A federal judge blocked a Texas law Thursday that allows local police to arrest migrants who cross into the state illegally. U.S. District Court Judge David Alan Ezra‚ a Reagan appointee‚ said in a 114-page ruling that the law‚ SB 4‚ “threatens the fundamental notion that the United States must regulate immigration with one voice.” He issued a preliminary injunction preventing the law from taking effect while the case proceeds‚ finding Texas was “unlikely to succeed on the merits” and noting the government would “suffer grave irreparable harm” if the law took effect. “If allowed to proceed‚ SB 4 could open the door to each state passing its own version of immigration laws‚” Ezra wrote. “The effect would moot the uniform regulation of immigration throughout the country and force the federal government to navigate a patchwork of inconsistent regulations.” Breaking: A district judge has granted the federal government's request for a preliminary injunction against #SB4‚ the recently passed #txlege border bill."In the final analysis‚ it is clear that the plaintiffs‚ particularly the US‚ will suffer grave irreparable harm were SB4… pic.twitter.com/kbTmbEdRcn— Brad Johnson (@bradj_TX) February 29‚ 2024 Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed the bill into law in December as part of a border security package in response to record numbers of illegal crossings at the border. “The Court is sympathetic to Texas’s concerns at the border‚ but to say that the Biden Administration has ‘abandoned’ the field of immigration is to take hyperbolic criticism literally‚” Ezra wrote. “Contrary to Texas’s position‚ the record is replete with examples and evidence of the federal government carrying out its immigration duties.” The Biden Department of Justice sued the state in January‚ claiming the state law was preempted by federal law and violates the Constitution. The ACLU also sued the state the day after Abbott signed the bill into law. Originally published by the Daily Caller News Foundation Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post Federal Judge Blocks Texas Law That Would Allow Law Enforcement to Arrest Illegal Migrants appeared first on The Daily Signal.

President Joe Biden visited the southern border Thursday in Brownsville‚ Texas‚ where he delivered remarks flanked by local officials and by his recently impeached secretary of homeland security‚ Alejandro Mayorkas.  Biden made numerous claims and largely blamed Republicans for the influx of millions of illegal aliens because a compromise border security bill failed to pass the Senate.  As the president exited after his remarks‚ a reporter shouted: “Mr. President‚ do you bear any responsibility for Laken Riley’s death?” Riley‚ 22‚ is the nursing student murdered last week while jogging on the campus of the University of Georgia in Athens‚ Georgia‚ a so-called sanctuary city for illegal immigrants. A graduate of the school‚ she was enrolled at a nearby university. Charged with murder in Riley’s bludgeoning death: an illegal alien from Venezuela who crossed into the U.S. in 2022 and may have benefited from the Biden administration’s mass parole policies.  1. ‘Long Past Time to Act‘ Biden‚ with U.S. Border Patrol agents behind him‚ presented himself as trying hard to address illegal immigration and border issues‚ telling his audience in Texas: “It’s long past time to act.” Biden insisted that Congress must act by passing the bipartisan border security deal that stalled recently in the Senate.  “They desperately need more resources‚ need more agents‚ more officers‚ more equipment in order to secure our border‚” Biden said. “Folks‚ it’s time for us to move on this. It can’t wait any longer.” However‚ the president has a menu of options under his authority—just as he acted in his first 100 days and beyond to roll back the Trump administration’s border security measures.  The Biden administration has the authority to detain‚ expel‚ and deport illegal immigrants under current federal immigration law‚ as well as under international agreements.  Specifically‚ Biden could have used the Migrant Protection Protocols with Mexico and the Asylum Cooperative Agreements with Central American countries to keep most potential asylum claimants outside the U.S. until their claims could be heard by U.S. immigration courts‚ noted Simon Hankinson‚ a senior research fellow in the Border Security and Immigration Center at The Heritage Foundation. (The Daily Signal is Heritage’s news outlet.) To suggest the president is dependent on Congress would be disingenuous‚ since Biden is familiar with taking executive action on border security and immigration policy. Biden’s first 100 days as president offer greater context‚ since he took 94 separate executive actions related to immigration.  The office of House Speaker Mike Johnson‚ R-La.‚ counted 64 executive actions by Biden that made border security worse‚ such as doing away with the “Remain in Mexico” policy to adjudicate asylum claims‚ halting the Trump administration’s construction of a wall at the southern border‚ and expanding “catch and release” of illegal border crossers.  Biden took 89 executive actions that specifically “reversed or started to undo Trump policies‚” according to the Migration Policy Institute. 2. ‘My First Day as President’ Biden noted a bill that he proposed on his first day in office.  “In my first day as president‚ I introduced a bill I sent to Congress‚ a comprehensive plan to fix the broken immigration system and fix the border. No action was taken‚” Biden said. It’s true that on Jan. 20‚ 2021‚ the White House announced that the new president was sending a “comprehensive” immigration bill to a Democrat-controlled Congress that would include some border security measures as well as a “pathway to citizenship” for illegal immigrants‚ which critics call amnesty for lawbreakers. Most Republican lawmakers argue that the nation must regain control of its borders from illegal aliens before moving to address the legal immigration process. 3. ‘Backlog’ of Immigration Cases Biden talked about the immigration bill that recently failed to pass the Senate‚ which would add 1‚500 Border Patrol agents to man the border and 100 immigration judges to adjudicate asylum cases.  “We also need more immigration judges to help handle the backlog. There are 2 million cases‚” Biden said. “This bipartisan deal would provide funding for 100 more immigration judges immediately. It would also establish a new‚ efficient‚ and fair process for the government to consider asylum claims for those arriving at our border. Today‚ to get a decision on an asylum claim takes five to seven years.” Interestingly‚ Biden explained that the backlog could be a magnate for illegal immigrants to cross and claim asylum—knowing that it will take years before a judge hears their case.  “We say‚ OK‚ you’ve been in the country but come back in five to seven years‚ maybe as many as eight years‚ and you’ll get a hearing before a judge to determine if you can stay‚” Biden said in his remarks in Texas. “This will encourage more people to come to the country if they’ve got another five‚ seven‚ or eight years before they have to do anything.”  However‚ on Feb. 2‚ 2021‚ Biden signed an executive order to eliminate the Trump administration’s agreement with Mexico known as the “Remain in Mexico” policy‚ and officially called the Migrant Protection Protocols.  Lora Ries‚ director of the Border Security and Immigration Center at The Heritage Foundation‚ contends that the Left has encouraged mass asylum applications‚ which clogs the immigration courts. She said the Justice Department hasn’t limited the number of motions and appeals‚ resulting in some illegal immigrants’ gaming the court system to prolong their stay in the U.S.  4. ‘Toughest Set of Border Security Reforms’ Biden called for the Senate to take up the border security bill again after it failed to pass a procedural hurdle. If Johnson allowed the bill to come to a House floor vote‚ the president said‚ it would pass.  “It’s the toughest set of border security reforms we have ever seen in this country‚” Biden said. “Pretty basic. With this deal‚ we could hire 1‚500 additional border security agents.” Critics say it isn’t close to the toughest.  The bill would put the policy of catch and release “into law‚” Sen. Ted Cruz‚ R-Texas‚ says. The Texas Republican argued that the 370-page bill “normalized 5‚000 illegal aliens [crossing the border] a day.”  Cruz was referring to a provision stipulating that the border would be shut down after 5‚000 crossings over seven consecutive days or 8‚500 in one day—a policy that would stay in place for three years. However‚ this provision would allow about 1‚400 asylum-seekers to cross the border at official entry points every day.  Most of the Senate’s $118 billion bill would go toward more U.S. aid for Ukraine’s defense against Russia‚ although it also contained aid to Israel.  A White House “fact sheet” acknowledges that the Senate immigration bill would have provided $1.4 billion to sanctuary jurisdictions such as Athens‚ Georgia‚ which don’t enforce immigration laws. In the words of the White House‚ this would supply “critical services to newcomers” and “expedite work permits for people who are in the country and qualify.” The bill also wouldn’t restore the Trump administration’s “Remain in Mexico” policy for asylum-seekers.  The legislation that failed to pass the Senate also stipulates that $2.3 billion would go to “qualified organizations‚ including nonprofit entities‚” for what it calls “refugee and entrant assistance activities.” This would continue the subsidizing of nongovernmental organizations that facilitate illegal aliens’ travel from a border state to other states. The Federal Emergency Management Agency would get up to $1.4 billion to distribute to nonprofit groups if certain security hiring and deportation numbers were hit. Although “toughest” is a subjective term‚ it’s not clear the Senate bill is tougher than border security legislation passed by the Republican-controlled House in May 2023. That bill would increase manpower‚ technology‚ and transparency in the Department of Homeland Security‚ which is headed by Biden’s appointee‚ Mayorkas.  Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post Fact-Checking 4 Biden Border Claims appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Too Soon? Venezuelans Fear Backlash after Laken Riley's Murder

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Federal Judge Blocks Texas Border Security Law

Univision’s news division has long been known as a liberal messaging pit‚ eagerly echoing whatever talking points come out of Democrat White Houses. Such is the case during Univision’s midday newscast‚ when reporting on President Joe Biden’s recent medical examination. Watch as anchors Carolina Sarassa and Borja Voces marvel over Biden’s mental capabilities‚ as aired on Univision Newscast Digital Edition on Thursday‚ February 29th‚ 2024: BORJA VOCES: It should be noted that it is important to remember this‚ Carolina‚ that Biden's doctor said that‚ in the president's annual physical‚ he says that he has the condition and faculties to fulfill his duty. CAROLINA SARASSA: And we are talking about this because surely you will remember that President Biden's health has been questioned recently‚ especially after that report from special counsel Robert Hur who decided that he was not going to file charges against the president over those documents that he kept in his office and also at home‚ because it supposedly said that he did not have mental faculties and that he was a person with a bad memory‚ so what he says‚ well‚ I think the doctor somewhat disproves that theory on the part of the special counsel. VOCES: He also doesn't give many details‚ for example‚ in the case of his memory‚ right? Which is an issue that was talked about a great deal after the special counsel’s report. What is clear is we know that he can fulfill his duties- he can fulfill his duties as president for additional years. SARASSA: It's good- it's good to know‚ right? Good to know‚ indeed.  Univision has done everything in their power to avoid reporting on Biden’s physical frailty and obviously declining mental faculties. Special Editorial Advisor to the CEO Jorge Ramos has written columns suggesting that it is ageism to question Biden’s declining health in any way. During Biden’s speeches‚ he is usually paired with one of the best (if not the best) interpreter in the business‚ who makes anyone sound like a president out of central casting. Biden’s decline has been well hidden from Univision’s audience‚ purely by design. Even now‚ there was zero mention of the fact that Biden didn’t actually take a cognitive test. The anchors simply parrot the White House’s talking points‚ North Korean-style. And so it is that we come to today’s edition of the midday newscast‚ which were I the type to swear‚ I’d swear was created for the sole purpose of making their audience dumber. This is the newscast‚ you’ll recall‚ that features men wearing skirts‚ collecting Barbies‚ or dressing like Barbies. So there is an established track record when it comes to how male virility is portrayed. That is one rationale that I can come up with to explain why they’d report on Biden’s medical exam in such a cavalier manner‚ reflecting wanton disregard for their viewers’ intellect.  The other‚ likelier rationale‚ is that Univision remains a partisan Democrat SuperPAC with a broadcast license‚ and is trying to exert influence upon their viewers so they ignore what lies before them in plain sight. That President Biden is in obvious physical and mental decline.   

Sen. John Fetterman is reportedly open to considering H.R. 2‚ an immigration bill championed by House Republicans.The Pennsylvania Democrat‚ who is increasingly proving to be a thorn in the side of Democrats‚ supports "most" of H.R. 2‚ Fox News correspondent Chad Pergram reported on Thursday. But what Fetterman doesn't support is altering the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program‚ otherwise known as DACA."I analyzed it closely‚" Fetterman said of the bill. "And the the one thing that I cannot support is that it effectively ends DACA at all. But anything other than that‚ that all can be on the table for me."My only kill switch on that is DACA. You know‚ DACA must be protected. But the rest can be on the table‚" he added. — (@) Not only is Fetterman open to supporting Republican solutions on the border‚ but he criticized the bipartisan bill introduced earlier this month that Democrats claimed would help solve the border crisis. That bill infamously sought to give Ukraine three times as much taxpayer money as the border received.Fetterman told Pergram that he is "willing and eager to go stronger than the border deal that ... was here."The significance of Fetterman's position cannot be understated.Not a single House Democrat supported H.R. 2 when the House passed it last year‚ and it has been collecting dust on Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's (D) desk since last summer.But a crack in the Democrats' armor by way of Fetterman's support could encourage other moderates in the Democratic caucus — like Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) — to support the bill. Support from those three lawmakers would allow the Senate to pass Sen. Ted Cruz's (R) companion bill to H.R. 2.If that were to happen‚ the bill would never actually become law because President Joe Biden would not sign it.But it would put Biden in the awkward position of rejecting legislation that Republicans say would provide real solutions to the immigration crisis‚ bolstering Republican claims that Biden is both responsible for the current magnitude of the crisis and is blocking real solutions that would alleviate it.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Minnesota officials are investigating the death of a decorated Vietnam War Marine veteran after he was beaten by a teenager at a park in front of his wife. St. Paul Police said they were called to the Harriet Island Regional Park on Jan. 28 after 5 p.m. by a woman who said her husband had been punched in the face. When they arrived‚ they found 76-year-old Thomas Dunne injured from a fight and bleeding from his eye. Dunne explained what happened before he was transported to a hospital. Weeks later‚ the veteran died after a prolonged stay at the hospital. He told police that he and his wife were driving at the park when he spotted a young man urinating in public. He stopped to take a photograph as evidence‚ but he was confronted by the man and two others. They tried to take away his phone‚ and then one of the men punched him. Police said that the injury was serious enough that the man would not stop bleeding. They were also able to identify the three males and charged one of them‚ a 17-year-old‚ with first-degree assault. St. Paul Police Sgt. Mike Ernster said it may be weeks before the Ramsey County medical examiner makes a definite finding on Dunne's exact cause of death. Depending on the results‚ the charges against the teenager might be upgraded. "The Ramsey County Attorney’s Office will review any new evidence presented by law enforcement to consider additional charges‚" said a spokesperson with the attorney's office. Dunne served two tours in Vietnam and more than 20 years with the U.S. Army and Army Reserve. He was given the Legion of Merit award as part of his service. His wife‚ Heather Broderick‚ told KSTP-TV that he had an operation on his eyeball that lasted three and a half hours from the assault. She said that she thought maybe he would have to live without an eye. Although he was released from the hospital‚ complications forced him to return to the hospital the next day‚ and he was held there until he died on Feb. 23. "It's just a terrible loss. A terrible loss‚" said Broderick. Prosecutors are also considering a petition to have the teen go to trial as an adult. Here's a news report about the incident: Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Comedian Lou Perez has something to say about America's current immigration chaos. "As the son of an immigrant‚ I am very open-borders for immigrants like my father‚" he tells Align. "And extremely closed-borders for immigrants like my cousins."Our subject's birth name is Luis Amante Perez (his dad's from Argentina)‚ but you can call him Lou. Just don't call him "Latinx‚" a term the NYU grad first noticed in 2018 when his alma mater's Latino Alumni Network changed its name. As Perez writes in his 2022 book‚ "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore: On the Death and Rebirth of Comedy":"I think that it's crucial now for people just to stand up and say‚ look‚ if this is how you wanna play‚ I'm more than happy to show you how I play.""[W]hen I hear Latinx‚ I think of a Latino who is incapable of seducing your wife. Sir‚ you don't have to worry about your pretty wife when hiring these landscapers. They're Latinx."Perez continues his campaign of mockery in the latest video for "Comedy Is Murder‚" a sketch series he produces in conjunction with libertarian-leaning organization Free the People. "The LatinX-Files" is a slick‚ letter-perfect "reboot" of the '90s sci-fi hit‚ with Mulder and Scully in search of a contemporary mythological creature: one of the supposedly 62.5 million Americans who identify as "Latinx." Watch below (but be advised there's a little R-rated profanity toward the end): The LatinX-Files youtu.be Like many of his peers who dare to poke fun at liberal orthodoxy‚ Perez has been called a "far-right radical." Unlike most of them‚ his particular accusation was made by experts. It happened in late 2020. Pushing 40 and with a new baby at home‚ Perez had just been laid off as head writer and producer for the "We the Internet TV" YouTube channel‚ ending a five-year run putting out hundreds of videos like "Stop Making Me Defend Donald Trump" and "Social Justice Warrior Therapist." Shortly thereafter Perez was surprised to find his body of work listed in an academic paper titled "Evaluating the scale‚ growth‚ and origins of right-wing echo chambers on YouTube." Perez ended up writing an editorial about it for the Wall Street Journal. He sent the article to a publisher he was friends with on Facebook‚ who encouraged him to write a whole book (the text of the editorial appears in "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore").Perez takes the experience as another validation of his belief in putting yourself out there‚ even if you feel weird about it. He's followed this credo since his earliest days in comedy. At NYU he joined the sketch group Wicked Wicked Hammerkatz‚ which quickly made a name for itself by mounting sketch shows at then increasingly buzzed-about Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. He also met fellow "meathead comedy dork" Greg Burke. "Our first conversation was about bench-pressing." The duo began releasing comedy sketch videos in the early days of YouTube under the moniker Greg &; Lou. Their 2009 epic "Wolverine's Claws Suck" has 19.6 million views and counting. They also built a following at the UCB with their sketch shows. That venue‚ which also included an improv comedy school‚ went through its own woke struggle session in the summer of 2020. Project ReThink‚ a group headed by a longtime teacher and performer‚ charged the UCB with "institutional racism" and made a nebulous demand for a "seat at the table." That controversy came on the heels of the UCB's decision to close its two Manhattan-based locations after struggling financially during the pandemic lockdown. (The UCB still has a theatre/school in Los Angeles.)Perez is one of the many comedians‚ actors‚ and writers to credit the UCB with helping launch his career. The normally affable performer lets a little anger creep into his voice when he recalls the media-fabricated firestorm:Fact of the matter is [the UCB owners and management] are not racist. And it's an absolutely disgusting slur to throw onto these people. But ... 2020 was a time when that was a currency. You were able to call someone a racist and try to get something back from it. I don't think anyone on Project ReThink ever offered to buy out the UCB theater.Also‚ think about this. This theater‚ it's all voluntary‚ right? There's nobody forcing anybody to do improv. So here are these people‚ some who've been there for more than a decade‚ who have supposedly been abused‚ put down‚ left behind because of their race. And yet‚ they continue to stay there and perform there rather than saying‚ you know what‚ I don't wanna deal with this garbage any more‚ I'm gonna go build something of my own. None of them did that.In 2024 the culture seems to be undergoing a kind of perestroika. One sign of this is Shane Gillis returning as a conquering hero to host the show that promptly unhired him five years earlier for using racial slurs on his podcast.Perhaps another sign is the debate Perez held with outspoken progressive comedian Michael Ian Black on the topic "Is Wokeness Killing Comedy?" (Perez argues‚ convincingly and entertainingly‚ for the affirmative.) There was a time not long ago when even to pose such a question would have been beyond the pale for respectable society. For the most part‚ however‚ Perez prefers action over argument. The more people like him who forge their own path in entertainment in spite of mainstream opposition‚ the freer we'll all be. "I think that it's crucial now for people just to stand up and say‚ look‚ if this is how you wanna play‚ I'm more than happy to show you how I play."Read an excerpt of "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore." Content warning: Profanity.

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley lost the GOP presidential primary election to Donald Trump in her home state of South Carolina. But that’s not stopping her from acting like she won‚ which many Americans‚ including Sara Gonzales‚ find interesting. “Nikki Haley has now lost four times consecutively‚ if you count Nevada‚” Gonzales says‚ noting that she’s wondering why Haley is still in the race. “If it’s me‚ I’m like‚ ‘I don’t even want to go to South Carolina‚ I’m going to be embarrassed‚’” Gonzales continues‚ adding‚ “I would rather not have that on the record. He’s going to beat me by like 30‚ 40 points‚ and this is just going to be really embarrassing.'” Stu Burguiere feels a little differently‚ as Super Tuesday is just over a week away and she’s stuck it out until now‚ anyway. “She’s going to lose more‚” Stu says‚ adding that though she will lose‚ “she will pick up some delegates.” “The only play for her at this point is to try to be the alternative in case the Trump thing completely falls apart for whatever reason‚ God forbid‚” he adds. However‚ even if Trump were thrown in jail‚ Stu doesn’t believe that means she would secure the nomination. “At this point‚” he says‚ “I think we’d all agree she’s burned whatever MAGA sort of street cred she had left from her time serving in the administration.” Want more from Sara Gonzales?To enjoy more of Sara's no-holds-barred take to news and culture‚ subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America‚ defend the Constitution‚ and live the American dream.