Author: NOVA Corp

Former Biden Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra was repeatedly forced to defend his record during this week’s California gubernatorial debate, as both his Democratic and Republican opponents hammered him over a migrant children controversy, a corruption case involving his former chief of staff and allegations of mismanagement during his tenure as HHS secretary.

The attacks came during a contentious CNN primary debate that featured five Democrats and two Republicans vying to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom, with Becerra emerging as a frequent target as candidates challenged his claims of competent leadership. 

Becerra, who has served in various elected positions for decades, touted his federal experience as a top qualification for California governor, rejected the attacks as false or politically motivated, at one point calling criticism of his HHS record a “MAGA talking point” and later dismissed the migrant children controversy as “Trump lies,” even as Democratic opponent Antonio Villaraigosa pushed back that the issue stemmed from a Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times investigation.

“The experience we hear from Secretary Becerra didn’t lead to better outcomes,” San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, also a Democrat running against Becerra, said early in the debate. “It led to 85,000 migrant children who were lost. More fraud in our health care system.”

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Becerra and his allies have denied the characterization that migrant children were “lost,” a controversy that dogged the HHS Secretary during much of his time in the Biden administration.

The controversy stemmed from the Biden administration’s handling of a massive surge of unaccompanied migrant children, when officials faced pressure to move minors out of overcrowded government shelters and into the custody of adult sponsors.

A New York Times investigation published in February 2023 reported that the administration relaxed some longstanding safeguards as it sought to move children more quickly, including certain background checks and file reviews meant to protect minors from exploitation.

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“If Henry Ford had seen this in his plants, he would have never become famous and rich. This is not the way you do an assembly line,” Becerra told HHS staff, according to the Times, even as HHS was beginning to peel back longstanding protections that had been in place for years.

The comment came after nearly a dozen officials within the HHS division responsible for unaccompanied migrant children raised concerns that labor trafficking was increasing and warned the system was “one that rewards individuals for making quick releases, and not one that rewards individuals for preventing unsafe releases,” according to the Times.

Meanwhile, Becerra pushed back during the debate regarding the unaccompanied minor crisis he faced, calling Mahan’s criticism “totally untrue” and saying it sounded like “a MAGA talking point.”

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“Under my watch, more Americans gained health coverage than ever in the history of the country,” Becerra said, arguing that his tenure expanded Obamacare coverage and lowered premiums for millions of Americans.

Mahan later challenged Becerra’s claims about his record, accusing him of presiding over higher healthcare costs, worse outcomes and “fraudulent and wasteful spending” as both California attorney general and HHS secretary.

During another portion of the debate, Republican candidate Steve Hilton, a former Fox News host, also accused Becerra of being “mired personally in a corruption scandal” involving his former chief of staff, Sean McCluskie, and campaign funds allegedly used to supplement McCluskie’s salary after Becerra joined the Biden administration.

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“My view is that it’s a bit rich for Xavier to talk about following the law when he is mired personally in a corruption scandal,” Hilton said, alleging Becerra’s campaign account was used to supplement McCluskie’s salary after Becerra was tapped to serve as Biden’s health secretary. Earlier in the debate, Becerra had chided GOP candidate Sheriff Chad Bianco for violating the law while attempting to investigate election security concerns.

Villaraigosa also slammed Becerra on the alleged corruption scandal, saying Becerra “may not be indicted at this point,” but arguing the situation “doesn’t pass the smell test.”

Hilton announced during the debate that his running mate for Attorney General of California, Michael Gates, had already sent Becerra a letter indicating that if they win he will be investigated and, if necessary, prosecuted over the matter.

Becerra denied wrongdoing, telling Hilton to “read the indictment” and saying, “I was not involved.”

“If I had been involved, the U.S. attorney would’ve had me in that indictment,” Becerra added.

Tuesday night’s debate underscored how Becerra’s long record in public office may be both his biggest selling point and his biggest liability, as rivals from both parties sought to turn his time in Sacramento and Washington into an argument against elevating him to California’s highest office.

Becerra, however, urged voters to judge him by what he says he accomplished in office, not by attacks from rivals seeking the governorship.

“If you want to judge me, judge me on the things that I’ve done,” Becerra said from the debate stage. “I expanded health care to more Americans than anyone in the history of the country. Serving as secretary, I was able to negotiate for the first time ever, lower drug prices.”

China has ordered companies to disregard U.S. sanctions targeting Iranian oil, forcing a direct test of Washington’s ability to enforce its crackdown on Iran. 

A new directive, issued through China’s Commerce Ministry Sunday, invokes a 2021 “blocking statute” that prohibits firms from complying with foreign sanctions deemed illegitimate. The order applies to several Chinese refiners accused by the United States of purchasing Iranian crude, including major independent processors known as “teapot” refineries.

The move represents a shift from years of opaque workarounds to more explicit state-backed resistance, as Beijing signals it will not cooperate with U.S. efforts to cut off a key source of revenue for Iran.

US TARGETS CHINA REFINERY IN SWEEPING IRAN OIL CRACKDOWN, SANCTIONS ‘SHADOW FLEET’ TANKERS

“This is unprecedented. It’s a major escalation in terms of China’s response to U.S. economic statecraft. It is a measure of defiance by Beijing,” said Max Meizlish, a senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

The escalation comes as the Trump administration intensifies its sanctions campaign, targeting Chinese refiners and warning financial institutions they could face penalties for facilitating oil transactions between Iran and China.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has accused Beijing of effectively financing Iran’s military activity through its oil purchases, arguing that Chinese demand is sustaining Tehran’s economy.

“China, let’s see them step up with some diplomacy and get the Iranians to open the strait,” Bessent said in a Fox News interview Monday.

“Iran is the largest state sponsor of terrorism … China has been buying 90 percent of their energy, so they are funding the largest state sponsor of terrorism,” he added.

China remains the primary destination for Iranian crude, with much of the country’s sanctioned oil exports flowing to Chinese refiners despite mounting U.S. pressure.

“It’s putting firms in China in the position where they either comply with the CCP order or the U.S. order and either way there could be consequences,” Meizlish said.

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The issue is expected to be a major point of contention at an upcoming meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

At the same time, diplomacy is accelerating. 

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Beijing Wednesday for talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, underscoring China’s growing role as both Iran’s primary oil customer and a key diplomatic interlocutor.

Despite mounting sanctions and a U.S. naval blockade aimed at restricting Iran’s oil exports, shipments have continued through increasingly opaque maritime networks. Data from maritime intelligence firm Windward shows a surge in vessels operating without tracking signals, with the majority of ships in the Strait of Hormuz recently going “dark,” making enforcement significantly more difficult.

IRAN SHIFTS 20M BARRELS THROUGH ‘DARK’ OFFSHORE OIL NETWORK BYPASSING US PORT BLOCKADE, FIRM SAYS

In one recent snapshot, 146 of 167 vessels in the area were not transmitting location data, according to the report.

Windward analysts also identified continued covert loading activity at Iran’s main export hub at Kharg Island, including large crude carriers operating without tracking signals despite heightened enforcement pressure.

“I don’t expect this is going to necessarily change much by way of how China has helped facilitate Iranian sanctions evasion,” Meizlish said.

Those flows have largely been sustained by demand from Chinese refiners, particularly smaller independent operators that often operate outside the U.S. financial system and are more insulated from sanctions pressure.

“This is really a clear attempt by Beijing to put the ball back in the U.S.’ court and see if it’s going to actually act,” Meizlish added.

Beijing’s decision to formally instruct companies not to comply with U.S. sanctions adds a new layer of risk for global firms. The blocking statute allows Chinese companies to seek damages in domestic courts from banks, insurers, or shipping companies that cut ties in order to comply with U.S. measures.

Analysts say the move could force multinational firms into a difficult position, weighing access to the Chinese market against the risk of being cut off from the U.S. financial system.

“There’s no more important enabler to Iran than China,” Meizlish said.

The standoff highlights a broader challenge for Washington: while sanctions remain a central tool of U.S. foreign policy, enforcing them against major economies like China, especially when transactions can be conducted outside the dollar system, is far more difficult.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Chinese embassy in Washington for comment. 

Texas and Florida are drawing the largest number of new residents, but South Carolina is growing faster than any other state as Americans continue to relocate across the country, according to new IRS data.

The trend highlights a broader shift toward the South, as Americans say they’re making the move for lower taxes, more jobs and higher quality of life.

For its size, South Carolina is seeing the biggest influx per capita of new residents from other states, equal to just over 1% of its population. In other words, for every 100 people living in the state, one new person moved in from elsewhere in the country.

THIS STATE ISN’T JUST GROWING — ITS ECONOMY IS GETTING RICHER PER RESIDENT

The Palmetto State added more than 59,000 residents from other states between 2022 and 2023, based on the most recently available IRS data.

The movement isn’t just about people. It’s also about income.

With the influx of residents, South Carolina gained more than 29,000 new tax filers and roughly $4.1 billion in income. This shift is likely to boost local economies in the state as new residents bring spending power and help fill open jobs in growing industries.

Zooming out, Texas and Florida are still drawing the most people overall because they’re much bigger states by size and population, so even smaller increases add up to larger total gains.

Texas led the nation in new residents with 56,473 new tax filers in 2023, followed closely by Florida with 55,349, according to the data.

The gains come as some of the nation’s most expensive states, which are run by Democrats, are seeing the biggest losses. California is down more than 100,000 tax filers and New York by nearly 72,000 from 2022 to 2023.

CALIFORNIA’S LOOMING CAPITAL FLIGHT PROBLEM COULD RESHAPE STATE IN 3 KEY AREAS

The income losses mirror the population decline, with California losing nearly $12 billion and New York about $10 billion — especially as some of their highest earners relocate.

Taken together, the shifts suggest Americans aren’t just moving — they’re redistributing income and economic power.

If the trend continues, it could further reshape population growth and state economies in the years ahead.

EXCLUSIVE: The U.S. House’s Texas GOP Caucus announced Thursday that it is united behind a resolution from Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, arguing that states have constitutional authority to secure their borders against an “invasion” or “imminent danger.”

The caucus is urging Congress to approve the measure, citing what Republicans called the “failed open-border policies” under former President Joe Biden and the millions of illegal immigrants who crossed into the country during his administration.

“It is the job of elected officials to protect the Americans that sent them to office,” Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, said in a statement to Fox News Digital. 

“Unfortunately, we’ve seen Democrat leaders willfully facilitate a border invasion time and time again. States ought to be able to step in and secure the border when federal government cannot or will not do so. I am proud to join the Texas GOP Caucus in standing up for the American people.”

The House resolution, first introduced in 2021 in response to the border crisis under the Biden administration, affirms that states have a right under the Constitution to secure their borders if the federal government fails to act. Courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, have long treated immigration enforcement as primarily a federal responsibility.

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H.Res. 50 says states retain sovereign authority under Article I, Section 10 of the Constitution to defend their territory and citizens from “invasion” or “imminent danger” when the federal government fails to meet what Republicans describe as its Article IV, Section 4 obligation to protect states from invasion.

In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Arrington said the U.S.-Mexico border has largely been secured under the Trump administration but argued his resolution is needed to ensure states can act if a Democrat returns to the White House.

“What we want to avoid is what happened during the four years of the Biden administration, which is, we had a bunch of states being overrun and overwhelmed with illegal immigration and all the various problems that occurred as a result. We didn’t have a federal government that was doing its job and, in fact, we had a federal government that was obstructing states like Texas from actually filling the gap that they left because they abdicated that responsibility,” the congressman said.

Arrington argued that fentanyl and other drugs flowing across the border contributed to more than 100,000 overdose deaths in a single year during the Biden administration, while illegal border crossings, cartel activity and drug and human trafficking strained border states.

“The drugs were killing hundreds of thousands, they were killing a plane load of American citizens every week,” Arrington said. “They killed over 100,000 Americans in one year, which is more than we lost in the Vietnam War. When you’re losing more American citizens to what is tantamount to chemical warfare from the Mexican terrorist drug cartels, in close cooperation with the Chinese who were providing the precursor material for synthetic fentanyl, that was the greatest and most imminent threat to our nation during those four years.”

The congressman highlighted that his resolution has received support from the Texas GOP Caucus, conservative organizations, law enforcement officials and legal experts.

DOJ ACCUSES COURTS OF UNDERCUTTING EXECUTIVE POWER IN HIGH-STAKES SUPREME COURT BORDER CASE

“The Constitution, as interpreted by the Supreme Court, forbids states from interfering with the federal government’s monopoly over our territorial sovereignty,” John Yoo, former deputy assistant attorney general for the Office of Legal Counsel, said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “But the House of Representatives could make its own findings of fact that failures at the border rose to the level of an ‘imminent danger’ that would justify a state’s exercise of self-defense. Such a set of findings might bolster Texas’s case in the courts as well as its political case to the public. Without such congressional support, Texas is likely to fail.”

In a press release obtained by Fox News Digital, Texas GOP Caucus Chairman Rep. Nathaniel Moran, R-Texas, said “the Framers understood that a state cannot be left at the mercy of a federal government that refuses to do its job when there’s an invasion at its border.”

“That’s why Article I, Section 10 exists — and that’s exactly the situation Texas and our border states faced for four years under the Biden administration. H.Res. 50 affirms what the Constitution already guarantees: states have every right to defend its citizens. The Texas GOP Caucus is united in ensuring that right is recognized and preserved,” he said.

The resolution comes amid a legal battle over Texas Senate Bill 4, a state measure that would allow police officers to arrest migrants suspected of illegally crossing into the U.S. and authorize state judges to order certain migrants to leave the country.

The law is set to take effect next week after a federal appeals court vacated a lower court ruling last month that had blocked enforcement. The appeals court found the plaintiffs in that case did not have standing to sue, but it did not resolve the broader constitutional questions surrounding the law.

S.B. 4 established a state-level crime for illegal entry and authorized state magistrates to order certain individuals to leave the country if they are convicted.

Arrington told Fox News Digital that Texas’ S.B. 4 could soon reach the U.S. Supreme Court as legal challenges continue.

The Texas Civil Rights Project, the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Texas filed a new lawsuit this week seeking emergency relief to block several provisions of the Texas measure before they take effect May 15.

The groups argue the law is unconstitutional, saying immigration enforcement is exclusively the responsibility of the federal government and that federal law should preempt the state statute.

Cody Wofsy, deputy director of the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, argued that S.B. 4 is “cruel and illegal,” adding that the groups “will keep fighting it until it is permanently struck down.”

“Every court to have reached the merits of laws like S.B. 4 has found them to be unconstitutional,” he said in a statement.

The three groups did not respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment on Arrington’s resolution in time for publication.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio previewed a high-profile trip to Rome from the White House briefing room Tuesday, delivering sharp warnings to Iran and flashing easy command of the podium that drew praise from conservative allies online.

“The trip is really not tied to anything other than the fact that it would be normal for us to engage, and other secretaries of State have done that in the past,” Rubio said at the White House press conference on Tuesday of his trip to Italy. 

The briefing came two days before Rubio is set to visit the Vatican and Italy for meetings amid heightened tensions between President Donald Trump, Pope Leo and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni over the U.S.-Iran conflict. Rubio used the briefing to defend the administration’s posture toward Tehran, downplay the timing of the Italy visit and signal that Washington is not backing off its pressure campaign.

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“The message to Iran … these guys are facing real catastrophic destruction to their economy, generational destruction to their economy, generational destruction to the wealth of their country imposed on themselves by the actions that they’re taking,” said Rubio of Iran on Tuesday. 

“They should check themselves before they wreck themselves in the direction that they’re going,” Rubio quipped, referencing Ice Cube’s rap song, “Check Yo Self.” 

Rubio, a Catholic, is expected to meet with Pope Leo on Thursday morning, at a time when the pontiff has criticized the Trump administration’s Middle East peacemaking efforts.

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“There has also been this threat against the entire people of Iran, and this is truly unacceptable,” the pope said in April. “There are certainly issues of international law here, but even more so a moral issue for the good of the whole entire population.”

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The comments were seemingly in reference to one of Trump’s Truth Social posts, where he wrote, “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will… God Bless the Great People of Iran!”

Trump told reporters on Wednesday in the Oval Office he only has one message for the Pope.

“I can tell you this, that as far as the Pope is concerned, and it’s very simple. Whether I make him happy or I don’t make him happy, Iran can not have a nuclear weapon. And he seemed to be saying that they can. And I say they cannot, because if that happened, the entire world would be hostage. And we’re not going to let that happen,” he said.

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Rubio will also meet with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who has been distancing herself from the U.S. amid mounting domestic and political pressure over the widening Middle East conflict.

The meeting comes as President Donald Trump intensifies pressure on NATO allies to align with the U.S. against Iran, including ordering the withdrawal of 5,000 troops from Germany — a drawdown expected to unfold over the next six to 12 months.

Meloni said Tuesday she would not support any effort to reduce the U.S. military presence in Italy, drawing a contrast with Trump’s broader push to reposition American forces in Europe.

Italy remains a key U.S. security hub in Europe, hosting nearly 13,000 active-duty American troops across six bases as of the end of 2025.

Rubio heads to his high-profile meetings fresh off of social media commenters and conservative leaders applauding how well he stepped in for Karoline Leavitt behind the podium after she took maternity leave late last month. The secretary joked with reporters, fielded questions in multiple languages and delivered pointed warnings to Iran, giving supporters a glimpse of the presence he will likely carry into the Rome trip.

“Marco Rubio is showing the nation & the world what we’ve known about him for decades,” said Republican Florida Rep. Carlos Gimenez on X. “Rubio is one of the most eloquent, articulate, & incredibly capable statesmen of our times.” 

“President Trump made an EXCELLENT choice in him. He proves it every single day,” he added.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is out of the ICU but will continue to spend time in the hospital before being discharged, according to a spokesperson for the former politician.

“The mayor and his family appreciate the outpouring of love and prayers sent his way,” Ted Goodman, a political strategist who launched a livestream program with Giuliani, said in an update posted to social media on Wednesday.

“Mayor Giuliani—the man who took down the Mafia, saved New York City, and ran toward the towers on September 11th—is the same fighter he’s always been, and he’s winning this fight,” he continued.

Goodman added that the “power of prayer is working” and the former mayor “feels it,” encouraging people to keep them coming.

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Giuliani, 81, was hospitalized in critical but stable condition on Sunday because of severe breathing issues.

On Monday, Giuliani’s doctor, Maria Ryan, told Fox News correspondent Danamarie McNicholl that he began feeling ill after returning from a trip to Paris, with his breathing deteriorating to the point that he required hospitalization and was placed on a ventilator.

Ryan said his condition turned critical, prompting a priest to be called to his bedside to perform last rites.

But by Tuesday, his condition had improved enough for doctors to remove him from the ventilator. He is now breathing independently and able to speak.

RUDY GIULIANI HOSPITALIZED IN CRITICAL BUT STABLE CONDITION: ‘HE’S FIGHTING’

Ryan said she expects Giuliani to make a full recovery.

“He’s a fighter — the way he was yesterday in such a critical condition, he did have a priest come anoint him,” Ryan said. “And all the prayers from around — it’s like a miracle. This guy’s got 9 lives, today he’s doing much better.”

Giuliani has faced a number of health challenges in recent years but has remained active in public life.

Earlier this week, Goodman noted Giuliani’s health history following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, when he was exposed to debris while responding at Ground Zero, later leading to a diagnosis of restrictive airway disease.

He had also been seriously injured in a car crash in New Hampshire in August of last year, leaving him with a fractured thoracic vertebra, multiple lacerations and other injuries.

President Donald Trump said after learning of Giuliani’s hospitalization on Sunday that he was the “Best Mayor” in New York City’s history.

“Our fabulous Rudy Giuliani, a True Warrior, and the Best Mayor in the History of New York City, BY FAR, has been hospitalized, and is in critical condition,” Trump said, in part.

Fox News’ Greg Wehner contributed to this report.

A Louisiana bill expanded after a deadly mall shooting would broaden first-degree murder charges and potentially increase death penalty eligibility, and lawmakers cited the attack as justification for toughening the state’s homicide laws.

House Bill 102 was originally introduced to create a new crime targeting abuse or neglect that seriously harms elderly or vulnerable people.

But the proposal evolved significantly as it moved through the state legislature.

Lawmakers added provisions tying the new offense to existing murder laws, meaning a death during such abuse could be charged as murder.

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The most sweeping changes came in the Louisiana Senate, where state Sen. Alan Seabaugh, R-Shreveport, introduced amendments after the April 23 shooting at the Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge.

The incident prompted a massive law enforcement response after reports of an active shooter sent shoppers fleeing for safety. Authorities said multiple people opened fire during a dispute between groups inside the mall.

The gunfire killed 17-year-old Martha Odom and wounded at least five others, according to officials. Several of those wounded were bystanders caught in the crossfire.

SEPARATE SHOOTINGS NEAR NEW ORLEANS PARADE ROUTE LEAVE 2 DEAD, 10 WOUNDED

Police said multiple suspects were taken into custody after the shooting, which unfolded in a crowded public area and sparked panic among shoppers and employees.

Gov. Jeff Landry said at the time that the violence underscored ongoing concerns about public safety as investigators worked to determine what led to the gunfire.

Seabaugh said the amendments were designed to address situations in which individuals fire into crowds and kill unintended victims, according to The Advocate.

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Under the revised bill, first-degree murder would be expanded to include killings in public places where the offender creates a risk of death or great bodily harm to three or more people. Additional provisions apply to offenders who use guns illegally or commit killings while on bail, probation or parole.

The changes also establish a legal presumption that pointing and firing a gun at another person demonstrates intent to kill or inflict great bodily harm.

In Louisiana, first-degree murder is a capital offense, meaning defendants can face the death penalty if convicted.

The bill must still clear final legislative hurdles before heading to the governor’s desk.

Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch spoke out against rising threats targeting judges, breaking his silence on violence against the judiciary in a sit-down interview with Fox News Digital.

Gorsuch’s remarks come amid heightened security concerns for members of the Supreme Court after the 2022 leak of the court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which sparked protests outside justices’ homes and intensified fears about their safety, particularly after the attempted assassination of Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

Gorsuch emphasized that the current environment — marked by increasingly heated public discourse and breaches of court confidentiality — poses broader risks to the institution.

“We have to be able to hear one another,” Gorsuch said. “And violence is never the answer.”

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His remarks come as members of the federal judiciary have faced heightened security risks in recent years, including an assassination attempt targeting Kavanaugh during the lead-up to the Dobbs decision, when the court overturned Roe v. Wade and ended the federal constitutional right to abortion.

On June 8, 2022, Nicholas John Roske, a transgender individual from Simi Valley, California, traveled to Kavanaugh’s Maryland home with a gun and ammunition in a checked suitcase. Authorities later found a gun, tactical knife, zip ties, duct tape, a hammer, crowbar, lock-pick tools and other items in Roske’s belongings, according to the Department of Justice. 

After seeing deputy U.S. Marshals outside the home, Roske walked away and called 911, telling a dispatcher about having homicidal and suicidal thoughts and had come from California to kill a Supreme Court justice.

Before the incident, Roske searched online for information about how to harm people — one search read “Does twisting or dragging a knife cause more damage” — and expressed a desire to affect the outcome of the Dobbs decision. Roske was sentenced to eight years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for the assassination attempt.

Though Gorsuch stopped short of weighing in directly on specific incidents, he stressed to Fox News Digital that maintaining civil discourse and institutional boundaries are critical to preserving the Supreme Court’s role and the independence of the federal judiciary.

“There’s a balance between transparency and [the] confidentiality in our work, right?” Gorsuch said. “I mean, it’s wonderful, I think, that we have the opportunity for people to listen in to our own arguments. You can listen to every word uttered in arguments from the bench today, in real time.

“At the same time, we also have to be able to talk with one another privately and discuss our views candidly around the conference table.”

Gorsuch suggested these breaches of confidentiality — including the high-profile Dobbs leak, and more recent leaks of confidential Supreme Court memos exchanged by justices in 2016 — risk further eroding public trust in the judiciary.

JUSTICE BARRETT TEASES NEW MEMOIR IN ABRUPT CONFERENCE EXIT

“You think about how robust our system is, where everybody, all factions come into making laws,” Gorsuch said. “That makes our decisions wiser than you are ever gonna get in a dictatorship or a monarchy or an oligarchy. They’re much more fragile, aren’t they?”

At the same time, Gorsuch underscored that maintaining boundaries for the court’s internal deliberations is critical, particularly after high-profile leaks.

“There’s a balance between transparency on the one hand … and confidentiality in our deliberations,” he said. “You can read every word I think about a case at the end of the day. … But do we need some confidentiality? Of course.”

He warned that losing that balance could undermine both trust in the court and the ability of justices to engage in candid debate behind closed doors, a practice he noted dates back to the nation’s founding.

“The framers thought it was very important that they lock the doors when they were discussing the Constitution,” Gorsuch said, adding that James Madison later believed there “would have been no Constitution” without that privacy.

Gorsuch tied those concerns to the broader constitutional principle of judicial independence, arguing the judiciary’s role depends on its insulation from political pressure and public backlash.

“Why do we have an independent judiciary?” Gorsuch said. “The framers did not want [judges beholden to political forces]. … They said you have to have independent judges so that when you come to court, no matter how unpopular you are, you’re going to get fair, neutral application of the law.”

JUSTICE BARRETT OPENS UP ABOUT ‘AWKWARD’ START ON SCOTUS, SHADOW DOCKET AND MORE IN FORTHCOMING MEMOIR

Despite ideological differences among the justices, Gorsuch said there remains a shared respect for the Constitution, a dynamic he suggested is essential in an era of growing polarization.

“When I sit around the table with my colleagues, and we disagree, the one thing I know is that the person across from me loves this country … as much as I do,” he said.

Still, Gorsuch made clear that the tone of public debate — and the rejection of violence — will ultimately shape whether that system endures.

“We can debate, we can disagree,” he said. “But we have to be able to do it in a way that respects one another.”

Ashley Oliver and Jake Gibson contributed to this report.

HARRISON, Maine — As she runs for a sixth six-year term in the U.S. Senate in left-leaning Maine, Republican Sen. Susan Collins is once again a top target for Democrats.

“I have been the No. 1 target of Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, not only in this campaign, but the last two campaigns as well. I’m always his No. 1 target,” Collins told Fox News Digital in an exclusive national interview this week.

And it’s no different this time around, as Collins seeks re-election in a competitive and high-profile 2026 race that is one of a handful across the country that will likely determine whether Republicans keep control of their slim Senate majority.

Facing Collins will likely be military veteran and oyster farmer Graham Platner, the all-but-certain Democratic nominee after two-term Gov. Janet Mills, who was backed by Schumer and the Democratic Party establishment, dropped out of the race last week after significantly trailing Platner in fundraising and polling.

SIX MONTHS TILL MIDTERMS: THE TEN RACES THAT WILL DETERMINE THE SENATE’S MAJORITY

Platner is supported by progressive Senate champions Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. The first-time candidate advocates an economically populist agenda as he takes aim at corporate influences and advocates for the working class.

Asked if Platner is too far to the left for voters in her northern New England state, Collins said, “I believe that will be the conclusion of Maine voters. But, obviously, I don’t take anything for granted.”

A Republican group supporting Collins is already blasting Platner in a new ad over controversial comments he made over a decade ago on Reddit about women and rape and a well-publicized tattoo on his chest that resembled a Nazi symbol.

Among the comments is one from 2013, which Platner later deleted, that people concerned about rape should not “get so f—ed up they wind up having sex with someone they don’t mean to.”

The candidate apologized for his controversial Reddit posts after they made headlines last fall soon after he launched his Senate campaign. Platner has said he got the skull and crossbones tattoo in 2007 while drinking with fellow Marines stationed in Croatia. He said that he covered up the tattoo with a new design after learning last year that it resembled a Nazi symbol.

Asked if she’ll take aim at Platner over his political baggage, Collins said, “Obviously I’m going to be contrasting my record of achievement and accomplishments with Graham Platner’s approach.”

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Collins stopped, before saying, “I don’t want to preview too much of our strategy.”

But the senator added that she’s “hoping that we can have a campaign that is civil, where we discuss issues and accomplishments. That’s my goal.”

Platner, who is running as an outsider, emphasizes that Collins is part of a “broken Washington” and “a generation of politicians who have failed us.”

He has described Collins’ moderate Republican image as a “charade,” highlights her support for some of President Donald Trump’s agenda and accuses her of being part of a political system that benefits the wealthy. 

“She and Republican politicians like her have prioritized the interests of billionaires and corporations over people,” he has charged.

Republicans — as the party currently in power in Washington, D.C. — were already up against traditional political headwinds that typically lead to a loss of congressional seats. Add to that the challenging climate fueled by persistent inflation, rising gas prices tied to what polls show is an unpopular war with Iran and Trump’s underwater approval ratings.

Asked how she can overcome the blame pointed at Republicans over the high cost of living, Collins noted she’s championed the low-income heating assistance program, which “helps low-income families and seniors stay warm during the cold winter months. I just recently made sure the final tranche of money was released because there is a lot of need in the state of Maine, and the cost of living is high here.”

Collins also emphasized her opposition to cuts “in food stamp benefits and in other programs that designed for low-income families because I know how important they are.”

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The senator was interviewed at a food bank that expanded with federal funding Collins helped obtain.

“It is so satisfying to be here today and to know that I played a very small role, but an essential role, in allowing this food bank to expand its community room, its kitchen, and to help it be even more successful,” she noted. “This food bank is extraordinary. It serves more than 1,000 families every week.”

The Democrats’ narrow path to regain control of the Senate flows through Maine, and Collins will once again face an avalanche of attack ads.

Pointing to Schumer, Collins said, “Last time he poured into Maine with his affiliated groups, more than $160 million, all in negative ads trashing me and misrepresenting my record. He’s already doing that now.”

But she added that, “fortunately, the people of Maine are smart, and they know lies and distortions when they see it.”

A California immigration judge who was terminated by the Trump administration is alleging in a lawsuit against the Department of Justice (DOJ) that she was fired because she is a registered Democrat and because of her affiliations with immigrant-rights groups.

The 14-page lawsuit, filed by Kyra Lilien, names the DOJ and Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche as defendants.

Lilien claims she was not retained past her probationary period because of a number of factors, including being a woman over the age of 40, being fluent in Spanish and her associations with the Hispanic community.

Kevin Owen of Gilbert Employment Law in Maryland, one of Lilien’s attorneys, told FOX San Francisco that she didn’t fit their mold and that the actions taken against her were impermissible and unlawful.

The lawsuit alleges that her termination violated Lilien’s civil and First Amendment rights.

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Lilien was initially appointed to serve at the San Francisco Immigration Court on July 23, 2023, before being transferred to the Concord Immigration Court in February 2024. In total, she served nearly two years, which is the standard probationary period immigration judges serve under Justice Department policy before their appointments are typically converted to permanent roles.

The lawsuit names nearly 30 other immigration judges from around the country who were either fired or not converted from probationary periods, including 14 from the Concord and San Francisco immigration courts.

The filing states that immigration judges who were not converted or were terminated around the same time as the plaintiff were overwhelmingly female. Fox News Digital has reached out to Lilien’s attorney, the DOJ, as well as the DOJ’s Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR).

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Throughout her employment and during her probationary period, Lilien met or exceeded all performance standards, according to the lawsuit.

She received satisfactory assessments — the highest possible rating — in her probationary period reports for fiscal years 2024 and 2025. As a judge, Lilien denied 34% of asylum claims brought before her, according to data from TRAC Immigration.

On July 11, 2025, Lilien received a notice that her probationary period would not be converted permanently, with the message stating that the attorney general had decided not to extend her term or convert it to a permanent appointment pursuant to Article II of the Constitution.

The suit also alleges that Sirce Owen, who was serving as the acting EOIR director at the time, issued controversial memoranda in early 2025 that demonstrated hostility toward immigrant advocacy groups and certain hiring practices.

Owen allegedly characterized these groups in a memo as “extremist leftist organizations” that promote illegal immigration and attempt to undermine immigration courts.

He also issued another memo criticizing the appointment practices under the Biden administration.

Lilien’s suit states that these memoranda together laid bare management’s hostility toward hiring individuals with immigrants’ rights backgrounds, women, ethnic minorities and others who may be considered “DEI” hires.