Free Republic

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who narrowly escaped impeachment last week, said Sunday that the Biden administration doesn't "bear responsibility for a broken system," demanding Congress enact legislation to mitigate what has become an illegal migration crisis during this election year. "No doubt there is gridlock in Congress. But do you bear responsibility for what is happening at the border with the president himself? It's called a crisis," NBC host Kristen Welker asked during an interview with Mayorkas on "Meet the Press." "It certainly is a crisis. And we don't bear responsibility for a broken system. And we're doing a...

Denver is cutting $5 million from public services used by its residents in order to pay for its spiraling illegal immigration costs, with the city’s mayor pinning the blame on Republicans and former President Donald Trump. Mayor Mike Johnston, a Democrat, announced on Friday that hours will be cut at recreation centers, and in-person vehicle registration renewals at the DMV will end, while the planting of spring flower beds will also be stopped to save the much-needed cash. The cuts follow the mayor’s decision last month to divert $25 million from the city budget to the migrant crisis. That plan...

On Thursday’s broadcast of “CNN This Morning,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) stated that President Joe Biden will be able to blame Republicans for a border crisis that has existed for most of Biden’s presidency because “this week” they rejected a deal that Biden worked on reaching recently. Co-host Phil Mattingly asked, “The idea that he can flip an issue that has been problematic, at least politically, and certainly from a policy perspective, on the border, do you think it’s possible?” Hochul answered, “Oh, absolutely. President Biden worked so hard to negotiate a deal for the American people that...

When the Rev. Al Sharpton used the word “invasion” to describe the onslaught of migrants at the southern U.S. border on Monday, his MSNBC guest suddenly stopped nodding along. And then the fast blinking began — he was triggered. Because to the American left, the word “invasion” is off-limits and even “violence-inciting.” But the word — and the concept — are at the heart of what’s happening in Texas, as Gov. Greg Abbott stands up to the Biden administration and its open border policies. He rightly contends that according to the U.S. Constitution, Texas does not merely have the Constitutional...

The following is adapted from a talk delivered on January 22, 2024, at the Allan P. Kirby, Jr. Center for Constitutional Studies and Citizenship on Hillsdale’s Washington, D.C., campus, as part of the AWC Family Foundation Lecture Series. In 1960, the Eisenhower administration began counting the number of foreign nationals “apprehended” or “encountered” by what was then called the U.S. Border Control when crossing into the U.S. over its southern border with Mexico. These figures have been published and closely monitored through the years, and there has never been anything like the numbers we are seeing now. A human tsunami...

TV personality Dr. Phil McGraw visited the southern border in Texas this week where he slammed Vice President Kamala Harris over her failure as the country’s “border czar” to address the unprecedented tidal wave of illegal immigration. “Guess how many times she’s been to the border? Once,” Dr. Phil said. That’s more times that President Joe Biden has visited the border — zero.

Amidst the unfolding year, concerns heighten over a looming financial crisis, with a potential bank failure on the horizon. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) proposes rule changes, including waiving margin requirements for major banks during periods of “high volatility,” sparking questions about the stability of the financial system. The specter of last year’s challenges resurfaces, with shares of $NYCB plummeting and regional banks experiencing a downturn. Notably, the financial sector is gripped by worries of a derivatives implosion, adding complexity to an already precarious situation. The ongoing decline in commercial property values, coupled with the exposure...

In the shadows of economic prosperity, a quiet crisis brews as tens of millions of Americans succumb to “Doom Spending.” This phenomenon, where one spends beyond their means to cope with stress, is not just a financial dilemma but a reflection of broader societal shifts. Especially pronounced among the younger generation, this trend tells a story of forsaken dreams. Young Americans, instead of investing in homes or starting families, are opting for instant gratification like cruises, signaling a departure from traditional aspirations.

At least 275,000 illegal migrants crossed into Europe in 2023 (www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/eu-migration-policy/), the highest figure since 2016. In Sweden net migration is expected to be 120,000 for 2023 (www.scb.se/en/finding-statistics/statistics-by-subject-area/population/population-projections/population-projections/pong/tables-and-graphs/immigration-and-emigration-by-sex-and-country-of-birth-and-projection/).

The United States is grappling with a mounting housing crisis as median three-bedroom rents surge beyond the reach of average local wages in 197 out of 338 counties, according to ATTOM. This alarming trend aligns with the broader economic challenges facing individuals and families as housing costs outpace income growth. Both rents and real estate prices have experienced significant escalations, far outstripping the pace of wage and salary increases. The consequences are particularly felt by younger generations, who have been hopeful for a real estate market correction to ease the burden of soaring housing costs.

The migration landscape in Denver is undergoing a significant transformation, with nearly 40,000 migrants arriving in the city over the past year. This influx has made Denver the top destination per capita for migrants crossing the U.S. southern border and heading north in buses from Texas. However, the surge is not without its challenges, as the city grapples with the strain on its public safety net. Beginning February 5, Denver will implement measures to limit the number of days migrants can stay in shelters, and those exceeding their stay will be directed out onto the streets. The impact is already...

The Democratic Socialists of America, affiliated with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and other liberal leaders, is facing severe financial trouble, with the organization’s leaders calling for massive budget cuts and layoffs. The seven-figure deficit comes after the DSA, which leads anti-Israel protests across the country, did not publicly condemn the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks. “The current deficit will force us to make 7-figure budget cuts. This will require us to make painful decisions that will impact all levels of the organization. … Given our current financial state, we do not believe we can have a healthy, democratic, and effective...

Congratulations, America — you’ve survived your third year of being bossed around by Joe “Big Guy” Dementia Biden. You might be poorer, more depressed, and more likely to end up drafted for a foreign war than you were when he hobbled into the White House three years ago last Saturday, but you’ve finally made it to the year you get to vote him out, if you’re smart enough. In January 2022, we brought you “A Scandal For Every Month: The Biggest Botches, Failures, And Mess-Ups Of Joe Biden’s First 12 Months In Office.” Last January, there was another year of...

A huge MAGA truck convoy called 'Army of God' is heading toward the southern border as experts ring the alarms over the border crisis after a record 302,000 migrants crossed over into the US. The massive convoy of truckers is making its way to three migrant hotspots across three states in a bid to shame the White House into tackling the worsening crisis. Hundreds - possibly thousands - of big rigs are planning to head for Eagle Pass in Texas, Yuma in Arizona and San Ysidro in California from January 29 for the four-day 'Take Back Our Border' event. They...

The migrant crisis in Denver has plunged the city's main public hospital deep into the red after patients received $136 million in treatment they couldn't pay for. Denver Health lost $2 million in 2022 - but that was substantially-reduced by a $20 million cash injection from the state. In 2022, the hospital system lost $35 million, with bosses warning of 'dire consequences' for the hospital if 2024 is as bad as the previous two. The rise in costs has coincided with the unprecedented number of immigrants who crossed America's border and arrived in Denver. Around 36,000 have arrived so far...

New York City Mayor Eric Adams denied that the migrant crisis he faces was an inevitable outcome of being a sanctuary city. Republican governors like Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, have sent buses of asylum seekers to Democratic-controlled states and sanctuary cities. Republicans have argued the action is necessary to show the rest of the country what border states are dealing with due to the surge of migrants. In a recent GOP primary debate, Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley argued that the migrant crisis overwhelming Democratic cities was the inevitable outcome of impractical policy. "This is putting harm on our schools,...

Brandon Johnson has refused to state whether he'll raise his city's taxes to pay for the migrant crisis - despite being asked three times in a new interview. The Windy City's mayor made the comments - or lack thereof - during a sitdown with CBS 2's Sabrina Franza Thursday, where talks hovered around the yearly task of setting a city budget. The discussion, however, quickly turned to his predecessors' pledge to house arriving asylum seekers - a promise he has vowed to continue, after an estimated 20,000 entered Chicago last year alone. As the two spoke, more than 500 migrants...

resident Joe Biden is pointing the finger at congressional Republicans over a surge in irregular migration, after they rejected his recent request for billions in new enforcement funding. 'I've been pushing them - my Republican colleagues - since I got in office. I think we have to make a major change in the border,' Biden told reporters on Saturday, as he headed to Camp David. 'I'm prepared to make significant alterations in the border,' the president added. After illegal crossings at the southern border with Mexico reportedly hit new record highs in December, Biden has faced tough criticism from Republicans...

Amid the still-worsening border chaos created by the policies of President Joe Biden, Texas has refused to accept what the Secretary of Homeland Security still can't bring himself to call a "crisis." The Lone Star State's latest action on Thursday: seizing a swath of city-owned parkland along the Rio Grande in Eagle Pass, kicking federal border agents off the property, and enforcing the international border with Mexico. Shelby Park — the land seized by the Texas National Guard — sits adjacent to the International Bridge where surges of illegal immigrants stream into the U.S. Over the span of just a...

Senator John Fetterman (D‑PA) diverged from his party recently by acknowledging that the breakdown of the southern border is really a “crisis.” “There’s a crisis at the border,” Fetterman told reporters on Friday. “And I don’t know how anybody could pretend that there isn’t.” Fetterman has often voiced his disapproval of his party’s stance on the border issue during the past few weeks. “I’m not a progressive,” Fetterman told NBC News. “I just think I’m a Democrat that is very committed to choice and other things. But with Israel, I’m going to be on the right side of that. And...