Free Republic

A federal judge on Monday dismissed the Trump administration’s challenge to a New York law that blocks immigration arrests for people traveling to and from state courthouses. U.S. District Judge Mae D’Agostino rejected the administration’s claims that New York’s restrictions create unconstitutional obstacles to immigration enforcement and are preempted by federal law. “To hold to the contrary would improperly elevate the concerns of the federal sovereign over that of a State and deprive New York of its essential ability to protect its sovereign interests in the face of undue federal interference,” D’Agostino wrote in her 41-page opinion. New York passed...

[Catholic Caucus] Cardinal Müller criticizes bishops banning Latin Mass, says they should focus on ‘salvation of souls’Cardinal Müller said it is ‘very problematic’ for bishops to crack down on the traditional Mass and that they are ‘not interested first in the salvation of the people.’ Cardinal Gerhard Müller, during a Q&A session at the 2025 Call to Holiness Conference in Michigan with exorcist Father Chad Ripperger, asserted that it is “problematic” and “not pastoral” for bishops to place restrictions on the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM).Cardinal Müller was responding to a question about why the Church gives the...

Scientists used tiny new sensors to follow the insects on journeys that take thousands of miles to their winter colonies in Mexico.A monarch butterfly carrying a tiny tag developed by Cellular Tracking Technologies at the Cape May Point Arts and Science Center in New Jersey, which helped fund a monarch tagging project.Credit...Video by Hannah BeierFor the first time, scientists are tracking the migration of monarch butterflies across much of North America, actively monitoring individual insects on journeys from as far away as Ontario all the way to their overwintering colonies in central Mexico.This long-sought achievement could provide crucial insights into...

[Catholic Caucus] The Strange Path of Fr. JoeFr. Joe became a priest at the perfect American moment. In the summer of ’85, America’s dads and moms gathered with their children in family rooms, laughing together at the wholesome storylines of The Cosby Show and Family Ties. Springsteen’s Born in the U.S.A. seemed to pour from every car radio, each track reflecting the energy of the times. The country pulsed with optimism: jobs were plentiful, interest rates were easing, and the untroubled rhythm of pre-technology suburban life was in full swing. Even the wider world felt hopeful; Ronald Reagan, Pope John...

Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.) was hit with a federal indictment Wednesday, accusing her of stealing $5 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds to support her 2021 congressional campaign. Cherfilus-McCormick, who has been under investigation by the House Ethics Committee since December 2023, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Miami and faces up to 53 years in prison if convicted. Using disaster relief funds for self-enrichment is a particularly selfish, cynical crime,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement. “No one is above the law, least of all powerful people who rob taxpayers for personal gain....

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Education Department is breaking off several of its main offices and giving their responsibilities to other federal agencies, an early look at how President Donald Trump could fulfill his campaign pledge to close the department entirely.Offices that serve the nation’s schools and colleges would go to departments ranging from Labor to Interior. Education officials say the moves won’t affect the money Congress gives states, schools and colleges. They didn’t say whether current department staff would keep their jobs.Since he took office, Trump has called for the dismantling of the Education Department, saying it has been overrun...

WASHINGTON, Nov 19 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge issued an unusual dissenting opinion on Wednesday lambasting an earlier ruling that blocked Texas Republicans from using a new congressional map, saying he had been cut out of the decision-making process by two other judges on a three-judge panel.U.S. Circuit Judge Jerry Smith said in his dissent that he was outraged by Tuesday's decision, which was a major blow for Republicans, in Texas and nationally, who redrew the state's electoral districts at the behest of President Donald Trump.Smith, an appointee of former President Ronald Reagan, was one of three federal judges who...

For the record, I’m pro–Christian school…We don’t regret sending our kids to a Christian school, even though my wife has been a public school teacher for the last 28 years. We believe Christian schools can be a powerful force for spiritual transformation. Sadly, that’s often not the case. After speaking at many Christian schools over the last three decades, talking to countless Christian school students and graduates, and witnessing the struggles of our own kids as they went through Christian school, I’ve concluded that the model we use for Christian schools is largely failing to capture the hearts of our...

A lower court order on Texas’ new congressional map has made its way to the high court. It could be the first of several mid-decade redistricting pushes. Texas’ emergency appeal is sure to challenge that conclusion. Indeed, Abbott already declared Tuesday that the redistricting effort had nothing to do with race. But another consideration could be even more consequential for the justices: whether they conclude that the lower court’s action contravenes a longstanding principle that federal courts shouldn’t disturb election rules as the process gets underway.A test for the Purcell PrincipleBrown’s ruling contains a long section addressing the so-called...

Kevin Spacey has revealed that he is currently homeless and 'living in hotels' as he admits his financial situation is 'not great'. Just two years ago, the actor was cleared of sexual assault allegations against four men during a UK trial in 2023. He has since struggled to get work and has passionately spoken out about his 'cancellation' in Hollywood. At the time of the allegations he was living in Baltimore, Maryland, where he had been based for 12 years. But in a new interview he has told The Telegraph that he lost his house and is now 'living in...

This is a pretty good review of economic crashes.

As the West is finally waking up to the genocide of Christians in Nigeria, Christians are also facing brutal oppression in Communist China. Recently, the persecution has escalated to levels not seen since Mao Zedong ruled the country. Last month, Chinese President Xi Jinping launched the largest crackdown on Chinese Christians in years. More than 20 clergy and parishioners were arrested, along with a prominent underground church pastor. Christian leaders have reported that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has demolished thousands of unsanctioned churches. In September, mirroring the hardline tactics of the Soviet Politburo, Xi Jinping decreed that all faiths...

Although the legal and clinical definitions may differ, popular conception defines “insanity” as repeating the same behavior and expecting different results. By that definition, leftist voters in New York City, California, and elsewhere recertified themselves as insane last week. Year after year, election after election, voters in “blue” cities and states follow the same recipe that has brought self-imposed economic and demographic decay for decades: bigger government, higher taxes, more regulation, unsustainable benefits, and sprawling public-sector obligations. They keep repeating their behavior, even as jobs evaporate, families leave, and businesses take investment elsewhere. Decades of left-leaning politicians and public policies...

Fox News national correspondent Alexis McAdams reports on the Butler shooting case as former Deputy Asst. Attorney General John Yoo reacts to a new report on Thomas Crooks’ online activity. (Transcribed by TurboScribe.ai. Go Unlimited to remove this message.) New details emerging about the man who attempted to assassinate President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. The White House says Americans need to know what happened, and so does the president. There are so many questions out there. And I mean, you know, did he act alone, et cetera? And it's, you know, it's over a year, it's 16 months now....

In the pitch-black, storm-lashed hours before dawn on Independence Day, surging floodwaters ravaged Hunt and Kerr County in central Texas, including the summer camp filled with sleeping children. The catastrophic flooding killed 27 girls and counselors at Camp Mystic. The court filings accuse the camp of failing to move cabins out of flood-prone areas, responding poorly to the emergency, and putting profits ahead of the safety of the girls in their care.. Most of the cabins had been located in FEMA’s 100-year “Special Flood Hazard Area” up until 2013. That’s when the camp petitioned FEMA to remove most of the...

Germany should take over the historically American role of Nato Europe commander, Donald Trump’s envoy to the Western alliance has suggested. Matthew Whitaker, the US ambassador to Nato, said he hoped Germany would one day volunteer for the prestigious role of Supreme Allied Commander Europe. He told the Berlin Security Conference: “I look forward to the day when Germany comes to the United States and says that we’re ready to take over the Supreme Allied Commander position. I think we’re a long way away from that, but I look forward to those discussions.” Since Nato was founded in 1949, the...

DOJ charges Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) with stealing $5 million in FEMA funds, laundering the proceeds, and then using the money to support her 2021 Congressional campaign. She faces up to 53 years in prison if convicted. According to the indictment, DOJ says: “Cherfilus-McCormick, 46, and her brother Edwin Cherfilus, 51, both of Miramar, worked through their family health-care company on a FEMA-funded COVID-19 vaccination staffing contract in 2021. In July 2021, the company received an overpayment of $5 million in FEMA funds.

Charilie Kirk's Head of Security Speaks Out.(Transcribed by TurboScribe.ai. Go Unlimited to remove this message.) I want to start with chilling new details that have come to light about Charlie Kirk's assassination. Coming from the head of Charlie's security team, this man is Brian Harpole. He sat down with podcaster Sean Ryan for almost three hours, opening up about everything that unfolded that day. He also spoke about the feeling, the feeling that he had in the lead up to September 10, two days before the speaking event at Utah Valley University, the day that Charlie was taken from us...

Russia would keep control of Donbas region in exchange for rental fee under US plan Ukraine could be forced to lease part of its territory to Russia under a US plan to end the war.The Trump administration deal would see Kyiv cede control of the eastern Donbas region, but maintain legal ownership. Russia would pay an undisclosed rental fee for de facto control of the region, officials familiar with the deal told The Telegraph.The 28-point plan was thrashed out between the US and Russia in a recent flurry of secretive talks, renewing fears that Ukraine is being frozen out of...

Nvidia, the world's biggest company, has revealed its sales are soaring — delivering a thunderous boost to the US economy, Wall Street and Americans' retirement savings. The chipmaker, which has been the engine of the AI boom and a key driver of the market's rally, delivered another blockbuster quarter that reassured investors the tech revolution is going nowhere. 'There's been a lot of talk about an AI bubble,' CEO Jensen Huang said on Wednesday. 'We see something very different.' The company reported $57billion in sales, smashing analyst forecasts of $54.9 billion. Profit hit $31.9billion for the past three months, up...