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‘Catastrophic results’: Union, taxpayer groups take stab at DOGE in latest lawsuit over IRS data access

In a lawsuit filed on Monday, multiple taxpayer and union groups alleged Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) violated multiple laws in its quest to unearth and eliminate wasteful government spending.

The groups claim DOGE launched a “sweeping campaign to access highly-sensitive information systems” and violated laws that limit executive power, protect civil servants, and guard citizens’ data held by the government.

The agency, which was created by an executive order earlier this year, remains a temporary organization within the White House and is tasked with optimizing the federal government, streamlining operations, and slashing spending in just 18 months.

U.S. President Donald Trump is joined by Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, and his son, X Musk, during an executive order signing in the Oval Office at the White House on February 11, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

LAWSUIT TRACKER: NEW RESISTANCE BATTLING TRUMP’S SECOND TERM THROUGH ONSLAUGHT OF LAWSUITS TAKING AIM AT EOS

Noting recent DOGE action at the Treasury, Labor, Education and Health departments, as well as at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Office of Personnel Management and Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the suit alleges DOGE’s access to sensitive information systems “lacks statutory authority.”

Specifically, it claims DOGE violated the Tax Reform Act, Privacy Act and Administrative Procedures Act.

“The results have already been catastrophic,” according to the suit.

About 100 DOGE protesters gathered, fearing DOGE would cut the workforce at the Bureau of Fiscal Service. (Fox News Digital)

Without the court’s intervention, the groups said they were concerned about DOGE having access to sensitive information including social security numbers, individuals’ finances, and bank account information.

The lawsuit also asserted DOGE will have access to confidential business information, tax records and IRS investigations, which “could include investigations or reports pertaining to Mr. [Elon] Musk’s businesses or those of his competitors.”

“No other business owner on the planet has acces to this kind of information on his competitors, and for good reason,” lawyers wrote in the suit.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Co-Chair of the newly announced Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), arrives on Capitol Hill on December 05, 2024 in Washington, DC. Musk and his Co-Chair, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy are meeting with lawmakers today about DOGE, a planned presidential advisory commission with the goal of cutting government spending and increasing efficiency in the federal workforce. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

DOGE SCORES BIG COURT WIN, ALLOWED ACCESS DATA ON 3 FEDERAL AGENCIES

The groups — the Center for Taxpaper Rights, Main Street Alliance, National Federation of Federal Employees, and Communications Workers of America — are seeking a temporary restraining order to maintain the status quo until the court has an opportunity to review DOGE and Musk’s actions.

Following the review, plaintiffs asked the court to declare DOGE’s access unlawful, halt its use of IRS systems, order that information obtained illegally be deleted, and establish new security protections.

The lawsuit was filed prior to a federal judge’s ruling on Tuesday to not block DOGE from accessing government data or firing federal employees.

Demonstrators rally in support of federal workers outside of the Department of Health and Human Services, Friday, Feb. 14, in Washington. (AP/Mark Schiefelbein)

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan rejected a request for a temporary restraining order, pointing to the absence of evidence showing the agency’s access caused “irreparable harm.”

However, Chutkan did question what “appears to be the unchecked authority of an unelected individual,” referencing Musk.

She also expressed concerns about DOGE’s accountability to Congress.

‘WASTEFUL AND DANGEROUS’: DOGE’S TOP FIVE MOST SHOCKING REVELATIONS

Protesters demonstrate in support of federal workers outside of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Feb. 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. Organizers held the protest to speak on the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cuts. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Last week, more than a dozen Democratic state attorneys general sued to temporarily restrict DOGE’s access to federal data about government employees, citing concerns about Musk’s access and power.

“There is no greater threat to democracy than the accumulation of state power in the hands of a single, unelected individual,” according to the lawsuit, filed by New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez.

Attorneys general from Arizona, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington also signed onto the suit.

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Fox News Digital’s Breanne Deppisch contributed to this report.

Alexandra Koch is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital. Prior to joining Fox News, Alexandra covered breaking news, crime, religion, and the military in the southeast.

February 19, 2025
Religious groups sue to stop Trump admin from arresting migrants in places of worship

A coalition of 27 Christian and Jewish groups representing millions of Americans filed a lawsuit Tuesday challenging a Trump administration action allowing federal immigration enforcement to make arrests in places of worship.

The federal lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, was brought on behalf of a range of religious groups, including the Episcopal Church, the Union for Reform Judaism, the Mennonites and Unitarian Universalists.

The lawsuit challenges an order by President Donald Trump that reversed a Biden administration policy barring agents from arresting illegal migrants in sensitive places like churches, schools and hospitals.

According to the lawsuit, Trump’s new policy has sparked fear of raids, which has led to lower attendance at worship services and other church programs. Because of this impact on attendance, the lawsuit argues the policy infringes on the groups’ religious freedom, particularly their ability to minister to migrants, including those in the U.S. illegally.

‘SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES’: TED CRUZ DELIVERS STRONG WARNING TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FLEEING BORDER PATROL

Fatima Guzman prays during a church service at the Centro Cristiano El Pan de Vida, a mid-size Church of God of Prophecy congregation in Kissimmee, Florida, Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025. (AP)

“We have immigrants, refugees, people who are documented and undocumented,” the Most Rev. Sean Rowe, the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, told The Associated Press.

“We cannot worship freely if some of us are living in fear,” he added. “By joining this lawsuit, we’re seeking the ability to gather and fully practice our faith, to follow Jesus’ command to love our neighbors as ourselves.”

A similar lawsuit was filed Jan. 27 by five Quaker congregations that was later joined by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and a Sikh temple. That case is currently pending in U.S. District Court in Maryland.

The new lawsuit names the Department of Homeland Security and its immigration enforcement agencies as defendants.

“We are protecting our schools, places of worship, and Americans who attend, by preventing criminal aliens and gang members from exploiting these locations and take safe haven there because these criminals knew that under the previous Administration that law enforcement couldn’t go inside,” DHS assistant secretary for public affairs, Tricia McLaughlin, said in a statement.

“DHS’s directive gives our law enforcement the ability to do their jobs,” she said.

A memorandum filed Friday by the Department of Justice, opposing the argument in the Quaker lawsuit, could also apply to the new lawsuit.

The DOJ claims that the plaintiffs’ request to block the new immigration enforcement policy is based on speculation of hypothetical future harm, which the department says makes for insufficient grounds for the courts to side with the Quakers and issue an injunction.

In the memo, the DOJ said that immigration enforcement affecting places of worship had been allowed for decades and that the new policy announced last month stated that field agents should use “common sense” and “discretion” but could now carry out immigration enforcement operations in houses of worship without pre-approval from a supervisor.

One part of that memo may not apply to the new lawsuit, as it argued the Quakers and their fellow plaintiffs have no basis for seeking a nationwide injunction to protect all religious groups against the new policy.

NOEM, HEGSETH, BONDI PLEAD WITH CONGRESS FOR MORE BORDER FUNDING AMID LARGE-SCALE DEPORTATIONS

A congregant kneels in prayer at the Centro Cristiano El Pan de Vida, a mid-size Church of God of Prophecy congregation, in Kissimmee, Florida, Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025. (AP)

“Any relief in this case should be tailored solely to the named plaintiffs,” the DOJ memo said, arguing that any injunction should not apply to other religious organizations.

The plaintiffs in the new lawsuit represent a significantly larger number of American worshipers, including more than 1 million followers of Reform Judaism, around 1.5 million Episcopalians, more than 1 million members of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the estimated 1.5 million active members of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, among others.

“The massive scale of the suit will be hard for them to ignore,” lead counsel Kelsi Corkran, who is a lawyer with the Georgetown University Law Center’s Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection, told The Associated Press.

Corkran said the plaintiffs joined the lawsuit “because their scripture, teaching, and traditions offer irrefutable unanimity on their religious obligation to embrace and serve the refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants in their midst without regard to documentation or legal status.”

Before Trump’s change to federal policy, Corkran said immigration agents generally needed a judicial warrant or other special authorization to conduct operations in locations like places of worship, schools and hospitals.

“Now it’s go anywhere, any time,” she said. “Now they have broad authority to swoop in — they’ve made it very clear they’ll get every undocumented person.”

The lawsuit outlined how some of the plaintiffs’ operations may be affected. Some, including the Union for Reform Judaism and the Mennonites, said many of their synagogues and churches host on-site foodbanks, meal programs, homeless shelters and other support services for illegal migrants who may now be fearful of participating.

One plaintiff, the Latino Christian National Network, described the fear among migrants in the wake of the new Trump administration policy.

“There is deep-seated fear and distrust of our government,” the network’s president, Rev. Carlos Malavé, a pastor of two churches in Virginia, told The Associated Press. “People fear going to the store, they are avoiding going to church. … The churches are increasingly doing online services because people fear for the well-being of their families.”

Jean-Michel Gisnel cries out while praying with other congregants at the First Haitian Evangelical Church of Springfield, Sunday, January 26, 2025, in Springfield, Ohio. (AP)

One religious group that did not join the new lawsuit is the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which leads the nation’s largest denomination, although it has criticized Trump’s mass deportation plan.

On Tuesday, Pope Francis criticized the administration’s immigration policies, saying that the forceful removal of people because of their immigration status deprives them of their inherent dignity and that doing so, he argued, “will end badly.”

Many conservative faith leaders and legal experts across the country, however, share no concerns about immigration enforcement targeting places of worship to arrest migrants.

“Places of worship are for worship and are not sanctuaries for illegal activity or for harboring people engaged in illegal activity,” Mat Staver, founder of the conservative Christian legal organization Liberty Counsel, told The Associated Press.

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“Fugitives or criminals are not immune from the law merely because they enter a place of worship,” he said. “This is not a matter of religious freedom. There is no right to openly violate the law and disobey law enforcement.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

February 12, 2025
‘Designated terrorists’: Extremist groups raked in millions from USAID, multi-year study reveals

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provided millions of dollars in funding to extremist groups tied to designated terrorist organizations and their allies, according to a report published by Middle East Forum, a U.S. think tank.

“The Middle East Forum’s multi-year study of USAID and State Department spending has uncovered $164 million of approved grants to radical organizations, with at least $122 million going to groups aligned with designated terrorists and their supporters,” the conservative think tank wrote in its report published Feb. 4.

“Billions more of federal dollars have been given to leading American aid charities which have consistently failed to vet their terror-tied local partners, and show little interest in improving their practices, to the apparent indifference of the federal government.”

The Middle East Forum’s report focuses specifically on funds from USAID and the State Department that wound up in the hands of radical groups and organizations tied to terrorism.

USAID EMPLOYEE SAYS STAFFERS HID PRIDE FLAGS, ‘INCRIMINATING’ BOOKS WHEN DOGE ARRIVED

Elon Musk leads the Department of Government Efficiency. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

RUBIO PAUSES FOREIGN AID FROM STATE DEPARTMENT AND USAID TO ENSURE IT PUTS ‘AMERICA FIRST’

The think tank reported that among its top findings, USAID was found to have given more than $900,000 to a “Gaza-based terror charity” called Bayader Association for Environment and Development. The funding began in 2016, and its most recent allocation was made just days before Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

USAID is under fire from the Trump administration as the Department of Government Efficiency and its chair, Elon Musk, left, investigate the agency’s spending practices and prepare to revamp and potentially shutter the agency. (Getty Images)

Bayader describes itself as a nongovernmental organization (NGO) that works “to build a civil society” on the Gaza Strip.

“Founded in 2007, shortly after Hamas’s takeover of the Gaza Strip, Bayader operates in close cooperation with the Hamas regime. Its 2021 annual report notes ‘coordination’ and ‘meetings’ with Hamas’s Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Works, Ministry of Social Affairs and Ministry of Agriculture,” the report found.

‘VIPER’S NEST’: USAID ACCUSED OF CORRUPTION, MISMANAGEMENT LONG BEFORE TRUMP ADMIN TOOK AIM

The funds were secured through other NGOs, such as Catholic Relief Services and medical groups.

“But USAID coordinates directly with Bayader as well,” according to the report. “USAID officials have praised Bayader’s work on social media, and even visited Bayader’s offices, where one senior USAID official, Jonathan Kamin, received an award from the terror-linked charity.”

The report also found that USAID approved a $12.5 million grant in 2024 to the American Near East Refugee Agency, which is also “a long-standing partner” of Bayader. The American Near East Refugee Agency is an NGO that was established in 1968 in an effort to assist refugees following the Arab-Israeli War.

Rockets are launched from Gaza City toward Israel. (Hatem Moussa/Associated Press)

The report found staffers with the NGO have repeatedly and publicly posted “violent ideas, without apparent censure from top charity officials.” The comments on social media posted by employees include: calling on God to “erase the Jews,” expressing support for the “brave prisoners” in Israeli jails during the Hamas-Israel war, and describing Oct. 7, 2023, as a “beautiful morning.”

Sam Westrop, the director of the Middle East Forum’s counter-extremism project, Islamist Watch, posted a highlight thread on X of the report’s findings, describing the examples as “horrifying.”

“USAID won’t even tell us how much they gave the Unlimited Friends Association, a Gaza terror charity which operates with help from Hamas. The head of the charity promises to ‘cleanse’ their land of ‘impure Jews,’” Westrop posted in the thread of an example.

USAID CLOSES HQ TO STAFFERS MONDAY AS MUSK SAYS TRUMP SUPPORTS SHUTTING AGENCY DOWN

USAID is under fire from the Trump administration as the Department of Government Efficiency and its chair, Elon Musk, investigate the agency’s spending practices. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/Associated Press)

“USAID gave millions to Islamic Relief, whose Gaza branch openly works with senior terrorist officials in Gaza, including Hamas politburo member Ghazi Hamad. who promised that Hamas would repeat Oct 7 attacks ‘time and again until Israel is annihilated,’” he posted in another example from the report.

USAID funds totaling $125,000 were found in the hands of the Islamic Relief Agency (ISRA) in 2015, despite the U.S. Treasury designating the group a global terrorist organization in 2004 due to its ties to Osama bin Laden.

WHITE HOUSE FLAGS TOP USAID BOONDOGGLES UNDER ELON MUSK’S MICROSCOPE

The report continued that USAID “undoubtedly knew of ISRA’s terrorism activities. In 2010, the executive director of ISRA’s U.S. branch (IARA-USA) and a board member pleaded guilty to money-laundering, theft of public funds, conspiracy, and several other charges. The plea was listed on USAID’s own website,” the report found. IARA-USA stands for the Islamic American Relief Agency.

The funds were directed to ISRA via an evangelical charity called World Vision that works to provide clean water to areas of Sudan, according to the report.

A World Vision official told Fox News Digital when asked about the report that the charity earned approval to work in Sudan “to help build a better world for the most vulnerable children and their families” and that it takes “compliance obligations seriously.”

“As soon as we became aware that a local partner, Islamic Relief Agency, might be on the list of organizations banned from transactions by the United States, we suspended the grant and asked the US Government to confirm its status,” the official said. “We would never knowingly put those we serve or our staff at risk by working with a partner on the list of banned organizations. We exist to help build a better world for children and their families, serving in the name of Jesus Christ. We have no evidence that any of our funds have been used for anything other than urgent humanitarian work.”

“As a Christian humanitarian organization, we do not compromise our beliefs nor commitment to integrity as we work with governments throughout the world,” the official said. “It is not easy to operate in fragile contexts, yet this is where the Lord is calling us. We remain committed to our vision of bringing life in all its fullness to vulnerable children around the world.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Bayader, the American Near East Refugee Agency and Catholic Relief Services but did not receive replies.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio (Mark Schiefelbein/Associated Press)

USAID is under fire from the Trump administration as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and its chair, Elon Musk, investigate the agency’s spending practices and prepare to revamp and potentially shutter the agency. USAID is currently led by interim director Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The agency announced on its website on Tuesday, Feb. 4, that nearly all personnel would be placed on leave by Friday, making a few exceptions for those in roles related to “mission-critical functions, core leadership and specially designated programs.” Its overseas missions reportedly also had been told to shut down.

Lawmakers, news outlets and think tanks have dug into past reports related to USAID spending amid the apparent dismantling of the agency, finding countless examples of money channeled to questionable organizations or programs, such as creating a version of “Sesame Street” in Iraq or funding pottery classes in Morocco.

USAID was established in 1961 under the Kennedy administration, operating as an independent agency that works closely with the State Department to allocate civilian foreign aid. Under Rubio, the agency could be abolished after its reorganization over the coming days, he said in a letter to bipartisan lawmakers on Feb. 3.

“In consultation with Congress, USAID may move, reorganize, and integrate certain missions, bureaus, and offices into the Department of State, and the remainder of the Agency may be abolished consistent with applicable law,” Rubio wrote.

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Musk, meanwhile, has posted on X that USAID is a “criminal organization” and that it is “time for it to die.”

February 11, 2025
USAID activists say stopping ‘corporate welfare’ outweighs ending funds to terror-linked groups

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Protesters rallying against the sweep of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) say that ending “corporate welfare” should be prioritized over looking at money being reportedly funneled to terror-linked groups.

Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been conducting a review of “waste” identified within USAID, the government agency that handles the distribution of foreign aid.

According to an analysis by the Middle East Forum, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, the USAID and State Department have funneled at least $122 million to groups aligned with designated terrorists and their supporters. A White House report also identified $15 million of taxpayer dollars being spent on condoms for the Taliban, a known terrorist group.

On Wednesday, Fox News Digital asked individuals protesting the USAID cuts outside the U.S. Capitol their thoughts about the agency reportedly funding terrorist-aligned groups.

‘SWINDLED THE AMERICAN TAXPAYER’: NEW HOUSE GOP INTERNAL MEMO RIPS DEM USAID UPROAR

Fox News Digital spoke with individuals protesting the sweep of USAID. (Fox News Digital)

“I don’t want to hear anything about funding until we stop corporate welfare,” one protester, who was wearing a mask, told Fox News Digital.

“I think before we talk about funding that we’re sending off to other countries or devoting to poor people in this country that need help,” he added, “we need to talk about the billions in subsidies that we give to corporations like Tesla, like Space X.”

Another individual, also wearing a mask, said giving money to issues that don’t prioritize helping Americans is “crazy.”

“We need to be worrying about our people. We’re not out here giving money to help our people here and suffering,” they told Fox. “Any money going toward other issues is just crazy.”

Protesters gathered outside the U.S. Capitol on Monday to rally against Elon Musk’s crackdown on USAID spending. (Fox News Digital)

Asked about funding to terrorist-linked groups, Michael, a member of Veterans for Peace, said, “Funding has to be looked at, but I would suspect that that’s a very small minority of the funding that the U.S. does.”

“Foreign aid is less than 1% of the U.S. budget. So it’s a very small monetary number,” he added. “And like all programs, it needs to be evaluated every so often. And I think that the small number of programs who supposedly are connected with unsavory type groups are in the minority.”

WHITE HOUSE FLAGS TOP USAID BOONDOGGLES UNDER ELON MUSK’S MICROSCOPE

The protesters all expressed opposition to Musk’s role in the Trump administration as he spearheads efforts to cut costs within the federal government.

“If the White House would take the time to look at where the funding goes, I think they’d be more than happy with the results and the impact of U.S. taxpayer dollars to make the U.S. safer, stronger, and more prosperous,” said Mary, who is retired.

The protesters all expressed opposition to Musk’s role leading efforts to cut costs within the federal government. (Fox News Digital)

Several Democratic lawmakers spoke at the rally, including Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine of Virginia, Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, and Reps. John Garamendi and Lateefah Simon of California.

The White House issued a report that revealed where taxpayer dollars have been funneled through the agency, such as over $400,000 to “help Indonesian coffee companies become more climate and gender friendly through USAID.”

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Musk said on X that he and President Donald Trump came to an agreement that the agency needed to be shut down.

Fox News Digital’s Emma Woodhead contributed to this report.

Aubrie Spady is a Writer for Fox News Digital.

February 5, 2025
Trump tariffs prompt warnings from trade groups

OLeary Ventures Chairman Kevin OLeary joins Fox & Friends to discuss his conversation with President Donald Trump regarding the tariffs on Canada and Mexico and Elon Musks claim the U.S. Treasury approved fraudulent payments.

President Donald Trump’s move to impose tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada and add further tariffs on China has sparked reactions from several trade groups, who warned the added taxes on imports will drive up costs for American consumers and producers.

The president signed an executive order on Saturday that authorized a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico and a 10% additional tariff on imports from China, to go into effect on Tuesday.

President Donald Trump delivers his inaugural address after being sworn in as the 47th president of the United States on Jan. 20 in Washington, D.C. (Chip Somodevilla/Pool/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)

The tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada were both put on hold Monday for another month after the leaders of both countries agreed to concessions and continued discussions with Trump on how a trade war could be averted.

But if an agreement is not reached, the tariffs on the two countries, as well as their threatened retaliatory tariffs on the U.S., could still go into effect.

AUTOMOTIVE GROUPS REACT TO TRUMP TARIFFS ON IMPORTS FROM CANADA, MEXICO, CHINA

Here are the reactions from several trade groups on the new tariffs:

American Farm Bureau Federation

The American Farm Bureau said President Zippy Duvall “expressed alarm about potential harm to farmers” as a result of the new tariffs.

“Farm Bureau members support the goals of security and ensuring fair trade with our North American neighbors and China, but, unfortunately, we know from experience that farmers and rural communities will bear the brunt of retaliation,” Duval said in a statement.

A farmer spreads fertilizer on his field. The AFBF warned that tariffs on Canada will drive up the price of fertilizer for American farmers (Harold Hoch BC Last Look RNP Images (Photo By Harold Hoch/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images) / Getty Images)

The Farm Bureau chief pointed out that more than 80% of America’s supply of potash, a key fertilizer ingredient, comes from Canada, and warned tariffs that increase fertilizer prices “threaten to deliver another blow to the finances of farm families already grappling with inflation and high supply costs.”

HOW TRUMP’S TARIFFS CLOSED THE LOOPHOLE USED BY CHINESE RETAILERS

Duvall further noted that more than 20% of U.S. farm income comes from exports, and Mexico, Canada and China are the top three buyers. Combined, he said, those markets account for nearly half of all exports by value.

Consumer Brands Association

Tom Madrecki, the Consumer Brands Association’s vice president of supply chain resiliency, said the trade association supports an “America First Trade Policy,” but warned tariffs on all imported goods from Mexico and Canada “could lead to higher consumer prices and retaliation against U.S. exporters.”

He added, “We urge leaders in Mexico and Canada to work with President Trump to protect consumers’ access to affordable products and remove tariffs that could contribute to grocery inflation.”

National Association of Home Builders

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) warned that the tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods would hinder home builders and drive up the cost of housing further, and urged the Trump administration to reconsider the move.

The National Association of Homebuilders warned that tariffs on Canada and Mexico would drive up the costs of critical building materials.

“More than 70% of the imports of two essential materials that home builders rely on — softwood lumber and gypsum (used for drywall) — come from Canada and Mexico, respectively,” NAHB Chairman Carl Harris said.

“Tariffs on lumber and other building materials increase the cost of construction and discourage new development, and consumers end up paying for the tariffs in the form of higher home prices.”

National Association of Manufacturers

National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons praised the success of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement that President Trump implemented during his first term, but warned that tariffs on Canada and Mexico threatened U.S. supply chains.

TRUMP TARIFF THREATS ON CANADIAN OIL COULD IMPACT THREE US REGIONS, GAS ANALYST SAYS

“The ripple effects will be severe, particularly for small and medium-sized manufacturers that lack the flexibility and capital to rapidly find alternative suppliers or absorb skyrocketing energy costs,” Timmons said. “These businesses—employing millions of American workers—will face significant disruptions. Ultimately, manufacturers will bear the brunt of these tariffs, undermining our ability to sell our products at a competitive price and putting American jobs at risk.”

Former U.S. ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker joins ‘Mornings with Maria’ to react to President Donald Trump’s tariffs set to take effect in China, Mexico and Canada as the he vows levying tariffs on the E.U.

National Retail Federation

“We support the Trump administration’s goal of strengthening trade relationships and creating fair and favorable terms for America,” National Retail Federation Executive Vice President of Government Relations David French said in a statement. “But imposing steep tariffs on three of our closest trading partners is a serious step.”

The NRF encouraged “all parties to continue negotiating to find solutions that will strengthen trade relationships and avoid shifting the costs of shared policy failures onto the backs of American families, workers and small businesses.”

U.S. Chamber of Commerce

U.S. Chamber of Commerce leaders warned both before and after Trump’s announcement that tariffs could cause economic harm to Americans.

“The President is right to focus on major problems like our broken border and the scourge of fentanyl, but the imposition of tariffs under IEEPA is unprecedented, won’t solve these problems, and will only raise prices for American families and upend supply chains,” Chamber Senior Vice President and Head of International John Murphy said in a statement following the move.

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Last week, both Murphy and U.S. Chamber President and CEO Suzanne Clark warned against the U.S. imposing blanket tariffs, with Clark saying in a statement, “The bottom line is this: tariffs are a tax paid by Americans, and their broad and indiscriminate use would stifle growth at the worst possible time.’

February 4, 2025
Auto groups react to Trump tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico, China

Canadian Energy and Resource Minister Jonathan Wilkinson on the relationship with the U.S., and trade conversations between Prime Minister Trudeau and President Donald Trump.

President Donald Trump over the weekend announced planned tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico and China that could affect automakers.

Trump’s executive order sought to bring a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico and a 10% levy on imports from China starting Tuesday.

Trump said on Monday he will pause tariffs on Mexico for one month after the country’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, agreed to deploy 10,000 troops to the U.S.-Mexico border. Trump said Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick will negotiate with high-level representatives of Mexico.

President Donald Trump said on Monday he will pause tariffs on Mexico for one month after Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum agreed to deploy 10,000 troops to the U.S.-Mexico border. (Emmanuel Rosas/ObturadorMX/Getty Images | Allison Robbert-Pool/Getty Images / Getty Images)

STOCKS SINK MONDAY AFTER TRUMP’S TARIFFS ON CANADA, MEXICO AND CHINA

What Automakers are Saying

Matt Blunt, the president of the American Automotive Policy Council whose members include Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, said Monday in a statement to FOX Business that the association “continue[s] to believe that vehicles and parts that meet the [United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement’s] USMCA’s stringent domestic and regional content requirements should be exempt from the tariff increase.”

“Our American automakers, who invested billions in the U.S. to meet these requirements, should not have their competitiveness undermined by tariffs that will raise the cost of building vehicles in the United States and stymie investment in the American workforce,” he added.

A General Motors worker is shown on the assembly line at the General Motors Lansing Delta Township Assembly Plant on Feb. 21, 2020 in Lansing, Michigan. (Bill Pugliano/Getty Images / Getty Images)

The Alliance for Automotive Innovation did not return FOX Business’ request for comment. Toyota declined to comment.

CHINA THREATENS TO RETALIATE AGAINST TRUMP TARIFFS

Autos Drive America counts a dozen international automakers among its members, including Honda, BMW, Hyundai, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Volkswagen and others.

Vehicles for sale at an AutoNation Honda dealership in Fremont, California, on June 24, 2024. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

“The North American auto industry is highly integrated and the imposition of tariffs will be detrimental to American jobs, investment, and consumers,” Autos Drive America CEO Jennifer Safavian said Saturday in a press release, arguing they “undermine” the USMCA.

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“We urge all parties to reach a swift resolution in order to provide clarity and stability for the entire U.S. auto industry,” she said. “U.S. automakers would be better served by policies that reduce barriers for manufacturers, ease regulations that hinder production, and create greater export opportunities – policies that we look forward to working with President Trump to enact.”

February 3, 2025
Non-profits, health and LGBTQ advocacy groups sue Trump admin over federal aid freeze

A handful of non-profit organizations and health associations, including an LGBTQ+ advocacy group, filed a lawsuit Tuesday over the Trump administration’s directive to freeze federal aid.

The lawsuit, filed Tuesday afternoon in Washington, D.C., federal court, was launched by the National Council of Nonprofits, the American Public Health Association, the Main Street Alliance, and SAGE against the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and acting director of OMB, Matthew Vaeth.

The parties are asking the court to impose a temporary restraining order “to maintain the status quo until the Court has an opportunity to more fully consider the illegality of OMB’s actions.”

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PLACES 60 DEI EMPLOYEES ON LEAVE WITH SALARIES TOTALING MORE THAN $8M

The suit was filed after the Trump administration went on a memo blitz Monday, sending at least three letters to federal agency leaders on directives covering topics including return to office instructions and pausing federal grants. Fox News Digital obtained copies of the memos.

One specific memo issued by OMB pauses all federal grants and loans in an effort to end “‘wokeness’ and the weaponization of government,” and to promote “efficiency in government.”

Trump signed two executive orders Monday taking aim at Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the federal government. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

“Federal agencies must temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance, and other relevant agency activities that may be implicated by the executive orders, including, but not limited to, financial assistance for foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations, DEI, woke gender ideology, and the green new deal,” the memo reads.

TRUMP’S FEDERAL DEI PURGE PUTS HUNDREDS ON LEAVE, NIXES $420M IN CONTRACTS

The pause takes effect at 5 p.m. ET on Tuesday.

The lawsuit argues that the parties will suffer harm as a result of the federal aid freeze given their reliance on federal funding.

A handful of non-profit organizations and health associations, including an LGBTQ+ advocacy group, filed a lawsuit Tuesday over the Trump administration’s directive to freeze federal aid. (Joan Slatkin/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

SAGE’s CEO, Michael Adams — whose organization describes itself as “dedicated to improving the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender adults,” per the court filing — told Fox News Digital in a statement that the freeze “would devastate the lives of older Americans — including LGBTQ+ elders who already face unique challenges.”

TRUMP DEI CRACKDOWNS LAUDED FOR BRINGING MERIT BACK TO MEDICINE: ‘MAKE HEALTHCARE GREAT AGAIN’

“This reckless decision puts entire communities at risk. We must work together now to protect our older neighbors, friends, and loved ones before it’s too late,” Adams said.

Small Business Majority Founder & CEO John Arensmeyer said the federal grant freeze “will have a devastating impact on small businesses nationwide” and called the move a “Draconian shuttering of the federal purse.”

A handful of non-profit organizations and health associations, including an LGBTQ+ advocacy group, filed a lawsuit Tuesday over the Trump administration’s directive to freeze federal aid. (AP/Mark Schiefelbein)

Diane Yentel, President & CEO of the National Council of Nonprofits called the directive a “reckless action” by the Trump administration that would prove to be “catastrophic for nonprofit organizations and the people and communities they serve.”

“From pausing research on cures for childhood cancer to halting housing and food assistance, shuttering domestic violence and homeless shelters, and closing suicide hotlines, the impact of even a short pause in funding could be devastating and cost lives,” Yentel said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. “This order must be halted immediately before such avoidable harm is done.”

TRUMP TARGETS CULTURE WAR LIGHTNING RODS IN EARLY SLATE OF EXECUTIVE ORDERS

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.

The memo explained that out of the $10 trillion spent by the federal government in fiscal year 2024, $3 trillion of that total was allocated to “federal financial assistance, such as grants and loans.”

Vaeth sent the memo to all heads of executive departments and agencies.

Trump also signed two executive orders Monday taking aim at Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the federal government.

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The orders, titled “Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness” and “Restoring America’s Fighting Force,” should be in the process of being implemented by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the secretary of Homeland Security within 30 days.

Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton and Elizabeth Pritchett contributed to this report.

Haley Chi-Sing is a Writer for Fox News Digital. You can reach her at @haleychising on X.

January 28, 2025
Transgender service members and rights groups file suit against Trump’s Pentagon directive

A group of transgender service members and rights groups are filing a lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s restrictions on transgender troops in the military.

The lawsuit, filed on behalf of six active duty transgender service members by GLAD Law and the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), argues that the new executive order violates the equality guarantees of the U.S. Constitution.

Filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the suit says the six transgender service members would lose access to healthcare and retirement benefits as a result of the executive order.

“When you put on the uniform, differences fall away and what matters is your ability to do the job,” said Army 2nd Lt. Nicolas Talbott, named as plaintiff in the suit: Talbott v. Trump.

The new order, signed by Trump on Monday evening, requires Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to update medical standards to ensure they “prioritize readiness and lethality” and take action to “end the use of invented and identification-based pronouns” within DOD.

TRUMP SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDERS BANNING ‘RADICAL GENDER IDEOLOGY,’ DEI INITIATIVES IN THE MILITARY

Advocates protest Trump’s transgender military ban during his first term. (Getty Images)

It says that expressing a “gender identity” different from an individual’s sex at birth does not meet military standards.

The order also restricts sleeping, changing and bathing facilities by biological sex. It’s not an immediate ban, but a direction for the secretary of Defense to implement such policies.

It revokes former President Joe Biden’s executive order that the White House argues “allowed for special circumstances to accommodate ‘gender identity’ in the military – to the detriment of military readiness and unit cohesion.”

The categorical ban on transgender service members was lifted in 2014 under President Barack Obama.

“I’ve been military my entire life. I was born on a military base,” said Navy Ensign Dan Danridge, student flight officer, a plaintiff in the suit.

DEFENSE SECRETARY PETE HEGSETH SAYS ‘NO MORE DEI AT DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE’: ‘NO EXCEPTIONS’

“Every day I lace up my boots the same as everybody else. I pass the same tests as everybody else. Being transgender is irrelevant to my service. What matters is that I can complete the tasks that are critical to our mission.”

“I’ve spent more than half my life in the Army, including combat in Afghanistan,” said Army Sgt. 1st Class Kate Cole. “Removing qualified transgender soldiers like me means an exodus of experienced personnel who fill key positions and can’t be easily replaced.”

Trump’s new order builds on another directive he issued last week that revoked a Biden-era order allowing transgender people to serve in the military.

Lawsuit filed against Trump’s latest executive order. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Trump directed DOD to restrict accommodations for transgender troops. (Greg Nash/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

On the campaign trail, Trump promised to reinstate the ban on transgender troops he imposed during his first term. In his inauguration speech, he said he would formally recognize that there are only two genders: male and female.

There are an estimated 9,000 to 14,000 transgender service members – exact figures are not publicly available.

Between Jan. 1, 2016, and May 14, 2021, the DOD reportedly spent approximately $15 million on providing transgender treatments (surgical and nonsurgical) to 1,892 active duty service members, according to the Congressional Research Service.

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The move comes as part of a campaign taken up by Trump and Hegseth to weed out any diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices across the military. And GOP lawmakers successfully included an amendment in their 2025 defense policy bill that bans irreversible transgender care for minors in the military healthcare system.

January 28, 2025
‘Catastrophic threat’: Conservative group’s roadmap shows how Trump can use military to thwart cartels

FIRST ON FOX: A top conservative group is offering a roadmap as to how President Donald Trump can effectively deploy the military to secure the southern border, arguing that there is a “substantial historic precedent” for such a use.

“A broad and diverse set of options and legal authorities are available to the second Trump Administration for using the resources and capacities of the U.S. military to ensure the integrity of the border with Mexico,” the Heritage Foundation report, obtained first by Fox News Digital, says. “Additionally, there is substantial historical precedent for an active U.S. military role in border security and managing migration crises.”

The report, “How the President Can Use the U.S. Military to Confront the Catastrophic Threat at the Border with Mexico,” argues that an “unchecked growth” of Mexican cartels, as well as illegal immigration and narcotics have “deepended and accelerated,” posing a destabilizing threat to the U.S.

TRUMP DHS MAKES KEY MOVE AGAINST MIGRANTS ALLOWED IN VIA CONTROVERSIAL BIDEN PAROLE PROGRAMS

This split shows the southern border wall and troops at the border. (Getty Images)

Simultaneously, it argues that there has been a “rapid deterioration” in U.S.-Mexico security cooperation and Mexico’s own anti-cartel operations.

It is a view shared by the new Trump administration. Trump issued an executive order on day one to deploy the military to the border as part of a slew of broader efforts to secure the southern border and crack down on illegal immigration.

TRUMP DHS REPEALS KEY MAYORKAS MEMO LIMITING ICE AGENTS, ORDERS PAROLE REVIEW

Authors Robert Greenway, Andres Martinez-Fernandez and Wilson Beaver argue for a number of follow-up measures to confront the threat of the cartels and what they see as a “reluctant” Mexican government.

“The first steps on this front should consist of measures, such as substantial bolstering of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) border security capacities, increasing restrictions on formal and informal border crossings, ramping up U.S. law enforcement efforts, targeting illicit financial flows tied to the cartels, and sanctioning corrupt Mexican officials,” they wrote.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump wave as they board Air Force One on Friday, Jan. 24, 2025 at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, for a trip to North Carolina and California. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

The report stressed the need for appropriate funding from Congress and planning from agencies in order to prevent impacting other missions. It highlighted the potential for military equipment for immigration purposes, including deportation.

“When it comes to large-scale illegal-alien detention and deportation, some of the underused but most impactful resources include U.S. military transport vehicles and facilities around the world which could support detention and repatriation of illegal aliens, including to higher-risk and extra-hemispheric countries of origin,” it says.

As for direct military action against cartels, the authors say that it should be a “last resort,” with joint military action with Mexican coordination being the ideal condition.

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“However, in the appropriate context, unilateral U.S. military action may be employed to disrupt cartel activity and prompt cooperation from a resistant Mexican government,” it says.

It argues that Mexico is unlikely to change its stance with the election of President Claudia Sheinbaum, even in response to what the authors argue is a dramatically escalating threat from the cartels.

“Today, drug cartels are the fifth-largest employer in Mexico, with between 160,000 and 185,000 members,” they wrote. “Cartels are also equipped with military-level weaponry, including anti-aircraft weapons and armored vehicles, while increasingly employing advanced technologies, such as drones and signal jamming systems.”

The report also touts other uses for the military, including aiding border wall construction, helping supplement an overstretched Border Patrol, and the use of intelligence and surveillance methods to detect cross-border activity, as well as migrant detention at U.S. military facilities.

People are seen boarding a U.S. military aircraft. The White House announced on Friday that “deportation flights have begun” in the U.S. (White House)

The report comes after a flurry of activity from the administration, including the deployment of the military to the border, to tackle the border threat and limit illegal immigration.

Troops began arriving in El Paso, Texas, and San Diego on Thursday evening, providing 1,000 U.S. Army personnel and 500 Marines from Camp Pendleton in California.

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“This represents a 60% increase in active-duty ground forces since President Trump was sworn-in Monday,” then-acting Defense Secretary Robert Salesses said in a statement late Wednesday.

There are already 2,500 U.S. service members stationed at the southern border.

Fox News’ Christina Shaw contributed to this report.

Adam Shaw is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital, primarily covering immigration and border security.

He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter.

January 27, 2025
Veterans groups plead with Trump to reconsider barring Afghan allies amid immigration crackdown

Multiple veterans groups sent a letter to President Donald Trump on Thursday, urging him to reconsider a recent executive order regarding immigration and refugee programs, citing concerns about the safety of Afghan interpreters and their families who helped the U.S. military.

The executive order, the Realigning the United States Refugee Program, will go into effect on Monday and suspend the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP).

Trump’s order immediately pauses all processing and movements for USRAP refugees, who are referred due to threats from their association with the U.S. – such as family members of service members, and Afghan partner forces.

Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs), people who directly worked for or supported the U.S. government – which includes interpreters and contractors, do not appear to be directly impacted.

2 AMERICANS RELEASED IN EXCHANGE FOR TALIBAN PRISONER

President Donald Trump signs a series of executive orders at the White House on January 20, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Jabin Botsford /The Washington Post via Getty Images)

They could, however, be indirectly affected by implementation decisions or additional orders, according to #AfghanEvac, a non-profit that helps facilitate relocation and resettlement of Afghan U.S. allies.

The veterans groups wanted to highlight “unintended consequences” of the order, claiming it could adversely affect the mental health of countless veterans.

The letter, obtained by Fox News, discussed the bonds many service members and veterans formed with Afghan partners who supported the global war on terror, often at great personal risk to themselves and their families.

“The current suspension of certain pathways for these allies may unintentionally penalize individuals who could be eligible for Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) but do not currently hold them — not because they do not meet the qualifications, but because of the chaotic and disorganized nature of the withdrawal from Afghanistan under the previous administration,” the letter read.

Taliban holds a military parade with equipment captured from U.S. army in Kandahar, Afghanistan on November 8, 2021. (Murteza Khaliqi/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

The groups said they “fully support” Trump’s goal of prioritizing American security, but believe there is a clear opportunity to address the issue without harm to Afghan partners.

The executive order argues that the entry of additional refugees would be “detrimental to the interests of the United States,” but notes the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security can jointly make exceptions and admit refugees on a case-by-case basis when in the national interest, and there is no threat to America’s security or welfare.

Noting concerns about Afghan partners being deported “erroneously,” the groups said the partners’ immediate family members, who face serious threats from the Taliban may lose their hopes of safe passage.

GOLD STAR FAMILIES DEVASTATED BY BIDEN’S BOTCHED AFGHANISTAN WITHDRAWAL ENDORSE HEGSETH FOR SECDEF

They asked the president to consider SIV-eligible allies and their families, to prevent them from being “inadvertently cast aside due to lapses that occurred under the botched withdrawal,” according to the letter.

“This approach would protect those who have risked their lives for our country while reinforcing your administration’s clear commitment to national security,” they wrote.

USRAP has no impact on illegal immigration, according to #AfghanEvac. Refugees must be vetted before entering the U.S., and crossing the border without authorization voids their eligibility.

Chad Robichaux, a U.S. Marine Corps force recon veteran and Department of Defense contractor, told Fox News he spent years of his life protecting American lives domestically and internationally, but the sacrifice was not made solely by U.S. service members.

Taliban fighters patrol on the road during a celebration marking the second anniversary of the withdrawal of U.S.-led troops from Afghanistan, in Kandahar, south of Kabul, Afghanistan, on Tuesday, Aug. 15. (AP/Abdul Khaliq)

“Afghan interpreters risked their lives for two decades alongside us to defeat the evils of the Taliban,” Robichaux said. “When Afghanistan fell, I personally went to rescue my interpreter Aziz from the clutches of that very evil, delivering him to American soil. President Trump is honorably taking strong steps to keep this hallowed soil safe. But in doing so, [it] places these same Afghans in jeopardy. These Afghan Allies have demonstrated more patriotic courage than some of our own citizens, and I am asking for their due protection in the midst of these sweeping security measures.”

The suspension effectively leaves thousands of Afghan allies stranded in limbo, according to #AfghanEvac. The organization claims at least 10 to 15,000 individuals are fully vetted and awaiting flights in Afghanistan, Pakistan and other countries.

TRUMP ORDER PUTS THOUSANDS OF AFGHAN ALLIES WAITING FOR US RESETTLEMENT IN LIMBO

Groups that signed the letter included: Save Our Allies; Sheepdog Response; The Verardo Group; The Independence Fund; Diesel Jack Media; Special Operations Association of America; and Mighty Oaks Foundation.

Tim Kennedy – a Green Beret, former UFC fighter, founder of Sheepdog Response, and president of Save Our Allies – told Fox News it is the nation’s duty to protect its allies.

“I’ve served with the most patriotic heroes our nation has to offer. I’ve watched them brilliantly and valiantly sacrifice life and limb to protect the United States,” Kennedy said. “Among those patriots are the Afghan men who risked threat and brutality from the Taliban to defend the freedom and American ideals we hold dear.”

Tim Kennedy during weigh-ins for UFC 206 at Air Canada Centre. (Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports)

There are still 150,000 to 250,000 Afghans seeking settlement, according to #AfghanEvac. An estimated 40,000 to 60,000 are refugees under USRAP.

“The Biden administration is responsible for our blood-soaked exit from Afghanistan,” Kennedy said. “The Allies we served beside didn’t receive the promise we offered them. I applaud the necessary and exemplary efforts President Trump is making to secure our country from foreign threats, but it is our duty to protect and preserve the sanctity of our promise to those Afghan allies. In many cases, we owe them our lives, and we must let this be their home.”

Since the end of the war in 2021, some 180,000 Afghans have resettled in the U.S., Fox News Digital reported.

Many of those who are still waiting for refugee approval are hiding out in Pakistan, fearful of deportation back to Afghanistan.

President Joe Biden speaks in the Rose Garden at the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Daniel Elkins, CEO of Special Operations Association of America, said he is “certain there would be more Americans in Arlington cemetery if it weren’t for Afghans who risked their lives to help us, and now is the time for us to help them.”

Rep. Michael McCaul, chairman emeritus of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told Fox News he looks forward to continuing to work with Save Our Allies as they advocate for all Afghan allies former President Joe Biden “abandoned.”

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“Unlike President Biden who consistently dismissed pleas from veterans and service members to help their Afghan allies, President Trump cares about America’s veterans and service members and will listen to them,” McCaul said.

The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment Thursday night.

Fox News Digital’s Morgan Phillips contributed to this story.

Alexandra Koch is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital. Prior to joining Fox News, Alexandra covered breaking news, crime, religion, and the military in the southeast.

January 24, 2025