Son of sheriff’s deputy ID’d as suspect in deadly shooting at Florida State University

Two people were killed, and six others were injured, in a shooting at Florida State University (FSU) on Thursday in Tallahassee, authorities said. 

The shooting began at around 11:50 a.m. During a press conference later that afternoon, authorities identified the suspected shooter as 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner, a student at the school. 

Ikner was taken to an area hospital after being “neutralized” by authorities. Police also said his mother is a sheriff’s deputy with the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, and said Ikner used his mother’s weapon in the killing. 

The suspect’s mother, Jessica Ikner, has been an officer for over 18 years and authorities said she has done a “tremendous job” in her position.

UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA ON EDGE AFTER ‘ACTIVE ATTACKER’ WITH KNIFE CAPTURED NEAR CAMPUS

“Her service to this community has been exceptional,” Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil said at the press conference. “Unfortunately, her son had access to one of her weapons and that was one of the weapons that was found at the scene. And we are continuing that investigation into how that weapon was used.”

The two people who were killed were not FSU students, according to authorities.

The area is still considered an active crime scene, and authorities believe that the suspect acted alone.

“There is no further threat to our community at this point,” Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell said. 

The university and authorities are asking students, staff and faculty to call their loved ones if they haven’t already. 

The FBI was able to dispatch agents from its Tallahassee field office to the scene quickly, as they are located close to FSU’s campus. The ATF’s Tampa office also confirmed that they are on the scene assisting law enforcement, and the FBI’s Jacksonville office is seeking information about the shooting and asked for tips form the public.

“My team and I are monitoring reports of an active shooter on FSU’s campus. It’s too early to understand the extent of the violence, but early reports are very disturbing,” Rep. Neal Dunn, R-Fla., wrote on X. Florida State University is in Dunn’s district. “Follow all local guidance. Shelter in place. Stay safe. Thank you to our brave first responders for responding to the situation.”

SUSPECT ARRESTED IN DEADLY TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY HOMECOMING SHOOTING

FSU has canceled all classes through Friday and said athletic events in Tallahassee were canceled through the weekend. FSU President Richard McCullough issued a statement on X, calling the shooting “a tragic and senseless act of violence.”

“There will be more updates in the days ahead, and more time to reflect and heal. But now, we mourn together,” the president said. “We lean on one another. And we remember who we are. We are Florida State. We are family. And we stand together.”

Ben Veytsman, a sophomore studying management information systems at FSU, had just finished a therapy appointment on campus when he heard shots and was rushed away.

Veytsman told Fox News Digital that the therapy appointment was held at the campus’s Thagard Building, near the student union. After leaving, he heard a popping noise while walking on campus.

“I was walking home and then this one guy was like chasing another guy,” the college student recalled. “It looked like but they’re both just like running…and I thought they had an altercation between themselves.

“And then the guy in front was like, ‘Yo, there’s some school shooting. Everyone get inside,’ because we were right near the library. And then I could tell he wasn’t joking. And then that’s when me and a bunch of neighboring students just like start running in.”

The sophomore said he took shelter in the staff lounge before being escorted to another place and, finally, allowed to walk home.

“It didn’t feel real to me. It felt like I was like enacting a school shooter drill.”

FSU student Cole Summers, who was in the student union, spoke to Fox News Digital about his experience.

“I was getting food at the Panera and heard a group of girls saying something about a gun, right after I heard the shots and immediately started running. I ran out the back of the union and as I was running I heard more shots coming from the entrance of the union,” he said.

Another student, Christopher Malave, told Fox News Digital that he was in the student union when the shooting began.

“Thanks to the Lord, I did get home safely,” the meteorology student said. “I’ve just been trying to recuperate, collect my thoughts these past couple hours.”

“I truly do believe that God protected me today, and I’m really just blessed that, all things considered, I’m all in one piece. My friends are safe, I’m safe, and I’m just super blessed all things considered.”

Sen. Ashley Moody, R-Fla., said that her office was in touch with FSU leadership about the situation.

“I am praying for the safety of the students, faculty and all first responders involved,” Moody wrote.

Additionally, Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., said he was praying for the safety of all those at FSU and instructed students to follow school officials’ directions.

President Donald Trump has been briefed on the situation and made a brief comment in the Oval Office. He said it was “horrible that things like this take place.”

“The [FBI] is on the scene at Florida State and we are in communication with agents on the ground. Our priority is the safety of everyone involved. We will keep updating as we learn more. Praying for all,” Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote.

FBI Director Kash Patel said he was briefed on the situation, and FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino confirmed that the bureau was on the scene at FSU.

“The FBI is on the scene at FSU. I am en route back to DC from our LA office but we are getting updates on the situation on the plane. We will update you as we learn more,” Bongino wrote in a post on X.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., wrote on the social media platform X that, “Our prayers are with our FSU family and state law enforcement is actively responding.”

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FSU’s Tallahassee campus sits on 485.7 acres and the university has 403 buildings in total. The student body is more than 44,300 strong and the university has more than 16,000 employees, according to the school’s website.

Conservatives speak out against Trump admin’s REAL ID rollout

Conservatives are speaking out against the Trump administration’s plans to finally enact long-expected REAL ID laws in a bid to crack down on illegal immigration.

“If you think REAL ID is about election integrity, you’re going to be sorely disappointed. Someone has lied to you, or you’re engaged in wishful thinking. Please don’t shoot the messenger,” Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., wrote on X earlier this week.

Responding to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem’s video announcing the May 7 REAL ID deadline, the former vice presidential candidate and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin questioned in a lengthy post: “Or what?? Evidently, existing ID requirements for American citizens just aren’t adequate now, so Big Brother is forcing us through more hoops for the ‘right’ to travel within our own country.”

Palin continued: “Other administrations delayed this newfangled, burdensome REAL ID requirement. Are you curious why its implementation is imperative now?? And who came up with this?”

NO ‘REAL ID’ APPOINTMENTS OPEN IN NEW JERSEY AS RESIDENTS SOUND OFF: ‘GET WITH THE TIMES, NJ’

The REAL ID Act was passed in 2005, but the federal government has yet to implement it 20 years later. It requires all U.S. travelers to be REAL ID compliant when boarding domestic flights.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced last week that REAL ID would go into effect May 7, and that no other state-issued ID cards would be accepted for air travel.

TSA senior official Adam Stahl said in the announcement that REAL ID “bolsters safety by making fraudulent IDs harder to forge, thwarting criminals and terrorists.”

While an overwhelming majority of Republicans appear to have few issues with the change, some on the right have cried foul.

Massie argued in an X post, “As long as the pilot’s door is locked and no one has weapons, why do you care that someone who flies has government permission? REAL ID provides no benefit, yet presents a serious risk to freedom. If a person can’t be trusted to fly without weapons, why are they roaming free?”

REAL ID DEADLINE FOR TRAVELERS, SOME FEDERAL BUILDING ACCESS QUICKLY APPROACHING

Massie targeted President Donald Trump more directly in response to another X user who asked whether he was opposed simply because of his differences with the commander in chief. The Kentucky Republican has been known for multiple public spats with Trump. 

“REAL ID is a 2005 George Bush-era Patriot Act overreach that went completely unenforced until Trump got into office. Let me guess: he’s playing 4D chess and I should just go along with it?” Massie wrote.

Former presidential candidate and ex-House Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, wrote on X, “Homeland Security chief Kristi Noem announced Friday that the notorious PATRIOT Act-era REAL ID scheme would go into effect at the end of the month. REAL ID is one of the greatest threats to Americans’ civil liberties in decades.”

Kentucky state Rep. TJ Roberts, a Republican, agreed with Paul on social media, writing, “Repeal REAL ID!!”

New Hampshire state Rep. Joe Alexander, a Republican, added on the accusations, calling REAL ID a “violation of the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution,” and writing, “the Federal Government should not be mandating ID for its citizens to travel between states. Just say NO.”

Cato Institute senior fellow Patrick Eddington told Fox News Digital, “I’m not aware of a single post-9/11 instance of an alleged or actual terrorist being apprehended, much less successfully boarding an airliner, with false ID credentials — which is the entire-stated rationale for REAL ID.”

Eddington argued it imposed unconstitutional burdens on people who are seeking to travel by air versus train.

“If you got word that your mother had just had a stroke and her prognosis was uncertain, and you wanted to quickly fly home to be with her but couldn’t because you didn’t have a REAL ID-compliant ID card, that would be one very real-world example of a tangible harm this insane law could cause on literally a daily basis,” he said.

“The REAL ID Act effectively institutes a form of mass surveillance and verification that doesn’t discriminate between those who have given reason for suspicion and those who haven’t, which is why it should never have been enacted in the first place.”

Meanwhile, Trump ally Rep. Mark Alford, R-Mo., targeted critics in his own public statement. 

“The REAL ID Act was passed way back in 2005, 20 years ago!!!! It’s about time everyone stop dragging their feet. Quit scrolling through social media, quit complaining, get your info together, and get down to the DMV to get your REAL ID,” Alford said Wednesday. 

The DHS has argued that implementing REAL ID now will help the Trump administration further its goals in cracking down on illegal immigration.

A DHS memo obtained by Fox News Digital earlier this week argued in favor of its implementation, that REAL ID “closes the gaping vulnerabilities Biden’s policies created, preventing criminals and potential terrorists from exploiting our aviation system, as seen during 9/11 when fraudulent IDs enabled attacks.”

Trump administration allies have also pointed out that it is carrying out a directive by Congress that’s long been stalled, but that the current White House took no part in deciding.

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Fox News Digital reached out to the White House and TSA for further comment. Massie’s spokesman said he was not available for an interview when reached by Fox News Digital.

SEE PICS: Lawmaker ‘more determined’ to help Trump after seeing El Salvador mega-prison

After visiting the controversial Salvadoran mega-prison known as the Terrorist Confinement Center (CECOT), freshman Congressman Riley Moore, R-W.Va., says he is “even more determined” to support the president’s efforts to secure the U.S. from criminal illegal aliens.

This comes as the Trump administration’s scheme of sending the “worst of the worst” migrant gang members to CECOT has caused national controversy, with some outraged Democrats accusing President Donald Trump of “kidnapping” people for deportation.

Moore said that while at CECOT he came face to face with some of the country’s “most brutal criminals, including murderers, rapists, pedophiles, and terrorists,” and “extremely violent criminals recently deported from the U.S.”

After his visit to El Salvador, he said: “I leave now even more determined to support President Trump’s efforts to secure our homeland.”

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Moore told Fox News Digital he visited the prison with a congressional delegation led by House Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith, R-Mo. The delegation toured the prison this week and spoke with several inmates.

“These are dangerous individuals,” he said. “We had several of them tell us, and they were not afraid to share it, [that] they are killers and committed homicides.”  

“It’s not something that it seems that they regret one way or the other, from what I could glean from it,” he explained.

While touring the prison, Moore said he spoke with two deportees from the U.S., both of whom were originally from El Salvador and had been deported from Virginia and California. He said one had been in the U.S. for 20 years and was a high-ranking member of the brutal gang MS-13. According to Moore, both deportees “were not afraid to admit” that they had killed people.

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He said there is a lot of misinformation about the prison, leading the American public to believe that it is a kind of “death camp” for deportees.

“That is not true,” he said, pointing out that of approximately 14,000 inmates in CECOT, only a few hundred were deported from the United States.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

“They are in austere conditions in that prison, there’s no doubt about that,” he explained, adding, “to be clear, they don’t have the death penalty in El Salvador.”

That being said, Moore said the impact of CECOT and Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele’s crackdown on gang crime has been “miraculous” for the people of El Salvador.

BUKELE SAYS TRUMP HAS 350 MILLION AMERICANS TO ‘LIBERATE’ BY ENDING CRIME, TERRORISM

He said he spoke with ordinary people on the streets of El Salvador’s capital city, San Salvador, who told him that “they were living in a terror state, being terrorized by these gangs and controlling their lives and taking their lives many times.”

Now, he said, “they have their lives back.”

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That is why Moore’s resolve to support the Trump administration’s crackdown on gang terrorism is stronger than ever.

“It is very tragic that all of these young people have just thrown their lives away because they decided to basically not only destroy themselves, to destroy their own country and community and people’s lives… It’s hard to really wrap your mind around,” he said. “[But] the fundamental building block of any nation state is security. If you don’t have security, you can’t have economic opportunities, civil society, justice, any of those things. The bedrock of it is security. That has to be provided.”

Expert says New York AG’s long-running vendetta against Trump is blowing up in her face

The Trump administration’s criminal referral targeting New York Attorney General Letitia James for reported mortgage fraud likely never would have unfolded if not for the Democrat’s years of targeting the president in court, a New York City real estate attorney and expert told Fox News Digital. 

“To be perfectly frank, this is a retaliatory case brought by the president for what the attorney general did to him over the last several years,” New York City attorney Pierre Debbas, partner and founding member of real estate law firm Romer Debbas, told Fox News Digital in a Zoom interview Thursday morning. “Both cases, quite honestly, are very weak cases.

“The attorney general’s case that was brought against Donald Trump was honestly a pure manipulation of the legal system, and it was laughable,” he continued, referring to the civil fraud case she brought against Trump. “Something that’s never taken place in the history of New York that was isolated at one particular person for a politically driven purpose.

“Now, on the flip side, this serves the same purpose, right? This is the president’s way of seeking retaliation against the attorney general for something that, in reality, is, while it’s considered mortgage fraud, it’s not criminal,” he continued. “And it’s not something that would have been brought upon had the attorney general not pursued a similar case with low merit against the president a few years back.” 

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION REFERS NY AG LETITIA JAMES FOR POSSIBLE PROSECUTION OVER ALLEGATIONS OF MORTGAGE FRAUD

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), an independent federal agency that oversees Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Home Loan Bank System, sent a criminal referral to the Department of Justice Monday arguing the attorney general appeared to have falsified mortgage records to obtain more favorable loans. 

At the heart of the case is a Norfolk, Virginia, home James purchased in 2023, which she identified on mortgage documents and a Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac form as a property that would serve as her primary residence, according to the FHFA letter dated Monday. James is legally required to live in New York as a statewide elected official in the Empire State, the letter adds. 

Identifying a home as a primary residence versus a secondary home or vacation home comes with financial incentives, Debbas explained, because banks will offer lower interest rates to primary residences, with homeowners less likely to default on such loans compared to a second home. 

“As a real estate attorney, we represent every major lending institution in the country,” he said. “And a common underwriting requirement for banks is to solidify what the use of the property is going to be, meaning, is it a primary residence, second home or investment property.

“And the reason banks do that is that clearly there’s a higher rate of default when it comes to investment properties and second homes as opposed to primary residences.”

“The reason being is people, you know, don’t want to leave their homes,” he said. “Now, a second home investment property, you may be a little more inclined to throw the keys to the bank.” 

COURT NAMES NEW JUDGE IN TRUMP CIVIL FRAUD CASE BEFORE REASSIGNING PREVIOUS JUDGE HOURS LATER

The bank then requires the borrower to sign an affidavit confirming that the home being acquired will be used as a primary residence, he explained. 

“Now, if that is not the intent or that is in fact inaccurate, and you sign that agreement, you are in fact committing mortgage fraud,” he said. “And the bank relies on that agreement in giving you the loan. Now, would they have given you a loan if it were a second home? Potentially, but the difference is the interest rate would be significantly higher.” 

The bank’s recourse when discovering such mortgage fraud related to misidentifying a property as a primary residence to obtain more favorable loan terms is “simply to call the loan,” he said. 

“They would call the loan, force you to pay it off by a certain date,” he said. “If you’re unable to sell the property or take other liquidity that you have to pay off the loan, they have the right to pursue a foreclosure action. They’d be legally granted this right. It would be very difficult to contest under those circumstances because, technically speaking, this is a default and this is fraud.” 

The New York City real estate attorney added that this type of fraud is common. 

LONGTIME TRUMP FOE LETITIA JAMES REVIEWING POSSIBLE INSIDER TRADING OVER PRESIDENT’S TARIFF PAUSE

“What extent is it fraud? To be quite honest with you, this is a very common thing that does take place in the real estate market,” he said. “I’m not saying it’s right. I’m not saying Letitia James … the full extent of the law shouldn’t be applied to her. But it is something that takes place. Because if the loan is current, the bank hasn’t really suffered any detriment, but it’s still mortgage fraud. So that doesn’t take away the fraud component to this.” 

Debbas argued this type of fraud does not rise to the level of criminal activity because the bank can call the loan,take back the property or force it to be liquidated.

James’ office told The New York Times that a separate loan application for the 2023 Norfolk, Virginia, home purchase reportedly indicated she would not live at the property full time, and that her mortgage agreement did not require her to occupy the property as her primary residence. 

James is a longtime political foe of Trump’s who campaigned for the attorney general job in 2018 by vowing to aggressively pursue legal charges against Trump if elected, adding she’d expose the “con man” after her win that year. 

Her office leveled nearly 100 legal challenges against the first Trump administration and added after his second presidential win in 2024 that she would continue challenging him in the courts to “defend the rights of New Yorkers and the rule of law.”

NY AG LETITIA JAMES SKEWERED FOR ‘DISTASTEFUL’ REMARKS AFTER TRUMP VICTORY: ‘UTTER ARROGANCE’

Most notably, James pursued a civil fraud case against Trump and the Trump Organization for inflating the values of properties to obtain more favorable loans, insurance coverage and tax deductions, which resulted in a $454 million judgment in 2024. 

A spokesperson for James’ office told Fox Digital Thursday that “multiple times during the attorney general’s trial against President Trump and the Trump Organization for years of financial fraud, President Trump’s attorneys repeatedly made the argument that the attorney general’s lawsuit was politically motivated.

“Every single time, the judge rejected that argument and even sanctioned the attorneys for making it,” the spokesperson added. “Attorney General James won her lawsuit, and the judgment against President Trump now exceeds half a billion dollars.” 

Fox News contributor Jonathan Turley noted the irony of Trump’s criminal referral over allegations of James fudging numbers to obtain more favorable loans after pursing Trump for something similar. 

“This is a person who prosecuted Trump for everything short of ripping a label off a mattress, and among the charges that were brought in New York, in not just the civil but the criminal case, was making false or misleading statements to financial institutions,” the legal scholar said on Fox News’ “The Ingraham Angle” Tuesday. “As for James, if we apply the Letitia James standard that she created, there’d be little question here. This seems pretty straightforward.”

The administration is looking into the allegations put forth by the FHFA while underscoring that “no one is above the law,” White House spokesman Harrison Fields said on Newsmax Wednesday. 

“With the Democratic Party, they love to throw stones in glass homes when they realize that they’re committing the crimes that they’re actually trying to go against,” Fields said. 

“So, this is now a criminal referral that the Department of Justice under Attorney General Pam Bondi will have to look at,” he added. “The allegations from the FHFA are very serious. We’re going to look at them, and no one is above the law. And Tish James, she’d like to say that about the president, but she should look in the mirror and realize that if you have skeletons in your closets about abusing the law and doing illegal things, maybe you shouldn’t be purveying around like some justice queen, because you’re not.” 

NY AG LETITIA JAMES RESPONDS TO ALLEGATIONS OF MORTGAGE FRAUD

The criminal referral also cited past reported issues with James’ properties, including a 2001 purchase of a Brooklyn property. The certificate of occupancy lists the property as a five-unit residence, while James’ mortgages list the property as four units. 

Debbas explained that five-unit properties are identified as commercial properties, which would require a commercial loan that has higher interest rates than a residential loan. However, the banks carry the burden of confirming whether a building is commercial or residential. 

“If the borrower has the ability to tell the bank or convince the bank that it’s actually four units, it’s to their financial benefit,” he said. “Now, when you look at a certificate of occupancy, certificate of the occupancy is issued by the Department of Buildings, which tells you the legal use of the building.

“This is a five-family dwelling,” he said. “Now, this is unequivocally a commercial property. The burden was on the bank to confirm this, but if the borrower did, in fact, have concrete knowledge … an argument can be made that mortgage fraud did take place in the application of this law.” 

James’ office told The New York Times a rider attached to the Brooklyn mortgage stated the building was four units, not five. 

Debbas added that before the 2008 market crash, there was a lot of “shadiness” in the world of mortgages. 

“As an elected official … there should be a heightened standard for honesty and obliging by your legal requirements not falsifying documents or committing fraud,” Debbas said. 

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While reflecting specifically on the Virginia home alleged mortgage fraud, he added, “Now, how would this impact her seating as attorney general of the state of New York? At the end of the day, that’s going to be determined largely based on how many enemies she’s created. But from a purely mortgage standpoint, it is certainly mortgage fraud, but, in my opinion, it does not warrant any criminal activity.”

A spokesperson for James’ office said Wednesday morning she has been “focused every single day on protecting New Yorkers, especially as this administration weaponizes the federal government against the rule of law and the Constitution. She will not be intimidated by bullies — no matter who they are,” Fox Digital previously reported. 

Democrats quickly change their tune after crusading against Christian college

Democrats are now defending elite universities like Harvard and Columbia from threats to their federal funding and tax-exempt status for allegedly violating public policy despite once championing the same legal precedent now being used against them.

The left championed the 1983 Bob Jones University v. United States ruling, which upheld the IRS’ decision to revoke tax benefits from a religious college that banned interracial dating. At the time, Democrats agreed with the federal government’s argument that no institution engaging in discrimination should receive public funds, even on religious grounds. 

Now, as the Trump administration cites that very precedent in urging the IRS to revoke Harvard’s tax-exempt status over claims the university is tolerating antisemitism and campus unrest, the left is accusing the administration of violating free speech laws to target ideological opponents.

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“The Bob Jones case is a very strong precedent in the government’s corner on this,” Joe Bishop-Henchman, vice president of tax policy and litigation at the National Taxpayers Union Foundation and an adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute, told Fox News Digital in an interview.

“The Bob Jones precedent makes it a hard case for Harvard to win. It’d be a lot easier if that case wasn’t there, because I think they’ll have to argue that they’re being singled out, that this is politics,” he said. “If the administration can argue that it’s a violation of public policy, then the Bob Jones precedent follows.”

Today, Bob Jones University, a Christian liberal arts college in Greenville, South Carolina, has a student body of more than 2,700. In 1983, it had policies banning interracial dating and marriage among students and expelled students who violated that policy. The IRS said that because of those racially discriminatory policies, the school did not qualify for tax-exempt status.

TRUMP ADMIN ASKS IRS TO REVOKE HARVARD’S TAX-EXEMPT STATUS

The school argued that revoking its tax-exempt status violated its religious freedom and that it was being punished for adhering to sincerely held beliefs. However, the government countered that it should not subsidize organizations—through tax breaks—that defy established public policy, particularly laws against racial discrimination.

The Supreme Court ruled 8 to 1 in favor of the federal government in the landmark Reagan-era case. The justices determined the IRS was allowed to deny tax-exempt status to schools that practice racial discrimination since it was against public policy. Even though the school claimed religious freedom, fighting racial discrimination was a “compelling government interest.”

“That is the letter of what Bob Jones said, but maybe it shouldn’t just be one university,” Henchman said. 

The high court held that the institutions failed to provide the “beneficial and stabilizing influences in community life” required to receive special tax status supported by taxpayers, according to the judicial archive Oyez. Because of their bans on interracial relationships, the schools could not meet that standard.

The justices concluded that racial discrimination in education conflicted with a “fundamental national public policy.” While acknowledging the schools’ religious beliefs, the Court found that the government may limit religious liberties when it is necessary to serve an “overriding governmental interest,” in this case, prohibiting racial discrimination. As the court noted, “not all burdens on religion are unconstitutional.”

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As such, the Trump administration argues that Harvard’s handling of antisemitism on campus should disqualify the university from keeping its 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. The IRS is expected to make a final decision soon, according to a report from CNN, which first broke the story.

College basketball influencer announces engagement to NFL star boyfriend

At least one of the Cavinder twins has found her forever love.

Haley Cavinder, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes’ women’s basketball program with twin sister Hanna, announced her engagement to NFL boyfriend Jake Ferguson.

Cavinder posted a photo of herself flexing her engagement ring on her Instagram story with a beach in the background.

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The photo did not feature any words, nor was a face shown. But ESPN posted a video of Ferguson and Cavinder on the beach together, and she flexed it even more.

The engagement comes roughly a month after the rumored breakup of her twin sister, Hanna, and incoming Miami quarterback Carson Beck.

Beck transferred to the U, where both Cavinders played basketball, after spending four years at the University of Georgia, where he replaced Stetson Bennett.

Last month, Hanna wiped Beck from her Instagram, and Haley went on an “unfiltered” tangent regarding the rumored breakup.

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“I just want to say one thing, because I can’t be too crazy unfiltered on here: If your sister comes to you or your friend or someone that’s really important in your life, and they have a gut feeling about a relationship or a friendship, for example, and they just tell you that on a repeated basis, trust your dang sister. Trust her,” Haley said. “She’s always right. I promise, you or your mom, they’re always right.”

Haley and Ferguson, the Dallas Cowboys tight end, have been dating since 2023. September marked the one-year anniversary of their relationship..

Cavinder said trolls emerged when they made their relationship public. During a YouTube Q&A session with her sister, Haley said she received negative comments about her looks when her relationship made the rounds.

“I was in Forever 21 having a great day with my mom and Hanna, and I got this post. And I just started looking at the comments about my face,” Cavinder said.

But it seems like the negativity has not gotten to the couple.

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Hanna had initially decided to forgo her final season of eligibility while Haley initially was transferring to TCU, but, in April 2024, they jointly announced a return to Miami to play their final season in 2024-25.

Liberal justice denies illegal migrants’ request to halt deportation

Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan on Wednesday denied an emergency appeal by four Mexican nationals facing deportation. The request asked the court to temporarily block their removal so they could file a formal petition for review. 

Kagan denied the application without comment and did not refer the matter to her colleagues.

The petitioners, Fabian Lagunas Espinoza, Maria Angelica Flores Ulloa and their two sons, were ordered to report to immigration officials on Thursday. Their legal team argued they face cartel violence if returned to Mexico.

According to their court filing, the family fled Guerrero, Mexico, in 2021, after being threatened by the Los Rojos drug cartel. The petition stated that cartel members demanded the family vacate their home within 24 hours or be killed. 

PHOTOS: GOP DELEGATION PROVIDES INSIDE LOOK AT CONTROVERSIAL EL SALVADOR PRISON HOUSING U.S. DEPORTEES

It also included details of past violence against extended family members, including beatings and threats following refusals to cooperate with the cartel.

The family entered the U.S. unlawfully and sought asylum and an immigration judge denied their claims. 

That ruling was upheld by the Board of Immigration Appeals in November 2023, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the decision in February 2025. A temporary stay of removal was lifted April 7.

The emergency appeal to Justice Kagan argued that the lower courts and immigration authorities failed to consider credible evidence and due process claims.

SUPREME COURT TO HEAR ORAL ARGUMENTS IN BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP CASE

Under Supreme Court procedures, each justice handles emergency appeals from a specific circuit. As the justice assigned to the Ninth Circuit, Kagan had the authority to act alone or refer the case to the full court.

She denied the application without referring to it further.

In their filing, the petitioners’ attorney, LeRoy George Siddell, wrote: “Petitioners face imminent removal and have been directed to report to immigration office on 4/17/2025, despite credible and detailed testimony and documentary evidence showing they are targets of cartel violence due to their family ties and refusal to comply with extortion demands.”

There was no response from the Department of Justice to the application before Kagan issued her decision.

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As of Thursday morning, the petitioners were required to report to U.S. immigration authorities. Their disposition remains to be determined.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Wendy’s refuses to apologize for taking brutal dig at Katy Perry’s space voyage

Katy Perry just touched the edge of space. Wendy’s just touched a nerve.

In one of the strangest brand vs. celebrity moments of the year, Wendy’s fast food chain lobbed a spicy shot at pop star Katy Perry shortly after she completed her Blue Origin suborbital space flight — and when asked to apologize, the restaurant brand doubled down.

The drama kicked off Monday, when Perry landed back on Earth after an 11-minute journey to the stars aboard a Blue Origin flight alongside Lauren Sánchez, Gayle King and three other women. 

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The milestone moment went viral on social media. Then came Wendy’s.

Under a post from Pop Crave celebrating Perry’s return, Wendy’s X account quipped:
“Can we send her back[?]”

The post hit like a frosty slap, and they didn’t stop coming.

In a twist on Perry’s breakout hit, “I Kissed a Girl,” Wendy’s X account mocked the singer for kissing the earth upon the earthbound return of the Blue Origin vessel.

Backlash wasn’t far behind. Fans were quick to call out the burger giant for punching down, and not in the way it usually roasts rival chains.

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By Thursday, People magazine reported that Wendy’s had been given the chance to walk it back. Instead, the brand took the scenic route around an apology.

“We always bring a little spice to our socials,” a spokesperson told People, “but Wendy’s has a ton of respect for Katy Perry and her out-of-this-world-talent.”

But not everyone was loving the heat. A source close to the situation told People that the post crossed a line from cheeky to cheap.

“Wendy’s didn’t make a joke — they made a choice,” the source said.

“This wasn’t harmless banter, this was a billion-dollar brand using its platform to publicly demean a woman… when billion-dollar brands join in, it’s irresponsible.”

Even Perry’s fellow space traveler, Sánchez, weighed in, making it clear she wasn’t impressed by the trolling.

She told People she’d gladly give Wendy’s a behind-the-scenes look at Blue Origin to show them just how serious and meaningful the mission was.

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“I would love to have them come to Blue Origin and see the thousands of employees that don’t just work here, but they put their heart and soul into this vehicle,” Sánchez said. “Come with me. I’ll show you what this is about, and it’s really eye-opening.”

Wendy’s hasn’t tweeted anything further on the issue.

Wendy’s media relations team did not immediately respond to FOX Business’ request for inquiry.

Researchers discover unexpected link between smartphone use and dementia

The first generation that has been exposed consistently to digital technology has reached the age where symptoms of dementia tend to emerge. 

Some have claimed that digital technology could negatively impact cognitive abilities, but researchers from Baylor University have discovered just the opposite.

“You can flip on the news on just about any day and you’ll see people talking about how technologies are harming us,” said study co-author Michael Scullin in a press release.

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“People often use the terms ‘brain drain’ and ‘brain rot,’ and now ‘digital dementia’ is an emerging phrase. As researchers, we wanted to know if this was true,” Scullin said.

The researchers analyzed past studies to determine the impact of technology on mental aging. Their findings, which were published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour, suggest that digital technologies can actually preserve cognitive abilities.

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For the meta-review, researchers analyzed more than 136 studies that included 400,000 adults, with an average of six years of follow-up data.

The team concluded that the use of digital technology correlates with a 58% lower risk of cognitive impairment, even after adjusting for gender, age and education level.

One contributing factor, according to Scullin, could be the cognitive challenges that older adults face when interacting with technology.

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“One of the first things that middle-aged and older adults were saying is that ‘I’m so frustrated by this computer. This is hard to learn,'” he said in the release. 

“That’s actually a reflection of the cognitive challenge, which may be beneficial for the brain even if it doesn’t feel great in the moment.”

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Technology can be cognitively challenging because it is always changing, forcing users to learn and adapt, the researchers noted. This “exercises” the brain and helps keep it sharp.

Dementia diagnoses often involve loss of ability to independently perform daily tasks, such as taking pills, keeping track of appointments and navigating directions, per the Alzheimer’s Research UK website.

Digital tools like web calendars, phone reminders and navigation apps can allow for greater independence in older adults.

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The study found that “digital scaffolding” – the process of using these tools to perform daily tasks – “facilitates better functional outcomes in older adults while general cognitive functioning declines.”

One highly debated aspect of digital technology’s effect on our brains is the use of social media, but according to the researchers, it’s not all bad.

Another benefit of digital technology, according to experts, is the ability for aging adults to maintain social connections, which has been linked to a decreased dementia risk.

“Now you can connect with families across generations,” Scullin said.

“You can not only talk to them, you can see them. You can share pictures. You can exchange emails — and it’s all within a second or less. So that means there’s a greater opportunity for decreasing loneliness.”