Category: Conservative Review
Minnesota’s ‘worst of the worst’: DHS highlights arrests of repeat offenders, violent criminals in Operation Metro Surge
The Department of Homeland Security highlighted several of Monday’s “worst of the worst” arrests in Minnesota.
As part of the DHS’ Operation Metro Surge, federal authorities have captured kidnappers, pedophiles, and other violent assailants, according to a press release obtained by Blaze News.
‘Our law enforcement officers are risking their lives to arrest these thugs — some RELEASED from Minnesota jails — and are saving countless American lives by getting these criminals out of our country.’
DHS reported last week that it had made 3,000 arrests over the last six weeks as part of the ongoing operation.
“The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) highlights more worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens arrested in Minnesota yesterday during Operation Metro Surge, including those convicted of kidnapping, child rape, assault on a law enforcement officer with a firearm, assault, and possession of fraudulent documents,” Tuesday’s release reads.
Among those arrested on Monday was Bee Yang, an illegal alien from Thailand. Yang was issued a final order of removal in 2015 after he was convicted of numerous crimes, including first-degree kidnapping, assault on a law enforcement officer with a firearm, robbery with a dangerous weapon, breaking and entering, felony larceny, and larceny of a motor vehicle.
Bee Yang, Image source: Department of Homeland Security
Federal agents arrested Wilson Johny Encalada Molina, an illegal alien from Ecuador. He was issued a final order of removal in 2023 after he was charged with third-degree rape of a child under 17 years old, malicious punishment of a child, and endangering the welfare of a child.
Wilson Johny Encalada Molina. Image source: Department of Homeland Security
Ian Mwangi Irungu, from Kenya, was also nabbed by immigration agents. He was previously convicted of selling heroin and dangerous drugs.
Ian Mwangi Irungu. Image source: Department of Homeland Security
Melvin Yobany Hernandez Espana, from Honduras, was previously convicted of assault.
Melvin Yobany Hernandez Espana. Image source: Department of Homeland Security
Immigration agents captured Sergio Quintero Romero, an illegal alien from Mexico with a final order of removal from 2012. He was previously apprehended by law enforcement three times for illegally entering the U.S. Romero was also accused of attempting to defraud the immigration system by presenting a fraudulent lawful permanent resident card to an immigration official.
Sergio Quintero Romero. Image source: Department of Homeland Security
Federal law enforcement officials also nabbed Oliverio Otoniel Francisco-Esteban, an illegal alien from Mexico. He was issued a final order of removal in 2015. DHS reported that Francisco-Esteban has been removed from the U.S. five times, and he was previously convicted of three counts of driving under the influence of liquor, possessing fraudulent immigration documents, illegal entry, and re-entry. Francisco-Esteban currently has an outstanding warrant in Ohio for failure to appear.
Oliverio Otoniel Francisco-Esteban. Image source: Department of Homeland Security
“Just yesterday, DHS law enforcement arrested several repeat offenders including a criminal illegal alien convicted of kidnapping, robbery, felony larceny, and assault on a law enforcement officer with a firearm,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated in the Tuesday press release.
“Our law enforcement officers are risking their lives to arrest these thugs — some RELEASED from Minnesota jails — and are saving countless American lives by getting these criminals out of our country. 70% of all ICE arrests nationwide are of illegal aliens charged or convicted of a crime in the U.S. Check out more of the worst of the worst we arrested in Minnesota at wow.dhs.gov/Minnesota,” McLaughlin added.
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Dartmouth College President Makes Appeal In WSJ Op-Ed. It Is What Conservatives Have Been Saying For Years
Five very reasonable improvements
Anti-ICE brewer’s death wish: Leftist promises free beer when Trump dies ‘in a few months’ — and the Secret Service takes notice
Kirk Bangstad, the Wisconsin owner of Minocqua Brewing Company and the treasurer of a federal super PAC of the same name, has made no secret of his hatred for President Donald Trump, conservatives, and virtually anyone who doesn’t share his leftist worldview.
For instance, Bangstad — who was ordered to pay a six-figure sum for defamation in 2023 and was charged with harassment last year — stated, “F**k Charlie Kirk,” in a diatribe the day after the Turning Point USA founder’s assassination and wrote weeks later, “May his soul never find peace.”
‘Free beer, all day long, the day he dies. Show us this post when it happens in a few months and we’ll make good on that promise.’
Although the leftist brewer has long engaged in this variety of incendiary commentary, which dovetails with his Ben & Jerry-styled progressive marketing, Bangstad recently raised eyebrows and a potential red flag with a post insinuating the president’s death was forthcoming.
Days after circulating a wanted poster for a federal agent, calling for a “regime change” in the U.S., and stating that “it’s just a matter of time” before “every ICE agent will face justice,” Bangstad said in a Jan. 22 post on the brewery’s Facebook page, “Free beer, all day long, the day he dies. Show us this post when it happens in a few months and we’ll make good on that promise.”
When asked by Fox News for comment, Bangstad appeared to confirm that he was referring to Trump and indicated the brewery would be throwing a “party celebrating the impending death of a twice-impeached convicted felon.”
Bangstad, who unsuccessfully attempted to block President Trump from the 2024 presidential ballot in Wisconsin, did not respond directly to Blaze News’ questions. Instead he accused Blaze News of engaging in “‘gotcha’ state-sponsored propaganda” and shared the contact information of a Blaze News reporter, inviting his followers to email the reporter with their own comments.
Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images
The U.S. Secret Service told Blaze News, “The U.S. Secret Service is aware of the social media post by the Minocqua Brewing Company. Out of concern for operational security, we do not discuss matters of protective intelligence.”
Bangstad’s post also caught the attention of various critics, including Libs of TikTok, who noted, “How are we supposed to share a country with these people? Democrats want us dead.”
The American left appears to have a strong appetite for political violence.
‘That’s kind of shady.’
A survey conducted by the Network Contagion Research Institute and Rutgers University’s Social Perception Lab revealed in April 2025 that 55% of respondents who identified as left of center said that assassinating Trump would be at least somewhat justified.
When asked by pollsters about the September 2024 attempt on the president’s life at his golf course in Florida, 28% of Democrats told RMG Research it would have been better if Trump had been gunned down.
While the brewer’s apparent eagerness to see the president die has attracted attention, his super PAC’s expenditures have also prompted scrutiny in recent months.
Some of Bangstad’s former employees alleged to WISC-TV that some of the over $2 million raised by the brewer’s super PAC has gone toward paying regular brewery staff rather than political activities.
“At first, I was paid by a regular direct deposit, and then he said he’s going to pay me from the Super PAC and from the business. And I started to do some research,” said one former employee who spoke to WISC on the condition of anonymity. “I spoke with a couple attorneys and an accountant, and they said, that’s kind of shady, not a good idea.”
The former employee showed the outlet documentation apparently indicating that he received checks from the Minocqua Brewing Super PAC with “organizing” written in the memo line — something he had reportedly not done for the PAC.
Bangstad admitted that some employees receive PAC funds and suggested to WISC that the payments were aboveboard. A civil lawsuit filed in early 2025 suggested otherwise, accusing the leftist of fraud and misuse of donated funds, reported Wisconsin Public Radio.
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Dems’ ‘Unconstitutional’ Bill Would Jail Law-Abiding Virginians For Guns They Already Own
Violators could face up to 12 months in prison and a restriction on ownership or possession of any and all firearms for three years.
Critically ill ‘The Blind Side’ star shows signs of recovery; family credits power of prayer
A beloved Christian actor is showing possible signs of recovery while in hospital on life support.
Quinton Aaron starred in “The Blind Side,” a movie with Sandra Bullock about Michael Oher, a homeless and traumatized boy who is taken in by a Christian family and becomes a first-round NFL draft pick.
‘I grew up in the church. I was raised in the church.’
In real life, Aaron’s wife, Margarita, said she rushed the 41-year-old to the hospital after he lost feeling in his legs. The issues were initially thought to be from a bad sleep, but pain persisted in Aaron’s neck and back until he became numb.
His wife is a registered nurse, and she helped him lie down before calling 911. The big man — reportedly around 6’6″ — was in and out of consciousness on the way to hospital.
Doctors allegedly determined after several tests that he had a blood infection and recommended he be put on life support, according to TMZ.
A ‘fighter’
After initial reports looked grim, the outlet explained that Aaron was partially breathing on his own until Monday, when he “opened his eyes today and gave a thumbs-up,” his wife said.
Describing her husband as “a fighter,” Margarita had previously said, “He’s showing a lot of improvement. We all have faith in God that he will walk out of here fully recovered.”
Aaron had been dealing with health issues last March, according to E News. He was hospitalized after experiencing a bloody cough coupled with a fever and was told he was likely dealing with Type A flu and pneumonia.
In 2019, he was also admitted to a hospital for an upper respiratory infection and bronchitis.
Man of faith
The man of faith was interviewed by Blaze News in 2013 when he said, “I grew up in the church. I was raised in the church.”
“I do believe in showing more so than having to say. I feel like if I live the Christian life, then the people should be able to see it in my everyday actions.”
RELATED: Matthew McConaughey: Choose God and family, not ‘participation trophies’
Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
Outspoken Christian
Aaron has been outspoken about being a Christian in Hollywood. In a 2017 interview, he noted that many people in the film industry are “not very charitable” unless it benefits them.
“I’ve noticed that, especially with friends in Hollywood, if you want to keep a friend, don’t ask them for anything. I tell people all the time, I say, ‘The moment you ask for a favor, you’re probably never going to hear from them again,'” he explained.
“They may grant that favor, but don’t plan on asking for another one,” the actor added.
Oher, whom Aaron portrayed in the 2009 film, had eight seasons in the NFL, five of which were with the Baltimore Ravens.
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88-year-old Democrat brings campaign to a screeching halt
The congressional representative for Washington, D.C., has filed to end her re-election campaign after 18 consecutive terms in the House.
Democrat Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton has served as D.C.’s representative since 1991 and is now retiring at 88 years old. Norton’s career was commended by her Democrat allies, but several colleagues have privately expressed concerns about cognitive decline leading up to the suspension of her re-election campaign.
‘I will retire at the end of this term.’
“With fire in my soul and the facts on my side, I’ve raised hell about the injustice of denying 700K taxpaying Americans in DC the same rights given to residents of the states for 33 years,” Norton said in a post on X.
“Now, with pride in our accomplishments, gratitude to DC, and confidence in the next generation, I announced I’ll retire at the end of this term.”
RELATED: ‘Fixing the mess’: Retired Navy SEAL aims to flip Connecticut congressional district red
Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Notably, Norton officially filed paperwork to suspend her campaign on Sunday and didn’t release her official statement until Tuesday.
“The privilege of public service is inseparable from the responsibility to recognize when it’s time to lift up the next generation of leaders,” Norton said in the statement. “For D.C., that time has come. With pride in all we have accomplished together, with the deepest gratitude to the people of D.C., and with great confidence in the next generation, I announced today that I will retire at the end of this term.”
RELATED: Case against man who threw Subway sandwich at federal agent during DC surge goes awry
Photo by Tom Brenner for the Washington Post via Getty Images
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) congratulated Norton on her career, which spanned over three decades, calling her “our Warrior on the Hill.”
“From securing shutdown protection for the city and the creation of DCTAG, to defeating continued attacks on Home Rule and leading historic votes in the House for DC Statehood,” Bowser said in a statement. “Her work embodies the unwavering resolve of a city that refuses to yield in its fight for equal representation.”
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Exclusive: SAVE Act hangs in the balance as Republican Study Committee pushes for Senate passage
While the Senate continues stalling the commonsense SAVE Act, the Republican Study Committee members are pressuring their colleagues to send the bill to President Donald Trump’s desk.
The House passed the SAVE Act for the second time in April, but the Senate has yet to schedule a vote to pass the bill. Republican Rep. Chip Roy of Texas originally spearheaded the legislation, which would simply require proof of U.S. citizenship to vote in federal elections.
‘American elections should be fair and free, not subject to foreign influence.’
Since then, dozens of RSC members have been pressuring the Senate to hold a vote, telling Blaze News that “the Senate must do their job.”
“Voting in American elections is a right reserved for American citizens, and the House did our job by passing the SAVE Act months ago to secure it,” RSC Chairman August Pfluger (Texas) told Blaze News. “We’re already a full year into the 119th Congress, and the American people are still waiting for the Senate to deliver what we promised them in 2024. They sent us here to get things done, not to make excuses.”
RELATED: Democrats vote overwhelmingly against GOP bill aiming to bar illegal aliens from voting
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call Inc. via Getty Images
“This is a commonsense reform with broad public support from Americans who want elections that are free, fair, and secure,” Roy told Blaze News. “Now it’s time for the Senate to act. All it takes is 51 Republicans willing to demand a vote. And if Democrats choose to filibuster, they can explain to the American people why they believe noncitizens should be allowed to vote. That is a debate we will win every time.”
Roy and Pfluger secured the backing of dozens of colleagues, including RSC Vice Chair Ben Cline of Virginia and Republican Reps. Mark Alford of Missouri; Riley Moore of West Virginia; Kat Cammack of Florida; Andy Harris of Maryland; Andy Ogles of Tennessee; Claudia Tenney of New York; Burgess Owens of Utah; Abe Hamadeh of Arizona; Anna Paulina Luna of Florida; Brandon Gill of Texas; John McGuire of Virginia; Robert Aderholt of Alabama; Mike Collins of Georgia; Eric Burlison of Missouri; Ralph Norman of South Carolina; Marlin Stutzman of Indiana; Dan Meuser of Pennsylvania; Mike Ezell of Mississippi; Russell Fry of South Carolina; Mark Harris of North Carolina; Buddy Carter of Georgia; Mike Kennedy of Utah; and Lance Gooden of Texas.
As Luna of Florida noted to Blaze News, “House Republicans are aligned.”
“American elections should be fair and free, not subject to foreign influence,” Gill told Blaze News. “Illegal aliens have no right to be in America, and they certainly shouldn’t be voting.”
RELATED: ‘Horrifying situation’: Some Republicans retreat following Minneapolis shooting of anti-ICE agitator
Photo by Al Drago/Getty Images
“We hear from the other side that voter ID is somehow racist,” Owens told Blaze News, referring to common talking points peddled by Democrats. “That is nonsense. What is racist is assuming minorities can’t get an ID. That’s called the soft bigotry of low expectations, and it is wildly insulting. I’ve been a proud day-one co-sponsor of the SAVE Act.”
“The longer the Senate waits, the longer this commonsense protection sits on the shelf,” Pfluger told Blaze News. “Seven Democrat Senators must decide: Do they stand with Republicans in affirming that our elections are legal, fair, and only for American citizens, or don’t they? The answer should be obvious. Pass this bill and get it to President Trump’s desk.”
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Minnesota police FINALLY fight back: Cops hit violent anti-ICE mob with tear gas, arrests outside hotel supposedly housing feds
Radicals swarmed a hotel in Maple Grove, Minnesota, on Monday night, working under the presumption that U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino was inside. While some in the mob appeared keen at the outset to simply scream, bang their pans, and impotently blow whistles in protest of CBP and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, others decided to get violent.
The Maple Grove Police Department, which responded around 8 p.m. to reports of a protest at the SpringHill Suites by Marriott, demonstrated that it has a lower tolerance for attacks on law enforcement than their local counterparts in Minneapolis — and the proof manifested in tear gas and arrests.
‘These violent anarchists will not deter ICE from carrying out the American people’s mandate.’
“The situation escalated when individuals in the crowd engaged in unlawful behavior,” the MGPD said in a statement. “Property damage occurred, and objects were thrown at officers. At that point, the activity was no longer considered peaceful.”
After declaring the mob action an unlawful assembly, police issued a dispersal order. Footage shows police securing the area around the hotel, standing off with radicals, then systematically driving away the mob.
In addition to using pepper balls, Maple Grove police — who were assisted by the Minnesota State Patrol, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office hours after President Donald Trump had positive calls with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D) and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) — apparently utilized tear gas to drive away rioters.
RELATED: Democrats threaten to shut down government over ICE funding: ‘We are not powerless’
Law enforcement stands ready outside the Spring Hill Suites on Jan. 26. Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images.
Police told CNN that approximately 26 people were arrested outside the hotel.
Radicals advertised the anti-Border Patrol rally as a “Goodbye Bovino Noise Demo.”
Blaze News has reached out to the hotel and Marriott for comment.
The evening before the riot in Maple Grove, leftists stormed a hotel in Minneapolis where they believed federal immigration agents were staying. Radicals vandalized the Home2 Suites by Hilton Hotel late Sunday, smashing windows and throwing debris into the lobby.
Footage shows a solitary, bloody federal agent holding his ground at one stage in the evening while radicals assembled in front of the hotel. According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, federal agents successfully cleared that group with the help of chemical irritants.
The Department of Homeland Security indicated that the Sunday hotel attack was “part of a coordinated campaign of violence against law enforcement.”
“These violent anarchists will not deter ICE from carrying out the American people’s mandate to arrest and deport the worst of the worst,” added the DHS.
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‘Fixing the mess’: Retired Navy SEAL aims to flip Connecticut congressional district red
A retired U.S. Navy SEAL with more than 30 years of service announced Tuesday that he is running for Congress in Connecticut’s 5th District, seeking the Republican nomination.
Christopher Shea enters a competitive race against incumbent Democrat Rep. Jahana Hayes, who won re-election in 2024 with 53.4% of the vote. She squeaked through the 2022 general election by just 0.8%.
‘This campaign is about restoring trust, normalcy, and accountability.’
“I’ve spent my entire adult life serving this country — overseas in uniform and here at home protecting our communities,” Shea said in a statement given to Blaze News. “That sense of duty doesn’t end at retirement. I’m running for Congress to put people over politics, restore common sense in Washington, and make sure families in Connecticut’s 5th District can get ahead again.”
In an ad to launch his campaign, Shea, founder of the nonprofit Hero to Hero and a North Haven firefighter, indicates he is dedicated to “protecting the vulnerable,” “restoring hope,” and “fixing the mess.”
Shea said his campaign will focus on economic growth, public safety, affordability for families, veterans’ issues, and protecting America.
“Connecticut’s 5th District is hardworking and grounded in common sense. Our current representative has chosen a different path — consistently siding with the most extreme voices in Washington and backing policies that drive up energy costs, undermine public safety, and leave working families like mine paying the price,” Shea said. “That’s exactly why we need new leadership. This campaign is about restoring trust, normalcy, and accountability. And most of all, it’s about service to the people of Connecticut’s 5th District. I’m ready for this mission, and I’m honored to stand up for the people of this district.”
RELATED: ‘Warfighter’ son of a popular Michigan sheriff is now gunning for Congress
Photo given to Blaze News. Used with permission.
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Activists ask for compassion for mother who allegedly drowned her baby in bathtub: ‘She is loved. She is valued.’
A woman called police to tell them that she had drowned her 7-month-old baby in a bathtub, and police confirmed the horrific claim when they went to her home.
Tierra Scott-Franklin, 23, was arrested on Wednesday afternoon by Gainesville police at her residence in the Sweetwater Square Apartments.
‘She did what she did, but we stand behind her. She is loved. She is valued.’
Police found the baby unresponsive and transported the child to UF Health Shands Pediatrics Hospital, where the child was declared deceased.
Scott-Franklin was charged with first-degree premeditated murder.
When the woman appeared in court, activists argued for compassion on her behalf.
“She did what she did, but we stand behind her. She is loved. She is valued. She is cared for,” Saudia Bradley said. “We’re asking that you please do what you do to help her to get the help she needs.”
Scott-Franklin was previously arrested for allegedly assaulting a 67-year-old woman and is also facing a charge for battery of a person 65 years or older.
Another activist said that Scott-Franklin sought help before the incident.
“She’s not well. She let people know she was not well and asked them to take the baby,” Chanae Jackson said.
A neighbor of the woman said the shocking incident should bring awareness for struggling people.
“I was inside my apartment, and I just kept hearing, like, people around the neighborhood kept yelling, like, ‘No, not a child, not a child, not a child,'” Aarion Hamilton said.
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