Leaders of a Methodist church in California say the church was “desecrated” by federal immigration agents and suggested that their right to worship had been violated by the operation.

The Department of Homeland Security released a statement denying that agents had targeted the church and clarified that the illegal alien who was detained had previously been removed from the U.S. in 2016.

‘This was a violation of our Sacred Right to Worship and Serve our Lord Jesus Christ Freely and Safely.’

Local media reported that the community was “devastated” by the Thursday arrest that ended up on the grounds of the North Hills United Methodist Church in the San Fernando Valley.

“With sadness and pain in our hearts we want to share that on January 29 our Beloved Church was desecrated by immigration agents who entered our property wearing masks and carrying weapons. Despite being asked not to enter, they did not respect our request and forced their way in,” read a statement from the church.

Leaders said they were forced to stop their ministries because of the operation.

“This tragedy caused significant trauma to members of our church and to the broader community,” they added. “This was a violation of our Sacred Right to Worship and Serve our Lord Jesus Christ Freely and Safely.”

The church said that Carlos Chavez, a taco vendor, was arrested and described him as a “beloved community member.”

A nonprofit leader said that Chavez had sought refuge at the church but agents did not hesitate to rush in.

“We realized a second truck had positioned itself at the church parking lot exit, with three additional agents blocking the entrance — all were dressed in tactical gear, fully masked with large firearms,” said Mayra Medina-Núñez. “Their presence terrified children and families on sacred church grounds.”

The DHS issued a statement saying that other illegal aliens were captured during the operation.

RELATED: ‘Little f**king c***s!’ Democrat treasurer fired over video of him spewing obscenities at women at ICE protest

“U.S. Border Patrol did NOT target United Methodist Church or its parking lot in North Hills, California,” said the DHS in the statement.

“On January 29, Border Patrol conducted an immigration enforcement operation in the area of Rayen Street and Sepulveda Boulevard that resulted in the arrest of Carlos Chavez-Guzman, an illegal alien from Mexico who was previously removed from this country in 2016,” the department added. “Chavez-Guzman chose to run from law enforcement, a federal crime, leading them on a foot chase before his arrest.”

Two other individuals from Mexico were arrested and taken into ICE custody, the DHS said.

Chavez’s wife told KTLA-TV that he had already been deported to Mexico.

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Democratic allies and legacy media outlets are celebrating Taylor Rehmet’s victory in Texas Senate District 9’s special runoff as a historic upset for Republicans — but they fail to note that Rehmet will likely never even cast a vote unless he wins again later this year.

Mark Lucas, the founder of Veteran Action, stated that a progressive political action committee funded by George Soros spent $500,000 to flip the Texas Senate race in a district where President Donald Trump secured a 17-point victory.

‘The Democrats were energized. Too many Republicans stayed home.’

“My org @VeteranAction is incredibly important to counter the left’s attempt to chip away at the veteran vote — something the GOP cannot afford to take for granted,” Lucas wrote. “Meanwhile, the radical left is investing heavily to recruit veteran candidates to retake the House in 2026. They will quickly impeach Trump and obstruct our AMERICA FIRST agenda.”

George Soros’ Open Society Foundations provided $2.58 million in grants to VoteVets Action Fund from 2019 to 2024, according to the foundation’s website. The grants included support for the organization’s advocacy of “progressive, diplomacy-first foreign policy,” “congressional war powers,” and “preventing executive abuse.”

On January 31, VoteVets announced in a post on X that it was proud to have endorsed and financially supported Rehmet with “over $500K” in an independent expenditure.

Rehmet defeated Republican opponent Leigh Wambsganss, securing a 14-point victory.

RELATED: ‘Dead on arrival’: Chuck Schumer says Dems will ‘go all out’ to defeat voter ID bill

Photo by MARK FELIX/AFP via Getty Images

VoteVets celebrated Rehmet’s victory in flipping the district blue in the special runoff election, noting that a Democrat had not been elected in decades.

Legacy media outlets and Rehmet’s Democratic supporters have portrayed the election as a massive political upset for Republicans.

RELATED: Exclusive: SAVE Act hangs in the balance as Republican Study Committee pushes for Senate passage

Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images

Despite the substantial funds the Democrats invested in the race, it seems these efforts were primarily for show, as the seat will be contested again in November 2026 for a full four-year term. Further, the Republicans in the Texas Senate hold a solid majority, and the legislature is not in session until January 2027.

The Texas Scorecard noted that the special election runoff saw low turnout, with just under 95,000 ballots cast, representing roughly 15% of all registered voters.

Rehmet and Wambsganss are expected to run against one another again in the November election.

Wambsganss called the January 31 election results “a wakeup call for Republicans in Tarrant County, Texas, and the nation.”

“The Democrats were energized. Too many Republicans stayed home. … Mr. Rehmet and I will face each other again in November, and I fully expect the results to be different,” she stated. “The dynamics of a Special Election are fundamentally different from a November General Election.”

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​News, Taylor rehmet, Mark lucas, Veteran action, George soros, Soros, Open society foundations, Votevets action fund, Votevets, Leigh wambsganss, Texas, Special election, Politics 

“Today” host Savannah Guthrie’s mother, Nancy Guthrie, has gone missing under mysterious circumstances. Police suspect she may have been abducted from her home in Arizona.

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement that the 84-year-old was last seen Saturday night at her home in Catalina Foothills, just north of Tucson.

‘She didn’t walk from there. She didn’t go willingly.’

During a Monday press conference, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said that Guthrie’s disappearance was first reported Sunday morning after a church friend noticed she was absent from services and alerted one of her adult children.

“The family went to the house. I’m thinking they spent some time looking for her themselves before they called us,” Nanos said, according to ABC News.

However, Guthrie could not be found, and now investigators believe foul play may have been involved.

The Arizona Department of Public Safety said in a statement, “All her personal belongings, to include her wallet, cell phone, and vehicle, were still there, but she was nowhere to be found.”

CBS News reported that Nanos added, “We saw some things at the home that were concerning to us.”

“We believe now, after we’ve processed that crime scene, that we do in fact have a crime scene, that we do in fact have a crime, and we’re asking the community’s help,” Nanos added.

Nanos warned, “I hope we find her safe and sound, but we can’t ignore what’s in front of us.”

Sgt. David Stivers of the Pima County Sheriff’s Department revealed that investigators found “circumstances on scene that we believe are suspicious in nature.”

Sheriff Nanos told People magazine that investigators “have taken what we believe is biological DNA-type evidence, and we are submitting it to our labs.”

Law enforcement sources reportedly said investigators found blood inside Guthrie’s home.

The Los Angeles Times reported, “The sources, who were not authorized to discuss the case publicly, said there were signs of forced entry. It’s unclear whose blood was found inside the house.”

Pima County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Kevin Adger told the Los Angeles Times, “At this point, investigators believe she was taken from the home against her will, possibly [in the] middle of the night. Detectives are looking into a possible kidnapping or abduction.”

Nanos said, “I believe she was abducted, yes. She didn’t walk from there. She didn’t go willingly.”

The sheriff said no motive has been established, and there is no early indication Guthrie was targeted because she is the mother of Savannah Guthrie. Yet, he cautioned, “We can’t dismiss that.”

Nanos told CBS News that investigators “will certainly” examine the possibility that Guthrie was targeted.

The sheriff said, “Was she being stalked? Did she have some people out there harassing her or something?”

Nanos added, “We’re not going to dismiss any angles, for sure, but right now, immediately, we don’t know of anything like that.”

RELATED: Stunned judge reveals fate of woman involved in deadly kidnapping of 2 young sisters found in a pit — 1 did not survive

Nanos urged Guthrie’s neighbors to review home security cameras to see if they notice anything suspicious from last weekend.

“They still might see something,” Nanos stated. “Maybe it’s somebody walking by. Maybe it’s some vehicle driving by at that time of day.”

A search-and-rescue team is utilizing drones, helicopters, and heat sensors to try to track down the missing woman.

Two sources told CBS News that the FBI is assisting in the investigation.

Guthrie’s family is working with law enforcement to help find her.

Nanos noted that Guthrie was “not of good physical health, and so naturally we are concerned,” Newsweek reported. Nanos added that her physical challenges and age limited her ability to move around.

“She did not leave on her own, we know that,” Nanos stated.

Guthrie’s family told investigators that she did not have cognitive issues, and the sheriff added, “She’s very alert, and she’s of good, sound mind.”

“This is not a dementia-related; she is as sharp as a tack,” Nanos said. “The family wants everybody to know this isn’t somebody who just wandered off.”

Nanos said during the press conference, “This is an 84-year-old lady who suffers from some physical ailments, has some physical challenges, is in need of medication — medication that, if she doesn’t have in 24 hours, it could be fatal.”

The sheriff’s department said Guthrie is 5 feet 5 inches tall, has brown hair and blue eyes, and weighs 150 pounds.

Savannah Guthrie was absent from the “Today” show Monday and Tuesday as authorities attempted to locate her mother, but the anchor issued the following statement Monday:

On behalf of our family, I want to thank everyone for the thoughts, prayers and messages of support. Right now, our focus remains on the safe return of our dear mom. We thank law enforcement for their hard work on this case and encourage anyone with information to contact the Pima County Sheriff’s Department at (520) 351-4900.

On Monday night, Savannah Guthrie asked her Instagram followers for prayers:

We believe in prayer. We believe in voices raised in unison, in love, in hope. We believe in goodness. We believe in humanity. Above all, we believe in Him.

Thank you for lifting your prayers with ours for our beloved mom, our dearest Nancy, a woman of deep conviction, a good and faithful servant. Raise your prayers with us and believe with us that she will be lifted by them in this very moment.

We need you.

“He will keep in perfect peace those whose hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord,” a verse of Isaiah for all time for all of us.

Bring her home.

Police are asking the public for help in locating Guthrie.

“Every detail matters. Even small tips could make a difference,” the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said. “Please share this post to help us reach more people. Thank you for your continued assistance and support.”

A reward of up to $2,500 is being offered for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for her disappearance.

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department established a tip line; anyone with information is urged to contact the department at 520-351-4900.

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Cellphone videos caught the moment when an all-out brawl erupted between an adult male with a MAGA hat and over a dozen apparent high school students at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement protest Monday afternoon in Texas.

The Buda Police Department said a Hays County Sheriff’s Office school resource officer at Moe and Gene Johnson High School in Buda indicated that students were conducting a “walkout” protest on RM967. Buda is about 20 minutes southwest of Austin.

‘Hey, you want another a**-beating, come on out!’

Law enforcement personnel responded to the area to provide safety and security for pedestrians and motorists, police said.

But police added that Buda officers were dispatched to the intersection of RM967 and FM1626 for a fight in progress just before 3 p.m.

Arriving officers were notified that a female juvenile on the sidewalk and an adult male in a vehicle were engaged in a verbal argument, police said, adding that the argument escalated into a physical altercation involving multiple people.

You can view a clip of the brawl in KXAN-TV’s video report about the altercation; it shows what appears to be at least a dozen apparent high school students punching and kicking the adult male, knocking him to the ground, and even putting him in a headlock until he’s able to get up and retreat to his vehicle. There is no audio.

Both primary parties involved were identified, the situation remains under investigation, and no arrests have been made at this time, police said.

A Hays Consolidated Independent School District spokesperson told KXAN-TV that the district is aware of the video of the fight but said police are handling the investigation since the incident happened off campus.

RELATED: Minnesota police FINALLY fight back: Cops hit violent anti-ICE mob with tear gas, arrests outside hotel supposedly housing feds

Image source: Buda (Texas) Police Department

Buda Police on Tuesday told Blaze News they expect to make an arrest or arrests but have no timeline for when that will happen. Blaze News asked police if the adult male involved in the fight is a teacher — due to numerous social media posts indicating he is — but police replied, “Not that we’re aware of.”

One crucial element police confirmed to Blaze News is that the adult male involved in the fight did indeed have a red MAGA hat on his person during the altercation.

There are a handful of videos of the fight apart from the clip included in KXAN’s video report — and they are linked in comments under the police department’s Facebook post about the brawl.

As police noted, the adult male was in a vehicle when he verbally argued with the juvenile female — and then things got physical. Indeed one clip recorded from a distance shows what appears to be the adult male on the street swinging at a female as they move from the street to the sidewalk and to the grass.

A second clip recorded very close to the fight shows what appears to be the adult male holding a MAGA hat while swinging at a female and pushing her backward as she fights back; she momentarily grabs the MAGA hat before she falls to the grass.

A third clip includes what the KXAN video shows — except with audio. Those fighting and watching the brawl are heard yelling, “What the f**k?” and “Get him!” and “F**k ICE! You’re a bitch!” and “F**kin’ kill yourself!”

Once the adult male is back in his vehicle — and his MAGA hat is back in his possession — one individual from the crowd is heard yelling at him, “Hey, you want another ass-beating, come on out!” The adult male eventually puts the MAGA hat on his head.

What isn’t clear is why the adult male got out of his vehicle in the first place.

When Blaze News asked police if the adult male indicated why he left his vehicle and physically fought the juvenile female, police replied that it’s still under investigation.

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