EXCLUSIVE: Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin will introduce a budget proposal banning “sanctuary cities” in his state, along with ensuring tax money will not go to counties or independent cities that aren’t complying with ICE.
The proposal will require local police and corrections officers to fulfill Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer requests for criminal illegal immigrants and notify the federal government within two days of releasing any such person who matriculates through the justice system.
Additionally, any municipality that identifies as a sanctuary city or enacts similar policies will have state funding typically allocated toward supporting their police departments withheld by Richmond.
The Department of Criminal Justice Services, currently led by Youngkin appointee and former Prince William County Officer Jackson Miller, will be advised to withhold what is called “599 Funding” in that regard.
YOUNGKIN ‘PERSONALLY INVITES’ NEW TRUMP ADMIN TO RELOCATE TO VIRGINIA OVER DC
Youngkin speaks at a Salem, Virginia, Trump rally.(AP/Steve Helber)
“Criminals who are in the United States illegally will be turned over to ICE,” Youngkin told Fox News Digital on Thursday.
“We must stop the cycle of violence and crime that is being enabled by some local governments. Virginia is not a sanctuary state, and we must be clear that we will not allow localities to become ‘sanctuary cities.'”
The Republican governor, who is term-limited next year under Virginia’s one-and-done policy, said that if local governments “pander to pro-illegal immigrant groups” they’ll see the state-taxpayer assistance spigot turned off.
The news comes amid recent violent crimes committed by illegal immigrants in Virginia, most recently the sexual assault of a jogger on a popular Herndon rail-trail.
Shortly before Thanksgiving, Honduran national Denis Humberto Navarette-Romero was charged with intent to defile and rape a woman on the Old Dominion Trail. The Washington, D.C., suburb’s police chief said it was the first stranger-rape case in her 12 years on the job.
YOUNGKIN: EDUCATION IS THE ‘BEDROCK OF THE AMERICAN DREAM’
Glenn Youngkin holds a campaign event in Amherst, Virginia, Oct. 28, 2021.(Charles Creitz/Fox News)
Critics pointed to Fairfax County’s sanctuary-type policies as Navarette-Romero had been previously arrested for auto theft and indecent exposure.
In 2018, Fairfax County Sheriff Stacey Kincaid notified ICE her office will no longer hold inmates past release dates unless an administrative request to hold the suspects is accompanied by a legal criminal detainer.
Kincaid told WJLA earlier this year her department requires such a warrant, after ICE officials criticized a lack of cooperation with Virginia’s largest county by-population.
Only three of 725 “undocumented individuals” in Fairfax custody between July 2023 and July 2024 were transferred to ICE, the outlet reported.
Also in November, Arlington County’s board voted 4-1 in favor of a policy stipulating police may only notify ICE in cases involving gang members and very serious crimes, according to ArlNow.
The vote came as activists chanted “ICE Out Of Arlington!”
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Alexandria, an independent city, initiated a policy in 2007 stating it would not inquire about citizenship “beyond what is required by state and federal law.”
In 2017, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney responded to President Trump’s immigration policies by ordering the city’s police department not to consent to participate in ICE collaboration agreements and not to inquire about citizenship status “in the interest of public safety.”
Virginia officials have said the state Department of Corrections has always and continues to recognize ICE detainers during Youngkin’s tenure.
Incoming Trump “Border Czar” Thomas Homan has repeatedly pledged a “mass deportation” initiative and similarly warned sanctuary cities he will use the might of the federal government to enforce compliance with the law.
Charles Creitz is a reporter for Fox News Digital.
He joined Fox News in 2013 as a writer and production assistant.
Charles covers media, politics and culture for Fox News Digital.
Charles is a Pennsylvania native and graduated from Temple University with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism. Story tips can be sent to [email protected].
Franklin wildfire spreads through Malibu community
Evacuation orders and warnings have gone out to 20,000 Southern California residents as firefighters battled a wind-driven wildfire in Malibu that burned near celebrities’ seaside mansions. (Credit: Associated Press)
Thousands of people have vacated their homes in Malibu due to the Franklin Fire setting the city ablaze, including a litany of high-profile residents.
On Monday, fires spread throughout the area, exacerbated by dry land and Santa Ana winds. According to Cal Fire, six buildings have been damaged and nine have been destroyed. Only 7% of the blaze has been contained.
Dick Van Dyke, Jane Seymour and Brooke Burke and other stars took to social media to share their devastation for their community, many fleeing with their children and beloved animals.
MALIBU WILDFIRE SURROUNDS DICK VAN DYKE’S HOME; 98-YEAR-OLD STAR ‘SAFELY EVACUATED’
A map depicts the approximate location of Jane Seymour, Dick Van Dyke and Mark Hamill’s homes as wildfires continue to tear through Southern California. (Fox News)
Dick Van Dyke
Treasured legend Van Dyke told his followers he and his longtime love, wife Arlene Silver, had to leave Malibu.
“Arlene and I have safely evacuated with our animals except for [our cat] Bobo escaped as we were leaving. We’re praying he’ll be ok and that our community in Serra Retreat will survive these terrible fires,” Van Dyke wrote on his official Facebook page Wednesday.
Dick Van Dyke fled his Malibu home with his wife and most of his pets. He located his cat Bobo when he returned home.(Paul Morigi/Getty Images; Apex/Mega)
Hours later, the veteran actor commented that he’d reunited with his feline friend.
“We found Bobo as soon as we arrived back home this morning. There was so much interest in his disappearance that Animal Control was called in to assist. But, thankfully, he was easy to find and not harmed,” Van Dyke shared.
On Thursday morning, Van Dyke appeared on the “Today” show and recounted the harrowing evacuation process.
“It was coming over the hill. You [could] see it,” he said of the fire. “I was trying to crawl to the car. I had exhausted myself. I couldn’t get up. And three neighbors came and carried me out and came back and put out a little fire in the guest house and saved me.”
Mark Hamill provided some levity amid the wildfire raging across Malibu. (Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/Getty Images)
Mark Hamill
Mark Hamill could not evacuate Malibu due to the Franklin wildfire. The “Star Wars” actor alerted fans on social media that he was in lockdown.
“Please stay safe everyone! I’m not allowed to leave the house, which fits in perfectly with my elderly-recluse lifestyle,” the 73-year-old wrote.
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Brooke Burke
Former “Dancing with the Stars” champion and TV personality Burke said she and her family are safe after evacuating their Malibu home. The mother of four shared photos on her Instagram, including one of her standing beside a firefighter who seemed to be canvasing the area.
Brooke Burke gave an update on her family after evacuating Malibu.(Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images; Brooke Burke Instagram)
“Prayers for Malibu…what a community. We love our home & we fight to protect it & somehow we remain disaster after disaster honoring this sacred space . I’m so grateful for all of our friends that have reached out & family, gardeners, helpers , neighbors & the 1000+ firstresponders, law enforcement, volunteers, & workers that helped save so much. So grateful for all the brave firefighters trying to navigate the uncertainty of Mother Nature & wicked winds,” she wrote.
In a separate video shared on her Instagram story, Burke told followers her children, animals and home were all safe.
“Just heartbroken for our friends and neighbors who can’t say the same thing. … Wild times in Malibu,” she said.
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Jane Seymour
On Wednesday, actress Seymour shared eerie images of Malibu ablaze on her Instagram.
Jane Seymour shared a photo of the raging fire.(Jane Seymour/Instagram)
“The fires in our community are a stark reminder of how quickly life can change. Thankfully, my family and I were able to evacuate safely, but my thoughts are with everyone who is still in harm’s way, the brave firefighters risking everything to protect us, and the many who call Malibu home,” she wrote. “Let’s continue to support each other, stay informed, and remain hopeful. Our community is strong, and together we’ll see through these challenging times.”
Jane Seymour photographed the exterior of her home, showing how close the fire was to her property.(Jane Seymour/Instagram)
In a separate post, Seymour shared video of the raging fire, writing that she and her family had to flee the area.
“While the Franklin Fire continues to burn in Malibu and has gotten extremely close to our home, we remain evacuated and we are safe. We are deeply grateful for the amazing firefighters and the incredible band of Malibu volunteer firefighters who are risking everything to protect our homes and our community,” she wrote.
“This fire reminds us of the strength, the bravery, resilience, and compassion that bind us together in the hardest of times. Let’s continue to support and uplift one another, as we always do.
Jane Seymour, who lives in Malibu, was forced to evacuate her home with her family.(Stephane Cardinale/Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)
“To everyone fighting the flames and keeping us safe, thank you. Your courage is extraordinary.”
Mira Sorvino
Mira Sorvino says she and her family successfully fled Malibu.(Andrew Toth/WireImage/Getty images)
Actress Mira Sorvino extended prayers to her community in Malibu after evacuating. The “Mighty Aphrodite” star wrote to X, “All my Malibu friends and neighbors I pray that you are safe. We evacuated in the middle of the night, kids and pets all accounted for! Scary times!!”
Sorvino and her husband, actor Christopher Backus, have four children together, two of whom are under the age of 18.
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Cher
Cher reportedly evacuated her home in Malibu due to the Franklin Fire.(Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)
Cher was forced to evacuate her Malibu home, The New York Times first reported. A representative for the singer told Fox News Digital that the singer, 78, “has not returned home yet.”
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Fox News Digital has reached out to several additional stars who own property in the area.
Caroline Thayer is an entertainment writer. Follow Caroline Thayer on Twitter at @carolinejthayer and LinkedIn. Story tips can be sent to [email protected].
Gift new dog parents puppy training essentials.(iStock)
Whether the winter has brought a new puppy to your home or your dog has been part of the family for years, you can check out these puppy gifts that are sure to be a hit this Christmas. And if you’re training your Christmas pup, a new routine is about patience, but some things can help make the transition easier.
If someone on your gift list is an animal lover, you could consider a puppy-related present. Surprise them with a curated box of dog treats and toys tailored to their pup’s interests or help them discover their pup’s breed heritage and learn more about its potential personality traits with a DNA test. This list has 10 great gifts perfect for any pet parent this Christmas:
Original price: $69.66
Your dog will love this calming, easy-to-clean bed.(Funny Fuzzy)
Anti-anxiety dog beds make your puppy or new dog feel comfortable and secure. This dog anxiety bed from Funny Fuzzy features a supportive foam structure, offering vital neck support to improve your pet’s posture during rest, ensuring relaxation and comfort. Plus, it’s easy to clean with its detachable and machine-washable features. You can buy the bed on Amazon, too, for $89.99.
14 INTERACTIVE TOYS PERFECT FOR YOUNG KIDS
Original price: $44.99
Your dog will love snuggling with this pal.(PetSmart)
Snuggle Puppy from PetSmart is the all-natural solution for an anxious pet by mimicking a warm, comfortable, furry best friend. Whether they’re new to the family or perhaps just going through a tough time, Snuggle Puppy is designed to provide comfort and relieve anxiety in your four-legged friend. This Snuggle Puppy, $49.95 on Amazon, comes with three heat packs.
Use training treats to teach your dog commands.(Walmart)
Training treats are essential, especially if you are training a food-motivated breed. These bacon-flavored treats from Walmart are a dog favorite and come in a bag of 500, so you will stay supplied. This one-pound bag of Amazon brand wag treats, $10.18, makes great bite-sized rewards for your dog during training. Chicken is the primary ingredient, and they’re made in the USA.
Get your pet a subscription or buy a one-time box.(Bark Box)
Gift the new dog a BarkBox full of holiday flair. For $35, you can send a one-time box or, for $99, a box of treats for the next three months. BarkBox sells its plush toys individually on Amazon, too. This FA la la la Lattes holiday plush toy, $20, is a fun choice.
10 SECRET SANTA GIFTS FOR UNDER $30 YOU CAN FIND ON AMAZON
Original price: $199
Tests for more than 230,000 genetic markers and 350 dog breeds.(Embark)
Embark dog DNA test kits test for more than 230,000 genetic markers and 350 dog breeds, including dingoes, coyotes, wolves and village dogs. Embark uses patented technology to find your dog’s family members based on their shared DNA. You get results in as little as two to four weeks. Or try the Wisdom Panel Breed Discovery Dog DNA Kit, $84.99 on Amazon, to learn more about your dog.
Original price: $19.99
A puzzle feeders keeps dogs engaged.(Amazon)
Help new dog owners keep dogs engaged by giving them a puzzle feeder. This level two Intermediate dog puzzle and slow feeder all-in-one are great for pets with little-to-no puzzle experience while providing an interactive challenge for smart dogs. Puzzle feeders help reduce dog anxiety and redirect unwanted behaviors like excessive barking, chewing and digging. You can also buy this feeder for $19.99 at PetSmart.
Original price: $139.99
Feed your pet automatically and watch live video feeds with this gadget.(Chewy.com)
This automatic Wi-Fi-operated food bowl allows you to schedule, track and manually deliver feedings with your Android or Apple smart device. Plus, you can watch a live video camera feed so you can monitor and engage with your pet while you are away from home. Buy the feeder on Amazon for $89.99.
Original price: $49.99
Set up virtual fences for your dog.(Amazon)
With this tracker, on sale at Amazon, you can set up virtual fences and always know your dog’s location. You can also monitor your dog’s daily health, sleep patterns and activity levels through the Tractive app, available on iOS and Android, to keep it in optimal shape.
Evolv is Diggs’ slimmest dog crate with a novel “playpen mode” and modular design.(Diggs)
Evolv is Diggs’ slimmest dog crate, with a novel “playpen mode” and modular design. The removable ceiling panel easily converts it into a playpen. You can add or reposition up to four doors to fit your space or give your pup freedom as needed. This dog crate, $169.99 on Amazon, doubles as furniture to fit seamlessly into your living space.
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Original price: $57.98
This is the ultimate pet roller.(Amazon)
This pet hair roller is effective for dog hair removal. This reusable lint roller requires no adhesives or sticky tape and can be used repeatedly.
Nora Colomer is a personal finance writer for Fox Business’ Strategic Initiatives team.
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A devastating arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue is now being investigated as a possible terror attack, drawing worldwide attention to a stark increase in antisemitism in Australia.
Masked vandals set the Adass Israel Synagogue aflame on Dec. 6, in one of several incidents that have left the Jewish community seeking support from government leaders.
On Wednesday, Sky News Australia reported a car was destroyed after being set on fire in a Jewish community in Sydney. At least two, but possibly as many as seven, buildings in the area were vandalized, with one graffiti tag reading “kill Israiel” (sic). This rash of hate followed in the wake of a similar incident late last month, when vehicles and a restaurant in the same area were covered with graffiti.
Following the attacks in Sydney, New South Wales Premier Chris Minns told Sky News Australia, “Sydney, per capita, has the second-highest number of Holocaust survivors in the world,” explaining that they came “to Australia specifically to be free from this kind of hate.”
JEWISH CHILDREN, TEENS VIOLENTLY ATTACKED IN LONDON: ‘STREETS ARE NO LONGER SAFE’
Members of Adass Israel Synagogue recover items after an arson attack on Dec. 6, 2024, in Melbourne, Australia. (Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images)
Worshiper Yumi Friedman told Avi Yemini of Rebel News that he was inside the synagogue when he heard banging on the door and saw glass flying. Friedman later said he smelled fire and burned his hand while attempting to open the synagogue door.
Friedman said that responding police told Jewish worshipers to get on the ground and show their hands. “They came and arrested us,” he said. “It took them a while to realize that we’re Jewish and we didn’t do this.”
Zionism is not a feature of the Haredi Judaism that worshipers at the Adass Israel Synagogue practice. Yemini asked members of the community why they believed the non-Zionist synagogue was targeted. “Jews are Jews,” a man wearing a kippah replied. “They’re anti-Jews,” another visibly Jewish man told Yemini. “Not anti-anything else.”
Yemini filmed a protester outside the firebombed synagogue wearing a keffiyeh and a baseball cap featuring the Palestinian flag who held a sign stating “Nothing is more antisemitic than Zionism.”
Antisemitic graffiti in a Jewish area in Melbourne, Australia.(Executive Council of Australian Jewry )
Numerous community members interviewed by Yemini said they felt unsupported by the local government. “People have been attacked here,” one man reminded Victoria Police Detective Inspector Chris Murray, who was present to address the community. “Why don’t you put someone in here?”
“We’re doing our best,” Murray responded.
Murray told crowds that police would “do everything” to “bring these individuals before the courts.” Though they believed the attack was targeted, Murray said that “what we don’t know is why.”
Shane Patton, Victoria police chief commissioner, told reporters at a press conference that the firebombing is being investigated as “a likely terror attack.”
CALLS FOR US TO DO MORE AS ANTISEMITIC ATTACKS SKYROCKET IN EUROPE: ‘ENORMOUSLY PAINFUL’
“Free Palestine” graffiti praising the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre against Israelis.(Executive Council of Australian Jewry )
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been lambasted for his response to the Melbourne attack, which a Sky News Australia host said was “four days too late.” Yemini documented Albanese’s visit to the Adass Israel Synagogue. When the kippah-wearing prime minister failed to answer questions from assembled reporters, Yemini followed him to the car, telling Albanese that “yesterday was the first time you didn’t conflate antisemitism and Islamophobia.”
Though it has faced more intolerance, the Jewish population of Australia is around one-eighth the size of the Muslim population, and has been stagnant or declining while the percentage of Muslims has grown. In 2016, Jewish Australians made up 0.5% of the population, according to Monash University. Muslims made up 2.6% of the population in 2016, according to the University of South Australia. Today, Muslims account for 3.2% of the Australian population while 0.4% of the population is Jewish.
In the aftermath of recent attacks, Albanese stated that the Australian Federal Police will be conducting an operation that would “focus on threats, violence, and hatred” targeting the Jewish community. Reuters reported that Albanese has allocated $25 million (approximately U.S. $15 million) since 2022 to increase security for Jewish organizations. He has also worked to minimize hate speech and banned the Nazi salute.
Sign on a house saying ‘Kill Israiel’(Fox News)
Many Jewish Australians believe these efforts are not enough. Earlier this month, the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) sent an open letter to Albanese, which it shared with Fox News Digital. The ECAJ explained that “the very character of this country as a free, democratic and multicultural society is in peril,” citing the “fear and anxiety” experienced by Jewish Australians who question whether it is safe to display signs of their Judaism or publicly celebrate their faith and heritage.
Though the ECAJ expressed gratitude to Albanese for “swiftly condemning” the arson in Melbourne, they requested that he act in response to “what is now a national antisemitism crisis.” Among their requests are an increase in security funding, support for antisemitism education in schools, enforcement of laws against harassment and intimidation, and support for higher government efforts to curtail antisemitism in universities.
COLUMBIA GROUP’S ANTISEMITIC NEWSPAPER DRAWS OUTRAGE FROM NY LAWMAKER, AS UNIVERSITY INVESTIGATES
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pushes his way through a crowd after visiting the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024.(Joel Carrett/AAP Image via AP)
Albanese’s office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment about criticisms of the prime minister’s reaction to the Melbourne firebombing, his response to the ECAJ’s letter, and whether the country’s shift regarding a Palestinian state might have an impact on the state of antisemitic hate in Australia.
As it has worldwide, antisemitism has risen dramatically in Australia since Oct. 7, according to an ECAJ report from November 2024. Reporting entities counted 2,062 antisemitic incidents in Australia between Oct. 1, 2023, and Sept. 30, 2024, compared with 495 incidents tallied during the prior 12 months. This represents a 316% increase in expressions of anti-Jewish hate, which began as early as Oct. 8, when the ECAJ reported that Sheikh Ibrahim Daoud told an audience in western Sydney that he was “elated,” explaining, “it’s a day of pride, it’s a day of victory.”
The ECAJ sent Fox News Digital a trove of photographs showing acts of hate directed against Jewish Australians. These included an incident from November 2023, when unknown individuals sprayed “Kill Jews” and “Jew lives here” on a residential unit in southeast Melbourne, and wrote “Jew-free zone” in a Brunswick window, as reported by the Jewish Independent.
Protesters gather in Melbourne to demand justice for Palestinian victims of violence, on Dec. 1, 2024.(Ye Myo Khant/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
The government responded to some major acts of antisemitism. In February, anti-Israel activists released a document featuring the “names and other personal details” of 600 Jewish musicians, writers, academics and artists in a WhatsApp group whose communications were also leaked.
Seven months later, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus announced a proposed sentence of up to six years in prison for those who release individuals’ private details in order to cause harm. The punishment would increase to seven years if a victim was targeted because of their race, religion or sexual orientation, among other factors.
A cyclist passes by the Adass Israel Synagogue in the Ripponlea suburb of Melbourne in the wake of the firebomb attack, on Dec. 8, 2024.(Alexander Bogatyrev/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
In recognition of the rising intolerance in Australia, on Dec. 9, the Simon Wiesenthal Center issued a travel advisory warning Jews to “exercise extreme caution” if visiting the country. As Rabbi Abraham Cooper, the center’s director of global social action, explained, authorities there have failed “to stand up against persistent demonization, harassment and violence against Jews and Jewish institutions in Australia.”
The GOP-controlled House of Representatives passed its annual defense spending bill Wednesday, including a key culture-war caveat: a ban on transgender medical treatments for minor children of U.S. service members.
The provision in the 1,800-page bill states that “medical interventions for the treatment of gender dysphoria that could result in sterilization may not be provided to a child under the age of 18,” referring to the transgender children of military personnel.
Republicans argued that taxpayer dollars should not fund potentially experimental and harmful procedures for minors.
House Speaker Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., praised the passage of the defense measure, though it now heads to the Senate for approval in the Democrat-run chamber.
HOUSE PASSES NEARLY $1 TRILLION DEFENSE SPENDING BILL, ADDING TO U.S. DEBT OF $36 TRILLION
The House passed a nearly $1 trillion defense spending budget with a provision that bans transgender treatment for dependent children of U.S. service members.(Matt McClain/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
“Our men and women in uniform should know their first obligation is protecting our nation, not woke ideology,” Johnson said in a statement after the measure passed.
While the provision was a win for Republicans that could further push President-Elect Donald Trump’s policy agenda, the measure did not incorporate several other Republican-backed provisions related to social issues. Notably absent were efforts to ban TRICARE, the military’s health program, from covering transgender treatments for adults and a proposal to overturn the Pentagon’s hotly-debated policy of reimbursing travel expenses for service members seeking abortions stationed in states where the procedure is restricted.
Democrats were largely outraged by the provision to strip TRICARE from service members’ transgender children, with the House Armed Services Committee’s top Democrat, Rep. Adam Smith, vowing to vote against the bill on Tuesday despite helping on other portions of the package. Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., did not advise his party members to vote for or against it.
124 DEMS OPPOSE HISTORICALLY BIPARTISAN DEFENSE BILL OVER RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSGENDER TREATMENTS FOR MINORS
Soldiers in camouflage uniforms aim their rifles during military night operations.(iStock)
The measure also drew the ire of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council (HRC), which called it an “attack” on military families.
“This cruel and hateful bill suddenly strips away access to medical care for families that members of our armed forces are counting on, and it could force service members to choose between staying in the military or providing health care for their children,” HRC President Kelley Robinson said in a statement.
The Senate’s response to the transgender treatment provision will be pivotal in determining the final content of the defense policy for the upcoming fiscal year. If it passes, it would align with Trump’s criticisms of the military’s “woke” policies.
The Supreme Court also heard oral arguments last week for a first-of-its-kind case involving Tennessee’s ban on transgender medical procedures for minors, which could place further restrictions on the procedures.
RED STATE AG SLAMS BIDEN ADMIN’S ATTEMPT TO ‘REWRITE’ IMMIGRATION LAW: ‘ALICE IN WONDERLAND STUFF’
President-elect Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson(Getty Images)
The $884 billion National Defense Authorization Act, which sets policies for the Defense Department, was passed in a 281-140 vote, with 124 Democrats and 16 Republicans voting against it.
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Other provisions also place limits on diversity, equity and inclusion-based recruitment and the teaching of critical race theory in military-run schools. Other policies include a 14.5% pay boost for junior enlisted troops, expanded child care access and enhanced job assistance for military spouses, reflecting a year of bipartisan focus on addressing record recruitment struggles.
Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
Jamie Joseph is a writer who covers politics. She leads Fox News Digital coverage of the Senate.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday declared himself a “proud feminist” as he lamented Vice President Harris’ loss to President-elect Trump in the 2024 presidential election as just one recent example of a setback for women’s progress.
Trudeau delivered remarks in Ottawa at a gala for Equal Voice, an organization that works to improve gender representation in Canada’s politics.
“We were supposed to be on a steady, if difficult, march towards progress,” Trudeau said. “And yet, just a few weeks ago, the United States voted for a second time to not elect its first woman president.”
“Everywhere, women’s rights and women’s progress is under attack, overtly and subtly,” Trudeau continued. “I want you to know that I am, and always will be, a proud feminist. You will always have an ally in me and in my government.”
TRUMP SUGGESTS CANADA BECOME 51ST STATE AFTER TRUDEAU SAID TARIFF WOULD KILL ECONOMY: SOURCES
Trudeau on Tuesday said women’s rights and progress are “under attack.”(Riley Smith/The Canadian Press via AP, File)
Trudeau’s remarks come as relations between the U.S. and Canada grow tense over immigration and the flow of illicit drugs into the U.S.
Trudeau jetted into Mar-a-Lago unannounced on Nov. 29, just days after Trump threatened to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian products. Trump is threatening to impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico over failures by both nations to curb the flow of illegal immigrants and illicit drugs from those countries into the U.S.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with President-elect Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Florida on Nov. 29 to discuss topics like the economy, illegal immigration and a proposed 25% tariff.(Justin Trudeau X)
Both Trump and Trudeau called the meeting “very productive.”
TRUMP BOASTS OF ‘VERY PRODUCTIVE MEETING’ WITH CANADIAN PM TRUDEAU AT MAR-A-LAGO
Sources later told Fox News that Trudeau had told Trump he cannot levy the tariff because it would kill the Canadian economy completely. Trump retorted by asking, so your country can’t survive unless it’s ripping off the U.S. to the tune of $100 billion?
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Trump then suggested to Trudeau that Canada become the 51st state, which caused the prime minister and others to laugh nervously, sources told Fox News.
Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan and Greg Wehner contributed to this report.
The pick by President-elect Trump to lead the Department of Defense, Pete Hegseth, seems to be on track to get enough GOP Senate support to be confirmed, despite facing a handful of allegations ranging from sexual assault, excessive drinking and fund mismanagement, all of which he has denied.
One Republican senator told Fox News Digital that they weren’t aware of any GOP senators who are a “hard no” on confirming Hegseth.
Hegseth “certainly” doesn’t seem to be in a position where he may feel pressured to withdraw, they added.
GOP ATTORNEYS GENERAL OFFER SUPPORT FOR TRUMP FBI PICK KASH PATEL, URGE SENATORS TO DO THE SAME
Pete Hegseth makes his way to a meeting with Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C., in the Russell building on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024.(Tom Williams/Getty Images)
This is much different than the landscape for former Rep. Matt Gaetz, Trump’s previous selection to be attorney general, who faced several definitive “no” votes from senators.
Contending with the significant lack of support espoused most candidly behind closed doors, Gaetz withdrew from the process just days after being selected.
Republicans will have a 53-47 majority in the next Senate, and there is only room for Trump nominees to lose a few GOP votes, assuming no Democrats choose to back them.
MANCHIN, SINEMA TANK SCHUMER LAME-DUCK EFFORT TO SECURE DEM MAJORITY ON TOP LABOR BOARD
Gaetz withdrew himself from the confirmation process.(Reuters)
However, as the Republican senator conveyed, Hegseth doesn’t appear to have lost any Republicans in the upper chamber at this point, including more moderate lawmakers such as Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska.
Hegseth met with both of them this week on Capitol Hill. According to Collins, “I had a good substantive discussion that lasted more than an hour.”
“We covered a wide range of topics ranging from defense procurement reforms to the role of women in the military, sexual assault in the military. Ukraine, NATO, a wide range of issues. I obviously always wait until we have an FBI background check and one is underway in the case of Mr. Hegseth, and I wait to see the committee hearing before reaching a final decision.”
MCCONNELL’S SENATE MONEY MACHINE MAKES TRANSITION TO THUNE AS NEW ERA BEGINS
Collins met with Hegseth for a long period of time.(Mark Makela)
Murkowski refused to discuss her meeting with Hegseth, a former Fox News host, when asked by reporters.
Trump’s defense secretary choice has also met twice with Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa. After their first meeting earlier this month, Ernst admitted on Fox News that she wasn’t sold on Hegseth yet. But after their second meeting this week, she released a statement, saying, “As I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources.”
‘EXCEPTIONALLY QUALIFIED’: TRUMP TRANSITION ROLLS OUT VIDEO HYPING HEGSETH AMID CAPITOL HILL MEETINGS
Ernst and Hegseth met twice.(Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Ernst is notably the first female combat veteran ever elected to the Senate and also sits on the Armed Services Committee. She is additionally a survivor of sexual assault herself, which Hegseth has been accused of but denied.
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The changing tide, seemingly in favor of Hegseth’s confirmation, was articulated by Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., to reporters. “You can feel the difference this week versus last week,” he said.
“Kash [Patel] is not going to have an issue. Tulsi [Gabbard] is not going to have issue. People are going to ask the questions they should, but they’re going to get confirmed,” he added of other somewhat controversial Trump picks.
Julia Johnson is a politics writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business, leading coverage of the U.S. Senate. She was previously a politics reporter at the Washington Examiner.
Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis isn’t making any midseason decisions despite his frustrations with the team’s 2-11 record, and that includes whether first-year head coach Antonio Pierce will return next season.
At the annual NFL league meetings on Wednesday, Davis declined to comment specifically on whether Pierce, who is in his first year as a head coach after serving as the interim coach last season, will return for the 2025 season.
Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce watches play against the Kansas City Chiefs during the second half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Nov. 29, 2024.(Denny Medley-Imagn Images)
“I don’t even want to talk about that right now,” Davis said, via The Athletic. “We’re still playing through the season.”
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Opting away from a vote of confidence is telling.
While Pierce is only in his first full year as an NFL coach, he’s been with the organization since 2022. Last season, he took over as interim head coach in October after Josh McDaniels was fired. He immediately came in an attempt to change the landscape, benching Jimmy Garoppolo in favor of Aidan O’Connell.
The Raiders finished that season second in their division and Pierce managed a 5-4 record. He was named the team’s new head coach earlier this year, but the Raiders have struggled under his tenure and are 2-11 on a nine-game losing streak.
Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis (left) talks with coach Antonio Pierce duirng the game against the Denver Broncos at Allegiant Stadium on Nov. 24, 2024.(Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)
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But Davis said Wednesday that the blame for this season also lies on him – that is, for hiring those decision makers.
“I’m very disappointed, obviously. I want to see progress,” he said, via The Athletic. “There’s no excuses. We have injuries and all of those things, but your team has to figure out how to get around those issues. The bottom line … is it comes down to me. And, if there’s going to be a finger pointed, it should be at me, because, again, I’m the one who’s hiring the people who make the decisions on the field.”
Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce looks on against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium on Dec. 8, 2024.(Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)
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Davis added that it’s a “misconception” that he makes decisions on the field.
“I delegate to the people who I hire. I give them goals. And then I get out of the way and let them try to do it and let the results speak for themselves. At this point, obviously, we’re not happy, but you have to go through the season and then we’ll re-evaluate. Right now, I’m not in that position of evaluating anything going forward.”
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Free speech advocates are crying foul after they say an Iowa social studies teacher banned the use of a lengthy list of words and phrases in her classroom, including the name of an entire state.
On Tuesday, the nonprofit Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) wrote to officials at the Fremont-Mills Community School District, warning that a seventh-grade social studies teacher’s alleged speech ban is unconstitutional.
“Everyone agrees that teachers have a duty to prevent classroom disruption, but a blanket ban on specific words and topics, regardless of the context, goes too far,” Aaron Terr, director of public advocacy for the civil liberties group, told Fox News Digital in an email.
An Iowa social studies teacher allegedly posted a list of “Banned Words” in her classroom, noting that the use of the terms was punishable by a 30-minute detention, according to the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.(Courtesy of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression)
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The social studies teacher is accused of posting a list of “Banned Words” in her classroom, spanning more than a dozen individual words such as “Ohio,” which can mean “weird,” “cringe” or “dumb,” among Generation Alpha circles; “rizz,” which is short for “charisma”; and “skibidi,” which refers to a series of videos featuring animated talking heads that emerge from toilets.
“Diddy party,” “baby oil,” “brain rot” and “rage quitting” also made the viral list.
The poster further includes a blanket ban on meowing, barking, curse words, racist comments, LGBTQ+ and fat jokes, and references to drugs, Nazis or the Holocaust.
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Saying “any of these words listed” is punishable by a 30-minute detention, according to a note at the bottom of the poster. A parent told FIRE that at least 10 students have been disciplined so far.
FIRE acknowledged that schools have a “legitimate interest in preventing actual classroom disruptions,” but said categorically banning a list of terms — including common words like “Ohio” and “chat” — without regard to context violates students’ free speech rights.
“It is well-established that public school students do not shed their First Amendment rights at the schoolhouse gate,” Terr wrote to the school’s principal and superintendent, citing the landmark 1969 Supreme Court decision in Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District.
FIRE called on a rural Iowa school district to remove a teacher’s list of “Banned Words” and “stop censoring non-disruptive student expression.”(iStock)
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Some uses of the banned words, references or jokes in certain contexts could be “grounds for discipline” if they cause a “substantial disruption or otherwise fall outside First Amendment protection,” Terr noted.
But he added that references to subjects like drugs, Nazis and the Holocaust are not automatically disruptive and “could even be relevant to the curriculum in a social studies class.”
FIRE called on the district to remove the list, “stop censoring non-disruptive student expression,” and respond by Dec. 23.
“Students and parents are right to speak up when speech rights are threatened, and we think this can be a great teaching moment for all involved about protecting student expression in our public schools,” Terr told Fox News Digital.
The rural school district is located in southwestern Iowa. Fox News Digital has reached out for comment.
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Hannah Ray Lambert is an associate producer/writer with Fox News Digital Originals.
Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz said there were more than two dozen confidential human sources in the crowd on Jan. 6, but only three were assigned by the FBI to present for the event, while stressing that none of the sources were authorized or directed by the bureau to “break the law” or “encourage others to commit illegal acts,” Fox News has learned.
Horowitz on Thursday released his highly anticipated report on the FBI’s Handling of its Confidential Human Sources and Intelligence Collection Efforts in the Lead Up to the Jan. 6, 2021 Electoral Certification.
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“Today’s report also details our findings regarding FBI CHSs who were in Washington, D.C., on January 6,” the report states. “Our review determined that none of these FBI CHSs was authorized by the FBI to enter the Capitol or a restricted area or to otherwise break the law on January 6, nor was any CHS directed by the FBI to encourage others to commit illegal acts on January 6.”
The report revealed that the FBI had a minor supporting role in responding on Jan. 6, 2021—largely because the event was not deemed at the highest security level by the Department of Homeland Security.
A scene from the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol in 2021.(AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)
Horowitz, though, said the FBI took significant and appropriate steps to prepare for that role.
According to the report, there were a total of 26 confidential human sources in the crowd that day, but only three of them were assigned by the bureau to be there.
One of the three confidential human sources tasked by the FBI to attend the rally entered the Capitol building, while the other two entered the restricted area around the Capitol.
If a confidential human source is directed to be at a certain event, they are paid by the FBI for their time.
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Horowitz stressed that no sources were encouraged or authorized by the FBI to enter the Capitol or any restricted area and stressed that they were not encouraged or authorized to commit any illegal acts.
23 of the confidential human sources present on Jan. 6 came to Washington D.C. to the Capitol on their own. Of that group, three entered the Capitol during the riot and an additional 11 sources entered the restricted area around the Capitol.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Brooke Singman is a political correspondent and reporter for Fox News Digital, Fox News Channel and FOX Business.
