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SJSU president responds to federal investigation into university’s transgender volleyball player scandal

San José State University President Cynthia Teniente-Matson has addressed an investigation into the university by the U.S. Department of Education over its handling of a transgender volleyball player.

SJSU will be investigated for potential Title IX violations over its handling of transgender athlete Blaire Fleming, the DOE told Fox News Digital earlier Thursday.

Teniente-Matson provided a statement to Fox News Digital saying the university is prepared to cooperate in the investigation.

“San José State University is committed to ensuring that all of our students, including our student-athletes, are treated fairly, free from discrimination, and afforded the rights and protections granted under federal and state law, including privacy rights.

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“We follow policies and regulations set forth by the California State University system and applicable law, and we recognize that, at times, these laws and policies may intersect in complex ways. In navigating these frameworks, our focus remains on upholding our responsibilities while supporting our students.

“Recently, we were notified that the U.S. Department of Education has initiated a directed investigation related to Title IX in light of President Trump’s executive order with respect to athletics participation. As with any federal inquiry, we will fully engage with the process, follow established procedures and remain transparent in our compliance with all applicable laws.

“While we adhere to legal and regulatory requirements, San José State will continue to act within our authority to uphold the values that define us as an institution. Our focus remains on our values, including fostering an environment that cultivates compassion, where every student has the opportunity to thrive. We remain steadfast in our role as a place of learning, respect and opportunity for all.”

WHO IS BLAIRE FLEMING? SJSU VOLLEYBALL PLAYER DOMINATING FEMALE RIVALS AND ENRAGING WOMEN’S RIGHTS GROUPS

Fleming played three seasons on the women’s team, from 2022-24, as one of the Mountain West’s top hitters, leading the team in kills. However, SJSU administrators allegedly withheld the truth about Fleming’s birth sex from other female players on the team, according to a lawsuit filed by 11 Mountain West volleyball players and a former SJSU assistant coach.

Former Spartans co-captain Brooke Slusser leads that lawsuit and alleges San José State administrators and volleyball coach Todd Kress actively prevented her from knowing Fleming’s birth sex while assigning her to share bedrooms with the transgender athlete on most road trips during their first season together in 2023.

The controversy involving Fleming prompted five of SJSU’s opponents in 2024 to forfeit a total of eight matches. The final forfeit was a Mountain West Tournament semifinal against Boise State, which had already forfeited twice to the Spartans in the regular season.

That forfeit sent Fleming, Slusser and SJSU to the conference final, where they lost to Colorado State. The plaintiffs in Slusser’s lawsuit filed for an emergency injunction in November prior to the tournament in an attempt to have Fleming removed from competition and all losses by forfeit wiped from their opponents’ records. However, federal Judge Kato Crews, who was appointed by President Joe Biden in January 2024, ruled Fleming could play.

The situation became so volatile the team needed regular police protection for its home and away matches. Slusser previously told Fox News Digital the experience was “traumatizing.”

“This season has been so traumatizing that I don’t even have a proudest moment,” Slusser said.

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Former San José State University assistant volleyball coach Melissa Batie-Smoose, who was let go from the program, was suspended from the program Nov. 2 after she filed a Title IX complaint against the university regarding its alleged handling of the situation involving Fleming. The complaint included allegations that Fleming had conspired with an opponent to have former SJSU co-captain Brooke Slusser hit in the face during a match in October.

Batie-Smoose’s complaint alleges Fleming provided a scouting report to an opponent to ensure a Colorado State competitive advantage and allegedly established a plan to set up an opponent with a clear lane to spike Slusser in the face during a match.

Slusser was never spiked in the face during that match, but Colorado State did win in straight sets.

A Mountain West investigation into Batie-Smoose’s allegations did not find sufficient evidence to discipline any player named in the allegations.

Slusser’s attorney, Bill Bock, later provided a statement to Fox News Digital insisting that the investigation had been “infected with bias.”

SJSU transgender player Blaire Fleming, left, and teammate Brooke Slusser went to a magic show and had Thanksgiving together in Las Vegas despite an ongoing lawsuit over Fleming being transgender. (Thien-An Truong/San Jose State Athletics)

“Because the MWC’s investigation was inadequate, and anything but thorough, and because the MWC’s close-out letter is riddled with errors, the undersigned is issuing this rebuttal and demands that the MWC immediately and publicly release: (1) the investigative report prepared by its investigator(s), and (2) all documents connected to the MWC’s claimed ‘thorough investigation’ and upon which the MWC’s decision not to proceed further was based,” Bock’s statement said.

Nearly every one of the players on SJSU’s 2024 team that has remaining NCAA eligibility has entered the NCAA transfer portal, Fox News Digital previously reported.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday to prevent transgender athletes from competing in women’s and girls sports. The NCAA announced Thursday it is amending its gender eligibility policy to fall in line with Trump’s executive order.

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Jackson Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital. He previously worked for ESPN and Business Insider. Jackson has covered the Super Bowl and NBA Finals, and has interviewed iconic figures Usain Bolt, Rob Gronkowski, Jerry Rice, Troy Aikman, Mike Trout, David Ortiz and Roger Clemens.

February 6, 2025
Raiders’ Maxx Crosby shares admiration for Trump, details relationship with president: ‘Treated me incredible’

NEW ORLEANS – President Trump is expected to be heading down to the Big Easy for Super Bowl LIX, and Las Vegas Raiders star Maxx Crosby expects nothing less from the man he came to know through sports.

Trump has been spotted at numerous sporting events over the years, including NFL games, UFC fights and more.

Crosby, who was on radio row in New Orleans on behalf of SAXX Underwear, spoke to Fox News Digital about meeting the president and how they’ve built a relationship since then.

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Maxx Crosby at Michael Rubin’s Fanatics Super Bowl Party held at Marquee Dayclub Las Vegas at The Cosmopolitan on February 10, 2024, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Christopher Polk/Billboard via Getty Images)

“He’s a huge sports fan in general,” Crosby said. “I’ve been to UFC events with him, sat and watched fights with him in the back, and he’s like one of us. That’s just his personality.

“Having a guy like that leading is incredible, and [he’s] being a part of everyday life. It’s not like you don’t see him anywhere. He’s out with people, which is awesome to see.”

Crosby touched on feeling safe in New Orleans, especially considering the terror attack on historic Bourbon Street on New Year’s Day. Having upwards of 100,000 people traveling to the city, let alone the president eventually making his way to Caesars Superdome for the “Big Game,” has led to increased security measures that create an environment sports fans can enjoy.

HOW TO WATCH SUPER BOWL LIX BETWEEN CHIEFS, EAGLES STREAMED ON TUBI

Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) reacts during the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Las Vegas, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/David Becker)

Sports is how Crosby and Trump connected, and the former called himself “blessed” to be able to say he has a relationship with the President of the United States.

“It’s unbelievable,” Crosby explained. “I never thought that would be a thing in my life. I’ve been blessed enough to have friends like Dana White, guys who are friends with [Trump]. Just happened to cross paths.”

Crosby expressed his fandom of Trump shortly after a July 13 assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania on his campaign trail. Crosby referred to Trump as the GOAT in a post on X that day.

Crosby said his relationship with Trump, or anyone for that matter, is never influenced by outside noise. He’d rather interact with the person himself, and found that, like he said, Trump’s personality just matched the energy he has.

“To be honest, we’re all human beings at the end of the day, regardless of position, what you’ve been through,” Crosby said. “Life is life, everybody has things they go through. Everyone has adversity, everyone has mistakes. But it’s about where your feet are at, and I think he’s done an incredible job with that. My relationship with him, I’ve been with him multiple times, and it’s been incredible.

“I’m not the person that likes to judge by what other people say – I like to make my own judgments for myself. So, he’s treated me incredible every time I’ve been with him.”

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When Saxx Underwear wanted to partner with Crosby, he found it a no-brainer, considering the name. But it’s what they’ve done together, impacting the next generation of athletes with NIL deals, that has him excited to talk about it during Super Bowl week.

Super Bowl LIX will be streamed on Tubi. (Tubi)

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“Just the alignment from top to bottom, how much they poured into what I believe in,” Crosby said of the partnership. “Helping out with NIL deals for guys at Eastern Michigan, UNLV. Helping out and giving back to places I care about. And best underwear in the game, period.

“I wear it every single day, and we aligned in many ways. They’ve been incredible.”

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

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Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

February 6, 2025
Hungarian official says only President Trump can end Ukraine-Russia war

NEW YORK CITY, NY – President Donald Trump, who echoed former President Ronald Reagan’s “peace through strength” mantra, has the credibility to end the nearly three-year-long war between Ukraine and Russia, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjártó told Fox News Digital.

“If he doesn’t have the ability, no one has the ability,” Foreign Minister Szijjártó said.

In the nearly three years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, world leaders from several countries have tried to step in and end the conflict. Szijjártó believes there’s a reason that European leaders and the Biden administration “totally failed” to end the war. The foreign minister believes world leaders were fighting for an “impossible” victory, saying it was “obvious from the very beginning” that Ukraine could not win.

“If you look at the current situation, regardless of the huge money, regardless of the huge weapon deliveries which have been poured into Ukraine, the battlefield reality shows the advance of the Russians,” Szijjártó said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pictured. (Sputnik/Alexei Danichev/Pool via REUTERS/Leah Millis/Alina Smutko)

TRUMP’S ‘RARE’ PRICE FOR US MILITARY AID TO UKRAINE CALLED ‘FAIR’ BY ZELENSKYY

Szijjártó believes that Trump has credibility with both the Ukrainians and Russians, and that while other leaders have had this, they lost it by taking “a very clear position in favor of Ukraine against Russia.”

The Hungarian official also accused European leaders of treating the war between Russia and Ukraine as their own, adding to the list of possible reasons why they have failed to bring an end to it.

“So, if you really think that Ukraine should negotiate in its best shape, then we have to stop the war today because tomorrow Ukraine will be in a weaker position than today,” Szijjártó told Fox News Digital. He went on to accuse his European colleagues of not respecting the “reality” of the current state of the war.

This week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Kyiv would accept either a fast-track to NATO or nuclear weapons. However, Ret. Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump’s envoy for Russia and Ukraine, doubts that the Ukrainan leader’s demands will be met.

“The chance of them getting their nuclear weapons back is somewhere between slim and none,” Kellogg told Fox News Digital.

President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met at Trump Tower in New York City, New York, on Sept. 27, 2024. (REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton/File Photo)

ZELENSKYY WANTS NUKES OR NATO; TRUMP SPECIAL ENVOY KELLOGG SAYS ‘SLIM AND NONE’ CHANCE

Late last month, Trump called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to make a deal with Zelenskyy to end the war. However, this has yet to happen. The president also said that Zelenskyy was ready to negotiate a deal to end the war.

“The only person that Putin will really want to talk to – because he’s kind of denigrated other leaders that are out there – is President Trump, and President Trump’s the only one who can bring this to a conclusion,” Kellogg told “Fox & Friends Weekend” on Sunday. He described Trump and Putin’s relationship as “very transactional.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin (l) and President Donald Trump (r) are pictured. (Contributor/Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)

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In September 2024, before he won re-election, then-candidate Trump met with Zelenskyy in New York City at Trump Tower.

After meeting with Zelenskyy, Trump told Fox News that “we both want to see this end and we both want a fair deal made. And it’s got to be fair.”

Fox News Digital’s Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.

Rachel Wolf is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and FOX Business.

February 6, 2025
Philippine vice president impeached by House

MANILA, Philippines — The lower house in the Philippines impeached Vice President Sara Duterte Wednesday, accusing her of a wide range of crimes that included plotting to assassinate the president, large-scale corruption and failing to strongly denounce China’s aggressive actions against Filipino forces in the disputed South China Sea.

The move by legislators in the House of Representatives, many of them allies of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., deepens a bitter political rift that involved the two highest leaders of one of Asia’s most rambunctious democracies.

Marcos has boosted defense ties with his country’s treaty ally, the United States, while the vice president’s father, Rodrigo Duterte, nurtured cozy relations with China and Russia during his stormy term that ended in 2022.

At least 215 legislators in the lower house signed the impeachment complaint against the vice president, significantly more than the required number to allow the petition to be rapidly transmitted to the Senate, which would serve as a tribunal to try the vice president, House of Representatives Secretary-General Reginald Velasco told a plenary House meeting in the body’s last session before a four-month recess.

US FLIES JOINT PATROL WITH THE PHILIPPINES NEAR SHOAL REGION GUARDED BY CHINA

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte gestures as she attends a hearing at the House of Representative in Quezon City, Philippines, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Among the signatories of the impeachment complaint was the president’s son, Rep. Sandro Marcos, and cousin, House Speaker Martin Romualdez. The petition urged the Senate to shift itself into an impeachment court to try the vice president, “render a judgement of conviction,” remove her from office and ban her from holding public office.

“Duterte’s conduct throughout her tenure clearly displays gross faithlessness against public trust and a tyrannical abuse of power that, taken together, showcases her gross unfitness to hold public office and her infidelity to the laws and the 1987 Constitution,” the complaint said of Duterte.

The vice president didn’t immediately comment on the House decision to impeach her, but her brother, Rep. Paolo Duterte said that the move was “a clear act of political persecution.” Rival lawmakers maneuvered to quickly collect signatures and push a “baseless impeachment case” to the Senate, he said.

Duterte ran as Marcos’s vice-presidential running mate in 2022 on a campaign battle cry of unity in a deeply divided Southeast Asian country. Both were scions of strongmen long in the crosshairs of human rights groups, but their strong regional bases of support combined to give them landslide victories.

‘THIS IS ABOUT FENTANYL’: TARIFFS ARE CRUCIAL TO COMBATING ‘DRUG WAR,’ TRUMP AND CABINET OFFICIALS SAY

An effigy of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte are displayed during a rally ahead of the third State of the Nation Address by the president in Quezon City, Philippines, Monday, July 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Cristino)

Marcos is the son and namesake of the late dictator, who was ousted in a 1986 pro-democracy uprising. The vice president’s father and Marcos’s predecessor, Duterte, launched a deadly anti-drug crackdown that is being investigated by the International Criminal Court as a possible crime against humanity.

The whirlwind political alliance rapidly frayed after their electoral victories.

The impeachment complaint against the vice president, regarded as a possible presidential contender after Marcos’s six-year term ends in 2028, focuses on a death threat that she made against the president, his wife and the House speaker last year, irregularities in the use of her office’s intelligence funds and her failure to stand up to Chinese aggression in the disputed South China Sea.

She said in an online news conference on Nov. 23 that she has contracted an assassin to kill Marcos, his wife and Romualdez if she were killed, a threat she warned wasn’t a joke.

She later said that she wasn’t threatening him, but was expressing concern for her own safety. However, her statements set off an investigation and national security concerns.

CHINA IS ‘AGGRESIVE’ AND ‘INTRUSIVE’ IN THE WEST, HOUSE INTEL CHAIR SAYS

House Speaker Martin Romualdez, top right, presides over the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte at the House of Representatives in Quezon City in Manila, Philippines, Wednesday, Feb.5, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerard Carreon)

Allegations of graft and corruption against her also emanated from a monthslong and televised House investigation on the alleged misuse of 612.5 million pesos ($10.5 million) of confidential and intelligence funds received by Duterte’s offices as vice president and education secretary. She has since left the education post after her political differences with Marcos deepened.

She has also been accused of unexplained wealth and failure to declare her wealth as required by the law. She has refused to respond to questions in detail in tense televised hearings last year.

The impeachment complaint accused Duterte of undermining the Marcos government’s policies, including her description of the administration’s handling of territorial disputes with Beijing in the South China Sea as a “fiasco.” The complaint also mentioned her silence over China’s increasingly assertive actions in the disputed waters.

“Her sheer evasiveness and silence on the West Philippine Sea issue, an issue that strikes at the core of Philippine sovereignty, is diametrically opposed to her being so loquacious as to other issues,” the impeachment petition said, using the Philippine name for the disputed waters.

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Duterte has repeatedly accused Marcos, his wife and Romualdez of corruption, weak leadership and attempting to muzzle her because of speculation she may seek the presidency in 2028.

February 5, 2025
$Colombia’s president orders national oil company to sell US fracking operation after backing down to Trump$

Colombia’s president orders national oil company to sell US fracking operation after backing down to Trump

Walser Wealth Management President Rebecca Walser and Culture+Group CEO and co-founder Lili Gil Valletta discuss which world leaders will cave to President Trump’s tariff threats on ‘Making Money.’

Colombian President Gustavo Petro ordered his country’s state-run oil company to sell off its operations in the U.S. on Tuesday, saying they would reinvest the funds into green energy.

Petro announced the move during a televised cabinet meeting this week, arguing the company, Ecopetrol, cannot be “for death and not for life.” The order relates to a planned joint venture between Ecopetrol and the U.S.-owned oil company Occidental Petroleum, or Oxy. The deal was set to produce some 90,000 barrels of oil per day, but Petro now says he opposes it because it relies on fracking.

“I want that operation to be sold, and for the money to be invested in clean energies,” Petro said in the meeting. “We are against fracking, because fracking is the death of nature, and the death of humanity.”

“There is no other way for humanity but to stop the path of fossil fuels,” he added. “This is not happening because the oil companies are beating us, because we are afraid of them. I am not afraid of them.”

A VICTORY FOR TRUMP’S ‘FAFO’: HOW THE WHITE HOUSE STRONG-ARMED ONE-TIME CLOSE ALLY COLOMBIA OVER IMMIGRATION

Colombia’s selloff of oil efforts in the U.S. comes after President Donald Trump threatened massive tariffs against the contry. ( Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images / Getty Images)

The move comes just weeks after Petro backed down to President Donald Trump and allowed the U.S. to move forward with deporting Colombian illegal immigrants out of the U.S. and back to their home country.

COLOMBIAN LEADER QUICKLY CAVES AFTER TRUMP THREATS, OFFERS PRESIDENTIAL PLANE FOR DEPORTATION FLIGHTS

In late January, American officials sent two flights of Colombian illegal aliens as part of Trump’s deportation program. Petro rejected the flights, writing that the U.S. cannot “treat Colombian migrants as criminals.”

Trump struck back immediately, vowing 25% tariffs on all goods from Colombia, a travel ban on Colombian government officials and other steep financial sanctions. He said the tariffs would reach as high as 50% by next week and insisted the migrants being sent back were “illegal criminals.”

Colombian migrants stand in shackles as they prepare to enter a plane for deportation at the Marcos A. Gelabert de Albrook Airport in Panama City. (AP Photo/Agustin Herrera / AP Images)

Petro initially retaliated with his own 25% tariffs on Colombian exports into the U.S., insisting he would not accept the return of migrants who were not treated with “dignity and respect” and who had arrived shackled or on military planes.

But amid intense political pressure from within his own government, the former Marxist guerrilla fighter acquiesced to U.S. demands.

President Trump signed dozens of executive orders on his first day in office, and he continues to sign more. (Melina Mara-Pool/Getty Images / Getty Images)

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The White House confirmed later that weekend that Colombia’s president had caved “to all of President Trump’s terms, including the unrestricted acceptance of all illegal aliens from Colombia returned from the United States, including on U.S. military aircraft, without limitation or delay.”

Fox News’ Michael Dorgan, the Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report

February 5, 2025
If Iran attempts assassination, ‘they get obliterated’: President Trump

President Donald Trump said on Tuesday if Iran carries out his assassination, advisers will ensure that country is “obliterated.”

While signing an executive order imposing maximum pressure on Tehran, the president said he left instructions if something were to happen to him.

“That would be a terrible thing for them to do,” Trump said. “If they did that, they would be obliterated. That would be the end. … There won’t be anything left.”

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

IRAN ‘TERRIFIED’ OF TRUMP PRESIDENCY AS IRANIAN CURRENCY FALLS TO AN ALL-TIME LOW

The president said former President Joe Biden “should have said that,” but did not, due to a “lack of intelligence.”

The Justice Department confirmed in November it thwarted an Iranian plot to kill Trump in the weeks leading up to the presidential election.

A criminal complaint filed in September noted an official in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps asked Farhad Shakeri, 51, of Iran, to “focus on surveilling, and, ultimately, assassinating” Trump.

Shakeri immigrated to the United States as a child and was deported about 17 years ago after serving 14 years in prison for a robbery conviction, according to the DOJ.

INTELLIGENCE REPORT SAYS IRAN WILL KEEP TRYING TO KILL TRUMP REGARDLESS OF ELECTION OUTCOME

President Donald Trump speaks to reporters as he signs executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

He was allegedly tasked on Oct. 7, 2024 with providing a plan to kill Trump, according to authorities.

Shakeri has not yet been apprehended and is believed to be living in Iran, according to the DOJ.

“I’m signing this, and it’s a very powerful document, but hopefully we’re not going to have to use it,” Trump said on Tuesday.

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Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman 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.

February 4, 2025
ICE arrests under President Trump continue in migrant ‘sanctuary’ cities

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President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration continues with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials making several criminal arrests over the last week in left-leaning “sanctuary” cities, including Philadelphia, Boston, Denver and Washington, D.C.

Philadelphia

ICE agents conducted a worksite enforcement operation at a car wash in Philadelphia that led to the arrest of seven illegal immigrants, six from Mexico and one from the Dominican Republic.

The operation took place at a Complete Autowash in North Philadelphia Jan. 28. It was prompted by reports that employees at the car wash were being subjected to labor exploitation.

After the arrests, Brian McShane, acting field office director for Philadelphia ICE Enforcement & Removal Operations, said “the successful execution of this worksite enforcement operation underscores our determined commitment to national security and public safety.

BORDER CZAR TOM HOMAN SAYS HE WOULD ‘SEEK PROSECUTION’ IF NJ GOVERNOR SHELTERED ILLEGAL MIGRANT IN HOME

ICE Philadelphia arrests seven in worksite enforcement operation (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement)

“We were able to apprehend individuals who are unlawfully present in the United States. These operations highlight the dedication and diligence of our officers and agents in protecting our communities from potential threats by enforcing immigration laws in accordance with U.S. laws and Department of Homeland Security policies.”

ICE Philadelphia also recently arrested Luis Gualdron-Gualdron, a suspected member of the Venezuelan migrant gang Tren de Aragua who has a criminal record that includes indecent assault of a person under 16 and harassment. ICE arrested Gualdron-Gualdron without incident despite the agency’s detainer against him being ignored by the Northampton County Prison.

ICE Philadelphia also removed a Mexican illegal immigrant, Raymundo Rojas Bacilio, who is wanted for rape in his home country. The office also removed Dominican national Yermanny Suarez Laureano, who is wanted in his home country for homicide.

Boston

Arrests have also continued in the Boston area, which has strong sanctuary policies in place limiting local law enforcement cooperation with ICE.

ICE SNAGS CRIMINAL ALIEN PAROLED 17 YEARS INTO LIFE SENTENCE FOR PREGNANT WOMAN’S MURDER

ICE Boston arrests a Salvadoran national Jan. 30, 2025, charged with sexually assaulting a Massachusetts resident. (ICE Boston)

In the last week, ICE announced the arrests of several illegal immigrants, including criminals charged with rape of a Massachusetts resident, sex crimes, murder and gang involvement.

One of the migrants, Salvadoran national Jose Garcia-Salmeron, 34, is charged with raping a Massachusetts resident. Despite being arraigned on rape charges by the Chelsea District Court, the court ignored an ICE detainer against Garcia-Salmeron and released him from custody in July 2024.

Another migrant, 37-year-old Haitian national Jean Yves Ovilme, is charged with assault and battery and indecent assault of a person 14 years or older. Another, Cesar Augusto Polanco, 59, has been convicted in a Massachusetts court of murder. He was serving a life sentence and is now in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.

Finally, another illegal immigrant, reputed Guatemalan MS-13 gang member Luis Adolfo Guerra-Perez, 19, was arrested by ICE Jan. 22. Guerra-Perez illegally entered the country and was released into the interior in 2021 and is charged with drug and weapons crimes.

DEM GOVERNOR BACKS ICE ARRESTING ‘CRIMINALS’ DESPITE VOWING TO USE ‘EVERY TOOL’ AGAINST TRUMP DEPORTATIONS

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement apprehended an illegally present Salvadoran national convicted of sexually assaulting a Virginia resident when officers with ICE Washington, D.C., arrested Nicolas Alberto Hernandez-Lopez, 46, Jan. 15, in Fairfax County, Va. (ICE Washington D.C.)

Washington, D.C.

ICE officials in Washington, D.C., arrested a Salvadoran illegal alien named Nicolas Alberto Hernandez-Lopez, 46, who is charged with sexually assaulting a Virginia resident.

Hernandez-Lopez was previously removed from the country in 2023, but he unlawfully reentered the country at an unknown date and location, according to an ICE statement. He is currently in ICE custody.

Patrick Divver, acting field office director for Washington, D.C., ICE enforcement and removal operations, said Hernandez-Lopez “illegally reentered the United States, and then victimized a resident of our Virginia community. This is not something that the officers of ICE Washington, D.C. will tolerate.

“We will continue our mission of arresting public safety threats and removing egregious alien offenders from our Washington, D.C., and Virginia neighborhoods.”

VICTIMS IDENTIFIED IN DC PLANE CRASH INVOLVING AMERICAN AIRLINES JET AND MILITARY HELICOPTER

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Marshals Service arrested Luis Fernando Melendez-Rivera, 27, an illegally present Mexican national wanted for aggravated homicide in Mexico, in Denver, Colo., Jan. 31. (ICE Denver)

Denver

ICE has also made several criminal arrests in Denver, whose Democratic mayor, Mike Johnston, has been among the most vocal opponents of Trump’s immigration crackdown in the country.

One of the illegal migrants arrested, Luz Maria Ramirez-Monreal, a Mexican national, is charged with child abuse, burglary, strangulation and kidnapping. Another Mexican national arrested includes 48-year-old Juan Benitez-Ortega, who is charged with felony assault and kidnapping.

A third illegal alien recently arrested by Denver ICE officials is Mexican national Luis Fernando Melendez-Rivera, 27, who is wanted for aggravated homicide in his home country. According to ICE, Melendez entered the country through the Denver International Airport in 2022.

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ICE and DEA migrant raids NYC (Drug Enforcement Administration New York)

Seattle

ICE officials in Seattle also arrested four criminal illegal aliens who have been either convicted or charged with crimes related to sexual assault.

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Pedro Garcia-Lopez, 47, a Mexican citizen, has been charged with theft, lewd acts with a child under 14 and sexual battery. Rubi Jeronimo Cruz, 22, a citizen of Guatemala, was convicted of DUI with reckless driving and charged with rape of a child. Manuel De Jesus Zavala-Martinez, 40, a citizen of El Salvador, has several criminal convictions, including assault with sexual motivation and assault with a deadly weapon. Lastly, Jaspal Singh, 29, a citizen of India, was charged with assault with sexual motivation.

“Protecting our communities and preventing further victimization is of paramount importance to ICE throughout the Pacific Northwest,” said Drew Bostock, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Seattle field office director. “These arrests reinforce the message that the presence of illegal criminal threats will not be tolerated.”

February 4, 2025
Spain’s Jenni Hermoso denies consensual kiss from ex-soccer president after World Cup win in testimony

World Cup champion Jenni Hermoso of Spain was in court on Monday to testify at the trial of Luis Rubiales, the ex-Spain soccer president who controversially kissed her during the 2023 Cup celebration.

During her testimony, Hermoso denied Rubiales’ claim that the kiss, which caused worldwide outrage, was consensual.

“I felt disrespected,” Hermoso said in Madrid’s High Court. “I think it was a moment that stained one of the happiest days of my life.”

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Luis Rubiales kisses Jennifer Hermoso during the medal ceremony for the FIFA Women’s World Cup final match at Stadium Australia on Aug. 20, 2023, in Sydney. (Noemi Llamas/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)

Hermoso added that she “didn’t hear or understand anything” from Rubiales when asked if he had asked to kiss her.

“The next thing he did was to grab me by the ears and kiss me on the mouth,” she said.

Rubiales, 47, is being accused of sexual assault and trying to coerce Hermoso, as well as others, to support him publicly.

EX-SPAIN SOCCER BOSS LUIS RUBIALES TO FACE TRIAL OVER WOMEN’S WORLD CUP KISS

He has denied the charges against him, claiming the kiss was consensual and occurred in a “moment of jubilation.”

He argues that Hermoso “lifted me up” as a celebratory gesture and he asked her for “a little kiss.” Rubiales claims she said yes.

Prosecutors, Hermoso and the country’s players’ association are asking the judge to issue a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence, as well as a 50,000 euros payment for damages and a ban from ever working as a sports official again.

Jennifer Hermoso and head coach Jorge Vilda listens to reporters questions during a press conference ahead of the Women’s World Cup semifinal match between Spain and Sweden in Auckland, New Zealand. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, File)

Rubiales could face a fine or a prison sentence of one to four years if found guilty of his charges, per court officials.

Former Spain women’s national team coach Jorge Vilda, former sports director of Spain’s men’s national team Albert Luque, and the soccer federation’s former head of marketing, Rubén Rivera, are also on trial for allegedly pressuring Hermoso to defend Rubiales publicly after the incident.

Rubiales was pressured out of his post as Spain’s soccer president in 2023, resigning while being banned by FIFA for three years despite an initial press conference where he reiterated that he wouldn’t be stepping down. Rubiales said in that speech that he was a victim of a “witch hunt” by “false feminists.”

Since the incident, Hermoso says she has had trouble escaping the spotlight, especially in Mexico where she plays for her club team in between her duties for her country.

Jennifer Hermoso reacts after missing a scoring chance during a Women’s World Cup match between Japan and Spain in Wellington, New Zealand, July 31, 2023. (AP Photo/John Cowpland, File)

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“I have not been able to really live freely,” she said in her testimony.

In her seven World Cup matches, Hermoso tallied three goals and two assists to aid her team’s efforts in winning the trophy.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

February 3, 2025
Jailed ex-Pakistani PM Imran Khan draws parallels to President Trump in fight for justice

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FIRST ON FOX: Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who was jailed last month on charges of corruption, is being compared by supporters to President Donald Trump given the way they say authorities in Pakistan have persecuted him.

Many have linked his situation to Trump’s and blamed the government for jailing the popular former prime minister. Khan’s plight has also been highlighted by longtime Trump ally and adviser Richard Grenell, who took to social media late last year when he tweeted, “Free Imran Khan!”

A Pakistani court sentenced Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, to 14 and seven years in jail after finding them guilty of corruption. They were convicted for allegedly accepting land as a bribe through the Al-Qadir Trust, which they had set up while Khan was in office. Khan, however, maintains his innocence, describing the events as a “witch hunt” in exclusive comments to Fox News Digital. It is just one of the more than 100 cases he is facing.

PAKISTANI COURT SENTENCES EX-PM IMRAN KHAN AND HIS WIFE TO 14 AND 7 YEARS IN PRISON IN GRAFT CASE

President Donald Trump greets Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan at the White House, July 22, 2019. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

In response to Fox News Digital questions about Khan’s conviction, Pakistan’s federal minister for information and broadcasting, Ata Ullah TararIn, defended Khan’s conviction. “The 190 million pound case is one of the biggest corruption cases in the history of Pakistan, and it is a mega scam in which former Prime Minister Imran Khan, and his wife, Bushra Bibi, have been found to be guilty. There is irrefutable evidence that they not only used the official position to grant illegal favor to a property tycoon, but they also received gratification and formed a sham trust in order to grant this favor to a property tycoon.”

He continued, “This is corruption of the highest order, and the former prime minister has been convicted on the basis of irrefutable evidence of corruption and this, this scam, which is the biggest scam in the history of Pakistan, has reached its legal conclusion.”

Khan has denied the charges and says his 2023 arrest and consequent sentencing was a plot to stop him from returning to office.

Supporters of Imran Khan chant slogans during a protest against the Pakistan Election Commission, in Lahore, Pakistan, March 10, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Khan’s responses to Fox News Digital questions came via his spokespeople, who communicated them with the former prime minister. Khan noted the parallels between himself and Trump, saying the two shared similar experiences. “The world today needs steadfast leadership that champions peace, democracy, and human rights, and I hope that his leadership can contribute to that vision”.

Trump’s and Khan’s experiences with the authorities share are a key similarity, but their stories mirror each other in ways that go beyond just that.

While Trump transformed the U.S. political scene with his “Make America Great Again” movement, Khan energized Pakistanis with his “Naya Pakistan” (New Pakistan) vision. And in a manner similar to Trump, Khan did away with the elitism of politics, focusing on the average person instead.

Khan told Fox News Digital that his political party “is an inclusive party that represents the diverse fabric of Pakistan.” He noted that while Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was initially perceived as a party of the educated elite, that notion was “quickly dispelled.”

FORMER PAKISTAN PRIME MINISTER IMRAN KHAN ARRESTED ON CORRUPTION CHARGES BY POLICE

Former Prime Minister Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi, his wife, speak to the media at an office of Lahore High Court in Lahore, Pakistan, on July 17, 2023. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary, File)

Khan continued, the “PTI resonates with people from all walks of life – rural and urban, middle class and marginalized – and it’s because our policies prioritize inclusion, merit and justice.” He added, “We represent all provinces, castes and religions, ensuring that every voice has a place in shaping Pakistan’s future. This inclusivity is what makes us the largest national party, uniting Pakistan under the principles of equity and fairness.”

Zuhair Ahmed, a waiter from Lahore, told Fox News Digital, “Imran Khan resonates with a diverse crowd from all ethnic groups and religious sects. We have never seen a leader who has this much grassroots support-base. That’s the beauty of it, and we are confident that he will return to power and make the country better.”

Supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, the political party of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, hold a rally on Jan. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Fareed Khan)

PAKISTAN PREPARES FOR PIVOTAL ELECTION AS ONE OF THE LEADING CANDIDATES SERVES JAIL TIME

In Pakistan’s turbulent politics, it has been observed by some analysts that “Allah, the army and America” are the key to rule. Since Trump’s return to office, the South Asian nation has been buzzing with speculation and hope over whether he will force Khan’s release. The two have a friendly relationship, with Trump calling Khan “a very good friend of mine” at a 2020 forum in Davos. The two first met in Washington in July 2019, which at the time was considered a reset for U.S.-Pakistan relations.

Shortly after Trump’s win in November, Grenell wrote on X “Watch Pakistan… Their Trump-like leader is in prison on phony charges, and the people have been inspired by the U.S. Red Wave. Stop the political prosecutions around the world!”

Richard Grenell has stated on social media his support for freeing Imran Khan. (Justin Merriman/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Zulfikar Bukhari, special assistant to Khan, told Fox News Digital “They say Grenell seems to be the second most popular man in Pakistan due to his tweet supporting Khan.” He added that Trump prevailed in a similar situation, and “it’s only a matter of time before Khan also returns.”

Khan tweeted his congratulations to Trump on winning November’s presidential election, noting, “The will of the American people held against all odds.”

When it comes to national priorities, Trump and Khan have put the economy at the forefront. Khan has also asserted that Pakistan will thrive when he makes his comeback. The country’s economy has teetered on the verge of collapse over the past few years.

“Economic diplomacy will be central to my approach. Pakistan is rich in natural resources, yet we have barely scratched the surface of our potential in agriculture, industrialization, and IT,” Khan stated. “These sectors hold immense promise, both domestically and globally.”

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Explaining his aspirations, Khan concluded, “Rather than relying on handouts, we must focus on self-sufficiency and leveraging our strengths to build sustainable economic relationships. With a population of 250 million, what succeeds internally can and should be positioned globally, creating opportunities for trade and investment that benefit the nation and our international partners alike.”

Khan’s message to his supporters and foes alike, “The people of Pakistan have never been more awake or more determined. They see with clarity what is happening to their nation, and they understand the forces at play. I firmly believe that truth and justice will ultimately prevail. And as long as I have breath, I will continue to fight for this cause and for a Pakistan that reflects the will and aspirations of its people.”

February 2, 2025
Here’s what happened during President Trump’s 2nd week in office

The country began to see the effects of President Donald Trump’s policies in his second week in office, with the White House implementing tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China; border crossings plummeting; diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs shuttering; the federal workforce being faced with the decision to return to the office or to resign; and more.

As promised, Trump’s administration has been moving at warp speed to implement his agenda — signing more than 200 executive actions just hours after taking the Oath of Office.

President Donald Trump speaks to the media after signing executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C, on Jan. 23, 2025. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images)

Trump immediately cracked down on immigration, and by the beginning of his second week in office migrant encounters dropped significantly. The number of migrants arriving at the southern border plummeted by 63% as of Monday, Fox News Digital previously reported.

TRUMP-ERA SOUTHERN BORDER SEES MIGRANT ENCOUNTERS PLUMMET BY OVER 60% AS NEW POLICIES KICK IN

There were 7,287 migrant encounters at the southern border in the first seven days of the Trump administration — from Jan. 20 through Jan. 26, with a daily average of 1,041 encounters a day.

That compares to 20,086 encounters a day during the final days of former President Joe Biden’s presidency — from Jan. 13 through Jan. 19.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem this week participated in an immigration enforcement raid in New York City Tuesday targeting “murderers, kidnappers, and individuals charged of assault and burglary.” The operation continued through Friday.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem joins an ICE raid in New York City on Tuesday. Noem said communities will be safer because of targeted raids that go after criminal illegal immigrants. (Department of Homeland Security)

And Border czar Tom Homan said that as of Monday the Trump administration had removed and returned 7,300 illegal immigrants and had deported them to Mexico, Jordan, Brazil and El Salvador.

The president on Wednesday also signed the Laken Riley Act into law — the first piece of legislation to become law in his second administration.

President Donald Trump pauses while speaking before signing the Laken Riley Act in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, in Washington. (Alex Brandon/The Associated Press)

TRUMP SIGNS LAKEN RILEY ACT INTO LAW AS FIRST LEGISLATIVE VICTORY IN NEW ADMINISTRATION

The measure, which advanced through the House and Senate in January, directs Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain illegal immigrants arrested or charged with theft-related crimes, or those accused of assaulting a police officer.

The law also allows states to sue the Department of Homeland Security for harm caused to their citizens because of illegal immigration.

The law’s name honors a nursing student who was killed during a jog on the University of Georgia’s campus by an illegal immigrant, Fox News Digital previously reported. Jose Ibarra, who previously had been arrested but never detained by ICE, received a life prison sentence for killing 22-year-old Laken Riley.

Beyond the border, the president’s action to end DEI programs across the federal government has continued. Last week, the Office of Personnel Management ordered agency heads and directors to close their DEI offices.

On Jan. 27, 2025, an Office of Management and Budget memo was released, which aimed to freeze funding to various federal programs that were focused on diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI. (Fox News Digital-Hannah Grossman)

And over at the Justice Department, Trump administration officials fired more than a dozen key officials who worked on Special Counsel Jack Smith’s team prosecuting Trump, after Acting Attorney General James McHenry said they could not be trusted in “faithfully implementing the president’s agenda.”

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT FIRES MORE THAN A DOZEN KEY OFFICIALS ON FORMER SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH’S TEAM

On Monday, an Office of Management and Budget memo was released, which aimed to freeze funding to various federal programs that were focused on DEI.

The memo issued a pause on all federal grants and loans aiming to eradicate “wokeness” and the “weaponization of government” to improve government efficiency.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt holds her first news conference in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on January 28, 2025, in Washington. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt held her first-ever press briefing in the James S. Brady room on Tuesday and fielded many questions from reporters on the memo. She maintained that programs including Social Security benefits, Medicare, food stamps, welfare benefits and other assistance going directly to individuals would not be impacted.

But by Tuesday evening, a federal judge imposed an administrative stay, pausing the Trump administration’s action.

And on Wednesday, the White House opted to rescind the memo, but stressed to Fox News Digital that it was committed to freezing federal grants and loans aimed at woke programs.”

“In light of the injunction, OMB has rescinded the memo to end any confusion on federal policy created by the court ruling and the dishonest media coverage,” Leavitt told Fox News on Wednesday. “The Executive Orders issued by the President on funding reviews remain in full force and effect and will be rigorously implemented by all agencies and departments.”

Leavitt told Fox News that rescinding the memo “should effectively end the court case and allow the government to focus on enforcing the President’s orders on controlling federal spending.”

WHITE HOUSE STILL COMMITTED TO FREEZING ‘WOKE’ FUNDS DESPITE RESCINDING OMB MEMO

Also this week, the Office of Personnel Management sent a note to federal workers offering them the option to resign and receive full pay and benefits through Sept. 30. That option, which the administration referred to as a “Fork in the Road,” came after the administration demanded that all federal workers return to in-person, in-office work.

Federal workers have until Feb. 6 to decide if they will return to work or if they will resign.

The only federal workers who do not have the option are postal workers, members of the military, immigration officials, some national security officials, and any positions agency heads decide to carve out.

But the rapid changes came to a quick halt on Wednesday night around 9 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, after an American Airlines plane and Army helicopter collided near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport outside of Washington, D.C.

The flight had left Wichita, Kansas, earlier that day. All 67 people onboard both aircraft are presumed dead.

President Donald Trump signed two executive orders on the evening of Jan. 30, 2025, addressing aviation, following a deadly D.C. crash. (Reuters/AP)

TRUMP ORDERS ASSESSMENT OF AVIATION SAFETY, NAMES ACTING FAA ADMINISTRATOR AFTER DEADLY DC PLANE CRASH

Those aboard the plane included “several members” of U.S. Figure Skating, including athletes, coaches and family members who had just attended the U.S. Figure Skating Championships held in Wichita, Kansas, from Jan. 20 to Jan. 26.

Trump Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy was confirmed on Tuesday and quickly took charge, immediately getting over to the Federal Aviation Administration building and launching an investigation into the horrific incident.

The president said that the deadly midair collision was a “confluence of bad decisions that were made and you have people that lost their lives, violently lost their lives.”

On Jan. 28, 2025, an American Airlines plane and Army helicopter collided near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport outside of Washington, D.C. (Fox News Digital)

The president signed two executive orders appointing a new Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) deputy administrator, Chris Rocheleau, and ordering an immediate assessment of aviation safety and an elevation of “competence” over DEI.

TRUMP TO CREATE TASK FORCE TO PLAN ‘EXTRAORDINARY CELEBRATION’ FOR 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF AMERICA’S INDEPENDENCE

Meanwhile, the president also signed an executive order to create a Task Force 250 — a White House task force focused on coordinating the plans and activities surrounding the celebration of the 250th anniversary of American independence.

The president also signed a memo that would lift the collective bargaining agreements that former President Joe Biden put into effect before leaving office — agreements that White House officials said were designed to “constrain” the Trump administration from reforming the government.

EXCLUSIVE: TRUMP TO SIGN MEMO LIFTING BIDEN’S LAST-MINUTE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS

And as for the Cabinet, Duffy was confirmed as Transportation secretary; Doug Burgum was confirmed as secretary of the Interior; Lee Zeldin was confirmed as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; and Scott Bessent was confirmed as Treasury secretary.

Over in the Senate, Trump’s nominee for secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.; nominee for FBI director Kash Patel; and nominee for director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard faced tough questions from senators during confirmation hearings.

FBI Director nominee Kash Patel, left, Health and Human Services Nominee nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr, and Director of National Intelligence nominee Tulsi Gabbard faced tough questions from senators this week during confirmation hearings. (Getty Images)

WHITE HOUSE TO IMPOSE TARIFFS ON MEXICO, CANADA AND CHINA DUE TO ‘INVASION OF ILLEGAL FENTANYL’

And, at the end of the week, the White House confirmed that by Saturday the president would roll out tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China.

The president is imposing a 25% tariff on Mexico; a 25% tariff on Canada, and a 10% tariff on China.

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“These are promises made and promises kept,” White House press secretary Leavitt said at a press briefing Friday.

And it’s only the end of week two.

Fox News Digital’s Adam Shaw, Diana Stancey, Bill Melugin and Emma Colton contributed to this report.

Brooke Singman is a political correspondent and reporter for Fox News Digital, Fox News Channel and FOX Business.

February 1, 2025