An eight-year-old boy is fighting for his life after being shot in the head by a rampaging gunman at a family splash pad as seven others were also gunned down.

The violent attack took place in Rochester Hills, Michigan, around 5pm Saturday after the shooter fired 28 rounds from a handgun in a seemingly random attack, peppering women and children at the Brooklands Plaza Splash Pad outside Detroit.

The gunman fled the scene to a nearby home within half a mile of the splash pad, leading to a tense hours-long standoff that ended when the shooter – described as a 42-year-old white male who lived with his mother – died by suicide.

At a press conference Saturday evening, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said the scenes were his ‘worst nightmare’ after previously working on the 2021 Oxford School Shooting.

He said of the eight victims, only the eight-year-old boy was left in critical condition after he was shot in the head, while two of his family members were also shot in the leg, including a four-year-old boy.

Bouchard said at an earlier press conference that the shooting ‘appears very random with no connectivity between the victims.’

The gunman, who has not been named, drove to the splash pad, ‘pulled up, exited a vehicle, approached the splash pad, opened fire, reloaded, opened fire, reloaded. And then left’, Bouchard said.

Police were using a new kind of 911 response system that allows them to listen to 911 calls live instead of waiting for a dispatcher, which allowed one cop to arrive on the scene in under two minutes.

The shooter had already fled by the time police arrived, but Bouchard said quick-acting officers were able to ascertain the suspect’s vehicle.

Police found the vehicle at the property where the gunman had fled, and a heavy law enforcement presence – including SWAT teams and helicopters – quickly encircled the home.

Bouchard said they established early contact with the gunman, but communication ceased and after hours of standoff police decided to breach the home.

Cops sent a drone into the home, where they found the gunman dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Investigators also discovered an assault rifle on the kitchen table of the home, which Bouchard feared would have been used for the ‘next chapter’ of the shooting spree, but the speed at which police surrounded him prevented further chaos.

‘It’s a gut-punch,’ Bouchard said at the earlier press conference. ‘We’re not fully comprehending what happened at Oxford and now we have another complete tragedy that we’re dealing with.’

By the time he fled the scene, the gunman had fired 28 rounds with a 9mm pistol, and three empty magazines were recovered by investigators, Fox 2 Detroit reported.

Aerial images from the scene showed a large number of evidence markers placed around the waterpark, where dozens of bullets were shot in quick succession.

A witness to the standoff told Fox6Now that he was in a home nearby when the situation escalated, and heard police ordering the gunman to exit the property.

Some local residents were seen being cautiously led away from the street as the standoff stretched into the evening.

Corewell Health said in a statement that it was confirming several victims were being treated in its hospital.

The city-run splash pad faces Auburn Road and is located between a T-Mobile cell phone store and Mozzarella’s, a pizzeria, west of the plaza.

Streets close to the splash pad park were closed by police and emergency personnel Saturday evening.

Michigan Congressman John James said he was downtown at Huntington Place for former President Donald Trump’s address to Turning Point USA when he heard news of the shooting, and raced to the scene to lend support.

‘Under no circumstances in this country, particularly in Rochester Hills, should fathers be spending Father’s Day in a hospital,’ he said.

‘We’re doing everything we possibly can to help the families in need. And (I want to) give a shout-out to first responders who mitigated further damage and who are still in harm’s way to bring resolution to this crisis.’

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer added in a tweet: ‘I am heartbroken to learn about the shooting in Rochester Hills. We are monitoring the situation as updates continue to come in, and are in touch with local officials.’

Donald J. Trump took the stage at Turning Point Action’s People’s Convention on Saturday night to thunderous applause accompanied by his trademark track “Proud to Be an American.”

The deep blue city of Detroit turned out in numbers to hear the 45th president and to support his campaign for reelection in November.

“I’ve never seen such enthusiasm,” he said of the support for his campaign in 2024.

EPIC! Trump takes the stage to thunderous applause in Michigan🔥 pic.twitter.com/4k34PIlfzf

— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) June 15, 2024

Crowd ROARS for President Trump as he takes the stage in Michigan at @TPAction_ convention: “USA! USA!” pic.twitter.com/TzRg73kiyc

— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) June 15, 2024

As he thanked high-profile supporters, he addressed Steve Bannon, who is facing jail time when he’s forced to turn himself in on July 1 to serve 4 months on contempt of Congress charges. Bannon spoke a few hours before Trump took the stage, saying that he predicted that the GOP nominee will also face jail time when he’s sentenced in a New York courtroom on July 11, only days before the Republican National Convention where he will receive the party’s official nomination.

TRUMP: “We are going to evict the Biden Crime Family from the White House, and we are going to Make America Great Again!” pic.twitter.com/1gQ1Ormdiv

— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) June 15, 2024

.@TPAction_ crowd interrupts President Trump’s speech by singing, “Happy Birthday!”

“I don’t know what it is but I feel better than I did 30 years ago!” pic.twitter.com/eASceHDnmk

— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) June 15, 2024

Trump leaned into his policy talking points on the collapsed border, economic disaster, and incumbent President Joe Biden being “the worst,” but he also addressed the car industry, a key thing in Motor City Detroit and the state of Michigan and encouraged voters to make a plan to vote.

President Trump says all Americans were doing great under his administration:

“We created half a million manufacturing jobs in 3 short years. We lifted up all Americans—black, brown, white, and everybody else. Everyone was doing great.” pic.twitter.com/6Pcj0o4RIo

— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) June 15, 2024

“For decades before I took office, Joe Biden and his cronies in Washington got rich by selling off Michigan jobs, and selling-out Detroit,” Trump said. He spoke about the plans for car makers to put their factories in Mexico, pointing out that “Crooked Joe is doing a hit job on Michigan manufacturing, and on Detroit.” These factories, he said, would be run by China.

“Joe Biden’s insane Electric Vehicle Mandate will totally obliterate the U.S. auto industry. Crooked Joe is also set to rubber stamp California’s plan to completely abolish gas-powered cars and trucks. Civilization will grind to a halt,” he said in his speech.

TRUMP: “Upon my inauguration, we will throw out Bidenomics and replace it with MAGAnomics” pic.twitter.com/tl82G6cTag

— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) June 15, 2024

“Upon my inauguration,” Trump promised, “we will throw out Bidenomics and replace it with MAGAnomics.” And then he laid out his plan.

“In less than 4 years, Crooked Joe’s inflation nightmare and energy price hikes have cost the typical American household $28,000. The monthly cost of a typical mortgage has doubled. Yet Joe Biden has no plan to stop inflation.

“My plan is simple. First, I will stop Joe Biden’s inflation-causing spending spree and impose an immediate moratorium on all of Crooked Joe’s hundreds of billions of dollars in waste. I will not approve one more penny for the Green New Scam. Second, to lower energy costs, we will drill, baby, drill!

“Third, to fight Joe Biden’s inflation, I will stop the Biden Migrant invasion. An estimated 50% of inflation has been caused by the soaring cost of housing, which is skyrocketing due to Joe Biden’s tidal wave of illegal immigration and high interest rates. I will send the illegally entering Biden Migrants back to THEIR countries, so that you can take back your country—and soon.

“Fourth—I will cancel every unnecessary and costly Biden regulation that is driving up prices. And Fifth—we will make the Trump Tax Cuts permanent and cut taxes even more for working families and small businesses,” he said in his remarks.

TRUMP: “I think Zelenskyy is maybe greatest salesman of any politician that has ever lived… he announces he needs another $60 billion. It never ends… I will have that settled prior to taking the White House.” pic.twitter.com/XRBWcVqO0I

— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) June 15, 2024

TRUMP: “The entire world is emptying out their prisons and jails, their insane asylums, their mental institutions, and our country is being turned into a dumping ground and the entire world is laughing us.” pic.twitter.com/pmNBGVCuID

— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) June 15, 2024

The People’s Conference is touted by Turning Point Action as a convention for the people, in opposition to the uniparty. And the message of the conference is for people to take responsibility themselves for getting out the vote. Workshops and discussions on how to do that filled the weekend schedule. Trump spoke on that topic as well.

“If you took the ten worst presidents in the history of the United States, and added them up, they would not have done near the destruction to our country as Joe Biden and the Biden administration have done,” he said.

“So, if you want to Save America, I’m asking everybody to go to ‘SwamptheVoteUSA.com’ to make a plan to vote—either by mail, early in person, or on Election Day,” Trump continued.

“And if you want to volunteer to help us turn out voters in your neighborhood, sign up to get trained at ‘TrumpForce47.com!'” Trump said. “With the right leadership, every disaster Joe Biden has created can be fixed. Every problem can be solved. And every wrong can be rectified—and we will do it quickly.”

“By this time next year, America’s borders will be shut, sealed, and secure. Inflation will be in full retreat. Our economy will be roaring back. Optimism will be surging. American Pride will be soaring. The American Dream will be thriving again for citizens of every race, religion, color, and creed. Law and Justice will reign all throughout our land. Freedom will be restored. The flame of liberty will be burning bright. Joe Biden, the worst president in the history of our country, will be a fading memory of the past,” he said.

“Because we are all Americans—and together, we will show November 5th to be the most important day in the history of America,” he said in conclusion.

Republican National Committee (RNC) co-chair Lara Trump revealed Friday at a Turning Point USA (TPUSA) event, that the RNC is planning to have over 100,000 poll watchers along with over 500 lawyers in preparation for the 2024 presidential election.

Lara Trump appeared on the TPUSA Detroit stage Friday evening to discuss the top priorities for the RNC as many voters are preparing to head to the polls this November.

The co-chair stated that prior to appearing on stage she had been with RNC chairman Michael Whatley to discuss the launch of their “election integrity program,” which will involve the mass training of thousands of volunteers and onboarding attorneys.

“Our other top priority is election integrity. Charlie let’s face it, if we don’t have free, fair, and transparent elections nothing else matters. That is our goal at the RNC. And by the way every single person in this country, regardless of how you vote, should want free and fair elections. So right before I came here, I was about 30 minutes away with the chairman of the RNC Michael Whatley. He and I started here in the state of Michigan, launching our election integrity program. What we want to do is train 100,000 people all across this country to be part of that team,” Lara Trump said.

The RNC co-chair continued to explain that due to a lift in a “consent decree” previously placed on the RNC for the “past 40 years,” the committee will now have the opportunity to “train people as poll workers.” Additionally, Lara Trump discussed the importance of wanting attorneys present at the polls, emphasizing that there’d be “war rooms” set up across the U.S. to deal with issues in real time.

“We also want attorneys to work in every major polling location so we are not reactive, we are proactive. The second you see an issue, we address it. We’re going to have war rooms set up all across this country in every state as well to deal with things as they happen, not days, weeks, or months later,” Lara Trump said.

Watch:

RNC chair Lara Trump announces she’s creating an army of poll workers and lawyers to monitor and stop any 2024 election fraud activity
pic.twitter.com/1OlPnXRRTN

— 💋🇺🇸 Country Over Party🇺🇸🇮🇱🇺🇦🇹🇼 (@gagirlpolitics) June 15, 2024

“It will take a herculean effort to fight back against all the nonsense and all the nefarious activities that we know happen out there. But this year is the year we do it. We are also sending a loud and clear message out there to anyone who thinks about cheating in an election. If you cheat in an election we will find you, we will track you down, and we will prosecute you to the full extent of the law.”

Prior to Lara Trump’s appearance on the TPUSA stage, she and Whatley attended a Detroit suburb meeting where they discussed the plan of wanting “over 100,000 poll watchers and over 500 lawyers” for the election sites, according to the New York Post. While the media was not granted access to the breakdown of the training for poll watchers and attorneys, Whatley stated that the workers will be “taught to be respectful and non-threatening, but to also follow the law,” the outlet reported.

More than 10 months after Rachel Morin was found dead near a hiking trail in Maryland, law enforcement announced the arrest of an illegal immigrant believed to be the murder suspect of the mother of five.

Authorities in Maryland held a press conference on Saturday announcing that the suspect in Morin’s murder was Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez – an illegal migrant from El Salvador.

“Five hours after meeting with Rachel’s family and just before midnight, police in Tulsa, Oklahoma, assisted by our federal partners, located and arrested her murderer: Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez,” said Harford County Sheriff Jeffery Gahler.

Gahler noted that Morin was “likely not his first victim.”

“This suspect fled to the United States after murdering a young woman in El Salvador in January 2023,” Gahler said. “Once here, he brutally attacked a nine-year-old girl and her mother during a home invasion in Los Angeles in March 2023.”

DNA evidence collected from the March 2023 crime scene of the Los Angeles attack linked Martinez-Hernandez to the murder of Rachel Morin.

“Once in our country, and likely emboldened by his aminity, he brutally attacked a nine-year-old girl and her mother during a home invasion in March of 2023 in Los Angeles,” Gahler stated, according to Fox News. “And as everyone I believe is aware, that was our first DNA match linking Rachel’s case to the one in Los Angeles.”

Martinez-Hernandez – a 23-year-old national from El Salvador – reportedly illegally crossed into the United States through the southern border in February 2023.

FBI Baltimore field office special agent in charge William DelBagno explained that investigators were able to trace the suspect’s DNA to family members in El Salvador.

Sheriff Gahler noted that the ongoing border crisis was a cause for the 37-year-old mother of five to be murdered.

“We are 1800 miles of the southern border. And American citizens are not safe because of their failed immigration policies,” Gahler stated.

“This is the second time in two years that an innocent Harford County woman has lost her life to a criminal in our country illegally,” he continued. “In both cases, they are suspects from El Salvador with ties to criminal gangs. This should not be happening.”

Gahler declared, “Victor Hernandez did not come to this country to make a better life for him or his family, he came here to escape the crimes he committed in El Salvador. He came here to murder Rachel and God-willing, no one else. But that should have never been allowed to happen.”

Gahler added, “It is my hope and the hope of all involved, working this case that the arrest of this suspect brings her [Mornin’s] family and our Harford County community some peace.”

DelBagno said, “It is our hope that this arrest brings peace to Rachel Morin’s family and the Harford County community.”

State’s Attorney for Harford County Alison Healey proclaimed that she would personally lead the prosecution for the case.

“Harford County and our neighboring communities can rest assured that my office will take all steps necessary to ensure that justice is served for Rachel Morin and her family,” Healey stated.

Rachel’s mother, Patricia Morin, said, “I’m going to make this short because I’m very emotional. just want to take this time to thank all the law enforcement for all their hard work. They just really cared for our family and for our daughter. They were going to diligently work and find the person who murdered her.”

Martinez-Hernandez was charged with first-degree murder and first-degree rape. He will be extradited back to Maryland.

Morin was reported missing on Aug. 5 by her boyfriend when she never returned home after going out for a run on the Ma & Pa Trail in Bel Air, Maryland. A day later, Morin was found dead on the trail.

There were earlier reports that Morin had suffered serious head trauma, and the injuries were so severe that there would not be an open-casket funeral.

Nick Fuentes entered a TPUSA event on Friday but was quickly escorted out by security while shouting that Israel was in control of the conference.

Fuentes, who is known for denying the Holocaust, has been a longtime critic of the young conservative organization due to its pro-Israel stance. On Friday, he crashed the Turning Point’s People Convention in Detroit, Michigan, with an entourage of supporters and cameras.

Footage posted on social media shows security informing Fuentes that he is not allowed to attend the event while his supporters chant anti-Israel slogans.

Fuentes and his supporters continue to pester the event security by asking the reasoning behind him being prohibited inside and one security guard eventually answers, “He knows why.”

The White nationalist responds, “Israel controls this event!” before heading toward the exit as his supporters chant, “America first!”

After he exited the conference, his supporters continue to throw anti-Semitic insults at one of the security guards by claiming he is a “cuck for Israel” and “sucks Israel’s c*ck.” Moreover, the security guard in question then informs Fuentes that he has been officially trespassed from the property.

TPUSA kicking out @NickJFuentes for being critical of Israel..?

Disgusting! pic.twitter.com/B6YWNNq7bt

— Dr. Anastasia Maria Loupis (@DrLoupis) June 14, 2024

. @NickJFuentes and @jakeshieldsajj walk into Turning Point’s Peoples Convention and are almost immediately removed by security. pic.twitter.com/afdDpfpydv

— TENET Media (@watchTENETnow) June 14, 2024

Nick Fuentes (@NickJFuentes) kicked out of TPUSA event in Detroit.

“This is America first, not Israel first.”

Follow: @AFpost pic.twitter.com/XUptFduYej

— AF Post (@AFpost) June 14, 2024

“Honestly, I was surprised. I thought because they have Candace Owens there, that maybe they’re opening things up a little bit,” Fuentes told the crowd after being removed. “I thought maybe finally America First has entered the mainstream, but it just goes to show it is the same old conservatism that we’ve always gotten, which is Israel first, America last.”

Leaders of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation doled out lucrative contracts to family members and friends, new documents show.

The Black Lives Matter organization reaped $80 million during the George Floyd riots of 2020. However, the figure plummeted to under $29 million by the end of the 2023 fiscal year, the group’s tax form reveal.

Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors resigned from the organization in 2021. However, friends and family of Cullors have received massive contracts from the charity with a supposed mission to “eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on black communities by the state and vigilantes.”

Paul Cullors – the brother of the BLM co-founder – received $200,000 in 2023 as Black Lives Matter’s head of security. His company – Black Ties LLC – raked in an additional $1.6 million for allegedly providing professional security services for Black Lives Matter.

The Washington Free Beacon reported that Paul Cullors and his companies have accumulated more than $4.2 million for allegedly protecting Black Lives Matter since 2021.

Since 2020, Black Lives Matter has demanded a “national defunding of police.” Last July, BLM celebrated a “Defund the Police Week.”

Shalomyah Bowers – board member for BLMGNF and an associate of Patrisse Cullors – stated last year, “This week we are demonstrating that one of the main pillars of progress in our short 10 years as a modern-day civil rights movement is that we have made our demand, to defund the police, politically popular and achievable, and a mainstream demand.

Black Lives Matter paid Bowers’ consulting firm $2.6 million for staffing and management services in the 2023 fiscal year, according to a tax return.

BLM also handed out money to Damon Turner – the father of the only child of Cullors. The Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation granted $778,000 to Turner’s art firm, Trap Heals, for work done at a concert series in early 2022. Turner reportedly no longer works with the charity.

According to the organization’s 2023 fiscal year tax return, a combined $1.1 million was doled out to former Black Lives Matter director of operations Raymond Howard and New Impact Partners – a consulting firm owned by Danielle Edwards, who is Raymond Howard’s sister.

In July 2021, BLM reportedly funded the purchase of a $6.3 million mansion in Canada that was formerly the headquarters of the Communist Party of Canada.

Charity Watch Executive Director Laurie Styron told the Daily Caller that Black Lives Matter “has no independent oversight.”

“Whether a person loves this charity’s mission or hates it, they should be angry that significant amounts of charitable dollars are being channeled to interested parties without adequate oversight in place,” Styron said. “Charities are expected to avoid both real and perceived conflicts of interest to maintain public trust. This charity is doing the opposite. The optics here are really, really bad.”

An 82-year-old Washington woman has sued her local YMCA-operated city pool after being banned from the facility for speaking out against a man using the women’s locker room.

On Wednesday, lawyers with the Center for American Liberty representing Julie Jaman filed a lawsuit against the city of Port Townsend, Washington, and Olympic Peninsula Pool for banning her for life after she spoke out after objecting to the presence of a man in the women’s changing area.

“After witnessing a disturbing incident in the women’s dressing room and raising concerns, I’ve faced a relentless storm of attacks and falsehoods,” Jaman said in a statement obtained by The Daily Wire. “Despite my four decades of community involvement, I’m left with no choice but to seek justice through the courts.”

The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington and seeks to reverse her ban from the pool and have her access reinstated.

Jaman was banned from the pool after an incident in July 2022 when she was showering after swimming at the pool and heard a male voice in the women’s locker room.

She then said that she saw a man watching two young girls. After complaining about the presence of a male in the female locker room, Jaman was told by pool staff that her language was “discriminatory.”

The man in the locker room was an employee of the YMCA who identifies as transgender. Jaman says she believed that she had witnessed a crime because of his presence in the women’s locker room near the two girls.

“When an eighty-year-old woman reasonably believes she is witnessing a crime being committed against young girls in a women’s locker room, the government’s reaction should be to gather all of the facts and learn what happened, not immediately take sides in an ideologically charged political debate,” the lawsuit says.

According to the suit, the city and the pool violated Jaman’s First Amendment right to free speech and Fourteenth Amendment right to due process and equal protection.

“The City and YMCA’s failure to respond to Julie’s requests highlights their disregard for public safety,” said Harmeet Dhillon, the CEO and founder of The Center for American Liberty.

“By prioritizing political ideology over the protection of children, they have set a dangerous precedent. As we pursue legal action, we demand accountability and a renewed commitment to protecting women’s privacy and civil rights.”

Fitness influencer Jillian Michaels said this week that she decided to leave the state of California because of how insane it has become with many of its extremist Left-wing policies.

Michaels told Sage Steele this week on “The Sage Steele Show” that she holds all the cards in “woke victimology poker” and even she thinks Democrats in the state have “gone way too far.”

“I grew up here. I’m a woman. I’m a gay woman. My mom’s a Jew. My dad’s an Arab. I have a black kid. And believe it or not, my son is half Latin, even though he doesn’t look like it,” she said.

“I hold a million cards in your game of woke victimology poker. And when I leave California, maybe you’ve lost your f***ing mind. Just maybe! When you have me running from home, maybe it’s gone way too far.”

She said the laws that are being passed in the legislature and signed into law by far-Left Governor Gavin Newsom are “absolutely f***ing mind boggling.”

“In relation to crime, protecting our kids, like, we’re decriminalizing everything, which arguably I would probably be okay with, but we’re not regulating any of it,” she said.

“So it’s like, okay, you’re gonna decriminalize sex work, but only so women can loiter on the streets, not to keep them safe, not to have them pay taxes, not to make them, you know, regularly check for STDs, not to take away the pimps out of the equation.”

She specifically slammed the state for backing highly controversial and dangerous transgender procedures for minors.

“The fact that a 12-year-old child can be put on off-label cancer drugs to irreparably change their body,” she said. “If my son came to me and said, ‘Mom’ — or my daughter — ‘I think I’m trans,’ I’d say, okay, you know, like, you want to dress this way, you want me to call you whatever the heck you want, dress, fine. Explore it. I love you. I’m cool, do you as long as we’re safe, but we’re not changing your body until it’s fully developed. I’m sorry. Conversation’s over. Can’t get a f***ing tattoo!”

Watch:

I LOVE the state of California, but it’s a disaster. A self-inflicted disaster 💔.

Hundreds of thousands of residents have moved away over the last few years, including Cali native @JillianMichaels Listen to this:

New episode: https://t.co/cDUg8uFnGz#sagesteeleshow pic.twitter.com/DJrIxcqK9Q

— Sage Steele (@sagesteele) June 12, 2024

The Biden administration is making plans to announce one of the largest immigration relief programs in recent history, developing a policy that would offer legal status to hundreds of thousands of immigrants living in the country without proper documents, four people familiar with the plans told CBS News.

A program being developed by White House officials would offer work permits and deportation protections to unauthorized immigrants married to U.S. citizens, as long as they have lived in the U.S. for at least 10 years, the sources said, requesting anonymity to talk about internal government plans.

The proposal, known as “Parole in Place,” would also open up a pathway to permanent legal status and U.S. citizenship for some beneficiaries by removing an obstacle in U.S. law that prevents those who entered the U.S. illegally from obtaining green cards without leaving the country.

Another plan being prepared by the Biden administration would streamline the process for so-called DREAMers and other undocumented immigrants to request waivers that would make it easier for them to obtain temporary visas, such as H-1B visas for high-skilled workers, the sources said.

The measures, the sources added, could be announced as early as Tuesday, but a plan has not been finalized by the administration. White House officials are preparing to host an event Tuesday to celebrate the 12th anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which shields roughly 530,000 undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children from deportation.

Some Democratic lawmakers have already been invited to Tuesday’s immigration event at the White House, three congressional officials told CBS News, requesting anonymity to share private invitations.

A White House official said no final decisions had been made. White House spokesperson Angelo Fernandez Hernandez previously said the administration is “committed to taking action to address our broken immigration system.”

The “Parole in Place” plan would be the largest immigration program for unauthorized immigrants since DACA, a policy that former President Barack Obama announced in 2012 as a “stopgap” measure to protect DREAMers in light of congressional inaction on immigration.

The policy would benefit a subset of the estimated 1.1 million unauthorized immigrants with American citizen spouses, as long as they meet the residency requirement and other rules. Overall, there are approximately 11 million immigrants living in the U.S. unlawfully, according to the most recent government estimate.

The move would further underscore an increased willingness by President Biden to take executive actions on immigration ahead of the presidential election in November. Just last week, Mr. Biden invoked his executive authority to enact a partial ban on asylum claims at the southern border, a move that has already been challenged in federal court by the American Civil Liberties Union.

Just like the border executive action, the “Parole in Place” program will likely face legal challenges, possibly from Republican-led states, which have filed multiple lawsuits against Mr. Biden’s more generous immigration policies.

The program would almost certainly garner vocal opposition from Republican lawmakers, who have increasingly taken strong stances against “amnesty” for those living in the U.S. illegally.

“Biden’s border is still in crisis and his latest idea is amnesty. This will invite more chaos,” said Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma, the lead Republican negotiator of a border security deal brokered by the White House and a group of senators earlier this year.

Still, Mr. Biden has been arguing that he’s acting unilaterally on immigration because Congress failed to pass that agreement, which was rejected by most Republican lawmakers. Political analysts also believe the “Parole in Place” policy could help Mr. Biden’s chances of earning more support from Latino voters, especially those in mixed-status families that would benefit from the move.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the federal agency that oversees the legal immigration system, has administered a more limited “Parole in Place” program for military families for over a decade. The policy allows some undocumented immigrants who are immediate relatives of U.S. service members or veterans to obtain green cards, without having to leave the country.

CNN announced the rules and additional details for its June 27 presidential debate, setting the stage for the event less than two weeks away.

Notable details include the absence of a studio audience, muted microphones except when a candidate is given time to speak, and each candidate’s presence at a uniform podium. No props or pre-written notes will be allowed on the stage, though candidates will be given a pen, a pad of paper, and a bottle of water.

The moderators, Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, “will use all tools at their disposal to enforce timing and ensure a civilized discussion,” according to the network.

The network also mused about who will qualify for the debates, saying it is unlikely for Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the independent presidential candidate, to qualify for the debate, saying “Though not impossible in Kennedy’s case, it is less likely that candidates other than Biden and Trump will meet those requirements.”

The network says RFK Jr. has three of the four required qualifying polls and has ballot access equivalent to 89 of the 270 electoral votes requirement.

He has until June 20 to add another poll showing him at 15% or higher and an additional 181 electoral votes through ballot access in those states.

The most notable requirement is the absence of a studio audience, which is unusual for presidential debates in the general or party primaries.

The detail was the Biden camp’s idea, with campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon saying they wanted to avoid raucous crowds for viewers’ benefit.

“The debates should be conducted for the benefit of the American voters, watching on television and at home — not as entertainment for an in-person audience with raucous or disruptive partisans and donors, who consume valuable debate time with noisy spectacles of approval or jeering,” Dillon wrote in a May letter.

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have already agreed to the 90-minute debate rules, and will be allowed two breaks amid their likely verbal combat. As for the other details, muted mics was a stipulation included in a 2020 debate, and Trump has pushed for the candidates to stand at podiums, in a likely assumption Biden will be more uncomfortable, against the Biden campaign’s suggestion to sit.

There will be at least one more presidential debate as ABC is hosting a debate on Sept. 10, not long before early voting begins in the general election. Trump leads by 1.1% in 538’s national polling average.

Former Trump lawyer and perennial grifter Michael Cohen claims he’s going to run for Congress in 2026. Specifically, Cohen is targeting New York’s 12th Congressional district, currently occupied by the porcine Jerry Nadler (D), who responded churlishly when quizzed about Cohen’s plan.

“We thank him for his service, but it’s enough already,” Cohen told New York Magazine‘s Olivia Nuzzi and Andrew Rice. The authors claim Cohen “would have run this year, but the protracted mental breakdown that came with the trial made it hard to plan the launch of a new career as a politician.”

Still, the news has rankled Nadler, who told POLITICO on Saturday morning: “What a great country America is… Anyone can run for Congress — even con men.”

Despite being lauded by Democrats during the Trump trial, Cohen looks like he’ll face significant opposition for his aspirant political career.

In reality, Cohen has no real friends and no real allies, having simply been used as a tool for most of his legal career.

He was even refused “surrogate” status by the Trump campaign in 2016, when he was at the height of his influence.

Still, the disgraced, perjury-happy lawyer has made millions from his podcasts and media appearances discussing Donald Trump, and appears to have the backing of the increasingly influential Meidas Touch Network – a far-left blog run by Epstein and Diddy-linked brothers who have recently been granted exclusive access by Joe Biden’s White House.

The House of Representatives passed a measure on Friday automatically registering men aged 18 to 26 for selective service.

It was part of the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which sets out the U.S. government’s military and national security priorities over the next fiscal year.

This year’s NDAA authorizes $895.2 billion in military spending, a $9 billion increase from fiscal 2024.

While it hasn’t been invoked in over half a century, it’s mandatory for all male U.S. citizens to register for the selective service, also known as the military draft, when they turn 18. Failure to register is classified as a felony and comes with a host of legal challenges.

Supporters of the amendment argue that it would cut down on bureaucratic red tape and help U.S. citizens avoid unnecessary legal issues, as well as cutting down on the taxpayer dollars going toward prosecuting those cases.

It was led by Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., and passed in the House Armed Services Committee’s version of the NDAA in May. The NDAA advanced through the committee in an overwhelming 57 to 1 vote.

“By using available federal databases, the [Selective Service] agency will be able to register all of the individuals required and thus help ensure that any future military draft is fair and equitable,” Houlahan said during debate last month, according to Defense News.

“This will also allow us to rededicate resources — basically that means money — towards reading readiness and towards mobilization … rather than towards education and advertising campaigns driven to register people.”

The NDAA also included the largest-ever military pay raise in history, with a 19.5% increase for junior enlisted troops and a 4.5% increase for others.

It also included funding for two new Virginia-class submarines and the establishment of a drone force within the U.S. Army, among other provisions.

The NDAA passed the House in a 217 to 199 vote, but it’s unlikely to be taken up by the Senate.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., blasted the bill on Friday afternoon over the inclusion of amendments curbing funding for abortion, transgender medical care, and diversity efforts.

“Unsurprisingly, the legislation coming out of the House today is loaded with anti-LGBTQ, anti-choice, anti-environment, and other divisive amendments guaranteed not to pass the Senate,” Schumer said. “As we move forward with this year’s NDAA process, both sides will have to work together to pass bipartisan legislation that honors and respects all who serve in defense of our nation.”

It comes as President Vladimir Putin vowed to “punish” the West for giving Ukraine long-term missiles and ­a £40billion loan using frozen Russian assets.

Kazan, a state-of the art Yasen-class submarine, was detected on June 5 after an RAF Poseidon P8 anti-submarine aircraft dropped sonar buoys used to detect subsurface activity at depth.

An RAF maritime surveillance plane tracked the sub as it headed up the west coast of Ireland to Scotland, passing close to Britain’s nuclear naval base at Faslane. Military commanders feared the loitering 13,800-tonne vessel was probing for weaknesses on NATO’s extreme flank.

News of the Russian vessel’s location was passed to the Permanent Joint Headquarters in Northwood, with both the Prime Minister and Defence Secretary informed, the Express can exclusively reveal.

Kazan was expected to go to Venezuela before landing in Commonwealth nation Guyana where Royal Navy patrol ship HMS Trent was recently deployed as a show of support against increasing border belligerence by Russia-supporting Venezuela.

The Russian president has reacted with fury at the provision of American Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) rockets to Ukraine and a loan.

In a briefing last week, Julianne Smith, the US NATO Ambassador, said Washington DC may review its policy of not allowing the ATACMS to target mainland Russia, adding: “We will continue to assess and adapt to Ukraine’s ever-evolving needs.”

On Friday members of the G7 agreed to the £40billion loan, to be financed by interest accruing from frozen Russian assets in the West.

Around £240billion in assets from Russia’s central bank was frozen as part of Western sanctions shortly after the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Sources say the deal was struck so Ukraine could be assured of enough funds in the event the US Congress once again held up aid under a Donald Trump presidency.

US President Joe Biden also signed a 10-year security pact with Ukraine leader Volodymyr Zelensky.

Justin Crump, from Sibylline strategic risk group, said: “It is important to note that it isn’t Russian funds, but rather the interest accrued from them, which will guarantee the £40billion loan to Ukraine.”

“The UK’s position is that all ­the money belongs to Russia and, as such, cannot be touched.

“However, it may prove useful ­leverage when it comes to peace talks,” he said.

On a typical rainy morning in London, Kate Middleton was a ray of sunshine on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, all smiles, and waving at the crowd of onlookers during the annual Trooping the Colour — her first public appearance since revealing her cancer battle.

The band fittingly played “Over the Rainbow” just before Middleton stepped out with her family.

She stood in between her husband, Prince William, and King Charles, as they watched the traditional military flyover, with Princess Charlotte in front of her and sons Prince George, 10, and Prince Louis, 6, close by.

The positioning seemed intentional, and touching, since last year Prince William was standing next to his father.

Having King Charles and Middleton stand next to one another was a “gesture of solidarity and support,” royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told The Sun.

“Let’s be frank. It would have been very stressful to go through with all of the ceremony,” he said. “King Charles and the Princess of Wales knew very well every movement would be photographed that was public.”

Charles announced his own fight against cancer in February. Neither royal has publicly revealed the type of cancer they’re battling.

Middleton appeared stoic, which a body language expert told The Sun was an intentional choice made by the Princess to avoid pity from onlookers and ensure King Charles was the main focus, rather than her illness.

“Kate’s body language here showed the world what being a royal is all about: elegant, calm and stoic with not one smallest jot of self-pity or drama,” said expert Judi James. “Kate’s non-verbal messages seem to signal a smiling determination to reassure the public and her own children and to get on with the job.”

James also said Middleton’s outfit choice also spoke to her desire to downplay her highly anticipated appearance. “There was a hint of discretion or maybe a desire to not upstage in the way Kate’s hat brim was tilted to partially hide her face in the carriage but there were some turning to smile and some smiling conversations with her three children,” she added.

After the Red Arrows shot past the palace, spraying the colors of the Union Jack flag behind them, Middleton and her family waved to the crowd below.

The Princess of Wales attended the splashy military ceremony in honor of King Charles’ birthday after announcing Friday that she was currently well enough to attend.

Middletown, 42, rode in a car alongside her children and husband entering Buckingham Palace before the parade.

She wore a white Jenny Packham dress with a black-striped belt decorated with a black-and-white bow at the collar, topped with a white-brimmed Philip Treacy hat and pearl cluster earrings.

Pinned to her dress was an Irish Guards Regimental Brooch, a nod to her honorary role as a Colonel of the Irish Guards.

Middleton wore her hair in an elegant low braided bun and accessorized with a black Mulberry clutch and white Jimmy Choo heels, completing the outfit with the same $7,100 Cassandra Goad earrings she donned for Prince Louis’ 2018 baptism, and again to Wimbledon in 2023.

Eagle-eyed fashionistas are speculating that Middleton’s outfit is an upcycled version of the look she wore on the eve of King Charles’ coronation last year.

Middleton’s choice of hat this year also spoke to her desire to downplay her highly anticipated appearance, James told The Sun.

“There was a hint of discretion or maybe a desire to not upstage in the way Kate’s hat brim was tilted to partially hide her face in the carriage but there were some turning to smile and some smiling conversations with her three children,” she said.

She and her daughter, Princess Charlotte, coordinated their outfits, as the 9-year-old donned a black pinafore with ivory trim and tie. Prince George and Prince Louis also wore navy, sporting matching double-breasted suits, Louis in shorts, while George was in slacks.

Prince Louis, who is known for his expressive looks during royal events, was spotted yawning and scrunching up his face during the event.

During the procession, Prince George told Middleton, “Look over there ma,” a lip reader told The Sun.

As the Trooping the Colour kicked off, Middleton received a boisterous ovation from thousands of royal fans who lined the Mall route, as she and her three children traveled in a carriage.

King Charles and Queen Camilla led the procession while William rode on horseback.

King Charles, 75, has been undergoing outpatient cancer treatment.

Last weekend, his wife, Queen Camilla, said he is “doing fine except he won’t slow down and won’t do what he’s told,” according to Sky News.

Before her appearance on the balcony with the rest of the royals, Middleton and her children were seen peeking from a window to watch the ceremony at Horse Guards Parade, where she stood for roughly five minutes — at times bending down to speak to the kids — before she was brought a chair.

While they were at the window, Princess Charlotte could be seen asking her younger brother, Prince Louis, to “stop dancing.”

The playful command from his older sister had little effect on Louis, who continued on with his revelry and apparently replied, “Nope!” according to The Mirror.

Charlotte, always a proper little lady, acted like her mom’s “wing-woman,” “protecting and supporting” her, James told The Sun. “Sitting opposite her mother she performed the kind of body language rituals that Kate would normally have done, smiling over her shoulder at the crowds and waving with enthusiasm. Like Kate, her smile was almost constant.”

The official X page of the Prince and Princess of Wales, @KensingtonRoyal, marked the historic event by posting a video of clips taken today of Middleton and her children, including a loving moment where the Princess of Wales is smoothing out Charlotte’s hair.

The post was captioned, “All set for The King’s Birthday Parade!”

Royal supporters — equipped with cardboard cutouts of Middleton — camped overnight to secure their prized spot to see the family appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony.

In an emotional letter, Middleton admitted she has “good days and bad days” and is “not out of the woods” with the illness.

“On those bad days you feel weak, tired and you have to give in to your body resting,” the princess wrote. “But on the good days, when you feel stronger, you want to make the most of feeling well.

The last time the mother of three appeared in public was on Christmas Day — shortly before a doctor discovered cancer during a planned abdominal surgery in January.

Middleton first revealed she was undergoing chemotherapy for an unspecified form of cancer in March as speculation swirled about her recent lack of public appearances.

On Saturday, the time-honored parade featured 1,400 officers and soldiers, 200 horses, along with a Royal Air Force flyover and music from 400 musicians from 10 bands.

Trooping the Colour, where “regimental flags of the British Army, historically described as ‘Colours’, are consecrated,” happens each June regardless of King Charles’ birthday, which falls on November 14.

The ceremony, which was broadcast live on BBC, is thought to have been first performed during the reign of King Charles II, who ruled from 1660 to 1685, and it became an annual event in 1760, after George III became King.

At the 2023 parade, Middleton rode in a horse-drawn carriage and appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony with King Charles and other royals.

Middleton did not attend the traditional rehearsal for the parade, called the Colonel’s Review, which took place on June 8.

The Princess, who had been named honorary Colonel of the Irish Guards last year, apologized for her absence from the practice.

“Please pass my apologies to the whole Regiment, however I do hope that I am able to represent you all once again very soon,” she wrote in an apology letter to the Irish guards who are presenting their colors to the King.

For the second straight year, Middleton’s in-laws, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, were not invited to the festivities.

In a case of curious timing, Meghan Markle’s pal unveiled a new flavor of the royal’s jam just hours before Middleton’s triumphant return to the spotlight.

An explosion in southern Gaza killed eight Israeli soldiers, the military said Saturday, making it the deadliest attack on Israeli forces in months.

The attack, coming more than eight months into a grinding war that shows few signs of ending soon, was likely to fuel new calls for a cease-fire by Israeli protesters. It also came as the government confronts widespread anger over exemptions from military service for young ultra-Orthodox men.

Israel launched an air and ground invasion of Gaza in response to an Oct. 7 cross-border attack by Hamas and other militants that killed some 1,200 people and took 250 others hostage. The Israeli offensive has killed over 37,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, who do not differentiate between civilians and combatants. It also has unleashed a humanitarian disaster in Gaza, where over 80% of the population has been displaced and Israeli restrictions and ongoing fighting have hindered efforts to bring in humanitarian aid, fueling widespread hunger.

Saturday’s explosion took place in Rafah, a southern city that Israel has identified as Hamas’ last major stronghold. It sent in ground troops to the city in early May and has given no indication when the operation will end.

“They knew they might have to sacrifice their lives, but they did it so we could live in this country. I salute them and hug their families,” said Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

The military said the explosion happened just after 5 a.m. in the Tal al-Sultan area of Rafah. Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, an Israeli military spokesman, said it was caused either by an explosive placed by Hamas or by an anti-tank missile.

“We need to defeat the Rafah Brigade of Hamas and we are doing this with determination,” he said.

In January, 21 Israeli troops were killed in a single attack by Palestinian militants in Gaza.

President Joe Biden earlier this month unveiled a new cease-fire proposal that seeks the release of the roughly 120 hostages who remain in Gaza and an end to the fighting. While the international community has broadly embraced the plan, both Israel and Hamas have expressed misgivings. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he will not halt the war until he achieves the twin goals of destroying Hamas’ military and governing capabilities.

“Today we paid another heartbreaking price in our just war for the defense of the homeland,” Netanyahu said Saturday. “With deep sorrow, in heavy mourning, I bow my head together with all the citizens of Israel and mourn the fall of our heroic warriors.”

The inconclusive war has divided the Israeli public, with tens of thousands of people taking to the streets each Saturday night to call on the government to reach a deal that would bring the hostages home. The Israeli government has already pronounced over 40 of the hostages held by Hamas to be dead, and officials fear that number could grow the longer they remain in captivity.

At a rally Saturday evening, participants watched a video message from Andrey Kozlov, who was rescued from Hamas captivity a week ago.

“More than 120 hostages are still there, and I can’t feel all the happiness from this situation because I was rescued and they were not,” he said, according to The Hostages Families Forum Headquarters. “I ask to bring them home as soon as possible. Israel, world, Hamas, I ask you to make a deal as soon as possible.”

The deadly explosion also comes days after Netanyahu’s coalition voted in favor of extending the controversial exemptions from the military draft given to ultra-Orthodox men.

Although the vote was only procedural, it caused an uproar at a time when Israel continues to fight Hamas militants in Gaza and Hezbollah militants along the country’s northern border with Lebanon and the death toll continues to climb. Over 600 soldiers have been killed in fighting since Oct. 7, according to the military.

Last month, Israel’s Supreme Court ordered an end to government subsidies for ultra-Orthodox men who don’t serve in the army. But Netanyahu’s government, which includes politically powerful ultra-Orthodox parties, has found ways to keep money flowing to religious institutions.

The government is still under orders to pass a new draft law.

Most Jewish men and women are required to serve in the military from the age of 18. The exemptions granted to religious men have long been a source of contention among the broader public.

Israel’s defense minister, Yoav Gallant, was the only member of Netanyahu’s coalition to vote against this week’s legislation. Gallant, a member of the country’s War Cabinet, has insisted that all sectors of Israeli society contribute equally during its war against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip.

If Netanyahu’s ultra-Orthodox partners leave the government, the country would be forced into new elections at a time when Netanyahu’s popularity is low and his re-election prospects are questionable.

Months of cease-fire negotiations have failed to find common ground between Israeli and Hamas. On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Hamas proposed changes to a U.S.-backed plan, some of which he said were “workable” and some not.

Hamas has continually called for a permanent cease-fire and complete Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza as part of any deal that would see the hostages released. While the proposal announced by U.S. President Joe Biden includes these two provisions, Hamas has expressed concern about whether Israel will commit to them.

Meanwhile, violence has flared in the West Bank since the Israel-Hamas war erupted. On Saturday, a 16-year-old Palestinian was shot dead by Israeli forces near the northern city of Nablus, the Ramallah-based Health Ministry said. An Israeli security official confirmed Israeli forces opened fire at Palestinians who were throwing rocks at troops during a counterterrorism operation in the area. He spoke on condition of anonymity, pending a formal announcement by the army.

Former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Robert Redfield said he predicts a bird flu pandemic will happen, it’s just a matter of when that will be.

Redfield joined NewsNation Friday to discuss the growing concern for bird flu, as the virus has been detected in dozens of cattle across the country and the World Health Organization identified the first human death in Mexico.

“I really do think it’s very likely that we will, at some time, it’s not a question of if, it’s more of a question of when we will have a bird flu pandemic,” Redfield said.

He also noted that bird flu has a “significant mortality” when it enters humans compared to COVID-19. Redfield predicts the mortality is “probably somewhere between 25 and 50 percent mortality.” NewsNation noted that the death rate for COVID was 0.6 percent.

At the end of May, the CDC identified the third human case of someone diagnosed with the virus since March. None of the three cases among farmworkers were associated with one another. Symptoms have included a cough without fever and pink eye.

There is no evidence yet that the virus is spreading between humans. Redfield said he knows exactly what has to happen for the virus to get to that point because he’s done lab research on it.

Scientists have found that five amino acids must change in the key receptor in order for bird flu to gain a propensity to bind to a human receptor “and then be able to go human to human” like COVID-19 did, Redfield said.

“Once the virus gains the ability to attach to the human receptor and then go human to human, that’s when you’re going to have the pandemic,” he said. “And as I said, I think it’s just a matter of time.”

Redfield noted that he doesn’t know how long it will take for the five amino acids to change, but since it is being detected in cattle herds across the country, he is a bit concerned.

More than 40 cattle herds nationwide have confirmed cases of the virus. The CDC is tracking wastewater treatment sites to pinpoint where the virus is but the agency said the general public’s current risk of contracting the virus is low.

Since cattle live close to pigs and the virus is able to evolve from pigs to humans, there is cause for concern. Still, he argued, there is greater risk for the disease to be lab-grown.

“I know exactly what amino acids I have to change because in 2012, against my recommendation, the scientists that did these experiments actually published them,” he said. “So, the recipe for how to make bird flu highly infection for humans is already out there.”

Alex Jones Makes First Statements

Victory: Infowars Wins Court Battle To Stay Open

Support https://t.co/c7Lo59AJZ5 pic.twitter.com/KURytpyMQh

— Alex Jones (@RealAlexJones) June 15, 2024

The results of todays Infowars bankruptcy hearing are in. pic.twitter.com/x9lyobxMER

— Rob Dew (@DewsNewz) June 14, 2024

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday he is ready to make a ceasefire deal with Ukraine, but gave a list of demands for a deal Kyiv was unsatisfied with.

Russia has had the upper hand in its two-year war against Ukraine, making gains along eastern Europe and exhausting Ukrainian force’s manpower and armaments. Putin would order a ceasefire in Ukraine and start peace negotiations, so long as Kyiv withdraws all of its forces from four major regions in Eastern Ukraine and surrenders them to Russia, according to Russian state media.

“Today we are making another concrete, real peace proposal,” Putin said, according to Russian-state media. “If Kyiv and Western capitals refuse it … this is their business, their political and moral responsibility to continue the bloodshed. Obviously, the realities on the ground, on the line of engagement will continue to change, and not in favor of the Kiev regime. The conditions for the start of negotiations will change.”

Putin also made other demands, including that Kyiv recognize Crimea — a region of Ukraine annexed by Russia in 2014 — as Russian territory.

He said Ukraine must remain a non-nuclear country, limit its military forces and abandon its goal of joining the NATO alliance; Western nations also must lift their sanctions against Russia, according to The Associated Press.

Kyiv immediately rejected the deal on Friday, citing that the terms of the deal were “manipulative” and “absurd” and meant to “mislead the international community, undermine diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving a just peace, and split the unity of the world majority,” according to the AP.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted the deal at the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Italy on Friday, per Reuters.

“These are ultimatum messages that are no different from messages from the past,” Zelenskyy said on the sidelines of the summit, claiming that Russia would not abide by the agreement even if Kyiv accepted it, according to Reuters.

“He will not stop. It is the same thing that Hitler used to do … This is why we should not trust these messages.”

The U.S. and West have rallied behind Ukraine since Russia invaded the country in 2022, providing political, economic and military support; the U.S. alone has provided roughly $175 billion in aid for Ukrainian and European security.

Even with Western aid, however, Ukraine has struggled to repel Russian forces, which have largely recovered their losses initially sustained in the war.

A federal judge has blocked President Biden’s expansion of Title IX in four states, calling the mandatory gender identity protections an “abuse of power.”

U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty granted a preliminary injunction on Thursday, and referred to the Biden administration’s unilateral Title IX changes as a “threat to democracy.”

“This case demonstrates the abuse of power by executive federal agencies in the rulemaking process,” Doughty said in his ruling. “The separation of powers and system of checks and balances exist in this country for a reason.”

Doughty ruled that the changes were inadmissible because the term “gender discrimination” as used in the establishment of Title IX “only included discrimination against biological males and females at the time of enactment.”

Doughty ruled that the changes were inadmissible because the term “gender discrimination” as used in the establishment of Title IX “only included discrimination against biological males and females at the time of enactment.”

The ruling blocks implementation of the changes in Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana and Idaho.

Title IX is a longstanding civil rights law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in schools and other education centers that receive federal funding.

Under the administration’s new rules, sex discrimination would include discrimination based on gender identity as well as sexual orientation.

Read the Judge’s Ruling.

The latest update, from April, expands the definition of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity — a move that critics say would undermine hard-won protections for women and girls.

A school would not be able to separate or treat people differently based on sex, except in limited circumstances, under the provisions.

Critics say that the change will allow locker rooms and bathrooms to be based on gender identity.

LGBTQ+ students who face discrimination would be entitled to a response from their school under Title IX, and those failed by their schools can seek recourse from the federal government.

Advocates have hailed the change as necessary to protect transgender students. The rule is set to take effect Aug. 1.

Lawsuits against the Biden administration’s changes — similar to the Louisiana case — are underway in states across the country.

The Justice Department will not prosecute U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland for contempt, according to a letter sent from the agency to House Speaker Mike Johnson Friday.

The House voted Wednesday to hold Garland in contempt of Congress for refusing to turn over audio of President Biden’s interview with special counsel Robert Hur.

“Consistent with this longstanding position and uniform practice, the Department has determined that the responses by Attorney General Garland to the subpoenas issued by the Committees did not constitute a crime, and accordingly the Department will not bring the congressional contempt citation before a grand jury or take any other action to prosecute the Attorney General,” Assistant Attorney General Carlos Felipe Uriarte told Johnson in a letter.

In 2019 the DOJ also declined to bring charges against then Attorney General Bill Barr after a House vote to hold him in contempt for failing to comply with congressional subpoenas.

Uriarte noted that the DOJ provided lawmakers with Hur’s report without any additional redactions and facilitated his congressional testimony. It also produced transcripts of Hur’s interview with Biden and other materials.

“Notwithstanding the Department’s efforts to accommodate the Committees’ requests and the Committees’ lack of a sufficient need for the audio files that would further a legitimate congressional purpose, and despite the President’s directive, on May 16, 2024, the Committees adopted resolutions recommending that the House of Representatives (House) cite the Attorney General for contempt,” he wrote.

The 216-207 vote, with Republican Rep. Dave Joyce of Ohio voting against, came after months of digging by House Republicans to try to bring into public view as much material from the special counsel interview as possible. They argued the audio could provide critical context about Biden’s state of mind.

Democrats, meanwhile, have dismissed the request as a partisan attempt to politicize the Department of Justice.

Hur concluded that no criminal charges were warranted in Biden’s handling of classified documents but also said the 81-year-old president presented himself “as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory,” and that “it would be difficult to convince a jury that they should convict him — by then a former president well into his eighties — of a serious felony that requires a mental state of willfulness.”

After Wednesday’s vote, Garland said he was disappointed the House used its authority as a “partisan weapon.”

“Today’s vote disregards the constitutional separation of powers, the Justice Department’s need to protect its investigations and the substantial amount of information we have provided to the Committees,” he said. “I will always stand up for this Department, its employees, and its vital mission to defend our democracy.”