At least 34 people died Thursday as nearly 50,000 illegal migrants invaded the Spanish territory of Ceuta from Morocco. Many of the deaths were drownings as migrants attempted to swim into Ceuta. Others were killed when they were trampled as the swarm of people broke down gates and overwhelmed Spanish border officials. Most of the migrants appear to be young men. Leftist Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who recently paved the way for a million illegal migrants to obtain legal status, claimed he would end the chaos.  “The Government of Spain is fully committed to providing an immediate response to the situation in Ceuta,” he said. “We are mobilizing all necessary resources, working with Moroccan and international authorities, and preparing the necessary measures to restore normalcy as soon as possible.” Later on Friday, he added that the migrant flood “deserves our full reproach, our condemnation at the strongest possible level of rejection, condemnation, and consideration as deplorable.” The military has been mobilized to respond to the massive influx of illegal migrants who were emboldened by a decision from Spain’s Supreme Court that migrants crossing by sea cannot be immediately deported. As they pushed past border officials, migrants reportedly chanted “Bye Bye Morocco, hello Spain.” Almost 50,000 migrants entered Ceuta and they flooded the streets. One video shared online shows a man pooping in the streets.  “Businesses closed. Shops shut because if you open a business, it gets overrun. … We’re scared. The streets are packed. There are no measures in place. It’s every man for himself. They’re not giving us any help,” one local restaurant owner said.  Another local described the event as an “apocalypse.”  Migrant Ajoub el-Arrot told The New York Times he entered Ceuta looking for a job.  “I don’t know why they let us through. Maybe they had some political reason,” he said. “They opened the border and let everyone go by.” Another person told Reuters that he simply pushed past the police.  “It was very tough,” Jadid Zacaria said. “The police tried to stop us. But our will and determination allowed us to come here.” Santiago Abascal of the Right-wing Vox party said the influx was welcomed by Sánchez.  “They’re not fleeing from war or poverty. It’s an invasion,” he said. “They are military-aged men invited by Pedro Sanchez’s corrupt government to storm our borders so they can roam Spain’s streets shouting ‘Viva Pedro Sanchez.’”  In response to the videos coming from Ceuta, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Italy is “prepared to intervene with extraordinary measures to defend the borders and the safety of citizens, including the suspension of the Schengen Area with Spain.” The Schengen Area is a zone that allows people to travel between 29 European countries without border checks. “The images coming from Ceuta are striking and demonstrate, once again, that uncontrolled illegal immigration poses a concrete threat to the security of Europe’s borders.” she said. “On illegal immigration, we will not yield an inch: defending the borders, stopping human traffickers, and ensuring effective repatriations will continue to be the line of this Government.” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the situation in Ceuta “unacceptable.”  “We cannot allow anyone to come to our Union without abiding by our rules,” she said. “Dangerous crossings must stop immediately. Smuggling networks must be dismantled. And returns must be swift, as our rules allow.”

President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to the country after tens of thousands of African migrants stormed across the Moroccan border into the Spanish territory of Ceuta on Thursday.  “It’s terrible. Remember that picture. That’s going to be us in three years if the wrong side gets in,” Trump said during a phone interview with Fox News reporter Jacqui Heinrich on Friday morning. “If the Democrats get in, you will not live a very good life.” Trump’s comments came after almost 50,000 migrants rushed across the border into Ceuta, a Spanish territory on the tip of Morocco, bringing widespread chaos and unrest. At least 34 people died as thousands of migrants, mostly young men, attempted to swim or force their way into Ceuta.  The migrants, emboldened by the lax immigration policies of leftist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, brought chaos to the streets of Ceuta, causing fear among locals who were overwhelmed by the flood.  The images were reminiscent of video captured during the Biden administration of a large mob of young men breaking down razor wire and fencing to storm past Texas National Guard troops stationed in El Paso. Over seven million illegal immigrants from all over the world crossed the United States border during President Joe Biden’s presidency.  Many other Republicans echoed Trump’s comments in response to the scenes of chaos from Spain.  “The Democrats did this to America every single day for 4 years under Biden and will do it again instantaneously, but orders of magnitude greater, if they are given any form of national power. Democrats will see your home trampled and stolen by invaders and they will rejoice,” White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller said.  The Democrats did this to America every single day for 4 years under Biden and will do it again instantaneously, but orders of magnitude greater, if they are given any form of national power. Democrats will see your home trampled and stolen by invaders and they will rejoice. https://t.co/HKRKAOOkmi — Stephen Miller (@StephenM) July 30, 2026 “This is what the defund ICE Democrats (even in Arkansas, Dems are openly campaigning on defunding ICE) see as a model,” said Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR). “They see open borders as a tool to import the third-world and fundamentally change America.” “What’s happening in Spain should be a warning to every American who may have forgotten about what our borders looked like the last time Democrats were in power: All it takes is one election for your nation to become unrecognizable,” said Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX).

This piece is part of MI x DW, a collaboration that brings Daily Wire readers exclusive commentary and research from the Manhattan Institute’s world-class team of scholars. *** This summer marks 30 years since President Bill Clinton signed the landmark 1996 welfare reform into law. His successors in today’s Democratic Party will commemorate the event by repudiating everything that welfare reform symbolized. The party increasingly belongs to hardline socialists who promise universal benefits, unconditional cash, and higher taxes on “the rich” to pay for it all. The leftward drift is measurable. New Manhattan Institute polling finds that 49% of left-leaning voters identify more closely with democratic socialists than traditional liberals. That includes 67% of those under age 35. But momentum inside the Democratic coalition should not be mistaken for momentum with the American public. MI’s polling shows that Clintonian politics — championing work, public order, and mainstream values — remains a winning formula for the Left, the Right, or whoever decides to seize the opportunity. Clinton, one of just two Democrats elected president between 1968 and 2008, won by demonstrating that a Democrat could say no to his political movement’s most radical faction. His public rebuke of one extremist even gave rise to the term “Sister Souljah moment” to describe precisely that kind of political break. His promise to “end welfare as we know it,” another break, culminated in the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act — signed just months before he became the first Democrat since Franklin Roosevelt to win a second full presidential term. Thirty years later, Democrats may have moved on from Clinton’s formula, but the American public largely hasn’t. Nearly three-quarters of voters (74%) support requiring welfare recipients to show that they are seeking work, including majorities of Democrats and more than six in ten somewhat left-leaning voters. Voters prefer assistance targeted to those genuinely unable to provide for themselves over universal benefits by 67% to 24%, and by 65% to 21% they say that the safety net should guarantee a decent minimum standard of living rather than reduce income inequality. Fully 80%, spanning every demographic and political subgroup, would rather provide benefits in the form of food, housing, and health care than as unrestricted cash transfers. The socialist alternative has no mass constituency. Voters oppose universal basic income by 50% to 32%. Just 10% would raise taxes to fund more generous benefits. And when told that Nordic-style universal welfare systems require higher taxes on middle- and working-class households, only 13% would accept that trade-off for families like their own. That doesn’t mean that Americans have turned against the safety net. A plurality believes welfare helps people get back on their feet rather than fostering dependency, while 48% say government has an obligation to guarantee every American a basic standard of living. Still, there are signs that the Republican agenda on welfare is more popular than left-wing critics assert. Voters back the Republican-championed 2025 expansion of SNAP work requirements by 57% to 32%. Seventy-three percent say that waste, fraud, and abuse—a major focus of GOP officeholders in recent months—should be a congressional priority, including 57% of Democrats. Taken together, the findings describe a coherent philosophy of welfare. Americans favor meaningful support for those who need it, conditioned on work where possible, coupled with an evenhanded approach to combatting fraud and abuse. That is, in fact, the bargain Clinton brokered a generation ago. But it’s not obvious which party owns that deal today. Asked whom they trust to manage welfare programs responsibly, voters split, with 39% saying Democrats and 36% saying Republicans. Forty-six percent of independents trust neither party. The DSA rejects the public consensus on welfare. Republicans have tapped into it, but not reliably. The right model for the GOP looks like Argentinian President Javier Milei’s campaign against bureaucratic bloat. When enforcement appears motivated by grievance, Republicans will squander an issue that should be theirs. That leaves a wide opening for Democrats willing to run on welfare pragmatism. Crime and public order offer Democrats a similar opportunity. Voters support the death penalty for egregious crimes by 58% to 28%, with independents favoring it by more than two to one. Roughly four in five reject abolishing police departments, prisons, or U.S. borders, including majorities of even very left-leaning voters. Clinton understood this terrain as well, pairing welfare reform with an unapologetic commitment to public order. Many Democrats understand that they need to ditch the “defund” movement, and leaning into law and order could help them win back the moderate center as Clinton did. Some Democrats will argue that the party is winning even without moving to the middle, pointing to its lead on the generic congressional ballot and President Trump’s 44% approval rating. But that advantage depends primarily on opposition to Trump rather than enthusiasm for the Democratic agenda, with one in 10 voters still undecided and one-quarter of independents on the fence. Anti-Trumpism may help with short-term gains, but it has not delivered a consistent governing majority. Democrats have spent much of the past decade letting their most radical fringe define the party, while allowing Republicans to define everyone else. The 30th anniversary of welfare reform offers an excellent opportunity to change course. Moderate Democrats need to acquire Clinton’s confidence and flair for disappointing the loudest voices inside the party in order to appeal to the quieter majority outside it. Our polling suggests that this majority still exists on welfare, work, and crime — if Democrats are willing to trust it. *** This is republished with permission from the Manhattan Institute’s City Journal. The original can be found here. Jesse Arm is the vice president of external affairs at the Manhattan Institute. Sean Speer is a Technical Writer at the Manhattan Institute.

Welcome to the Bright Side, a weekly roundup of all the good news and ideas you might have missed from the past week. *** Break out the confetti because Punch the monkey just turned one this week! It’s been a journey since this adorable Japanese macaque first broke the internet, but I’m happy to report Punch is thriving.  In the time since his mother abandoned him as an infant, leaving him alone in the world with his IKEA stuffed orangutan buddy, he’s made lots of monkey friends in his habit. And word on the street is he’s even got a girlfriend! (They grow up so fast.) The Ichikawa City Zoo reports Punch has already received more than 2,500 birthday cards from fans who identified with his struggle to belong. One human visitor who was raised without her mother got teary as she told ABC, “I feel like [I] have the same vibe as Punch.” You could celebrate Punch’s birthday by eating a banana, but these four-ingredient banana bites might add a little more fun to the festivities. Here’s to Punch — and whatever band of monkeys you happen to be hanging out with this weekend.  Jimothy, but make him art It’s officially Jimothy summer. Just as the most awkward raccoon outside of Seattle was commended for his “resilience” by being named “Washingtonian of The Day,” a local art contest revealed the insatiable fever around this hunchback bandit.  People gathered in Seattle to share art inspired by Jimothy, the city’s beloved unique-looking raccoon, at an art contest hosted by Seattle City Council members. Attendees voted on which piece of Jimothy art would be displayed in City Hall. https://t.co/z061XbW2Wf pic.twitter.com/fsRw4GhVhQ — The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) July 28, 2026 As an art school graduate (hold on, let me slide my spectacles up the bridge of my nose), I was partial to the hilarious papier-mâché Jimothy-on-a-stick, as well as the piñata, stuffed animal, and denim jacket interpretations. Of course, the winners deserve their laurels. Kudos to whoever created the stunning stained-glass “Saint Jimothy” masterpiece as well as the oil painting of his likeness, both of which will spend the rest of Jimothy summer on display at city hall. Why do we like tiny things so much? My Amazon algorithm is determined to sell me on miniatures. Every other “for you” suggestion involves microscopic soft-serve ice cream machines, 1:12 replica grocery items, and scaled-down greenhouse dioramas with functional lighting and thimble-sized fauna. I have yet to buy a single item, but like it or not, Amazon tells us what we want.  When I lived in Los Angeles, I was obsessed with the smaller garbage truck that crawled around the winding Hollywood Hills, collecting the leftover debris of the rich and famous. It was half the size of the usual truck, and since it was built with the exact same proportions, it was cute. Spotting it was like seeing WALL-E out on his mission for the day. I imagine this toddler feels similarly, in reverse, being the small one admiring the great big garbage truck that regularly drives by his house. A toddler who is obsessed with his neighborhood garbage truck got to meet his idol when a sanitation worker stopped to say hello and give him a present. pic.twitter.com/TXqUegc6dS — Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) July 24, 2026 But the (mini!) gift from the friendly sanitation worker? So sweet. There’s a psychological aspect to our love of the teeny-tiny. Along with the sense of control we feel when interacting with fun-sized objects, organized or neatly designed miniatures present a calming order, which can ease feelings of chaos in actual-size life. Admiring something small, even a mini garbage can, evokes a sense of magic. As one tiny taco company explains, it can serve as “a playful reminder of our size in relation to the world.”  Something to hold on to My parents recently forced me to listen to them talk about their end-of-life plans. (For the record, I hate this conversation. But like Algebra II, it may be useful someday 200 years from now. Hopefully Jesus comes back first.) On a lighter related note, a survey by 1-800-GOT-JUNK revealed exactly what possessions people actually hope to inherit from their dearly departed. Spoiler alert: It’s almost nothing. Take your Beanie Babies and Precious Moments figurines to the gulag, and send cash.    View this post on Instagram   A post shared by 1-800-GOT-JUNK? (@1800gotjunk) Maybe it’s because no one has the room for extra stuff, or that one great aunt’s treasures become her great niece’s trash, but many Americans hope to inherit “a few” things from a loved one, instead of everything. (And half would prefer zilch.) A list of my favorite “aw, you shouldn’t have” keepsakes that people have actually received: “A pair of lamps in the shape of legs” “An antique dentist chair” “A talking fish”  “A statue of Abraham Lincoln” Brian Scudamore, CEO and founder of 1‑800‑GOT‑JUNK, knows these are more than late-night QVC impulse-buys. “The things people leave behind are never really just things — they’re memory, identity, and sometimes, unfinished conversations,” he says. Maybe that talking fish can keep the dialogue flowing … to the tune of “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” One more for the road … after watching this video of a squirrel snuggling someone’s fingers, assistant editor Andie Valdes revealed she’s on a mission to pet the wild bunnies in her neighborhood. Saying “hi” hasn’t worked so far. Send help (and tips in the comments — or email)! While we wait for updates on BunnyWatch ’26, have a wonderful weekend! — Lauren 

Despite the many current challenges America is facing — and the propaganda media’s constant efforts to attack the administration and conservatives — Republicans have a tremendous opportunity before them in November. The key to a Republican victory will be making the midterm elections about one question: Which party is better for you, your family, and America? This is the path to an historic victory for President Donald J. Trump and Republicans in 2026. While the question is simple, convincing Americans to choose the GOP will be difficult. After all, the left-wing media has spent 11 years emphasizing every negative story about President Trump and Republicans — and downplaying all positive ones. Similarly, the Democrats’ disdain for Trump has led them to stop him at all costs — even if that means undermining our security, weakening our economy, or disrupting our government’s ability to function. Winning requires Republicans to understand and communicate four big ideas about the nature of reality and the facts and truth of the situation. The GOP should treat each as its own campaign. The Socialists Are Taking Over The greatest vulnerability of the 2026 Democrats is the degree to which they have become the party of big government socialism and weird values. The pattern of Democrats moving toward openly socialist, anti-American positions is building. Consider the spate of recent candidates in New York, including Darializa Avila Chevalier, who boasted about using the American flag as a napkin. This is creating an opportunity to brand the Democrats for a generation or more as unelectable. Republicans have a simple case to make: Big government socialism does not create jobs, increase wages, train people for the future, make people healthier, or simply work at a practical level. It just runs out of other people’s money to spend. Of course, establishment Democrats and the media are trying to downplay this shift in the party. But when establishment Democrats get to Washington, they talk and vote like big government socialists to appease the activist fundraising apparatus. Even those who are inoculated from the socialist strain would rather stop Trump than help Americans. We Must Bring Down Costs Republicans must have an intense, compelling, focused plan for affordability and jobs with good incomes. A recent Pew Poll found that 73% of Americans said healthcare costs were a major problem, 66% said food and consumer costs were a problem, 62% said housing affordability was a major problem. Ultimately, Republicans must go where the people are — not try to get people to come to where their campaign would be comfortable. A Republican Affordability and Jobs Plan is a major building block of victory. Part of it also must describe what Democrats are doing to kill jobs, raise prices, and undermine affordability — while outlining what President Trump and Republicans have done to help raise family incomes and create opportunity and jobs. Be the America Party President Trump’s focus on patriotic and foundational cultural issues and emphasis on America and the Freedom 250 project have set the stage for Republicans to become the American Party (much as Thomas Jefferson’s Democratic-Republican Party became the American Party, which marginalized the Federalists). A positive President Trump-Republican campaign emphasizing popular 70% to 90% issues that the Democrats demonstrably oppose — and appealing to everyone who cares about those issues — would strengthen the image of the Republican Party and isolate the Democrats. The Healthcare Opportunity New science, technology, and understanding of how to stay healthy are creating an opportunity for a health-oriented Republican program to create a totally new dialogue around healthcare. Efforts to make the healthcare system more transparent and understandable to everyday people will expose waste and abuse and bring down costs. Healthcare is a matter of life and death — and makes up about 18% of the national economy. It is the highest value for most Americans at a practical level. If Republicans can become the party of a healthy America, we would create an opportunity involving every life in our country. Because this is the boldest and newest development, it will take more training for members, candidates, staffers, committees, and campaigns to talk about it comfortably. It offers an enormous opportunity to work with the American people in a positive program that dramatically broadens Republican appeal and shows us as the caring, compassionate, problem-solving party that we are. In the process of helping people lead healthier, better lives, we would also liberate several trillion dollars now tied up in wasteful, bureaucratic, bad policies, and obsolete approaches. It has always been harder to govern than to campaign. This is why historically the party in the White House normally loses seats in the midterm elections. If the liberal media and the Democrats can make 2026 a referendum on the current state of things, they might be able to win a normal off-year victory. However, if Republicans decisively win these four arguments, 2026 will be one of the most historic elections in our 250-year history. *** This is republished with permission from the author. The original can be found here. Newt Gingrich was the Republican Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999. He is the creator of the Gingrich360 newsletter. Follow him on Twitter @NewtGingrich.