Illinois Ignores Federal Detainers, Releasing 1768 Criminal Illegal Aliens into Communities
In a stark illustration of sanctuary state policies undermining federal immigration enforcement, Illinois authorities under Governor J.B. Pritzker’s administration released 1,768 illegal aliens convicted of serious crimes—including homicide, assault, burglary, robbery, dangerous drug offenses, weapons violations, and sexual predatory acts—back into American communities during 2025, despite active detainer requests from U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement, as reported by the Department of Homeland Security on December 8. This deliberate refusal to honor ICE’s lawful requests for custody transfer, directed by state correctional facilities, has enabled these offenders to evade deportation proceedings and potentially reoffend, exacerbating public safety risks in line with longstanding criticisms of Illinois’ protective stance toward criminal elements evading federal oversight. Federal officials, including ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons, have highlighted multiple instances where such releases led to subsequent ICE interventions, underscoring the direct conflict between state actions and national border security imperatives.
Sources: The Epoch Times, FOX News
New York Mayor-Elect Mamdani Instructs Illegal Immigrants to Obstruct Federal ICE Enforcement
New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic socialist who won a free election, has released a video tutorial on Sunday instructing the city’s estimated 3 million immigrants, including approximately 412,000 who entered the U.S. illegally according to 2022 data from the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, on methods to resist U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement agents during encounters, following an attempted ICE raid on Canal Street in Manhattan the prior weekend. In the footage, Mamdani emphasizes that ICE cannot enter private spaces like homes, schools, or workplaces without a judicial warrant signed by a judge, advising residents to assert “I do not consent to entry” and keep doors closed; he warns that ICE agents are legally permitted to lie and display misleading paperwork, urging silence and repeated inquiries of “Am I free to go?” until answered; he affirms the right to film agents provided it does not interfere with arrests, while stressing the need to remain calm, avoid running, resisting arrest, or impeding investigations; and he concludes by pledging as mayor to safeguard New Yorkers’ constitutional right to protest and to daily protect, support, and celebrate immigrants, all while vowing that the NYPD under his leadership will never revert to prior cooperation with ICE on enforcement. This guidance, presented amid renewed federal immigration operations under President Trump’s administration, underscores ongoing tensions between sanctuary city policies and national border security efforts, with Mamdani’s approach highlighting a commitment to local laws over federal immigration statutes that millions of Americans support for upholding the rule of law and public safety.
Sources: Legal Insurrection, Breitbart
ICE Enforces Federal Law with Raids on Criminal Illegal Aliens in Minnesota’s Somali Enclaves
U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement agents executed armed raids on Saturday in Minnesota’s Twin Cities region, known locally as “Somali-land” due to its large concentration of Somali immigrants, apprehending several illegal aliens wanted on federal warrants including prior deportations and criminal histories, as federal authorities deploy roughly 100 officers nationwide under Operation Metro Surge launched December 1 to target hundreds of such individuals evading removal orders. Sources confirm a male suspect assaulted officers during the operation but was subdued, while a previously deported female fled into a residence, prompting collateral arrests of additional violators, all part of a broader enforcement effort prioritizing child sex offenders, domestic abusers, and gang members who have been permitted to remain in sanctuary jurisdictions despite violations of U.S. immigration statutes. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara and Mayor Jacob Frey publicly cautioned residents against recognizing federal agents in masks as potential kidnappers and directed calls to 911 for unrecognized law enforcement activity, while affirming the city’s non-cooperation policy with ICE on civil immigration matters, even as the agency reports at least 19 arrests to date of unlawfully present foreign nationals with records ranging from sexual assault to driving under the influence.
Sources: The Post Millennial, The Gateway Pundit
GAO Exposes $94 Million Obamacare Subsidy Fraud Paid to Deceased Enrollees
A recent Government Accountability Office report has uncovered $94 million in Affordable Care Act subsidies disbursed to insurance companies on behalf of over 58,000 deceased individuals, including more than 7,000 who had passed away before their coverage even began, highlighting persistent vulnerabilities in the program’s verification processes. The investigation, requested by Republican leaders including House Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith, Energy and Commerce Chairman Brett Guthrie, and Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, further revealed that nearly 68,000 Social Security numbers received more than a full year’s worth of coverage in 2024 alone, with one SSN linked to 125 policies spanning 26,000 days. In testing the system’s safeguards, GAO submitted 24 fictitious applications using invalid information, resulting in 23 approvals—four for the 2024 plan year and 18 for 2025, with 90 percent still active as of September—demonstrating the ease of exploitation without required documentation for identity, citizenship, or income. Additionally, over $21 billion in 2023 subsidies lacked evidence of tax reconciliation, contributing to an estimated $27 billion annual fraud burden on taxpayers as projected by the Congressional Budget Office, while premiums continue to rise for legitimate enrollees amid these unchecked payments totaling $124 billion in 2024 for 19.5 million participants.
Sources: The Gateway Pundit, The Washington Examiner
Trump Administration Delivers $12 Billion Lifeline to American Farmers Amid Trade Challenges
President Trump announced a $12 billion aid package for U.S. farmers on Monday at the White House, targeting relief for crop producers battered by low prices, soaring input costs, and retaliatory tariffs from China, with $11 billion directed to one-time payments under the new Farmer Bridge Assistance program for row crops like soybeans and the remaining $1 billion for other commodities. This initiative follows a 60 percent surge in farm bankruptcies in the first half of 2025 over the prior year, record harvests driving down prices, and a sharp drop in soybean exports after China’s tariffs halted imports of 29 million metric tons annually until a late October deal committing to 12 million metric tons in 2025 and 25 million annually thereafter, though compliance has lagged at just 20 percent of obligations, leaving many growers who sold early at $9 per bushel facing debt and planting shortfalls. Building on $10 billion in congressional aid last year and $23 billion from Trump’s first term—where soybeans absorbed over 70 percent of tariff-related losses—the package underscores ongoing efforts to bolster rural economies as China diversifies supplies to Brazil, with soybean prices recently fluctuating above $11 per bushel before easing, and total farm losses exceeding $50 billion across three crop years according to the American Farm Bureau Federation.
Sources: The Wall Street Journal, The Daily Wire
Supreme Court Signals Reversal of 1935 Precedent to Restore Presidential Authority Over Independent Agencies
The Supreme Court on December 8, heard arguments in a pivotal case challenging the 90-year-old Humphrey’s Executor precedent, which has restricted presidents from removing leaders of independent agencies without cause, and conservative justices indicated strong support for overturning it to affirm President Trump’s constitutional authority to fire officials like Federal Trade Commission Commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, whom Trump dismissed in March for misalignment with administration priorities. Solicitor General D. John Sauer argued that Article II demands clear lines of political accountability, noting that roughly two dozen agencies, including the National Labor Relations Board and Merit Systems Protection Board, currently shield executives from at-will removal despite their exercise of substantial executive powers, a structure Chief Justice John G. Roberts described as a “dried husk” outdated by the modern administrative state. Justices Neil M. Gorsuch and Brett M. Kavanaugh echoed concerns over agencies wielding unchecked quasi-legislative and quasi-judicial roles insulated from presidential oversight, while liberal justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan expressed reservations about potential disruptions to congressional designs for agency independence, though the court’s prior emergency stays allowing Trump’s firings at the FTC, NLRB, and MSPB suggest a forthcoming ruling that would enhance executive control without extending to unique entities like the Federal Reserve.
Sources: The Washington Times, NBC News
House Passes Safeguards Against Rogue IRS Penalty Abuse
The U.S. House of Representatives on Monday approved H.R. 5346, the Fair & Accountable IRS Reviews Act, mandating that IRS agents secure written supervisory approval from their direct reporting supervisor prior to assessing certain federal tax penalties, a measure designed to prevent unauthorized fines and bolster oversight amid longstanding concerns over agency overreach. This legislation addresses current practices where agents could obtain approvals from any reviewing employee, potentially diluting accountability, and requires such authorization before any taxpayer notification to ensure transparency in enforcement actions. Complementing this, the House also passed H.R. 5349, the Tax Court Improvement Act, which strengthens the U.S. Tax Court’s subpoena powers for pre-trial discovery, allows extensions for petition filing under impractical circumstances, standardizes judge disqualification rules with other federal courts, empowers special trial judges to levy up to 30 days’ imprisonment or $5,000 fines for contempt, and mandates recusal in conflicts of interest, all to expedite proceedings and uphold procedural fairness. Backed by organizations including the National Taxpayers Union and Taxpayers Protection Alliance, both bills now advance to the Senate for consideration, with the Congressional Budget Office estimating modest revenue increases of $117 million from H.R. 5346 and $6 million from H.R. 5349 over the 2026-2035 period due to enhanced compliance efficiencies and negligible administrative burdens.
Sources: US House Ways & Means Committee, ZeroHedge
Congress Enacts Safeguards in Defense Bill to Preserve American Forces in Europe and South Korea
In a decisive step to uphold national security commitments, House and Senate negotiators have finalized the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, releasing the measure on Sunday to prohibit the Pentagon from unilaterally reducing U.S. troop levels below 76,000 in Europe without a comprehensive congressional certification that such cuts would not undermine American or NATO interests, and below 28,500 in South Korea absent assurances that North Korean deterrence remains intact, allied consultations have occurred, and regional stability is unaffected. This legislation, set for a swift House vote this week and presidential signature before Christmas, also enshrines the longstanding U.S. hold on the Supreme Allied Commander Europe position, countering earlier Pentagon deliberations on potential drawdowns amid calls for greater European burden-sharing by 2027. Drawing from recent signals by officials like Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who praised allies such as South Korea and Poland as models while stressing accountability for collective defense, the bill authorizes $400 million over two years for Ukraine security assistance and mandates protocols for reclaiming undelivered equipment only in dire U.S. contingencies, ensuring fiscal prudence and operational readiness in the face of global threats.
Gas Prices Plunge to Four-Year Lows Amid Surging American Energy Output
Gasoline prices across the United States have fallen to their lowest levels in nearly five years, with the national average dipping below $2.90 per gallon for the first time since May 2, 2021, according to data from GasBuddy, a fuel price tracking service. This marks 1,680 days since the previous low, reflecting a 8.5-cent drop over the past week and a 5.4-cent decline compared to the same period last year, driven by robust domestic refinery output reaching record highs of nearly 14 million barrels per day, stabilized global crude oil prices near multi-year lows, and reduced seasonal demand following the holiday travel peak. GasBuddy petroleum analyst Patrick De Haan highlighted the trend in a December 7 post on X, noting that completed refinery maintenance and increased OPEC production have combined to exert downward pressure on costs, providing measurable relief to American drivers and households as winter approaches. The White House cited the analysis on December 8 to underscore the broader decline, with AAA corroborating a national average of $2.99 per gallon, while diesel prices also eased to $3.72 per gallon, down 5.5 cents weekly.
Sources: CBS News, The Epoch Times
US Announces Expansion of Travel Ban to Over 30 Nations for Enhanced Security
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated on December 4, that the Trump administration plans to broaden the U.S. travel ban from its current scope covering 19 countries—including Afghanistan, Haiti, Iran, Cuba, Somalia, Libya, Laos, Burma, and Sudan—to more than 30 nations, targeting those lacking stable governments or reliable vetting processes for entrants. This measure builds on President Donald Trump’s earlier directives to pause immigration from unstable or adversarial countries, following a November 26, 2025, shooting in Washington, D.C., by an Afghan national admitted under a prior resettlement program, which prompted a suspension of all asylum decisions amid a backlog exceeding one million cases attributed to Biden-era policies. Noem emphasized the need to protect American resources and safety, noting that countries unable to identify and screen individuals pose risks to national security, and highlighted ongoing evaluations by the president to determine additional inclusions without specifying exact nations. The expansion aligns with Trump’s calls to halt federal benefits for noncitizens, review and deport those deemed public charges or threats, and re-examine existing cases from restricted countries to restore order to the immigration system.
Sources: ZeroHedge, The Epoch Times
Maryland Man Jailed for Enabling North Korean Access to Sensitive Government Systems
A Bowie, Maryland, resident, Minh Phuong Ngoc Vong, age 40, received a 15-month federal prison sentence on December 4, followed by three years of supervised release including six months of home confinement, after pleading guilty in April to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in a scheme that spanned 2021 to 2024 and allowed foreign nationals, including North Korean operatives based in China, to perform remote IT work for at least 13 U.S. companies and four government agencies using his falsified credentials and access. Vong, who earned over $970,000 in salaries from defrauded employers, misrepresented his education and experience—claiming a bachelor’s degree and 16 years in software development despite lacking formal training—to secure positions, then shared login details and installed remote access software on provided laptops, enabling co-conspirators like “John Doe” (alias William James) in Shenyang, China, near the North Korean border, to complete tasks and funnel payments overseas in support of Pyongyang’s revenue generation. Among the infiltrated contracts was one with the Federal Aviation Administration involving software for managing national defense data, granting unauthorized foreign entry to protected U.S. systems; the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office led the probe, with prosecution by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina A. Hoffman and support from the Justice Department’s National Security Cyber Section, underscoring the peril to American economic and security interests from such domestic-enabled foreign intrusions.
Sources: US Justice Dept, Townhall.com
Habba Resigns New Jersey Post Amid Judicial Overreach, Joins Bondi as National DOJ Advisor
Alina Habba has resigned her role as acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey following a Third Circuit appellate court ruling last week deeming her March 2025 appointment—sworn in by Attorney General Pam Bondi in the Oval Office—unlawful under federal vacancy statutes that bypassed Senate confirmation, a decision Bondi decried as flawed and driven by politicized judges disrupting prosecutions of violent criminals, terrorists, and child predators; in her new capacity as senior advisor to Bondi overseeing U.S. attorneys nationwide, Habba declared, “Make no mistake, you can take the girl out of New Jersey, but you cannot take New Jersey out of the girl,” vowing her fight for justice will expand across the country while the Department of Justice appeals the ruling with confidence in its reversal to potentially reinstate her, as three interim officials—Philip Lamparello, Jordan Fox, and Ari Fontecchio—assume New Jersey duties to maintain momentum against crime in a state where her tenure already delivered Camden’s first murder-free summer in decades, underscoring the administration’s resolve to shield executive authority from blue-state judicial interference that echoes the unlawful service ruling against Virginia’s Lindsey Halligan, whose indictments of figures like James Comey and Letitia James were dismissed.
Sources: FOX News, The New York Post
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Nigerian Authorities Secure Release of 100 Kidnapped Catholic Schoolchildren
Nigerian authorities have secured the release of 100 children abducted by armed gunmen from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Niger State, on November 21, 2025, in a brazen pre-dawn attack that also seized 12 staff members and left over 150 students and teachers still in captivity amid the nation’s persistent struggle against banditry and insecurity targeting Christian communities. Presidential spokesperson Sunday Dare confirmed the freed children, mostly aged 9 to 14, were transported to Abuja for handover to state officials on December 8, following reports of their liberation over the weekend, though details on whether the operation involved military action, negotiations, or ransom remain undisclosed by federal sources. The Christian Association of Nigeria and local diocese spokesman Daniel Atori expressed cautious relief, noting ongoing prayers for the remaining hostages taken deep into north-central forests, while approximately 50 students escaped shortly after the initial assault, underscoring the federal government’s renewed push under President Bola Tinubu to bolster security forces against such mass kidnappings that echo the 2014 Chibok tragedy and have forced school closures across affected regions.
Sources: The Christian Post, Reuters
Chinese Radar Locks Signal Beijing’s Aggressive Posture Toward Japan
Japan’s Defense Ministry reported that Chinese J-15 fighter jets, launched from the Liaoning aircraft carrier southeast of Okinawa, intermittently locked fire-control radar onto Japanese F-15 fighters on two occasions Saturday—once for three minutes in the late afternoon and again for 30 minutes in the evening—prompting Tokyo to lodge a formal protest with Beijing over what Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi described as a dangerous act exceeding safe flight protocols, with no injuries or damage reported but marking the first such aerial incident between the nations. Japanese aircraft had scrambled to monitor the Chinese carrier’s takeoff and landing exercises in international waters, maintaining a safe distance without provocation, while China countered by accusing Japanese forces of harassment during routine training, amid broader frictions including prior naval radar locks in 2013 and recent escalations over Taiwan-related remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. The episode underscores persistent strains in the East China Sea, where Beijing’s expanding military operations near disputed areas challenge regional stability, as evidenced by Japan’s vow for a resolute yet calm response alongside allies like Australia.
Sources: The Australian, The Japan Times
Thailand Defends Sovereignty with Airstrikes After Cambodian Border Aggression Kills Soldier
Thailand’s military executed targeted airstrikes on Cambodian positions along their contentious 817-kilometer border on December 8, in direct response to unprovoked Cambodian gunfire that claimed the life of one Thai soldier and wounded eight others, according to Thai army spokesman Major-General Winthai Suvaree, who emphasized the action as essential self-defense following Cambodia’s deployment of heavy weaponry and repeated violations of a fragile October ceasefire brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump after July’s five-day conflict that killed 48 and displaced 300,000. Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul affirmed the nation’s commitment to peace yet readiness to safeguard sovereignty, while Cambodia’s Defence Ministry countered by claiming Thai forces struck first at dawn, resulting in three to four civilian injuries on their side as reported by provincial deputy governor Met Measpheakdey and former leader Hun Sen, who labeled Thai actions as aggressive provocations and called for restraint among Cambodian troops. This flare-up traces back to a century-old territorial dispute rooted in 1907 French colonial mappings, exacerbated since May by mutual accusations including Cambodia’s alleged fresh landmine placements that maimed Thai personnel in November, prompting Thailand to suspend de-escalation measures; over 385,000 Thais and 1,100 Cambodian families have since evacuated amid artillery exchanges and rocket fire, with ASEAN chair Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim urging dialogue to avert broader regional instability.
Sources: The Straits Times, Reuters
Migrants Recruited as Drug Mules in English Channel Crossings Expose Border Weaknesses
British authorities confront a deepening security threat as people smugglers and drug traffickers exploit the porous English Channel route, recruiting desperate asylum seekers from northern France to swallow packets of Class A narcotics like heroin and cocaine in exchange for free or discounted small boat crossings into the United Kingdom. Undercover investigations reveal that migrants unable to afford standard smuggling fees of several hundred to over a thousand pounds are offered “VIP” passages on vessels carrying women and children to evade Border Force scrutiny, with drugs retrieved later from Home Office-funded asylum hotels where body searches remain limited to phones and SIM cards. Criminal networks deem the tactic “foolproof” amid Britain’s high demand for illicit substances and intensified enforcement on conventional trafficking paths, while economic hardships and intimidation in French ports compel vulnerable individuals into these high-risk roles. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp denounced the scheme as a “disgusting” facet of the small boat “crime crisis,” faulting Labour’s border policies as insufficient and advocating swift deportations to stem the influx, even as officials from the Home Office and National Crime Agency insist rigorous security protocols detect such attempts despite no prior awareness of this precise method.
Sources: NewsMax, The Daily Mail