Latest Landon Mion News | ӣ��Ƶ

Cultural groups ask federal judge to halt Trump's renovations of Kennedy Center

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 02:34:58 -0400

A group of cultural and historic preservation groups on Wednesday called on a federal judge to block President Donald Trump from making major renovations to The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, which has undergone significant changes since the president returned to office last year.

The groups asked U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper to issue a preliminary injunction to prevent any construction ahead of the scheduled July 6 project launch, saying they worry the president and the center's board of trustees will ignore historic preservation rules that aim to maintain the building.

Attorney Greg Werkheiser said after the hearing that the laws that govern the process "go to the very fundamental question of: Do we slow down and take stock before we make changes to properties that define the American experience?"

Justice Department attorneys, representing the president and board, argued that the administration's plans for the building are limited in scope and well within the authority of the board as they claimed extra approvals were not needed.

TRUMP KENNEDY CENTER'S BOARD VOTES UNANIMOUSLY TO APPROVE $257M RENOVATIONS AND TWO-YEAR CLOSURE

After returning to the White House, Trump ousted the center's previous leadership and replaced it with a handpicked board of allies who named him chairman, a move that sparked backlash from many artists. Trump's name was also later added to the building’s facade so that it reads: "The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts."

Trump announced the scheduled renovations for the center earlier this year.

The hearing on Wednesday came after a separate one the day before regarding the future of the center.

Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, has also filed a lawsuit to stop renovations as an ex officio member of the board, and Cooper is also overseeing that case.

The center's executive director, Matt Floca, a former facilities manager who was bumped up to the Trump-selected board, testified that the scheduled renovations are simply to repair decades of wear and tear, including extensive water damage to a part of the building that was nicknamed "the swamp."

"The most efficient and effective way to complete the magnitude of projects we need to complete is to close the center," Floca said.

Attorneys for the preservation groups questioned claims about the limited scope of the project, citing Trump's statements that he would "fully expose" the building's steel skeleton.

Justice Department attorney Yaakov Roth said those concerns have been blown out of proportion.

"There’s no risk that there will be unilateral changes … that we’ll wake up and the building will be gone," Roth said.

TRUMP KENNEDY CENTER'S NEW LEADER REVEALED AS RIC GRENELL EXITS TOP ROLE

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The lawsuits regarding the Kennedy Center's fate come amid other fights against Trump's efforts to change historical landmarks in the nation's capital.

Since he returned to office last year, Trump has frustrated preservationists, including by paving over the White House’s Rose Garden. Last year, the White House tore down its East Wing to make room for the president's proposed $400 million ballroom, although construction of the ballroom has been halted by a judge as litigation continues.

Trump also has plans to erect a 250-foot "triumphal arch" to commemorate the nation's 250th anniversary.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Georgia man says he suffered severe medical neglect leading to amputations at scrutinized Atlanta jail

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 01:10:31 -0400

A Georgia man said on Wednesday that he was traumatized after suffering severe medical neglect at a jail in Atlanta marred by allegations of unsanitary conditions, leading to the amputation of his fingers and lower legs.

Rashaad Muhammad was arrested in August and booked into the Fulton County Jail, where medical staff failed to give him antibiotics and other medical supplies he repeatedly told them he needed, according to his lawyers.

Less than two weeks later, his condition had deteriorated so much that he could no longer stand, and he was taken to a hospital, where he was eventually told the amputations were needed to save his life.

"I'm not okay. Every day is a battle. It's a struggle," Muhammad, who now uses a wheelchair, said during a news conference outside the jail after a meeting with Sheriff Pat Labat.

GUARDS AT 'ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ' BEAT, PEPPER-SPRAYED DETAINEES, LAWYER SAYS

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing Muhammad, said the meeting with the sheriff at the jail was like "coming back to a nightmare that you pray every day isn't real," adding that the treatment Muhammad received was "the very definition of deliberate indifference" and violated his constitutional rights.

The Fulton County Jail has faced numerous issues over the years, which led the U.S. Department of Justice to initiate a civil rights probe into jail conditions in 2023. The investigation revealed prisoners were housed in filthy and unsafe conditions that violated their constitutional rights.

The DOJ and county officials announced a year ago that they had entered into a court-enforceable consent decree. An independent monitor has been visiting the county's jails and recording the issues and any progress in resolving them.

Crump argued that the Fulton County Board of Commissioners bears significant blame for what happened to Muhammad since its members were made aware of the problems but did not take action.

He suggested the county needs a new jail, a move the sheriff has supported.

Earlier this month, the board of commissioners voted to borrow up to $1.3 billion for jail improvements, including a new special purpose facility and renovations at the current main jail.

Crump also blamed the jail's medical provider, NaphCare, alleging that its employees, as well as jail guards, ignored Muhammad's calls for help.

He said NaphCare should not be providing medical services at the jail after another man held at the facility died in a bedbug-infested cell in 2022.

Muhammad said his meeting with the sheriff was "productive" but "not enough."

Crump said he and his client asked for a criminal investigation into the events leading to the amputations.

Muhammad's legal team is collecting details and exploring "every possible legal remedy" to secure justice for Muhammad and to hold those responsible accountable, Crump said.

Another one of his attorneys, Liza Park, said he uses a catheter for a chronic bladder condition that makes him very susceptible to infection and that he constantly brings necessary antibiotics and other medical supplies with him.

Muhammad was in jail in connection with a shooting on Aug. 11. He called 911, according to Park, but when police arrived, they arrested him on aggravated assault and gun possession charges. He told officers as he was being taken into custody that he required the antibiotics and medical supplies that were in his car, Park said.

He was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital, where he was cleared to be taken to the jail, his lawyers said. He repeatedly told the medical staff at the jail that he needed antibiotics and other medical supplies. As his condition worsened, other inmates also urged jail and medical staff to help him.

FEDERAL JUDGE SAYS ICE DETAINEES 'SHOULDN'T BE SLEEPING NEXT TO OVERFLOWING TOILETS' AT CHICAGO-AREA FACILITY

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Muhammad was in "severe medical distress" when he was moved back to the hospital on Aug. 22, according to Crump.

After he woke up from a coma a couple of weeks later, Muhammad's hands and legs had become so infected that doctors told him that his fingers and lower legs would need to be amputated, saying it was a matter of "life over limbs," Crump said.

Muhammad spent months in the hospital and had multiple surgeries.

The criminal charges against him were dropped while he was in the hospital, Park said.

ӣ��Ƶ Digital has reached out to the Fulton County Sheriff's Office for comment.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Pentagon urges Congress to codify 'Department of War' name change it estimates will cost $52 million

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 22:04:36 -0400

The Pentagon has formally asked for congressional approval to codify its "Department of War" moniker, estimating it will cost taxpayers around $52 million.

The estimate from the Pentagon is significantly lower than what the Congressional Budget Office projected in January, when it estimated the rebranding could cost as much as $125 million if it were adopted "broadly and rapidly" throughout the department.

The Pentagon claimed the change, which includes renaming the secretary of defense to the secretary of war, would have no "significant impact" on President Donald Trump’s fiscal 2027 defense budget request because most implementation costs will be absorbed during the current 2026 fiscal year.

The "actual costs are being collected during implementation and will be available" once the current fiscal year’s execution of the name change is completed, according to the department.

HAWLEY, WARREN TEAM UP TO BACK UP TRUMP, CRACK DOWN ON DEFENSE CONTRACTOR PAYOUTS

In its legislative proposal, the Pentagon said roughly $52 million is expected to be used, including $44.6 million for the defense agencies and the department’s field activities, $3.5 million for the military departments, $3 million for Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth's office and Washington Headquarters Services, $400,000 for the Joint Staff, Combatant Commands and National Guard Bureau.

"The revision to the designation of the Department serves as a fundamental reminder of the importance and reverence of our core mission, to fight and win wars," the proposal reads. "It serves as a strategic objective in which to measure and prioritize all activities."

The request to rebrand the department would make around 7,600 changes to federal law. The Pentagon has already changed its website and social media accounts to reflect the rebranding, and Hegseth’s nameplate on his office door already reads, "Secretary of War."

NEW ARMY SECRETARY PRAISES TRUMP, HEGSETH FOR CREATING 'A LANE FOR CHANGE' AS HE ZEROES IN ON CUTTING WASTE

This comes after Trump signed an executive order in the fall to rename the Department of Defense to the Department of War, a move that sparked criticism but that some anti-war advocates argued was more fitting for an administration they say is eager to wage war.

"The name change really does help highlight how rogue, unconstitutional, and unlawful the president’s actions are," former Rep. Justin Amash, a Republican turned Libertarian, wrote on X in September.

But some of Trump's Republican allies in Congress have signaled support for the name change, with Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, introducing legislation in their respective chambers seeking to codify the rebranding.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the aisle, Democrats have criticized the Pentagon's request to codify the moniker, as lawmakers begin hashing out the fiscal 2027 defense policy bill.

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"The American people can’t afford groceries, gas, or rent — and the Pentagon has ALREADY wasted $50 million on renaming the Department of Defense to the Department of War. Now they want more money," Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., wrote on X.

The Department of War was established in 1789 by President George Washington. It was later replaced by the National Military Establishment in 1947, which was redesignated as the Department of Defense in 1949.

Jasmine Crockett's social media posts about WHCD shooting show different tones

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 01:08:02 -0400

Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, posted on social media what appeared to be contradictory messages about the shooting over the weekend at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.

In the shooting that unfolded at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C., gunman Cole Tomas Allen of California rushed through a security checkpoint with guns and knives. One Secret Service agent was shot in the chest but was saved by his bulletproof vest.

The Justice Department charged Allen with attempting to assassinate the president, transporting a firearm and ammunition in interstate commerce with intent to commit a felony and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence.

DOJ CITES WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS DINNER SHOOTING IN PUSH TO DROP LAWSUIT AGAINST BALLROOM

President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and other administration officials were in attendance, as were members of Congress and the media. Trump and other attendees were rushed off the stage, and the suspect was taken into custody.

Crockett, who lost in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate this year, has made multiple posts about the shooting since it happened, with some condemning political violence and others questioning whether assassination attempts against Trump were staged.

On her official X and Threads accounts, she said, "The political violence is unacceptable and must stop."

"I am grateful that everyone attending tonight’s WHCD is safe," the congresswoman added.

OHIO TEACHER FIRED AFTER VIDEO APPEARING TO LAMENT TRUMP SURVIVING WHCA DINNER SHOOTING

But on her Jasmine For US campaign Threads account, she posted, "Has there ever been a president have this many close 'attempts' on their life?"

"Maybe it’s lax gun laws, maybe it’s lack of mental health funding, or maybe it’s fake… who knows," the post continued.

ӣ��Ƶ Digital has reached out to Crockett's office for comment. A message was also left with the office of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., seeking comment.

In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Trump began claiming that the incident showed the need for his proposed White House ballroom. Other administration officials and the president's allies in Congress quickly began pushing for the ballroom as well.

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But the dinner was hosted by the White House Correspondents' Association and not the White House, and it had more than twice as many guests as the proposed ballroom could hold.

A judge had, on multiple occasions, halted construction of the $400 million White House ballroom, ruling that it lacked congressional approval, while offering an exception for "actions strictly necessary to ensure the safety and security of the White House and its grounds."

Wisconsin teacher placed on leave after social media post advocating to 'make Americans great assassins again'

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 22:21:57 -0400

A Wisconsin teacher was placed on leave following controversial comments in which he said he was "not impressed with recent presidential assassins."

Kaukauna High School social studies teacher Patrick Meyer suggested that the four men who successfully assassinated a U.S. president — John Wilkes Booth, Charles Guiteau, Leon Czolgosz and Lee Harvey Oswald — must be rolling over in their graves after recent failed attempts to kill a president.

"I am not impressed with recent presidential assassins. It's f---ing embarrassing! Booth, Guiteau, Czolgosz, Oswald must all be spinning in their graves! MAGAA (make Americans great assassins again)! Sad!" Meyer said in a since-deleted post on X, appearing to mock President Donald Trump's Make America Great Again, or MAGA, slogan.

The Kaukauna Area School District released a statement on Monday saying it had been made aware of the post and that Meyer, who has worked as a teacher in the district for more than 20 years, had been placed on administrative leave.

SECURITY UNDER SCRUTINY AS WHCD ATTENDEES CITE INCONSISTENT SCREENING BEFORE SHOOTING

"The District has placed the employee on administrative leave and is taking additional action to review the matter in accordance with its policies and procedures," the district wrote.

"The Kaukauna Area School District is committed to maintaining a safe and supportive learning environment for all students, families, and staff, and unequivocally rejects any conduct, expression, or behavior that may encourage, condone, or promote violence in any form," the statement added.

The district also said that the content of the social media post "was not related to the Kaukauna Area School District, and there has been no evidence of a risk to the safety of our students and schools."

ӣ��Ƶ Digital reached out to the district for additional comment. ӣ��Ƶ Digital also reached out to Meyer for comment.

Rep. Tony Wied, R-Wisc., said on social media, "This type of disgusting rhetoric has no place in our society and does not represent our values in #WI08. It is not the example that our teachers should be setting for Northeast Wisconsin students."

DOJ CITES WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS DINNER SHOOTING IN PUSH TO DROP LAWSUIT AGAINST BALLROOM

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The comments came amid heightened concern over political violence following the recent shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner in Washington, D.C.

US military conducts strike on another boat carrying alleged narco-traffickers, killing 3

Sun, 26 Apr 2026 23:48:58 -0400

The Pentagon on Sunday announced that a lethal strike was conducted on another vessel allegedly carrying suspected narco-traffickers in the Eastern Pacific, killing three people on board.

The U.S. Southern Command said it conducted a "lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations" at the direction of the leader of the Southern Command, Gen. Francis L. Donovan of the Marine Corps.

"Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations," the Southern Command claimed in a press release.

US MILITARY KILLS TWO SUSPECTED NARCO-TERRORISTS IN STRIKE ON DRUG-TRAFFICKING VESSEL IN THE PACIFIC

Three men on the vessel were killed, but no U.S. forces were harmed in the attack on the ship, according to the Southern Command.

This was the 55th strike since the U.S. began targeting boats in the Caribbean and the Eastern Pacific in early September.

The latest strike brings the death toll in the Trump administration's attacks on ships carrying people it accuses of drug smuggling to at least 186.

US CONDUCTS STRIKE ON ANOTHER BOAT CARRYING SUSPECTED NARCO-TRAFFICKERS, KILLING 6 PEOPLE

The Pentagon has refused to release the identities of those killed in the strikes since last fall or provide evidence of drugs on board.

Last month, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth argued, "Going on offense with Operation Southern Spear has restored deterrence against the narco-terrorist cartels that profited from poisoning Americans."

The administration has been scrutinized in recent months over the strikes by Democrats and even some Republicans, including Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who has raised concerns about killing people without due process and the possibility of killing innocent people.

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"I look at my colleagues who say they’re pro-life, and they value God's inspiration in life, but they don't give a s‑‑- about these people in the boats," Paul said in January. "Are they terrible people in the boats? I don't know. They're probably poor people in Venezuela and Colombia."

The senator previously cited Coast Guard statistics that show a significant percentage of boats boarded on suspicion of drug trafficking are innocent.

New York woman convicted for throwing dynamite at boyfriend, blowing off his hand as he tried to get rid of it

Sun, 26 Apr 2026 22:22:06 -0400

A New York woman was convicted after authorities said she threw a handmade stick of dynamite at her boyfriend while he was sleeping, causing his hand to be blown off as he attempted to get rid of the explosive.

Keyonna Waddell, 35, of Deer Park on Long Island, was found guilty by a jury on Friday of first-degree assault and first-degree criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the March 2024 incident.

Waddell had threatened the victim with dynamite several times in the months leading up to the incident, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office.

WOMAN CHARGED IN MAN'S FATAL STABBING OUTSIDE UPSCALE LONG ISLAND YACHT CLUB

"Domestic violence can escalate to deadly levels, and this case is a sobering reminder of that reality," Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said in a statement.

On March 22, 2024, Waddell and her boyfriend were involved in an argument inside his apartment, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office.

After the dispute, the man left the apartment and told Waddell to leave. When he arrived back home, Waddell did not appear to be there, and he went to sleep.

He was later woken up by a hissing sound and noticed a flame on the floor of his bedroom. He then realized that a stick of dynamite had been thrown into his bedroom and attempted to toss the explosive device out of the window, but it detonated and blew off most of his hand before he was able to throw it out of harm's way.

The victim then ran out of his home to the driveway, at which point he saw Waddell running away.

He was subsequently rushed to the hospital, where the remainder of his hand and part of his arm were amputated.

MAN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER AFTER ALLEGEDLY SHOOTING VICTIM IN FACE WITH CROSSBOW: POLICE

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Waddell was arrested the following day, officials said. Her sentencing is scheduled for May 27, and she could face up to 25 years in prison.

"Thanks to the outstanding work of our prosecutors and the Suffolk County Police Department, a dangerous individual has been held accountable and will face a lengthy prison sentence for this horrific act," Tierney said in his statement.

Florida prisoner laughs as judge sentences him to life for killing cellmate with pen: 'You are amusing'

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 21:40:36 -0400

A Florida man convicted of killing his cellmate with a pen smiled and laughed as a judge sentenced him to life in prison Tuesday.

Marcus Terry, 43, was found guilty of second-degree murder in December 2025 for killing his cellmate inside the Dade Correctional Institution in Homestead in 2021 by stabbing him in the head with a pen, according to NBC Miami.

During a court appearance on Tuesday, Terry's lawyer, Steven Yermish, asked Judge Ellen Sue Venzer to grant his client a new trial, arguing that inadmissible evidence was presented at trial at the end of last year, the outlet reported.

GUARDS AT 'ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ' BEAT, PEPPER-SPRAYED DETAINEES, LAWYER SAYS

Venzer rejected Yermish's motion for a new trial and sentenced his client to life behind bars without the possibility of parole, as she described how Terry fatally pushed a pen into the brain of his cellmate, 64-year-old Ray Matos.

"He shoved a pillowcase into his mouth. When the guards came in to find out what was going on, he was standing on top of this man, and his hand was bloodied," Venzer said.

As the judge was detailing the murder, Terry began smiling and laughing.

"I'm not sure why you're laughing," Venzer said to him.

"You are amusing," Terry responded.

The judge replied that she "found nothing amusing about your behavior or the death of this gentleman."

"God have mercy on your soul," Venzer said while handing down his sentence.

Terry may now appeal his sentence, according to NBC Miami.

FLORIDA DOCTOR CHARGED AFTER ALLEGEDLY REMOVING WRONG ORGAN DURING SURGERY

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Terry was already serving a life sentence for armed burglary and armed robbery when he killed Matos, who was his cellmate for less than a week, court records showed.

Matos was found on the ground in the cell, lying in a pool of blood as Terry sat on the lower bunk, according to an arrest warrant.

Florida man's execution date set for killing 2, including small child

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 21:39:37 -0400

A Florida man is scheduled for execution next month after his conviction in the killing of his cousin's girlfriend and her 4-year-old daughter under a death warrant signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis Wednesday.

Richard Knight, 47, will die by lethal injection at Florida State Prison in Starke May 21 as part of a series of death warrants signed by the governor.

Knight was convicted in the 2000 murders of Odessia Stephens and her young daughter, Hanessia Mullings, according to WFLA. Prosecutors said Knight and Stephens were involved in an argument the night of the crime.

Authorities described the killings in court records as "heinous, atrocious and cruel," the outlet reported.

FLORIDA DEATH ROW INMATE USES LAST WORDS TO MAINTAIN INNOCENCE BEFORE EXECUTION

Stephens and her daughter had gone to bed when Knight grabbed knives from the kitchen, walked into their bedroom and attacked the woman as her daughter lay next to her.

Investigators said Knight stabbed Stephens 21 times, with most of the injuries to her neck. She also sustained stab wounds to her chin, back and chest.

Stephens also suffered injuries indicating she had been strangled and attempted to fight back, and investigators said images from the crime showed a "bloody struggle."

Knight then strangled and stabbed the child multiple times, causing stab wounds to her upper chest, neck and hand.

The details were presented by prosecutors during trial proceedings, according to court records.

A judge sentenced Knight to death in 2007 after a jury unanimously recommended the death sentence for his first-degree murder convictions.

Efforts by Knight's attorneys to appeal the case have so far been unsuccessful. Court records show his legal team has challenged the conviction and sentence in multiple appeals, which have been denied to date.

ӣ��Ƶ Digital has reached out to Knight's legal team for comment.

DeSantis continues to accelerate the number of death warrants signed since the start of last year.

In 2025, 19 people were put to death in Florida, setting a record for the most executions in one year in the Sunshine State. Before last year, Florida's record for executions in a year since the death penalty was restored in 1976 was eight in 1984 and 2014.

FLORIDA MAN WHO WRESTLED COP'S GUN AWAY AND KILLED HIM EXECUTED AFTER FINAL APPEALS REJECTED

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Advocacy groups, including the Equal Justice Initiative, have raised concerns about fairness and due process in death penalty cases.

Florida also executed more people last year than any other state, with Alabama, Texas and South Carolina tied for the second-most with five each. Across the U.S., 47 people were executed in 2025.

This year, Florida has already executed five people, and another is scheduled for April 30, when James Hitchcock, 70, is scheduled to be put to death for the rape and murder of his 13-year-old step-niece.

The last execution was carried out on Tuesday, when Chadwick Willacy, 58, was put to death for murdering his elderly neighbor in Palm Bay by setting the victim on fire.

Appeals court rules 'Alligator Alcatraz' can stay open, rejecting push for federal environmental impact review

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 21:42:00 -0400

"Alligator Alcatraz," an immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades, can remain open, an appeals court ruled on Tuesday, upholding its earlier decision to block a judge's order for the facility to wind down operations for failing to comply with federal environmental law.

In a 2-1 decision, the majority on the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals found the state-run facility was not under federal control and was not subject to federal law requiring an environmental impact review.

"Florida, not federal, officials constructed the facility," the majority wrote. "They control the land and 'entirely' built the facility at state expense."

The legal dispute centers in part on the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), a federal law that requires agencies to assess environmental impacts before major actions.

GUARDS AT 'ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ' BEAT, PEPPER-SPRAYED DETAINEES, LAWYER SAYS

The court wrote that Florida had received no federal reimbursement when U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams’ preliminary injunction ordering a gradual winding down of operations was issued last year. Williams had found that a federal reimbursement plan had effectively already been made.

The appeals court paused Williams' order just days after it was handed down in August, pending a hearing, which was held earlier this month.

In a dissent to the appeals court's latest ruling, Judge Nancy Abudu wrote that immigration is a federal responsibility and that the federal government cannot relinquish its authority just because Florida officials built an immigration detention center.

"The facility would not, and could not, have been built and used as an immigration detention center without the federal defendants’ request," Abudu said. "The evidence of federal control perhaps is most apparent when we acknowledge that immigration remains uniquely and exclusively within the federal government’s domain."

Two of the environmental groups that brought the lawsuit — Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity — said they would continue pursuing the case as it returns to Williams for further litigation.

"This fight is far from over," Eve Samples, executive director of Friends of the Everglades, said in a statement. "Alligator Alcatraz was hastily erected in one of the most fragile ecosystems in the country without the most basic environmental review at immense human and ecological cost."

The facility is located at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport site, an area surrounded by protected wetlands within the Everglades ecosystem, according to court filings.

Officials in the Sunshine State also built a second immigration detention center in northern Florida.

DOJ SUES CONNECTICUT, NEW HAVEN OVER SANCTUARY POLICIES: 'OPEN DEFIANCE'

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Earlier this month, a lawyer for two migrants detained at "Alligator Alcatraz" said in a court declaration that guards severely beat and pepper-sprayed detainees, causing injuries to their heads, shoulders and wrists.

"The officers beat several people during this incident and broke another detained individual’s wrist," lawyer Katherine Blankenship wrote.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

NYPD investigating 'reckless' drag racing street takeover in Queens

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 01:08:19 -0400

A drag-racing street takeover involving more than 100 vehicles in Queens over the weekend triggered an NYPD investigation, as authorities continue searching for suspects, several of whom were spotted wearing keffiyeh scarves.

The incident was reported on Saturday shortly before 2 a.m. near Eliot Avenue and 69th Street, according to the NYPD. One of the vehicles waved a Palestinian flag out the window while screeching around the intersection.

When officers arrived at the scene, they activated their lights and sirens to disperse the crowd. Dozens of vehicles then fled the area.

CHICAGO MAYOR WARNS OF ‘TEEN TREND’ AFTER TAKEOVER CHAOS, VIOLENCE CONCERNS GROW

Police said multiple vehicles were observed driving in circles.

A few people also allegedly jumped on the hood of an NYPD vehicle, causing damage and cracking the windshield before fleeing the scene in a black car.

No injuries were reported in connection with the drag-racing incident.

NYC TEEN SHOT DEAD ON QUEENS BASKETBALL COURT AS BYSTANDERS FILMED; POLICE SEARCHING FOR GUNMAN

Police said no arrests have been made, but they are asking for the public's assistance in identifying eight people and four vehicles captured in photographs.

Officers canvassed surrounding streets following the incident to deter further reckless driving.

As they were patrolling, one driver was issued a summons for blocking a crosswalk.

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The incident remains under investigation.

Trump admin announces expansion of visa restriction policy in Western Hemisphere

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 22:31:32 -0400

The Trump administration on Thursday announced a "significant expansion" of its visa restriction policy in ⁠the Western Hemisphere, targeting people working on behalf of U.S. adversaries.

In its announcement, the State Department said the expanded policy allows it to restrict U.S. visas for people intentionally acting on behalf of adversarial countries to "undermine America's interests."

"President Trump’s National Security Strategy makes clear: this Administration will deny adversarial powers the ability to own or control vital assets or threaten the security and prosperity of the United States in our region," the department said in a press release. "The Department of State is working to advance American leadership in our hemisphere, protect our homeland, and ensure access to vital routes and areas throughout our region."

RUBIO IDENTIFIES 'SINGLE MOST SERIOUS THREAT' TO THE US FROM WESTERN HEMISPHERE

"In support of this critical objective, the Department of State is announcing a significant expansion of an existing visa restriction policy that targets those working on behalf of U.S. adversaries to undermine our national interests in our hemisphere, including regional security and democratic sovereignty," the department continued.

The administration also said that family members of individuals subject to visa restrictions under this policy will not be allowed to enter the U.S.

"This expanded policy enables us to restrict U.S. visas for nationals of countries in our region who, while within Western Hemisphere countries and while intentionally acting on behalf of adversarial countries, their agents, or enterprises, knowingly direct, authorize, fund, or provide significant support to, or carry out activities that are adversarial to and undermine America’s interests in our hemisphere. These individuals – and their immediate family members – will be generally ineligible for entry into the United States," the department said.

Activities the administration has deemed adversarial and that could trigger visa restrictions include enabling adversarial powers to acquire or control key assets and strategic resources in the Western Hemisphere, destabilizing regional security efforts, undermining American economic interests and conducting influence operations designed to weaken the sovereignty and stability of nations in the region.

STATE DEPARTMENT TO ASK FOR BONDS OF UP TO $15,000 FOR VISA APPLICATION FROM A DOZEN MORE COUNTRIES

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The department said it has imposed visa restrictions on 26 people under this policy.

"To demonstrate our commitment to this expanded policy, we have taken steps to impose visa restrictions on 26 individuals across our hemisphere who have engaged in these activities," the department said. "The Trump Administration will use every available tool to protect our national security interests, defend American interests, and promote our region’s safety and prosperity."

This comes after a series of moves by the administration in recent months to restrict visas for people around the world, including a visa ban on people from dozens of countries listed by the State Department, which civil rights groups have previously sharply criticized.

Critics, including civil rights advocates, have raised concerns about similar visa restriction policies, saying broad definitions of prohibited activity can create questions about how individuals are identified and what due process protections are available.

"This administration’s targeting of people based on their national origin is part of an autocratic playbook designed to make America smaller – to shut out ideas, perspectives, and communities," Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, said in a statement earlier this year about the suspension of immigrant visa processing for people from around 75 countries.

2 detained after shooting in New York leaves 15-year-old killed, two others wounded: police

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 02:12:46 -0400

Two people were taken into custody on Wednesday after a shooting that killed a 15-year-old and wounded two others in what police described as a gang-related shooting at Eisenhower Park on Long Island, New York.

The shooting occurred around 8:20 p.m. near Hempstead Turnpike and Merrick Avenue, the Nassau County Police Department said.

Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder told reporters that gang members saw an invitation on social media for a barbecue at the park, according to CBS New York.

MAN CHARGED IN FATAL SHOOTING OF US MARINE IN NORTH CAROLINA HAD CRIMINAL RECORD SPANNING THREE DECADES

Two people then became involved in an argument and shots were fired, Ryder said.

Three people, including the 15-year-old boy, were struck by gunfire. The three victims were transported to a local hospital, where the teenager was pronounced dead.

TEEN GIRL GUNNED DOWN IN POSH CHICAGO ENCLAVE AS POLICE RUSH TO NAB HER KILLER

The two other victims were listed in stable condition, and Ryder said they underwent surgery late Wednesday. Their ages were not immediately known.

Two people who were both carrying weapons were taken into custody. Police did not release the suspects' identities or specify what charges they may face.

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The shooting remains under investigation.

After the shooting, responding officers flooded the area. Patrol cars were seen lining the roadways and a police helicopter was observed circling the park as officers investigated the incident.

Guards at 'Alligator Alcatraz' beat, pepper-sprayed detainees, lawyer says

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 21:42:30 -0400

Guards severely beat and pepper-sprayed migrant detainees at "Alligator Alcatraz," an immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades, causing injuries to their heads, shoulders and wrists, according to a lawyer for two detainees.

The guards targeted several detainees at the state-run facility after they complained about a lack of phone access one day earlier this month, lawyer Katherine Blankenship said in a court declaration.

The phones are the primary method for detainees to communicate with family and their legal representation while held at the detention center, but the phones were not functioning.

The guards first started taunting the detainees as they were in a cell. Blankenship said the guards then became "more aggressive and were yelling and threatening to enter the cage."

DOJ SUES CONNECTICUT, NEW HAVEN OVER SANCTUARY POLICIES: 'OPEN DEFIANCE'

One detainee was punched in the face after walking up to a guard. The guards then began beating other detainees in the cell.

Blankenship said one of her clients was punched in the right eye, thrown to the floor and beaten by several guards. She said guards kicked him in the head and injured his shoulder and arm. A guard also put his knee on the detainee's neck while restraining him, according to the attorney.

Included in the declaration is a photo taken during a video call nearly a week after the beating showing the detainee with a bruised eye.

"The officers beat several people during this incident and broke another detained individual’s wrist," Blankenship wrote, noting that the detainee whose wrist was broken is not among her clients.

Phone service was restored the following day, although officials failed to provide any explanation as to why it was cut off.

HOCHUL ENDORSES LEGISLATION TO ALLOW NEW YORKERS TO SUE ICE AGENTS: 'POWER DOES NOT JUSTIFY ABUSE'

Blankenship's declaration was part of a court filing alleging that state and federal officials have not complied with a federal judge's preliminary injunction last month ordering the detention center to offer detainees access to timely, free, confidential, unmonitored and unrecorded calls with their attorneys.

U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell directed officials to provide at least one operable telephone for every 25 people held in the facility.

The judge's order came after a lawsuit that argued that officials at the facility were violating detainees' First Amendment rights.

State officials have denied claims of restricting detainees' access to their attorneys, pointing to security and staffing issues for any cutoffs. Federal officials, who are also defendants in the case, denied that detainees’ First Amendment rights were violated.

Last week, state officials filed a notice saying they intend to appeal the judge's ruling.

The facility has been slapped with several lawsuits since it was built over the summer.

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The detention facility was constructed last year by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration to support President Donald Trump’s plan to mass detain and deport migrants. Officials in the Sunshine State also built a second immigration detention center in northern Florida.

During a visit last week to the detention center, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., said she was not given the opportunity to speak with detainees.

The lawmaker also described conditions at the detention center as "inhumane" and "cruel."

"The way the detainees are housed is cruel and unnecessary," she said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Suspect in string of random attacks in Georgia is naturalized citizen from UK, DHS says

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 03:36:43 -0400

The suspect in a string of attacks in DeKalb County, Georgia, is a repeat offender and a naturalized U.S. citizen from the U.K., according to the Department of Homeland Security.

Olaolukitan Adon Abel, 26, was arrested on Monday after he killed two people and wounded another in what police described as a series of random attacks in the Peach State.

Abel faces two counts of murder, aggravated assault and weapons charges in connection with the attacks, which DHS said included the killing of an employee of the agency.

DHS told ӣ��Ƶ that Abel is a U.K. national who was naturalized into a U.S. citizen in 2022 during the Biden administration.

AVID RUNNER STABBED AND SHOT IN STRING OF RANDOM ATTACKS ALLEGEDLY CARRIED OUT BY REPEAT OFFENDER

One of the victims, 40-year-old Lauren Bullis, worked in the DHS Office of the Inspector General, the agency confirmed to ӣ��Ƶ.

She was found dead after being shot and stabbed while walking her dog on Battle Forest Drive. Witnesses reported to DeKalb Police that they observed a man standing over her before he fled the scene.

"Yesterday, a DHS employee, Lauren Bullis, was brutally shot and stabbed to death by Olaolukitan Adon Abel, a 26-year-old, born in the United Kingdom, who was naturalized by the Biden Administration in 2022," DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said on Tuesday in a statement to ӣ��Ƶ. "Since President Trump took office, USCIS has implemented measures to ensure individuals with criminal histories and who otherwise lack good moral character do not attain citizenship."

ATLANTA TEEN ARRESTED FOR MURDER AFTER FATAL SHOOTING OF 12-YEAR-OLD INSIDE HOME

Before Bullis' killing, police found a woman shot multiple times outside a Checkers on Wesley Chapel Road. She later died from her injuries.

Then in Brookhaven, a homeless man was ambushed and shot several times while sleeping outside a shopping center on Peachtree Road. He remains in critical condition.

Abel was later taken into custody in Troup County after law enforcement used license plate recognition cameras to track his silver Volkswagen Jetta, police said.

His previous criminal history reportedly includes an arrest last fall for sexual battery in Chatham County. He was sentenced to jail time and probation, which included a requirement for a mental health evaluation.

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"He possesses a prior criminal record that includes convictions for sexual battery, battery against a police officer, obstruction, and assault with a deadly weapon, vandalism and now stands accused of murdering DHS employee Lauren Bullis by shooting and stabbing her while she walked her dog," Mullin said in his statement. "He has also been arrested for the murder of an unidentified woman whom he reportedly shot outside a Checkers, before randomly shooting a homeless man multiple times outside a Kroger in Brookhaven."

"These acts of pure evil have devastated our Department and my prayers are with the families of the victims," the secretary added.

ӣ��Ƶ' Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.

DOJ sues Connecticut, New Haven over sanctuary policies: 'Open defiance'

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 01:57:58 -0400

The U.S. Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against Connecticut and its city of New Haven, arguing that their sanctuary policies interfere with federal enforcement of the nation's immigration laws.

The lawsuit names Connecticut, its Gov. Ned Lamont and Attorney General William Tong, as well as New Haven and its Mayor Justin Elicker as defendants.

The complaint takes issue with the state’s "so-called Trust Act" and other state and local sanctuary policies that the DOJ argues are illegal under federal law.

The DOJ claims these policies have allowed "dangerous criminals" to be released into communities in the Nutmeg State. It also alleges that Connecticut and New Haven have made "intentional efforts" that the lawsuit argues obstruct federal law enforcement, put people at risk and are preempted under the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

DOJ SUES NEW JERSEY OVER EXECUTIVE ORDER LIMITING ICE COOPERATION, EXPANDING SANCTUARY STATUS

"For years, Connecticut communities have paid the price of these misguided sanctuary policies," Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the DOJ's Civil Division said in a statement. "This lawsuit seeks to end such open defiance of federal law."

But Elicker contends that the lawsuit misrepresents the city's immigration policies. He said the city will fight the lawsuit and that he is confident they did nothing wrong.

"The complaint that’s been submitted by the federal government has untruths in it and is misleading. There’s actually quotes from the executive order that have ‘dot dot dot’ where they don’t finish the sentence and the last part of the sentence of the executive order actually clarifies the beginning part," Elicker told Fox 61.

After Elicker was elected mayor in 2020, he signed an executive order barring law enforcement from asking for the immigration status of anyone they are working with.

READ THE FULL COMPLAINT FILED BY THE DOJ BELOW

The mayor said his city and its employees have not taken any action to obstruct the federal government's efforts to enforce immigration laws.

"Our employees are abiding by both city, state, and federal law with the executive order that we have, and we will continue to do that," Elicker said.

HOCHUL ENDORSES LEGISLATION TO ALLOW NEW YORKERS TO SUE ICE AGENTS: 'POWER DOES NOT JUSTIFY ABUSE'

Lamont said in a statement that state laws "do not prevent federal authorities from enforcing immigration law," adding that they instead "reflect a longstanding principle: the federal government cannot require states to use their personnel or resources to carry out federal enforcement responsibilities."

"We will defend Connecticut’s laws vigorously against the complaints outlined in the federal government’s lawsuit. Our Trust Act and related policies are consistent with the Constitution and reflect our responsibility to govern responsibly, protect public safety, and uphold the rights of all residents," the governor said.

"Connecticut respects the rule of law and the constitutional roles of both federal and state governments," he added. "Connecticut law enforcement prioritizes serious criminal activity and works every day to keep our communities safe, while also respecting constitutional protections afforded to residents and maintaining trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve."

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Tong, in a statement of his own, said the "sovereign people of Connecticut have exercised our right to pass state laws like the Trust Act that prioritize public safety and ensure that all people can trust and rely on law enforcement to keep us safe."

"It is a shame that the President and the Department of Justice are not focused on public safety but are wasting federal resources on attacking Connecticut with a baseless lawsuit that has no foundation in law or fact. Connecticut is not a 'sanctuary' state, whatever that means. This term is meaningless and has no basis in Connecticut law. We will defend Connecticut and Connecticut families and fight this lawless attack with every fiber of our being," he said.

This is the latest effort by the DOJ to target sanctuary policies in cities and states across the country.

Last month, a federal judge threw out a DOJ lawsuit accusing Colorado and Denver of interfering with the federal enforcement of immigration laws.

Suspect arrested after housekeeper tied up, attacked in Massachusetts mansion heist

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 21:27:13 -0400

A suspect was arrested after a $20 million oceanfront Massachusetts mansion was broken into by two masked men, who allegedly attacked a housekeeper, tied her up and held her at gunpoint while reportedly stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars in valuables.

Emajae Brown, 25, was charged with home invasion, kidnapping, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, witness intimidation, armed assault in a dwelling, larceny over $1,200, breaking into a building at nighttime with the intent to commit a felony, larceny of a motor vehicle and armed burglary.

Brown was taken into custody in Gloucester and prosecutors argued he was a danger to the community, according to Boston 25 News.

On the morning of March 28, a neighbor on Paine Avenue in Beverly, Massachusetts, called 911 to report a home invasion.

POLICE HUNT ARMED SUSPECT AFTER HOUSEKEEPER BOUND, ATTACKED IN LUXURY MANSION HEIST: REPORT

Investigators learned that two armed suspects had broken into the mansion and assaulted and tied up a housekeeper who was inside the home before leaving with several valuable items. The housekeeper was the only person home at the time of the incident.

During the burglary, the suspects allegedly grabbed the housekeeper's phone and tossed it in the ocean, according to CBS Boston. They also allegedly made her find bleach and place valuable items in trash bags.

"What they did to my housekeeper was just horrendous," homeowner Thomas Swan III told WCVB last month after the heist.

"She was held at gunpoint, sometimes dragged by her hair, ultimately tied up and left in the garage. She’s really, really special, but truly traumatized by this, truly traumatized," he added.

FORMER FBI AGENT SUGGESTS INSIDE JOB IN MASSACHUSETTS MANSION HEIST AS 'SPECIFIC AND VALUABLE' ITEMS STOLEN

After the suspects left, the housekeeper escaped and went to a neighbor’s home to call for help. She was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and later released.

"She went on to tell investigators the suspect was pointing a firearm at her head and escorting her around the home," a prosecutor said in court on Tuesday, according to CBS Boston.

One robber fled the scene with several valuables, including money and gold, in a Porsche stolen from the home. That vehicle was later located by police several miles away near a cemetery in Lynn.

Ring cameras were able to locate Brown, who was tracked through phone surveillance to New York City, where he was allegedly meeting with a jewelry dealer, according to Boston 25 News.

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Local and federal authorities eventually found more than $300,000 and numerous gold items in his car, the outlet reported.

Police also said Brown was the ex-boyfriend of another housekeeper who worked at the home. The prosecutor said they learned that Brown had an open domestic charge from an incident at the Encore Boston Harbor casino.

Brown was ordered held without bail until the next hearing on April 21.

Starving toddler ate diapers and drywall before dying in filthy room while parents lived clean, police say

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 21:40:44 -0400

An Indiana couple was arrested after their malnourished toddler died in deplorable living conditions, with investigators alleging the child had eaten pieces of diapers and drywall before his death and that the parents waited roughly 14 hours after last seeing him alive to call 911, according to police and court records.

Trevor Reichard-Hayes, 39, and Katherine Carter, 31, are facing murder and neglect charges in connection with the death of 2-year-old Erik Reichard, the Tell City Police Department said in a press release.

Officers found the child dead at around 1:20 p.m. on March 31 after Reichard-Hayes called 911 to report that his wife found their son not breathing. The couple reportedly told police that the last time they saw their son alive was around 11 p.m. the day before.

Responding officers and medics who arrived a short time later performed CPR on the 2-year-old, but the child was pronounced dead at the scene.

TWO ARRESTED IN NC AFTER POLICE FIND 13-YEAR-OLD KEPT IN DOG KENNEL, 5 OTHER KIDS IN 'FILTHY' HOME

"I could tell based on my training and experience that the child had been deceased for several hours. The child was blue and pale," a detective wrote in the probable cause affidavit against his parents, according to PEOPLE.

The boy was "extremely skinny" and covered with dozens of sores or bug bites, the detective added. Erik also weighed just 15 pounds, about half of what a child his age should be weigh.

Carter told police that Erik had been eating his diapers, and the detective "suspected the child had been eating his diapers due to hunger," the affidavit reads.

Investigators found that the home, which also housed two other children, was in horrible condition. The other children were removed from the home, including one who was hospitalized for severe malnutrition and dehydration.

The detective said he observed "poor living conditions that included feces on the floor in the two children’s rooms as well as an abundance of drywall and paint chips, dirt, and pieces of diapers [lying] everywhere as well as insects/bugs in the home."

In one bedroom, officers found a small child's bed, pieces of diaper and drywall debris all over the floor and a training toilet full of feces and urine "that appeared ... hadn’t been cleaned in days or perhaps weeks," according to the affidavit.

But despite the children's bedrooms being in deplorable condition, the parents were living in a clean and well-kept bedroom.

The affidavit said the pair's bedroom had "nice bedding, the bed was made, there was no extreme clutter, and it was clean, unlike the remainder of the home."

MICHIGAN WOMAN ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY STARVING, TORTURING DISABLED SISTER-IN-LAW SHE LOCKED IN BASEMENT

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An autopsy showed that the boy's colon contained "foreign material with a gel-like substance and small white pieces. These findings were consistent with the gel found in the diapers worn by [Erik] as well as the material of the diaper itself. Some of the white material removed from the colon was also consistent with the drywall, paint chips, or spackling," according to PEOPLE.

Erik's cause of death was determined to be severe malnourishment and severe dehydration as a result of neglect, according to the affidavit.

Trump accuses Pope Leo of being 'terrible' on foreign policy over pontiff's anti-war comments

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 21:55:35 -0400

President Donald Trump on Sunday accused Pope Leo XIV of being "terrible" on foreign policy as the pontiff continues to criticize the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and call for peace.

In a Truth Social post, Trump said Leo is "weak on crime" and "terrible" for foreign policy over his anti-war comments in recent weeks following the start of the war in the Middle East.

"He talks about 'fear' of the Trump Administration, but doesn’t mention the FEAR that the Catholic Church, and all other Christian Organizations, had during COVID when they were arresting priests, ministers, and everybody else, for holding Church Services, even when going outside, and being ten and even twenty feet apart," Trump wrote. "I like his brother Louis much better than I like him, because Louis is all MAGA. He gets it, and Leo doesn’t!"

"I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon," he continued. "I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s terrible that America attacked Venezuela, a Country that was sending massive amounts of Drugs into the United States and, even worse, emptying their prisons, including murderers, drug dealers, and killers, into our Country. And I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States because I’m doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do, setting Record Low Numbers in Crime, and creating the Greatest Stock Market in History."

POPE LEO CALLS OUT 'DELUSION OF OMNIPOTENCE' FUELING IRAN WAR IN VIGIL FOR PEACE AT ST. PETER'S BASCILICA

The president went on to say that the pope "should be thankful because, as everyone knows, he was a shocking surprise."

"He wasn’t on any list to be Pope, and was only put there by the Church because he was an American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump," he wrote. "If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican."

"Unfortunately, Leo’s Weak on Crime, Weak on Nuclear Weapons, does not sit well with me, nor does the fact that he meets with Obama Sympathizers like David Axelrod, a LOSER from the Left, who is one of those who wanted churchgoers and clerics to be arrested. Leo should get his act together as Pope, use Common Sense, stop catering to the Radical Left, and focus on being a Great Pope, not a Politician. It’s hurting him very badly and, more importantly, it’s hurting the Catholic Church!" he added.

Trump also told reporters on Sunday that he is "not a big fan of Pope Leo."

"He's a very liberal person, and he's a man that doesn't believe in stopping crime," Trump said. "He's a man that doesn't think that we should be toying with a country that wants a nuclear weapon so they can blow up the world. I'm not. I'm not a fan of Pope Leo."

"I don’t think he’s doing a very good job. He likes crime I guess. We don’t like a pope who says it’s OK to have a nuclear weapon. We don’t want a pope that says crime is OK," he added.

Responding to Trump's comments, the head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops released a statement taking issue with the president's criticisms of the pontiff.

"I am disheartened that the President chose to write such disparaging words about the Holy Father," Paul Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and Archbishop of Oklahoma City, said in a statement. "Pope Leo is not his rival; nor is the Pope a politician. He is the Vicar of Christ who speaks from the truth of the Gospel and for the care of souls."

This comes after Leo has repeatedly spoken out against the conflict in the Middle East and government officials who attempt to use the Bible to justify it.

"God does not bless any conflict," Leo wrote in a social media post on Friday. "Anyone who is a disciple of Christ, the Prince of Peace, is never on the side of those who once wielded the sword and today drop bombs. Military action will not create space for freedom or times of #Peace, which comes only from the patient promotion of coexistence and dialogue among peoples."

Leo also said last month that God rejects the prayers of world leaders who wage war, saying they have "hands full of blood" and that the conflict is "atrocious."

"This is our God: Jesus, King of Peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war," Leo said at the time.

"[Jesus] does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them, saying: 'Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen: your hands are full of blood'," the pope added, citing a Bible passage.

POPE LEO CALLS OUT TRUMP'S IRAN RHETORIC BEFORE LAST-MINUTE CEASEFIRE EMERGES

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Some U.S. officials, including Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, have used scripture in an attempt to justify the military attacks against Iran.

"Let every round find its mark against the enemies of righteousness and our great nation. Give them wisdom in every decision, endurance for the trial ahead, unbreakable unity, and overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy," Hegseth said as he led a prayer at the Pentagon last month.

Referencing a Bible passage in which Jesus was about to be arrested ahead of his crucifixion and rebuked one of his followers for striking the person arresting him with a sword, Leo said Jesus "did not arm himself, or defend himself, or fight any war."

"He revealed the gentle face of God, who always rejects violence. Rather than saving himself, he allowed himself to be nailed to the cross," Leo said at the time.

ICE says more criminal migrants arrested on 1-year anniversary of program to support victims of migrant crime

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 21:55:10 -0400

Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced on Thursday it had arrested more alleged illegal migrants who have been convicted of various crimes, which coincides with the one-year anniversary of the agency reopening its program to support victims of migrant crime. The arrests and convictions described by ICE have not been independently verified.

ICE's Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) Office was relaunched on April 10, 2025, aiming to offer resources to victims of crimes committed by illegal migrants and the victims' families.

The program was first launched in 2017 under President Donald Trump's first administration but was replaced in 2021 by the Victims Engagement and Services Line, a different program under the Biden administration before it was relaunched last year after Trump returned to office.

ICE said the anniversary of the program's reopening comes just after multiple arrests were made on Wednesday of suspected illegal migrants convicted of crimes such as injury to a child, assault and robbery. ICE did not specify whether the individuals were newly arrested or transferred from local custody following prior convictions, nor did it provide dates for the underlying convictions.

ICE DETAINER LODGED FOR ILLEGAL MIGRANT ACCUSED OF MURDERING 15-YEAR-OLD MISSOURI BOY WHO BEGGED FOR HIS LIFE

"The brave men and women of ICE law enforcement continue to target criminal illegal aliens in our communities to prevent another American from being raped, maimed, or murdered by an illegal alien who should have NEVER been in our country. The American victims are [why] we fight," Department of Homeland Security Acting Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs Lauren Bis said in a statement to ӣ��Ƶ Digital.

"Yesterday, ICE arrested multiple violent assailants, including one depraved monster who injured a CHILD. With every arrest, ICE is making American communities safer. We will never stop fighting for justice for the victims of illegal alien crime," Bis continued.

The agency offered a sample of some of the arrests. ICE did not say how many total individuals were arrested nationwide as part of this announcement.

DHS PREPS DEPORTATION OF ALLEGED MS-13 GANG MEMBER WANTED FOR PASTOR'S MURDER IN EL SALVADOR

Juan Lorenzo Hurtado-Flores, from Peru, was convicted of criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation and injury to a child in White Plains, New York, according to ICE.

Vu Nguyen, from Vietnam, was convicted of assault with a semiautomatic firearm in Pasadena, California, the agency said.

The agency said Omar Alexander Rodriguez-Grande, from El Salvador, was convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in Harris County, Texas.

Oscar Fransisco, from Guatemala, was convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in Palm Beach, Florida, according to the agency.

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ICE said Josue Coreas-Chavez, from El Salvador, was convicted of robbery in Riverhead, New York.

"Illegal aliens harming American citizens is unconscionable. But now, thanks to President Trump, we're able to help people victimized by criminal aliens through the VOICE Office," ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons said when the relaunch of the program was announced last year. "I'm extremely proud of ICE’s entire workforce — the officers and agents on the ground who are enforcing immigration law fairly, the support staff who pull these operations together and handle logistics, and those who help shine a light on those who have suffered harm at illegal aliens’ hands."

VOICE was replaced in 2021 during the Biden administration with the Victims Engagement and Services Line to "serve as a more comprehensive and inclusive victim support system offered by ICE that will ensure services are offered to all victims regardless of immigration status of the victim or perpetrator."

"Providing assistance to society’s most vulnerable is a core American value. All people, regardless of their immigration status, should be able to access victim services without fear," then-DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said at the time.

Michigan woman arrested for allegedly starving, torturing disabled sister-in-law she locked in basement

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 02:51:55 -0400

A Michigan woman was arrested and hit with felony charges after she allegedly kept her disabled sister-in-law locked in a basement for two years, when she nearly starved the victim to death and blasted a radio nonstop.

Tasha Beamon, 48, was charged with vulnerable adult abuse and unlawful imprisonment.

The victim managed to escape the basement and broke a neighbor’s window on March 15 as she sought to enter the home, alert police and flee captivity, according to MLive.

The neighbor called 911 and the victim told police that Beamon, the wife of the 58-year-old victim's late brother, was holding her captive in the Saginaw home’s basement for two years before she found a way to free herself.

TWO ARRESTED IN NC AFTER POLICE FIND 13-YEAR-OLD KEPT IN DOG KENNEL, 5 OTHER KIDS IN 'FILTHY' HOME

"She told officers she was not fed very often and that she didn’t have any access to water," Saginaw Police Detective Sgt. Jeff Doud told the outlet.

The victim said Beamon had kept her on an old mattress since March 2024 with a nearby radio constantly blaring.

Police went to Beamon’s house and observed a lock on the basement door, a mattress on the floor and a radio playing loudly. Police also said there was a 5-gallon bucket of urine in the basement.

"Usually, somebody was there. She didn’t believe anyone was home at the time, so she was able to force a door open and escape," Doud said.

Emergency responders transported the woman to a hospital, where she was treated for severe malnourishment. Hospital staff told police the woman would likely die if she were discharged.

The neighbor told ABC 12 that he was shocked to find the victim suddenly in his living room with a metal pipe "almost as big as she is."

"I don’t even know how she had the power to even break the window," the man said. "I thought she was like 78. She was tall, skin and bones."

"She asks me to call the cops at first, which was weird. But that was the first thing she said to me: Call the cops," he added.

WISCONSIN COUPLE ALLEGEDLY STARVED SIX CHILDREN FOR YEARS, FORCING THEM TO EAT MOLD, BUGS AND DOG FOOD

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Beamon later admitted to police that she kept the woman in her house without allowing her to leave. She also made 40 calls to the hospital where her sister-in-law was staying.

Investigators suspect that Beamon was keeping the woman captive to collect her disability payments, Doud said.

Beamon was arrested on April 2 and booked into the Saginaw County Jail on $100,000 bond, the amount ordered after prosecutors described her as a danger to the public.

She will appear for a preliminary examination on April 20.

South Carolina pastor, wife arrested after alleged sexual, physical abuse of foster children

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 01:02:15 -0400

A South Carolina pastor and his wife were arrested after a foster child reported being a victim of sexual abuse, according to officials.

Rodney Gibson and Kawiana Young, both 50, were charged with unlawful conduct with a minor, the Richland County Sheriff's Department said, according to WIS News 10.

Gibson is also facing charges of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor, unlawful conduct toward a minor and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

TWO ARRESTED IN NC AFTER POLICE FIND 13-YEAR-OLD KEPT IN DOG KENNEL, 5 OTHER KIDS IN 'FILTHY' HOME

A victim came forward last month to report alleged sexual abuse endured while in foster care at the couple's home, deputies said, according to the report.

Gibson is accused of sexually assaulting the victim on several occasions, starting at age 15 until they aged out of the foster care system.

Investigators learned that a minor was living with Gibson and Young.

The child told investigators they had been sexually abused by Gibson and physically abused by Young. The minor was then moved to emergency protective custody.

YOUNG BROTHERS FIND HUMAN SKULL NEAR CREEK; DOZENS MORE BONES DISCOVERED IN DEADLY MYSTERY

During an emergency protective custody hearing on March 20, a family court judge ordered the minor to be returned to Gibson and Young’s home.

After investigators conducted subsequent interviews and obtained additional evidence, arrest warrants were obtained. Gibson and Young were arrested on April 1 and the minor was placed back into emergency protective custody.

Gibson and Young were released on bond on April 2.

The South Carolina Department of Social Services said in a statement that Young was a licensed foster parent from June 2021 until June 2025, adding that she fostered six children in her home, but voluntarily relinquished her foster parent license.

The agency said Young failed to mention that Gibson was living at the home, and his name was not on the license. The agency said Young never reported that she was married and said she was not in a relationship.

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The agency said it was cooperating in the investigation.

Authorities believe there may be more victims and are asking anyone with information to come forward.

Gibson is a pastor at Pathway 2 Hope Ministries, while Young owns and operates DreamCatcher Child Development Center.

Dem lawmaker calls for TSA to bring back shoes-off airport security policy

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 23:04:46 -0400

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., is demanding that the Transportation Security Administration reintroduce its controversial policy requiring travelers to take off their shoes before going through airport security checkpoints.

Duckworth called on the TSA to immediately reverse its move to end the "shoes-off" policy, calling former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's decision last summer to scrap the policy a "reckless act" that may put travelers at risk.

"Secretary Noem’s decision to implement a shoes on policy on July 8, 2025, likely without meaningful consultation with TSA, was a reckless act," Duckworth wrote in a letter to Acting TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill.

"Allowing a potentially catastrophic security deficiency to remain in place for seven months and counting betrays TSA's mission," she added. "At a minimum, TSA's failure to swiftly implement corrective action warrants the immediate withdrawal of Secretary Noem's reckless and dangerous policy that increases the risk of a terrorist smuggling a dangerous item onto a flight."

NEARLY 20-YEAR SHOE-OFF AIRPORT SECURITY POLICY IS ENDED BY TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

This comes after a classified watchdog report found that TSA scanners cannot effectively screen shoes, according to CBS News. Duckworth said the inspector general flagged the issue as urgent to Noem but that no action was taken.

Duckworth said that the inspector general found that Noem’s policy shift had "inadvertently created a new security vulnerability in the system."

The former secretary's failure to take corrective action after the report's findings was "outrageous, unacceptable and dangerous to the flying public," Duckworth said.

The senator argues that TSA's lack of response may violate federal law, writing that the agency missed a legally required 90-day deadline to outline corrective actions after receiving the watchdog's report.

"Such inaction violates Federal law, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidance and DHS's own directives," Duckworth wrote.

FLIGHT PASSENGERS SLAM AIRLINES FOR PUSHING EARLY BAG CHECKS EVEN WITH EMPTY BINS ON BOARD

The previous policy requiring passengers to take off their shoes during TSA screening was implemented in 2006.

"We expect this change will drastically decrease passenger wait times at our TSA checkpoints, leading to a more pleasant and efficient passenger experience," she said at the time. "As always, security remains our top priority. Thanks to our cutting-edge technological advancements and multi-layered security approach, we are confident we can implement this change while maintaining the highest security standards."

Duckworth accused Noem, who was removed by President Donald Trump last month and replaced by current DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, of prioritizing politics over security.

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The senator wrote that Noem's policy change reflected a "willingness to gamble the American people's security," calling it a "stunning failure of leadership."

"Secretary Noem’s willingness to gamble the American people’s security in an unsuccessful attempt to boost her popularity was, and remains, a stunning failure of leadership—particularly following President Trump’s decision to launch an unconstitutional war of choice against Iran that DHS has determined, "is causing a heightened threat environment in the United States," she wrote.

Blanche argues Trump can influence DOJ investigations, including those involving political foes

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 04:37:10 -0400

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Tuesday that President Donald Trump has a "right" and a "duty" to influence federal investigations, including those regarding the president's political enemies who probed him in the past.

Blanche, who was named acting attorney general last week, dismissed the notion that the Justice Department has been improperly going after Trump's opponents and defended the president's influence over federal investigations.

"We have thousands of ongoing investigations and prosecutions going on in this country right now. It is true that some of them involve men, women and entities that the president in the past has had issues with and believes should be investigated," Blanche said at a press conference.

"That is his right and indeed it is his duty to do that, meaning to lead this country, and so I do not view this as pressure," he continued.

BLANCHE INVOKES 'LOVE' WHEN ASKED ABOUT STAYING ON AFTER BONDI

This comes after Trump fired former Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday after she failed to secure successful indictments against some of Trump's political rivals and amid bipartisan frustrations with her handling of the Epstein files.

The DOJ has opened several investigations into Trump's opponents, including U.S. officials who found that Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. presidential election to boost Trump, Democratic lawmakers who encouraged U.S. service members to ignore unlawful orders, former President Joe Biden's alleged use of an autopen to sign official documents without his direct authorization, and liberal donors and fundraising groups.

Blanche shut down the idea that the Trump administration is weaponizing the DOJ, noting a few of the investigations into Trump that took place under the Biden administration.

"You had a president who, along with this department, had assistance, so this department helped two other local DA's go after the president. You had this department who stood idly by while states tried to keep President Trump off the ballot," Blanche said, adding that the Trump administration's "supposed weaponization" of the DOJ is "completely false."

Blanche, who represented Trump in three of the four criminal cases he faced while out of office, cited those cases as he argued that Trump "wants justice" for people he believes improperly weaponized the legal system against him.

PAM BONDI IS OUT AS AG — HERE ARE THE CONTENDERS WHO COULD REPLACE HER

The acting attorney general declined to say whether he wants to be nominated to the vacant attorney general post. He said he would be honored if Trump chose him for the role, but would still love him if he chose someone else.

"As to whether or not I want this job, I did not ask for this job. I love working for President Trump," Blanche said. "It's the greatest honor of a lifetime, and if President Trump chooses to keep me as acting, that's an honor. If he chooses to nominate me, that's an honor. If he chooses to nominate somebody else and asks me to go do something else, I will say, 'Thank you very much. I love you, sir.'"

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Officials can serve in an acting capacity for up to 210 days. Trump has not signaled a nominee to take the role permanently, but he could nominate Blanche. The president has also reportedly had discussions with Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin about taking the job.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Terror suspects indicted after allegedly throwing bombs at NYC protest outside mayor's mansion

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 03:47:50 -0400

The two terror suspects accused of trying to bomb a protest outside New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's residence last month, in what authorities have described as an ISIS-inspired attack, were indicted on Tuesday, according to federal prosecutors.

Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, and Emir Balat, 18, are accused of throwing live explosive devices into a protest outside Mamdani's Gracie Mansion residence on March 7, after driving from Pennsylvania. The bombs failed to detonate and nobody was injured.

Both were charged with eight counts: conspiracy to provide material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organization, provision and attempted provision of material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organization, conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction, attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction, carrying of explosives during the commission of a federal felony, transportation of explosive materials, interstate transportation and receipt of explosives and unlawful possession of destructive devices.

"As alleged, just weeks ago, Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi carried out a terrorist attack on the streets of New York," U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton said in a statement. "They sought to murder multiple innocent victims in the name of ISIS. The brave women and men of the NYPD responded immediately, and Balat and Kayumi were arrested on site."

NEW VIDEO SHOWS TERROR SUSPECT TACKLED AFTER ALLEGEDLY THROWING BOMB AT NYC PROTEST OUTSIDE MAYOR'S RESIDENCE

"Since their attack, our partners at the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force have uncovered evidence revealing the alleged meticulous planning by the defendants in their attack, including a notebook with detailed attack plans and a storage unit containing explosive residue and bomb-making materials," he added.

When speaking to law enforcement, Balat allegedly said he wanted the planned attack to be "bigger than the Boston Marathon bombing."

After Kayumi was arrested and waiting to be placed inside an NYPD vehicle, someone from the surrounding crowd yelled at him and asked why he carried out the attack.

"ISIS," he allegedly responded.

PENNSYLVANIA MEN ACCUSED OF ISIS-INSPIRED BOMB ATTACK ON NYC PROTESTERS NEAR MAYOR'S MANSION: TIMELINE

The pair also made comments recorded on dashcam in which they discussed soon carrying out the attack as they traveled to New York, according to the indictment.

"What do you think? Are they going to remove the airplanes for us ... over New York? Are they going to stop them? If we do the attack and the bombs go off and everything?" Balat asked.

"Just can't wait for that bomb to go off and his freaking head, his body to get split in half bro, dead," he added.

Kayumi said, "All I know is I want to start terror, bro" and "I want to petrify these people."

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A forensic analysis of two unexploded devices — one that Balat tossed into the crowd of protesters and another that Kayumi handed to Balat before Balat dropped it on the ground near NYPD officers — found that both contained explosives, according to the indictment.

Mamdani said after the attempted bombing last month that "violence at a protest is never acceptable."

"The attempt to use an explosive device and hurt others is not only criminal, it is reprehensible and the antithesis of who we are," the mayor said at the time.

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