Federal judge orders deported Venezuelans to be returned to US

A U.S. federal judge has ordered the Venezuelan men that the Trump administration deported to El Salvador early last year be returned to the United States, stating that they did not receive due process in some cases.

U.S. District Judge James Boasberg issued the order to bring back 137 Venezuelans on Thursday, citing as precedent the well-documented return of Kilmar Abrego-Gargia from El Salvador’s CECOT prison to the U.S.

The order comes after a hearing on Monday when Boasberg hinted he would order their return. Department of Justice lawyers at the time said they would prefer the Venezuelans return to the U.S. rather than try to do remote hearings from El Salvador, Venezuela or other locations outside the U.S.

Boasberg's order also asked that the government submit a status report by March 13th.

DOJ SAYS IT OWES DEPORTED VENEZUELANS NO DUE PROCESS, DARES COURT TO INTERVENE

The high-profile case involves the U.S. deportation of 252 suspected Venezuelan nationals, who were also suspected Tren de Aragua gang members, to CECOT prison in El Salvador last March under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act.

The case has emerged as one of the defining court fights of President Donald Trump’s second term, allowing the administration to test its mettle against the federal courts and the practical limits of judicial authority, on one of Trump’s biggest policy priorities.

SUPREME COURT FREEZES ORDER TO RETURN MAN FROM EL SALVADOR PRISON

It's a fight that has also put Boasberg, who is overseeing the Alien Enemies Act case, squarely in the Trump administration's crosshairs as he attempts to determine what due process protections, if any, the administration is legally obligated to provide and how far the courts can go to enforce them.

DOJ lawyers, who have appealed nearly every decision Boasberg has made in this case so far, can appeal Boasberg's latest order.

Fox News' Jake Gibson and Fox News Digital's Breanne Deppisch contributed to this report.

source https://www.foxnews.com/politics/federal-judge-orders-deported-venezuelans-returned-us

US forces complete withdrawal from strategic al-Tanf Garrison in Syria

The U.S. military has completed its withdrawal of American forces from al-Tanf Garrison in Syria, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Thursday.

The departure, finalized Feb. 11, was carried out as part of a broader shift in U.S. posture in the region under Operation Inherent Resolve, the coalition mission launched in 2014 to combat ISIS.

American troops have maintained a limited presence in the country to support partner forces and prevent the terrorist group from resurging after it was territorially defeated in 2019.

Syria’s Defense Ministry said government forces took control of the al-Tanf base following the U.S. withdrawal and have begun deploying along the country’s borders with Iraq and Jordan, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency, the country’s state-run news outlet.

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The ministry said the handover was coordinated with U.S. officials and that Syrian Arab Army units moved in to secure the base and surrounding areas in the tri-border desert region.

The development follows a Pentagon decision in April 2025 to scale back and consolidate U.S. forces in Syria. 

Caroline Rose, director of the Crime-Conflict Nexus and Military Withdrawals portfolios at the New Lines Institute, told Fox News Digital that al-Tanf was one of the most strategically important U.S. garrisons in Syria, if not the broader Middle East, as it offered access, insight and intelligence collection along Syria's borders with Jordan and Iraq.

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"This was not only pivotal during the U.S.-led Coalition to defeat the Islamic State, where there was a threat of cross-border offensives and violence, but also proved key to U.S. deterrence efforts against Iran-backed militia networks that operated in Iraq and Syria," she said. "The U.S. pullout from Al-Tanf is a signal that Washington is now comfortable with where the counter-ISIS fight is and the defeat of Iran-aligned proxy networks in the region, along with Syrian security integration efforts with the [Syrian Democratic Forces]."

Rose added that the departure could be viewed as a setback for Jordan, which has long depended on the U.S. position at al-Tanf to deter adversarial actors in the region.

Despite the withdrawal, U.S. forces remain prepared to counter ISIS threats, CENTCOM said, noting that in the past two months, American forces have struck more than 100 targets in the region and captured or killed more than four dozen ISIS fighters.

The change in posture comes just weeks after U.S. forces transferred 150 ISIS fighters from a detention facility in Hasakah, Syria, to a secure location in Iraq. 

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Officials indicated in late January that thousands more detainees could also be moved as part of the broader effort to maintain long-term security in the region.

Syria became the 90th member of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, a U.S.-led alliance formed to coordinate international efforts against the extremist group, in November.

Tom Barrack, the U.S. ambassador to Turkey and special envoy for Syria, said Damascus — under interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa — is prepared to assume security responsibilities, including control of ISIS detention facilities and camps, following the 2024 ouster of Bashar al-Assad.

source https://www.foxnews.com/world/us-forces-complete-withdrawal-from-strategic-al-tanf-garrison-syria

'CBS Evening News' producer quits in widely panned farewell note, defends liberal label by quoting Cronkite

A "CBS Evening News" producer abruptly resigned on Wednesday, accusing the network of a "shifting set of ideological expectations" in a message that went viral on social media.

Alicia Hastey, who worked at CBS News since 2021, according to her LinkedIn profile, reportedly told colleagues that she took a buyout offer and would exit the network. In her farewell note, Hastey insisted she is proud of the work she did over the past four years before taking aim at the direction of CBS News under polarizing editor-in-chief Bari Weiss. 

"[T]here has been a sweeping new vision prioritizing a break from traditional broadcast norms to embrace what has been described as ‘heterodox’ journalism," Hastey wrote in a memo posted on X by New York Times reporter Ben Mullin. 

"The truth is that commitment to those people and the stories they have to sell is increasingly becoming impossible," Hastey continued. "Stories may instead be evaluated not just on their journalistic merit but on whether they conform to a shifting set of ideological expectations — a dynamic that pressures producers and reporters to self-censor or avoid challenging narratives that might trigger backlash or unfavorable headlines." 

BARI WEISS TELLS CBS NEWS STAFF THEY'RE 'NOT PRODUCING A PRODUCT THAT ENOUGH PEOPLE WANT'

Hastey said that none of her comments detract from the "talent of all the journalists who remain at CBS News," but added, "that is precisely what makes this moment so heartbreaking." 

"The very excellence we seek to sustain is hindered by fear and uncertainty," she wrote.  

Hastey then quoted CBS News legend Walter Cronkite, appearing to respond to accusations of liberal bias at the network.

"Walter Cronkite once said in a response to critics: ‘If that is what makes us liberals, so be it, just as long as in reporting the news we adhere to the first ideals of good journalism — that news reports must be fair, accurate and unbiased,’" Hastey wrote. 

"Cronkite’s idea is one of the best I’ve encountered. He understood that labels are inevitable, but standards are what matter," she continued. "What defines journalism is not what critics call it, but whether it remains faithful to those principles." 

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The farewell note was roasted on social media by both members of the media industry and conservative critics of the mainstream press. Many took issue with Mullin calling the memo a "bombshell" when he posted it on X. 

"NYT reporter uncovers ‘bombshell’: disgruntled mid-level employee quits job after new boss demands changes," Wall Street Journal columnist Gerard Baker snarked. 

Political strategist Tim Cameron added, "If you want to understand how ‘CBS Evening News’ fell to last place in its category after years of declin[ing] ratings, please read this unhinged farewell note from its producer."

NewsBusters managing editor Curtis Houck wrote that it’s "insane these people are painting the CBS Evening News as though it's MAGA Media," a narrative that has set in with many left-wing media reporters.

'60 MINUTES' HOST SCOTT PELLEY REPORTEDLY SAID CBS CHIEF BARI WEISS NEEDED TO TAKE JOB MORE 'SERIOUSLY'

CBS News did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Hastey did not respond to a direct message seeking additional comment.

Many others took to social media with thoughts on the memo: 

Mullin declined comment when asked about the framing of his post receiving criticism. 

Weiss, who was handpicked by CEO David Ellison, was formally named editor-in-chief of CBS News in October after her outlet, The Free Press, was acquired by Paramount. The move drew both internal and external criticism, with some citing her opinion background and lack of television experience. 

Weiss quickly put her stamp on the network, naming Tony Dokoupil as the new anchor of "CBS Evening News," the show that Hastey is reportedly exiting. Weiss recently told staffers they are "not producing a product that enough people want" by focusing on linear television during an all-hands town hall event in which she laid out her vision for the network. 

She has frustrated "60 Minutes" staffers by delaying a report on the notorious El Salvador prison CECOT and has been accused by liberals of carrying water for President Donald Trump's administration. However, others have embraced her attempt to rid CBS News of its liberal slant.

CBS has faced criticism from the Trump administration over some of its reporting, including a recent report about the number of illegal immigrants with violent criminal records.

source https://www.foxnews.com/media/cbs-news-producer-says-network-has-shifting-ideological-expectations-in-mocked-unhinged-farewell-note

Speaker Johnson blasts Dems’ ‘theatrics' in Bondi, ICE hearings, calls them 'unserious people'

House Speaker Mike Johnson accused Democrats of turning congressional hearings into a "circus" this week, arguing their conduct reflects a far-left shift in the party and will pave the way for Republican gains in the midterm elections.

"These are unserious people, and they demonstrate that with their antics in the committee hearings now, which have really turned into theatrics," Johnson said Wednesday on "Hannity."

The Speaker's remarks came after Democrats overwhelmingly voted against the SAVE America Act, a Trump-backed election bill that would strengthen ID requirements for voting.

They also came after Attorney General Pam Bondi clashed with Democrats during testimony before the House Judiciary Committee.

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Bondi, during questioning from Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., said, "This isn't a circus, this is a hearing."

Johnson said the behaviors exhibited during hearings are emblematic of what he described as a broader pattern reflected in Democrats’ voting record, one he believes will become a central issue in November.

"That’s one of the reasons we’re so confident about this midterm election coming up," Johnson said. 

"We are going to make history. We’re going to grow the majority for the Republican Party because we have an extraordinary record to run on, and they [Democrats] have an outrageous record that they have produced with their votes."

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The speaker argued that Republicans will highlight that record heading into the midterms, framing Democrats as aligned with what he called an "insurgent left party."

"We’re going to continue to put them on record, and make sure the people know exactly what they stand for . . . ," Johnson said.

"This is not your father's Democrat Party anymore," he added. 

"They're not serious people. They have an absolute Marxist, far-left, socialist ideology and that is what you will get if you elect Democrats to Congress."

source https://www.foxnews.com/media/speaker-johnson-blasts-dems-theatrics-bondi-ice-hearings-calls-them-unserious-people

‘People are sick of the same old thing’: Maxine Waters faces primary from Democrat 34 years her junior

Myla Rahman is aiming to use Rep. Maxine Waters' 35 years in Congress as political ammunition as she challenges the longtime Democratic congresswoman.

The nonprofit executive, Los Angeles native and cancer survivor, who is 34 years younger than the 87-year-old lawmaker, is highlighting generational change as she launches a primary challenge against Waters.

"People are sick and tired of the same old thing," Rahman told the California Post in an interview this week.

Waters, who has been in Congress since 1991, hasn't faced a serious primary challenge in over a decade in California's solidly-blue 43rd District, which is anchored in South Los Angeles.

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But that's not deterring Rahman, who is hoping to get a ballot box boost from Democrats' discontent with their party's aging politicians, which was amplified by then-President Joe Biden's decision to run for re-election in 2024 before dropping out of the race amid serious questions about his physical and mental acuity after a disastrous debate with now-President Donald Trump.

Fox News Digital reached out to Waters' re-election campaign for reaction to Rahman's primary challenge but did not receive a response at the time this story published.

Waters isn't the only long-serving House Democrat from California facing challenges from younger rivals. So are Democratic Reps. Brad Sherman and Mike Thompson.

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And it's not just California.

In Massachusetts, Rep. Seth Moulton is spotlighting the generational argument as he tries to oust Sen. Ed Markey in the Democratic primary.

Rahman says, "Time is of the essence" and asks, "Why wait when you can make an impactful change now?" 

While Republicans don't have any realistic chance of flipping the district, Rahman's primary challenge gives the GOP some ammunition.

"Democrats built a party run by career politicians like Maxine Waters who has been cashing taxpayer funded paychecks since the Cold War. After decades clinging to power, these political fossils are getting tossed aside by the same radical activists they helped empower," National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Christian Martinez charged in a statement to Fox News Digital.

Waters was often in the spotlight during Trump's first term in the White House, as one of his most vocal critics.

Waters remains a loud critic, questioning the president's fitness for office after Trump's push to remove Lisa Cook as a Federal Reserve governor.

Waters remains influential, as the powerful House Financial Services Committee's ranking Democrat.  And last week, in a fiery exchange with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent at a congressional hearing, she asked, "Can you shut him up?"

Rahman, who filed her paperwork with the Federal Election Commission a week ago, said she's making affordable healthcare a focus of her campaign after surviving two bouts with breast cancer.

"My mission is to help with preventative care and people not even getting sick, and that includes mental, physical and mental well-being," Rahman said.

And looking ahead to her uphill challenge against Waters, she told the California Post, "We’re getting momentum, momentum is getting strong, and we think that we will have what’s necessary to be competitive and to win this race."

Fox News Digital reached out to Rahman and Waters.

source https://www.foxnews.com/politics/people-sick-same-old-thing-maxine-waters-faces-primary-from-democrat-34-years-her-junior

Meta, Google face massive liability as ‘addicted kids’ trial continues in LA

Meta and Google returned to Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday for the second day of a landmark trial over claims their platforms were designed to addict young users — a closely watched case that could carry major consequences for hundreds of similar lawsuits nationwide.

The outcome could put the social media giants on the hook for significant damages in this case and others should a Los Angeles jury side with the plaintiffs. The lawsuit is widely viewed as a bellwether for roughly 1,600 related cases across the country, underscoring the potential legal and financial ripple effects.

Still, much remains uncertain. Attorneys told the court the trial could stretch six to eight weeks, offering little early indication of how jurors might ultimately rule.

As day two nears a close, here's an overview of where things stand.

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The lead attorney for the plaintiff, identified only as K.G.M, and for Meta presented dueling opening statements to jurors this week, offering an early preview of their most compelling arguments and points they are likely to revisit for the duration of the trial.

Mark Lanier, the attorney for the plaintiffs, told jurors that deciding in favor of his client, K.G.M., would be "as easy as ABC," which he told the court stands for "addicting the brains of children."

Lanier's opening statement was neither short nor lacking in props, including a toy Ferrari, a bicycle hand brake, and eggs — introduced to the jury, one-by-one, over the course of his two-hour remarks.

He argued the selective tactics used by tech giants were the same tactics embraced by casinos, "borrowing heavily" from slot machines and tobacco companies in an attempt to "deliberately" develop design features that maximize youth engagement, target younger users — and make it difficult for them to disengage from the platforms compared to older users and adults.

"For a teenager, social validation is survival," Lanier said, noting that Meta, Google, and others "engineered a feature that caters to a minor’s craving for social validation." 

TRUMP SAYS FATE OF TIKTOK SHOULD BE IN HIS HANDS WHEN HE RETURNS TO WHITE HOUSE

Meta lawyer Paul Schmidt, for his part, starkly contrasted Lanier's tactics in his own remarks to the jury. His presentation was more formal and buttoned-up as he ticked carefully through the points denoted in a PowerPoint presentation. 

Schmidt argued that K.G.M.'s struggles existed largely independently of the platform, telling jurors that their responsibility is to determine only whether Meta played a "substantial factor" in her mental health struggles.

He cited excerpts from the plaintiff's medical history, therapy sessions and childhood to argue that the struggles she encountered appear to stem from other issues, including family problems, bullying, and issues with body image.

Schmidt also cited a 2025 interview in which K.G.M. said she continues to use Instagram, YouTube and TikTok, which he said undercut the claim of substantial harm.

The outcome of the case could have a profound impact on hundreds of other cases in the U.S., including some that are slated to begin as early as this year.

It comes as parents, school districts, and other regulators have cited concerns about phone use among young people, including social media use.

Plaintiffs in the cases have argued that the companies themselves should be held liable for knowingly embracing design features that they say aim to keep children online.

The majority of lawsuits filed to date against the companies have alleged similar harm, including addiction, depression, anxiety or self-harm behaviors. 

Because the case is being heard in civil court, it is unclear how much a jury might award to the plaintiff, should they find in favor of K.G.M. 

But experts say these outcomes could have far-reaching consequences beyond simply financial exposure, impacting the design and regulation standards for social media giants for years to come. 

source https://www.foxnews.com/politics/landmark-trial-accuses-meta-google-addicting-children-what-know

Tori Spelling living in a 'borderline hoarder' home as living conditions worsen

Tori Spelling's living conditions seem to be getting worse. 

During Friday's episode of her "misSPELLING" podcast, the "Beverly Hills, 90210" alum, 52, and her co-host Amy Sugarman openly discussed how the current state of her home could have possibly led to her recent ailment that took Spelling "down for eight weeks."

"I know I have had a past of getting sick a lot and frequently, but this one took me down eight weeks," she said. "I couldn't work… I mean it started with the five petri dishes that live in my house, but they bring things home, that's normal. And, you know, you work through it, you get sick."

'BEVERLY HILLS, 90210' ALUM BRIAN AUSTIN GREEN LACKED 'CONFIDENCE' TO FIX 18-YEAR-LONG RIFT WITH TORI SPELLING

Sugarman alluded to another possible factor: Spelling's "lifestyle."

After asking Spelling to send a picture of the state of the house, Sugarman gasped and said, "It's not good."

"And I don’t want to be mean, but the Christmas tree is up," she added. 

"You can see the bones in here, like the shelves could be really pretty, the living room could be really pretty. You have beautiful things," Sugarman said. "You can’t even sit in there… It’s borderline hoarder, I’m not gonna lie." 

After Sugarman asked Spelling if she'd be comfortable inviting the president of iHeart over to her house for a hypothetical meeting, Spelling said, "I would have to pass." 

"I’d be like, ‘Where, I’ll come to you wherever you are.’ I would change everything… I stopped having people over."

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The actress admitted that her home wasn't always a mess during her marriage to ex-husband Dean McDermott.

"When Dean and I were together and lived together, I was able to have a house that was presentable because he wouldn’t live like that," Spelling said. "We were working at different times, so I had downtime when he’d work."

Though Sugarman voiced her concerns, Spelling noted her life isn't going to change anytime soon. 

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"My busy, chaotic work and children lifestyle is not gonna change," she said. "In fact, in the next year, there’s gonna be things coming up, it’s gonna be escalated. So I need to be on my A game and once someone comes in and does all this, yes, I can maintain it if I have someone helping me."

In a 2023 interview, McDermott told the Daily Mail that he insisted on separate sleeping arrangements in 2017 because Spelling had animals, including a pig, sleeping in their shared bedroom.

During an episode of her "misSPELLING" podcast in 2024, Spelling said it was McDermott's "choice" that the former couple sleep in "different bedrooms" for "three years," but insisted the decision was not due to their pet pig.

"He gave an interview saying he stopped sleeping in the bed because of a pig. That is not true," she said.

While Spelling admitted that there was a pig in their bed in 2017, she claimed that the animal only spent one night sleeping with them.

TORI SPELLING FILES FOR DIVORCE FROM DEAN MCDERMOTT AFTER 18-YEAR MARRIAGE

The California native explained that the couple adopted the baby pig while she was pregnant with their fifth child, and she was told that the animal needed to sleep in a bed.

"I was just following orders that it was used to snuggling, and it needed that for a few nights," Spelling said. 

She continued, "But then when it peed between us in the bed, he was like, 'The pig's leaving the bed.' And I was like, 'Understood.' And that was it. That was the only night the pig was in the bed."

"The animals and kids didn't come between us in the bed," Spelling added.

source https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/tori-spelling-living-borderline-hoarder-home-living-conditions-worsen