The Democratic members of the city council in Portland, Maine, lamented with the mayor that their sanctuary city policies were powerless to actually stop federal agents.

Democratic Portland Mayor Mark Dion touted the city for its previous efforts to protect illegal immigrants before admitting that they were limited legally from stopping Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations completely.

‘They don’t have any sense of what they’re supposed to do; they just go out and do things impulsively and destructively.’

Video of the meeting from May 4 resurfaced on social media and went viral.

Dion opposed a new proposal that would put the obligation of opposing ICE on city employees, but he said his opposition had nothing to do with partisan politics.

“Where I do have a fundamental disagreement is the nature of our employees,” the mayor said. “My sense of it [is] if they want to come, they’re coming.”

He went on to call the new policy “magical” thinking that would stop ICE.

“There’s a supposition that if we have this as an ordinance, that somehow ICE is gonna move on. That’s silly,” the mayor said.

“In my mind, that’s an interesting magical thought. My conclusion is they don’t have any sense of what they’re supposed to do; they just go out and do things impulsively and destructively,” he added. “The existence of this particular couple of sentences is not gonna change their equation. I’m confident of that.”

Dion was pressured by City Councilman Pious Ali, the Democratic author of the motion, that they had not done enough to protect staff as well as immigrants from ICE.

“If we don’t have a very strong protection for our staff and our community, nobody can predict what they can do,” Ali said.

The mayor disagreed.

“If that’s the case, if in your heart you understand that ICE is gonna do what ICE is gonna do, then why do we have to have our staff controlled under the guise of an order and an ordinance, other than for political purposes?” Dion continued. “As a pragmatic purpose, it’s not gonna deter ICE.”

Despite the mayor’s exhortations, the order passed 7-1.

“There you go,” the mayor said.

RELATED: Man served time for threatening to kill Trump — then gets arrested for more alleged threats against Trump

While Portland City Council members don’t have to designate their political affiliation, none are registered Republicans. All council members that have a political affiliation are either Democrats or democratic socialists.

Portland officials previously expressed their outrage at ICE operations in the city, and Councilman Wes Pelletier went so far as to call it a “war of terror” on immigrants. Pelletier is a member and leader of the Democratic Socialists of America.

The full video of the city council meeting from May 4 can be viewed on the Portland city website.

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​Portland maine city council, Portland mayor mark dion, Democrats vs ice, Sanctuary city policies, Politics 

The remains of a 23-year-old Alabama woman who had been missing for more than a week were found Saturday, and a male was charged with abuse of a corpse in connection with her death, AL.com reported.

Karen Deann Hollis vanished May 8 from Northport, the outlet reported, adding that Hollis was last seen around midnight in the area of 43rd Avenue in Northport.

‘Multiple search warrants were executed, and a great deal of physical, witness, and electronic information was obtained.’

Northport police said Hollis at the time of her disappearance was believed to have been living with a condition that could impair her judgment, AL.com added.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency issued a missing person alert in connection with her disappearance, the outlet said.

Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit Capt. Jack Kennedy said the initial investigation led detectives to believe that foul play may have been involved, AL.com reported, adding that the violent crimes unit and Northport police have been working together on the case.

A person of interest was developed last week, but the victim still had not been located, AL.com reported.

But family and friends located Hollis’ remains on Saturday while searching an area determined to be of interest based on information received from an electronic device, the outlet said.

Kennedy said Hollis’ remains were recovered in Greene County, AL.com reported, adding that the Greene County Sheriff’s Office, Greene County District Attorney’s Office, and Greene County coroner assisted in the recovery of the remains.

“The investigation has been a priority for both agencies,” Kennedy said, according to the outlet. “Multiple search warrants were executed, and a great deal of physical, witness, and electronic information was obtained.”

The male identified last week as the person of interest — 44-year-old Randall Lendell Dejourney — was taken into custody, the outlet said.

RELATED: Manhunt under way for man seen dragging a body away before woman was found stabbed to death, police say

Dejourney is charged with abuse of a corpse, AL.com reported, adding that he was booked into the Tuscaloosa County Jail with a bond set at $15,000. A jail official on Monday afternoon told Blaze News that Dejourney was still behind bars.

Kennedy said Hollis’ remains have been sent to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for an autopsy to determine the cause and manner of her death, AL.com reported.

The investigation is ongoing, and more charges could be brought following the autopsy results, the outlet added.

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​Alabama, Missing woman, Remains found, Abuse of corpse, Arrest, Crime 

Campaign ads may never look the same again after Spencer Pratt dropped yet another AI-generated video that looks more like a Hollywood sci-fi trailer than a traditional political ad — and BlazeTV hosts Pat Gray and Keith Malinak believe it could completely reshape how campaigns reach voters.

The viral video features Pratt soaring through a destroyed, burning Los Angeles on a futuristic vehicle straight out of “Star Wars,” while AI-generated versions of California politicians delivered sinister one-liners about the city’s decline.

“You didn’t finish burning the city to the ground in your first term. Make sure you finish the job in your second,” the AI version of California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) says with a grin.

The ad also features AI Mayor Karen Bass (D) saying, “The only thing that can stop us is someone telling the truth. As long as they don’t have any hope, the city’s ours.”

Bass then gets into a lightsaber duel with Pratt, before the citizens of Los Angeles all whip out their own lightsabers in defense of their city.

“If you don’t have a lot of money in your campaign, you just let AI take over,” Malinak says, while Pat Gray predicts the technology is about to revolutionize campaign strategy from here on out.

“I think we’re seeing a complete change in the political advertising world from now on. There’s going to be a lot of that kind of stuff, AI-generated things,” Gray says.

“I hope it works out for Spencer Pratt,” Malinak says.

“If they were ever going to get Republican leadership, it’s this cycle.”

Want more from Pat Gray?

To enjoy more of Pat’s biting analysis and signature wit as he restores common sense to a senseless world, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

​Aigenerated video, Blaze media, Blaze news, Blaze online, Blaze orginals, Blaze podcast network, Blaze podcasts, Blazetv, Blazetv hosts, Burning los angeles, California politicians, Campaign ads, Campaign strategy, Governor gavin newsom, Hollywood scifi, Keith malinak, Lightsaber duel, Mayor karen bass, Pat gray, Pat gray unleashed, Political ad, Political advertising, Republican leadership, Spencer pratt, Star wars, The blaze, Viral video 

A 64-year-old woman admitted to violating election laws by paying homeless people on Skid Row in Los Angeles to register to vote.

Brenda Lee Brown Armstrong worked as a paid petition signature gatherer for about two decades, according to a press release from the U.S.

‘Armstrong regularly paid and offered to pay individuals cash, usually in amounts between $2 and $3, to induce them to sign her petitions.’

Armstrong, who is known as “Anika,” has agreed to plead guilty to one felony count of paying another person to register to vote.

She said she was hired by “coordinators” to “collect voter signatures on official petitions that qualify initiatives, referendums, and recalls for California state ballots.”

Armstrong would drive around Los Angeles and seek signatures from registered voters and receive payment for each signature. To make the job easier, she began paying homeless people in the Skid Row area to sign.

“Armstrong regularly paid and offered to pay individuals cash, usually in amounts between $2 and $3, to induce them to sign her petitions,” prosecutors said.

Since the homeless people did not have a residence, Armstrong would have them register as voters under her previous address. Armstrong also paid them to register as voters.

“This case is important because it shows how it is under California law to corrupt the state’s voter rolls and thereby corrupt the state and federal elections administered by the state,” DOJ Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said at a media briefing.

U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli indicated that prosecutors depended on independent journalism from James O’Keefe to identify Armstrong and catch her in the act.

“California’s lax attitude towards voter registration endangers our democracy. We won’t stand by when ballot box corruption threatens the foundations of our republic,” Essayli said.

RELATED: Noncitizen Kansas mayor accused of illegally voting ‘multiple times’ after winning re-election

Armstrong faces a statutory maximum penalty of five years in federal prison for the felony charge.

“False registrations undermine Americans’ faith in elections — even more so when payoffs are involved,” Dhillon said.

“This Justice Department is committed to ensuring that all U.S. elections are fair and free from illegal meddling,” she added, “so that all Americans can accept the results with confidence.”

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​California illegal voting, Homeless people voting registration, Skid row voting scam, Petition gatherer scam, Politics 

A massive crowd of British patriots gathered in London on Saturday to participate in Tommy Robinson’s Unite the Kingdom march. However, several international figures who had planned to attend and speak at the event, including some Americans, were absent after Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government banned them from entering the country.

The Metropolitan Police, which deployed 4,000 officers and admitted it would use facial recognition technology on the crowd, estimated that 60,000 people attended Saturday’s UTK march. However, Robinson insisted attendance was in the “millions.”

‘It’s good to know that Britain can enforce its borders and stop people from coming to our country, after consecutive years where legal migration ran above a million.’

Hours ahead of the march, Starmer released a video statement condemning the UTK movement, accusing its organizers of “peddling hatred and division.” He announced that his government had blocked “far-right agitators” who planned to attend the march from entering the country.

Journalist Dan Wootton called Starmer’s video “a despicable and disgusting attack on British patriots.”

“He was wanting to stoke violence,” Wootton told Blaze News. “And hundreds of thousands of proud Englishmen and women proved him wrong. All this Labour government has left now is going after an invisible ‘far right.’”

A press release from the prime minister’s office stated that 11 foreigners were prevented from entering the country “to spew their extremist views.” The government’s press release did not name every individual denied entry, but it did state that it denied entry to “U.S.-based extremist” Valentina Gomez, citing her “inflammatory and dehumanising rhetoric about Muslim communities.”

Gomez blamed the ban on “corrupt politicians” and criticized Starmer for using facial recognition technology against those who attended the rally but not against “muslim rape gangs and violent palestine protests.” A pro-Palestine and anti-Robinson rally was held in London the same day as UTK.

American political commentator Don Keith was also banned from entering the U.K.

“I have no idea why I was banned from the UK other than my friendship with Tommy Robinson and opposition to Keir Starmer’s policies,” Keith wrote in a post on X.

Wootton told Blaze News that Keith was scheduled to co-host Wootton’s podcast, “Outspoken,” which was covering the march live.

“This is North Korean stuff,” Wootton continued, referring to Keith’s ban and adding that the media class seems to “think this is completely acceptable.”

“I am disgusted about what’s happening to our country when all we are trying to do is stop an Islamist takeover,” he added.

RELATED: Glenn Beck to risk lifetime ban from UK to speak at Tommy Robinson’s Unite the Kingdom rally

Richard Baker/In Pictures/Getty Images

Joey Mannarino, an American citizen and host on NewsForce, responded to Starmer’s video statement concerning the UTK rally and travel bans.

“I’m one of the people you banned. I went to school in the UK and love your country. I love the people of your country. The British ones. Not the ones your lot caters to,” Mannarino wrote. “You’re truly a disgrace to the beautiful nation which you ‘represent.’”

Others who were banned from entering the country ahead of the march included journalists Ezra Levant and Avi Yemini, politicians Dominik Tarczyński and Filip Dewinter, and political commentators Eva Vlaardingerbroek and Ada Lluch.

These individuals were notified that their presence “is not considered to be conducive to the public good.”

RELATED: ‘Frankly disgraceful’: British politicians implode after Trump official meets with Tommy Robinson

Carl Court/Getty Images

Connor Tomlinson, a London-based political commentator, told Blaze News, “It’s good to know that Britain can enforce its borders and stop people from coming to our country, after consecutive years where legal migration ran above a million. Unfortunately, Keir Starmer only wants to block foreigners warning against the replacement, rape, and murder of the British people from entering, rather than the perpetrators of such crimes.”

Tomlinson called Starmer “Britain’s most hated prime minister on record.”

“This rally seemed more sparsely attended, likely due to divisions in the nationalist base over whether Britain should be involved in the Iran war. But if it plays a role in expediting the destruction of the Labour Party, then it was worthwhile,” Tomlinson added.

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​News, Tommy robinson, Unite the kingdom, Keir starmer, United kingdom, Uk, U.k., London, Britain, Metropolitan police, Valentina gomez, Don keith, Joey mannarino, Ezra levant, Avi yemini, Dominik tarczyński, Filip dewinter, Eva vlaardingerbroek, Ada lluch, Connor tomlinson, Politics