ICE Arrests 10,000 in 5 days

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ICE Arrests 10,000 in 5 days

(Headline USA) Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 10,000 people over a five-day period at the end of June, marking a major push by the agency tasked with carrying out the Trump administration’s mass deportations agenda.

The arrest numbers, obtained from a person familiar with the information who spoke anonymously to discuss data that has not been publicly released, comes after the agency shifted its approach from high-profile arrest sweeps in major American cities to quieter ways to reach President Donald Trump’s deportation goals.

The figures indicate that while the administration is no longer cracking down on individual cities, the arrests continue and are surging.

The total number of arrests during the five-day period starting Friday and ending Tuesday translates into roughly 2,000 arrests per day. It was not clear where the arrests had taken place.

The spike in arrests was first reported by The New York Times.

“Since Day One, DHS law enforcement has been delivering on President Trump’s promise to the American people to arrest and deport criminal illegal aliens including murderers, rapists, pedophiles, gang members, and terrorists,” said the Department of Homeland Security in a statement. “Our message is clear: if you come to our country illegally, we will find you, we will arrest you, and we will deport you.”

The arrests news also comes as the number of people entered into ICE detention facilities climbed in June to roughly 39,000 after hovering around 30,000 per month since February, according to information obtained by The Associated Press.

ICE doesn’t publicly release arrest data, making exact comparisons with previous periods difficult. But according to data provided to UC Berkeley’s Deportation Data Project and analyzed by The Associated Press, 2,000 arrests per day would mark a sharp increase over previous periods.

December had the most ICE arrests since the beginning of the Trump administration, and that month only averaged 1,283 arrests per day nationwide.

In January, at a time when the administration flooded the streets of Minneapolis and surrounding regions with hundreds of immigration enforcement officers, arrests averaged about 1,212 per day across the country.

But Minneapolis proved to be a turning point in the Trump administration’s mass deportations agenda after two American citizens were killed by immigration officers while protesting the crackdown in Minneapolis.

Border Czar Tom Homan started drawing down the number of officers in Minnesota as the agency stepped back from the flashy surge operations that had been common during the tenure of then- Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

In February, immigration arrests fell to 1,057 a day, according to information from the Deportation Data Project. The Project sued through the Freedom of Information Act to obtain the ICE arrests data and it is only current through February.

After Noem was fired, her successor at Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin, suggested he’d be taking a more low-profile approach to immigration enforcement and he aimed to get the department out of the headlines. But Mullin was expected to adopt Trump’s priorities on immigration.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

Joey Chestnut Eats 66 Hot Dogs to Again Win National Championship

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Joey Chestnut Eats 66 Hot Dogs to Again Win National Championship

(Headline USA) Crowds gathered in the sweltering heat Saturday to celebrate the United States’ 250th birthday by watching famed competitive eater Joey “Jaws” Chestnut defend his world hot dog eating championship in Coney Island, where he downed 66 hot dogs in just 10 minutes. Miki Sudo defended her title as well in the women’s division.

Saturday marked the 18th time Chestnut, 42, won the so-called Mustard Belt in just 21 appearances at the internationally televised Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest. He beat out 13 competitors who came from around the country and world, trekking from the Czech Republic, Australia and South Korea.

“It’s a dream, it’s electric, there’s no place better on Earth,” Chestnut said breathlessly in an interview immediately after the showdown, donning a bulky, bejeweled necklace bearing the name of the sports betting company “Polymarket” around his neck. In a video posted on Instagram before the competition, Chestnut called competitive hot dog eating “the most patriotic sport we’ve got.”

Chestnut handily defeated the second-place winner, Patrick Bertoletti, 41, who ate 50 hot dogs, but fell short of his own 2021 record of 76 wieners and buns — or approximately 7.6 hot dogs per minute.

Defending champion in the women’s division, the 40-year-old Sudo of Tampa, Florida, won the bright pink Mustard Belt for the 12th time, downing 38.75 dogs. In 2024, she ate a record 51 links.

After competing, Sudo joined the crowd to watch her husband — who proposed to her in 2021 immediately after downing 50 boiled eggs in just over 3 minutes to set a world record — compete in the men’s event.

Both champions said that the heatwave that scorched New York on Saturday — bringing temperatures in Brooklyn to roughly 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) during the competition — made that much more difficult. On top of that, ESPN announcers said the humidity changed the consistency of the buns.

“I just said I would have to rely on muscle memory, and the crowd really carried me through to another belt today,” Sudo said.

A large crowd braved the heat to watch the event, wearing foam hot dogs on their heads and standing outside the original Nathan’s Famous restaurant that has been in Coney Island, Brooklyn, since 1972. The superfans who stood closest to the stage wore ponchos as protection in case a competitor threw up.

There was briefly some concern earlier this year that Chestnut wouldn’t be able to participate in the 2026 competition after he was arrested for allegedly slapping a man in an Indiana bar. He was put on probation after pleading guilty to misdemeanor battery, but is allowed to travel outside Indiana. Hot dog contest organizer Major League Eating said the criminal case didn’t affect Chestnut’s eligibility for the competition.

Despite his continued reign, Chestnut told an ESPN interviewer after the game that he was disappointed that he wasn’t able to top his previous record.

“Dang, I got so much room left,” said Chestnut, who announcers referred to as the “Michelangelo of Mastication.”

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

Two Cities Cancel July 4th Parades Amid Record-Breaking Temperatures

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Two Cities Cancel July 4th Parades Amid Record-Breaking Temperatures

(, The Center Square) As a record-breaking heat wave sweeps across the central and eastern United States, two cities central to American independence have canceled July 4 celebrations.

Philadelphia canceled its iconic Fourth of July parade, citing extreme heat warnings, as did Washington. D.C.’s city government. The federal government still has a massive event and fireworks show planned on the National Mall.

“This decision was made after extensive and careful consideration of the safety of our participants, spectators and staff as the top priority,” said a statement from the office of Washington D.C.’s Mayor Murial Bowser.

As of Saturday morning, nearly 74 million people are currently under active National Weather Service heat alerts, while roughly 165 million are expected to face major or extreme heat-related health risks through the holiday weekend.

On Thursday, Washington D.C., broke its previous 1898 record—which stood for 128 years at 101°—with a high of 102°.

While Washington D.C., did cancel its parade, other celebrations of America’s 250th are still planned in the nation’s capital, including the “Salute to America Celebration & Fireworks” event and a speech from President Donald Trump.

Trump recently brushed off concerns about the heat, vowing to still deliver a long speech.

“I’m going to go, and I’m going to make a really long speech just to show that I can do anything,” Trump said during a speech in North Dakota on Wednesday.

This comes as temperatures in Washington D.C., are expected to rise to 101° today, while the city’s heat index is expected to hover between 110° and 115°.

Organizers of Saturday’s “Salute to America” celebration have adjusted the event schedule in anticipation of high temperatures. To reduce the amount of time attendees spend waiting in the heat, the event grounds won’t open to the public until 5 p.m.

“The safety and well-being of every guest remains our top priority as we celebrate this historic 250th Independence Day,” Freedom 250, United States Park Police, National Park Service, the United States Secret Service, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency said in a joint statement. “We are proud to welcome the public to a safe, well-prepared, and truly memorable celebration of America’s 250th birthday.”

You can watch America 250 events live at freedom250.org/.

Trump to Cut Solar, Wind Subsidies on July 4th

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Trump to Cut Solar, Wind Subsidies on July 4th

(, The Center Square) The Trump administration is set to cut subsidies for new solar and wind power projects on Saturday. Estimates suggest the subsidies have cost taxpayers more than $141 billion over the past 16 years, more than any other energy source.

The Working Families Tax Cuts, a signature piece of President Trump’s tax legislation signed a year ago, set Saturday as the deadline for federal tax credit subsidies on any new solar or wind projects not currently under construction.

U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright touted the subsidy deadline and criticized solar and wind energy projects in a video posted to social media Thursday.

“The wind doesn’t always blow, and the sun doesn’t always shine,” Wright said. “They drive up the system costs and increase Americans’ electricity prices.”

From 2010 to 2023, solar and wind energy projects received more than $141 billion in government subsidies combined, according to an analysis by the Texas Public Policy Foundation. The projects received more in government subsidies than any other energy source in the United States, the group reported.

“Beyond their direct costs, subsidies are causing artificially low or negative wholesale prices, scarcity prices during periods of high demand and low wind and solar generation, inefficient use of existing assets, and increased transmission costs,” Brent Bennett, a researcher at the Texas foundation wrote.

The government supports wind and solar projects through the Investment Tax Credit and the Production Tax Credit. The former is a one-time credit equal to the percentage of an amount invested and the latter is based on the amount of electricity produced.

Before the Trump administration’s proposed cut, the Congressional Budget Office estimated the two programs would increase the federal deficit by $308 billion between 2026 and 2035.

While the newly projected deficit isn’t expected to be as severe, the Trump administration’s push to end subsidies has led developers to rush projects in order to meet the accelerated July 4 deadline. Leaders in the wind and solar industry said the lapse in subsidies proved to be a motivating factor for construction to start on new projects.

The Solar Energy Industries Association estimated in a June report that developers had more than 200 gigawatts of solar capacity, which is enough energy to secure development through 2030. The wind energy industry developed 23 gigawatts of development projects, below the expected 46 gigawatts in the face of tax subsidies ending.

“While the solar industry has strong market fundamentals, it will take time to adjust to a post-tax-credit world,” the solar energy association wrote.

The Trump administration touted the benefits of the the Working Families Tax Cuts, including the rollback of solar and wind subsidies.

“The Working Families Tax Cut is not just good policy, it’s a demonstration of Republicans’ commitment and belief in the American worker and the American Dream,” a statement attributed to an unnamed White House official said.

Colorado’s 50,187-Acre Fire Tops U.S. Firefighting Priorities

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Colorado’s 50,187-Acre Fire Tops U.S. Firefighting Priorities

(, The Center Square) A 50,187-acre wildfire in Colorado has been declared the nation’s No. 1 firefighting priority.

Spanning Pueblo and Custer counties, the Aspen Acres Fire is expected to cost $15 million of taxpayer’s money to fight, according to an estimate from The National Interagency Fire Center.

But the final cost will be determined by a wide range of factors, including which resources are used to fight the fire.

“Colorado was moved to No. 1 as priorities for the entire Western United States, and the Aspen Acres fire was moved to the No. 1 priority [for the entire nation],” Mike Morgan, director of the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention & Control, said during a press briefing Thursday afternoon.

On Monday, Gov. Jared Polis announced a verbal disaster declaration in response to the Aspen Acres Fire. On Tuesday, Polis announced that Colorado had received a Federal Fire Management Assistance grant that covers 75% of the state’s eligible firefighting costs.

The Democratic governor also said the state has emergency resources at hand.

“We have state emergency funds for these kinds of things, and so we are always going to step in to protect life and property before we even know if we’re going to get paid back for some of it or won’t get paid back for some of it,” he said.

There are 14 large air tankers, six single engine air tankers deployed, 15 type-one helicopters deployed, five type-two helicopters operating, seven type-three helicopters, six air attack platforms, and two intelligence aircraft available in Colorado. On the Aspen Acres Fire, seven of the large air tankers, 326 personnel, two bulldozers, 128 engines and 14 water tenders have been deployed, Polis said.

The fire was discovered on Monday, has burned 50,187 acres and is 0% contained, according to the Incident Management team on Facebook. The fire is thought to be human-caused. Confirmation of the cause will come after the incident is under control, according to Polis.

Custer County Sheriff Rich Smith said that with the help of federal and local aid, 1,000 people will be committed to fighting the fire.

The combination of high winds and low humidity has made containment a challenge.

“I’ve been a firefighter in Colorado for 40 years, and I have never seen conditions like we’re seeing out there right now,” Morgan said.

Polis confirmed that over 160 structures have been destroyed and that it has likely grown close to 200.

“We’ve lost a lot of homes on this fire, we have a lot of other homes at risk,” Morgan said.

Evacuations for the towns of Beulah, Rye and San Isabel, among others, remain in place due to the fire.

Fire threats remain across the state, and new fires would require necessary resources to be taken away from the Aspen Acres Fire, according to Morgan.

“As resources are becoming more and more thin across Colorado, we’re going to start competing for resources, and that’s not a place we want to be. We are much more effective at catching unwanted fires when we have an abundance of resources, and that pool is drawing down rapidly,” Morgan told reporters Thursday.

Polis urged Coloradans to be smart over the holiday weekend.

“If you care about our state, if you care about our firefighters, do not use fireworks or other types of flames this Fourth of July weekend,” the governor said.

The Center Square reached out to the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention & Control. The agency requested questions by email, but did not reply with the answers by the time of publication.

Ukrainian Charged Over Alleged Role in Blowing Up Nord Stream Pipelines

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Ukrainian Charged Over Alleged Role in Blowing Up Nord Stream Pipelines

(Dave DeCamp, Antiwar.com) German prosecutors have charged a Ukrainian national over his alleged role in the September 2022 bombing of the Nord Stream pipelines, which previously brought natural gas from Russia to Germany.

The prosecutors say that the man, identified as Serhii K, a former Ukrainian military officer, led a sabotage team on the yacht Andromeda, from which the attack was allegedly carried out on behalf of Ukrainian authorities.

Serhii K, who was extradited from Italy, is being charged with attacking civil energy infrastructure, a war crime under international law. For his part, Serhii K has denied involvement, and his lawyer told Reuters he was confident the charges would be dropped.

Germany also sought the extradition of another Ukrainian allegedly involved in the attack, who was arrested in Poland. But last year, a Polish court ruled against his extradition and ordered his release. Polish officials also said they opposed the extradition and expressed support for the attack on Russia and Germany’s energy infrastructure.

There have been conflicting narratives over the Nord Stream bombings, with investigative journalist Seymour Hersh first reporting in February 2023 that President Biden himself ordered the attack and that it was carried out by US Navy divers who planted explosives during NATO drills in the Baltic Sea.

In the aftermath of the attack, US officials spoke positively of it, with then-US Secretary of State Antony Blinken calling it a “tremendous opportunity” to get Europe off Russian gas.

This article originally appeared at Antiwar.com.

Trump Pardons People Charged for Violating Vehicle Restrictions

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Trump Pardons People Charged for Violating Vehicle Restrictions

(Headline USA) President Donald Trump on Friday pardoned 11 people, including a former business partner of Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff and nine people identified by the White House as having helped people bypass emissions control systems on vehicles.

The acts of clemency come as Trump has issued a slew of pardons in his second term.

Trump earlier on Friday announced some of the pardons on social media, without identifying any of the recipients by name.

“It is my Great Honor to have just signed Pardons for six people who were persecuted by the Biden Administration, and were in, or being sent to, prison, for ‘fixing their car,’” Trump wrote on his Truth Social media network.

“I AM SETTING THEM ALL FREE, RIGHT NOW!” he said.

In a list provided Friday evening by the White House, Trump pardoned 11 people, including nine who faced charges related to violations of the Clean Air Act by disabling emissions monitoring systems on vehicles or selling devices that enabled emissions systems to be bypassed.

The pardons come after Trump on Monday signed a memo telling the Environmental Protection Agency that Americans can fix their own vehicles as they see fit. As he signed the memo, Trump referenced a diesel mechanic he pardoned last year who disabled emissions monitoring systems.

The memo also addressed aftermarket auto parts and would supersede the ability of the California Air Resources Board to evaluate parts that affect vehicle emissions.

The White House, in releasing the list of those pardoned, described Trump having “relieved consumers from these regulatory burdens.”

Beyond the emissions-related pardons, Trump on Friday also issued a pardon for Adam Kidan, a former business partner of Abramoff.

Kidan pleaded guilty in 2005 to fraud and conspiracy related to the purchase of a fleet of gambling boats, and in 2006 he was sentenced to nearly six years in prison.

The case was part of a broader investigation of the early 2000s lobbying scandal involving Abramoff, Capitol Hill, the Interior Department and members of President George W. Bush’s administration.

After leaving prison in 2009, Kidan began working at a staffing agency, went on to found a staffing business, Chartwell Staffing Solutions, and now serves as president of Empire Workforce Solutions, the White House said.

In March, the newspaper Newsday reported that Kidan was among the hosts of a fundraiser at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort for a Long Island Republican congressional candidate.

A message sent to Kidan’s business seeking comment was not immediately returned Friday evening.

Trump on Friday also pardoned ranch owner Jack Harvard, citing an “upstanding record” post-conviction and praising him for allowing the U.S. military and NATO troops to train on his land free of charge.

The White House did not immediately release additional details about Harvard, including his conviction. 

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

Gang Shootout in Detroit Shopping Mall Leaves 2 Dead

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Gang Shootout in Detroit Shopping Mall Leaves 2 Dead

(Headline USA) A shooting altercation between two groups of young people at a shopping mall in Dearborn, Michigan, left two people dead and a third injured Friday, police said.

The shooting at Fairlane Town Center sent mall patrons scrambling, including a person who was hit by a vehicle outside the mall while attempting to flee, Dearborn Police Chief Issa Shahin said.

People believed to be linked to the fight were being questioned at the police station, but no one was immediately taken into custody, he said.

Shahin said the altercation was not a random act: The two groups knew each other and after they came into contact at the mall a fight started that escalated into gunfire. Members of both groups had handguns, he said.

One of the victims died inside Fairlane Town Center and the other died at a nearby hospital. Details on the third person who was shot were not released.

The mall was evacuated after the shooting and police planned to keep it closed while they investigated.

A video posted to social media appeared to show people running from the shopping center after gunshots could be heard.

Fairlane Town Center has more than 125 stores and restaurants, according to its website.

Dearborn is a suburb of Detroit with a population of more than 100,000 people about 9 miles west of Detroit.

Michigan State Police Specialist Lt. Tyhrann Howard said the agency was assisting with the investigation and referred questions to the Dearborn police.

A person who answered the phone at the telephone number for mall security declined comment.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

Donald Trump Raked in Billions While Investors Lost Out

Jose Nino
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Donald Trump Raked in Billions While Investors Lost Out

(José Niño, Headline USA) Cryptocurrency investments delivered President Donald Trump earnings exceeding $1 billion during 2025, the Wall Street Journal reported, representing a historic income spike that accompanied gains from royalties, property holdings, and corporate lawsuit resolutions.

Trump and his relatives dove deeply into digital currency enterprises during his opening year in the White House. These ventures yielded tangible profits rather than just paper wealth.

Federal ethics filings documented $635 million flowing to Trump through an entity tied to his memecoin, which went live mere days ahead of his swearing in ceremony. World Liberty Financial, the primary crypto operation run by Trump alongside his sons, brought in over $500 million through token offerings.

Corporate legal battles also proved lucrative, delivering the president no less than $86.5 million in settlements. Meta handed over $24.5 million while both Paramount and Disney paid $16 million each.

Ethics monitors expressed alarm at Trump building his business empire from the Oval Office. “The president’s conflicts of interest with the crypto industry are unprecedented,” declared Kedric Payne, senior director of ethics at the Campaign Legal Center. “We have never seen a president have direct conflicts of interest with his financial holdings and the policies he supports, and it’s another example why we need widespread ethics reform now.”

Anna Kelly, speaking for the White House, asserted Tuesday that Trump converted America into the “crypto capital of the world.” She maintained that “Neither the President nor his family has ever engaged—or will ever engage—in conflicts of interest. All actions by President Trump and his administration are taken in the best interest of the American people.”

The president dismissed concerns about his soaring income, pointing to market conditions. “You know why I’m profiting? Because the stock market is going up,” he stated to journalists. “We’re all profiting. I’m profiting because I have a lot of money and a lot of cash.”

Other revenue sources included $4.7 million from watches bearing the Trump name, $1.9 million from his “Save America” book, and $77 million from Mar-a-Lago compared to $50 million the previous year. The Trump National Doral property in Miami pulled in $122 million. First Lady Melania Trump received $10.7 million connected to her Amazon MGM Studios documentary along with $6 million from NFT licensing arrangements.

However, ordinary investors who wagered on Trump branded crypto projects experienced crushing setbacks. The memecoin briefly reached a market capitalization approaching $15 billion before values cratered within days, recently sinking below $400 million.

José Niño is the deputy editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/JoseAlNino 

Jewish Lawmaker Accuses Trans Activists of Antisemitism

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Jewish Lawmaker Accuses Trans Activists of Antisemitism

(José Niño, Headline USA) California State Senator Scott Wiener informed CBS News that pro-Palestinian demonstrators who accosted him at San Francisco’s Trans March deployed antisemitic rhetoric that “went beyond free speech,” Information Liberation reported on X.

“They [said] I have ‘Israeli handlers’—which is a classic anti-Semitic trope,” Wiener explained during his appearance on CBS News anchor Major Garrett’s podcast “The Takeout.”

The altercation took place last Saturday, as Wiener crossed Dolores Park en route to a trans-led Pride Shabbat observance tied to the annual Trans March. The homosexual Jewish Democrat seeking to fill retiring Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s, D-Calif., seat had participated in the event annually since its 2004 inception.

Footage that spread rapidly online depicted protesters encircling Wiener, hurling profanities and insults while recording him. Activist Dimitry Yakoushkin recognized Wiener’s extensive pro-trans record before assailing him regarding Gaza. “It breaks my heart that someone who wrote your legislation for queers is so f—ing terrible on Gaza, Scott,” Yakoushkin declared. Demonstrators branded Wiener “genocidal,” gestured obscenely, and alleged he possessed “Israeli handlers” and “Zionist handlers.” 

Wiener departed the park and broke his 22-year attendance streak at the Trans March. He submitted a police report concerning the physical contact.

His campaign spokesperson informed J Weekly it was “clear that the intentions were antisemitic and that their goal was to push Senator Wiener out of the march because of his Jewish background.”

Wiener stands among California’s most accomplished LGBTQ rights legislators and had previously characterized Israel’s conduct in Gaza as “genocide” earlier in 2026, generating pushback from Bay Area Jewish groups, as the CNN reported. The activists drove out a Jewish trans-rights champion who had already embraced their stance on Gaza.

As J Weekly, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie labeled the protesters’ words “targeted, hateful, and antisemitic.” The California Legislative Jewish Caucus characterized the incident as part of a “broader effort to exclude, isolate, and ostracize him because of his Jewish identity.” The American Jewish Committee’s Northern California chapter denounced the “acts of intimidation rooted in age-old antisemitic tropes.”

José Niño is the deputy editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/JoseAlNino 

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