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Trump Administration Suffers Major Court Defeat In Sanctuary Cities Fight

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The Trump administration suffered a significant legal setback on Wednesday after a federal judge dismissed the Department of Justice’s lawsuit challenging “sanctuary” immigration policies in four New Jersey cities, ruling the federal government lacks standing to bring the case.

U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin threw out the DOJ’s lawsuit against Newark, Jersey City, Paterson, and Hoboken, concluding that even if the administration prevailed, New Jersey’s statewide immigration restrictions would remain in effect, meaning the court could not provide the relief the federal government was seeking. The case was dismissed without prejudice, leaving open the possibility that the DOJ could refile if it establishes standing.

The Justice Department filed the lawsuit in May 2025, arguing that the four cities’ policies unlawfully obstruct federal immigration enforcement and violate the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause.

The complaint described the municipal policies as “a frontal assault on the federal immigration laws and the federal authorities that administer them,” arguing they prevent willing local law enforcement agencies from assisting Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

According to Politico, Padin said the administration’s argument ignored a critical legal reality.

“The Federal Government’s case has a fundamental flawโ€”it treats the Challenged Policies as though they operate in isolation. They do not,” Padin wrote.

The judge noted that New Jersey’s statewide Immigrant Trust Directive independently limits how state and local law enforcement cooperate with federal civil immigration authorities. Because that directive would remain in force regardless of what happened to the four cities’ individual policies, striking down the local ordinances would not remedy the federal government’s alleged injury.

The Immigrant Trust Directive, originally issued in 2018 under then-Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration, was codified into state law earlier this year by Gov. Mikie Sherrill. It sharply limits voluntary cooperation between local police and federal immigration authorities except where required by law. The directive has already survived multiple legal challenges, including lawsuits brought by Republican-led counties that were rejected by both the U.S. District Court and the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.

The DOJ argued that portions of Newark’s, Jersey City’s, and Hoboken’s local policies went further than the statewide directive and therefore could be challenged independently. Padin disagreed, finding those differences either too minor or too speculative to justify continuing the case.

The ruling marks the latest courtroom setback for the Trump administration’s aggressive campaign against sanctuary jurisdictions. Earlier this week, another federal judge dismissed the DOJ’s lawsuit challenging Los Angeles’ sanctuary city ordinance, dealing another blow to the administration’s effort to compel greater local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

Neither President Donald Trump nor the White House has publicly commented on the ruling.

Federal Judge Blocks Trump Birthright Citizenship Order

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A second federal judge moved to block President Donald Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship Wednesday.

Judge Deborah Boardman, a Biden appointee, ruled that the order is likely unconstitutional. This marks the second time a federal court has blocked the policy. The nationwide injunction is slated to remain in place while the case is adjudicated.

Boardman said the civil rights group plaintiffs, five pregnant women whose children would not be granted citizenship under the order, were likely to succeed on the merits. The plaintiffs are represented by the CASA and the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project.

Trumpโ€™s executive order seeks to deny U.S. citizenship to children born in the country unless at least one parent is a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident. The administration argues that children of undocumented immigrants and temporary visa holders are not โ€œsubject to the jurisdictionโ€ of the United States, a reinterpretation of the 14th Amendment.

In January, U.S. District Judge John Coughenour temporarily blocked President Donald Trumpโ€˜s executive order aimed at ending birthright citizenship, deeming the presidential directive โ€œblatantly unconstitutional.โ€ (RELATED: Republican Attorneys General Back Trumpโ€™s Executive Order On Birthright Citizenship)

Trump signed Executive Order 14156, titled Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship, on his first day in office. The order seeks to end birthright citizenship for children born in the U.S. to noncitizen parents, but it has already encountered significant legal pushback.

Judge Coughenour issued a restraining order against its implementation, siding with several states that argued the executive action violates the 14th Amendment and contradicts long-standing Supreme Court rulings.

The executive order was set to take effect in February, marking a bold attempt to reshape the interpretation of the 14th Amendment, which has guaranteed citizenship to nearly all individuals born on U.S. soil since its ratification in 1868. Many legal experts, however, argue that any effort to alter this constitutional guarantee would require far more than an executive order.

The Supreme Court decision in United States v. Wong Kim Ark (1898) affirmed that the 14th Amendment grants citizenship to nearly all individuals born in the U.S., regardless of their parentsโ€™ nationality. This precedent has formed the legal backbone of birthright citizenship for over a century.

Trump Mulls Arresting Bidenโ€™s Homeland Security Secretary: Watch

President Donald Trump holds a press conference with Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room on Friday, June 27, 2025. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)

President Trump said he is open to considering investigating and possibly arresting Biden-era Homeland Security Secretaryย Alejandro Mayorkas.

During a Tuesday press conference in Florida after a tour of a migrant detention center dubbed โ€œAlligator Alcatraz,โ€ Trump held a press conference alongside Florida Governorย Ron DeSantisย (R) and current Homeland Security Secretaryย Kristi Noem. The President was asked about people calling for the arrest of Mayorkas due to his handling of the southern border under former Presidentย Joe Biden.

NEW YORK CITY (September 11, 2022) Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas lays flowers for USSS Master Special Officer Craig Miller and participates in the September 11th Anniversary Commemoration Ceremony at Ground Zero in New York City, NY. (DHS photo by Sydney Phoenix)

โ€œI ran into former DHS Secretary Mayorkas and I asked him a couple of questions about his disastrous handling of the border. He didnโ€™t like my questions, but the number one question that I heard from people responding to my video was, โ€˜Why hasnโ€™t he been arrested yet?’โ€ The Blazeโ€™sย Julio Rosasย asked the president at Tuesdayโ€™s presser.

Trump blasted Biden for the last-minute pardons he handed out before leaving office. However, the President was unaware of whether Mayorkas received a Biden pardon. He did not.

โ€œWas he given a pardon, Mayokas? Was he not?โ€ Trump asked.

โ€œI donโ€™t believe so,โ€ Rosas said.

โ€œWell, Iโ€™d take a look at that one because what he did is itโ€™s beyond incompetence. Something had to be done. Now, with that being said, he took orders from other people, and he was really doing the orders. And you could say he was very loyal to them because it must have been very hard for him to stand up and sit up and, you know, talk about what he allowed to happen to this country and be serious about it. So he was given orders. If he wasnโ€™t given a pardon, I could see looking at that,โ€ Trump said.

The president was then reminded that the House of Representativesย votedย to impeach Mayorkas, though the effort never made it anywhere in the Senate. The vote in the House to impeach Mayorkas was over โ€œwillful and systemic refusal to comply withโ€ immigration laws.

โ€œHe was impeached, but yeah, it was just a fake impeachment. It was a fake impeachment. But why donโ€™t you take a look at it? I think he was so bad. They were all so bad, look, it was the worst president in the history of our country,โ€ Trump said.

Trump’s remarks against Mayorkas come hours after the President floated potentially deporting billionaire Elon Musk back to South Africa.

โ€œWeโ€™ll have to take a look,โ€ Trump said. โ€œWe might have to put DOGE on Elon. You know what DOGE is? DOGE is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon! Wouldnโ€™t that be terrible?โ€

Watch:

After a brief ceasefire between the president and his former DOGE lieutenant, the war of words has ratcheted up again over the past 24 hours โ€” with Musk revving up his criticism of the Trump-backed โ€œBig, Beautifulโ€ budget bill. Musk, in a Monday post on X, denounced the legislation and floated the idea of forming a new political party.

Mother Of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavittโ€™s Nephew Nabbed By ICE

Federal immigration authorities have detained the mother of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavittโ€™s nephew, a woman who officials say overstayed a decades-old tourist visa. Bruna Caroline Ferreira was taken into custody in Revere, Massachusetts, after allegedly remaining in the United States illegally since her B2 visa expired in June 1999, according to a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson quoted by NBC News.

Ferreira, originally from Brazil, shares an 11-year-old son with Leavittโ€™s older brother, Michael Leavitt. In a statement to New Hampshire outlet WMUR, Michael emphasized his sonโ€™s welfare amid the situation. โ€œThe only concern has always been the safety, well-being, and privacy of my son,โ€ he said.

Karoline Leavitt, 28, the youngest White House press secretary in U.S. history, declined to comment on the arrest. However, a source told WMUR that Ferreira and Leavitt have not been in contact โ€œfor many years,โ€ adding that the child โ€œhas lived full-time in New Hampshire with his father since he was born. He has never resided with his mother.โ€

According to DHS, Ferreira entered the United States legally in 1998 but failed to depart when required. โ€œShe entered the US on a B2 tourist visa that required her to depart the US by June 6, 1999,โ€ the agency said. โ€œShe is currently at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center and is in removal proceedings. Under President Trump and [DHS] Secretary [Kristi] Noem, all individuals unlawfully present in the United States are subject to deportation.โ€

NBC News reported that Ferreira had previously been arrested on suspicion of battery, though the outcome of that case is unclear. No charges appear in Massachusettsโ€™ online court records.

Ferreiraโ€™s attorney, Todd Pomerleau, strongly disputes DHSโ€™s characterization of his client, arguing she should not be facing deportation. He said she has โ€œmaintained her legal statusโ€ through the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and was actively working toward obtaining a green card before her arrest.

โ€œSheโ€™s in the process of actually getting her green card and she was abruptly arrested and taken from her young child right before Thanksgiving,โ€ Pomerleau told WCVB. โ€œBruna has no criminal record whatsoever. I donโ€™t know where that is coming from. Show us the proof. Thereโ€™s no charges out there. Sheโ€™s not a criminal illegal alien.โ€

Pomerleau said the family has been struggling with the distance, noting that Ferreiraโ€™s son has not spoken to her since she was taken into custody. โ€œIโ€™m just trying to fight to get her out of jail,โ€ he said. โ€œShe should not be sitting in a jail hours away from her family and from her childโ€™s life. Sheโ€™s a great mom, and from what I heard, I think heโ€™s been a pretty good dad.โ€

He added, โ€œHis mother is locked up in Louisiana, where she should have never been in the first place.โ€

The case comes as the Trump administration carries out what it describes as a broad โ€œmass deportation campaign,โ€ emphasizing stricter enforcement of existing immigration laws. The initiative includes encouraging voluntary return for those in the country illegally and increasing operations by ICE, the Border Patrol, and state National Guard units.

A relative of Ferreira has launched a GoFundMe campaign, stating she was brought to the U.S. as a child and โ€œfollowed all protocols.โ€ The fundraiser says, โ€œSince then, she has done everything in her power to build a stable, honest life here. She has maintained her legal status through DACA, followed every requirement, and has always strived to do the right thing.โ€

Ferreira remains in federal custody as her removal proceedings continue.

Blue City Prosecutor Vows To Pursue Federal Agents Criminally After Trump Term Ends

By U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - https://www.ice.gov/about-ice/ero, Public Domain,

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, a Soros-backed progressive prosecutor, is facing mounting bipartisan criticism after making fiery remarks comparing federal immigration agents to Nazis and suggesting they should be โ€œhunted down.โ€

Speaking last week, Krasner denounced Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents as โ€œa small bunch of wannabe Nazis,โ€ adding, โ€œIf we have to hunt you down the way they hunted down Nazis for decades, we will find your identities.โ€

The comments prompted swift backlash from Republicans, with Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) a member of the House Intelligence Committee, urging the Department of Justice to open a criminal investigation.

Steube cited federal statutes that make threatening a federal law enforcement officer a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

โ€œThe DOJ should absolutely arrest and convict this guy,โ€ Steube said.

Krasner has a history of antagonism toward federal immigration enforcement. He previously claimed he would seek to arrest and prosecute federal agents who โ€œcome to Philly to commit crimes,โ€ an apparent reference to controversial law enforcement actions during a Minnesota operation in which a woman was shot after allegedly attempting to ram officers with her vehicle.

In the speech that drew Steubeโ€™s condemnation, Krasner boasted that the 350 million Americans living in the United States vastly outnumber ICE agents, and he floated the idea of coordinating with prosecutors in other states to pursue them criminally after President Donald Trumpโ€™s term ends.

Even prominent Democrats distanced themselves from Krasnerโ€™s rhetoric. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro called the remarks โ€œunacceptableโ€ฆ abhorrent and it is wrong; period; hard-stop; end of sentence.โ€

Republicans were far less restrained.

โ€œWe have a psychopath with a badge,โ€ Rep. Dan Meuser (R-Pa) said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

Meuser blasted Krasner for what he described as chronic failures to prosecute violent crime, pointing to reports that the district attorneyโ€™s office prosecutes only about 30% of violent crime arrests.

โ€œEvery responsible Democrat must condemn this behavior,โ€ Meuser said. โ€œFailure to do so only increases the temperature in an already volatile situation, endangering federal law enforcement and communities alike.โ€

Meuser also accused Senate Democrats of borrowing Krasnerโ€™s โ€œreckless political playbookโ€ by using Department of Homeland Security funding as leverage in government shutdown negotiations.

Critics have long dubbed Krasner โ€œLet โ€™Em Go Larryโ€ for his lenient prosecution policiesโ€”an approach Meuser contrasted sharply with Krasnerโ€™s aggressive posture toward federal immigration officers.

Meuser has authored the Holding Prosecutors Accountable Act, legislation that would strip Justice Department grant eligibility from district attorney offices that fail to prosecute at least two-thirds of arrests.

The Department of Homeland Security weighed in as well. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin called Krasnerโ€™s comments โ€œvile,โ€ accusing him of encouraging violence and doxing of law enforcement officers.

โ€œHe is intentionally stoking the flames of hatred and division in this country for political gain,โ€ McLaughlin said, citing a reported 1,300% increase in assaults against ICE agents. โ€œThe violence and dehumanization of these men and women who are simply enforcing the law must stop.โ€

McLaughlin argued that Krasner should instead be thanking ICE for removing dangerous criminals from the Philadelphia region, including Yehi Badawi of Egypt, convicted of aggravated assault and robbery; Cuban national Alan De Armas-Tundidor, a convicted drug trafficker; and Thanh Long Huynh of Vietnam, convicted of rape and cocaine distribution.

Other Pennsylvania Republicans emphasized that Krasnerโ€™s threats are legally hollow.

State Sen. Doug Mastriano (R-Gettysburg) who taught constitutional law at the U.S. Army War College, noted that the federal supremacy clause would override any attempt by Philadelphia officials to interfere with lawful federal immigration enforcement.

โ€œThe Constitution is not optional,โ€ Mastriano said bluntly.

State Sen. Jarrett Coleman (R-Allentown) chairman of the Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee, echoed that warning, calling claims that city officials can block ICE โ€œempty threats.โ€

โ€œIf they do obstruct federal law enforcement efforts, the Pennsylvania Senate will be the least of their worries,โ€ Coleman said, adding that if Krasner focused more on prosecuting violent offenders, โ€œPhiladelphia wouldnโ€™t be such a s—hole.โ€

As criticism intensifies, Krasnerโ€™s remarks have reignited a broader debate over progressive prosecutors, public safety, and the limits of local resistance to federal law enforcementโ€”one that now may draw scrutiny from the Justice Department itself.

Trumpโ€™s Visa Crackdown Tops 175,000 as State Department Targets Crime, Fraud and Security Threats

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By United States Government - https://x.com/PressSec/status/1882759560613527770, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=159931598

WASHINGTON โ€” The State Department has revoked more than 175,000 U.S. visas since President Donald Trump returned to office, according to a new government tally that underscores the rapid expansion of his administrationโ€™s immigration-enforcement campaign.

The department said Monday that the visas belonged to foreign nationals who violated visa terms, committed crimes, called for violence against Americans, engaged in fraud, abused the immigration system or posed national-security concerns.

โ€œA U.S. visa is a privilege, not a right,โ€ the department said in its Aug. 10 fact sheet, adding that officials would continue to identify and investigate foreign nationals believed to threaten public safety.

According to the State Department, most of the revocations followed encounters with law enforcement. The leading categories involved assault, driving under the influence, theft and drug offenses. Officials also cited reckless driving, sexual assault, child abuse, fraud and embezzlement among the reasons visas were canceled.

The department highlighted several serious cases, including one foreign national charged with felony rape and sexual battery involving a mentally disabled victim, and another charged with felony kidnapping, human trafficking and the sexual exploitation of a minor. The government did not identify the individuals or say how those criminal cases were ultimately resolved.

The new tally also includes more than 100 visas revoked by a U.S. embassy in North Africa from parents accused of using so-called birth tourism to obtain American citizenship for children born in the United States, according to the department.

Fox News, which first reported the new figure, said the effort is being carried out under Secretary of State Marco Rubio as part of the administrationโ€™s broader โ€œAmerica Firstโ€ approach to immigration and public safety.

Revocations climbed by at least 75,000 in seven months

The latest number marks a sharp increase from the more than 100,000 revocations the department reported in January. At that point, the total included roughly 8,000 student visas and 2,500 specialized visas involving people who had encounters with U.S. law enforcement, according to Reuters reporting published by Al-Monitor.

That means the administration says it revoked at least 75,000 additional visas in roughly seven months.

In January, State Department deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the first 100,000 revocations represented a 150% increase over 2024. He attributed the leading causes at that stage to visa overstays, DUI offenses, assault and theft. Pigott also said the department had created a Continuous Vetting Center to flag visa holders who may no longer qualify to remain in good standing.

Mondayโ€™s announcement did not provide a new breakdown by visa category or nationality. It also did not specify how many cases involved arrests or charges rather than convictionsโ€”a distinction that earlier reporting raised when the administration disclosed thousands of canceled student visas.

Trump: Foreign visitors who cause trouble are not welcome

Trump has consistently cast tougher visa screening as a public-safety and national-security measure.

โ€œWe want to have great students here. We just donโ€™t want students that are causing trouble,โ€ Trump said in 2025 remarks later included in a White House fact sheet on foreign student visas.

In a December 2025 proclamation, Trump wrote that the United States must use โ€œextreme vigilanceโ€ during visa and immigration screening to stop foreign nationals who intend to harm Americans or threaten the countryโ€™s interests.

The push traces back to a Jan. 20, 2025 executive order directing federal agencies to strengthen screening for people seeking admission to the United States and to continue vetting certain foreign nationals already in the country.

The State Departmentโ€™s own guidance notes that a visa allows a foreign citizen to travel to a U.S. port of entry and request admission; it does not guarantee entry. Revoking one therefore removes the personโ€™s ability to use that visa for future travel, although any separate question involving immigration status or removal from the country can require additional government action.

With the administration now claiming more than 175,000 revocations, Mondayโ€™s announcement makes clear that Trump and Rubio intend to keep visa enforcement at the center of the presidentโ€™s second-term immigration agenda.

Bizarre Discoveries At US-Mexico Border Result In Several Arrests

Trump at the border wall via Wikimedia Commons

You don’t see this every day…

Border patrol agents at theย Texas-Mexico borderย made two interesting finds while searching vehicles last weekend, resulting in the arrests of three people in two separate incidents.ย 

According to Fox News, a 20-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman, both U.S. citizens, were crossing into the United States through theย Anzalduas International Bridgeย when their vehicle was flagged by CBP agents for a second inspection on Sunday.ย 

Upon investigation, officials discovered a spider monkey stowed inside a backpack in the vehicle. The two individuals were taken into custody and the monkey was transported to Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville. 

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora protects certain types of monkeys and their importation is regulated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to CBP officials. However, monkeys are not permitted to be imported as pets. 

On the same day, CPB agents at the Hidalgo International Bridge stopped a 68-year-old Mexican citizen crossing into the U.S. for a second inspection. 

Agents discovered approximately 73 pounds of alleged cocaine stashed inside the manโ€™s Ford Explorer. Authorities estimate the alleged narcotics have a street value of approximately $980,000. 

The man was taken into custody byย Homeland Securityย and the cocaine was seized by CBP.ย 

The suspects identities have not yet been released by officials.

“Our frontlineย CBP officersย and agriculture specialists continue to remain vigilant as they conduct their inspections; their attention to detail and inspections experience led to an interception of an endangered species and a significant narcotics seizure in two separate enforcement events,” Hidalgo Port Director Carlos Rodriguez said in a statement. “We remain committed to preventing the exploitation of protected animals and the spread of animal diseases. Seizures of narcotics also reinforce our continued commitment to our border security mission.”

Report: Trump Border Czar Homan, DHS Chief Noem Barely Speaking Or Meeting

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The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

A simmering feud between Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and President Trumpโ€™s border czar Tom Homan has grown so strained that the two leaders reportedly barely speak or meet with each other, according to a new Axios report. Despite the tension, neither official is in danger of losing their job, and President Trump continues to stand by both as key figures in his aggressive border-security agenda.

The clashโ€”with roots that appear more personal than ideologicalโ€”has raised eyebrows inside the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). A White House adviser told Axios that Trump views the competition between Noem and Homan as a healthy dynamic that can improve overall performance. โ€œKristiโ€™s doing a great job,โ€ Trump reportedly said. โ€œHer and Tom donโ€™t get along, but theyโ€™re doing great.โ€

Personality Clash, Not Policy Collapse

Sources say the feud stems largely from a personality clash and differing leadership styles. While both leaders support tough enforcement of immigration laws, Noemโ€™s backers have criticized Homan for oversaturating conservative media with frequent appearances, especially on Fox News, which they say sometimes carries him past official channels or consultation with DHS communications staff. Homan has appeared on conservative outlets far more than Noem this year, which insiders say has aggravated the divide.

Career Officials Bristle, But Trump Wants Results

Career immigration officials have reportedly bristled at Noemโ€™s leadership style, including her public-facing promotion of policies like the CBP Home self-deportation app and the outsized influence of her senior adviser, Corey Lewandowski, who can only officially serve limited days under federal rules.

At the same time, Noemโ€™s allies say Homanโ€™s media presence sometimes strays into self-promotion, making news on policy pronouncements without coordination. But neither side is backing down, and several White House sources say Trump is satisfied with the job both are doing.

What This Means for Border Security

Despite internal friction, the Trump administrationโ€™s border enforcement efforts remain robust. Deportations have reached record levels under this team, and DHS continues to pursue hard-line priorities. That focus on illegal immigration enforcement aligns with what Trump was elected to deliver and remains popular among the presidentโ€™s base.

In public remarksโ€”such as Noemโ€™s recent testimony before the House Homeland Security Committeeโ€”Noem has defended the administrationโ€™s approach as strengthening national security and deterring illegal entries, insisting DHS is enforcing the law without selective leniency.

Report: Appeals Court Blocks Trump Admin’s Deportation Flights

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Image via Pixabay

A federal appellate court declined to issue a stay on a lower court’s orders in a suit challenging the Trump administration‘s authority to deport Venezuelan nationals via a 1798 wartime law. 

In a 2-1 decision Wednesday, a three-judge panel sided with the plaintiffs in the suit, further blocking the Trump administration’s ability to move forward with its deportation agenda. 

Judges Karen Henderson, Patricia Millett, and Justin Walker of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals presided over Monday’s oral arguments, which they agreed to hear last week on an expedited basis. 

In a concurring opinion of the ruling, Henderson, a Bush appointee, said: “At this early stage, the government has yet to show a likelihood of success on the merits. The equities favor the plaintiffs. And the district court entered the TROs for a quintessentially valid purpose: to protect its remedial authority long enough to consider the partiesโ€™ arguments.

“Accordingly, and for the foregoing reasons, the request to stay the district courtโ€™s TROs should be denied.”

Their decision could ultimately be kicked to the Supreme Court for further review.  

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

Trump Administration Delivers Historic Border Security Win โ€” Lowest Apprehensions Since 1970

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Trump at the border wall via Wikimedia Commons

The Trump administration has closed fiscal year 2025 with a historic milestone on border security โ€” the lowest U.S. Border Patrol apprehensions in more than five decades, according to preliminary enforcement data released by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Border agents recorded 237,565 apprehensions in fiscal year 2025 โ€” slightly above the 201,780 apprehensions in 1970 but dramatically below recent levels. The numbers represent an 87% drop compared to the average of the past four fiscal years (1.86 million apprehensions) and showcase what can happen when the federal government finally enforces immigration laws.

This achievement came even though 72% of this yearโ€™s total apprehensions happened during the final 111 days of the Biden administration โ€” before President Trump returned to office and immediately began reversing his predecessorโ€™s โ€œopen-borderโ€ policies.

โ€œFiscal year 2025 shows what happens when we enforce the law without compromise,โ€ said CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott. โ€œFor too long, agents and officers were handcuffed by failed policies. Today they are empowered to do their jobs โ€” and the result is the most secure border in modern history.โ€


Reversing Bidenโ€™s Border Chaos

When President Trump took office in January 2025, he inherited what many described as a border crisis fueled by Bidenโ€™s mass-release policies. In just the first 111 days of the fiscal year, under Bidenโ€™s watch, 172,026 apprehensions occurred โ€” nearly three-quarters of the yearโ€™s total.

But once Trumpโ€™s immigration directives took effect, the situation changed dramatically. Over the next 254 days, apprehensions plummeted to 65,539 โ€” just 27% of the fiscal yearโ€™s total.

September 2025 alone saw only about 279 apprehensions per day along the Southwest border โ€” a staggering 95% decline compared to the Biden-era daily average of 5,110. It also marked the fifth consecutive month of zero illegal immigrant releases by Border Patrol โ€” a stark contrast to 9,144 releases in September 2024.

Across all entry points, CBP recorded roughly 26,000 total encounters in September, down 89% from Bidenโ€™s monthly averages.


Strong Action From Day One

President Trump wasted no time taking decisive action to reestablish border control:

  • Deployed additional personnel to the southern border.
  • Ended โ€œcatch-and-releaseโ€, ensuring illegal migrants are no longer released while awaiting hearings.
  • Shut down Bidenโ€™s CBP One app parole loophole, later repurposing the app to help migrants self-deport.
  • Paused parole programs and authorized ICE to cancel parole statuses.
  • Ordered strict enforcement of existing immigration laws, restoring morale and authority to frontline border agents.

These policies stand in sharp contrast to Bidenโ€™s approach, which relied on controversial โ€œparoleโ€ programs and insisted on new legislation instead of acting on existing laws.