Author name: George Fitzpatrick

Non-Citizen Mayor in Kansas Charged After Illegally Voting To Re-Elect Himself
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Non-Citizen Mayor in Kansas Charged After Illegally Voting To Re-Elect Himself

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A small-town mayor in Kansas is facing felony charges after allegedly voting illegally in his own election despite not being a U.S. citizen.

Jose Ceballos, the recently re-elected mayor of Coldwater, was charged with multiple counts of election-related crimes after Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach announced the findings of an investigation into his eligibility to vote.

Ceballos, a Mexican national living in the United States legally, reportedly voted for himself in violation of state law that restricts voting rights to U.S. citizens.

Attorney General Kobach announced the charges in a press release on November 5, one day after the 2025 election.

“In Kansas, it is against the law to vote if you are not a U.S. citizen. We allege that Mr. Ceballos did it multiple times,” Kobach said.

“Voting by noncitizens, including both legal and illegal aliens, is a very real problem. It happens. Every time a noncitizen votes, it effectively cancels out a U.S. citizen’s vote.”

According to Kobach’s office, the charges were filed in Comanche County, where Coldwater is located. Ceballos faces three counts of voting without being qualified and three counts of election perjury.

The offenses are classified as nonperson felonies under Kansas law and carry a potential prison sentence of more than five years.

The investigation and subsequent charges have renewed statewide debate about proof-of-citizenship laws and voter verification systems.

Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab joined Kobach in announcing the charges and called attention to previous efforts to implement stricter voter identification measures.

“I’ve worked with Attorney General Kobach for years on proof of citizenship as a useful tool to root out election crimes,” Schwab said.

“During my time as House Elections Chair, then Secretary Kobach and I fought to pass a proof of citizenship requirement. Instead, we’re left relying on individuals’ word when it comes to verifying citizenship.”

Schwab noted that Kansas’s proof-of-citizenship law was struck down in federal court in 2018, limiting the state’s ability to verify voter eligibility at registration.

He credited President Donald Trump’s administration for expanding the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program, which assists states in confirming voter citizenship status.

“I’m grateful that President Trump implemented the SAVE program to help states and to prevent situations like this,” Schwab said.

The Attorney General’s office confirmed that First Assistant Attorney General Stacy Edwards will prosecute the case, with Special Agent Nate Humble and Special Agent in Charge Matt Simpson leading the investigation.

According to the press release, the ongoing inquiry will also examine whether the city of Coldwater’s charter or local ordinances include any separate provisions for officeholder eligibility.

State law, however, requires that any individual elected to public office be a “qualified elector,” meaning they must be eligible to vote.

While it remains unclear how long Ceballos had been registered to vote, the charges indicate that he participated in multiple elections.

If convicted, Ceballos could face a prison sentence and loss of eligibility to hold public office in the United States.

The case is being closely watched by election officials and lawmakers as Kansas continues to debate the enforcement of citizenship verification laws for voter registration and candidacy.

The incident comes amid broader national discussions about election integrity and the role of noncitizens in local government.

Kansas law explicitly prohibits noncitizens from voting in federal, state, or local elections, regardless of legal residency status.

Massive Bronx Vehicle Explosion Sends Seven Firefighters to the Hospital
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Massive Bronx Vehicle Explosion Sends Seven Firefighters to the Hospital

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A massive explosion in the Bronx on Wednesday evening injured at least seven New York City firefighters and sent several to the hospital, some with severe burns.

Officials said the blast appeared to have come from a vehicle, but the cause remains under investigation.

The explosion occurred around 7 p.m. in the Bronx borough of New York City.

Witnesses reported hearing a powerful blast that shook the area and set off a large fire that spread across several vehicles and debris along the street.

“There was a lot of garbage and debris on the sidewalk that was on fire. There were a couple of cars on fire. And shortly after we arrived on the scene, there was some sort of explosion, a large fireball,” Chief of Department John Esposito said at a news conference late Wednesday.

FDNY confirmed that seven firefighters were injured while responding to the scene. Three of them were taken to Jacobi Hospital with severe burns, while four others sustained minor injuries. Five of the firefighters suffered burns to their hands and faces.

“The burns are considered serious, but not life-threatening,” Esposito said.

He added that the firefighters are “awake, alert and speaking.”

Sheldon Temperman, a doctor at Jacobi Hospital, said he was “worried” but expects the first responders to recover from their injuries.

The explosion and subsequent fire lit up the night sky as emergency crews rushed to contain the blaze. The fire was brought under control by 8:17 p.m. ET, according to FDNY officials.

Authorities have not yet determined whether the detonation was intentional or accidental.

Because of the magnitude of the blast, several agencies—including a hazmat team, the Bureau of Fire Investigation, and the Bureau of Fire Prevention—are conducting a joint investigation.

FDNY later released an official statement confirming the details shared at the press briefing.

“The explosion injured seven firefighters, five of them with burns to the hands and the face. Three of them are being admitted. The burns are considered serious, but non-life threatening. Our firefighters are awake, alert and speaking, but they have some serious burns, and we’ll be praying for them. With quick action by our Emergency Medical Service, they were transported to Jacobi Hospital, where they were given great care by Jacobi Hospital emergency personnel in the trauma and burn center,” Esposito said.

While the cause of the explosion remains unclear, investigators are examining whether flammable materials in or around the vehicle could have contributed to the incident. Officials have not disclosed whether they suspect foul play.

No fatalities have been reported, and all firefighters are expected to recover.

The area surrounding the explosion site remained closed late Wednesday as fire marshals and investigators continued their work.

The FDNY urged the public to avoid the area and allow emergency personnel to continue their operations safely. Further updates are expected once investigators determine the source of the blast.

As of late Wednesday night, the situation remained under investigation by city fire officials and law enforcement agencies.

Key War on Terror Architect and Former VP Dick Cheney Passes Away at 84
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Key War on Terror Architect and Former VP Dick Cheney Passes Away at 84

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Former Vice President Dick Cheney, who served under President George W. Bush and played a defining role in shaping U.S. foreign and defense policy for decades, has died at the age of 84, his family announced Tuesday.

“His beloved wife of 61 years, Lynne, his daughters, Liz and Mary, and other family members were with him as he passed,” the Cheney family said in a statement.

Cheney had a long history of heart disease, having suffered multiple heart attacks throughout his life. His health challenges spanned decades, including a heart transplant in 2012.

Cheney’s political career began during the Nixon administration, where he worked in the Office of Economic Opportunity and the Cost of Living Council.

He later became White House Chief of Staff under President Gerald Ford, making him one of the youngest to hold the position.

From 1979 to 1989, Cheney represented Wyoming in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served as a member of the House Intelligence Committee and became known as a staunch conservative voice during the Reagan era.

During the administration of President George H. W. Bush, Cheney served as Secretary of Defense from 1989 to 1993.

In that role, he oversaw Operation Desert Storm, the successful U.S.-led military campaign to expel Iraqi forces from Kuwait in 1991.

He worked closely with Gen. Colin Powell and Joint Chiefs of Staff leadership in coordinating the conflict, earning recognition for his decisive handling of the first Gulf War.

Cheney returned to government as Vice President under President George W. Bush, serving from 2001 to 2009.

Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Cheney became one of the leading architects of the U.S. response, including the invasion of Afghanistan and the formation of the Department of Homeland Security.

He was widely regarded as one of the most influential vice presidents in American history, exerting significant influence over national security policy and military decisions.

Cheney’s tenure also brought controversy.

His advocacy for the Iraq War in 2003, based on intelligence later shown to be inaccurate regarding weapons of mass destruction, drew heavy criticism.

The use of enhanced interrogation techniques by U.S. intelligence agencies also sparked national debate over legality and ethics.

By the time Cheney left office in 2009, his approval rating had dropped to 31%, reflecting widespread public fatigue with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In the years following his vice presidency, Cheney’s relationship with many within the Republican Party shifted, particularly as the party’s direction changed under President Donald Trump.

Cheney publicly criticized Trump on several occasions and ultimately voted for Democrat Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.

His daughter Liz Cheney, who represented Wyoming’s at-large congressional district from 2017 to 2023, initially supported many of President Trump’s policies but later broke with the party over her criticism of his conduct following the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

Her involvement in the House Select Committee investigating the incident led to her censure by the Republican National Committee and removal from Wyoming’s GOP membership rolls. She lost her 2022 reelection bid and later endorsed Harris for president.

During her campaign, Dick Cheney voiced his disapproval of President Trump in a 60-second ad, saying, “In our nation’s 246-year history, there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump.”

He also called Trump a “coward” over his reaction to losing the 2020 election.

Cheney’s public career spanned more than four decades and included service under five U.S. presidents.

Despite his later political isolation, he remained one of the most consequential and polarizing figures in modern American politics, known for his influence on U.S. foreign policy and national defense.

Wall Street Heading Out of New York City as Democratic Socialist Mamdani Wins Election
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Wall Street Heading Out of New York City as Democratic Socialist Mamdani Wins Election

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Several of the nation’s largest financial institutions have expanded their operations in Texas in recent years, marking a significant shift in the financial sector’s traditional concentration around New York City’s Wall Street.

The movement reflects a broader trend of businesses and workers relocating from high-tax states such as New York and California to regions with lower taxes and fewer regulatory constraints.

The influx began during the COVID-19 pandemic, when corporations sought to diversify their geographic presence and employees increasingly opted for states offering a lower cost of living and more favorable tax environments.

Texas, with its business-friendly climate and central location, has become a key destination for major banks and investment firms.

The New York City mayoral election of Zohran Mamdani could influence the next wave of corporate decisions.

Mamdani, who identifies as a democratic socialist, has proposed tax increases and expanded social programs that critics say could further drive businesses to move operations elsewhere.

Here is a look at several of the largest financial firms that have significantly increased their presence in Texas, particularly in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area, which has emerged as one of the state’s financial hubs.

Goldman Sachs

Goldman Sachs is constructing a new 800,000-square-foot campus in Dallas that will accommodate more than 5,000 employees once completed.

The firm currently employs about 4,500 workers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, making the region its second-largest U.S. location after New York City, which has approximately 7,800 employees.

The Dallas campus will consolidate employees from across the company’s divisions, including investment banking, asset management, and consumer operations.

Construction is underway, with the facility expected to open in 2028 after the completion of the building, interiors, and relocation of personnel.

JPMorgan Chase

JPMorgan Chase, the largest bank in the United States, employs roughly 31,000 workers across Texas, including about 18,000 in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

That figure surpasses the company’s 24,000 employees in New York City.

The firm’s largest Texas campus is in Plano, a Dallas suburb, where more than 12,000 of its employees are based.

The Dallas Chamber of Commerce lists JPMorgan Chase among the region’s top employers, noting that it employs more than 10,000 workers across the metroplex.

Wells Fargo

In late October, Wells Fargo officially opened its new 22-acre campus in the Dallas area, which includes two 10-story office towers designed to house 4,500 employees.

The company’s investment in the area reflects its growing commitment to Texas as a strategic operations center. The Dallas Chamber reports that Wells Fargo employs between 5,000 and 9,999 workers in the region.

Charles Schwab

Charles Schwab moved its corporate headquarters from California to Westlake, Texas, nearly five years ago, marking one of the most significant financial relocations to the state.

The firm’s decision coincided with a broader corporate migration out of California, where taxes and regulatory costs have driven companies to seek more business-friendly environments.

Schwab currently employs between 5,000 and 9,999 workers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, according to data from the Dallas Chamber.

The Westlake campus serves as the company’s main operational and administrative hub.

Bank of America

Bank of America is constructing a new 30-story office tower in downtown Dallas as part of its plan to expand operations in the region.

While the company’s corporate headquarters will remain in Charlotte, North Carolina, the Dallas development will add to its growing presence in Texas.

The building is scheduled for completion in 2027.

The Dallas Chamber reports that Bank of America employs more than 10,000 people in the metro area, with additional offices spread across Houston and Austin.


As more financial firms expand or relocate to Texas, the state continues to position itself as a major center for banking, investment, and financial services.

The combination of a skilled workforce, favorable tax structure, and lower cost of operations has made Texas an increasingly attractive alternative to the nation’s traditional financial capitals.

Criminal Illegal Aliens Abusing Medicaid Exposed by New White House Website
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Criminal Illegal Aliens Abusing Medicaid Exposed by New White House Website

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President Donald Trump unveiled a new federal website Monday night aimed at exposing the scale of Medicaid fraud involving illegal aliens, part of his administration’s renewed effort to enforce immigration and fiscal law while protecting taxpayer funds.

The website, which went live late Monday, publishes the names, mugshots, and criminal charges of individuals in the country illegally who have received Medicaid benefits.

White House Screenshot
White House Screenshot

According to the site, many of those listed have been convicted of serious offenses, including murder, rape, burglary, and assault.

White House Screenshot
White House Screenshot

In a statement posted on the site, the Trump administration said, “The Trump administration has intensified enforcement against criminal illegal aliens receiving taxpayer-funded Medicaid benefits, arresting hundreds of unauthorized individuals since taking office, including those with serious criminal records who exploited taxpayer-funded Medicaid illegally or through loopholes.

This crackdown, driven by executive orders prioritizing public safety and fiscal responsibility, has led to the swift deportation of many individuals convicted of heinous acts, ensuring that precious resources meant for American citizens are no longer diverted to subsidize violent criminals.”

The initiative also highlights the ongoing budget standoff in Congress, with the White House blaming Democrats for refusing to pass a spending bill that excludes provisions for expanded Medicaid eligibility to illegal aliens.

The administration’s statement said, “Compounding the crisis, Democrats have refused to pass a clean budget bill to end the shutdown unless Republicans concede to their demands for $1.5 trillion in new spending, including restorations to Medicaid expansions that would effectively extend coverage to over 1 million illegal aliens, funneling an additional $200 billion to such programs over the next decade at the expense of U.S. families.”

The release of the site follows weeks of public disputes between the White House and congressional Democrats over health care and immigration priorities.

While Democrats have denied that illegal aliens receive Medicaid benefits, federal investigations and oversight reports have documented ongoing issues with eligibility fraud, data mismatches, and states failing to verify citizenship before issuing benefits.

Vice President J.D. Vance addressed the issue during a recent appearance on Fox News, saying that Democrats “shut down the entire government because they want to give hundreds of billions of dollars of health care benefits to illegal aliens.”

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins also cited recent enforcement successes in identifying and reducing welfare fraud. In an interview with Fox News, Rollins said her department’s review of about $100 billion in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) spending revealed thousands of cases of illegal activity and misuse of federal benefits.

“We have found, after studying about $100 billion in spending, thousands and thousands of illegal uses of the EBT card,” Rollins said.

“We have been moving people off of SNAP. We’ve got almost 700,000 people, I think, that we’ve moved off just since the President took office.”

Rollins added that “We’ve arrested about 118 people. So this has been ongoing. But what this conversation has allowed is a national spotlight on a broken and corrupt program. We found one guy in six different states getting a benefit. We found about 5,000 people who are dead and still getting benefits.”

The launch of the new website comes as President Trump has made immigration enforcement and fiscal accountability central priorities of his administration.

The Department of Health and Human Services, in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, is conducting audits and cross-checks to ensure that Medicaid and other public benefits are limited to U.S. citizens and lawful residents.

A recent analysis by the Congressional Budget Office estimated that Medicaid spending on illegal aliens cost taxpayers more than $16 billion during the first three years of the Biden-Harris administration.

Administration officials said that figure reflects “systemic abuse and a lack of enforcement” that the Trump administration intends to reverse through the new transparency initiative.

The new website is expected to be regularly updated as investigations continue and additional arrests are made under the administration’s crackdown on fraud and illegal benefit use.

George Clooney Says Democrats Made ‘Mistake’ Replacing Biden with Harris
Entertainment

George Clooney Says Democrats Made ‘Mistake’ Replacing Biden with Harris

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Actor George Clooney is now publicly admitting that Democrats made a “mistake” by replacing former President Joe Biden with Kamala Harris during the 2024 election, saying the decision left Harris with a “very tough task” and no room to define herself, as reported by Breitbart.

Speaking with CBS Sunday Morning, Clooney said he still stands by his earlier push for Biden to step aside but believes the party mishandled the process of finding his replacement.

Berlin, Germany, October 18, 2024. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the President of the United States, Joe Biden, hold a short press conference in the Federal Chancellery in Berlin.

“We had a chance. I wanted there to be, as I wrote in the op-ed, a primary. Let’s battle-test this quickly and get it up and going,” Clooney said.

“I think the mistake with it being Kamala is she had to run against her own record. It’s very hard to do if the point of running is to say, ‘I’m not that person.’ It’s hard to do, and so she was given a very tough task. I think it was a mistake, quite honestly.”

Clooney added that despite his concerns, Democrats accepted the outcome. “But we are where we are. We were gonna lose more House seats, they say. So I don’t know. To not do it would be to say, ‘I’m not gonna tell the truth,’” he said.

The actor faced significant backlash after President Donald Trump defeated Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, with many Democrats blaming him for helping to push Biden out of the race. Reports at the time described Clooney as feeling like a “scapegoat” for the party’s losses.

Speaking later with Jake Tapper on CNN, Clooney defended his decision to call on Biden to step down, describing it as an act of responsibility. “Well, I don’t know if it was brave,” he told Tapper. “It was a civic duty.”

In his widely discussed op-ed, Clooney said he had seen signs of Biden’s cognitive decline months earlier, recalling a fundraiser where Biden appeared diminished alongside former President Barack Obama.

Despite noticing those signs, Clooney did not publicly urge Biden to withdraw until after his first debate with President Trump, where the former president’s performance led to widespread concerns within the Democratic Party.

“When I saw people on my side of the street, not telling the truth, I thought that was time,” Clooney said.

Clooney acknowledged that some in his circle remain upset with him over the decision, particularly given that Harris went on to lose both the Electoral College and the popular vote to President Trump.

Despite the controversy, he maintained that his actions were based on honesty, not politics.

Judge Brings Stunning End to Justin Baldoni’s 0 Million Hollywood Lawsuit
Entertainment

Judge Brings Stunning End to Justin Baldoni’s $400 Million Hollywood Lawsuit

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A federal judge has officially ended Justin Baldoni’s $400 million defamation countersuit against actors Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, marking the latest turn in an ongoing legal dispute involving the It Ends With Us director and the celebrity couple, as reported by The New York Post.

According to court records obtained by The New York Post, Judge Lewis Liman signed an order on Friday finalizing the dismissal after Baldoni, 41, and his company, Wayfarer Studios, failed to submit an amended complaint by the court’s deadline. The judge’s decision follows an earlier dismissal of Baldoni’s case in June.

Judge Liman noted that Baldoni had been warned on October 17 that a final judgment would be entered if no further action was taken.

Of the defendants, Lively was the only one to respond to the judge’s notice, requesting that final judgment be entered while keeping her motion for legal fees active — a request the court approved. Baldoni may still appeal the ruling.

The legal dispute began in December 2024 when Lively, 38, filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment on the set of It Ends With Us and of coordinating what she described as a “campaign to destroy her reputation” following the film’s release.

Baldoni denied the allegations and responded by filing a $400 million countersuit against Lively, Reynolds, 49, and their longtime publicist Leslie Sloane, claiming defamation and extortion. All parties named in the countersuit denied the allegations.

In June, Judge Liman dismissed Baldoni’s $400 million complaint and a separate $250 million lawsuit he filed against The New York Times, which he accused of libel and false light invasion of privacy in connection with its reporting on Lively’s harassment allegations.

lake Lively attends the BFG premiere, red carpet arrivals during The 69th Annual Cannes Film Festival on 14 may 2016 at Palais du festival in France, Cannes

Following the dismissal, Lively’s attorneys, Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb, issued a statement calling the court’s decision a “complete vindication” for the actress.

“As we have said from day one, this ‘$400 million’ lawsuit was a sham, and the Court saw right through it,” they said.

The attorneys also stated their intention to seek attorneys’ fees, treble damages, and punitive damages against Baldoni and others involved in what they described as “abusive litigation.”

Lively also commented publicly after the June ruling. “Like so many others, I’ve felt the pain of a retaliatory lawsuit, including the manufactured shame that tries to break us,” she wrote on Instagram Stories.

Taylor Swift and Hugh Jackman Will 'Definitely’ be Subpoenaed in Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni Legal Battle

“While the suit against me was defeated, so many don’t have the resources to fight back.”

The actress added that she remains “resolved to stand for every woman’s right to have a voice in protecting themselves, including their safety, integrity, dignity, and their story.”

Although Baldoni’s countersuit has now been dismissed, Lively’s original lawsuit against him remains active and is scheduled to go to trial in March 2026.

21 Blue States Refused to Prove Illegal Aliens Aren’t Getting SNAP Benefits
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21 Blue States Refused to Prove Illegal Aliens Aren’t Getting SNAP Benefits

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The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) officially ran out of federal funding over the weekend as the government shutdown entered its fifth week, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said on Sunday that the department had warned states earlier this year to verify SNAP eligibility to ensure taxpayer-funded benefits were not being distributed to illegal immigrants.

Rollins said that while 29 states complied with the request, 21 states refused to share their data, and two filed lawsuits against the USDA for making the request.

“We told every state to send us their SNAP data so we could make sure illegal immigrants aren’t getting benefits meant for American families,” Rollins said.

“Twenty-nine states stepped up. Twenty-one blue states refused — and two sued us for asking.”

The SNAP program, which provides food assistance to low-income households, has been strained by record enrollment numbers and budget constraints.

According to a 2023 analysis from the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), “households headed by illegal immigrants make extensive use of the welfare system, particularly food assistance programs.”

The report estimated that 59 percent of households headed by illegal aliens receive some form of welfare benefit, including cash assistance, food programs, Medicaid, or housing subsidies.

The CIS report, based on government data, raised questions about how federal and state agencies verify eligibility for these programs.

It stated that the scale of participation among non-citizen households “raises important policy questions, including whether it makes sense to have an immigration system that allows in so many people who turn to taxpayers to support their children.”

The expiration of SNAP funding is expected to have widespread effects, with millions of Americans — and non-citizens — losing access to benefits as the government shutdown continues.

The USDA has not indicated when funding might resume, leaving states scrambling to assess the impact on local food assistance programs.

The political fight over eligibility and verification intensified following the USDA’s audit request.

Federal officials said the effort was part of a broader initiative to prevent fraud and misuse of taxpayer resources, while some state officials claimed it was politically motivated.

Lawsuits filed by two states argue that the USDA’s directive violates privacy laws and oversteps federal authority.

The situation has also reignited debate over long-term dependency within the welfare system.

Local reports, including a recent segment from KOAT 7 in New Mexico, have highlighted cases such as that of Maggie Aragon, a lifelong New Mexico resident who has been receiving SNAP benefits for over three decades.

“Maggie Aragon has been a SNAP recipient for more than three decades,” the report stated.

The case has been cited by analysts as an example of how some assistance programs have evolved from temporary relief measures into long-term support systems.

Under current law, SNAP eligibility is limited to U.S. citizens and certain qualified non-citizens.

However, enforcement of eligibility standards is managed at the state level, leading to inconsistencies in how requirements are applied.

The USDA’s latest review effort was aimed at ensuring compliance across all 50 states, but resistance from several state governments has delayed progress.

As the shutdown continues, the lapse in SNAP funding is adding pressure on both federal and state agencies to resolve disputes over program oversight and fiscal priorities.

With no resolution yet in sight, millions of households remain uncertain about when — or if — food assistance will be restored.

Shutdown Silver Lining: Brooke Rollins Reveals Staggering SNAP Benefits Numbers
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Shutdown Silver Lining: Brooke Rollins Reveals Staggering SNAP Benefits Numbers

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Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced Sunday that thousands of illegal migrants have been removed from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), confirming that the administration is moving ahead with a sweeping overhaul to ensure only eligible Americans receive food benefits.

Speaking on “Fox & Friends Weekend,” Rollins said that since taking over the Department of Agriculture, the administration has begun an extensive audit of the SNAP system, identifying large-scale misuse and fraudulent claims linked to ineligible recipients.

“There’s been a lot of miscommunication out there on the program, but this is one of the first things we did,” Rollins said.

“When I walked into Day One of USDA, February 13th, is we sent letters to every governor in America being very clear that no illegal aliens can use SNAP. Zero.”

Rollins said her department, working with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), launched a data review operation that requested every state’s information on SNAP beneficiaries to determine how the program expanded during former President Joe Biden’s tenure.

“We asked every state for the first time in history — and this was in February — to send us their data and let us, with DOGE and a war room, actually start going through this data to better understand how this explosion of SNAP benefits happened under Joe Biden. We increased almost 40% on this program in just a couple of years under the Biden administration.”

According to Rollins, 29 states have complied with the data request — primarily Republican-led states, though a few Democratic states have also participated.

“In that data — and I haven’t talked about this yet publicly — we have found, we have thousands and thousands of illegal use of the [Electronic Benefit Transfer] EBT card,” she said.

“We have been moving people off of SNAP. We’ve got almost 700,000 people I think we’ve moved off just since the president took office. We’ve arrested about 118 people. So this has been ongoing.”

The issue of SNAP funding resurfaced in October 2025 as the government shutdown continued.

Several Democratic governors and attorneys general sued the Trump administration, arguing that the Department of Agriculture should use contingency funds to maintain food aid despite the shutdown.

California Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta announced their state would join others — including Arizona and Massachusetts — in suing over what they described as an “unlawful refusal” to continue benefits.

The USDA issued a notice on Monday stating that SNAP benefits would be paused beginning November 1, citing legal restrictions on using the $5 billion contingency fund.

Reuters reported that the agency said those funds were “not legally available” for that purpose. By Friday, two federal judges ordered the administration to use contingency funds temporarily to sustain the benefits.

Rollins said the federal review had revealed widespread abuse in the SNAP system, including duplicate recipients and benefits issued to deceased individuals.

“What this conversation has allowed is a national spotlight on a broken and corrupt program,” she said.

“We found one guy in six different states getting a benefit. We found about 5,000 people that are dead who are still getting benefits.”

She added that the findings would drive major reforms.

“It is time to drastically reform this program so that we can make sure that those who are truly needy, truly vulnerable, are getting what they need and the rest of the corruption goes away and we can serve the American taxpayer,” Rollins said.

Rollins concluded by affirming that the administration remains committed to restoring accountability to federal assistance programs.

“We want to, number one, most important, get the government open. Make sure the people that really need this money are going to get it,” she said.

“But guess what? There’s a new sheriff in town. His name is Donald Trump and this program will be reformed. We will hold people accountable and we will be able to help those who really need it.”

According to a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services memo obtained in September 2025 by the Daily Caller News Foundation, federal officials have been directed to identify and remove migrant applicants deemed more likely to become dependent on government assistance.

While detailed data on illegal migrants’ use of SNAP is limited, USDA figures from 2022 showed the program provided benefits to approximately 1.465 million noncitizens, with an additional 2.2 million children in noncitizen households also receiving SNAP aid, according to the Economic Policy Innovation Center (EPIC).

California led all states that year, distributing 273,000 food stamp benefits to noncitizens, followed by Florida with 238,000 and New York with 218,000.

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Passenger Hailed as Hero After Blocking Knife Attack on UK Train with His Head

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An older passenger was seriously injured after shielding a young girl from a knife-wielding attacker during a violent stabbing on a packed train in the United Kingdom on Saturday, according to multiple reports.

The incident took place aboard the London North Eastern Railway (LNER) service traveling from Peterborough to London, where passengers described a chaotic and bloody scene as two suspects allegedly went on a stabbing spree before being subdued by police.

Witnesses said the older man intervened when one of the attackers lunged at a young girl.

The man reportedly used his own body to shield her from the knife, sustaining deep wounds to his head and neck in the process.

“By the time I got to the end of the carriage, I was actually at the back of it and there was about six of us,” passenger Olly Foster told the BBC.

“There was a girl, bless her, who was really really in a bit of state because the guy actually tried to stab her. And one of the older guys, who’s an absolute hero, blocked it with his head. We’re giving him jackets to keep the pressure on the blood.”

Foster said the group of passengers, some of whom had been trapped in the same train car, tried to use whatever they could find to protect themselves.

“We had a Jack Daniels bottle between us and that was it,” he said.

“So we’re sitting there with one Jack Daniels bottle looking down this carriage, praying someone doesn’t walk down with a knife or a gun.”

The witness recalled that the attack appeared to begin without warning. “Run, run, there’s a guy stabbing literally everyone and everything,” passengers shouted as they fled down the carriage, according to Foster.

At first, he thought the panic might have been a Halloween prank before realizing the situation was real.

Foster described seeing “blood all over the chairs” as injured passengers rushed to escape the attackers.

He estimated the ordeal lasted between 10 and 15 minutes, though it “felt like forever.”

British police confirmed that they used “Operation Plato,” a code reserved for incidents considered potential “marauding terrorist attacks,” as they responded to the stabbing.

Armed officers intercepted the train after it stopped at LNER station and used tasers to subdue and arrest two suspects dressed in black.

A total of ten people were taken from Huntingdon station for medical treatment, nine of whom sustained life-threatening injuries, officials said.

The victims ranged from young adults to older passengers who had attempted to help others during the attack.

Another witness, identified as Gavin, told Sky News that the attacker was armed with “quite a large knife” and was “running rampant” through the train cars.

“They were making their way through the carriage to get away from the suspects. They were extremely bloodied,” he said.

Authorities have not publicly identified the suspects or announced a motive.

British counterterrorism police are leading the investigation, and officials said they are reviewing security footage and eyewitness accounts from passengers aboard the train.

Police and emergency crews worked for hours at the scene, with forensic teams later documenting the train car where the violence occurred.

The injured passengers were transported to nearby hospitals in critical condition.

LNER confirmed the attack in a statement, expressing support for those injured and their families.

The company said services between Peterborough and London were temporarily suspended while investigators conducted their examination.

Officials have not indicated whether the suspects were known to authorities or if the incident has any connection to organized terror activity.

Investigators said further details will be released once the inquiry is complete.


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