'we are concerned with the bill'

Rob Manfred has announced his retirement

In France last June‚ an unnamed Syrian “refugee” stabbed six people on a playground. He had applied for asylum in France but was rejected—because he had already received asylum in Sweden a few years earlier. In Switzerland last week‚ a man with an ax took passengers hostage on a train until police shot him. Thought to be Iranian‚ he had been “assigned to an asylum-seeker center‚” according to reports. In London this month‚ an Afghan named Abdul Ezedi threw acid on a woman and her daughters. Ezedi sneaked into Britain in 2016 and was twice rejected for asylum. He was charged with sex offenses in 2017 and 2018 but didn’t go to prison. On his third asylum application‚ he claimed a conversion to Christianity and got asylum on the basis that he’d be persecuted if sent home. Here in the U.S.‚ Ethiopian Bazen Berhe was just sentenced to 100 years for stabbing a co-worker to death in a Target parking lot in Virginia back in April 2021. According to the Washington Post‚ Berhe’s motive was apparently “absolute anger” at having his asylum application refused. Berhe said he “would have stabbed anyone … even a 4-year-old kid” in his rage. Then‚ there was Ahmed Shihab‚ an Iraqi who came to the U.S. on a tourist visa and claimed asylum in 2020‚ after which he began to plot to bring ISIS terrorists into the U.S.  to assassinate former President George W. Bush. Recently‚ we had young gang members who entered the U.S. illegally—ostensibly to claim asylum—but who are actually robbing people’s phones and bank accounts. The ringleader and suspects arrested so far are all Venezuelans who operated from the comfort of taxpayer-provided migrant shelters in New York City.  What do all these stories have in common? They all involve foreign nationals during or after completing their asylum process. Due to an ongoing flood of economic migrants cloaked in bogus asylum claims (economic reasons are not sufficient for claiming asylum)‚ desirable countries like the U.S. have a massive population of aliens living here indefinitely as they wait years for their asylum hearings. And even when they are refused asylum and ordered deported‚ many remain as “asylum zombies‚” with their legal options to stay stone dead but still physically here. For the most part‚ we have no idea of their criminal or mental health histories. Governments that fail to deport bogus asylum-seekers‚ or at least those who are known dangers‚ force their unwitting citizens to bear the serious risks of assaults like those above. Like ours‚ Europe’s asylum system not only fails to distinguish between people fleeing for their lives and migrants looking for jobs‚ it fails to deport most of those who don’t qualify for asylum. Around a million people claimed asylum last year in the EU‚ and just over 40% received it. Yet last year‚ only 65‚000 out of 400‚000 deportation orders in the European Union were carried out. That means most refused asylum applicants‚ including some obvious threats to law and order‚ simply stick around. The Venezuelan gangs that are robbing New Yorkers are theoretically in the asylum process. That means they will claim that they can’t go home because they’d be persecuted for political‚ religious‚ or other protected grounds. Their cases could take many years to resolve. Meanwhile‚ New York City police said they are “essentially ghost criminals. No criminal history. No photos. No cellphone. No social media. Sometimes we’re even unclear on name or a date of birth.” This utterly contradicts Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas’ claim that illegal immigrants are “vetted” before being released into our communities much less his statements that the Department of Homeland Security is applying “tougher consequences for unlawful entry.” A majority of the millions now pouring over the open U.S. border are unlikely to qualify for asylum. Yet some of them are getting their first court date—just to schedule future court dates—years into the future. If they want to go to San Antonio‚ Los Angeles‚ Jacksonville‚ Milwaukee‚ Chicago‚ Washington‚ or Denver‚ they don’t have to show up until March 2027. If they choose New York City‚ they can delay their first hearing until 2033. Once they finally start the court process that will end with them either getting asylum or being ordered deported‚ the proceedings will take at least four years—and‚ given the numbers entering the clogged system‚ likely much longer. In the U.S.‚ there are already over 1.2 million foreigners with final orders of removal from an immigration judge. Of these‚ over 400‚000 have been convicted of crimes in the U.S. Yet‚ under Mayorkas‚ the Department of Homeland Security has been instructed to not enforce most immigration laws. Now‚ the Biden administration has threatened that unless the White House gets the supplemental budget money it wants from Congress‚ Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s resources‚ particularly those used for detention‚ will be slashed. President Joe Biden tried to force Congress to approve $60 billion for Ukraine aid by jamming it into a giant supplemental budget package along with aid for Israel as well as border security. (The “border security” in the package mostly meant spending another $20 billion to mass release and then grant benefits to more illegal aliens). That overstuffed spending package failed to pass at first run last week‚ but the Senate stripped the border and immigration policy changes and passed funding for Ukraine‚ Israel‚ Taiwan‚ and “refugees and entrants” to the U.S. on the second try.   Now‚ the president’s message to the House of Representatives is “Nice country you have here—would be a pity if anything should happen to it.” Not only does he already refuse to use his existing‚ fully sufficient executive powers to quickly slow the rush of illegal entry at the border‚ but Biden threatens to further slow-walk detaining‚ arresting‚ and removing illegal aliens already here. Exposing American citizens to the risks of violence from those with no legal right to remain here is bad enough. To do so for political reasons smells a lot like extortion. Biden should use the ample powers and funds he has to secure the border. And he should tell Mayorkas to rescind his (non)enforcement memo and let ICE do its job: Arrest‚ detain‚ and deport illegal aliens‚ prioritizing the most dangerous‚ but sparing none for purely political considerations. The BorderLine is a weekly Daily Signal feature examining everything from the unprecedented illegal immigration crisis at the border to immigration’s impact on cities and states throughout the land. We will also shed light on other critical border-related issues like human trafficking‚ drug smuggling‚ terrorism‚ and more. Read Other BorderLine Columns: The Gang’s All Here—Thanks to Biden’s Open Border What I Saw at America’s Wide-Open Northern Border No Such Thing as a Free Lunch: The Cost of Unchecked Illegal Immigration on Americans Concerns About Proposed Senate Border Security Compromise Biden’s Border Madness Has Cheapened What It Means to Be an American 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 Biden’s Border Chaos Lets Foreign Criminals Live Here Indefinitely: The BorderLine appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Ford CEO Not SO Big on Unions Anymore

I Might As Well Face It - I'm Addicted to Love

A California grandfather was fatally shot following a minor fender bender in a Walmart parking lot. The beloved grandpa was allegedly attempting to apologize when he was gunned down following the car accident that caused minimal damage. Around 8 p.m. on Feb. 5‚ 59-year-old Jonathan Mauk went to get supplies to make beef jerky from a Walmart in Highland‚ California. Mauk's custom-built 1998 Chevrolet Camaro Supersport gently collided with another vehicle that was backing up in the parking lot. Matthew Mauk‚ one of Jonathan's three sons‚ told the Press-Enterprise that his father was getting out to apologize‚ citing a detective he had spoken to. San Bernardino Police Capt. Nelson Carrington said‚ "There was a verbal altercation‚ and that's when‚ per witness accounts‚ the suspect retrieved a firearm and shot the victim. It's my understanding that the suspect is the one who did all of the yelling."Mauk died at the crime scene.The suspect is 37-year-old Shawntece Marie Norton – who reportedly fled the scene. Norton was arrested the day after the shooting at an apartment complex near Highland. Carrington said police recovered an unregistered gun‚ which they believe she used to shoot Mauk. The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office charged Norton with murder and sentencing enhancements of using a firearm in the commission of a felony and discharging a firearm to cause great bodily harm. She has pleaded not guilty to all charges‚ according to court records. Norton remains in custody at West Valley Detention Center without bail. Police said the damage was minimal — a scratch or two. "There is a scratch on the fender. There is not a dent‚ there is no real damage. There is a scratch‚" Matthew Mauk said. "That is the extent of the collision that he lost his life over.""I couldn’t imagine anybody getting that upset over something so small‚ so insignificant‚" Mauk told KTLA. "It's so painful. I wouldn’t want anybody to go through this."The distraught son told KABC-TV‚ "He's been a solid foundation for all of us. The loss is immeasurable.""I can't even put into words why that happened or what would go through a person's mind to make that seem like an acceptable action. None of it makes sense‚" he added. "(Norton) took away a person way before he was ready to leave this planet‚" Matthew told the Sacramento Bee. "He had a lot of love left to give. I'm looking at my family. It's completely broken."Mauk is demanding justice for his father's untimely death. "We'll be there for every single court hearing. Anything that has to do with this incident‚ we're going to be there. We're going to be vocal‚ we're going to talk about it‚" Mauk said.Jonathan Mauk is survived by his three sons‚ his 10-year-old grandson‚ and 5-year-old granddaughter. Grandfather killed over fender bender in Walmart parking lot in Southern California www.youtube.com Like Blaze News? Circumvent the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

The investigation into the footage from January 6 continues to provide more questions than answers‚ especially after Blaze News' most recent discovery. In new‚ exclusive footage from that fateful day‚ the Capitol Police’s actions after the discovery of a pipe bomb outside the Democratic National Convention headquarters are even more suspicious. The footage reveals that Capitol Police moved CCTV security cameras away from the crime scene as it was unfolding. Investigative journalist Steve Baker has been studying the footage since day one. He notes that the Capitol Police who were alerted to the pipe bomb “were literally finishing their sandwiches in their vehicle before they got out of the car to respond to a bomb with the Vice President elect 15 feet away inside that building.” Even stranger is that when the bomb was called in to the Capitol Police command center‚ which is where their camera operators are — the camera view changed. Four minutes after the bomb was reported by a plainclothes police officer‚ the camera started zooming and panning around for the first time in search of the bomb. The camera was then moved to face the opposite direction. “Why would they turn those cameras away from the investigative scene? Who ordered those cameras to be turned away? What were we not allowed to see?” Baker asks in an investigative video of the footage. Glenn Beck believes this was all a ruse. “This seems to me to be a diversion‚ because they were both discovered about five minutes before the Capitol was stormed‚” he says‚ asking Baker‚ “What do you think this was supposed to do?” “They were diversions‚ and they were meant to diminish the force that was available to protect the Capitol that day. There’s just no other way‚ there’s no other reasonable explanation‚” Baker says. Want more from Glenn Beck?To enjoy more of Glenn’s masterful storytelling‚ thought-provoking analysis‚ and uncanny ability to make sense of the chaos‚ subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America‚ defend the Constitution‚ and live the American dream.

Democratic strategist Ameshia Cross has authored an opinion piece in which she described Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas as "an enemy to Black people."Thomas‚ who was nominated by President George H.W. Bush‚ has served on the high court for more than three decades and is highly respected by many Americans. "He fights against the working class and minorities‚ finding unique ways to fight against the Black community he hails from in the process. It's why Black Americans shouldn't celebrate Justice Thomas during Black History Month. He simply doesn't deserve it‚" Cross claimed.Cross has accused Thomas of "aiding and abetting white supremacy while cloaked in a judicial robe" and "fighting to keep people who look like him from the polls.""The Black community doesn't celebrate Thomas because Thomas does everything in his power to make life worse for us‚" she claimed. "Black History Month isn't a time to glorify a threat to Black progress. Clarence Thomas has proven himself time and time again to be an enemy to Black people. Who needs white supremacists when a Black man who benefited from civil rights wins is leading the charge to destroy the very policies that made his career possible?" she wrote.Blaze contributor Delano Squires rejected the notion‚ tweeting‚ "Clarence Thomas is only an 'enemy of black people' to those who engage in Potemkin black pride rhetoric that hides deep insecurities behind demands for affirmation from the broader culture. Agency &; dignity sound like self-hatred to people nursed on paternalism &; condescension." — (@) Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

A Christian school in Florida expelled 6 children of a woman who complained about an OnlyFans ad on another parent's car after her children were expelled as well. Michelle Cline was banned from dropping off her kids at Liberty Christian Prep School in Tavares after another parent‚ Lexy Thomas‚ complained that she was advertising pornography on her car window. Cline's children were later expelled from the school. On Wednesday‚ Thomas told WOFL-TV that her six children were also expelled from the school over her complaints. "[A] student may be expelled as a result of [a]parent or student causing unresolved disharmony and conflict with staff or other parents‚" read the letter from the school provided to WOFL. "Matthew 18‚ starting in verse 15‚ tells Christ followers how to approach conflict with other believers. LCPS believes that standard was not met‚ which led to your concerns being made public worldwide‚" the letter continued. Cline had previously defended her ad by saying that she was doing nothing illegal. "I don't feel I should be judged for what I am doing‚" she said. "For me‚ you know‚ it supports my family‚ this provides a very comfortable way of life for us. And it’s legal‚ you know‚ I pay taxes just like everyone else but I’m not breaking the law. I just offended people‚" she added. She went on to admit that the account had explicit adult content. The school told Cline that she would be allowed to drop off her children if she took the ad off of her car‚ but she refused and reportedly made the ad even bigger. The school told Thomas that they would reconsider allowing her children back to the school if she deleted posts on social media related to the controversy and stopped gossiping but she refused. "I think they created disharmony within the community by allowing for pornography to be advertised for two years on private Christian school grounds‚" Thomas told WOFL."I feel like as a Christian institute‚ you have to make a stand for Biblical truth‚ if that's what you're gonna proclaim‚" she added. A spokesperson for the school refused to comment about the story when asked by WOFL. Cline said that she earns about $20‚000 per month from her OnlyFans account. “My husband and I had this‚ you know‚ little wild‚ you know‚ behind-closed-doors lifestyle that we’ve now decided to share‚” she added. Here's more about the OnlyFans Christian feud: Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

A 14-year-old boy shot and killed a man who was trying to break into his home‚ according to Texas police. The Harris County Sheriff's Office said a man in his early 20s to late 30s was shot and killed outside of a Cloverleaf home at about 7 a.m. on Thursday. The man was wearing gloves and a backpack‚ which indicated that he was intent on robbing the home‚ according to police. Police said that the boy was alone inside the home after his father went to work and he had been afraid after the man tried to open the front door by turning their doorknob. “It’s a very traumatic situation out here‚" said Sheriff Ed Gonzalez. "We’re talking about a 14-year-old having to use deadly force and protection of himself and his property." Gonzalez said the teen fired off five or six shots. A homeless outreach team told KHOU-TV that they had dealt with the man before and confirmed that he was homeless. Araceli Herrera‚ a neighbor to the teen‚ said that the homeless man was caught on the surveillance cameras on her home. She said that he had been acting suspiciously before the shooting. Police said that they received two calls from the neighborhood at about the same time about a man kicking a door and asking for money. Herrera said that she saw the boy open the door and shoot at the man and was still in shock over the incident. "I still haven't been able to stop shaking‚" she said to KHOU. "If my daughter was in that situation‚ honestly I would be happy that my daughter was safe‚" Herrera said . "And the other guy‚ I don't know what his intentions were." Here's more 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!