⚖️ DOJ Revokes Naturalized Citizen’s Status After Child Sex Crime Conviction
A federal court in the Southern District of Texas, McAllen Division, has revoked the United States citizenship of a naturalized immigrant, Carlos Noe Gallegos, following his conviction for the sexual assault of a child under the age of 14 and his failure to disclose that conviction during his 2010 naturalization process, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced in a Jan. 26, 2026 statement. Under federal law, citizenship obtained through concealment of materially adverse facts like felony convictions can be revoked, and officials, including Attorney General Pamela Bondi and Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate, emphasized that the action reflects the DOJ’s ongoing efforts to enforce the integrity of the naturalization system. Gallegos’s conviction and concealment of prior sexual assault constituted a crime involving moral turpitude, which the court determined invalidated his eligibility for citizenship under 8 U.S.C. § 1451. This case is part of a broader DOJ focus on denaturalization for individuals who commit serious crimes or misrepresent their backgrounds, a policy previously advanced in high-profile cases such as the denaturalization of Elliott Duke for fraudulently obtaining citizenship while committing offenses related to child sexual abuse material.
Sources: US Justice Dept, The Epoch Times
🏛️ Senate Republicans Firmly Reject Democratic Push to Defund DHS Amid Funding Standoff
Senate Republicans are digging in against Democratic threats to trigger a partial government shutdown by blocking a major appropriations package that includes funding for the Department of Homeland Security, insisting there’s no room for what they call a “mob veto” on law enforcement and border security. The clash intensified after a fatal ICE-related shooting in Minneapolis involving Renee Good and Alex Pretti, which Democrats led by Chuck Schumer seized on to demand ICE defunding or overhaul as a condition for supporting the six-bill omnibus measure needed to avert a lapse when the current continuing resolution expires at midnight Friday; GOP senators like Tom Cotton, Ron Johnson, and Rick Scott swiftly pushed back with statements affirming full DHS funding to combat border threats and criminal elements, highlighting the party’s narrow 53-45-2 Senate majority and Vice President JD Vance’s tiebreaking power while noting the fresh memory of last fall’s record-long shutdown.
⚖️ Appeals Court Rejects DOJ Push for More Arrests in Minnesota Church Protest Case
A federal appeals court has slapped down the Justice Department’s aggressive bid to snag arrest warrants for five additional folks tied to a disruptive anti-ICE demonstration that barged into a Sunday service at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, on January 18, 2026. The protesters, chanting demands related to a recent fatal shooting involving an immigration officer and alleging a pastor’s ICE ties, interrupted worship with shouts that rattled parishioners but involved no reported violence. While three alleged organizers faced arrests and charges earlier, a magistrate judge found insufficient probable cause for warrants against the remaining five—including former CNN journalist Don Lemon, who livestreamed the event as coverage—and the district’s chief judge called the DOJ’s emergency escalation “unheard of” in the region, suggesting standard paths like grand jury review instead. The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied the mandamus petition on January 23, leaving the government to pursue other avenues rather than forcing immediate detentions to head off supposed copycat disruptions of houses of worship.
Sources: ZeroHedge, The Epoch Times
👉🏼 Trump Dispatches Border Czar Homan to Minnesota, Flags Probe Into Rep. Omar’s Finances
President Trump announced on Truth Social that he’s sending Border Czar Tom Homan to Minnesota to oversee ICE operations amid ongoing unrest in the Twin Cities, tied to recent fatal shootings during immigration enforcement actions and protests against them; in the same post, he highlighted a major investigation into massive welfare fraud in the state—allegedly exceeding $20 billion and contributing to street violence—while noting that the DOJ and Congress are examining Rep. Ilhan Omar over claims she arrived from Somalia with nothing yet is now reportedly worth over $44 million, with the move framed as part of broader accountability efforts in a state facing federal scrutiny for sanctuary-like policies and related scandals.
Sources: Legal Insurrection, Breitbart
🚼 HHS Finds Illinois Abortion Referral Mandate Violates Federal Conscience Protections
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services has issued a notice of violation to Illinois, declaring that the state’s Senate Bill 1564 unlawfully compels pro-life healthcare providers and pregnancy centers to refer patients for abortions against their moral or religious objections, in direct conflict with federal conscience laws like the Coats-Snowe and Weldon Amendments; this forces providers to facilitate the very procedure they oppose to access liability protections, and HHS has given the state 30 days to comply or risk losing certain federal healthcare funds, stemming from long-standing complaints by groups like the Thomas More Society amid ongoing litigation in federal appeals court.
Sources: US Dept of Health & Human Services, NewsMax
🤡 Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz Likens ICE Enforcement to Anne Frank’s Hiding from Nazis
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, during a Sunday press conference following a fatal shooting involving federal agents in Minneapolis, drew a parallel between children in his state—fearful of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations under the Trump administration—and Anne Frank hiding during the Holocaust, stating that “many of us grew up reading that story of Anne Frank” and suggesting “somebody is going to write that children’s story about Minnesota,” as he urged President Trump to halt the raids amid claims of community terror and calls for federal withdrawal.
Sources: Legal Insurrection, The Daily Wire
✈️ Maine Plane Crash Claims Lives of Lawyers Tied to Firm with Anti-ICE Stance and Heavy Democrat Support
A Bombardier Challenger jet linked to Houston’s Arnold & Itkin law firm crashed during takeoff from Bangor International Airport in Maine amid heavy snow, killing six with no survivors in initial reports later adjusted, after departing from Texas; the firm’s partners have drawn notice for their pro-Democrat political giving, including major donations to PACs aimed at electing Democrats and opposing certain Republican policies, while the firm has highlighted work securing large settlements for undocumented workers and positioned itself against ICE enforcement in public descriptions of its advocacy. The FAA and NTSB continue probing weather-related factors like icing alongside mechanical possibilities, with the incident spotlighting the firm’s left-leaning donations and immigration-related legal efforts.
Sources: The Gateway Pundit, Houston Public Media
💀 NYC Far-Left Group Labels Immigration Enforcement as Ethnic Cleansing
A far-left activist outfit in New York City called Rise and Resist is openly pushing to reframe routine immigration enforcement under the current administration as “ethnic cleansing,” according to leaked video from one of their recent meetings where members debated terminology and celebrated how past loaded terms like “Abolish ICE,” “fascism,” and “Gestapo” eventually gained traction in broader discourse; they’re now aiming to lead with this extreme label themselves, citing its pickup by some mainstream pundits, all while organizing protests, vigils, and solidarity rallies with anti-ICE efforts in places like Minneapolis amid reports of local leaders resisting federal agents and hyping fears among immigrant communities.
Sources: The Post Millennial, Breitbart
🗳️Texas GOP Candidates Ramp Up Anti-Islam Messaging in 2026 Races
Texas Republicans vying for statewide offices in 2026 are leaning hard into opposition to what they call “Islamification,” portraying it as a threat to public safety, border security, and traditional American values through campaign ads, new caucuses, and legislative pushes. Candidates like Aaron Reitz for attorney general have run TV spots claiming imported Muslims bring terrorism and crime while pushing Sharia law, a claim disputed by Muslim advocacy groups; Rep. Chip Roy, also in the AG race, treats Islam as a political ideology incompatible with Texas norms and co-launched the Sharia-Free America Caucus to block Sharia adherents; Sen. John Cornyn and AG Ken Paxton trade barbs in the Senate primary over who is tougher on “radical Islam,” with ads labeling it a dangerous ideology tied to immigration failures. Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order designating the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR as terrorist organizations adds fuel, as does controversy over a proposed Islamic community in North Texas accused of creating Sharia enclaves—though developers insist it’s open to everyone. With Texas home to over 300,000 Muslims, this line of attack is emerging as a defining wedge in GOP primaries, framed by candidates as protecting assimilation rather than targeting religion itself.
Sources: The Texas Tribune, NewsMax
⚖️ Federal Judges Order Release of Gang-Affiliated Migrants from DHS Custody Amid Legal Challenges
In a series of rulings that have irked law enforcement officials, federal judges—including an Obama appointee in Nevada and others in Texas—are directing the release of migrants with alleged ties to violent gangs like MS-13 from Department of Homeland Security detention, often through habeas corpus petitions that challenge prolonged holds under the current administration’s deportation push. Cases highlight individuals such as a Salvadoran national with a lengthy criminal record including murder convictions and confirmed MS-13/Mexican Mafia affiliations, who was ordered released under supervised conditions despite public safety objections from prosecutors, who warn of risks when such suspects walk free with minimal oversight; similar outcomes appear in other districts where judges have rejected government arguments for extended detention pending removal, contributing to a surge in these filings as migrant advocates exploit federal courts to counter aggressive enforcement, even as officials insist the releases undermine community protection efforts.
Sources: The Washington Times, FOX News
🌐Kremlin Reiterates Demand for Full Ukrainian Cession of Donbas in Ongoing Talks
The Kremlin, through spokesman Dmitry Peskov, has firmly restated its long-standing position that any peace settlement to end the conflict in Ukraine must include Kyiv ceding the entire Donbas region, where Russian forces already hold about 90% of the territory; this demand, tied to what Moscow calls the “Anchorage formula” from an alleged Trump-Putin understanding, remains a core condition despite recent trilateral discussions in Abu Dhabi involving U.S., Russian, and Ukrainian officials that were described as constructive but yielded no agreement, with further talks slated for the following weekend and Ukraine continuing to reject outright territorial handovers absent battlefield realities shifting decisively.
🐘 Suella Braverman Defects to Reform UK in Major Blow to Conservatives
Former Conservative Home Secretary Suella Braverman has jumped ship to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, marking the party’s most high-profile defection yet and bringing their tally of sitting MPs to eight amid ongoing Tory turmoil. Braverman, representing Fareham and Waterlooville, announced the move at a Veterans for Reform rally in London, declaring Britain “broken” due to uncontrolled immigration, failing public services, and a lack of safety, while slamming the Conservatives for betrayal, broken promises on Brexit and borders, and a path of managed decline—she feels she’s “come home” to Reform, rejecting any future pact with the Tories and insisting they shouldn’t hold power again in her lifetime. This follows recent switches by fellow ex-Conservatives like Robert Jenrick and Andrew Rosindell, fueling Reform’s momentum as it polls strongly ahead of the main parties, with Farage welcoming the added experience even as critics mock the influx of disgruntled Tories; the Conservatives’ clumsy initial response, briefly citing her “mental health” before retracting it, only highlighted their disarray.
Sources: The Washington Examiner, BBC News
💥 Russian Strike on Kyiv Leaves Thousands in the Cold as Repairs Drag On
Kyiv residents endured another grim stretch of sub-zero temperatures after a recent Russian missile and drone barrage hammered the capital’s energy infrastructure, knocking out heating in thousands of apartment buildings and forcing folks to improvise with barbecues and flashlights just to stay warm. Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that around 1,700 high-rise buildings remained without heat as of late January 25, 2026, though crews had managed to restore service to over 1,600 others since the prior day, with the number dropping from peaks of 6,000 earlier. The attack, part of Moscow’s persistent campaign to degrade Ukraine’s power grid amid the ongoing war, coincided with stalled U.S.-brokered peace discussions and left parts of the city dark and chilly, even as utility teams battled the cold and ongoing threats to make fixes.
Sources: The Straits Times, Reuters
🧧 Taiwan Stays Vigilant Amid Beijing’s High-Level Military Shake-Up
Taiwan is keeping a close eye on what it describes as “abnormal” turbulence in China’s military top ranks after Beijing launched an investigation into its most senior general, Zhang Youxia, for serious violations of discipline and law—part of Xi Jinping’s sweeping purge that has left the PLA’s command structure looking shaky and potentially less ready for any near-term adventures across the strait.
✡️ IDF Recovers Remains of Final October 7 Hostage in Northern Gaza Operation
The Israel Defense Forces have retrieved the body of 24-year-old Ran Gvili, the last remaining Israeli hostage from the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, during a large-scale operation in northern Gaza that involved searching sites including a cemetery near the ceasefire line; Gvili, a special forces police officer, was killed in combat that day before his body was abducted, and his remains were identified through forensic processes and returned for burial, marking the completion of returning all 251 hostages (living and dead) after over two years, clearing the path for the next phase of the ceasefire deal amid Israeli insistence on Hamas disarmament before any reconstruction efforts.
Sources: The Washington Free Beacon, The Jerusalem Post