detaining a child just outside a public school — are absolutely reprehensible and should have no place in our country,' Kelly Gonez, the LAUSD District 6 school board member who represents Arleta High, said in a social media post. 'As we prepare for the start of the school year this week, we are doubling down on our efforts to protect students and families such as by providing safe zones outside of our campuses, working with partners,' she continued in her statement. 'I denounce these violent aggressions, the continued unconstitutional targeting of our Latino community and call on the federal government to immediately stop harassing, abducting and tearing apart our communities.' Speaking to the concern that Gonez and many parents across L.A. have regarding student safety, Carvalho said that the district will create and expand 'safe zones' around campuses before and after school, and that everyone must work to protect the most vulnerable populations. Carvalho will send staff across the school system beginning the first day of classes to patrol the streets around schools and ensure the safe passage of students from school to home. The safe zones will cover areas most affected by immigration enforcement. In recent weeks, Carvalho said LAUSD has been equipping households with informational packets that explain 'the rights of our children and their parents, but also providing easy access to the resources that we have available to all of them.' Additionally, LAUSD is working to reroute buses to make transportation more accessible to families and has created a 'compassion fund' to provide general help for families, including legal assistance. LAUSD officials aren't the only ones looking out for students as classes start. Community organizations are equipping parents and fellow concerned citizens with tools and plans for how to ensure a safe start to the academic year. On Wednesday night, Unión del Barrio — an independent political organization advocating for immigrant rights and social justice — held a Zoom meeting called 'Community Plan to Defend Our Schools.' Guadalupe Carrasco Cardona, an LAUSD educator, coordinator and leading member of Unión del Barrio, spoke to the Times ahead of the meeting. 'It's really going to be about community members coming out around the school areas [and] even small businesses,' she said. 'I know at my school a lot of students go to the liquor store, they pick up their little munchies, they pick up their coffee or beverages and things like that. And so it's a callout to all those other folks to know what to do in the event that ICE is in their vicinity and how they can help protect all students.' The agenda for Wednesday's online gathering was in part informed by the crowdsourced concerns from parents and educators. 'A lot of parents are concerned about transportation, [specifically] what's going to happen from their house to the bus and then on the bus and then from the bus to school,' Cardona said. 'We have a lot of parents who are afraid of what happened at the Arleta orientation. I know at my school, we have a lot of parents that have been asking for alternative ways to complete all the paperwork that's necessary for students to register for the new school year.' But for Cardona, Thursday, the first day of classes in the district, will become the new reference point for how deeply affected families in the school system were by ICE over the summer. 'As a teacher I fear for students that don't return, that aren't just like in hiding, but that may have been been kidnapped and deported without us knowing because over the summer it's really difficult to keep track,' Cardona explained. 'Some things happen by word of mouth, but some things just happen, especially during the mass raids. We've been trying to keep track, but it's been very difficult to confront.' The organization's goal is to have families' trips to school be as uneventful as possible so that students can focus on getting an education. And although LAUSD has put forward a strong face and message about student protection, Cardona expressed concern about the district's current, seemingly nonexistent implementation strategy. 'I have not as an educator — and I'm also a coordinator, so I actually deal with buses — heard a single peep about how [the student protection strategy] is going to be different and what I need to be doing for my students so that it's different than last year, for instance,' she said. 'I'm very happy about the fact that L.A. Unified, L.A. elected officials and our leaders are at least in word in support of our migrants and immigrants. So that's huge because that gives us the support to do this outside organizing that we're doing,' Cardona said. 'I mean, it's not enough because it would be better for us to have actual official resources and support instead of us just doing this on our own.' More than 350 people logged into the Wednesday night Zoom call, on which Unión del Barrio leadership shared phone numbers for community members to dial if they see suspicious activities, fielded questions from participants and gave a tutorial on how to spot ICE vehicles. (A helpful hint: Their cars are usually American brands and have unusual license plates.) 'We feel that as teachers, we are part of the front line of the defense of our students and community. We're proud of that, because not only do we get to work with students and educate them, but we also have that responsibility to make sure that they are OK,' said Unión del Barrio member Ron Gochez, who also serves as an LAUSD teacher in South L.A. 'What we are asking, our call to action to community members is every one of us lives near schools — it may be schools where your own children go, it may be schools that you don't have children at, but it's in your neighborhood,' Cardona said Wednesday night to an online crowd that included United Teachers Los Angeles union members and concerned citizens. 'We are asking you to come out. Show up to your local school tomorrow. Tomorrow's schools start at 8:30 a.m. throughout the L.A. area or whichever city that you're in. Come out be the eyes and ears.' As the academic year kicks off, Cedar-Sinai is offering free back-to-school vaccinations and general health screenings for young kids and teens through its mobile clinic. The program does not ask about immigration status and all clinics take place on LAUSD property. The goal of the program is simple: Increase access to family healthcare and protect communities from diseases. The mobile clinics look to provide as smooth a transition into the school year as possible by checking off inoculations required by institutions. 'Kids entering transitional kindergarten need boosters for measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough) and polio. This includes the DTaP vaccine — given to younger children — which protects against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis,' Cedar-Sinai nurse practitioner Anne Traynor said in a news release. 'Older children, especially 11-year-olds and teens, receive the Tdap booster, which offers continued protection against the same three illnesses but in a smaller dose appropriate for adolescents and adults. It's not just one age group; we're vaccinating children from birth through age 18.' 'These vaccines protect against childhood preventable illnesses — measles, chickenpox, pneumonia, meningitis,' Cedar-Sinai pediatrician Arthur Cho said in a news release. 'In the past, we saw high rates of these infections. Today, because of vaccines, we rarely see them. When children aren't vaccinated, they're at greater risk of getting sick, ending up in the hospital, or even worse.' As for the people with vaccine hesitancy, Cho 'understands the concerns' but continues to trust the studies and science behind it all. 'We've studied these vaccines for decades. Side effects are generally mild — fever or some swelling — but the alternative is far worse,' Cho said. 'These diseases still exist and can be deadly. Getting vaccinated protects your child and others in the community.' To see where the mobile clinics will pop up throughout August, click here. This week De Los editor Suzy Exposito spoke with Mary Guibert, the Panamanian-born mother of late musician Jeff Buckley, about what it was like to raise the musical legend. Buckley's life and tragic death have resurfaced into the public conscience thanks to a recent documentary about his life, 'It's Never Over, Jeff Buckley,' which received a limited release Aug. 8 and is expanding to more theaters this weekend before going to HBO later in the year. In the piece, Guibert recounts moving to Orange County as an immigrant from the Panama Canal Zone in the '60s. She mentions the joyous and the fraught connections she has to Latinidad and how she shared her heritage with her son. Guibert also discusses what finally led her to agree to work with director Amy Berg on the new doc. Unless otherwise noted, all stories in this section are from the L.A. Times. It's been nearly 55 years since more than 20,000 demonstrators marched through East Los Angeles on Aug. 29, 1970, for the National Chicano Moratorium Against the Vietnam War. But the protest for peace devolved into conflict between demonstrators and sheriff's deputies. By day's end, hundreds were arrested and trailblazing Latino journalist Ruben Salazar was dead. In 2020, The Times commemorated the event's 50th anniversary with a holistic account of the actions that took place that day, the cultural moment in which it occurred and its lasting political/social/cultural ramifications. Check out our coverage here.
