When the United States made a conscious decision to switch from producing goods to serving others, we were warned that eventually, all we would be good for is serving others. The long, slow decline of America is the result. We lost jobs, despite having far more people in the country. We became a white-collar country […] The post 40 Years of Manufacturing Decline Was by Design appeared first on www.independentsentinel.com.

French authorities have canceled the traditional New Year’s Eve concert on the Champs-Élysées, one of Paris’s most famous avenues, citing security and crowd-management concerns, while saying the city will proceed with a fireworks display and a televised countdown. The decision was made at the request of the Paris police prefecture, which warned that hosting a large open-air concert on the capital’s world-renowned street known for luxury shopping and restaurants posed unacceptable safety risks. In recent years, the celebration has drawn hundreds of thousands of people, at times approaching one million, requiring the deployment of thousands of police officers. The Champs-Élysées has reportedly become associated with violence from groups of Muslim migrants who have been looting stores and fighting with locals and law enforcement. City officials said the cancellation applies only to the live concert. Fireworks at the Arc de Triomphe are still expected to take place at midnight, and a prerecorded concert will be broadcast on national television instead. In a statement, police officials pointed to the difficulty of controlling dense, fluid crowds on the Champs-Élysées, particularly during a night associated with heavy alcohol consumption and spontaneous gatherings. Law enforcement also cited broader pressures on security forces during the holiday period. Christmas Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships Mayor Anne Hidalgo accepted the police recommendation, emphasizing that public safety must take precedence. Local officials from the 8th arrondissement, which includes the Champs-Élysées, supported the move, saying the avenue was not designed to safely host a large concert crowd. The decision has prompted political debate. “Les Republicains leader and former interior minister Bruno Retailleau condemned the move as a capitulation to rising ‘savagery,’ while left-wing mayoral hopeful Emmanuel Grégoire called it a ‘failure of responsibility’ that undermines Paris’s civic spirit,” European Conservative reported. “It’s obvious that this is the result of massive unvetted Muslim immigration into Europe,” Daniel Di Martino of the Manhattan Institute stated. “Western Europe has had a terrorism problem for many years now, and that has been exacerbated because of unvetted Islamic immigration as a result of the refugee crisis of over a decade ago.” The New Year’s Eve concert on the Champs-Élysées has been a fixture of Paris’s holiday celebrations in recent years, combining live music with the midnight fireworks. Officials said details of security arrangements for the fireworks and crowd access would be released closer to December 31. Police said the investigation and planning for the evening were ongoing and declined to provide further details.

An Arizona taco chain’s sudden shutdown after a sweeping ICE raid is exposing just how deep illegal labor and lax enforcement have burrowed into everyday American life. ICE Raid Shutters Popular Arizona Taco Chain Overnight On December 5, 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement led a sweeping operation across southern Arizona that effectively brought the Taco Giro restaurant chain to a standstill. Agents served 16 search warrants at restaurant locations and nearby homes, ultimately arresting 46 individuals from Mexico, most of them kitchen workers. Those detained represented roughly 10 percent of the company’s workforce, but their concentration in back-of-house roles crippled operations and forced an immediate systemwide shutdown. Taco Giro, founded in Tucson in 2008 by two brothers, had grown over 17 years into a regional name with eight or nine U.S. locations and one in Mexico, specializing in Sonoran-style dishes and micheladas. Management moved quickly to reassure loyal customers, posting an Instagram message on December 7 calling the closures a temporary pause for “necessary adjustments” to service and flavors. The statement notably avoided mentioning ICE, even as news reports detailed the scale of the federal operation. Allegations of Exploitation, Tax Evasion, and Illegal Hiring The raid followed a multi-year federal investigation into what authorities described as a “transnational criminal organization” operating through the restaurant network. Investigators scrutinized alleged off-the-books payments to undocumented workers, possible labor exploitation, and suspected tax evasion linked to how staff were hired and paid. Local law enforcement in Sierra Vista and Cochise County supported the operation, underscoring that this was not a routine workplace check but a coordinated effort to confront entrenched illegal practices. For conservatives who have watched illegal immigration undercut wages and strain public services, the Taco Giro case reflects a long-festering problem. When businesses rely on undocumented labor, they gain an unfair advantage over competitors who follow the law and pay proper payroll taxes. That imbalance punishes honest small-business owners and distorts local labor markets. Under Trump’s renewed enforcement push, federal agencies are signaling that the days of quietly tolerating such practices are ending, even when the violators are locally beloved eateries. Closures, Community Fallout, and Political Theater In the days after the raid, all of Taco Giro’s U.S. locations initially shut their doors as kitchens struggled to function without core staff. By December 9, three restaurants managed to reopen, but five remained closed indefinitely due to severe staffing shortages. Company leaders later indicated that at least two underperforming locations in Tucson and nearby Vail would close permanently, officially citing weak sales. Whatever the corporate framing, the reality for customers was clear: a familiar neighborhood chain had been thrown into uncertainty almost overnight. The enforcement action quickly became a political flashpoint. Protests erupted during the raid, with demonstrators attempting to disrupt ICE operations and clashing with officers. One participant, Rep. Adelita Grijalva, claimed she was pepper-sprayed despite identifying herself as a member of Congress, a charge federal officials denied. For many conservative viewers, the episode captured a familiar pattern: left-leaning politicians rushing to shield illegal workers and attack law enforcement, rather than addressing the underlying violations that triggered the raid in the first place. Rule of Law, Fair Competition, and Border Security Beyond one restaurant chain, the Taco Giro case exposes how deeply illegal labor has penetrated service industries in border states. Federal reporting has tied similar raids nationwide to reduced patronage at Latino-owned establishments, as fear spreads among undocumented workers and mixed-status families. Honest restaurateurs who hire legal workers and comply with tax law shoulder higher costs, while competitors cutting corners reap short-term gains. That imbalance undermines the free-market principles conservatives champion and rewards disregard for the law. Under Trump’s second term, the administration has pledged to close loopholes that allowed such systems to flourish, from tightening worksite enforcement to cracking down on human smuggling networks that feed illegal labor pipelines. The Taco Giro raid fits squarely into that promise: enforcing existing immigration laws, protecting legal workers from wage suppression, and defending communities from criminal organizations operating under the cover of everyday commerce. For readers frustrated by decades of open-border complacency, this case is a reminder that meaningful change starts with consistent, unapologetic enforcement. Sources: Arizona taco chain indefinitely closes all locations after ICE raid Mexican restaurant chain closing after ICE raids Taco Giro Arizona Mexican restaurant chain shut down locations after ICE raid Arizona Mexican chain closures: Taco Giro Feds arrest 46 in Southern Arizona restaurant raids

'We're continuing to ask for help'

'I heard someone yelling'

'There has to be reason'

Reiner's daughter found her parents deceased

'Far-left, pro-Palestine, anti-government, and anti-capitalist'

'not a huge priority for Maryland voters'