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Tag: immigration

DeSantis pushes Florida lawmakers to take action on illegal immigration, warns of consequences for defiance

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday pushed Republican state lawmakers to take urgent action on illegal immigration, voting to fight like a “junkyard dog” and warning of political consequences for defiance.

The governor leaned on the Florida legislature ahead of a special session next week, during which he wants legislators to pass new bills to crack down on illegal immigration in sync with President Donald Trump’s administration at the federal level. But GOP leaders have called the session “premature” and signaled that they may gavel out without taking action on the governor’s agenda items.

DeSantis warned that would be a costly mistake. “It would be very, very hazardous politically,” he told reporters during a roundtable discussion at the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. He also suggested that he will call for another special session of the legislature if GOP leaders delay action.

BORDER ENCOUNTERS DROP SHARPLY AS TRUMP LAUNCHES CRACKDOWN ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

DeSantis holds a news conference with emergency officials as a hurricane beared down on his state on Oct. 9, 2024. (AP)

“I have my constitutional authority to wield in this process and I will continue to wield it as appropriate so that we’re able to get the job done,” he said, adding that he would fight like a “junkyard dog” to get his immigration policies enacted.

“You don’t let go.”

DeSantis wants Republicans to enact laws that would require state and local officials to comply with the new immigration orders issued by the White House and provide funding for them to do so. He has also called for legislation that would penalize state and local officials who violate Florida’s “anti-sanctuary policies,” WPTV reported.

The governor also directed lawmakers to consider additional hurricane aid, crack down on ballot initiative signature fraud and address rising HOA fees.

DESANTIS CITES ‘GULF OF AMERICA’ IN WINTER STORM ORDER AFTER TRUMP REBRANDING

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

House Speaker Daniel Perez and Senate President Ben Albritton reacted coolly when the governor called for a special legislative session starting on Jan. 27. In a joint statement on Jan. 13, they called it “irresponsible” for the legislature to act ahead of any announcements Trump may make on immigration and criticized DeSantis, stating the governor had offered only “fragmented ideas” and had not released any bill language or details for legislators to consider.

Lawmakers “will decide when and what legislation we consider,” the Florida House and Senate leaders said.

Trump has already issued a flurry of executive orders to begin promised “mass deportations” of illegal immigrants present in the United States. On Monday, Trump declared an emergency on the southern border, deployed 1,500 soldiers to the border and ended the Biden administration’s CBP One app program to process migrants at ports of entry via humanitarian parole.

His administration then launched a mass deportation operation, with ICE agents active in multiple cities and states across the U.S.

DESANTIS’ CHOSEN RUBIO REPLACEMENT MOODY WANTS TO TACKLE INFLATION, SPENDING, BORDER: ‘AUDIT THE FED!’

Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 20, 2025. (JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)

The Department of Homeland Security has also issued memos rescinding limits placed on ICE by the Biden administration, ordering a review of parole and expanding the use of expedited removal for recently-arrived illegal immigrants.

And Trump’s administration has moved to restore border wall construction and reinstate the Remain-in-Mexico policy, which requires migrants to stay in Mexico for the duration of their asylum cases.

These combined policies have resulted in a sharp 35% drop in illegal immigrant encounters at the southern border, multiple Department of Homeland Security sources told Fox News Digital.

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DeSantis rejected the concerns of the legislature, telling reporters Thursday, “we’ve been waiting years for this moment. It’s not premature.”

“We can’t drag our feet. We can’t wait for something to go into effect in July. We need something immediately and we need to get everything moving, and we need to do what we told the people that elected us that we would do.”

Fox News Digital’s Adam Shaw contributed to this report.

Chris Pandolfo is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital. Send tips to [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @ChrisCPandolfo.

January 24, 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
Trump applauded for ‘significant’ immigration action after Biden admin ‘ruined’ US border

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, says President Donald Trump is starting from ‘square one’ on the border on ‘Kudlow.’

During his first week in office, President Donald Trump launched an immigration crackdown with a number of border security measures. The efforts are one of many campaign promises Trump has worked to keep since assuming office Monday.

One Republican lawmaker applauded Trump for his immigration efforts, calling out former President Joe Biden for leaving the border “wide open” for years.

“Donald Trump has shown that he’s willing to deliver on campaign promises. Promises the American people have been relying on him to deliver and promises that really are long overdue,” Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, said on “Kudlow” Thursday.

TRUMP BORDER CZAR TOM HOMAN REVEALS ICE TEAMS ARE ALREADY ARRESTING ‘PUBLIC SAFETY THREATS’

“This also shows just how inexcusable the Biden administration’s inaction was. They claimed over and over again, we can’t do it for this reason, that reason or any other reason. This was a willful subversion of America’s border security, an intentional weakening of our national security.”

Rep. Laurel Lee, R-Fla., joins ‘The Evening Edit’ to discuss the House passing the Laken Riley Act and how it may affect illegal immigration.

Upon taking office, Trump signed orders declaring a national emergency at the border, deploying the military and ending the use of the CBP One app to process migrants at ports of entry via humanitarian parole.

His administration has also launched a mass deportation operation, with ICE agents active in multiple cities and states across the nation.

The Department of Homeland Security has also issued memos rescinding limits placed on ICE by the Biden administration, ordering a review of parole and expanding the use of expedited removal for recently-arrived illegal immigrants.

BORDER ENCOUNTERS DROP SHARPLY AS TRUMP LAUNCHES CRACKDOWN ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

“Biden created so many problems with his open borders, problems that have resulted in death, destruction, suffering and theft, among other problems for the American people. So President Trump’s right to start where he started,” Lee said when asked about the deportation operations.

“Our hope and expectation is that in some cases, some of these folks will have enough presence of mind to realize it might make sense for them to leave on their own. For those that don’t, they will find out the hard way.”

Texas Public Safety Department Lt. Chris Olivarez discusses the border crisis under the Trump administration.

Trump’s administration has also moved to restore border wall construction and reinstate the Remain-in-Mexico policy, which requires migrants to stay in Mexico for the duration of their asylum cases.

Trump also signed an executive order ending birthright citizenship for illegal immigrants — a move which quickly sparked a lawsuit from nearly two dozen Democratic-led states. A federal judge in Seattle Thursday temporarily blocked the president’s birthright citizenship order, describing the action as “blatantly unconstitutional.”

“Now that Donald Trump is having to go back almost to the drawing board, as it were. Start from square one and he’s already making significant progress. I applaud him for that,” Lee said.

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Fox News’ Adam Shaw contributed to this report.

January 24, 2025
‘Restore order’: Bill to limit Biden-era immigration powers gets renewed push under Trump

FIRST ON FOX: A bill to strictly limit programs used by the Biden administration to allow migrants into the U.S. and protect them from deportation is being re-introduced in both chambers of Congress amid a flurry of immigration moves in Congress and the White House.

The End Unaccountable Amnesty Act, was introduced in the Senate last year but is now being re-introduced in both chambers by Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., and Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, which would limit the use of humanitarian parole to allow migrants into the U.S. and limit the use of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to protect them from deportation.

The Biden administration, as part of its efforts to expand lawful pathways for migration to curb the ongoing migrant crisis at the border, used parole to admit 1,450 migrants a day using the CBP One app at the border. It has also allowed more than 500,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela (CHNV) to fly into the U.S. using a separate program. Combined, nearly 1.5 million migrants were let in via CBP One and CHNV. President Trump ordered an end to both this week.

‘ABUSED THE LAWS’: GOP BILL VOWS TO SHUT DOWN KEY BIDEN-ERA POLICIES BENEFITING MIGRANTS

Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind. (Rep. Jim Banks campaign/File)

Separately, the Biden administration has used (TPS) to allow migrants from countries facing conflict and hardship to remain protected from deportation, including countries like Venezuela and Haiti. It extended a slew of designations in the final days of the administration.

The bill would restrict TPS designations by requiring Congress to approve them for 12-month terms (currently 18 months) and requiring additional moves by Congress to extend them.

The bill would also limit parole to a hard cap of 1,000 a year, significantly reduced from the hundreds of thousands allowed currently. Parole would also only be allowed for limited circumstances like emergency medical cases.

The bill would also impose stricter eligibility and placement criteria for unaccompanied children amid reports of such children being lost track of by authorities. Meanwhile, the use of DHS documents like Notices to Appear and also the now-limited CBP One app would be barred from being used for airport security checks.

‘TIDES ARE SHIFTING’: PUSH TO CODIFY KEY TRUMP-ERA POLICY SNAGS DOZENS OF CO-SPONSORS

Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas (Nathan Howard/Getty Images/File)

“The Biden administration exploited current law to grant legal status to millions of non-citizens, overwhelming communities in Indiana and across the country. Our schools, healthcare systems, and public services are struggling with this massive influx,” Banks said in a statement. “This bill will end mass parole, eliminate incentives for illegal immigration, and help President Trump restore order after the chaos caused by Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.”

“The Biden-Harris Administration’s policies incentivized the worst border crisis in American history,” Nehls wrote. “Worse, President Biden and his cronies imported people from all over the world through the CHNV and other mass parole programs, flooding our communities with insufficiently vetted individuals. I’m proud to introduce legislation alongside Senator Banks to prevent future administrations from abusing TPS designations and parole authority.”

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

When it was first introduced, the bill faced challenges with a Democrat-run Senate, but now the chamber is in the hands of Republicans, and a number of Democrats have backed restrictionist bills after a year in which illegal immigration was a top priority for voters.

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Dozens of Democrats recently backed the Laken Riley Act to require Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain illegal immigrants charged with theft-related crimes. Meanwhile, a bill to restore the Trump-era Remain in Mexico policy has picked up bipartisan sponsors in the lower chamber.

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 23, 2025
Las Vegas Police will not assist with Trump immigration ‘roundups,’ says department head

After President Donald Trump’s return to the White House and swift, sweeping actions to crack down on illegal immigration, the head of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD), Sheriff Kevin McMahill, doubled down on a policy guiding officers to limit cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (IC) and not assist with federal immigration “roundups.”

The department emphasized its policy of not investigating immigration violations, according to a statement posted on X Tuesday. The department said its statement was in response to “questions regarding immigration enforcement.”

The policy, which was instituted during the first Trump administration in 2019 and then amended in 2023, states that “although Nevada peace officers have the authority to assist in enforcing federal laws, LVMPD officers will not enforce immigration violations.” And “officers will not stop and question, detain, arrest, or place an immigration hold on any individuals on the grounds they are an undocumented immigrant.

“It is the policy of this department to recognize the dignity of all persons, regardless of their national origin or immigration status,” the policy states. “LVMPD is committed to community-oriented policing as a strategy that focuses on developing relationships with community members regardless of the immigration status of a suspect or victim.”

‘LOUD AND CLEAR’: BORDER STATE’S LEGISLATURE MOVES TO BACK TRUMP’S ICE ON DEPORTATIONS

President Donald Trump and Sheriff Kevin McMahill, head of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police. (Getty Images)

According to the LVMPD policy, the department “will share criminal intelligence regarding transnational organized crime and international terrorism with any and all law enforcement agencies to include ICE.”

The policy further states that the department will also notify ICE when a foreign-born individual is arrested and charged with a violent felony, domestic violence or driving under the influence at the time of booking and release.

DOJ TO INVESTIGATE STATE OR LOCAL OFFICIALS WHO OBSTRUCT IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT: MEMO

However, the LVMPD policy says that the department “will not delay the release of an inmate for ICE” and will release a migrant “if ICE is not present at the time of the inmate’s release.”

In an interview with local outlet 8 News Now, McMahill said his officers would not assist federal authorities with “roundups” of illegal immigrants, saying, “That’s not my job. I have too much to do.

“I don’t intend to change that policy any time soon. What I do hope happens is that there’s a bipartisan effort to secure our border.”

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill speaks to the media at department headquarters in Las Vegas Jan. 7, 2025. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP)

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

In previous statements, ICE has said law enforcement agencies refusing to honor its immigration “detainers,” or hold requests, unnecessarily place agents and communities in danger by necessitating potentially violent confrontations and arrests in public spaces.

Tom Homan, Trump’s border czar, has spoken out unequivocally against public officials who have vowed not to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

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“When you release a public safety threat back into the community, that puts the community at great risk of crime, and it puts our officers at great risk. Now, they’ve got to arrest the bad guy on his turf, where he has access to who knows what weapons, and it puts the public at risk,” Homan told Fox News Wednesday.

“To sanctuary cities, I’ve said this many times: Let us into the jail, where it’s safer for an agent to arrest a bad guy, it’s safer for the bad guy to be arrested in jail and it’s safer for the community.

“I want to save lives. A secure border saves lives. And when President Trump locks this border down, less women and children will be sex trafficked in this country, less aliens will die making that journey,” he added.

“Sanctuary cities are going to get exactly what they don’t want — more agents in the communities, more people arrested, more collaterals arrested. So, that’s a game they want to play? Game on.”

Peter Pinedo is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.

January 23, 2025
Border encounters drop sharply as Trump launches crackdown on illegal immigration

EXCLUSIVE: The U.S. southern border has seen a sharp drop in illegal immigrant encounters in the first days of the Trump administration, compared to the final few days of the Biden administration, a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) source tells Fox News Digital.

The number of Border Patrol encounters at the southern border in the first three days of the Trump administration is 35% lower than the final three days of the Biden administration, the source said. The numbers do not include encounters at the northern border, or encounters at ports of entry by CBP’s Office of Field Operations.

On Jan 17, there were 1,288 encounters nationwide, then 1,266 on Jan 18 and 1,354 on Jan 19. That is 3,908 encounters in total.

TRUMP’S ICE RACKS UP HUNDREDS OF ARRESTS, INCLUDING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARRESTED FOR HORROR CRIMES

President Donald Trump holds a document on the day he issues executive orders and pardons for January 6 defendants in the Oval Office at the White House, January 20, 2025. (REUTERS/Carlos Barria)

Trump took office on the 20th, when there were 1,073 encounters. It then declined further to 736 encounters on the 21st and again to 714 on the 22nd – making up 2,523 encounters.

Numbers fluctuate sharply at the border on a daily and weekly basis, but numbers have been relatively low since June, when President Biden signed an executive order limiting asylum. That followed a historic migrant crisis from 2021 that had shattered records repeatedly.

Migrants seeking asylum in the United States who previously requested an appointment on the CBP One Mobile application, are silhouetted as they queue at El Chaparral border crossing toward the U.S. to attend their appointment, in Tijuana, Mexico January 18, 2025. (REUTERS/Jorge Duenes)

President Donald Trump implemented additional restrictions. On taking office, he signed orders declaring a national emergency at the border, deploying the military to the border and ended the use of the CBP One app to process migrants at ports of entry via humanitarian parole.

His administration has also launched a mass deportation operation, with ICE agents active in multiple cities and states across the United States.

‘PROMPT REMOVAL’: TRUMP DHS EXPANDS EXPEDITED DEPORTATION POWERS AS OPERATIONS RAMP UP

The Department of Homeland Security has also issued memos rescinding limits placed on ICE by the Biden administration, ordering a review of parole, and expanding the use of expedited removal for recently-arrived illegal immigrants.

Trump’s administration has also moved to restore border wall construction and reinstate the Remain-in-Mexico policy, which requires migrants to stay in Mexico for the duration of their asylum cases.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

Trump also signed an executive order ending birthright citizenship for illegal immigrants — a move which quickly sparked a lawsuit from nearly two dozen Democratic-led states.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Although the data is preliminary, lower numbers will likely fuel speculation about a “Trump effect,” in which migrants are discouraged from making their way to the border if they believe they are less likely to be admitted, or more likely to be deported if they are.

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 23, 2025