Traditionally, immigrants adopt the customs and culture of the natives whose country they have moved into. But as we know, progressives have flipped the script. In their warped worldview, the natives must devolve for the sake of the newcomers in the name of “tolerance and inclusivity.”

Minnesota is the perfect exhibit. After Christopher Rufo’s reporting exposed massive Somali-led fraud rings draining hundreds of millions in taxpayer funds, you would expect the mayor of Minneapolis to condemn the grift. Instead, Jacob Frey went full solidarity mode.

In a December 2 press conference, Frey vowed that city police and staff would refuse to cooperate with ICE and then switched to speaking in Somali to pledge his support to the community.

On the latest “Rufo & Lomez,” Christopher Rufo and co-host Jonathan Keeperman tear into Frey’s performance, dissecting what it really reveals about Minnesota.

“Our police, many of whom are Somali themselves, are trusted partners in keeping people safe. They will not collaborate with any federal agency around doing immigration enforcement work. Our city staff and our law enforcement will not ask the question as to whether an individual is documented or not,” said Frey.

“That’s not American. That’s not what we are about. And we’re going to do right by every single person in our cities,” he continued, before fumbling through several lines delivered in Somali.

“We love you, we stand with you, and we aren’t backing down,” he concluded.

Keeperman points out the darkly comic “synchronicity” of Frey’s stance: “The Nordic populations of the upper Midwest are engaged in the exact same sort of altruistic migration experiment … that their kinfolk are engaged in still in their Scandinavian countries.”

It’s living proof of what he’s been saying all along: “You can’t just strip people of the habits and norms of the groups that they come from.”

In other words, ethnic character travels. It’s true of the Somali-Americans who brought with them the exact same clan-based fraud and grift that is rampant back in Somalia. And it’s true of Minnesotans, who, centuries after their ancestors left Scandinavia, are still running the identical open-borders generosity script — right down to importing a Somali community now accused of massive fraud — because that self-sacrificial impulse never actually left the bloodline.

But Keeperman sees zero chance that Frey or Governor Tim Walz (D) will ever recognize the self-destructive insanity of their immigration stance. “A guy like Jacob Frey or Tim Walz simply just has to lose an election. The people of Minnesota are at some point going to just have to say, ‘We’re not going to do this any more.”’

Rufo isn’t hopeful that Minnesotans are anywhere near their breaking point, however.

Not only was Jacob Frey re-elected as mayor despite stories of Somali fraud circulating in the media for years, but the candidate who narrowly lost to him was Omar Fateh — a radicalized Somali Democrat socialist.

Fateh, Keeperman reminds us, “was committing fraud during the election to rig the Democratic primary in his favor.”

But because Minnesotans are ideologues when it comes to immigration — and can’t bear to fully confront the mess they have invited — the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party took “the gloves off” by revoking Fateh’s rigged endorsement, only to pull its punches and refuse to hammer him on the fraud because it makes people “feel too uncomfortable as white liberals in good standing,” adds Rufo.

To make matters worse, Fateh had “long-standing relationships with a number of the people who were arrested and then convicted of these fraud schemes,” he continues. “And so the fraudsters were not the downtrodden, the exiled, the marginalized. … No, these people were tightly knit with Ilhan Omar, with Omar Fateh, with Attorney General Keith Ellison.”

In sum, when Jacob Frey is “the least bad option,” it’s obvious Minnesota is nowhere near ready to address its immigration problem.

Want more from Rufo & Lomez?

To enjoy more of the news through the anthropological lens of Christopher Rufo and Lomez, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

​Rufo, Rufo & lomez, Chris rufo, Jonathan keeperman, Blazetv, Blaze media, Somalia, Somali fraud, Somali fraud ring, Omar fateh, Ilhan omar, Jacob frey, Jacob frey speaks somali, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Tim walz, Immigration, Assimilation 

Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas is already having to face the consequences of making outrageous statements to gain attention and prominence.

After she announced on Monday that she was running for a U.S. Senate seat, Crockett was made to answer for insulting comments she made about Latino voters. She was confronted by Jake Tapper on his CNN show, “The Lead,” on Tuesday about the comments in a 2024 Vanity Fair interview after he read a long passage to provide context.

‘I don’t believe that the people that voted for Trump believe in what they’re actually getting.’

She told Vanity Fair that Latino voters had a “slave mentality” when supporting the immigration policies of President Donald Trump.

“It almost reminds me of what people would talk about when they would talk about kind of like ‘slave mentality’ and the hate that some slaves would have for themselves,” she said in 2024. “It’s almost like a slave mentality that they have. It is wild to me when I hear how anti-immigrant they are as immigrants, many of them. I’m talking about people that literally just got here and can barely vote that are having this kind of attitude.”

Tapper pressed her to explain the comments.

“Now, about the time that that was published last year, around a million Latino voters in Texas were voting for Trump,” Tapper said. “Do they all have slave mentality?”

“No, and that’s not what that said at all, to be clear. It did not say that every Latino has that type of mentality,” she claimed.

“No, no, but the ones that vote for people who believe in strong — or Trump’s immigration policy,” Tapper interjected.

“I don’t believe that the people that voted for Trump believe in what they’re actually getting. That is number one. What Trump said is that he was going to kick out the bad guys. And that’s what I was talking about,” she responded.

Crockett went on to say that she was referring to some Latino Trump supporters regretting their vote after seeing that federal officers were also detaining migrants without criminal warrants.

RELATED: Jasmine Crockett calls Trump a ‘piece of s**t’ during rant at left-wing rally

She then tried to explain her point but ended up flustered and instead meandered in her response.

“Why is it that they believe that they can win Latinos down here? Like, I don’t understand what’s happening,” she added. “And there were people that were saying that they had fought and they had done everything the right way and that there were bad people that were coming that were doing it the wrong way. And so they were saying, ‘No, we left.’ And I mean, when you think about people that are leaving asylum, they are leaving areas and situations that they feel like are harmful to them. So yes, they’re like, ‘No, I don’t want to be in this dangerous situation.’ And that’s what I meant.”

Video of the interaction was posted to social media.

Crockett made a name for herself, partly on extreme comments she has made against the president and his supporters.

“What is happening? Like, this is not America! This is a terrible nightmare!” she said about Trump’s policies in August. “Somebody slap me and wake me the f**k up, ‘cuz I’m ready to get on with it!”

She said that she jumped into the U.S. Senate race out of a desire to mete out karma against Texas Republicans who passed a redistricting map to favor their party in the midterms.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Jasmine crockett, Crockett on latino trump voters, Slave mentality, Crockett for senate, Politics 

In a move championed by President Donald Trump, the Federal Reserve cut its key interest rate by 0.25% to a range of 3.5% to 3.75% on Wednesday, the third cut this year, lowering borrowing costs and giving some lift to a flagging job market.

Only three members of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors voted against the cut: Stephen Miran, who wanted to lower the target range for the federal funds rate by 0.5%, and Austan Goolsbee and Jeffrey Schmid, who both figured it was presently best not to have any cuts at all.

‘Available indicators suggest that economic activity has been expanding at a moderate pace.’

Joseph Brusuelas, chief economist for the financial services firm RSM US, noted in a Tuesday analysis that the Fed was faced with the “difficult choice of either aggressively fighting inflation or hoping to revive a sluggish labor market and slowing economic activity when it meets on Tuesday and Wednesday.”

Rate cuts can help boost the stock market — encouraging spending, investing, and business activity by lowering savings rate and borrowing costs. However, by increasing the supply of money, they can also exacerbate inflation.

The annual inflation rate was around 3% for the 12 months ending September, according to U.S. Labor Department data. The Fed’s inflation target is 2% over the longer run — hence the resistance to another cut by some policymakers.

“The [Federal Open Market Committee] seeks to achieve maximum employment and inflation at the rate of 2 percent over the longer run. Uncertainty about the economic outlook remains elevated,” the Fed said in a statement on Wednesday. “The Committee is attentive to the risks to both sides of its dual mandate and judges that downside risks to employment rose in recent months.”

In light of its goals and “the shift in the balance of risks,” the FOMC determined that a drop in the rate by 0.25% was worthwhile.

“Available indicators suggest that economic activity has been expanding at a moderate pace. Job gains have slowed this year, and the unemployment rate has edged up through September,” the Fed noted further. “Inflation has moved up since earlier in the year and remains somewhat elevated.”

The rate-cut decision on Wednesday comes months after the Fed similarly lowered its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points in September to a range of 4% to 4.25%, and after weeks of disagreement on the central bank’s 12-member policy committee regarding the prudent way forward.

Chris Brigati, chief investment officer at the financial services company SWBC, told the Financial Post ahead of the announcement that the Federal Reserve was divided on how to proceed with rate cuts in 2026 “given the delicate balance between job market weakness and still-elevated inflation.”

“There is also uncertainty about the new Fed chair, and that may also add to the central bank’s reluctance to make any major rate moves in the months leading up to Chair Powell’s term ending,” Brigati added.

RELATED: Can presidents fire all federal bureaucrats at will? Supreme Court to hear case with major implications.

Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Image

In search of someone suitable to replace Fed Chairman Jerome Powell, whose term ends in May, the president has been interviewing various candidates, including Christopher Waller and Michelle Bowman, both members of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors; former Fed governor Kevin Warsh; and BlackRock fixed-income chief Rick Rieder. Top White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett is, however, reportedly regarded as the frontrunner.

The president told reporters on Air Force One on Tuesday, “We’re going to be looking at a couple of different people, but I have a pretty good idea who I want.”

When asked in his interview with Politico the previous day whether it is “a litmus test that the new chair lower interest rates immediately,” Trump said yes and noted, “We’re fighting through interest rates.”

The Federal Reserve also released on Wednesday its regional bank presidents and governors’ quarterly set of economic projections. They anticipate a rise in the unemployment rate from 4.4% in September to 4.5% by year’s end; the GDP to grow by 2.3% in 2026; and inflation to sink, but nowhere below their 2% target.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Finance, Business, Interest rate, Jerome powell, Federal reserve, Fed, Money, Interest, Donald trump, Politics 

Australia will put the onus on social media platforms to limit access to children under 16 years old.

The Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2024 amended Australia’s reigning online safety measures and gave social media companies time to age‐restrict their platforms and “take reasonable steps to prevent Australian under 16s from having account[s].”

‘No Australian will be compelled to use government identification.’

Officially taking effect on December 10, the ban includes Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, X, and YouTube’s general platform; YouTube Kids and WhatsApp do not meet the criteria for the ban.

Australia introduced its social media minimum-age framework that included a list of criteria that would result in a platform being banned for those under 16. This included if a platform’s sole purpose, or “significant purpose,” is to “enable online social interaction between two or more end‐users.”

Or if the service “allows end‐users to link to, or interact with, some or all of the other end‐users” and “allows end‐users to post material on the service” and “meets such other conditions (if any) as are set out in the legislative rules,” it will not be available for younger Australians.

The legislation can also specify certain platforms, or classes, to not include in the ban.

Social media platforms will be responsible for enforcement, and neither children nor their parents will face punishment should they gain access. Companies face fines of up to $32 million USD or just under $50 million in Australian dollars.

RELATED: How Texas slammed the gate on Big Tech’s censorship stampede

Photo by DAVID GRAY/AFP via Getty Images

The government further defined the requirements placed upon the platforms, adding that they must “take reasonable steps to prevent” those under 16 from having accounts.

The legislation also specified that “no Australian will be compelled to use government identification (including Digital ID) to prove their age online” and that platforms must offer reasonable alternatives to its users.

According to the BBC, other countries are hot on Australia’s tail in terms of implementing their own similar bans. This includes the French government, which has begun a parliamentary inquiry into banning children under 15 years old from social media, while also implementing a “digital curfew” for those between 15 and 18.

The Spanish government has also drafted a law that would require parental consent for children under 16 to access social media.

RELATED: Conservative influencers promote Qatar as a desert paradise — but are they lying?

Photo by DAVID GRAY/AFP via Getty Images

Ruling left-wing Labour Party official Anika Wells, who serves as Australia’s communications minister (and minister of sport), said that the ban is not “perfect” and is going to “look a bit untidy on the way through.”

“Big reforms always do,” she added.

Australians under 16 will still be able to access content that is available on a website without being logged in or being a member, as there is virtually no way to prevent that without restricting access to the internet entirely.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Return, Social media, Facebook, X, Instagram, Tiktok, Threads, Ban, Australia, Children, Digital id, Tech 

In July, the Trump administration published America’s AI Action Plan to ensure that our country maintains supremacy in the artificial intelligence and tech industries. Now, the Department of War is launching a new initiative to fulfill these orders.

On Tuesday, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced an upgrade to the military’s use of artificial intelligence.

‘There is no prize for second place in the global race for AI dominance.’

“As technologies advance, so do our adversaries. But here at the War Department, we are not sitting idly by. Under the leadership of President Trump, America will lead the charge on this technological transformation by revolutionizing the way we win,” Hegseth said in a video announcement posted on X.

Hegseth continued: “That’s why today we are unleashing GenAI.mil. This platform puts the world’s most powerful frontier AI models, starting with Google Gemini, directly into the hands of every American warrior.”

RELATED: Trump’s AI plan prioritizes innovation over regulation

Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images

GenAI.mil, the government’s “new bespoke AI platform,” and its first iteration, Gemini for Government, will be made available for all Department of War personnel.

The push for artificial intelligence has been a high priority for the government under President Trump.

“We are pushing all of our chips in on artificial intelligence as a fighting force. The Department is tapping into America’s commercial genius, and we’re embedding generative AI into our daily battle rhythm,” Hegseth said in a press release from the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office. “AI tools present boundless opportunities to increase efficiency, and we are thrilled to witness AI’s future positive impact across the War Department.”

The Department of War CTO X account posted a video promoting artificial intelligence as “America’s Next Manifest Destiny.”

“There is no prize for second place in the global race for AI dominance,” said Emil Michael, undersecretary of war for research and engineering. “We are moving rapidly to deploy powerful AI capabilities like Gemini for Government directly to our workforce. AI is America’s next Manifest Destiny, and we’re ensuring that we dominate this new frontier.”

Gemini for Government has some measures in place to secure the platform for government employees, reduce AI hallucinations, and serve as a “force multiplier.”

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Politics, Tech, Pete hegseth, Emil michael, Ai, Artificial intelligence, Genai.mil, President trump, Department of war, Gemini for government, Manifest destiny, Ai action plan, Google gemini 

You know who else loves awesome Christmas gifts? My mom! As Christmas approaches, keep these gift ideas in mind if you want to leave a lasting impression and give your mom a gift she’ll cherish for many years to come.

Here are Align’s nine Christmas gift ideas for your mom this year.

1. R. Riveter

Get a grip on this all-purpose stashing sample, a veritable holy grail of versatility. R. Riveter’s genuine, full-grain leather Otto handbag is your constant companion in waiting, ready for the office, a day out, or that elusive spur-of-the-moment weekender. Balancing size, elegance, and practicality, it gobbles essentials without looking overstuffed. Think tablets, phones, keys, and of course — speaking of overstuffed — your wallet. All from a company that stands with military families, which means each purchase helps support families who serve our country. MSRP: $268.00.

2. Oberon Design

Oberon Design

Based in Northern California, Oberon Design has a rich history of local partnerships with a focus on American craftsmanship. Founded by Brendan Smith in 1967, his company has expanded under his careful eye for more than 40 years. The team today is composed of a small group of passionate craftsmen devoted to their art and committed to producing the highest-quality leather goods. The Olivia crossbody purse features an elegant pinstripe design and the occasional “perfect imperfection” in the leather, showing the life of the cow. It offers a luxurious amount of exterior and interior space as well as a metal lock — also made in-house. MSRP: $272.00.

3. Lejon Leather Goods

Lejon Leather Goods

Founded in 1968 as Lejon Inc. by the current owner’s grandfather and father, Lejon Leather Goods has since come to be known as the premier belt manufacturer on the West Coast. John W. Shirinian, the third-generation owner of Lejon, carries on the family legacy to this day. With an emphasis on sourcing and crafting all of its products in the USA, Lejon has produced over 32 million belts in its history. The Texas, for example, sourced from American bison leather and handcrafted in Lejon’s Corona, California, factory, features a Longhorn buckle and is built to withstand the test of time. MSRP: $134.00.

4. Shamma Sandals

Shamma Sandals

In 2013, the founder of Shamma Sandals, Josh Stiles, wanted to create a company that produced minimalist sandals designed for running and other outdoor activities. Surmounting challenges over the past decade, Shamma Sandals has become the go-to sandal shop for many, including competitors in extreme sports like slack linking, Warrior Races, mountain climbing, and even marathons. Based in Santa Cruz, California, these sandals are handcrafted, sewn, and tailored to customers’ needs. The Pacific Avenue is Shamma’s minimalist rendition of the classic flip-flop. It is built to last with premium leather. MSRP: $119.95.

5. Fisher Space Pen Company

Fisher Space Pen Co.

Sitting at the intersection of NASA, the New York Museum of Modern Art, and “Seinfeld” is a humble, family-owned company with a history-making legacy. Founded in 1948 by Paul Fisher, Fisher Space Pen Company’s legacy continues to this day with Paul’s son Cary Fisher as president. The innovative sealed and pressurized ink cartridge, an impressive engineering feat, earned Fisher’s pens a spot on the NASA Apollo 7 mission in 1966. This design allows for a seamless writing experience in almost every condition — extreme temperatures, underwater, upside-down, and, of course, in space. Plus its clever Cartridge models make for a great gift. MSRP: $49.00.

6. Bend Soap USA

Cheap soaps no longer mean you’re tough and practical. All too often, they’re loaded with microplastics and chemicals. Bend’s USA-made, goat-milk offering delivers pure and creamy simplicity that won’t pollute your cells. Sustainably sourced and all natural, it boasts vitamins and nutrients that nourish even sensitive skin, instead of essential oils and other irritating chemicals. The soap leaves you smelling human-being fresh, instead of like a factory’s idea of a trending flower. MSRP: $2.15 to $5.95.

7. LMNT

You’re probably not getting enough electrolytes. And if you are, LMNT (pronounced “element”) offers some of the best. Manufactured in America, they’re free from sugar, gluten, and other fillers. Friendly to vegans and paleo or keto dieters, LMNT’s easy-dissolve, pocket- or purse-ready packets deliver the goods — good salts, that is — on the go. But the proof is in the flavors: In addition to the original citrus, which hits like the perfect margarita, LMNT’s palate pleasers span the spicy, the sweet, and the savory. Our favorites? Grapefruit, watermelon, and mango chili. Collect them all. MSRP: $45.00.

8. Nouri

If your gut isn’t healthy, you’re not either — your gastrointestinal microbiome impacts everything from immunity and hormonal function to your skin, liver, brain, and heart. Look past the pills that quietly source their “good bacteria” from somewhere overseas, and score top-quality, American-made probiotics from Nouri. The company offers a full line of precision products ranging from anti-stress and digestion to weight management, women’s health, and prenatal support — all at half the price of comparable premium brands. MSRP: $19.99.

9. Frankenmuth Woolen Mill

Frankenmuth Woolen Mill

Standing on its same 1894 foundations, Frankenmuth Woolen Mill goes above and beyond to deliver on its promise of providing premium woolen bedding for a good night’s sleep. Manufactured in Frankenmuth, Michigan, this woolen bedding is promised to offer superior quality, comfort, and durability. Why wool? On top of being all-natural, wool helps regulate your body temperature and has hypoallergenic qualities. Frankenmuth’s woolen comforter is great for those with sensitive skin and regulates the temperature at night throughout all of the seasons — perfect for a good night’s sleep. MSRP: $199.00.

Bonus: R. Riveter’s Patton

R. Riveter

R. Riveter, named after Rosie the Riveter, was founded by two military wives who bonded over their shared frustration of lacking meaningful employment opportunities due to the transitory nature of military life. Now R. Riveter creates flexible employment opportunities for women facing the same challenges, allowing military spouses to craft handbags from wherever they’re stationed. Each bag journeys across the country, connecting makers in a nationwide support network for military families. The Patton, named after George S. Patton’s wife, combines a classic look with a modern eye for functionality. MSRP: $178.00.

​Align, Lifestyle, Gifts for mom, Christmas, Mom, Christmas gifts, Gift ideas 

Last weekend, right after President Trump released his National Security Strategy, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Dan Caine, dropped a line at the Reagan National Defense Forum that set Washington ablaze:

“If you look back over the arc of our deployment history over the last few years, we haven’t had a lot of American combat power in our own neighborhood. … I suspect that’s probably going to change.”

Left-leaning critics immediately accused President Trump of heralding reckless isolationism and abandoning allies. A few even spun it as “war coming to American soil,” but Glenn Beck says we should all be celebrating this.

On this episode of “The Glenn Beck Program,” Glenn breaks down why President Trump “deserves a round of applause” for this brilliant America-first military strategy.

“The reason why everybody hates it,” says Glenn, is because “it is the exact opposite of what they’ve told us for 100 years we should be doing” — namely sending our troops overseas to be a global police force instead of keeping them at home.

But “America is standing in this doorway right now,” he continues. “Behind us is the chaos that we’ve just lived through … and just ahead, at least according to the National Security Strategy, is a course correction so sweeping that honestly it reads like a rediscovery of the American civilization itself.”

In short, the strategy is this: America is done hollowing herself out to police the world and is finally coming home to rebuild a safe, sovereign republic with strong borders, industry, families, energy, and unapologetic national pride.

This plan is brilliant, says Glenn, because it’s not just about building the strongest military; it’s also about developing the world’s strongest economy and spirit via ending mass migration, targeting cartels, protecting God-given rights, holding allies accountable, reindustrializing the country, and becoming energy dominant.

It also outlines plans to “compete with China economically, technologically, and militarily” and calls for a sovereign Europe, which “is dying” due to “declining birth rates, uncontrolled migration, censorship, loss of identity, [and] regulatory suffocation.”

But the strategy also smartly accounts for Europe’s demise should it happen. It asserts that America is “not going to honor NATO for any country that falls,” Glenn explains. “You become a Muslim country, you’re not a NATO country. … We’re not defending you.”

Then the plans address the Middle East, declaring the “forever wars” official “over” — “not because the region suddenly became peaceful,” says Glenn, “but because America is finally strong enough strategically, diplomatically, militarily to shift from a constant crisis management to long-term stabilization.”

And finally, the strategy looks to Africa, where historically the U.S. has “[exported] ideology instead of opportunity” to the continent’s detriment, says Glenn. But this new plan essentially says, “No more lectures, no more nation-building, no more endless aid with no accountability.”

Overall, this is a “commonsense” strategy that allows America “to love itself again and to be who she should be and let everyone else be who they should be.”

“In short, it’s a blueprint for a country that wants to live again — really live again,” says Glenn.

But even though nothing about this plan is controversial, “None of the elites want [it],” he says. They’d rather continue pursuing global institutions that outrank the Constitution, border security for everyone but America, and American workers forever paying the tab for the rest of the world.

The question that needs to be answered is not whether we can get elites on board (we know the answer to that), but rather can we get the American people on board?

“Is the president reflecting the national spirit? Do we want to live again? Do we want to be relegated to the dustbin of history, or does America have other great work to do?” Glenn asks.

To hear more of his commentary, watch the clip above.

Want more from Glenn Beck?

To enjoy more of Glenn’s masterful storytelling, thought-provoking analysis, and uncanny ability to make sense of the chaos, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

​The glenn beck program, Glenn beck, Donald trump, National security strategy, Dan caine, America first, Blazetv, Blaze media 

The Trump administration’s Department of Housing and Urban Development blames rising housing and rental prices on the surge in immigration under Biden.

HUD published the “Worst Case Housing Needs: 2025 Report to Congress” in November, a biennial report that analyzes problems impacting low-income renting families. It defines renters with worst-case needs as those who do not receive government housing assistance and spend more than half of their income on rent or live in severely inadequate conditions, or both.

‘The unchecked illegal immigration and open borders policies allowed by the Biden administration continue to put significant strain on housing, pricing out American families.’

HUD argued that the uptick in immigration caused increases in housing demand and, in turn, prices.

“Between 2021 and 2024, the foreign-born population of the United States increased by more than six million — the largest such increase over such a short period in American history. The foreign-born population now stands at more than 53 million individuals, making up the highest share of the American population in history,” HUD reported.

The department stated that the country’s foreign-born population has grown by 20 million since 2000, representing a 40% increase.

In some regions of the U.S., such as California and New York, immigrants account for up to 100% of the rental growth and over 50% of all owner-occupied growth, HUD added. Nationwide, immigration accounts for two-thirds of rental demand growth, according to the department.

The median monthly housing cost for renters in 2021 was $1,184, increasing nearly 17.5% to $1,391 in 2023, according to the report.

RELATED: DHS Secretary Kristi Noem partners with HUD to end government-funded housing for illegal aliens: ‘The gravy train is over’

Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images

“The growth in households attributable to noncitizens was 13% between 2019 and 2023, compared to 7% between 2015 and 2019. This further demonstrates that noncitizen households are playing an increasing role in the household growth that is straining the affordable housing supply,” the report read.

HUD’s report cited several other contributing factors to the affordable rental crisis, including demand-side housing subsidies and the decline in marriage.

RELATED: Liz Warren hustles Trump with a housing bill from hell

President Donald Trump, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner. Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner told Fox News Digital, “The unchecked illegal immigration and open borders policies allowed by the Biden administration continue to put significant strain on housing, pricing out American families.”

“These policies have plagued America’s housing market, but in President Trump, Americans finally have a leader fighting to restore sanity to American immigration policy,” he added.

Turner stated that in 2025, HUD has supported one million homebuyers, including through first-time buyer and refinancing programs. He has called on the Federal Reserve to cut rates to continue the momentum toward affordability.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​News, Housing and urban development, Hud, Scott turner, Housing, Housing market, Housing affordability, Affordability, Illegal immigration crisis, Illegal immigration, Immigration crisis, Immigration, Renters, Politics 

Powerlifter and strongman competitor Morgan Irons says gender testing and identification checks are necessary to keep women’s sports for women only.

Irons’ remarks came after a male athlete, Jammie Booker, recently defeated nine female competitors to win the coveted title of “World’s Strongest Woman” at the 2025 Official Strongman Games.

‘He basically said he really hoped that I would be at this next competition …’

In an exclusive interview with Fearless, Irons said that not only does Booker have an obvious and unfair advantage, but he allegedly has been trash-talking female competitors in their own sport.

Irons said she had been messaging with Booker in a sort of mentor role, offering advice and generic chatter, before their communications soured.

“I generally just try to be a positive person, and that’s what I got initially from Jammie in the beginning,” Irons explained with a smile. She said Booker had left positive remarks on her videos, telling her she is amazing and offering congratulations.

“But then it quickly just turned really sour,” Irons said, recalling that she started to realize something strange about Booker. “I realized that, ‘OK, this isn’t all adding up to me,’ and I had already had questions myself.”

When she decided to discuss this with people around her, Irons said she was advised not to say anything to avoid looking foolish or “like a bigot” if she was wrong.

Following up on her suspicions, Irons said she checked to see what Booker was doing from time to time in terms of competitions. It was then that she learned Booker had reportedly taken a hard turn and leaned into the idea of unabashedly beating women at their own game.

RELATED: Male powerlifter disqualified after becoming ‘World’s Strongest Woman’

“Jammie had some brazen words for me and some other athletes along the way,” Irons revealed. She alleged that Booker was verbally letting it be known that he wanted to beat the other women — and beat them soundly.

“He basically said he really hoped that I would be at this next competition so that he could beat me and beat all the other top women in the sport, currently,” Irons explained. “And I just find that odd. You know, you’re less than a year in, and what do you want to do? You want to go after the women at the top?”

Fearless reached out to Booker to confirm whether or not he had made these or similar remarks or expressed any hostility toward his competitors. He did not respond.

Negative remarks did not just allegedly come from Booker. But as has become typical with women who don’t wish to compete against men, Irons said she received a flurry of sarcastic comments on her social media videos like “work harder.”

This would, of course, require Irons to somehow overcome biology itself.

The comments are “just … it’s a slap in the face,” Irons said.

RELATED: Conservative political group fined $95K after correctly identifying male athletes competing with women in Australia

Photo by GAIZKA IROZ/AFP via Getty Images

While Booker was promptly stripped of his title of strongest woman, Irons urged that this should be the last time this sort of situation should be allowed to happen, advocating medical testing.

The athlete firmly rejected the idea that there would be “genital checks” to confirm sex, a method Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) once said would result from barring men from women’s sports. Instead, Irons championed cheek swabs for a DNA test and having to provide identification.

While she recognized that many states allow for one’s gender to be legally changed, Irons laughed that it is still shocking that every time she enters a competition, there is no ID check.

Irons relayed that it is essential to protect women’s sports, not just for now but for athletes in the future.

“You have to speak up. You just have to. Not even just for yourself, but for the next generation of women,” she said. “We’ve sat back and we’ve let this happen for so long, and that’s why we’re in the situation that we’re in. … It is women’s fault in a way that we’ve let it get to this point.”

Remarking on the entirety of the situation, former national champion gymnast Jennifer Sey has cemented herself in the position that there can be zero tolerance for the idea that men can compete in women’s sports.

She stated to Fearless that the blame should be put on the men who want to crush women in their own athletics.

“The gall to enter a competition for women to be the strongest woman in the world as a dude. Like, the arrogance and the dismissiveness of actual women required to do that — it’s just disgusting. It’s gross,” she added.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Fearless, Transgenderism, Women’s sports, Powerlifting, Weight lifting, Strongman, Woke, Trans, Sports