Category: Judicial Watch
USDA Replaces $322 Million in Food Stamps Stolen Because It Won’t Upgrade Card Technology
The government contributes to the pervasive fraud and corruption that has long gripped the nation’s massive food stamp program by using ancient technology to load recipients’ electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards, making them highly vulnerable to theft. Replacing the stolen welfare benefit costs American taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars in addition to the eye-popping […]
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Judicial Watch Urges Justice Department to Investigate Florida County for Woke Quota Scheme for ‘Diversity Advisory Council’
(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch announced today that it submitted a formal request to the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division for an investigation of Hillsborough County, Florida’s Board of County Commissioners for various racial and other quota appointment practices used to staff its Diversity Advisory Council. In a letter sent to Assistant Attorney […]
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Gavin Newsom’s ‘Self-Puffery’ Gets Him in Trouble With David Axelrod
Are even Democrats starting to get sick of Gavin Newsom’s constant self-aggrandizement? If longtime Obama adviser David Axelrod is (again)…
The Spectator P.M. Ep. 188: Transgender Girl Scouts Sell Over 71,000 Cookie Boxes
Erin Reed, who self-identifies as a transgender journalist, helped transgender Girl Scouts sell over 71,000 boxes of cookies that fund…
Peaceful Protest
“Peaceful Protest,” editorial cartoon by Tom Stiglich for The American Spectator on Jan. 27, 2026.
Murkowski says Noem should resign over Minneapolis shootings
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) on Tuesday became the second Republican senator to call for Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem to step down over her handling of the Minneapolis shootings. In remarks to reporters, Murkowski called for accountability from the secretary, criticizing Noem for the “rhetoric” she deployed in the aftermath of Saturday’s fatal shooting…
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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Sundance VIPs take 10-minute protest break in between screenings
What one report called “arguably the shortest of protests in recent memory” rocked the Sundance Film Festival for about 10 minutes on Sunday evening, as around 100 people gathered in Park City to voice their opposition to the ICE raids in Minnesota.
The diminutive demonstration echoed statements made by big-name festival attendees like Edward Norton and Olivia Wilde
‘Turn on your phone light for a minute or two.’
‘Melt’ down
Actress Natasha Lyonne posted a promotional flyer for the event, called “Sundancers Melt Ice,” which read, “Join us tonight to remember Alex Pretti and Renee Good” and “quietly register our collective protest.”
Pretti was recently shot and killed by federal agents during a violent scrum, while Good was shot and killed by an ICE agent as she hit him with her car.
“Turn on your phone light for a minute or two,” the flyer added. “Silent, respectful, together.”
Chants encounter
The 10-minute event included protesters chanting “Love melts Ice! Love melts Ice!” according to Deadline, which noted that actor Elijah Wood (“Lord of the Rings”) turned out to offer his support.
“The folks who have been unlawfully gunned down in Minnesota — it’s awful,” Wood said.
“Here we are at this film festival that is about bringing people together; it’s about telling stories from all over the world. We’re not divided here; we’re coming together,” he continued.
Christina House/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Sign decline
The film festival is no stranger to progressive protests; in 2024, demonstrators flooded the streets of the small town to protest on behalf of Palestine, holding signs like “stop the genocide” and “end the occupation.”
“Ceasefire, now!” was chanted by the group, followed by “Free Palestine!”
In 2017, Sundance saw what is recognized as likely the largest protest to take place in Park City, when between 5,000 and 7,000 showed up on Main Street for a “Women’s March on Main,” the day after President Trump was inaugurated for his first term.
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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‘You should f**king kill yourself’: DHS releases terrifying audio of anti-ICE agitator threatening Minnesota agent
The Department of Homeland Security shared a disturbing phone call on social media that gives the public a glimpse of the terrors faced daily by members of law enforcement and their families.
The expletive-laced audio, posted on Monday, contains what appears to be a call from an agitator spewing sexually violent and suicidal language at an officer working in Minnesota, Fox News reported.
The DHS also pledged to ‘hunt these sickos down and put them behind bars.’
“You should f**king kill yourself. I hope your wife dies, I hope your mom and dad die. I hope everything wrong that could go [on] in your life happens,” the caller says in the audio clip.
“You are a traitor to the American people, to the values that made our very country,”
Photo by Rio Giancarlo/Getty Images
The caller also wishes that the ICE agent would be hit by a bus, become “paralyzed,” and have his wife cheat on him.
The caller then doubles down, describing the officer as “f**king disgusting” and a “f**king murderer” and claiming that “everyone hates” the agent as much as the caller does. The caller closes by reiterating: “Kill yourself.”
According to DHS, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers are facing a more than 8,000% increase in death threats and a 1,300% increase in assaults during the second Trump administration, despite conducting operations to remove “terrorists, rapists, and gang members from American neighborhoods.”
RELATED: Liberal media spins ‘homicide’ narrative after ICE detainee death — but DHS sets the record straight–
Julio Rosas/Blaze Media
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated ICE has faced an “unprecedented increase in violence against law enforcement,” citing a 3,200% rise in vehicular attacks. She attributed the increase to rhetoric from sanctuary politicians and the media.
“The men and women of ICE are fathers and mothers, sons and daughters,” DHS said in the post. “They get up every morning to try and make our communities safer. The violence and dehumanization MUST END.”
The DHS also pledged to “hunt these sickos down and put them behind bars.”
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