Drag queens and transgender-identifying persons had a sad day at the Capitol in Boise after Idaho state officials forced them to take down a Pride flag on the Transgender Day of Visibility.Mayor Lauren McLean choked up as she read a proclamation Tuesday regarding the trans day in front of about 60 people at a special City Council meeting.'Let me be clear: Boise's values have not changed, and they are not defined by any single action taken at the Statehouse.'The removal of the LGBTQ flag from city hall marked the end of a bitter feud between state and local officials."Many people in this state and around this country are seeking to divide us. They're seeking to divide us by targeting the most vulnerable among us," the liberal mayor said. "I want the people in this room to know that I see you. We see you. You are wanted, important, and unique members of our community." Among the attendees were Preston Pace, the co-founder of the transgender advocacy group Trans Joy Boise; Trans Affirm founder Arya Shae; and the members of the city council.They were also angry that Republican Idaho Gov. Brad Little chose that day to sign into law a bill that would protect women and girls by prohibiting people from using bathrooms of the opposite gender in government-owned buildings and places of public accommodation.McLean previously refused to follow the state edict against the flag but relented after officials passed a law saying violations would incur a $2,000 fine per day."Because the law includes a substantial penalty — one that would ultimately fall on the taxpayers of Boise to shoulder — I decided to take down the city's official Pride flag," reads a statement from McLean. "But let me be clear: Boise's values have not changed, and they are not defined by any single action taken at the Statehouse."At a rally in front of the Capitol, a gender-queer folk singer played music and a drag queen performed in honor of the Transgender Day of Visibility.Idaho state Rep. Ted Hill, a Republican who sponsored the bill, said it was a direct response to McLean refusing to take down the flag.A Blaze News request for comment from the Idaho Attorney General's Office was not immediately returned. RELATED: Leftist mayor ignores deep-red state law, flies racial LGBTQ flag McLean said the city officials are reviewing their options to fight the law and erect their Pride flag once again, but the Idaho Statesman reported that a legal analyst said the law was likely valid.In the evening, officials lit up the city hall in the colors of the transgender flag.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Socialist New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani faced fierce criticism when he responded to the death of a 7-month-old baby girl who was struck by a stray bullet in Brooklyn.The tragic death of Kaori Patterson-Moore on Wednesday led to demands for change from the community, but Mamdani fell back on tired old tropes.'We all know you still hate police and policing and would dine with this vile criminal if you could get away with it, politically.'"This is not the first family in our city to know this pain," Mamdani said during a media briefing Thursday."Too many children have never grown up into becoming adults," he added. "Too many parents have had to bury those that they love the most. We cannot accept this as normal in our city. We cannot grow numb to this pain, and today is a devastating reminder of just how much more work there is to be done to combat gun violence across this city."Critics saw the statement as blaming guns rather than criminals."Literally anything but blaming the criminals who our system releases onto our streets repeatedly, over and over again, with no consequences," said NYC Republican Councilwoman Vickie Paladino. "Absolute disgrace.""Framing this as a gun problem rather than an evil gangbanger problem is more familiar territory for a self-styled progressive," said Manhattan Institute fellow Rafael A. Mangual to Fox News Digital, "whose political base is constituted by people simultaneously (if dissonantly) committed to the cause of 'gun control' as well as efforts to reorient the criminal justice system to be more lenient toward the offenders who pull triggers.""We should focus on the family's loss today. But every time you now 'thank NYPD,' it burns my blood after you spent your career attacking them and coddling criminals," replied attorney Jim Walden, who ran against Mamdani.RELATED: Curtis Sliwa cozies up to Mamdani in cutesy cat comedy sketch — and Republicans are calling him a traitor "You really should be ashamed of yourself, @NYCMayor," Walden added. "But we all know you still hate police and policing and would dine with this vile criminal if you could get away with it, politically."Police have arrested a suspect in the shooting who was allegedly caught on surveillance video. The video shows one man apparently shooting while riding as a passenger on a moped being driven by another man. The driver is being sought by police. The baby's family said she had just learned to say her first word, which was "mama." Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

The Department of Homeland Security has shut down a Democrat suggesting that an immigrant had been targeted over his skin color or religious beliefs.Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin posted an article about the detention of the president of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, the largest mosque in Wisconsin, by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.'This terrorist will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.' The report said Salah Sarsour was a legal permanent resident of the U.S. for more than three decades. Local activists accused the Trump administration of targeting pro-Palestinian voices."They want to criminalize advocacy for Palestine," said Othman Atta, another leader at the mosque, at a rally to oppose the detention. "That is the only reason that he is being targeted. There is nothing else."Baldwin pounced to accuse ICE of racism as well."Salah is here lawfully and has been a productive member of our community for 30 years," she claimed. "This looks like ICE targeting someone because of their skin color or what they believe — and that is not the American way. This doesn't make us safer. We need answers why ICE targeted Salah."Several hours later, she got those answers from DHS."ICE arrested a Jordanian national with a prior conviction for THROWING A MOLOTOV COCKTAIL at the homes of Israeli Forces," DHS responded on social media."He lied on his immigration application and became a green card holder under President Clinton," the department added. "This terrorist will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings."RELATED: Mamdani cites Quran and quotes Muhammed while announcing order to protect illegal aliens from ICE Atta added that Sarsour's wife and six children are U.S. citizens. He also claimed that U.S. authorities had known about the arrest by Israeli authorities since Sarsour immigrated to the U.S. in 1993."He is being deported because he's exercising his right of freedom of speech," Atta added.Sarsour also owns at least three furniture stores in the Milwaukee area and was called a pillar of the community by his adult son.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Chinese illegal aliens were arrested by the Department of Homeland Security after their son allegedly brought an explosive device to an Air Force base and their daughter allegedly helped him cover his tracks. Qiu Qin Zou and Jia Zhang Zheng were denied asylum and were residing illegally in the United States. Their children Ann Mary Zheng and Alen Zheng are U.S. citizens. 'Her brother ... had attempted to damage government property by fire or explosion,' the DOJ alleges.The Department of Justice charged Ann Mary for allegedly assisting Alen after he allegedly planted the explosive device at MacDill Air Force Base visitor center in Tampa. Alen has been charged with attempted damage of government property by fire or explosion, unlawful making of a destructive device, and possession of an unregistered destructive device. Ann Mary has been charged with evidence tampering and assisting after the fact.Ann Mary and Alen fled to China on March 12. Ann Mary was arrested when she returned to the United States on March 17, while her brother is believed to still be in China.The DHS arrested their parents on March 18 for illegal entry, and they remain in ICE custody, according to the Daily Wire. RELATED: Trump makes history at SCOTUS birthright citizenship hearing Ann Mary Zheng. DHS"Ann Mary Zheng, knowing that her brother, Alen Zheng, had attempted to damage government property by fire or explosion, assisted him in order to hinder and prevent his apprehension, trial, and punishment," a DOJ press release reads. "The indictment also charges Ann Mary Zheng with corruptly altering, destroying, mutilating, and concealing a 2010 black Mercedes-Benz GLK 350 with the intent to impair its integrity and availability for use in the federal prosecution of Alen Zheng."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!