Free Republic

(The Center Square) – Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes says that any police officer who violates the city’s new policy requiring documentation of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions, including video recording, will be subject to disciplinary proceedings.“This would be a violation of our policy, a violation of the law,” Barnes told the Seattle City Council’s Select Committee on Federal Administration and Policy on Thursday. “They could be placed on administrative leave per the [Seattle Police Officers Guild] collective bargaining agreement.”Barnes said what would happen to the officer ultimately would be based on a recommendation by the city Office of...

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Portland homeowners can now earn extra cash by renting a room out through the city’s new home share pilot program.The Portland Housing Bureau announced last week that it is offering one-time grants to homeowners who rent out their spare rooms using a qualified home share provider.In a press release, Mayor Keith Wilson said the city is exploring ways to utilize existing housing as part of its ongoing effort to address the housing crisis.“For many Portlanders, home sharing is a win-win solution, helping homeowners to supplement their incomes while providing low-income tenants with affordable housing options,” he...

New York City's socialist mayor Zohran Mamdani is planning to spend $70 million on a 'feasibility study' into launching government-owned grocery stores, reports say.The mayor, 34, has cried poverty since taking office as he threatens to raise taxes across the Big Apple to fund his projects, claiming he was left with a huge $5.4 billion financial black hole by his predecessor Eric Adams.But sources tell the New York Post that Mamdani is set to spend $70 million to fund the Economic Development Corporation, which will scout potential locations for his city-run grocery stores.

Thomas Massie gave an interview to Politico yesterday, in which the publication said he goes "toe-to-toe" with high-ranking members of the Trump administration including Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and Attorney General Pam Bondi There was one passage that stood out among many conservatives, one that dealt a major blow to the claims that Massie is operating on principles. Namely, Massie's vote was contingent on whether or not Speaker Mike Johnson would publicly praise him for releasing the Epstein files."This is a literal quote from Thomas Massie's interview with Politico. OMG."Praise me publicly and I'll vote the way you...

Democratic politicians have found themselves indirectly defending Islam’s 7th-century hatred of man’s best friend, dogs.Several Democrats have instinctively accused Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) of racism after he reacted to a New York-based Muslim advocate, Nerdeen Kiswani — who said house pet dogs will not be welcome in a non-secular, Islamic New York.

A new manifestation of 'go woke, go broke,' this time hitting the Olympic medal count.One by one, America’s made-for-TV stars fell short of expectations. Lindsey Vonn crashed. Chloe Kim fell. Mikaela Shiffrin struggled. The most shocking fumble of all came on Friday night when figure skater Ilia Malinin, the self-proclaimed “quad god,” melted down in the brutal heat of the Olympic spotlight.It was merely the latest disappointment of an Olympics souring faster than burrata in the sun for Team USA, which is suddenly on track for its fewest winter golds since 1998.What a coincidence -- not liking your country goes...

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A federal judge has ordered a temporary restraining order restricting the ability of federal agents at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Portland from using tear gas and other chemical munitions at people unless there is an imminent threat of physical harm, according to court documents filed on Tuesday afternoon.“In a well-functioning constitutional democratic republic, free speech, courageous newsgathering, and nonviolent protest are all permitted, respected, and even celebrated. In an authoritarian regime, that is not the case. Our nation is now at a crossroads,” U.S. District Judge Michael H. Simon wrote.Meanwhile, U.S. Sen....

Democrats seem to be getting their mojo back as the midterm season heats up. Democrats topped Republicans on the generic congressional ballot by a considerable six points, 52% to 46%, scoring the highest of any party on that metric in the history of the survey commissioned by Fox News.The minority party also made massive gains on key issues, crushing Republicans on affordability by 14 points, health care by 21 points, helping the middle class by 14 points, transgender issues by 22 points, and even taxes by one point.<“Democrats are taking back the House in November,” a confident Democratic Congressional Campaign...

SALEM, Ore. (KATU) — Two Democratic Oregon Senators will introduce a bill that would change how the state’s personal income tax “kicker” is distributed when revenues exceed forecasts. The resolution would amend the Oregon Constitution. Under current law, when state revenues exceed projections by at least 2%, most of the excess personal income tax revenue is returned to taxpayers as the kicker. Under the resolution, that system would largely remain in place, but with a new threshold. If the total personal income tax surplus exceeds $300 million in a biennium, only half of that excess would be returned to taxpayers....

As the Trump administration slashes funding and exits multiple international bodies over criticism that the U.N. has failed to promote U.S. interests, the United Nations is warning it could face a cash crisis by July.In a Jan. 28 letter from U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres to ambassadors, he cited record unpaid dues and rigid budget rules that have left the organization exposed.Guterres said the U.N. is trapped in a "Kafkaesque cycle" in which rigid budget rules force it to return "unspent" funds even when those contributions were never paid. He said outstanding dues reached a record $1.568 billion at the end...

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Federal immigration agents are top of mind for most of the nation, with no one more affected than the Hispanic population.Oregon is seeing an increase in immigration arrests, with Gov. Tina Kotek noting how people fear going to work or school and to get medical care.At the annual Tacos, Tequila and Tamales festival last year at the Expo Center, more than 3,000 guests shopped at 50 different vendors.But this year, only 30 vendors showed up. The ones who canceled told organizers they are afraid of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The guest turnout was also slim, with...

Shanghai-based news outlet The Paper said the force of the explosion had even affected a railway line 5km (three miles) away. Factory valves were ejected during the blast and landed on the tracks, causing delays and disruptions to trains passing through Baotou. Residents of a nearby village said around 70 to 80 per cent of the windows in the village’s 500 to 600 households were shattered, according to The Paper. Baotou Steel Group is a large state-owned steel enterprise. The factory involved in the accident primarily produces composite steel with added rare earth elements such as lanthanum and cerium, widely...

SEATTLE - Several Seattle schools were placed on lockdown Tuesday afternoon after the district received unconfirmed reports of ICE activity in the area. What we know: Seattle Public Schools said the shelter-in-place was activated at six separate campuses, including Mercer International Middle School, Aki Kurose Middle School, Cleveland STEM High School, Maple Elementary, Dearborn Park Intern. The ICE activity was reported by community members, according to Seattle Public Schools, though no ICE presence was ever observed. It remains unknown if immigration agents were conducting any business in the surrounding area.

The Los Angeles Unified School District reported a noticeable drop in student attendance. Why? Families kept children home over fear of immigration enforcement, with Superintendent Alberto Carvalho acknowledging anxiety among parents and students, who have cited concerns about possible enforcement activity in surrounding communities.The problem with this decision?There have been zero enforcement actions on school grounds, and no federal agents have entered classrooms.Still, fear moves faster than facts, and over 133,000 students are missing school because of politics, not reality.

CUBA has been overwhelmed by a disease known as “the virus” – leaving hospitals on the verge of collapse as the Communist regime faces accusations of a cover-up. High fevers, red spots, peeling skin, swollen joints, vomiting and diarrhoea are among symptoms crippling the island’s population – but Cubans have no idea what they are suffering from. his week the Canadian government announced health screenings and quarantine of up to seven days for those coming back from the country. And in December, Spain told its citizens to stay away from Cuba due to a “serious epidemic”. Known just as “the...

"I am outraged to hear a New York City Council employee was detained in Nassau County by federal immigration officials at a routine immigration appointment," Mamdani fumed. "This is an assault on our democracy, on our city, and our values. I am calling for his immediate release and will continue to monitor the situation."

Democratic Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly filed a lawsuit against Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Monday — challenging Hegseth’s move to demote Kelly’s military rank after the senator told service members to defy the Trump administration’s “illegal orders.”Kelly’s lawsuit, which was docketed in Washington D.C., claims Hegseth’s efforts to demote his rank following his November 2025 appearance in a viral video violates the Constitution’s speech or debate clause. Kelly argued in a statement announcing the suit the executive branch has never before sought to impose military sanctions on a U.S. lawmaker over saying “something that the President or Secretary of...

Left-wing Hollywood celebrities wasted no time demanding the impeachment of President Donald Trump after he ordered the military operation the lead to the capture of Venezuela’s socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, on what U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi called charges of Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess Machineguns and Destructive Devices against the United States.”

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC) filed a class action lawsuit Thursday on behalf of federal workers over the government’s ending of insurance coverage for sex change hormones and procedures

We have another ruling in the case involving Venezuelan nationals identified as members of Tren de Aragua and removed from the U.S. to El Salvador in March pursuant to a proclamation signed by President Trump, which invoked the Alien Enemies Act. Monday afternoon, Judge James Boasberg entered an order granting summary judgment to the plaintiffs in the case styled J.G.G. v. Trump. Boasberg also granted the plaintiffs' motion for class certification and denied the Trump administration's motion for summary judgment.