Vatican says Pope Francis has passed away the day after meeting VP Vance on Easter
Pope Francis, Bishop of Rome and Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church, who worked to instill progressive influences on the global church while maintaining unity with conservatives amid years of turmoil, died Monday morning, Vatican camerlengo Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced.
He was 88 years old.
“Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His Church,” Farrell announced.
“He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized. With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God.”
U.S. Vice President JD Vance had just met with the pope on Sunday.
“I just learned of the passing of Pope Francis. My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him. I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill. But I’ll always remember him for the below homily he gave in the very early days of COVID. It was really quite beautiful. May God rest his soul,” Vance said early Monday morning in a post on X.
The pope preached frequently on the Catholic virtues of mercy, kindness and humility. He did not shy away from controversy, and American presidents, including Donald Trump and Joe Biden, were not immune from his views.
Less than a month into President Donald Trump’s presidency, the pontiff criticized the Republican’s plans for the mass deportations of migrants, stressing that the forceful removal of people simply for their immigration status deprives them of their inherent dignity and “will end badly.”
In a strongly worded letter to U.S. Catholic Bishops, the pope appeared to counter remarks made by Vice President JD Vance — who had recently converted to Catholicism — after he suggested Americans should care for family, communities and the country before caring about others.
“Christian love is not a concentric expansion of interests that little by little extend to other persons and groups,” the pontiff wrote. “Worrying about personal, community or national identity, apart from these considerations.”
POPE FRANCIS EXPOSES CONFIDENTIAL DETAILS ABOUT HIS ELECTION AND RELATIONSHIPS IN LENGTHY INTERVIEW
Pope Francis in 2015 became the first pontiff to ever address a Joint Meeting of Congress where he spoke on a range of topics including immigration, family, the death penalty, climate change, extremism, religious freedom and the refugee crisis.
He joined American bishops and urged American leaders to abolish capital punishment and said Congress has a “role to play” in addressing global warming.
In 2022 he questioned then President Biden’s conscience on abortion in an interview during which he described the commander-in-chief’s religious identity and views on abortion as incoherent. “A month after conception, the DNA of the fetus is already there and the organs are aligned. There is human life,” the pontiff said in the interview with Spanish-language outlet Univision.
He also weighed in on candidates Trump and Harris during the election campaign, where he bashed them both, saying, “Both are against life, be it the one who kicks out migrants, or be it the one who kills babies,″ he said, according to the Associated Press.
Just weeks before President Trump’s second inauguration, he appointed Cardinal Robert McElroy to be the Archbishop of Washington. McElroy had been critical of Trump’s immigration policies during his first term as president.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in 1936 to Italian immigrant parents in Argentina, Francis made history as the first pope from the Americas — as well as the first Jesuit to hold the office.
He was elected pope in 2013 after the almost unprecedented retirement of his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI.
Bergolio’s father, Mario, was an accountant for the railway industry, and his mother, Regina, was a homemaker and caregiver for her five children.
POPE FRANCIS FUELS NEW SPECULATION ON FUTURE OF PONTIFICATE
Throughout his early years, the future pope worked a number of menial jobs. He labored briefly in the stocking factory where his father was an accountant before moving on to other opportunities, including jobs as a bar bouncer and janitor.
He eventually sought a career as a chemical technician, receiving a diploma in chemistry from the secondary school Escuela Técnica Industrial N° 27 Hipólito Yrigoyen. He also worked briefly in a food laboratory. However, his career in chemistry was short-lived.
He entered the priesthood at the Diocesan Seminary of Villa Devoto in Argentina. Francis was ordained a priest in 1969 and made his final profession with the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits, in 1973. The same year, he was appointed as a provincial for the order.
His appointment as provincial was concurrent with the Dirty War, a period of intense state-led persecution of left-wing leaders and political dissidents. Bergolio experienced constant threats to his own safety as he worked to hide or aid in the escape of government targets, including many Catholic faithful.
During that time, two Jesuit priests under his supervision were disappeared by the government, drugged and left barely alive in a field five months after their kidnapping. Pope Francis has said he was forced to negotiate with the regime for their release.
Bergolio would spend the next two decades bouncing from position to position at the direction of his superiors. He served as a professor of theology, seminary instructor, rector, doctoral student and parish priest.
In 1992, Pope John Paul II appointed Bergolio as titular Bishop of Auca and as an auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires. This was done at the request of Cardinal Antonio Quarracino, Archbishop of Buenos Aires, who consecrated him to the episcopacy.
Bergoglio proved vital to the nation’s Catholic community, and he was quickly raised to the dignity of Coadjutor Archbishop of Buenos Aires, serving alongside Quarracino and taking over the archdiocese entirely after his death the following year.
Bergoglio was given the crimson hat of a cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 2001.
In 2013, after the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, Bergoglio was elected to the papacy, selecting the pontifical name “Francis” after St. Francis of Assisi — a choice that set the tone for the rest of his papacy.
POPE DERIDES BIDEN’S ABORTION VIEWS, CATHOLIC SELF-IDENTITY AS ‘INCOHERENCE’
Pope Francis’s teachings as a priest, bishop, cardinal and pope were deeply influenced by his Jesuit vocation — viewing each person as a unique creation of God, with whom they can have a personal relationship. His ministry and leadership were committed to keeping doors open and making the church approachable to the public.
It was not only American politics that he had strong opinions of.
He faced criticism for specific remarks he made against Israel’s military operation in Gaza, calling the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian enclave “very serious and shameful.” During that same speech, he condemned the growth of antisemitism throughout the world, Reuters reported. He also called for an end to the war in Ukraine and expressed concerns over climate change.
In 2023, seemingly looking to strike a balance, he formally allowed Catholic priests to give same-sex couples a blessing, which was seen as being a radical shift in church policy, the Associated Press reported at the time.
Pope Francis is also remembered for living a life of intense simplicity, denying himself a lavish papal apartment in the Vatican upon his election, and opting instead for a two-room suite in the Domus Santa Marta, a residence built by Pope John Paul II.
In contrast to his immediate predecessors, Pope Francis eschewed ornate robes or luxurious clothing. His outfit rarely consisted of more than a plain, white cassock tied with a papal fascia.
Pope Francis even dressed down his Ring of the Fisherman — a piece of gold jewelry worn by popes to signify their office — by having it made with silver and only wearing it for ceremonies.
Francis’s tenure continued the ongoing efforts to investigate decades of sexual abuse claims against priests across the world, including in the United States, with Francis vowing transparency in 2019.
“Transparency is now being implemented at the highest level,” said Archbishop Charles Scicluna, the Archbishop of Malta and Adjunct Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, after Francis gave legal authorities access to documents about sexual abuse cases and abolished the “pontifical secret” of the cases.
POPE FRANCIS DEFROCKS NOTORIOUS BISHOP WHO CONFESSED TO ABUSING HIS NEPHEW
He continued Benedict’s work to root malicious clerics out of the Church hierarchy “with the wrath of God,” appointing task forces and establishing victim aid groups.
Pope Francis proved frustrating for a wide variety of conservatives, liberals, traditionalists and progressives.
His gentle — at times vague and confusing — language on key social issues, such as sexuality and divorce, frustrated conservatives hoping for a more aggressive champion of Catholic moral teaching.
In July 2017, a group of Catholic clergy and academics sent Pope Francis a “Filial Correction” document alleging seven serious theological mistakes made by the pontiff in public statements. The document’s assertions proved controversial within the Catholic Church and the document was never explicitly addressed.
Conversely, his refusal to back down from traditional church teachings on abortion, gay marriage, women’s ordination and priestly celibacy frustrated progressives hoping for a more modern church.
Echoing his time as a prelate in Argentina, Pope Francis was at times criticized from both sides of the aisle for his heavy hand enforcing Catholic unity on national and international levels.
Traditionalists voiced intense opposition to his apostolic letter “Traditionis custodes,” which restricted the celebration of the traditional Latin mass in an attempt to squash increasingly separatist conservative movements within the Church.
He similarly shut down discussion of many social issues that progressives have sought to reform.
In 2019, Pope Francis told a nun asking him to approve the ordination of women that “if the Lord didn’t want a sacramental ministry for women, it can’t go forward,” adding, “We are Catholics, but if anyone wants to found another church they are free [to do so].”
The hyper-progressive leadership of the Catholic Church in Germany was a target of his ire after the country’s clerical leaders attempted an upheaval of traditional teachings regarding gender and sexuality. The Vatican issued a series of letters, approved by Pope Francis, accusing the German church of risking separation from the Catholic Communion.
The conflict with German bishops encapsulated his papacy’s recurring themes of authority and unity, best exemplified in a passage from his “Letter to the Pilgrim People of God in Germany.”
POPE FRANCIS URGES CATHOLIC VOTERS TO ‘CHOOSE THE LESSER EVIL’ BETWEEN TRUMP AND HARRIS
In the letter, Pope Francis wrote, “The universal Church lives in and of the particular Churches, just as the particular Churches live and flourish in and from the universal Church. If they find themselves separated from the entire ecclesial body, they weaken, rot and die. Hence, the need always to ensure that communion with the whole body of the Church is alive and effective.”
Pope Francis visited dozens of countries, including the United States and Cuba in 2015, and went as far afield as Papua New Guinea, as well as visits to predominantly Muslim countries including Egypt, Morocco and Jordan.
Pope Francis struggled with health complications throughout his reign.
The pontiff dealt for many years with sciatica, a nerve condition that caused immense pain in his leg and at times hindered his ability to walk.
In 2021, Pope Francis was hospitalized for an intestinal surgery that removed 13 inches of his colon.
In March 2023, Francis was again taken to the hospital after experiencing intense chest pain and difficulty breathing. He was treated for a respiratory infection and released after antibiotic treatment.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
In June of the same year, the pope was brought back for another abdominal surgery to repair an incisional hernia. He was released after making a full recovery.
He took a fall at his residence and suffered a contusion on his right arm in January 2025.
In February, he was once again hospitalized after a bout of bronchitis.
Following Pope Francis’ death, the Vatican has entered a time of sede vacante — in English, “empty seat.”
Americans sound off on Trump’s order making English official US language
Americans are divided over the fact that English has been deemed the official language of the United States under the new Trump administration.
U.S. citizens throughout the country told Fox News Digital this month what they think about President Donald Trump’s recent executive order to make English the official language in America. While many found the mandate to be a no-brainer, others said it flies in the face of America’s diversity.
“I disagree with that. I think we’re a melting pot,” Shane, a Kentucky resident, said. “I mean, this is how the country was built hundreds of years ago – it was based on a group of people from different nations coming in to form this country.”
GOOGLE MAPS, FAA OFFICIALLY ACKNOWLEDGES GULF OF AMERICA AFTER TRUMP DECLARATION: ‘ISN’T IT BEAUTIFUL?’
Trump signed the executive order on March 1, marking the first time that the U.S. has ever had an official language.
The text of Trump’s order stated, “A nationally designated language is at the core of a unified and cohesive society, and the United States is strengthened by a citizenry that can freely exchange ideas in one shared language.”
The order added that an official language is intended to “promote unity” and “cultivate a shared American culture for all citizens,” while ensuring consistency in government operations and creating a pathway to civic engagement.
About 180 of the 195 countries across the globe have already set their own official languages.
Steve from Birmingham, Mich., told Fox he thinks Trump is “100 percent absolutely correct” to sign the order, noting that there “should be no other language” officially designated.
Junior, a Mexican-American living in Houston, said he respects the order.
“I’m Mexican, but I’m American and this is America, you know what mean? So America, it’s English, you know what I mean?” he said.
DOES HARVARD DESERVE WAR WITH TRUMP, OR IS GOVERNMENT OVERSTEPPING? CAMPUS GRAPPLES WITH FUNDING BATTLE
However, Mary in Washington, D.C., said, “I don’t think that’s fair.”
“I think that we need to be multicultural, and I think that the more diversity we have, the more beautiful the land is, the more enriched we can be by learning something else about someone else,” she said.
Michigan resident David shared Mary’s viewpoint, stating, “I think there is no official language for a reason. We’re a polyglot country. We have nothing but immigrants from all over the world.”
He argued that when the U.S. Constitution was ratified, “there were probably 40 to 50 languages being spoken in the United States.”
Darryl from Houston said, “I think English should always have been the official language of the United States.”
Tennessee native Glen was less opinionated on the subject, stating, “Hard to say, really. I don’t know that I necessarily agree with that, because we have people from all different nationalities. So, I don’t have any strong thoughts on that one way or the other.”
CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE
Lindy and Trudy – two friends from Houston – slammed the executive order.
“I think it’s wrong,” Linda said. “We’re not there. I think we were there, you know, in the 1950s. You know, or at least that’s what everyone grew up – my generation grew up thinking that. But it’s just not a reality in today’s world.”
Trudy added, “I think we are a mixed nation of diverse people, and we have to face the fact that not everyone is going to speak English.”
When asked if he supported the order, Howard from North Carolina told Fox, “Yes.”
Jay from Knoxville, Tenn., appeared to indicate he supported the order, though he expressed openness to cultural diversity in the U.S.
“I would prefer that everybody speaks English, but I also am respectful of people and their cultures and their languages when they come to America,” he said.
Charles, a Mississippi man touring D.C., was forceful in his defense of the order, stating, “You know, we’re Americans. English is our language.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Deported illegal and suspected MS-13 gangster transferred from El Salvador prison
Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an illegal immigrant with alleged ties to a violent gang who was deported to El Salvador, had been transferred from the country’s notorious mega prison, Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (CECOT), days before U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., arrived in the country last week to push for his freedom.
Van Hollen told reporters after returning to the U.S. on Friday and again on Sunday that Abrego Garcia, 29, is no longer in CECOT, a claim that was filed in the government’s daily update, obtained by Fox News, and now confirmed in writing by the State Department.
The filing states, “Abrego Garcia told Sen. Van Hollen on April 17 that he had been transferred from CECOT to the detention facility ‘Centro Industrial’ in Santa Ana about eight days prior. Abrego Garcia told Sen. Van Hollen that he had been placed in the administrative building of Centro Industrial, in a room of his own with a bed and furniture, and that he was not in a cell.”
In an X post Sunday, Van Hollen called out President Donald Trump, writing, “When you defy court orders and deny one man his Constitutional rights, you threaten them for ALL.”
KILMAR ABREGO GARCIA SUSPECTED OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN REPORT OBTAINED BY FOX NEWS
“Trump can post all he wants, but a federal judge said there’s ‘no evidence linking Abrego Garcia to MS-13 or to any terrorist activity.’ Trump needs to put up or shut up IN COURT.”
Trump has argued that “radical, lunatic, Democrats” are portraying a false narrative of who Abrego Garcia really is.
“Radical Lunatic Democrats and their Comrades in the Fake News Media are falsely making Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia out to be a very sweet and innocent person, which is a total, blatant, and dangerous LIE,” Trump wrote in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social.
‘MARYLAND MAN’ KILMAR ABREGO GARCIA EXPOSED IN POLICE RECORDS AS ‘VIOLENT’ REPEAT WIFE BEATER
Abrego Garica’s deportation has caused uproar among Democrats, many of whom have referred to him as a wrongfully deported “Maryland man.”
Last week, Van Hollen flew to El Salvador where Abrego Garcia was being held at CECOT, and was mocked by Trump for being a “fool.” Other Democrat lawmakers reportedly made plans to visit Abrego Garcia after Van Hollen’s announcement.
“Garcia has been found by two separate Courts to be a member of the violent, killer gang MS-13, was in our Country illegally, and is under a Deportation Order. It is despicable and unAmerican for Liberals and the Mainstream Media to hate our Country so much, and be obsessed with protecting criminals, instead of working to keep our Border, streets, and families safe. Those lying to the American People on behalf of violent criminals have to be held responsible by the Agencies and the Courts. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” — President Donald Trump
The White House has not held back in its criticisms of Van Hollen’s visit. On Friday, the White House posted side-by-side photos of Trump on X meeting with the mother of Rachel Morin, who was murdered by an illegal immigrant in 2023, and Van Hollen sitting with Abrego Garcia with the caption: “We are not the same.”
Rachel Morin was a Maryland resident, as is her mother, Patty, who said Van Hollen had not reached out to her since her daughter was murdered.
OREGON LAWMAKER LATEST DEMOCRAT TO VISIT EL SALVADOR FOR DEPORTED ILLEGAL MIGRANT ABREGO GARCIA
“To have a senator from Maryland who didn’t even acknowledge, or barely acknowledge, my daughter and the brutal death that she endured, leaving her five children without a mother and now a grandbaby without a grandmother so that he can use my taxpayer money to fly to El Salvador to bring back someone that’s not even an American citizen, why does that person have more rights than I do, or my daughter or my grandchildren? I don’t understand this,” she said.
Abrego Garcia was suspected of partaking in labor/human trafficking, according to a 2022 Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) report obtained by Fox News. The report also stated that “official law enforcement investigations” revealed that Abrego Garcia was a member of the notorious gang MS-13, which Trump has designated as a terror organization.
SEN. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN, DEMOCRAT AT CENTER OF KILMAR ABREGO GARCIA SAGA, RESPONDS TO GRIEVING ANGEL MOM’S CRITICISM
According to the report, on Dec. 1, 2022, a Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper stopped Garcia after he was “observed speeding” and unable to stay in his lane. The trooper noticed eight individuals in the car with Abrego Garcia, who said he began driving three days prior from Houston to Temple Hills, Maryland, via St. Louis, to “perform construction work.” The report states that the trooper suspected it was a human trafficking incident as there was no luggage in the vehicle. The individuals in the car reportedly also gave the same address as Abrego Garica’s home address.
When speaking with the trooper, Abrego Garcia allegedly “pretended to speak less English than he was capable of and attempted to put the encountering officer off-track by responding to questions with questions.” After the incident, the officer decided not to give Abrego Garcia a citation for the driving infractions but rather to give him a warning for driving with an expired license.
SEN VAN HOLLEN POURS COLD WATER ON ‘MARGARITA-GATE’ PHOTO-OP AFTER EL SALVADOR TRIP
The HSI report also notes that in October 2019, the Prince Georges County Police Gang Unit identified Abrego Garcia as a member of the notorious Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang.
Abrego Garcia was also recently revealed to have a record of being a “violent” repeat wife beater, according to court records filed in a Prince George’s County, Md., district court by his wife, Jennifer Vasquez.
Last week, the Supreme Court upheld a lower court’s decision ordering the Trump administration to arrange Abrego Garcia’s return. The court required the “government to ‘facilitate’ Abrego Garcia’s release from custody in El Salvador and to ensure that his case is handled as it would have been had he not been improperly sent to El Salvador.”
CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE
The Trump administration agreed to clear any administrative obstacles keeping Abrego Garcia from returning to the U.S., but Attorney General Pam Bondi has said that returning him is “up to El Salvador, if they want to return him. That’s not up to us.”
The Trump administration has continued to maintain it was right to deport Abrego Garcia to CECOT, despite many Democrats suggesting he was wrongly deported, even going as far as to say he was kidnapped by the administration.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Speaking with Fox News last week, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said Abrego Garcia is “exactly where he belongs: home in El Salvador.”
“The media would love for you to believe that this is some media darling, that he is just some Maryland father, but Osama bin Laden was also a father, and yet he wasn’t a good guy, and they are actually both terrorists,” she added. “He should be in this El Salvador prison, prison for terrorists, and I hope he will remain there.”
Alito blasts ‘unprecedented’ SCOTUS move to halt Trump’s Venezuelan deportations
Justice Samuel Alito wrote a fiery dissent against a recent Supreme Court move to halt President Donald Trump’s deportations of Venezuelan criminals under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798.
The decision, which was issued early Saturday morning, effectively blocks the deportations of Venezuelan migrants under the 18th century law. In a decision that was also signed off on by conservative Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, the court advised the White House not to remove Venezuelans held in Texas’ Bluebonnet Detention Center “until further order of this court.”
Alito disapproved of the timing of the decision, which he described as being “literally in the middle of the night.”
“[T]he Court issued unprecedented and legally questionable relief without giving the lower courts a chance to rule, without hearing from the opposing party, within eight hours of receiving the application, with dubious factual support for its order, and without providing any explanation for its order,” Alito wrote.
ACLU APPEALS TO SUPREME COURT TO STOP VENEZUELAN DEPORTATIONS; BOASBERG HOLDS EMERGENCY HEARING FRIDAY NIGHT
The justice, who has served on the court since 2006, was joined by Justice Clarence Thomas in his dissent.
“I refused to join the Court’s order because we had no good reason to think that, under the circumstances, issuing an order at midnight was necessary or appropriate,” Alito continued.
“Both the Executive and the Judiciary have an obligation to follow the law. The Executive must proceed under the terms of our order in Trump v. J. G. G., 604 U. S. ___ (2025) (per curiam), and this Court should follow established procedures.”
DEMOCRAT SENATOR VAN HOLLEN MEETS, SHAKES HANDS WITH ABREGO GARCIA
Later on Saturday, counsel representing the Trump administration filed an opposition to the order. The lawyers said that the federal government gave advance notice to detainees before their deportations, allowing enough time to file habeas claims.
“The government has agreed not to remove, pursuant the AEA, those AEA detainees who do file habeas claims (including the putative class representatives),” the filing states.
“This Court should dissolve its current administrative stay and allow the lower courts to address the relevant legal and factual questions in the first instance — including the development of a proper factual record.”
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) previously filed an emergency appeal arguing that federal immigration authorities appeared to have resumed the deportations under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. The Supreme Court previously allowed the White House to continue the deportations in a limited capacity, as long as due process was provided.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which allows the deportation of natives and citizens of an enemy nation without a hearing, has only been invoked a few times in U.S. history, most recently being during World War II.
REAL ID crackdown follows blue states’ moves with illegal immigrant driver licenses
Americans are scrambling to obtain a state-issued REAL ID in order to travel by plane ahead of a federal deadline next month, which comes after states from coast to coast changed their laws surrounding driver’s licenses to permit illegal immigrants to drive.
Americans will need to obtain a REAL ID, which is a federally-compliant driver’s license or other identification that meets higher standards than state-issued licenses, in order to easily travel by air, the Department of Homeland Security explains on its website. Only legal U.S. citizens or residents can obtain the identification card, while valid U.S. passports can also still be used instead of a REAL ID for domestic air travel.
Congress passed the REAL ID Act in 2005 to heighten security requirements for driver’s licenses in response to the attacks on 9/11. Though some states began complying with the law more than a decade ago, enforcement for all states had been repeatedly delayed due to the pandemic, DMV backlogs, as well as some states, such as South Carolina, initially refusing to comply.
The move to officially enforce REAL IDs at the national level for domestic air travel comes after 19 states and Washington, D.C., put laws on the books allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses.
HOUSE REPUBLICAN’S BILL WOULD RIP FEDERAL FUNDS FROM STATES THAT GIVE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS DRIVER’S LICENSES
The states, which stretch from New York and New Jersey to California and Washington state, changed their laws in order to allow illegal immigrants to drive freely to work, while also ensuring they meet driving skill requirements and could obtain car insurance to bolster road safety, various liberal lawmakers and immigrant advocacy groups said as they rallied support for the law changes.
“Expanding access to driver’s licenses is critical for the safety of New Jerseyans and a step toward building a stronger and fairer New Jersey for all,” New Jersey Democrat Gov. Phil Murphy, for example, said in 2019 after signing the Garden State’s legislation allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses.
LEGAL IMMIGRANT OUTRAGED OVER MINNESOTA OFFERING DRIVER’S LICENSES TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
“Allowing residents the opportunity to obtain driver’s licenses regardless of their immigration status will decrease the number of uninsured drivers and increase safety on our roads. I thank my partners in the Legislature for sending this important bill to my desk,” he added.
Just a few months after New Jersey’s 2021 law change, the state issued 100,000 new permits, a 65% jump compared to the same three-month period in years prior, NJ Spotlight News reported at the time.
BONDI ANNOUNCES NEW LAWSUITS AGAINST STATES ALLEGEDLY FAILING TO COMPLY WITH IMMIGRATION ACTIONS
New Jersey is among the states that have reported long wait times at DMVs as residents scramble to obtain a REAL ID to fly ahead of the May 7 deadline.
The states that allow illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses include: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Virginia and Washington. Washington state had a law on the books allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses since 1993, National Conference of State Legislatures data show, while most states, such as Illinois and California, began changing their laws starting in 2012.
In Massachusetts in 2022, Republican Gov. Charlie Baker vetoed legislation allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses, citing that local DMVs did not have the ability to verify the validity of foreign documents and that it would overall weaken the validity of state driver’s licenses.
“I cannot sign this legislation because it requires the Registry of Motor Vehicles to issue state credentials to people without the ability to verify their identity. The Registry does not have the expertise or ability to verify the validity of many types of documents from other countries,” Baker said at the time. “Consequently, a standard Massachusetts driver’s license will no longer confirm that a person is who they say they are.”
Massachusetts ultimately allowed illegal aliens to obtain driver’s licenses through a ballot initiative.
Domestic air travelers who are in the nation illegally are required to present a valid and up-to-date photo ID to board a flight, and can show documents such as a driver’s license, a current foreign passport, a military ID or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) Employment Authorization Card, and other forms of photo IDs, according to various immigrant advocacy groups.
SANCTUARY STATE’S ‘GREEN LIGHT’ LAW IS RED FLAG FOR AMERICANS’ SAFETY, NATIONAL SECURITY: EXPERTS
The Trump administration, which has been on an illegal immigration deportation blitz, revealed in a memo last week that the REAL ID requirement will further crack down on illegal aliens moving freely around the country.
A Department of Homeland Security memo exclusively obtained by Fox Digital last week outlined that part of the motivation for the Trump administration to enforce the REAL ID law is to prevent those in the country illegally from flying – unless they are looking to self-deport on an international flight.
“Under Biden, illegal aliens used non-compliant IDs from sanctuary cities to board flights, but REAL ID’s higher security standards make it nearly impossible to forge legitimate documents, ensuring only verified travelers can fly,” the memo states.
“This 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,” the memo continues.
NEW JERSEY BILL TO LET ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS GET DRIVERS’ LICENSES ADVANCES TO GOVERNOR’S DESK
The agency emphasized that the measure prevents people in the country illegally from traveling within the U.S.
“DHS and TSA are clear, the only place an illegal alien should be flying is home. Under Secretary Kristi Noem’s leadership, illegal aliens will be barred from domestic flights, with one exception: illegal aliens self-deporting on international flights will be allowed to board without a REAL ID, encouraging their exit from the U.S.,” it states.
While many conservatives backed the REAL ID Act, both in 2005 and now, some have said it bolsters the oversight “Big Brother” holds over the country.
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FLOOD DMVS IN NY AFTER NEW DRIVERS LICENSE LAW TAKES EFFECT
“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,” former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin posted to X.
“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 last week.
“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 in another post.
TOP TRUMP AGENCY HYPES IMPORTANCE OF REAL ID ENFORCEMENT, CITING ONE KEY REASON
President Donald Trump, under his first administration, pushed back the REAL ID October 2020 deadline as the pandemic raged. The Biden administration’s DHS established the May 7, 2025, deadline in 2022.
Tricia McLaughlin, the DHS assistant secretary for public affairs, told Fox News Digital in a statement last week: “REAL IDs make identification harder to forge, thwarting criminals and terrorists. 81% of air travelers hold REAL ID-compliant or acceptable IDs. DHS will continue to collaborate with state, local, and airport authorities to inform the public, facilitate compliance, curb wait times and prevent fraud.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“DHS responds to official correspondence through official channels,” McLaughlin added.
Expert lays out why teen charged in track star’s slaying could have tough road ahead
The 17-year-old charged in the stabbing death of high school track star Austin Metcalf will face an “uphill battle” if his attorneys present a self-defense claim in court, one expert says.
Karmelo Anthony, 17, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in Metcalf’s April 2 killing at a track meet in Frisco, Texas.
“If the evidence is what it is right now, I think he’s going to have an uphill battle claiming self-defense,” Julie Rendelman, a New York attorney who is not involved in the case, told Fox News Digital. “But we may learn much, much more that changes that perspective. And that could be for a jury or a grand jury to decide.”
Rendelman has practiced law for more than 30 years, and is a former homicide prosecutor who served as the senior trial attorney in Kings County, Brooklyn, and eventually became the deputy homicide bureau chief. Now, she runs a private criminal defense practice in New York.
TEXAS TRACK MEET STABBING SUSPECT TOLD RESPONDING OFFICERS HE ‘DID IT’: DOCS
A police report indicates that a dispute inside Memorial High School’s tent turned deadly when Metcalf reportedly pushed Anthony, a student at a different high school, to remove him from the tent. According to police, Anthony responded by stabbing Metcalf in the chest.
Rendelman stressed that the public does not know all the facts in the case, but said that, given what she’s read, Anthony does not have a clear-cut self-defense claim.
“If the scenario is… that the victim told [Anthony] to leave, and then in some way physically touched him without more, then I’m not comfortable – I don’t believe that a self-defense claim will work,” she said.
Anthony was released from the Collin County Jail on Monday, April 14, after his bond was reduced from $1 million to $250,000.
Rendelman said such an outcome would be unlikely where she practices law, becauseNew York tends to set very high bail, if not remand, for any type of murder allegations, but that in most states, offering monetary bail to homicide suspects is common.
“I’ll also add that this case does involve a 17-year-old who’s never been in trouble,” she said. “And [the court] did add conditions, so it wasn’t that they were just reducing the bail. They reduced it with the ankle monitor, with the housing confinement limited to going to… necessary appointments, [and] that he has to report [to the judge]. So it wasn’t a reduction without any conditions.”
She also addressed the widening divide between those who support Metcalf and those who support Anthony. The case has become a flash point partly because of a GiveSendGo fundraiser for the suspected killer, which has accrued nearly $500,000 in donations.
“I feel incredible sympathy for the victim’s family,” Rendelman said. “Because no matter how you look at it, he’s still a 17-year-old boy who was kind of at the beginning of his life.”
MOURNING MOTHER, TWIN BROTHER OF SLAIN TEXAS TEEN SPEAK OUT: ‘LOST MY BEST FRIEND IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE’
She acknowledged how difficult it must be for the Metcalf family not only to deal with the tragic loss of their son, but to see their son’s alleged killer raising money from the ordeal.
“At the same time, the defendant has a right to due process, has a family that supports him, and his day in court will come,” she said.
On Thursday, Anthony’s family made their first public comments during a news conference that went off the rails when their activist spokesman, Dominique Alexander, began criticizing Austin’s father, Jeff Metcalf, who attended the news conference. The event was supposed to focus on how the GiveSendGo funds are being used.
Jeff Metcalf showed up before it began, but was threatened with criminal charges and escorted off the property by Dallas Police officers.
GRIEVING TEXAS FATHER SPEAKS OUT AFTER SON WAS STABBED TO DEATH AT HIGH SCHOOL TRACK MEET
“What we’ve seen at the beginning of this press conference, of the father being at this press conference, these are my words – don’t quote anybody – is a disrespect to the dignity of his son,” Alexander said.
“Next Generation Action Network from the beginning has respected the loss of life, no matter our opinion of it. We have kept our opinion close,” he said. “We have not attacked. We have not shared the information that was shared with us about Austin Metcalf because we respect the dignity of life and loss.”
“That was disrespectful and just shows you all the character,” Alexander said. “He was not invited. He knows that it’s inappropriate to be near this family, but he did it. So, I say to people, actions speak louder than words.”
Jett Metcalf previously told Fox News, “This person made a bad choice and affected both his family and my family forever.”
He said Austin, who died in his twin brother’s arms, “was the light of my life.”
“People ask me, how can you forgive this other person? I said I forgive the other person because the forgiveness is not for him,” he said. “The forgiveness is for me so I can have peace. His life is destroyed. My life is destroyed.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The Frisco Police Department (FPD) released a statement two days after the stabbing asking people not to spread “disinformation, hate, fear and division.”
On Friday, the department declined to comment further.
Fox News Digital reached out to Anthony’s attorney.
Man ‘disgusted’ at food from girlfriend’s culture takes heat on social media
A man describing his dilemma in a social media post is taking heat from others for his attitude and his choice of words, even as others shared support for his point of view.
The man, 27, said his girlfriend, 24, is Brazilian and that ever since they’ve been together, “she’s been introducing me to her country’s cuisine, and I’ve loved everything she’s made [that] I’ve tried so far.”
Recently, though, he said, “she took me to [a] Brazilian steakhouse and at some point she asked the waiter for a dish that they didn’t serve … but apparently is a staple in Brazilian barbecue.”
‘PICKY EATER’ WITH FOOD ALLERGIES IS TOLD SHE’S ‘CHILDISH’ AND ‘NEEDS TO GET OVER THIS’
It was only later, the man added, that she “explained to me that she was asking for chicken hearts.”
Since the restaurant didn’t serve the dish, she “told me she would try to find it in the Brazilian store she usually goes to and make it at home,” the man wrote — “but I told her not to bother and that I wasn’t interested in trying it.”
The man shared with others, “She couldn’t understand why I wasn’t interested, so I told her that the whole idea of eating chicken hearts sounded a bit icky (that’s the word I remember saying — she later said I told her it was ‘disgusting,’ so I can’t be sure, but the intention is the same anyway).”
“I don’t know what she expected me to do – to lie?”
He went on, “And she got really upset and told me about how eating organs is not unusual in many cultures and that even if I didn’t want to try it, framing it as ‘disgusting’ was disrespectful on my part.”
ARE ROTISSERIE CHICKENS REALLY HEALTHY? WHAT TO KNOW
He added, “But I only said anything because she kept pushing for an explanation. So I don’t know what she expected me to do – to lie?”
He asked others for their opinions — and on Reddit, plenty of people weighed in, with most saying there’s nothing wrong with expressing personal opinions about food, but it’s the way the man went about it that left a lot to be desired.
Nearly 5,000 people reacted and over 1,700 shared their comments.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER
In the top reaction, which itself received 11,000 reactions, one person wrote, “Phrasing, my man, phrasing. You could have said something more neutral like, ‘It’s not something I want to try, while I can see other people might enjoy it, it really doesn’t sound appealing to me.’
“Or the like,” the same person went on.
“Labeling it as ‘icky’ probs didn’t land well, as you can now tell.”
Said another person, “Whether you said ‘icky’ or ‘disgusting,’ the message is the same. You’re under no obligation to try something you strongly feel you won’t like, of course, but there are many ways to go about this – especially when there are cultural roots involved.”
“Whether you said ‘icky’ or ‘disgusting’, the message is the same.”
The same person continued, “Sometimes it’s just about giving a broader explanation (i.e. ‘raw meat of any kind is not my thing’ – or, in your case, ‘trying organs is too far from my comfort zone’).
“Even [at] family dinners, if I didn’t like something my mother made, I could always go for a PB&J without expressing my subjective disgust about the dish my siblings were enjoying. That’s just basic manners.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Wrote another person, “She pressed for an answer that she was not ready to accept.”
Elizabeth Hurley sparks romance rumors after sharing sweet snap with country star
Billy Ray Cyrus and Elizabeth Hurley celebrated Easter with a kiss.
The “Achy Breaky Heart” singer, 63, cuddled up to Hurley, 59, before planting a kiss on her cheek in a photo shared by the English actress on social media Sunday. She simply captioned the coy snap, “Happy Easter.”
Cyrus became a single man in August after finalizing his divorce from his third wife, Firerose.
The “Austin Powers” actress sported a blue flannel shirt and jeans for the PDA-packed photo in which she tagged Billy Ray.
BILLY RAY CYRUS IS ‘PRAYING FOR HIS FAMILY’ AFTER SON SAID STAR ‘SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF HIMSELF’
Her son, model and actor Damian Hurley, showed support for his mom with heart and celebration emojis posted in the comments.
BILLY RAY CYRUS DIVORCE FINALIZED; SINGER ACCUSES EX OF PUTTING HIM IN ‘PHYSICAL DANGER’
Representatives for Hurley and Cyrus did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Cyrus and Hurley previously worked together on the 2022 flick, “Christmas in Paradise.” Earlier this month, she showed some skin in a bronze bikini while on vacation in the Maldives. Hurley tagged Billy Ray in the video, and included the Cyrus song, “She’s Not Cryin’ Anymore.”
View this post on Instagram
APP USERS CLICK HERE TO VIEW POST
Hurley was previously married to Arun Nayar for three years, before their divorce in 2010.
She dated Damian’s father, late businessman Steve Bing, for years, and was in a 13-year romance with Hugh Grant after initially meeting on the set of “Rowing with the Wind” in 1987.
They withstood a cheating scandal and Grant’s arrest for soliciting a sex worker in 1995, before breaking up in 2000. Grant is Damian’s godfather.
Billy Ray and his ex-wife were married for seven months before he petitioned for an annulment on the grounds of “inappropriate marital conduct,” according to documents obtained by Fox News Digital.
LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
“Husband and wife acknowledge and agree that this is a marriage of extremely short duration and neither party has any marital interest in any real property owned by the other party prior to the marriage,” according to court documents obtained by Fox News Digital. Neither party was awarded alimony, and both parties agreed there are no jointly listed retirement assets.
“Further, a couple of weeks ago, prior to mediation, Ms. Hodges legally changed her last name from ‘Hodges’ to ‘Cyrus’. Mr. Cyrus feels that this validates his assertion that his ex-wife’s sole impetus for marrying him was to obtain his last name,” the statement continued.
Billy Ray stated at the time, “I’m just very relieved… and giving thanks today to breathe a sigh of relief. This has been absolutely the most crazy insane scam I have ever heard of. Let alone the fact I’m right in the center and basically the target of the scheme. It’s unfortunate… it played out this way … not only was it a web of lies that put me in physical danger …. It was a matter of the heart. Love is blind … that’s for sure.”
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER
Cyrus and Firerose, whose full name is Johanna Rosie Hodges, announced their engagement in November 2022 and married on his ranch on Oct. 10, 2023.
Billy Ray has been married three times. He married Tish Cyrus in 1992, and adopted her children, Trace, and his older sister, Brandi, at the time.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Tish and Billy Ray later welcomed children Miley Cyrus, Braison Cyrus and Noah Cyrus before their divorce in 2022. The singer is also father to Christopher Cyrus with ex-girlfriend Kristin Luckey.