A staffer for Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, allegedly lied about being an attorney at least 11 times for detainees at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in an effort to meet with them and sneak in cell phones. 

Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons informed Escobar in a letter dated Thursday about Benito Torres, a senior caseworker on the congresswoman’s staff.

Lyons said Torres lied about being a lawyer for detainees in ICE custody at the Camp East Montana facility at Fort Bliss in El Paso. 

FEDERAL JUDGE TEMPORARILY LIFTS DHS RESTRICTIONS ON LAWMAKER VISITS TO DETENTION FACILITIES

“The available evidence demonstrates your staffer, a senior caseworker named Benito Torres, misrepresented himself as counsel for detainees in ICE custody, violated clear detention standards and security protocols prohibiting the use of cellphones inside ICE facilities, improperly met with multiple detainees, and falsely claimed to ICE personnel such use had been approved by the agency,” Lyons wrote. 

“As a result of bringing a cell phone into the Camp East Montana facility, contrary to facility visitation policy, Mr. Torres’ misrepresentation that he is a licensed attorney to gain access to detainees, his improper meetings with groups of detainees, and his assertions to ICE personnel about the origins of his visit, Mr. Torres is herby [sic] prohibited from accessing any ICE facility.”

An image of a sign-in log shows Torres allegedly claiming to be a “lawyer” visiting a “client.” ICE records show that Torres first misrepresented himself as a legal professional in September 2025, Lyons said. The most recent incident happened on Jan. 30. 

DHS TORCHES ‘BAMBOOZLED’ DEMS FOR CALLING ICE CRACKDOWN ‘VICIOUS LIES’

During that visit, Torres was confronted by a facility administrator and admitted that he was not an attorney and was visiting as a private person. The confrontation happened after officials in the facility became aware of someone passing a phone to multiple detainees, the letter states. 

Lyons has requested that Escobar provide written responses to several questions, including whether Torres was employed by the legislator on the dates he visited the ICE facility, if he is a licensed attorney and if she was aware of his alleged actions. 

Lyons also asked Escobar if she condones such behavior and whether she will hold Torres accountable. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to Escobar’s office. Escobar has called Camp East Montana “disastrous and inhumane” and has demanded that it be shut down. 

“The United States already has the largest immigration detention network in the world, and these added facilities serve only as tools for the administration’s inhumanity,” she wrote in a March X post on X, in which she criticized the “chronic substandard conditions” at the migrant facility. 

Other congressional staffers have tried similar ploys to access ICE facilities in the past. In November, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., fired a staffer who claimed to be an attorney for an illegal immigrant in an effort to facilitate his release. 

Edward York claimed he was legally representing Jose Ismeal Ayuzo Sandoval. Sandoval, a Mexican citizen, had a DUI conviction and was previously deported four times to Mexico. 

EXCLUSIVE — Former Vice President Mike Pence says that the move by congressional Democrats to hold up Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding amid American military strikes on Iran and twin terror-style attacks in the U.S. is indefensible.

“At a time that American armed forces are taking the fight to the leading state sponsor of terrorism, it is unconscionable that Democrats in Washington, D.C., continue to refuse to fund the Department of Homeland Security,” Pence said this week in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital.

Pence spoke as congressional Democrats and Republicans remain unmoved in their political fight over President Donald Trump‘s unprecedented crackdown on illegal immigration. The policy standoff triggered a shutdown at the Department of Homeland Security over a month ago.

FIRST ON FOX: HOUSE REPUBLICANS TO HOLD HEARING ON DHS SHUTDOWN RISKS

Democrats, who are demanding a significant overhaul of the crackdown by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), have repeatedly tried to force Trump and Republicans to fund DHS’ other key functions, including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Coast Guard and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). But Republicans have stood firm against slicing up DHS funding and argue that Democrats are the ones blocking the funding.

CORNYN BLASTS ‘DEFUND THE POLICE’ DEMOCRAT FOR HOLDING TSA AGENTS ‘HOSTAGE’ DURING AIRPORT CLASH

The partial shutdown has forced critical staff, including TSA agents, to work without pay, and has sparked significant travel delays and staff resignations.

Heightening tensions were last week’s twin terror incidents, the attack on a Michigan synagogue and the fatal shooting of an ROTC instructor at Virginia’s Old Dominion University.

LATEST EFFORT TO END DHS FUNDING STANDOFF GOES NOWHERE 

“I must tell you, during my years in the Congress and my years as vice president, it’s very clear to me, having been in Washington, D.C., on September the 11th, having had innumerable briefings about threats facing this country, that our enemies are not just abroad. We have enemies within,” Pence emphasized.

And the former vice president, pointing to the ongoing funding battle, said, “It is incumbent on the Department of Homeland Security, on our domestic law enforcement forces and our entire security apparatus to have the means necessary to protect the American people.”

“I think, with American forces in harm’s way, taking the fight to the enemy in Iran, it’s never been more important for us to ensure that those that are charged with protecting the homeland have the resources they need and have those resources today,” he added.

FIRST ON FOX: Beijing’s growing influence inside the United Nations is raising alarms after a new report from the House Select Committee on China warns the Chinese Communist Party is allegedly leveraging money, personnel and peacekeeping deployments to advance its strategic interests.

The report, obtained by Fox News Digital ahead of its release, outlines what lawmakers describe as a “systematic campaign” by China to reshape the U.N. from within — using expanded financial contributions, placement of Chinese nationals in key roles, and state-linked organizations to steer outcomes in Beijing’s favor.

One of the report’s most concrete findings centers on China’s use of U.N. peacekeeping operations.

Chinese troops increasingly are deployed to regions tied to Beijing’s economic and strategic priorities, the report claims, particularly in Africa, as part of a “sophisticated strategy” to convert influence into hard power.

US SEEKS UN AUTHORIZATION FOR GAZA INTERNATIONAL FORCE LASTING THROUGH 2027 UNDER TRUMP PLAN

Lawmakers point to South Sudan as a key example, where a significant share of oil production is exported to China and Chinese state-backed firms maintain major investments.

The report highlights a concentration of Chinese peacekeepers in the U.N. mission in South Sudan and argues these deployments allow China to “secure its national interests” while operating under the legitimacy of the U.N.

The committee does not allege China is violating U.N. rules. Instead, the report finds Beijing is “exploiting” its participation in the U.N. system to shape outcomes in its favor.

The bipartisan committee is led by Chairman John Moolenaar, R-Mich., and Ranking Member Ro Khanna, D-Calif.,, and has spent months investigating China’s influence across international institutions. Moolenaar previously has warned China is working to “reshape the international system to serve its interests.”

The findings are based on a review of Chinese government documents, U.N. data, academic research and open-source reporting, according to the committee.

TRUMP ADMIN WARNED TO TAKE FRONT SEAT AS UN CHIEF RACE SHIFTS LEFT, BOOSTING ANTI-US CONTENDERS

Beyond troop deployments, the report details how China’s financial contributions to the U.N. have surged throughout the past two decades, increasing from roughly 2% to more than 20% of the U.N. budget. That growing share gives Beijing more influence in budget negotiations and agency priorities, particularly as the U.N. faces periodic funding shortfalls.

The report states China uses its financial weight to “redefine UN norms to advance its own national interests” and influence budget discussions and mandates.

In one example cited, delays in Chinese funding during a budget dispute were linked to disruptions that slowed human rights investigations, illustrating how financial pressure can affect U.N. operations.

The report also raises concerns about China placing nationals in senior U.N. roles, arguing Beijing “captures key bodies” by securing influential positions that allow it to shape decision-making from within.

U.N. hiring rules allow member states to nominate candidates and compete for senior roles across agencies, creating openings for countries like China to expand their presence through standard selection processes.

Another focus is the role of so-called “GONGOs” — government-organized nongovernmental organizations — which the report says are used to “inject” political influence into U.N. processes while presenting as independent civil society groups.

The findings come as U.S. officials increasingly focus on countering China’s influence in international institutions.

The committee calls for greater transparency, stronger U.S. leadership, and coordination with allies to counter what it describes as China’s expanding influence inside the U.N. system.

The report also lands amid broader questions about the U.S. role at the United Nations under President Donald Trump.

“What is the purpose of the United Nations?” Trump asked during an address to the U.N. General Assembly in September 2025. 

He argued that the organization is prone to writing “very strongly worded letters” that never lead to action, famously stating that “empty words don’t solve war.”

The U.S. remains the UN’s biggest financial backer — paying roughly 22% of its budget — while also owing billions in unpaid contributions. 

The dynamic has effectively turned Washington into both the U.N.’s top funder and one of its biggest debtors, a position that shapes everything from budget fights to influence battles with China.

Fox News Digital reached out to the United Nations and China’s mission to the U.N. for comment.

Chinese officials previously have defended their role at the United Nations, describing China as a supporter of multilateralism and international cooperation.

All four Democrats on the House Administration Committee voted against advancing a measure to authorize land on the National Mall to construct the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum.

The measure cleared the committee on a 7-4 party-line vote, the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., said. 

Malliotakis, who does not sit on the committee, said in a post on X that Democrats opposed an amendment to ensure the museum only honors biological women.

“Democrats in the House Administration Committee just voted against my bill to build a Women’s History Museum on the National Mall because an amendment was adopted to ensure only biological women are exhibited. What a way to celebrate #WomensHistoryMonth!” Malliotakis said in the post.

CALIFORNIA’S TRANS AGENDA SUFFERS ANOTHER LEGAL BLOW AFTER ATTEMPT TO UNDERCUT SCOTUS ORDER FAILS

Her post includes a screenshot of the legislative text that states, “The Museum shall be dedicated to preserving, researching, and presenting the history, achievements, and lived experiences of biological women in the United States” and “The Museum may not identify, present, describe, or otherwise depict any biological male as a female.”

The four Democrats on the committee include Ranking Member Rep. Joe Morelle of New York, as well as Reps. Terri Sewell of Alabama, Norma Torres, of California, and Julie Johnson of Texas, the committee’s website indicates.

The bill initially had 231 cosponsors, including Johnson and Sewell, two of the committee Democrats who voted against advancing the measure.

Morelle criticized Republicans in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital, saying that they inserted “ideological poison pills” into the proposal.

“The Republican majority took a bipartisan, Republican-led bill with 230 cosponsors and, at the last minute, replaced it with one that gives President Trump unchecked authority to choose the museum’s location, hands control of its design and construction to boards now filled with political loyalists, omits its sister museum honoring American Latinos, and inserts ideological poison pills aimed not at building a museum, but at generating cheap political talking points,” Morelle said in the statement. 

TRANSGENDER TRIPLE KILLER REMOVED FROM HOME WITH 2 FOSTER CHILDREN MONTHS AFTER AUTHORITIES WERE NOTIFIED

“The star of the Epstein files and Access Hollywood tape is the last person who should be handed the keys to a museum celebrating American women,” he added.

Sharing Malliotakis’ post, President Donald Trump’s daughter-in-law Lara Trump commented, “This is insane, but not surprising for the Democrats.” She also included the clown emoji in her tweet. 

Former college swimmer Riley Gaines, who staunchly opposes allowing biological males to compete in female sports, wrote in a post on X, “A Women’s History Museum is one step closer to the National Mall. It passed out of committee, BUT only along party lines after an amendment was added to ensure it honors real women, not men identifying as women. Yes, that’s where the debate is in 2026.”

FORMER UTAH STATE VOLLEYBALL STAR SAYS SJSU TRANS SCANDAL CAUSED INJURED FINGERS, SHATTERED DREAMS

She added in another post, “Thank you to @RepNicole for championing this effort and standing firm in reality!”

Congressional Republicans are urging the Trump administration to make illegal Chinese-made e-cigarettes a bigger trade and law-enforcement priority, framing the issue as both a public health concern and a politically advantageous one for the 2026 midterms.

“As trade discussions with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) advance, it is critical that the United States Trade Representative (USTR) and the Department of the Treasury confront the ongoing exploitation of our trade system,” Rep. Mike Carey, R-Ohio, wrote in a joint letter from 70 House Republicans to USTR Jamieson Greer and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

“Any new trade agreement with China should require the Chinese government, through its oversight of e-cigarette exports, to take decisive action to curb the influx of illegal, youth-oriented e-cigarettes that openly flout U.S. and Chinese law.”

A crackdown on unauthorized imported vapes allows Republicans to combine anti-China messaging, child-protection rhetoric and law-and-order enforcement in one issue, a GOP operative working on the 2026 midterms told Fox News Digital on Thursday.

TOM COTTON DEMANDS FDA PROBE INTO ILLEGAL CHINESE INGREDIENTS IN US WEIGHT LOSS DRUGS

That makes it especially attractive in battleground districts, where candidates often look for broad, cross-pressured themes that can win over independents and soft partisans on an 80-20 issue in battleground districts.

“Cracking down on illegal Chinese vapes is not only smart policy – it’s what voters want, and members of Congress are right to act on it,” the operative wrote in a statement.

Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, warned this week that unapproved devices from China were appearing in Iowa communities.

“Illegal Chinese vapes designed to hook kids on nicotine are showing up in Iowa communities, and the FDA never approved any of them,” Nunn wrote on X. “As a dad of six, I’m fighting back.”

AS TRUMP TOUTS TARIFF WINDFALL, BATTLEGROUND STATES SHOULDER BILLIONS IN COSTS

Federal and state authorities under President Donald Trump have built a long list of enforcement actions.

In one of the largest operations, Health and Human Services, through the Food and Drug Administration and Customs and Border Protection, said they seized 4.7 million unauthorized e-cigarette units in Chicago with an estimated retail value of $86.5 million, calling it the largest-ever seizure of its kind.

Separately, the FDA and CBP announced another Chicago operation involving nearly 2 million unauthorized e-cigarettes valued at roughly $33.8 million.

TRUMP UNLEASHES ‘TOUGHEST FENTANYL CRACKDOWN IN HISTORY’ AS GOP VOWS ‘CONSEQUENCES’ FOR CHINESE PRODUCERS

The broader administration crackdown has extended beyond ports of entry. In September 2025, the DEA said its “Operation Vape Trail” seized more than 2.3 million vape devices and cartridges and more than 100 weapons during a nationwide enforcement action targeting illegal substances in vape shops.

And, in Virginia, “Operation Magic Dragon” targeted vape retail establishments tied to broader alleged criminal activity, with authorities reporting seizures that included drugs and firearms.

That enforcement record helps explain why Republican strategists see the issue as unusually strong politics.

“Any candidate not making this issue a priority is leaving votes on the table that could be helping President Trump secure his trifecta once again,” the GOP operative concluded.

“When 80% of voters in swing districts are behind an issue, it’s a signal to prioritize it.”

Gov. JB Pritzker, D-Ill., emerged as a decisive kingmaker in Illinois’ primary elections Tuesday, but his efforts to boost his deputy, Lt. Gov. Julianna Stratton, D-Ill., could create headaches for a future presidential run.

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) are sharply criticizing Pritzker for spending millions of his personal wealth to shore up support for Stratton in the state’s bruising Senate primary. 

Pritzker’s deputy beat out Rep. Robyn Kelly, D-Ill., the CBC’s preferred candidate, and a $30 million war chest from Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., to advance to the general election.

“We don’t need to reach out to the governor,” Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., said of Pritzker, according to a new Politico report. “Others are going to have to reach out to us,” he said in a reference to Pritzker. Meeks helms the CBC’s PAC, which backed Kelly’s failed Senate campaign.

AS 2028 BUZZ BUILDS, PRITZKER DRAWS REPUBLICAN CHALLENGER IN SHOWDOWN FOR ILLINOIS GOVERNOR

Stratton’s dominant win could have immediate ramifications for Pritzker, who is running for a third gubernatorial term and is rumored to be considering a 2028 presidential bid. The Black caucus remains an influential force in the Democratic Party after allying itself with former President Joe Biden in 2020 and former Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024.

For now, the group is holding Pritzker at arm’s length. 

“Keep in mind, the Democratic candidate for president that prevails has to go through [us],” Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, said referring to the Black caucus, according to the report. “The CBC is very strategic and so if there is an issue … we will lay out our framework for what it will take” to earn the group’s support, the Ohio Democrat added.

Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss, a longtime CBC member, did not hide his frustration with Pritzker, telling the outlet that the billionaire governor “has to justify what he did” by backing Stratton’s Senate campaign.

“As to whether or not it has merit or not, remains to be seen,” he added, according to the report.

ESTABLISHMENT DEMOCRATS FEND OFF FAR-LEFT INFLUENCER IN PRIMARY TO SUCCEED REP JAN SCHAKOWSKY

The billionaire governor contributed at least $5 million to a super PAC supporting Stratton’s candidacy. The donation helped Stratton overcome a torrent of attack ads from the cryptocurrency industry seeking to block her from the nomination.

Additional CBC members have also lambasted Pritzker’s influence over the Senate race, with some voicing concerns that Stratton and Kelly’s dueling campaigns split the Black vote.

“Governor Pritzker’s effort to tip the scales in Illinois’ U.S. Senate race is beyond frustrating for the Congressional Black Caucus,” Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., chair of the CBC, told Punchbowl News earlier this month. “A sitting governor shouldn’t be heavy-handing the race. Quite frankly, his behavior in this race won’t soon be forgotten by any of us.”

Stratton, who has served as lieutenant governor since 2019, branded herself as a staunch anti-Trump foe on the campaign trail. She sparked controversy when her campaign released an ad full of expletives directed toward Trump, which notably featured Pritzker.

Fox News Digital reached out to Pritzker for comment.

President Donald Trump made a quip about Pearl Harbor Thursday when asked if Japan and other American allies were given advance notice about attacking Iran, saying the U.S. “wanted surprise.” 

Trump made the comment while sitting across from Prime Minister of Japan Sanae Takaichi during a bilateral meeting at the White House. 

“Japan and the U.S. are very good friends, but one question, why didn’t you tell U.S. allies in Europe and Asia, like Japan, about the war before attacking Iran? So we are very confused about, we Japanese citizens,” a reporter asked Trump. 

“Well, one thing, you don’t want to signal too much,” the president responded. “You know, when we go in, we went in very hard, and we didn’t tell anybody about it because we wanted surprise. Who knows better about surprise than Japan? Okay? Why didn’t you tell me about Pearl Harbor? Okay? Right?” 

JACK KEANE CALLS OUT NATO’S WEAKNESS AS SHIPPING CRISIS GRIPS STRAIT OF HORMUZ

“You know, he’s asking me, ‘Do you believe in surprise?’ I think much more so than us. And we had to surprise them. And we did,” Trump continued. “And because of that surprise, we knocked out the first two days, we probably knocked out 50% of what we — and much more than we anticipated doing. So, if I go and tell everybody about it, there’s no longer a surprise, right?” 

PENTAGON SEEKS AT LEAST $200 BILLION FROM CONGRESS FOR IRAN WAR

Earlier in the meeting, Trump told reporters, “We’re doing this excursion. And when it’s completed, we’re going to have a much safer world. And the Prime Minister agrees with me on this.“

“Iran is a serious threat to the world, to the Middle East and to the world. And everybody agrees with me,” Trump said. “I think virtually every country agrees with me on that. So I wanted to put out that fire.” 

Operation Epic Fury was launched by the U.S. on Feb. 28, and as of Thursday, is on day 20. 

U.S. officials detected unidentified drones near a military installation in Washington, D.C., where top administration officials reportedly have been housed, and security concerns are mounting amid escalating tensions in the Middle East and with Iran. 

Multiple drones were spotted in recent days near Fort Lesley J. McNair, where Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth are living, The Washington Post reported, citing people briefed on the situation. The origin of the drones has not been determined.

The base, located in Southwest Washington, D.C., houses the National Defense University and senior military leadership. It also reportedly has been used to accommodate high-level administration officials amid elevated security concerns.

Officials with Joint Task Force – National Capital Region and the U.S. Army Military District of Washington said they are aware of the reported drone sightings. 

US DIPLOMATIC FACILITY IN IRAQ STRUCK BY DRONE

“We are aware of the reported drone sightings near Fort McNair and the surrounding areas,” Heather Chairez, media chief for Joint Task Force – National Capital Region and the U.S. Army Military District of Washington, told Fox News Digital Thursday. “We are working with our law enforcement and interagency partners to monitor and investigate the reported sightings.

“Our top priority is the safety of our service members and civilian personnel that work and live on the base,” she added. “Currently, there is no credible threat to Fort McNair, but we will continue to monitor the situation and adjust force protection measures as needed.” 

A growing number of top officials, including Rubio and Hegseth, have moved into military housing in the Washington area, according to multiple reports, a shift that is unusual and has few modern precedents for civilian political appointees.

Fox News has not independently confirmed Rubio and Hegseth live at McNair. 

The reported sightings come as the United States has heightened security measures at military installations and diplomatic posts after ongoing U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, raising concerns about potential retaliation and attacks on U.S. troops. 

Iran increasingly has relied on drones as a central component of its military strategy, deploying unmanned systems and supporting proxy forces across the Middle East in attacks on U.S. and allied targets.

During the opening phase of Operation Epic Fury, an Iranian drone strike in Kuwait killed six U.S. service members, underscoring concerns among defense officials about the growing threat posed by unmanned systems.

Several U.S. bases have elevated force protection levels in recent days, including Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey and MacDill Air Force Base in Florida, which is home to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). 

MacDill, which serves as the headquarters for CENTCOM and oversees all U.S. military operations in the Middle East, also has experienced multiple recent security incidents that prompted temporary lockdowns, according to base officials. Officials did not detail the nature of the threat but said they “take all threats seriously and will continue to prioritize the safety and security of our installation, our mission and our people.”

The State Department also has directed diplomatic posts worldwide to review and strengthen security measures in response to an evolving threat environment.

IRAN’S DRONE SWARMS CHALLENGE US AIR DEFENSES AS TROOPS IN MIDDLE EAST FACE RISING THREATS

U.S. officials have not publicly identified the source or intent behind the drone activity near the nation’s capital, and it remains unclear whether the incidents are connected to broader geopolitical tensions.

U.S. law enforcement agencies also have been placed on heightened alert in recent weeks after a federal warning about intercepted communications believed to be of Iranian origin that could serve as a potential trigger for sleeper assets abroad. Though officials said there was no specific or imminent threat tied to the alert.

Earlier in March, an FBI advisory referenced unverified intelligence suggesting Iran had explored launching drones from offshore platforms near California, though officials stressed the information was aspirational and not tied to any imminent threat.

Experts say that while Iran has invested heavily in drone warfare abroad, the more plausible risk inside the United States would involve small, commercially available drones rather than large military systems.

Unauthorized drone incursions near sensitive government and military sites are typically monitored and assessed by multiple federal agencies, including the Department of War, federal law enforcement and aviation authorities.

The Pentagon and State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., remained silent earlier this week when asked how long Democrats intended to hold out on funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) amid a recent string of suspected terror attacks.

Fox News Digital approached Schumer with a pair of questions in the basement of the Senate.

“Is it time to fund the DHS after four domestic suspected terror attacks have occurred?” a Fox News Digital reporter asked.

“If the Republicans don’t agree to the ICE reforms that you guys want, all of them, what’s the next step? How long are you willing to leave DHS unfunded?”

SCALISE ACCUSES DEMOCRATS OF REVIVING ‘DEFUND THE POLICE’ PUSH WITH DHS FUNDING GAMBIT

Schumer deflected the questions.

“Ask the Republicans,” Schumer answered.

Funding for DHS originally lapsed on Feb. 14 when Democrats refused to advance spending legislation for DHS that didn’t also include a set of demands to reform ICE. Among other changes, Democrats have conditioned their support on a ban on masks for ICE agents, stiffer warrant requirement for apprehending suspects in public and a ban on roaming patrols.

Republicans have rebuffed the demands, arguing they would handcuff President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement goals.

Republicans need at least seven Democrats to reach the 60-vote threshold to break a filibuster in the Senate, where they hold just 53 seats.

DEM SENATORS IN THE HOT SEAT AS REPUBLICANS RIP THEIR DHS VOTE AMID TERROR THREATS: ‘UNDER ATTACK’

The standoff has overlapped with a series of domestic attacks, raising alarm among Republicans that DHS’ closure may be reducing the country’s preparedness to counter similar threats.

A vehicle ramming at a synagogue in Michigan, a university shooting in Virginia, the detonations of explosives in New York and another shooting in Texas have left Republicans like Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., calling for Democrats to abandon their demands.

“Democrats have shut down the very department charged with defending our nation from terrorism while our nation is on high alert,” Barrasso said in a post to X.

In addition to ICE, DHS also manages the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Secret Service and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).

Barrasso, the Senate GOP whip, was echoed by Rep. Andrew Garbarino, R-N.Y., the chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security.

DEM SENATORS CALL TO FUND DHS AFTER VOTING TO BLOCK IT 4 TIMES AMID SHUTDOWN FIGHT

He stressed the urgency to fund the department amid the U.S. conflict with Iran.

“I urge my Democrat colleagues to make the right decision and stop playing dangerous games with DHS funding. As threats from Iran escalate, America must be fully prepared to respond and mitigate threats to the homeland,” Garbarino wrote.

The funding lapse hit the one-month mark on Saturday.

Joe Kent’s eyebrow-raising resignation as director of the National Counterterrorism Center Tuesday has given way to news that Kent is under FBI investigation — and has been for weeks — for allegedly leaking classified information.

It’s a stunning turn of events for someone in such a high-profile job, but Kent’s incendiary letter and subsequent statements have exposed an apparent fracture in President Donald Trump’s national security team, pitting officials who favor a more aggressive military posture against those aligned with a more isolationist approach.

Kent rose on the right as a combat veteran turned political insurgent — a former Green Beret and CIA officer who channeled his battlefield experience into a critique of America’s “endless wars” and the D.C. establishment that sustained them.

A vocal ally of Trump and a participant in post-2020 election challenges, Kent became a prominent voice in the populist wing of the GOP.

Now, his recent resignation — and his accusation that the war in Iran was driven by “pressure from Israel” — has triggered a swift GOP backlash, leaving Kent isolated from parts of the political movement that once embraced him.

TRUMP RESURFACES OLD TWEET FROM INTEL OFFICIAL WHO RESIGNED 

His Tuesday resignation letter directly challenged the Trump administration’s justification for the Iran war, stating that “Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation” and arguing the conflict was driven by “pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”

He also alleged that a “misinformation campaign” by Israeli officials and U.S. media had pushed the United States toward war, claims that drew condemnation from lawmakers in both parties.

After Kent’s resignation, officials said he had been under FBI investigation for weeks for allegedly leaking classified information.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was unaware of the probe, a senior intelligence official told Fox News Digital Thursday. 

Administration officials also told Fox News Kent had been cut out of planning meetings for the current Iran mission, known as Operation Epic Fury, as well as the president’s daily briefings.

Kent’s resignation, now shadowed by the FBI investigation into alleged leaks, has placed a once-rising figure in Trump’s orbit at the center of a growing clash over the administration’s Iran strategy, the use of intelligence in military decision-making, and internal tensions within the national security team.

Kent’s rise in conservative circles was shaped as much by his military career as by personal loss. 

A 20-year Army Special Forces veteran and former CIA paramilitary officer, he served in multiple combat deployments before entering public life.

His profile grew significantly after the 2019 death of his first wife, Navy Senior Chief Shannon, who was killed in a suicide bombing in Syria. 

Kent frequently has cited her death as a turning point for him, fueling his criticism of what he describes as failed U.S. foreign policy and “endless wars” in the Middle East.

He later entered politics, running for Congress in 2022 and 2024 in Washington state as a Republican aligned with President Donald Trump’s “America First” movement. 

Kent secured Trump’s endorsement during his campaigns and became a prominent voice in the populist wing of the party, combining a hardline stance on national security with opposition to prolonged military interventions.

Kent’s recent departure has raised questions about internal dynamics within the Trump administration’s national security team, particularly as differences emerge over Iran strategy and the intelligence used to justify it.

While Gabbard has long aligned herself with a more restrained approach to foreign policy, the White House has taken a more aggressive posture toward Iran, raising the possibility of a widening divide over both strategy and the intelligence used to justify it.

Gabbard has responded cautiously in the days since Kent’s resignation, avoiding a direct defense of his claims while emphasizing the role of the president in making final decisions.

In a statement on Iran threats following Kent’s departure, Gabbard did not mention him by name, instead stressing that intelligence agencies provide assessments but that “the president is responsible for determining what is and is not an imminent threat.”

Pressed by senators in a worldwide threat hearing Wednesday over whether she agreed with the White House that Iran posed an imminent threat to the U.S. prior to strikes that began Feb. 28, she repeatedly declined to say so, arguing it was up to the president to make such a determination.

During a parallel hearing in the House Thursday, Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., read portions of Kent’s resignation letter — including his claim that Israeli officials and U.S. media had pushed the United States toward war — and asked whether Gabbard agreed with the statement.

“He said a lot of things in that letter,” Gabbard responded, adding that the president “makes his own decisions based on the information that’s available to him.” 

When asked whether Kent’s comments concerned her, Gabbard replied simply: “Yes.”

TOP COUNTERTERRORISM OFFICIAL RESIGNS IN PROTEST OF US WAR AGAINST IRAN

Kent’s remarks also have drawn sharp criticism from senior Republicans. 

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell described the language in Kent’s resignation letter as “virulent anti-Semitism,” calling it “baseless and incendiary conspiracies” and saying such views have “no place” in government.

In early March, Gabbard’s chief of staff, Matt Baker, left his role, though a senior intelligence official told Fox News Digital Baker’s departure was a long-planned return to the private sector. 

Gabbard also has recently brought on Dan Caldwell, an outspoken advocate of a more restrained foreign policy. Caldwell previously was the subject of a Pentagon leak probe during his time working with War Secretary Pete Hegseth, though the results of that probe have not been publicized and Caldwell insists they are unsubstantiated. 

A source familiar with that move said Caldwell will be doing administration work rather than shaping policy.

Gabbard’s office could not immediately be reached for comment.

Non-interventionist Republicans praised Kent after his departure. 

“Another insider sees what we see: no imminent threat, just lobby pressure. This is why we need to defund and debate,” said Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky. 

“Joe Kent is a GREAT AMERICAN HERO. God bless him and protect him! He just exposed that the war with Iran is AMERICA LAST and we voted against it,” said former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga.

Kent’s past comments on Iran reflect a more nuanced position than his resignation might suggest. 

During his congressional campaigns, he consistently portrayed Iran as a real and ongoing threat and warned against allowing it to expand its influence across the region.

At times, Kent’s rhetoric went further, reflecting a willingness to use direct force against Iran when he viewed it as necessary. 

In a 2020 social media post following the U.S. strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, commander of the elite Quds Force responsible for operations outside Iran. Kent urged the administration to “wipe Iran’s ballistic capability out,” while still calling for U.S. troops to be withdrawn from the region.

 The comments highlighted a tension that has defined his foreign policy views —support for aggressive, targeted action against adversaries alongside a deep opposition to prolonged military entanglements.

By 2024, Kent had coalesced around a doctrine of what he described as “peace through strength,” praising Trump-era policies that combined sanctions, targeted strikes and diplomacy while avoiding large-scale military commitments. 

In a Newsweek op-ed that year, he argued that sending U.S. troops to confront Iran or its proxies would be “a huge mistake,” advocating instead for withdrawing forces from vulnerable positions while continuing to strike adversaries from a distance.

His resignation marks a sharper break: not just opposing escalation, but rejecting the premise that Iran posed an imminent threat at all.

Kent could not be reached for comment. 

Fox News Digital reached out to the FBI for comment on its ongoing investigation. 

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has called the claims in Kent’s resignation letter “false” and “laughable.” 

“There are many false claims in this letter, but let me address one specifically: that ‘Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation.’ This is the same false claim that Democrats and some in the liberal media have been repeating over and over,” she wrote on X.

“The absurd allegation that President Trump made this decision based on the influence of others, even foreign countries, is both insulting and laughable.”