Ask some voters why they support a candidate, and you might get a detailed explanation of his policies. Ask supporters of Michigan Democrat Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed why they support him, and you get “everything.”

In a recent man-on-the-street-style interview, the interviewer asks a group of women what their favorite thing is that the Michigan Senate hopeful is campaigning on.

“Everything! How can you not like what he’s for? I mean, it’s like we need it. We’re in bad shape,” one woman responded.

“What’s your one favorite, though? What stands out the most?” the interviewer asked.

“Health care for all,” another woman chimed in, before another woman agreed, “That’s mine too, health care.”

“And how are we going to give health care to everyone? How are we going to pay for that?” the interviewer asked again.

“We’re going to tax the rich,” a woman answered.

“What’s kind of scary about that,” Alex Stein tells BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales, “is when I think of Michigan now, like Dearborn, and I think it’s all Muslim. Those were like upper-middle-class white women. You know, they look like they have fine health care.”

“They almost look like they were Lindsay Clancy fans on a bunch of different prescription drugs,” he jokes.

“It is suicidal empathy,” he continues, though he doesn’t believe El-Sayed is as likely to win as his base seems to think he is.

“I think actually Mike Rogers is going to do better than people are predicting, though,” he adds, noting that Sayed “barely won” in the primary despite being projected to “win by 10 points.”

Gonzales agrees, pointing out that whatever the result is, “it’ll be really interesting to see because … Michigan is a flash point.”

“This will tell us,” she says, “is Michigan too far gone or is it not?”

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​Abdul el-sayed, Michigan, Senate, Voters, Alex stein, Sara gonzales, Blazetv show 

Women at the gym might be upset with Shane Gillis, but they’re still watching.

The comic’s latest hosting gig at “Saturday Night Live” delivered one of the show’s biggest YouTube audiences in nearly a year.

‘I’d be Sharia on her.’

Magic mic

His opening monologue has drawn more than 2.7 million views, ranking second among “SNL” monologues posted since November 2025.

Gillis took the stage on Saturday night and stirred up online controversy with two observations about big-city gyms: They’re filled with the “hottest gay guys you’ve ever seen,” and “women just dress like whores now.”

Only Ryan Gosling’s early March monologue has drawn more views over the same period, with 3.04 million. The only other monologue to surpass 2 million was actor Connor Storrie’s late February appearance, with 2.08 million.

Gillis’ previous appearances have drawn even bigger audiences. His jokes about President Biden and President Trump in 2025 garnered almost 4.5 million views, while his 2024 appearance drew 7.26 million.

That appearance — his first time back since being fired from the show five years earlier — also generated controversy over his use of the words “gay” and “retarded.”

RELATED: ‘He’s right about gym girls’: Former ‘SNL’ star backs Shane Gillis as liberal celebs ‘gasp’ in shock

Will Heath/NBC/Getty Images

Good egg

Gillis also made himself a target in the latest monologue, joking about his weight and his comedian pals describing him as a “gas station egg.”

Some women responded by mentioning Gillis by name in their gym videos — after he had joked about being the creepy guy in the background of just such a video.

He already played a version of that guy on his show “Tires.”

In a clip Netflix promoted in August, Gillis’ character is caught leering at a woman at the gym by a content creator disgusted by his behavior. Gillis’ character tells the man not to let his girlfriend leave the house unless she’s wearing slacks or a burqa.

“I’d be Sharia on her,” he tells the man.

RELATED: Actor MELTS DOWN over jokes about women in Shane Gillis’ ‘SNL’ monologue

The natural

Some “SNL” alumni praised the monologue as it aired.

Victoria Jackson, a cast member from 1986 to 1992, said Gillis looked “skinny/handsome!”

“He’s right about gym girls dressing like ‘whores,’” Jackson said. “When did ‘camel toe’ become acceptable gym fashion and grocery shopping attire?”

Jeff Richards, a cast member from 2001 to 2004, called Gillis a “really funny guy” and an “obvious natural.”

Among his most vocal critics was “Schitt’s Creek” actor Dan Levy, son of beloved sketch-comedy performer Eugene Levy.

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On October 10, marking World Day Against the Death Penalty, Pope Leo XIV ignited controversy when he posted the following on X:

The death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person. The common good can be safeguarded and the requirements of justice can be met without recourse to capital punishment: effective systems of detention have been developed that protect citizens while at the same time do not completely deprive those who are guilty of the possibility of redemption. #NoDeathPenalty

BlazeTV host Liz Wheeler, a Catholic, dove into this heated debate on a recent episode of “The Liz Wheeler Show.”

“This entire conversation started with the announcement [on October 8] from the Trump administration that on December [3] of this year … a firing squad will execute former Major Nidal Hasan,” says Liz. “He’s a former Army major who murdered 13 people at Fort Hood in the name of Islam. He is an Islamist terrorist.”

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced that the execution would take place at Fort Hood, where Hasan carried out his crime, and would be livestreamed, although President Trump said he would make the final call on whether or not to publicize the event.

Liz, who believes the livestream is unlikely to happen and calls the desire to watch an execution “bloodlust,” believes that Pope Leo’s comments about the death penalty make sense.

She explains that for most of the Church’s history, popes affirmed that the state has the right to use capital punishment for grave crimes. Since the late 20th century, however, popes such as John Paul II and especially Francis (who revised the Catechism to call it “inadmissible” as an attack on human dignity) have taken a far more restrictive or abolitionist stance, which Leo XIV has continued — creating ongoing debate about whether this is a development of doctrine or a departure from prior teaching.

“[The death penalty] differs from what the Church declares to be an intrinsic evil. … Abortion would be the best example,” says Liz.

“But [intrinsically evil] is not the phrase that Pope Leo or Pope Francis before him used to describe the death penalty. ‘Inadmissible’ is the word used not only by Pope Leo but by Pope Francis,” she continues, explaining that the word “inadmissible” is a “synonym for unacceptable.”

Citing senior apologist at Catholic Answers Jimmy Akin, she explains that Pope Francis amended the Catechism because in light of society’s current circumstances (i.e. “modern prisons that were intended to hold large numbers of people”), there are no longer situations that require the death penalty.

“There may be societal circumstances where [the death penalty] is necessary or admissible, but not any more in our modern society,” Liz says.

“You can agree or disagree with this, but I have to say this does make sense. It’s not inconsistent with the long-standing teaching of the Church, nor does it contradict the Bible,” she says.

But the question remains: “Is this pastoral teaching from Pope Leo, which we are respectfully free to disagree with, or is this authoritative teaching, which we are required to assent to our mind and will?”

To answer this question, Liz speaks with Catholic Answers staff apologist Joe Heschmeyer.

To hear their conversation, watch the episode above.

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​Liz wheeler, Pope leo xiv, Death penalty, Catholic church, Blazetv show 

Flock Safety has spent the better part of 2026 trying to convince people that its cameras aren’t mass surveillance tools used to track the whereabouts of anyone who drives by. Lawmakers aren’t buying it, though, as legislators push back to the point that the company is starting to collapse. Here are the latest updates on the Flock camera controversy.

The public first took notice of Flock Safety’s dubious activity as early as 2024, when the Electronic Frontier Foundation found that Flock cameras were being used for more than reading license plates. According to datasets that the group received, Flock cameras tracked various protests and activist groups and even monitored civilians suspected of breaking local laws.

‘Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.’

Flock cameras may read license plates, but to say that this is all they do is a severe mischaracterization. Countless stories have emerged of police officers abusing the network. In the case of five officers in Georgia, they were caught inputting specific license plate numbers into the search system to track the location of specific individuals over time.

When pressed about the growing concern over Flock camera abuse, company CEO Garrett Langley gave a stunning response: “When people talk about just one of these, privacy or safety, they’re prioritizing the wrong thing, and what we have to prioritize as a country is compromise.” He continued, “How do we have our safety, and how do we balance privacy?”

For most liberty-loving Americans, there is no room for balance. There is only freedom or mass surveillance. Or, as my favorite Benjamin Franklin quote goes, “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”

First, cities noticed the public outcry. Local bans went into effect as Flock cameras were either covered, disabled, or removed from municipalities like Tempe, Arizona; Oviedo City, Florida; and St. Charles County, Missouri. Others simply let their contracts with the company lapse, as was the case with Knox County, Tennessee, and Stow, Massachusetts. So far, 214 cities and counties have de-Flocked their communities, though the number may be more since this report from August.

As local backlash continued, politicians stepped in to examine the situation. Missouri Republican Senator Josh Hawley issued a letter on his X.com account, declaring an investigation into Flock Safety over the “recent examples of abuse and misuse of personal data reveal the woeful lack of safeguards in these systems,” as a result of the St. Charles County situation. In his post, he wrote:

Americans do not surrender their privacy rights when they drive to work, drop their kids off at school, or go to church.

Weeks later, Hawley broadened his national surveillance investigation to include several other camera companies, such as Motorola Solutions Inc., Verkada Inc., and Axon Enterprise Inc.

RELATED: We’re winning the fight against Flock — but the surveillance isn’t going away that easily

The Washington Post/Getty Images

Around the same time, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued a similar cry on X. “Newer Flock cameras do not just record vehicles,” he insisted. “They record people. Flock’s AI system can combine images of you and your vehicle with databases of phone numbers, relatives and court records to find out who you are, where you’re going and why.”

The issue has quickly become a bipartisan concern, with both sides of the aisle scrutinizing Flock Safety more than ever, and the company is starting to flounder under the pressure.

Despite its rapid rise to infamy, Flock Safety is still a newer startup company, which makes it susceptible to rapid changes in its industry. Following the backlash and canceled accounts, it has already begun to downsize.

According to Reuters, Flock is offloading up to 270 employees via a voluntary buyback program, and all terminations will be finalized by the end of October. With 1,500 employees currently on the payroll, this shift will impact 18% of Flock’s workforce.

In late September, Hawley introduced a new bill called the Stop Flock Abuse Act. As the name suggests, the bill includes several key points meant to protect citizens and also quell concerns:

Local governments can’t sell collected data to third parties.Users must receive written approval to conduct data searches.All searches must be logged and preserved for regular audits.Collected data must be encrypted, and it cannot leave the United States.Collected data must be deleted every 10 days, unless it is involved in an active criminal investigation.All hardware and software used with Flock cameras must be domestically sourced.Use of facial recognition technology with Flock is prohibited.

If successful, the bill could be a huge boon to both citizens and Flock Safety. The former would get back their peace of mind knowing that they aren’t being tracked, and the latter would get to continue to operate as a business without the specter of mass surveillance haunting future partnerships.

Everybody benefits. But first, the bill has to pass.

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​Flock safety, Investigation, Liberty, License plates, Privacy, Privacy rights, Safety, Surveillance, Facial recognition technology, Flock cameras, Flock, Tech 

A man who entered the U.S. illegally and gained legal status went on to illegally vote in 15 elections — and maybe more, claims the Department of Homeland Security.

The DHS told Blaze News that Homeland Security Investigations agents arrested Andres Garcia on Oct. 6 after he was charged with two counts of voting by an alien.

‘Let this be a message to any noncitizens out there who are thinking about voting in our elections: If you illegally vote, we will arrest you and you will be charged.’

Garcia is a lawful permanent resident from Cuba but is not a citizen and not allowed to vote in elections. He was charged for allegedly voting in the 2022 election as well as the 2024 election.

The man even allegedly registered to vote in Cass County, Missouri, in 2004 before he gained his legal status under the Obama administration, according to the DHS.

The DHS also claimed that Garcia is suspected of having voted at least 15 times in the past two decades. “Despite knowing he was not a United States citizen, Garcia claimed to be one when registering to vote in 2004, and did so again in 2013,” the DHS added.

“This alien from Cuba has been arrested and charged with illegally voting in multiple elections,” said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin.

“He illegally entered the country in 1969 and was then granted legal status by the Obama administration. Now, thanks to the hardworking men and women of HSI and our partners at the Department of Justice, this alien will have to answer for repeatedly interfering in our elections,” he added.

“Let this be a message to any noncitizens out there who are thinking about voting in our elections: If you illegally vote, we will arrest you and you will be charged. Only American citizens should be electing American leaders.”

The Department of Justice announced on Monday that 16 people had been charged with election crimes, including an illegal alien and several others who had legal status.

RELATED: FBI now investigating alleged election fraud among homeless in Skid Row of Los Angeles

After the arrest of Garcia, HSI Kansas City Acting Special Agent in Charge Rick Sabatini reiterated the point.

“Election integrity is nonnegotiable. Individuals who knowingly violate federal voting laws undermine public trust in the democratic process and will be held accountable,” he said.

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​Department of homeland security, Department of justice, Election fraud, Election integrity, Obama administration, Politics 

After President Trump made it a point to declare banking rights as guaranteed and fair for Americans, the government actually went to work.

Now, a federal agency has revealed that major U.S. banks were guilty of limiting or denying access to financial services to citizens based on their beliefs or business activities, and the evidence is shocking.

A payment processor owned by one bank closed the account of a merchant that sold Make America Great Again merchandise.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency released a scathing report detailing its intention to review potential de-banking activities at the nine largest banks in the country and whether or not they had been improperly limiting access. This was in direct response to President Trump’s executive order to guarantee fair banking for all Americans.

The report declared that between 2020 and September 2025, all nine banks had policies in place that do so.

The OCC identified two categories that presented an “elevated risk of ‘encouraging’ or ‘otherwise influencing'” institutions to deny access to financial services: reputation risk practices and industry specific practices.

The first can be summarized as a potential for “adverse” brand impact resulting from negative public perception, while the latter is an alleged bias toward certain industries or sectors unrelated to financial or operational concerns.

The practices affected both sides of the political aisle. For example, in February 2023, one bank declined to provide public services to an educational organization because it solely endorses Democrat candidates.

In February 2021, a payment processor owned by one bank closed the account of a merchant that sold Make America Great Again merchandise.

These policies reportedly negatively affected industries like firearms, oil and gas, coal mining, prisons, and tobacco.

RELATED: The fight over prediction markets is hitting the Supreme Court — and dragging in the NFL

Image courtesy Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

In the report, the OCC said it observed Citibank using an “environmental and social risk management policy” that restricted it from entering into a business relationship with customers that did not have policies that align with Citibank’s firearm standards.

“This included, for example, limitations on the sale of high-capacity magazines and restrictions on firearm sales to individuals under the age of 21.”

In February 2021, TD Bank was making decisions regarding a Paycheck Protection Program loan based on its own reputation risks, the report claimed.

“TD’s decision is based on public statements about immigrants made by [the organization] or people affiliated with your organization, including social media activity, leading up to and following the November 2020 election. These statements are inconsistent with TD’s values,” the bank wrote, per the federal government.

All nine banks were cited in the report as having conducted biased practices based on their perceived reputational risk or simply their policy regarding whether or not they wanted to do business with people based on their industry or their activities.

RELATED: Guess which secretive former president has big ideas about how AI should control you

Another example included Capital One flagging a religious organization, in multiple client reviews, for stances on abortion, LGBTQ rights, and “ties to the world of conservative politics.”

The OCC has suggested making changes to the client complaint process, forcing increased transparency, and redefining how it considers politicized or unlawful de-banking.

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​Banks, The office of the comptroller of the currency, Tech, De-banking 

Android started out as a mobile operating system, but over the years, it became much more. Part of that vision was realized when Google killed Chromebooks in favor of Googlebooks. You actually don’t need one of these to get a similar desktop experience. In fact, you can replace your laptop or PC with your Android phone now.

Okay, before we dive too deep, you should know that Android’s desktop mode doesn’t work on all Android devices. But it is compatible with many of the most popular handsets in the United States, including new Samsung phones with DeX and Google Pixel phones with Android Desktop Mode.

Samsung DeX is more refined than Pixel’s Android Desktop Mode.

To use desktop mode on Android, you’ll need several things:

Computer monitor with either a USB-C port or HDMI port for video.USB-C-to-USB-C cable or an HDMI cable paired with a compatible USB-C adapter for the connection.If you’re using an HDMI cable with an adapter, you’ll also need a power cable that can plug into the adapter; otherwise, your battery will drain quickly. Those using a USB-C cable should receive power to their device from the monitor without extra hardware.Wireless Bluetooth mouse and keyboard to control the interface.

These steps could vary slightly, depending on your make and model of phone. For today’s example, we’re testing a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 on One UI 9 (Android 17) and a Google Pixel 10 Pro XL running Android 17.

Why should you try desktop mode on Android?

Now, before we get started, you might wonder why you may wish to use desktop mode on Android. Aside from the fact that it is just cool to have a desktop experience that you can pull out of your pocket and connect to a monitor at any time, it can also replace your laptop or desktop in some cases.

Android desktop mode is great for browsing the web, answering emails, writing in your favorite apps, and watching videos. Because it’s Android, many existing apps from the Google Play Store will work, though some are better optimized than others. You can even play some popular Android games, like Genshin Impact, Wuthering Waves, and more, provided you connect a Bluetooth game controller.

What Android desktop doesn’t do is replace a gaming PC. You can’t get your Steam game library to work, at least not reliably, and even if you could, most phones aren’t powerful enough and don’t mitigate heat enough for sustained AAA gaming performance.

That said, Android desktop mode is a great tool for tinkering around and doing many typical tasks usually reserved for dedicated hardware.

RELATED: Google is about to overhaul the Android. You’ll either love it or hate it.

lixu/Getty Images

How to use desktop mode on Samsung Galaxy

To get started, make sure your phone is powered on and unlocked to the home screen. Next, connect your Samsung Galaxy phone to your monitor using your USB-C cable or HDMI cable with USB-C adapter. If your monitor doesn’t immediately light up with a desktop interface from your phone, open the Settings app on your Galaxy device and tap “Connected devices,” followed by “Samsung DeX.” Lastly, tap “Connected display” and choose “Extended.” You should now see a desktop interface on your monitor.

Next, you’ll need to set up your wireless keyboard and mouse. Back in the main Settings app, choose “Connections” and tap on “Bluetooth” (do not touch the toggle switch but tap the word itself). Make sure your mouse and keyboard are in pairing mode, and hit the “Scan” button in the top right corner. Follow the pairing instructions, and you’re all set.

Samsung DeX is available on many Samsung devices, including Galaxy S8 and up, the original Z Fold and up, and the Tab S4 series and up.

Samsung DeX on Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 on One UI 9 (Android 17)/Zach Laidlaw

How to use desktop mode on Google Pixel

To get started, power your phone on and unlock it to the home screen. Next, connect your Google Pixel device to your monitor using your USB-C cable or HDMI cable with USB-C adapter. You should immediately see a pop-up that asks if you want to connect your external display in “Desktop” mode or “Mirror” mode. Choose “Desktop,” and your monitor should light up with a desktop interface.

Now for the mouse and keyboard. Make sure these two devices are in pairing mode. Then on your Pixel, open the Settings app, tap “Connected devices” and “Pair new device,” and wait for the mouse and keyboard to appear before finalizing the connection. That’s it!

Android Desktop Mode works on Google Pixel 8 and up.

Google Pixel Android Desktop Mode on Android 17/Zach Laidlaw

No, that blurry brown rectangle isn’t a broken image link (or a censored pic). It’s the wallpaper you see on Google Pixel’s desktop. All the time. Yuck.

Well, nobody’s perfect.

Thanks to better wallpaper and stronger app support, Samsung DeX is more refined than Pixel’s Android Desktop Mode. That is to be expected, though, as Samsung has worked on DeX since 2017, while Google launched the official version of Android Desktop Mode in March of this year.

While Samsung DeX is far more enjoyable and useful in my opinion, both work in a pinch if you ever need to access a desktop experience from your Android phone.

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​Android, Google play store, Google, Samsung, Tech, Smartphones 

Many of the Democrats now melting down over Homeland Security Investigations’ raid of Minnesota Democrat Rep. Ilhan Omar’s Washington, D.C.-area residence weren’t at all fussed when their top political opponent was having his home searched by armed federal agents.

Quick recap

A Justice Department spokeswoman confirmed to the New York Times that HSI agents executed a judicially authorized search of a home in the D.C. area on Monday as part of an “ongoing federal criminal investigation.”

‘No one is above the law.’

Three people briefed on the matter told the Times that the search warrant for the Somali-born ethno-nationalist’s house lists various potential immigration crimes under investigation including fraud in immigration paperwork.

Omar has long been dogged by allegations that she married her brother to help him fraudulently obtain immigration status in the United States. She has called the allegations “absolutely false and ridiculous.”

The raid on Monday comes just weeks after White House border czar Thomas Homan confirmed the existence of an HSI criminal probe into Omar.

Homan told Fox News that “if someone committed immigration violation, if someone committed marriage fraud or anything like that, regardless if they’re a congressman or not, no one’s above the law.”

A tale of two raids

Omar’s office called the raid “an outrageous abuse of power and an unprecedented escalation in the weaponization of federal law enforcement to target political enemies,” and Omar called it “an attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement.”

Democrats quickly joined Omar in condemning the judicially authorized search and in characterizing it as “unprecedented” and “disturbing.”

RELATED: The raid that Democrats can’t wave away

Jim WATSON/AFP/Getty Images; Joe Raedle/Getty Images

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.J.), House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), and Rep. Peter Aguilar (D-Calif.), for instance, claimed in a joint statement, “The Trump administration’s raid on Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s home is deeply disturbing and raises serious questions about the continued corrupt weaponization of the federal government against Donald Trump’s adversaries.”

The trio also criticized the federal government for targeting a lawmaker’s home ahead of an election.

Jeffries sang a different tune, however, when just months ahead of the 2022 midterm elections, the FBI raided President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence with guns drawn.

The day after the raid, Jeffries tweeted, “No one is above the law.” In the weeks that followed, he repeatedly used this line and stated that while “extraordinary,” the raid appeared to be justified.

Eight days after the FBI swarmed Mar-a-Lago, Katherine Clark also defended the raid, stating in an interview with GBH News, “This was a legal search warrant signed off by a federal judge.”

Clark further claimed that Republicans were playing a “dangerous game” by condemning the raid and stressed the need to wait and “see what this investigation turns into.”

At the time, Aguilar insinuated that the Mar-a-Lago raid was necessary, concern-mongered about the classified documents found at Trump’s residence, and insisted that Trump was fair game.

This trio is hardly the only group of Democrats whose complaints now ring hollow owing to their disparate response four years ago.

Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) clutched pearls on Monday over the Omar raid, calling it an “assault on our constitutional values”; an “outrageous abuse of power”; part of a broader “campaign of political retribution” against a critic of the president; and “blatant political intimidation and an attempt to interfere with the Congresswoman’s reelection.”

Raskin did not appear to be similarly outraged over the FBI’s election-time raid of Trump’s residence.

When asked on Aug. 9, 2022, about the Mar-a-Lago raid, Raskin coolly said, “Speaking as a citizen, we all have an interest in the rule of law in the country and respect for the rule of law, and the resistance to the lawlessness that seems to be, you know, always out there now.”

California Rep. Ro Khanna (D) whined about the Omar raid this week, claiming in a video statement that “it is simply chilling that they are targeting political opponents this way.”

Like his comrades, Khanna took an entirely different approach in 2022, telling then-MSNBC host Ari Melber, “The FBI doesn’t just go in unless a judge signs off on a search warrant. That means they have some probable evidence about possible wrongdoing.”

Khanna further said that then-Attorney General Merrick Garland and the Justice Department were just “following the facts” and that “it’s not for me or members of Congress to say what should happen.”

RELATED: Is Ilhan Omar getting deported? Trump’s post raises eyebrows

HSI officers search the home of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.). Andrew Leyden/Getty Images

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) is another hypocritical Democrat who felt obligated to defend the 2022 raid but condemn the 2026 raid.

Tlaib told Michigan Advance days after the Mar-a-Lago raid that Trump is “not above the law. If he committed a crime, he should be held accountable to it. I don’t care that he was president of the United States. If anything, we set a dangerous precedent if we let folks get away with these kinds of things, especially when it comes to, you know, national security.”

Now that the shoe is on the Somali foot, Tlaib is crying foul.

She stated on Monday, “Trump is grossly abusing his power to raid the home of Rep. Omar. He has repeatedly attacked her, Somali Americans, and Minnesotans. @Ilhan has done nothing to justify a pre-dawn raid ahead of the election. I stand with my sister always.”

Even Omar herself claimed that “no one is above the law” when arguing that the criminal indictment of Trump was a sign that the justice system worked as designed. “The fact that one of the most powerful people in the world was investigated impartially and indicted by a grand jury is testament to the fact that we live in a country of laws,” she tweeted in March 2023.

Vice President JD Vance rejected Democrats’ claim this week that the administration is weaponizing federal law enforcement against Trump adversaries, telling Fox News Digital on Tuesday, “We don’t want to be like the Biden administration. We never want to be like that — where they would allow the law to go after their political opponents.”

“We really want to let the law, the facts drive this,” said Vance. “And if justice requires something else be done, then, of course, we’ll take a step when we have to.”

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​Jamie raskin, Katherine clark, Hakeem jeffries, Donald trump, Rashida tlaib, Ilhan omar, Homeland security investigations, Mar-a-lago, Raid, Politics 

Volkswagen spent years preparing for an electric future. Now it’s clearing space on the assembly line for more gas-powered SUVs.

In April, the German automaker announced it would stop building its ID.4 electric crossover at its Chattanooga, Tennessee, plant. The factory would instead concentrate on higher-volume models, particularly the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport.

The Atlas has always had one big advantage over many of its three-row competitors: space. And I mean usable space, especially in that third row.

That’s quite a change of direction for a company that once regarded the ID.4 as central to its American ambitions. The electric crossover was supposed to bring Volkswagen into a new era of affordable, mass-market electric transportation. Instead, the company is making room for the kind of vehicle American families have been buying all along.

And having recently driven the redesigned 2027 Atlas, I can understand why.

Whatever happened to the people’s EV?

Volkswagen’s electric ambitions weren’t exactly modest. After its diesel emissions scandal, the company committed billions to electrification, developing an entire family of battery-powered vehicles under its ID branding.

The ID.4, which arrived in the United States in 2021, was a particularly important part of that strategy. It offered the familiar dimensions and practicality of a compact SUV, along with the promise of lower operating costs and freedom from the gas pump.

Volkswagen even invested in producing it domestically, making Chattanooga a major part of its North American EV operation.

For a while, the numbers looked encouraging. ID.4 sales rose in 2025, helped by the federal EV tax credit, which made the vehicle substantially more attractive to buyers. But after the credit expired on September 30, 2025, sales collapsed.

According to Volkswagen’s sales figures, the company sold just 338 ID.4s in the first three months of 2026, compared with 7,663 during the same period a year earlier. That’s a decline of nearly 96%.

By April, Volkswagen had made its decision. ID.4 production in Tennessee was finished, although remaining inventory would be available into 2027. The company hasn’t ruled out bringing back a revised version.

And the ID.4 isn’t the only electric Volkswagen that’s had a rough time.

I happen to love the ID. Buzz, Volkswagen’s battery-powered revival of the old Microbus. The styling is terrific, there’s plenty of room inside, and it’s a vehicle that makes you smile just looking at it.

But every time I’ve driven one, I’ve thought the same thing: Where’s the range extender? The driving range just isn’t enough for a vehicle designed to take people and their families on trips. Add the high price, and you’ve got a tough sell.

Volkswagen skipped the 2026 model year for the ID. Buzz and has since delayed its American return until the 2028 model year.

Look, there’s nothing wrong with building electric vehicles. But they have to make sense for the people buying them. Price matters. Range matters. And so does being able to get where you’re going without worrying about your next charging stop.

The Atlas gets a second chance

Which brings us to the 2027 Atlas.

My co-host Karl Brauer and I recently drove the redesigned SUV at a Volkswagen event in Huntsville, Alabama, not far from the Chattanooga factory where it’s built.

First of all, if you’ve never been to Huntsville, it’s a beautiful place to drive. The roads were excellent, the scenery was gorgeous, and the weather was just about perfect.

The Atlas has always had one big advantage over many of its three-row competitors: space. And I mean usable space, especially in that third row.

I know people who have kept their Atlases for years because they love them. One family I know has driven theirs from one end of the country to the other with adults sitting in the third row and all their luggage packed inside. No complaints. That’s pretty impressive.

Fortunately, Volkswagen hasn’t messed that up with the redesign.

The new Atlas still has that generous passenger room, but the interior is considerably more upscale. The materials are nicer, the seats are comfortable, and there’s a lot more technology.

Depending on the trim, you get upgraded seating surfaces, a large central touchscreen, digital instruments, and the kind of detailing you’d expect in a more expensive vehicle. The available Harman Kardon audio system is especially impressive. Volkswagen even offers built-in games, including classics like Tetris and Uno, that you can play while the vehicle is parked.

Now, I don’t know that anyone needs to play video games in their SUV, but if you’re waiting to pick up the kids or sitting around at a campsite, I can see the appeal.

Under the hood is a revised 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 282 horsepower, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard on lower trims, with all-wheel drive available.

Prices start at $43,135 and climb to $58,135 for the fully equipped SEL Premium R-Line.

One of the nice things about the Atlas is that you don’t have to buy the most expensive version to get a well-equipped family vehicle. Even the base model comes with a lot of features people actually use.

Overall, I was impressed. Volkswagen has done a very nice job.

But there’s one thing I don’t understand.

Where’s the hybrid?

The new Atlas comes with just one powertrain: that turbocharged gasoline four-cylinder.

And while it’s reasonably efficient for a large SUV, an EPA-estimated 25 mpg combined with front-wheel drive and 23 mpg with all-wheel drive isn’t particularly exciting when you look at what the competition is doing.

Take the 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid.

Its 2.5-liter turbocharged hybrid system makes 329 horsepower — considerably more than the Atlas — and gets an EPA-estimated 35 mpg combined in the front-wheel-drive EX trim. Even the all-wheel-drive Telluride Hybrid gets 31 mpg combined.

That’s a big difference when you’re driving a three-row family SUV every day.

The Telluride Hybrid starts at $46,490 before destination, and a fully equipped version costs roughly what Volkswagen charges for its top-of-the-line Atlas.

So think about that. You’ve got two roomy, well-equipped, three-row SUVs. Both have attractive interiors, modern technology, and plenty of room for the family. But the Kia gives you more horsepower, substantially better fuel economy, and a longer powertrain warranty.

That’s going to be a pretty easy comparison for a lot of buyers.

Hyundai and Kia have been doing an excellent job lately. They understand the American market, they offer a lot of equipment for the money, and they’re giving customers a choice of gasoline, hybrid, and electric vehicles.

Volkswagen knows it’s missing something. At the 2026 New York International Auto Show, Volkswagen Group of America CEO Kjell Gruner confirmed that hybrids are coming to the Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport, and Tiguan.

But we’re not getting an Atlas hybrid right away. It’s planned for a future midcycle refresh, which industry reports suggest could put its arrival around the 2029 or 2030 model year.

That’s a long time to wait when your competitors already have theirs in showrooms.

RELATED: Is your car reading your texts? Only the auto industry knows for sure

New York Daily News/Getty Images

Giving buyers a choice

Now, Volkswagen isn’t abandoning electric vehicles altogether. The company continues developing EVs for other markets, and there’s certainly room for electric Volkswagens in America if they offer the right combination of price, range, and practicality.

But I find the Chattanooga decision especially interesting.

Here’s a company that invested heavily in building electric vehicles in America, and now it’s using that factory capacity to build more gasoline-powered SUVs. Volkswagen clearly sees where the demand is.

And changing course isn’t cheap. In its April financial report, the company disclosed roughly half a billion euros in costs associated with adjusting its American product strategy.

The good news is that the redesigned Atlas is an excellent vehicle. It’s roomy, comfortable, attractive, and loaded with technology. I think a lot of families are going to be very happy with it.

But I also think Volkswagen missed an opportunity by launching it without a hybrid. Kia and Hyundai already have compelling alternatives that offer better fuel economy without asking drivers to change how they use their vehicles.

That’s what more buyers want: options. Some want gasoline. Some want hybrids. Some want electric. And plenty of people just want a reliable, comfortable family SUV they can afford to own and drive.

​Assembly line, Auto industry, Cars, Evs, Hybrids, Lifestyle, Volkswagen, Automotive 

Federal agents shot and arrested a “criminal illegal alien” in the Bronx on Thursday, according to the Department of Homeland Security, after he allegedly rammed into them during a law enforcement operation despite having his young son in the vehicle.

Democrats and the liberal media rushed to paint the nonfatal shooting of 28-year-old Dominican national Oscar Bengal as terroristic or at the very least as unwarranted, and the alien — whose deportation was temporarily blocked on Friday by an Obama judge — as a misunderstood, music-loving “New Yorker.”

‘I am angry tonight.’

It appears that Democrats and their fellow travelers have once again rallied behind a dangerous foreign thug who has had numerous run-ins with the law.

Thug life

Immigration and Customs Enforcement intelligence shows that “Bengal traveled to the southern border as part of a caravan seeking to exploit the Biden administration’s disastrous open border,” a DHS spokesman told Blaze News. “He and countless others successfully snuck into our country at an unknown place and time.”

After stealing into the U.S., Bengal continued to break American law.

He was, for instance, arrested in New York City in 2023 and charged with two counts of petit larceny, two counts of third-degree robbery, two counts of criminal possession of a weapon with intention to use, grand larceny, two counts criminal possession of stolen property, two counts of menacing, and two counts of menacing with a weapon.

Bengal ultimately pleaded guilty to fourth-degree grand larceny and was sentenced to five years’ probation. The DHS indicated that he was cut loose before ICE could lodge a detainer.

Bengal was then arrested in August 2025 after allegedly selling fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin to an undercover cop on multiple occasions.

According to court documents reviewed by the New York Daily News, the Dominican was indicted in December on one count of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the second degree and nine counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance in third degree.

RELATED: Shattered by socialism: ‘Escaping Venezuela’ offers a warning for Mamdani’s America

Screenshot, New York Police Department, X video

A spokesperson for the New York City Special Narcotics Prosecutor’s Office told the Daily News that at the time he was shot last week, Bengal had “been out on supervised release” for the drug charges. Court records show that his next scheduled appearance in the drug case is Dec. 2.

Bengal also faces active charges in New York for alleged assault and robbery, had protection orders lodged against him twice in January, and is allegedly a “documented associate of the notorious Trinitario street gang in the Bronx, NY,” according to the DHS.

A DHS spokesman told Blaze News that on Sept. 18, ICE attempted to apprehend Bengal in the Bronx.

“He disobeyed ICE officers’ lawful commands and fled law enforcement. For the safety of the general public, ICE stood down and did not pursue him that day,” said the spokesman.

Bengal’s latest arrest

When ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations officers positively identified Bengal driving on Thursday, they “used their vehicles to conduct a vehicle stop and approached Bengal’s vehicle on foot,” said the DHS.

The DHS alleged that Bengal “then rammed the ICE vehicles and appeared that he intended to strike officers on foot.”

Evidently believing that their lives were in jeopardy, one ICE officer opened fire, grazing Bengal’s neck.

“Bengal refused lawful orders to exit his vehicle. He then accelerated his vehicle, smashing into two of our ICE vehicles. He then weaponized his vehicle and proceeded to accelerate his vehicle toward other officers,” said ICE ERO Executive Director Marcos Charles. “Our officer, believing that their life, the lives of their partners, and the lives of the general public were in danger, used their training and fired their weapon.”

Bengal’s lawyers did not respond to Blaze News’ request for comment by deadline.

At the time of the shooting, Bengal’s young son was in his vehicle.

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin emphasized that “Oscar put his child at risk when he chose to accelerate, hit two federal vehicles, and also weaponize the vehicle and move towards at an accelerated rate towards officers that were trying to apprehend him.”

Mullin noted that his agency knew that this was going to be a “contentious arrest” and that precautions were taken to maximize safety at the time it was conducted.

Bodycam footage released by the New York Police Department shows police taking Bengal from the officers who had administered first aid and transporting the convict to the hospital, where he received attention for what the DHS described as a “superficial” injury.

Leftists rush in

After the shooting, a mob soon gathered outside New York Presbyterian Allen Hospital to protest ICE, trapping federal officers inside the building, reported the New York Daily News.

In the hours and days that followed Bengal’s arrest, the anti-ICE protests turned violent.

Leftist officials and the liberal media helped feed the mob’s rage and misconceptions, namely that ICE had targeted a “New Yorker” and that the shooting was unjustified.

New York City Democrat Mayor Zohran Mamdani rushed to condemn the incident, tweeting, “This is an unconscionable and incredibly serious situation. I have called the President; when we speak I will demand that he ends all ICE enforcement actions in our city. I will not stand by while ICE agents terrorize our communities.”

“Our thoughts are with the injured New Yorker and his family tonight. We are praying for his recovery,” added the democratic socialist mayor.

Mamdani, who tried to negotiate the convict’s release, later stated, “I am angry tonight. Because today ICE shot a New Yorker. They shot a New Yorker while his five year old child was in the car. ICE makes this city less safe.”

Carmen De La Rosa, a Democrat New York City Council member who was born in the Dominican Republic, attacked ICE, stating that “no matter what DHS alleges this adult male did, that does not warrant a death sentence.”

“This is a rogue, untrained, unprofessional agency and a dastardly strain on the country,” said the foreign-born leftist. “It must be abolished.”

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) noted on Thursday that she had spoken with President Donald Trump and Mullin and “expressed outrage on behalf of New Yorkers and urged them to halt ICE enforcement operations in New York.”

The following day, Hochul insinuated that ICE — not the criminal alien — had put Bengal’s son at risk and suggested after speaking to the boy’s mother that “all I wanted to do was give her a hug and tell her this never should have happened to her family.”

Democratic Socialists of America called the shooting a “horrifying demonstration of the terror ICE brings into our communities.”

When similarly melting down, Darializa Avila Chevalier — the Islamic anti-police, anti-Israel, anti-border socialist now poised to win a congressional seat in New York as a Democrat — initially referred to the criminal noncitizen as a “member of our community.”

After New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tish publicly referred to Bengal’s thuggish history, Chevalier told Hasan Piker that Bengal’s criminal record and immigration status “doesn’t even matter.”

“Police Commissioner Tisch came out, and I understand that it is her role to provide more information, and that is why she comes to these press conferences,” said the congressional candidate. “But rather than, you know, condemn ICE, rather than condemn the shooting or the events that had just taken place, she started to villainize Oscar, right?”

Chevalier suggested further that the thug’s alleged efforts to evade and attack law enforcement constituted self-defense and stressed that “he needs to be released.”

The New York Times, of course, did its part by painting Bengal as a “friendly,” music-loving neighbor.

While his name has appeared with multiple spellings in court documents and recent reports, the DHS confirmed that the proper spelling is “Bengal.”

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​Department of homeland security, Immigration, Illegal alien, Kathy hochul, Markwayne mullin, Zohran mamdani, Politics, Immigration and customs enforcement 

In Onondaga County, New York, a union has gone to court to stop an artificial intelligence tool from answering nonemergency calls at the county’s 911 center. The system handles routine calls, roughly a third of the center’s volume, and transfers suspected emergencies to human operators. The county wants to use the technology. The union wants it stopped.

The union contends that the rollout violates its labor agreement. But its lawsuit puts a familiar priority on display: Protect work covered by the contract, even when new technology might improve a public service.

Americans should not have to sacrifice the benefits of invention to preserve yesterday’s job descriptions.

Labor unions exist to defend their members. They owe no comparable allegiance to consumers, employers, or workers who never join. That last group is enormous. Union members accounted for just 10% of U.S. wage and salary workers in 2025 and only 5.9% in the private sector. Yet a union can use its bargaining power to obstruct changes that would benefit everyone else.

American ports offer a more expensive example. The 2025 Container Port Performance Index, which measures vessel turnaround efficiency, ranked only one U.S. port among the world’s top 50: Philadelphia, at No. 48. Meanwhile, the International Longshoremen’s Association has made opposition to automation a central demand.

The ILA’s 2025 agreement with employers at East and Gulf Coast ports delivered a 62% wage increase over six years. It also restricted automation. As Jordan McGillis reported in City Journal, employers must hire another longshoreman for every new semiautonomous crane they install, while fully autonomous cranes remain prohibited.

Better machines could move goods faster and reduce costs for businesses and consumers. The union secured limits on those machines instead. A Congressional Research Service report has also documented long-standing concerns about payroll fraud and organized crime influence involving the ILA on the New York-New Jersey waterfront.

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Jason Henry/Bloomberg/Getty Images

This struggle predates computers, robots, and artificial intelligence. Some medieval craft guilds protected their privileges by limiting competition and resisting techniques that threatened established trades. American unions have repeatedly followed that example.

When diesel locomotives displaced steam engines, railroads no longer needed firemen to tend boilers. Unions nevertheless fought to preserve those jobs. H.E. Gilbert, president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen, defended that struggle in 1963: “You can always mint more money. But you can’t mint new lives.”

Gilbert cared about the livelihoods of his members. He ignored the workers and families who would gain from cheaper, more efficient rail service. Protecting a job made obsolete by technology does not preserve the wealth that makes employment possible.

In 1971, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union staged a 134-day strike as containerization transformed shipping. The fight centered on jobs, jurisdiction, and work rules as machines replaced much of the labor once required to load cargo. In 1986, Rupert Murdoch moved his British newspapers to computerized printing at Wapping, dismissed 5,500 workers, and faced union picketing for more than a year.

RELATED: The future belongs to people who believe in one

Cheng Xin/Getty Images

In each dispute, established workers fought to defend their position against technological change. The gains from new equipment, however, extended well beyond the employers who purchased it. Consumers gained faster service and lower costs; other workers benefited from a more productive economy.

Workers should remain free to join unions and bargain collectively. Voluntary labor organizations belong in a free society. But decades of government intervention have given organized labor legal privileges that can come at the expense of nonunion workers, employers, and customers. Those privileges deserve scrutiny, not automatic deference.

A union has every incentive to protect its members. The public has no obligation to make that protection the governing purpose of an industry or a taxpayer-funded service. The East India Company did not trade in a free market simply because it conducted commerce. Nor does a union bargain in a free labor market when government grants it advantages unavailable to everyone else.

Innovation raises living standards by allowing people to produce more with less. Organized labor can help workers adapt to that progress, or it can try to halt it. Americans should not have to sacrifice the benefits of invention to preserve yesterday’s job descriptions.

​Artificial intelligence, Competition, Court, East coast, Employers, Gulf coast, Labor market, Labor unions, Machines, New york, Shipping, Technology, Union, Opinion & analysis 

Two females have been charged after allegedly punching, stomping, kicking, and biting a St. Louis-area gas station security guard — who also happens to be a rookie police officer.

St. Louis County prosecutors charged Shaniya Lewis and Nayonna Griffin, both 20, with second-degree assault of a special victim and resisting or interfering with an arrest for a felony, KSDK-TV reported. Both suspects remained behind bars Tuesday on $100,000 cash-only bonds, the station said.

‘He’s only been with us a short period of time, but he’s a hard worker.’

St. Louis County Police told KSDK the incident occurred Sunday morning at the QuikTrip at 12110 Lusher Road. The off-duty Hillsdale Police Department officer was working a secondary security job there, the station said.

Charging documents said things got under way when the guard approached Griffin after she threw items at him, KSDK reported, adding that Lewis soon joined in, struggled with the guard, and threw him to the ground.

Police told the station Lewis repeatedly punched the guard while Griffin stomped on his head. What’s more, Lewis actually reached for his gun but was unable to remove it from its holster, KSDK said.

When additional officers arrived and attempted to detain Griffin, police told the station she continued grabbing the guard’s hair, kicking, flailing, and attempting to run away. She also kept her hands away from officers as they tried to handcuff her, KSDK said.

You can view video of the attack here.

RELATED: Smiling thug accused of fatally shooting Philly cop in ambush; officer had wife, 2 young children

KSDK in a separate story said Hillsdale Police Department officials confirmed Monday that the security guard is a rookie on their force.

“I wish that somebody would intervene,” Hillsdale Assistant Police Chief Lt. Col. Herb Simmons told the station in regard to onlookers recording the attack on their phones. “You know, I understand you want to try to be Facebook famous or whatever, but just imagine if that was your brother that was getting jumped or a cousin. Why can’t you step in, be the bigger person, and pull one of them away?”

Simmons also commended his officer for not using excessive force, KSDK said: “If he’s fatigued and he’s out and they were trying to disarm him it could have went into a shooting situation. They were trying to take his weapon, stuff off his belt. It could have went totally different.”

Simmons added to the station that store surveillance cameras captured roughly four minutes of video that St. Louis County detectives are reviewing: “If one person might have stepped in and pulled one person away, it wouldn’t have went this far.”

The rookie officer was taken to a hospital for treatment, KSDK said, adding that police officials said he suffered minor injuries including bite marks and bruises and is expected to recover and return to work on Wednesday.

“He’s only been with us a short period of time, but he’s a hard worker,” Simmons added to the station. “He hustles, he does what he needs to do. I can call him at the drop of a hat, and he’ll show up.”

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​Arrests, Gas station, Missouri, Off-duty police officer, Physical attack, St louis county, Viral video, Security guard, Crime