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Dem lawmaker calls for TSA to bring back shoes-off airport security policy

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 23:04:46 -0400

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., is demanding that the Transportation Security Administration reintroduce its controversial policy requiring travelers to take off their shoes before going through airport security checkpoints.

Duckworth called on the TSA to immediately reverse its move to end the "shoes-off" policy, calling former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's decision last summer to scrap the policy a "reckless act" that may put travelers at risk.

"Secretary Noem’s decision to implement a shoes on policy on July 8, 2025, likely without meaningful consultation with TSA, was a reckless act," Duckworth wrote in a letter to Acting TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill.

"Allowing a potentially catastrophic security deficiency to remain in place for seven months and counting betrays TSA's mission," she added. "At a minimum, TSA's failure to swiftly implement corrective action warrants the immediate withdrawal of Secretary Noem's reckless and dangerous policy that increases the risk of a terrorist smuggling a dangerous item onto a flight."

NEARLY 20-YEAR SHOE-OFF AIRPORT SECURITY POLICE IS ENDED BY TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

This comes after a classified watchdog report found that TSA scanners cannot effectively screen shoes, according to CBS News. Duckworth said the inspector general flagged the issue as urgent to Noem but that no action was taken.

Duckworth said that the inspector general found that Noem’s policy shift had "inadvertently created a new security vulnerability in the system."

The former secretary's failure to take corrective action after the report's findings was "outrageous, unacceptable and dangerous to the flying public," Duckworth said.

The senator argues that TSA's lack of response may violate federal law, writing that the agency missed a legally required 90-day deadline to outline corrective actions after receiving the watchdog's report.

"Such inaction violates Federal law, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidance and DHS's own directives," Duckworth wrote.

FLIGHT PASSENGERS SLAM AIRLINES FOR PUSHING EARLY BAG CHECKS EVEN WITH EMPTY BINS ON BOARD

The previous policy requiring passengers to take off their shoes during TSA screening was implemented in 2006.

The senator wrote that Noem’s policy change reflected a "willingness to gamble the American people’s security," calling it a "stunning failure of leadership."

"We expect this change will drastically decrease passenger wait times at our TSA checkpoints, leading to a more pleasant and efficient passenger experience," she said at the time. "As always, security remains our top priority. Thanks to our cutting-edge technological advancements and multi-layered security approach, we are confident we can implement this change while maintaining the highest security standards."

Duckworth accused Noem, who was removed by President Donald Trump last month and replaced by current DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, of prioritizing politics over security.

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The senator wrote that Noem's policy change reflected a "willingness to gamble the American people's security," calling it a "stunning failure of leadership."

"Secretary Noem’s willingness to gamble the American people’s security in an unsuccessful attempt to boost her popularity was, and remains, a stunning failure of leadership—particularly following President Trump’s decision to launch an unconstitutional war of choice against Iran that DHS has determined, "is causing a heightened threat environment in the United States," she wrote.

Mullin weighs using airport customs as leverage against sanctuary cities

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:05:08 -0400

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the federal government could stop processing customs at airports in sanctuary cities as a way to pressure them on immigration enforcement.

Such a move could effectively lock out global travelers from major cities like New York, New Orleans and Philadelphia, placing a damper on incoming commerce and economic benefits that could directly affect those cities’ business environments and tax bases.

Mullin told "Special Report" that as sanctuary cities refuse to cooperate with DHS to enforce immigration law, the agency may need to consider that when providing services to those cities.

"This one area we may take a look at is some of these cities have international airports," he said. "If they're a sanctuary city, should they really be processing customs into their city?"

DEMOCRATS BROKE AIRPORT SECURITY. NOW THEY'RE CALLING THE SOLUTION DANGEROUS

Many sanctuary cities did not respond to requests for comment, even as Mullin said such jurisdictions are on their face "not lawful" and should not consider themselves absolved of certain federal policies.

International airports and their customs apparatus present a potential leverage point, given that DHS controls them and oversees enforcement agencies like ICE, CBP and USCIS that sanctuary cities oppose and hinder.

Fox News Digital reached out Tuesday to the offices of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani — whose city hosts both LaGuardia and JFK — Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, Denver Mayor Michael Johnston, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker and New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno, as well as Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, who recently held a conference at Philadelphia International Airport to again threaten to prosecute ICE agents.

As of late Wednesday afternoon, none had provided comment.

SEE IT: TRAVELERS SOUND OFF AS ICE AGENTS DEPLOYED TO AIRPORTS AS SHUTDOWN DRAGS PAST 40 DAYS

In his interview, Mullin said that the subject needs to be given serious consideration.

"If they're a sanctuary city, and they're receiving international flights, and we're asking them to partner with us at the airport, but once they walk out of the airport they're not going to enforce immigration policy, maybe we need to have a really hard look at that because we need a focus on cities that want to work with us," he said.

Mullin added that with Democrats continuing the partial shutdown of his agency, something must give.

"We are going to have to start prioritizing things at some point," he said. "[They’re] wanting to defund Customs & Border [Protection] — well, who processes those individuals when they come off the planes?"

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The secretary said he is not staking out any position outside of his congressionally mandated bounds, and that he is not trying to "push those" but that he is simply trying to convince all municipalities to partner with his agency.

Fox News Digital's Nora Moriarty contributed to this report.

Squad member Summer Lee calls 'upper class' the 'enemy' at El-Sayed rally

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 13:54:40 -0400

Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., suggested that higher-earning Americans were the real "enemy" during a campaign rally headlined by a far-left social media influencer on Tuesday.

"I see other people who are fighting like hell to make you feel like your enemy is sitting next to you," Lee said in a video posted by The Washington Free Beacon. "That your enemy is somebody who worships differently than you are, or looks differently than you are, comes from a different socioeconomic background than you, unless they are the upper class."

"They only have the politics of fear and division and destruction and disruption. They need us to keep our focus away from the people who have participated in the biggest sex trafficking ring in our country," Lee continued, appearing to reference the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. "I need you to instead lead and learn and live in your power."

Lee, a left-wing lawmaker affiliated with "the Squad," made the remarks during a campaign event she participated in to boost Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., another "Squad" member who is supporting El-Sayed, was in attendance.

ILLINOIS DEMOCRAT CONDEMNS PARTY MEMBERS RALLYING WITH FAR-LEFT STREAMER HASAN PIKER

El-Sayed, who is running with the backing of Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is viewed as the most progressive candidate in the state’s three-way Democratic primary.

Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, who once said "America deserved 9/11," headlined the rally. Piker has also drawn backlash from both parties over his comments on the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, the Israeli government and the Chinese Communist Party, which critics have called antisemitic and anti-American.

Lee, who has repeatedly advocated for pro-Palestinian causes, doubled down on her decision to appear at the campaign event with Piker in a statement obtained by the outlet City & State Pennsylvania.

"At a moment when Donald Trump is threatening catastrophic violence against Iran and saying ‘a whole civilization will die tonight,’ our priorities are deeply out of step if this is what some choose to focus on," Lee said in a statement, referring to the president’s comments on Truth Social on Tuesday. "We need to invite young people in, take them seriously, and recognize that our politics are strongest when everyday people have a real hand in shaping them."

"If reporters have questions about Hasan Piker’s statements, they should ask Hasan Piker," Lee added.

El-Sayed also sought to distance himself from Piker’s statements during an interview on "Fox & Friends" on Tuesday.

WHO IS HASAN PIKER? MEET THE FAR-LEFT STREAMER WHO IS STIRRING UP CONTROVERSY ONLINE AND DIVIDING DEMOCRATS

"Of course I oppose rape. Of course I don't think 9/11 was justified," El-Sayed said. "[Just] because you appear with somebody doesn't mean you agree with them on everything."

El-Sayed also floated Lee as a potential leftist challenger to Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., if he decides to seek re-election in 2028. Fetterman has faced criticism from some Pennsylvania Democrats for voting with Republicans to support Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin’s confirmation, among other instances where he has crossed party lines.

Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., and state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, D-Mich., El-Sayed’s primary opponents, sharply criticized his decision to campaign with Piker.

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"It is unacceptable for a candidate wanting to represent all Michiganders to campaign with Hasan Piker, a person who is unapologetic about a career of making hurtful and anti-Semitic comments," Stevens said in a statement. "With all that's at stake in this election, we should be focused on the challenges Michiganders are facing and how to fight for them."

Fox News Digital reached out to Lee’s office for comment.

DAVID MARCUS: How airport duty melted Democrats' absurd smearing of ICE

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 12:53:24 -0400

Sometimes in life, the most important thing is getting to know people. Over the past few weeks, since Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents started helping to shorten lines in our nation’s airports, much of the country has gotten to know them, much to the lying Democrats’ chagrin.

Take podcaster Charlamagne tha God, who had been a blistering critic of ICE tactics under the Trump administration. Here is what he had to say of his encounters with the agents at a New York airport:

"They were great, to be honest with you. Like to be honest, I'm just like, they were, and for that particular terminal, I was flying out of LaGuardia, I forgot what terminal it was, but yeah, they were being extra nice like Chick-fil-A workers."

This has widely been the experience of most of the millions of air travelers of late, and it has begun to melt some of the harsh rhetoric that saw ICE agents called fascists and even Nazis.

SOROS-BACKED DA KRASNER THREATENS ICE AGENTS AT PHILLY AIRPORT: ‘I WILL PUT YOU IN HANDCUFFS’

However, despite the buffing up of ICE’s image, the Democrats are still holding the country hostage with their pointless shutdown of Department of Homeland Security funding, under which thousands of behind-the-scenes ICE employees remain without pay.

The reason Democrats are sticking with this fabulist story of out-of-control ICE agents stalking our nation is because they think they have finally found an effective way to smear law enforcement, after a few botched tries.

We all remember the attempts to paint police as evil during the George Floyd riots. But the problem there for Democrats was that too many people know cops. They were too obvious a part of our lives to be blatantly lied about.

'THE VIEW' HOST SARA HAINES ADMITS ICE AGENTS SHOULD FILL AIRPORT GAPS AS TSA STRUGGLES

Then, during the Biden administration, it was border patrol agents who were painted as evil, right down to border agents on horseback being falsely accused of whipping migrants in Texas, when even the person who took the video immediately said there was no whipping, just reins being handled.

It would have been funny if the administration, including then DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayaorkas, had not maintained the lie for nearly a year, before sheepishly admitting its error.

ICE agents were a new and juicy opportunity for the left to attack law enforcement as the second Trump administration began, because unlike cops, nobody really knows ICE agents, and, unlike Border Patrol, they were operating not just on the border, but in our communities.

CHARLAMAGNE BAFFLED BY ICE AGENTS AT AIRPORTS BEING EFFICIENT AND NICE 'LIKE CHICK-FIL-A WORKERS'

Democrats pounced on the fact that ICE agents wear masks to protect themselves and their families against doxxing. They pretended that streamlined training programs meant racist yahoos were just being handed guns and badges and told to round up brown people.

Then, finally, when a coordinated leftist campaign of harassment was launched against ICE in Minneapolis, it predictably led to the tragic deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. With that, Democrats had all the excuse they needed to shutdown DHS and throw sand in the gears of governance.

But today, after the boy-scout routine to speed up air travel, and after Trump replaced the hyper-aggressive Kristi Noem with the more measured Markwayne Mullin as DHS secretary, a move demanded by Democrats, the shutdown seems absurd.

TOP DEMS ASSERT THERE'S RISK ICE AGENTS COULD ‘KILL’ TRAVELERS UNDER TRUMP AIRPORT PLAN

This did not stop Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed from appearing onstage with antisemitic heartthrob Hasan Piker on Tuesday and saying, "ICE cannot be reformed, ICE cannot be restrained, ICE must be abolished."

El-Sayed, who has said that many of his constituents are in mourning over the death of Ayatollah Khameini, wants no enforcement of immigration laws, even in the face of recent Islamic terror attacks, including the attack on a synagogue in Michigan.

There is much for the administration to learn from the airport charm offensive, and perhaps a chance for a bit of a pivot.

HOUSE DEMOCRATS VOTE TO KEEP DHS SHUTTERED AS FUNDING LAPSE HITS DAY 40

In fairness to Noem, she was tasked with creating an image of ICE that was a little scary. In her now infamous TV ads, she warned that anyone here illegally, not just the worst of the worst, would find themselves deported.

There is a strong argument to be made that this aggressive posture helped lead to the 2 million self-deportations we have thus far seen under Trump 2.0.

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But the number of people willing to self-deport is likely finite, which means it may be time for ICE to take a more targeted approach. That leaves it less vulnerable to Democrats’ lies.

In our airports, ICE agents melted the hearts of the traveling public. Now they must do the same with the rest of the nation.

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