Happy New Year 2025

Tag: warns

Boeing warns of hundreds of layoffs amid NASA’s Artemis program delays

Boeing on Saturday warned employees involved in its Space Launch System moon rocket program that it expected to lay off around 400 people.

The news comes amid delays and rising costs for NASA’s Artemis program, which was established during President Trump’s first term, and aims to send astronauts back to the moon.

Its budget is expected to be around $93 billion through the end of the year.

It also comes as the new Trump administration has started to lay off government employees from some institutions, although it’s not clear whether the Elon Musk-run Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) plans to make cuts to NASA.

ONE YEAR AFTER BOEING’S DOOR PLUG CRISIS, MORE WORK IS NEEDED: FAA

Musk’s SpaceX is NASA’s main carrier of astronauts to the International Space Station, and the company has several major contracts with the government.

The U.S. last sent astronauts to the moon during the last Apollo mission, Apollo 17, in 1972.

“To align with revisions to the Artemis program and cost expectations, we informed our Space Launch Systems team of the potential for approximately 400 fewer positions by April 2025,” Boeing told FOX Business in a statement.

NASA ANNOUNCES DELAYS IN ARTEMIS PROGRAM, PUSHING MOON LANDING TO 2026

Boeing said that employees affected by involuntary layoffs would be given 60-day notices in the coming weeks, “in accordance with the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act.”

The company added that it was trying to minimize job losses by moving employees across the company to minimize job losses and “retain our talented teammates.”

After NASA successfully launched the Artemis I in 2022, the Artemis II mission was delayed from 2024 to September.

Astronauts plan to orbit the moon on the Artemis II mission, and on Artemis III, they will walk on the moon. That mission was also delayed from 2025 until September 2026.

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Artemis I was an uncrewed mission that orbited the moon.

FOX Business has reached out to NASA for comment.

FOX Business’ Michael Dorgan and Reuters contributed to this report.

February 8, 2025
No Kim Jong Un 2.0, security expert warns Trump as he mulls negotiations with Iran

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President Donald Trump’s revelation this week that he wants to negotiate with Iran raised eyebrows in the security sector. A former national security advisor cautioned the president against forming a Kim Jong Un-type relationship with the Ayatollah.

Trump has described his relations with Kim as a “love” affair, but his first-term efforts at diplomacy with the hermit kingdom failed to prevent North Korea from advancing its nuclear program.

“On the question of negotiations, we’ll see where this goes,” said John Hannah, former national security advisor to Dick Cheney and current Randi & Charles Wax senior fellow at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA).

Hannah spoke Thursday evening during a discussion hosted by JINSA in Washington, D.C., on Trump’s new plans to start negotiations with Iran.

IRAN’S SUPREME LEADER SAYS NUCLEAR TALKS WITH TRUMP ADMIN WOULD NOT BE ‘WISE’

President Donald Trump walks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the Capella Hotel on Sentosa Island in Singapore in a photo released June 12, 2018, by North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency. (KCNA via Reuters )

“Trump and Kim Jong Un — that’s a worst-case [scenario] — he comes out hot and heavy against. He gets engaged and snared in a negotiation. He gets sweet talked to. It’s dragged out for the rest of his presidency,” Hannah said. “And we make absolutely zero progress on dismantling or neutralizing the North Korean nuclear program.

“That’s the nightmare.”

Trump’s decision to pursue negotiations with Iran to dismantle its nuclear program was announced by the president in a post Wednesday night on his Truth Social media platform, when he stated his desire for a “Verified Nuclear Peace Agreement.”

“We should start working on it immediately, and have a big Middle East Celebration when it is signed and completed,” he wrote. “God Bless the Middle East!”

His post came one day after Trump signed an executive order directing the Treasury Department to begin a “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran through sanctions targeting the regime’s oil exports in a move to deter Tehran from continuing its nuclear development.

PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYS ‘WE WILL HAVE RELATIONS WITH NORTH KOREA’; IT’S A ‘BIG ASSET’ THAT HE GETS ALONG WITH KIM

But, after the order, he told reporters he was “torn” about signing the directive and added he was “unhappy to do it.”

The Trump administration has not released details on who will lead these negotiations, how they will differ from the negotiations attempted by the Biden administration or what a new deal would include that wasn’t in the international deal reached during the Obama administration under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). That deal was finalized by the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council — China, France, Russia, the U.K. and the U.S.

The so-called Iran nuclear deal, which Trump pulled out of in 2018, was also signed onto by Germany and the European Union.

The Foundation for Defense of Democracies has analyzed where Iran’s nuclear infrastructure is located as Israel mulls a retaliatory attack. (Foundation for Defense of Democracies)

Hannah said Trump’s change in tune on securing a nuclear deal with Iran could be a negotiating tactic, though he warned that “25 years of negotiations with the Iranians on the nuclear program have led nowhere except an Iran right on the cusp of having nuclear weapons.”

The former national security advisor, along with the former special representative for Iran and Venezuela Ambassador Elliott Abrams, together warned that the Trump administration is facing a serious deadline when it comes to taking on negotiations with Iran.

Come October, Russia, a top ally to Iran, will take on the lead role of the United Nations Security Council, filling the presidency for one month, which could pose its own security concerns.

TRUMP REINSTATES ‘MAXIMUM PRESSURE’ CAMPAIGN AGAINST IRAN

But there is another October deadline looming over international attempts to block Iran’s nuclear development. The ability for the nations remaining in the JCPOA to apply “snapback” sanctions on Tehran will expire Oct. 18, 2025.

“There have to be negotiation discussions between Trump and [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu on how long are we going to wait to see this negotiation drag on,” Abrams said, referring to the years-long talks by the Biden administration that proved fruitless.

“I’m sure the Iranians will say if you impose snapback [sanctions] the negotiations are over, and we will leave the nuclear nonproliferation treaty.”

Iran, particularly in recent years, has been found to have repeatedly violated the treaty, though proponents of a nuclear deal argue it is a useful tool to keep Tehran involved in nuclear nonproliferation discussions.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Donald Trump. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/WANA; Handout via Reuters/Elizabeth Frantz/File Photo)

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But Abrams also warned that the U.S. and Israel should engage in military drills to remind Iran of what it is potentially facing should it move forward with nuclear development.

Retired Israel Defense Forces Major General Yaakov Amidror echoed this sentiment and said he believes it is unlikely that Iran completely ignores the threat of U.S.-Israeli strike force capabilities because it relies on the legitimate aspects of this nuclear program for economic stability.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday rejected the possibility of engaging in any future negotiations with the Trump administration.

February 8, 2025
Valentine’s Day Fraud: Cyber Police Warns Against Romance Scams, Launches ‘Romance Scam Prevention Week’ Online Campaign To Protect People

Ranchi, February 7: As Valentine’s Week starts with promises of love, roses, and heartfelt commitments, cybercriminals are also gearing up to exploit emotions for financial fraud. Amidst the celebration of romance, authorities are stepping up efforts to protect people from falling victim to “romance scams.” To counter these digital deceptions, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), under the Union Home Ministry, has launched a special awareness campaign on social media, running parallel to Valentine’s Week.

Using the hashtag #RomanceScamPreventionWeek, officials are spreading crucial information to help people identify and avoid online scams disguised as love. The Jharkhand Police has also joined the initiative, posting alerts on its official social media handles. One of the campaign’s eye-catching posters, shared on the I4C X handle, poses a thought-provoking question: “What will you do if your online sweetheart asks you for money? Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission: Over 73.90 Crore ABHA IDs Created Under ABDM To Boost Health Services, Says Health Ministry.

The post further warns: “This romance season, don’t get duped in the name of love! Join Cyber Dost in Romance Scam Prevention Week and learn how to outsmart scammers.” Authorities are urging people to stay vigilant and report fraud immediately by calling 1930 or lodging a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in. A cyber police officer in Ranchi highlighted a recent case where a woman fell prey to a romance scam. She met a man through a matrimonial site, exchanged numbers, and began building a connection. PhonePe Group Exits Account Aggregator Business, Plans To Partner With Other AAs To Drive Financial Inclusion in India.

The man planned a visit to Ranchi, but just before their meeting, he claimed he was detained at Delhi airport and needed urgent financial help. Believing his story, she transferred Rs 7 lakh — only to realise later that his profile had vanished without a trace. With online romance on the rise, the cyber police’s message is clear — Trust your heart, but verify with your mind. Don’t let emotions cloud your judgment — because in the digital world, not every love story is real.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 07, 2025 05:08 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).

February 7, 2025
‘Spreading Atheism’: Vance warns religious efforts abroad ‘corrupted’ by US bureaucracy amid USAID controversy

Vice President JD Vance slammed U.S. bureaucracy that has “corrupted” aid programs to foreign nations amid the Trump administration’s investigation into USAID waste, directing his ire at a recent revelation that the government had funded a program to promote atheism — or disbelief in God or gods — in Nepal.

“In recent years, too often has our nation’s international engagement on religious liberty issues been corrupted and distorted to the point of absurdity,” Vance, who is Catholic, said at the International Religious Freedom Summit in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. “Think about it: How did America get to a point where we’re sending hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars abroad to NGOs that are dedicated to spreading atheism all over the globe? That is not what leadership on protecting the rights of the faithful looks like.”

Vance did not mention the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) by name in his speech to the religious crowd and those working to advocate for religious liberty in the U.S. and around the world.

The forum was held as USAID faces an apparent dismantling as Elon Musk and his team at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) pore over the agency’s financial records to suss out government overspending and corruption.

USAID’s website was shut down in early February, replaced with a message on Tuesday evening outlining how “direct-hire personnel” will be placed on leave Friday, except those on “mission-critical functions, core leadership and specially designated programs.”

‘SESAME STREET IN IRAQ’: USAID’S ‘WASTEFUL AND DANGEROUS’ SPENDING EXPOSED BY SENATOR

Vice President JD Vance slammed U.S. bureaucracy that has “corrupted” aid programs to foreign nations. (Getty Images)

Vance’s comment focusing on nongovernmental organizations using taxpayer funds to promote atheism around the globe is likely referring to a $500,000 grant solicited by the State Department in 2021, under the Biden administration. The grant hit the nation’s radar in 2024, when Republican House lawmakers sounded the alarm that the State Department was participating in a “pattern of obfuscation and denial” related to efforts to promote atheism on the world stage.

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

Reps. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, Chris Smith, R-N.J., and Brian Mast, R-Fla., wrote in a letter sent to then-State Department Deputy Secretary Richard Verma in May 2024: “We write to address what the Department has now acknowledged were its misrepresentations made to Congress about the scope and nature of programming that – for the first time in US diplomatic history – has sought to promote atheism overseas under the guise of ‘religious freedom.’”

“In recent years, too often has our nation’s international engagement on religious liberty issues been corrupted and distorted to the point of absurdity,” said Vice President JD Vance, who is Catholic. (Getty Images)

The lawmakers were referring to the State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor grant for $500,000, titled “Promoting and Defending Religious Freedom Inclusive of Atheist, Humanist, Non-Practicing and Non-Affiliated Individuals.” Fox News Digital reviewed an archived web link for the grant on Thursday, which detailed that the U.S. was working to “support Religious Freedom globally,” including to “combat discrimination, harassment and abuses against atheist, humanist, non-practicing and non-affiliated individuals of all religious communities.”

The State Department’s announcement for the grant reads: “DRL’s goal is to ensure everyone enjoys religious freedom, including the freedom to dissent from religious belief and to not practice or adhere to a religion. By not adhering to a predominant religious tradition, many individuals face discrimination in employment, housing, in civil and criminal proceedings, and other areas especially in the context of intersectional identities.”

The vice president’s comment focusing on nongovernmental organizations using taxpayer funds to promote atheism around the globe is likely referring to a $500,000 grant solicited by the State Department in 2021. (Celal Gunes/Anadolu Agency)

The grant was awarded to Humanists International, a UK-based group that works to promote secularism and humanism, a philosophy that does not include a belief in God.

The State Department’s funding announcement opportunity detailed how the program was expected to increase “capacity among members of atheist and heterodox individuals to form or join networks or organizations.”

FEDS SPENT MILLIONS STUDYING TRANS MENSTRUATION, STRENGTHENING GAY RIGHTS IN THE BALKANS, DATABASE REVEALS

Fox News Digital reached out to Humanists International on Thursday morning regarding the grant and Vance’s comments but did not immediately receive a reply.

Vice President JD Vance said that the Trump administration will not only restore religious liberty but expand it. (Getty Images)

GOP HARDLINERS RALLY AROUND TRUMP, MUSK SCALING BACK USAID

“But this administration is intent on not just restoring, but on expanding the achievements of the first four years, and certainly in the last two weeks,” he continued. “And in this short period, the president has issued orders to end the weaponization of the federal government against religious Americans.”

Elon Musk is heading up the Department of Government Efficiency. (Apu Gomes/Getty Images)

“Pardon pro-life protesters who were unjustly imprisoned under the last administration,” he said. “And importantly, stop the federal censorship used to prevent Americans from speaking their conscience and speaking their mind, whether it’s in their communities or online.”

“Now, our administration believes we must stand for religious freedom, not just as a legal principle, as important as that is, but as a lived reality both within our own borders and especially outside,” he continued.

FLASHBACK: BIDEN ADMIN REPEATEDLY USED USAID TO PUSH ABORTION IN AFRICA

Vance’s speech was followed by a virtual address from actor Rainn Wilson, who played Dwight Schrute in “The Office,” to discuss his Baha’i faith and the persecution of fellow adherents in Iran.

Democrats have seethed over the work of Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency, holding protests outside government offices in Washington, D.C., and across the country. (Getty Images)

Government funding directed to left-wing initiatives through agencies such as USAID or the State Department has come under the microscope recently, as DOGE launched investigations to cut government fat. Secretary of State Marco Rubio took over as acting director of USAID on Monday, telling the media that the agency needs to fall in line with Trump’s “America First” policies, which includes using taxpayer funds to strengthen U.S. communities rather than sending cash overseas.

Democrats have seethed over DOGE’s work, holding protests outside government offices in Washington, D.C., and across the country to declare that they will fight the efforts tooth and nail.

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

“What we are witnessing here is the biggest heist in American history,” Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., said on Tuesday during one rally.

People protesting against President Donald Trump and Elon Musk. ( Jeff Kowalsky/AFP/Getty Images )

“This is the most corrupt bargain we’ve ever seen in American history: Elon Musk gives $250 million to elect Donald Trump, and Donald Trump turns over the keys to United States government to Elon Musk and his billionaire friends and his cronies,” Van Hollen continued in his remarks outside the Treasury Department.

“We have to fight this in the courts, we have to fight this in the Congress, we have to fight this in the streets. We need to fight this all over America.”

Rep. LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., added, “Shut down the city! We are at war!”

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., said during a news interview of DOGE’s work at USAID, “The level of disrespect actually is criminal, because there are crisis-response teams that are around the world that really rely on having access to their emails – having access to apps that they can utilize if there’s danger to them.”

Protesters have slammed Musk as a “fascist” who was not elected to federal office yet holds sway with the White House in his role at DOGE.

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Musk trolled Democrats and government employees amid the protests on Wednesday when he changed his X bio to state that he is working as “White House Tech Support” as his DOGE team reviews the federal government’s various computer systems.

February 6, 2025
Zelenskyy warns peace talks without Ukraine ‘dangerous’ after Trump claims meetings with Russia ‘going well’

Excluding Ukraine from U.S.-led talks involving the withdrawal of Russian troops from Kyiv’s eastern front would set a “dangerous” precedent to dictators across the globe, warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“If there will be direct talks between America and Russia without Ukraine, it is very dangerous, I think,” Zelenskyy said in a Saturday interview with the Associated Press. “They may have their own relations, but talking about Ukraine without us – it is dangerous for everyone.”

Zelenskyy argued that doing so would validate Russian President Vladimir Putin’s brutal invasion and “show that he was right” because he received “impunity” and “compromise.”

“This will mean that anyone can act like this. And this will be a signal to other leaders of the big countries who think about [doing]… something similar,” he said.

ZELENSKYY PRAISES TRUMP FOR ‘JUST AND FAIR’ RHETORIC TOWARD RUSSIA: ‘EXACTLY WHAT PUTIN IS AFRAID OF’

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during a press conference at the Ukraine peace summit in Obbürgen, Switzerland, on June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)

The Ukrainian president’s comments came before President Donald Trump on Sunday suggested that his administration had already begun talks with Moscow and claimed they were “going pretty well.”

“We have meetings and talks scheduled with various parties, including Ukraine and Russia. And I think those discussions are actually going pretty well,” he told reporters at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.

On Friday, Trump refused to say whether he had spoken directly with Putin and wouldn’t detail who in his administration had begun talks with Moscow, though he insisted the two sides were “already talking” and had engaged in “very serious” discussions.

Speaking with Fox News on Friday, Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, retired Army Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg said, “Everybody is pulling together” on ending the three-year-long war in Ukraine.

“It’s important because we realize it is actually in our national security interest to get this war resolved,” Kellogg said. “When you look at the money the United States has provided, which is over $174 billion, when you look at the alliance that has now formed with Russia, with North Korea, with China and Iran – that wasn’t there before.”

Ukrainian infantrymen with the 28th Brigade take cover along the frontline on March 5, 2023, outside of Bakhmut, Ukraine. (John Moore/Getty Images)

TRUMP SAYS UKRAINE’S ZELENSKYY IS READY TO NEGOTIATE A DEAL TO END WAR WITH RUSSIA

Despite the U.S. pledge to send Ukraine more than $175 billion worth of military aid, Zelenskyy said over the weekend that Ukraine hasn’t received anywhere near this much support, telling the Associated Press that in terms of military aid, Kyiv has only received some $75 billion worth.

It remains unclear where the remainder $100 billion in military support has gone, and the White House did not immediately return Fox News Digital’s questions on the matter.

Kellogg also told Fox News that Trump “will lead” the negotiations and said, “I think most people should be very comfortable in the fact that he knows exactly what he’s doing. He knows where to apply pressure, where not to apply pressure. But more importantly, that he will create leverage, leverage both with Ukrainians and the Russians.”

The special envoy didn’t specify how Trump will apply this pressure to both Moscow and Kyiv, though Putin and Zelenskyy have made clear that negotiating on Ukraine joining the NATO alliance is a non-starter.

Zelenskyy argued Trump could get Putin to the negotiating table by threatening to increase sanctions on Russia’s energy and banking systems, along with continued military aid to Ukraine.

President Donald Trump shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan, June 28, 2019. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

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The Ukrainian president also argued that Trump should back Ukraine’s push to join the NATO security alliance as it would be the “cheapest” option for Ukraine’s allies.

Ukraine’s admittance into the NATO alliance would likely protect Kyiv against the threat of another Russian invasion, as it would grant the country security guarantees under Article Five, which says an attack on one nation “shall be considered an attack against them all.”

However, Putin has long threatened nuclear escalation should Ukraine be granted admittance to the international security alliance.

Caitlin McFall is a Reporter at Fox News Digital covering Politics, U.S. and World news.

February 3, 2025
Lay’s recall of classic chips in 2 states classified at highest risk level, FDA warns it could cause ‘death’

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Frito-Lay has recalled its Lay’s Classic Potato Chips in Oregon and Washington state due to undeclared milk that may be in the product that could be fatal if consumed by someone with an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk.

The Food and Drug Administration announced last month a recall of a limited number of 13 oz. bags of Lay’s Classic Potato Chips over concerns that the product may contain undeclared milk. No other Lay’s products, flavors, sizes or variety packs have been recalled.

“Those with an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk run the risk of a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume the recalled product,” the FDA said on Dec. 16.

BELOVED SNACK BRAND RECALLS ‘LIMITED’ NUMBER OF POPULAR POTATO CHIP BAGS DUE TO UNDECLARED ALLERGIN: FDA

Lay’s potato chips pack seen in a Target superstore. (Alex Tai/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images / Getty Images)

On Monday, the FDA updated its guidance, classifying it under a Class 1 recall — its highest risk classification — which means exposure or consumption of the chips could cause “serious adverse health consequences or death,” according to Newsweek.

The chips were given the high level classification because milk is one of the FDA’s eight “major food allergens,” which means it is one of the products that can lead to hives, cramps, dizziness, swollen vocal cords and even unconsciousness if someone with an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk consumes it.

Consumers would have been able to purchase these chips in Oregon and Washington state as early as November 3. The recalled chips were distributed to certain retail stores and e-commerce distributors.

Frito-Lay potato chip snacks in a supermarket in New York on Thursday, February 12, 2015. (Getty Images / Getty Images)

Anyone in the two states with Lay’s chips that have both a “guaranteed fresh” date of February 11 and a manufacturing code of either “6462307xx” or “6463307xx” should discard the chips immediately, especially if someone in their household has a milk allergy.

Frito-Lay said it was alerted to the undeclared milk after being contacted by a customer.

MORE THAN 500,000 ELECTRIC SPACE HEATERS RECALLED DUE TO OVERHEATING CONCERNS

Lay’s packaging seen at the grocery store in Las Vegas, United States. (Getty Images / Getty Images)

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The company said no allergic reactions related to this recall have been reported.

January 29, 2025
US consulate warns of gun battles, IEDs, kidnappings in Mexican border towns near Texas

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American officials in Mexico have issued the highest-level travel warning amid increased gun battles, kidnappings and IEDs in a town that sits on the Texas border. The State Department has put the state of Tamaulipas, Mexico, which sits across the border from McAllen, Texas, under a “Level 4: Do not travel” advisory.

“As a precaution, U.S. government employees have been ordered to avoid all travel in and around Reynosa and Rio Bravo outside of daylight hours and to avoid dirt roads throughout Tamaulipas,” the consulate wrote in a statement.

Authorities are urging Americans to avoid dirt roads, not to touch unknown objects near or on roads and to plan travel during daylight hours. Additionally, Americans are advised to notify family and friends of their whereabouts “for your safety.”

Migrants walk back into Mexico after being deported from the U.S., at El Chaparral pedestrian border bridge in Tijuana, Mexico, Jan. 21, 2025. (Felix Marquez/AP)

The State Department’s Level 4 warning indicates that there is a “greater likelihood of life-threatening risks.” Additionally, the department warns that the U.S. government “may have very limited ability to provide assistance, including during an emergency” to Americans in areas under its highest-level advisory.

“The Department of State advises that U.S. citizens not travel to the country or to leave as soon as it is safe to do so. We advise that you write a will prior to traveling and leave DNA samples in case of worst-case scenarios,” the State Department’s website reads.

Last year, McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos told Fox News Digital that the American people were “exhausted” by lawmakers “just kicking the ball” on immigration.

BORDER ENCOUNTERS DROP SHARPLY AS TRUMP LAUNCHES CRACKDOWN ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

Illegal immigration played a major role in the election, with both President Donald Trump and his opponent, then-Vice President Kamala Harris, making trips to the border.

Since taking office, President Trump has made major changes to US immigration policy and leaders in his administration are taking action. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem joined an immigration enforcement raid in New York City on Tuesday.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Baltimore Field Officer director Matt Elliston listens during a briefing, Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, in Silver Spring, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

KRISTI NOEM JOINS IMMIGRATION RAID TO CATCH ‘DIRTBAGS’ IN MAJOR SANCTUARY CITY

Noem posted footage and images of the raid, saying that “Criminal alien with kidnapping, assault & burglary charges is now in custody – thanks to [ICE.] Dirtbags like this will continue to be removed from our streets.”

A DHS spokesperson said the dawn operation targeted “murderers, kidnappers, and individuals charged of assault and burglary.”

Earlier this month, then-incoming border czar Tom Homan reiterated Trump’s pledge to “run the biggest deportation operation this country has ever seen,” adding that it would focus on “public safety threats.”

Migrants stand on the Mexican side of the U.S.-Mexico border, on the banks of the Rio Grande, in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, on March 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano, File)

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While Tamalipas, Mexico, remains under a Level 4 advisory, there are several parts of the country that are under lower-level advisories. The State Department keeps an updated interactive map on its website to help Americans understand risks when planning international travel.

January 28, 2025
Homan warns daily migrant arrests will ‘steadily increase’ as Trump admin targets non-violent illegal aliens

Border Czar Tom Homan warned that daily deportation numbers are set to rise in the coming weeks as President Trump’s administration begins to expand its operations.

Homan made the comment during a Sunday appearance on ABC News’ “This Week” with host Martha Raddatz. The border chief says the administration is currently only targeting violent illegal aliens, but that will soon change.

“You’re going to see the numbers steadily increase, the number of arrests nationwide as we open up the aperture,” Homan said. “Right now, it’s concentrating on public safety threats, national security threats. That’s a smaller population. So we’re going to do this on a priority basis. That’s President Trump’s promise. But as that aperture opens, there’ll be more arrests nationwide.”

“When you talk about the aperture opening, the estimates of those who have been convicted or arrested in the past are 700,000 to over a million. So after you do that, then you go after everybody who is there illegally?” Raddatz asked.

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

Incoming Trump ‘border czar’ Tom Homan speaks with Fox News. (Fox News)

“If you’re in the country illegally, you’re on the table because it’s not okay to, you know, violate the laws of this country. You got to remember, every time you enter this country illegally, you violated a crime under Title Eight, the United States Code 1325, it’s a crime,” Homan responded.

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

“So if you’re in a country illegally, you got a problem. And that’s why I’m hoping those who are in the country illegally, who have not been ordered removed by the federal judge, should leave,” he added.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt released this image Friday, writing on X that “deportation flights have begun.” A Mississippi lawmaker is proposing paying bounty hunters to help deport illegal immigrants. (White House)

The statement comes after Homan warned sanctuary cities across the U.S. that their policies will not prevent deportations, and will instead endanger communities, federal agents and illegal aliens.

‘NATIONAL EMERGENCY’: TRUMP DECLARES AMBITIOUS ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN IN INAUGURAL ADDRESS

Sanctuary cities are defined by a policy of not turning over illegal aliens to federal authorities when they are arrested. The aliens are then often released back into the community.

Homan urged officials in sanctuary cities to help with the effort on “Fox & Friends” last week. “Work with us, because you’ve forced us into the community.”

He continued, “Here’s what’s going to happen. We’ll find the bad guy, but when we find him, he’s going to be with others, others that may not be a criminal priority. But guess what? If they’re in the United States illegally, they’re going to be arrested, too.”

President Donald Trump vowed mass deportations of illegal aliens. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

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“I want to save lives. A secure border saves lives,” Homan said. “When President Trump locks this border down, less women and children will be sex trafficked in this country, less aliens would die making that journey. Under President Biden, we’ve had a record number of people die crossing that border [and a] 600% increase in sex trafficking.”

Fox News confirmed Sunday that Tom Holman is in Chicago with Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove to observe and support the immigration process here in the city.

Fox News’ Matthew Finn contributed to this report.

Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Send tips to [email protected], or on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.

January 26, 2025
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
Trump warns FEMA faces a reckoning after Biden admin: ‘Not done their job’

President Donald Trump warned late Wednesday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is set to face a reckoning following four years under the Biden administration, arguing the emergency agency has “not done their job.”

“FEMA has not done their job for the last four years. You know, I had FEMA working really well. We had hurricanes in Florida. We had Alabama tornadoes. But unless you have certain types of leadership, it’s really, it gets in the way. And FEMA is going to be a whole big discussion very shortly, because I’d rather see the states take care of their own problems,” Trump said Wednesday in an exclusive interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, his first White House interview since his inauguration.

Trump then turned his attention to the state of Oklahoma, touting that he won all 77 of the state’s counties in the 2024 election, and arguing that if the Sooner State is hit by a tornado, state leaders should take the lead on emergency response before the federal government steps in for additional assistance.

“I love Oklahoma, but you know what? If they get hit with a tornado or something, let Oklahoma fix it. … And then the federal government can help them out with the money. FEMA is getting in the way of everything, and the Democrats actually use FEMA not to help North Carolina,” Trump continued.

TRUMP, GOP LEADERS MEET AT WHITE HOUSE AS PRESIDENT PLANS VISIT TO NC, DEFENDS EXECUTIVE ORDERS

President Donald Trump sits for an interview with Fox News. (Fox News / Hannity)

FEMA came under the nation’s microscope last year when Hurricane Helene ripped through North Carolina, devastating residents as it wiped out homes and businesses and killed more than 100 people. FEMA and the Biden administration faced fierce backlash for its handling of the emergency, while Trump accused the agency of obstructing relief efforts in Republican areas.

“The Democrats don’t care about North Carolina. What they’ve done with FEMA is so bad. FEMA is a whole ‘nother discussion, because all it does is complicate everything,” he said.

TRUMP SAYS NEWSOM IS TO ‘BLAME’ FOR ‘APOCALYPTIC’ WILDFIRES

“So I’m stopping on Friday. I’m stopping in North Carolina, first stop, because those people were treated very badly by Democrats. And I’m stopping there. We’re going to get that thing straightened out because they’re still suffering from a hurricane from months ago,” Trump said.

Floodwaters from Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina. (Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images)

Trump will visit North Carolina on Friday, his first trip as president, where he is expected to tour and meet with residents who were left devastated by the hurricane in September. He will also visit California that same day, where wildfires have ripped through the Los Angeles area this month.

The trip is set to highlight what Trump has described as emergency response failures at the hands of Democratic leaders.

FAST-MOVING HUGHES FIRE ERUPTS IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY AS CALIFORNIA OFFICIALS ORDER EVACUATIONS

A house burns as the Palisades Fire rages on at the Mandeville Canyon, in Los Angeles, California, U.S., January 11, 2025. (REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton )

“And then I’m going to then I’m going to go to California,” he said, before criticizing Gov. Gavin Newsom’s handling of wildfire prevention and response. Trump has long criticized the Democratic governor for prioritizing environmental policies, such as protecting the dwindling smelt and Chinook salmon populations, and not tapping water sources in the northern part of the state that he argued would allow better fire response.

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“There is massive amounts of water, rain water and mountain water, that comes to with the snow, comes down, as it melts, there’s so much water they’re releasing it into the Pacific Ocean,” he said.

January 23, 2025