As the nation paused to celebrate Independence Day, federal immigration authorities were engaged in a significant sweep, apprehending illegal immigrants nationwide. Those taken into custody included individuals with past convictions for heinous crimes such as murder, burglary, and child sex offenses.

These arrests unfolded against the backdrop of celebrations for America’s 250th anniversary, as announced by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Monday.

DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis shed light on the operation’s magnitude: “While Americans were celebrating the 250th anniversary of the greatest nation on Earth, the fearless men and women of ICE were apprehending some of the most dangerous individuals, including several murderers, pedophiles, rapists, kidnappers, drunk drivers, and drug traffickers. Our law enforcement officers work tirelessly, even during holidays, to enhance the safety of our communities.”

Bis noted that under President Donald Trump, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has hired 12,000 new officers and agents in less than a year, more than doubling the agency’s workforce.

“Thanks to President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, we have an additional 12,000 ICE officers who will continue delivering on the American people’s mandate to make our nation SAFE AGAIN,” she said.

Those arrested over the weekend included Radimir Thompson-Nagle, a Panamanian citizen with criminal convictions for murder and assault in Brooklyn, New York, ICE said.

Marcos Rubio-Hernandez, a Mexican citizen, was previously convicted of second-degree murder and kidnapping in Wilson County, North Carolina. Roberto Gutierrez-Diaz, also from Mexico, has convictions for sodomy (victim less than 12 years old), sexual abuse (victim less than 12 years old), attempted rape (domestic violence), and burglary in Louisville, Kentucky.

Francisco Olmedo-Silva, from Mexico, has convictions spanning Oregon, Wyoming, and Pennsylvania for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, escaping from custody and robbery.

Pedro Mazorra-Herrera, from Cuba, was convicted of aggravated stalking, resisting an officer with violence, burglary with assault or battery and cocaine possession in Miami, Florida.

Monday’s announcement came as the Trump administration continues its deportation campaign targeting criminal illegal immigrants and pushing back on sanctuary jurisdictions.

“Sanctuary city politicians who put illegal alien criminals over their own citizens are a national security threat,” DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin posted Monday on X. “Seven of the 10 safest cities in America cooperate with @ICEgov. Meanwhile, @GovernorVA has created a hotbed of illegal alien criminal activity in her own backyard.”

Mullin’s remarks came in response to a News Media story stating that Fairfax County, Virginia, has refused to transfer 615 illegal immigrants to ICE over the past 16 months while turning over just 11. The county designated itself a sanctuary jurisdiction in 2021.

Comedian and talk show host Bill Maher has claimed that New York politicians Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Zohran Mamdani have chosen not to appear on his HBO show, Real Time.

Maher, 70, made the claim on X over the weekend, while sharing footage of his Friday interview with JD Vance.

In a social media post accompanying a video, Maher expressed his desire to feature @AOC and @ZohranKMamdani as guests, lamenting, ‘I would love to have them on the show, but I can’t subpoena the guests.’

The clip also spotlighted Maher applauding Republican figures like Vance for joining his panel discussions and ‘handling the criticism bravely.’

Maher expressed his frustration, saying, ‘The ones who get my vote are the ones avoiding me. Isn’t that strange?’

In agreement, the vice president mentioned Darializa Avila Chevalier, a progressive congressional candidate in New York’s 13th district, questioning with sarcasm if ‘she’ll make it to the show.’

‘No!’ Maher answered, before rattling off several other names. ‘I can’t get AOC [Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]. I can’t get [Zohran] Mamdani. I couldn’t get Kamala Harris.’

‘It took me eight years to get [Barack] Obama,’ he admitted.

Obama appeared on Real Time with Bill Maher back on November 4, 2016, just days before Donald Trump was elected.

‘Anyway, let’s not talk about my problems,’ Maher told Vance, to a wave of laughter from the audience.

The host then joked that the spot would be kinder to the conservative ‘than the Iranians’ – a nod to the latter’s claim that a recent View appearance showed his ability to handle the ‘high-stakes negotiations’ needed to end the war on June 18.

Maher, a longtime Democrat, warned that he was losing faith in the party due to Democratic socialist policies from people like Mamdani, Ocasio-Cortez, and Avila Chevalier.

‘Like, if this is where the Democratic Party is going… this obsession with Israel, with the Jew-hating – they don’t believe in capitalism, no prisons. 

‘If this is where they’re going, my vote is in play,’ Maher said.

He told Vance he has no problem voting against party lines if it means achieving what’s best for the country.

‘I’m just glad you’re talking to me, you know?’ he told the vice president, weeks after using a portion of his program to address a jab from Trump about his ratings.

‘Every year, I don’t make my decision by who has an R or a D, I actually always came to the conclusion that the Democrat was probably better and voted for them,’ Maher said on Friday.

It was recently revealed the host sat with Trump for dinner at the White House in March of last year. The dinner was made public by a February 2026 Truth Social post by the president.

It accused Maher – who has soured on Democrats for more than a year now – for having ‘Trump Derangement Syndrome.’ 

‘He is no different than Kimmel, Fallon, or Colbert but, I must admit, slightly more talented!’ Trump wrote at the time, saying Real Time had at some stage ‘devolve[d] into the same old story – Very boring, ANTI TRUMP.’

‘Regardless, I’d much rather spend my time MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN than wasting it on him,’ Trump wrote at the time.

‘Bill continues to suffer from a severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS!), and there is nothing that will ever be done to cure him of this very serious disease.’

Maher responded during a March edition of Real Time, accusing the president of ‘suffer[ing] from Bill Maher Derangement Syndrome.’

‘I will not consider the dinner “a waste of time,” even as I now see we’re back to name calling and that I have some new ones like, “highly overrated lightweight” to add to the list you signed,’ Maher said on-air. 

He added of the dinner: ‘I was having a good time. So were you, Don, because we were talking like real humans, not like that crazy act you put on in public.’

On June 19’s episode, Maher mocked Trump’s 14-point Iran deal. Maher joked that he hoped the US played Iran in the World Cup to ‘beat them at something.’

Maher voted for Harris in 2024, he confirmed in a May edition of his Club Random podcast. He told rapper Will.i.am that ‘ironically’, it was ‘mostly Democrats’ who refused to ‘come on the show.’

‘Like, because they’re such p*****s,’ he said at the time. ‘Democrats are p*****s about going anywhere that they’re not already pre-adored.

‘Not all of them, but I mean, somebody…Kamala Harris, I mean, like I always say to my woke friends, we voted for the same person.

‘You’re just why she lost.’ 

The Daily Mail has approached both Mayor Mamdani and Representative Ocasio-Cortez’s offices for comment.

Could there be a hidden surprise in store for us?

Just days after Taylor Swift donned Jonathan Anderson’s premiere Dior Couture wedding dress for a prominent celebrity, the designer had another glamorous bridal moment to showcase.

Closing his second haute couture show for the esteemed French fashion house on Monday, Anderson unveiled a stunning diaphanous white gown with off-the-shoulder elegance—instantly sparking thoughts of one particular pop star among fashion enthusiasts.

“This dress screams Taylor,” commented one user on Style Not Com’s Instagram post, while another chimed in, “This is definitely giving off TS vibes 🤍🤍.”

Embroidered with delicate ferns, the gown matched the verdant decor surrounding the runway, further enhancing its ethereal beauty.

Anderson dressed Swift, 36, just three days earlier, when the pop star said “I do” to Travis Kelce in custom Christian Dior Haute Couture at Madison Square Garden on Friday.

And photos of the custom look still haven’t surfaced, leaving fans to hunt for hints wherever they can.

For months, the “Opalite” singer teased her Dior allegiance with a parade of the house’s handbags before the big day.

Here’s latest on Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding at MSG:

The Northern Irish talent, who founded JW Anderson and spent 11 years at Loewe, took the reins at Dior last year.

A couture show traditionally ends with a bride — but the house has been dressing real ones, too.

Over the past several weeks, Anderson’s atelier has turned out couture wedding dresses for model Ming Xi and influencer Elisa Zarzur. His January debut for the house closed with a petal-strewn white gown of its own.

Swift and Kelce’s 1,000-guest Madison Square Garden bash turned the arena into a garden-like escape — so clearly, the newlyweds and the couturier share a soft spot for greenery.

In a heart-wrenching turn of events, an Afghan national who once fought alongside U.S. forces has tragically passed away due to an allergic reaction while in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. His untimely death, as detailed in his death certificate, occurred just a day after being detained for deportation proceedings.

The deceased, 41-year-old Mohammad Nazeer Paktiawal, suffered an “adverse drug reaction” to an unspecified substance that led to a severe case of anaphylaxis, further complicating his existing asthma condition. According to official records, his passing on March 14 in a Dallas hospital was classified as accidental.

Paktiawal’s unexpected demise has sparked widespread outrage, particularly because he bravely risked his life fighting as a steadfast ally of U.S. Special Forces in Afghanistan for ten years. This has prompted members of Congress and the advocacy group AfghanEvac to seek clarity and accountability regarding the circumstances of his death.

In a recent development, AfghanEvac has urged Texas authorities to make public his complete autopsy report. The call for transparency arises amidst authorities’ reluctance, citing that its release could potentially hinder a criminal investigation that’s currently underway regarding the incident.

“This family deserves to know what happened,” asserted Shawn VanDiver, president of AfghanEvac. He has demanded explanations about the specific substance that caused the allergic reaction, how it entered Paktiawal’s system, and the puzzling fact that the date of injury on his death certificate is listed as occurring before he was placed in custody.

Paktiawal was evacuated with thousands of others from Afghanistan when U.S. troops pulled out in 2021. He entered the U.S. through a legal process and requested asylum to stay. That claim was pending when ICE arrested him at his home in Richardson, Texas, on March 13 as he was taking some of his six children to school.

ICE has defended its decision to target Paktiawal for deportation, noting he had been arrested on food stamp fraud and theft charges. He has not been convicted in either case.

A one-page ICE report on Paktiawal’s death said that he was screened at its Dallas field office and denied any medical conditions or allergies. Hours later, he began experiencing shortness of breath and chest pain in a holding room and was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital.

The next morning, hospital staff noted swelling of his tongue while he was eating breakfast and gave him epinephrine, a drug that treats allergic reactions, the report said. He was pronounced dead about 40 minutes later after life-saving measures were unsuccessful.

The certificate lists the cause of death as “anaphylaxis complicating acute asthma exacerbation.” Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction typically triggered by food, drugs or insect venom. The document lists the toxic effects of methamphetamine, heart disease and cigarette smoking as contributing factors in the death.

His family members and coworkers said they did not know Paktiawal to use meth, and a private autopsy performed for the family could not confirm whether he had meth in his system because no blood remained for testing, VanDiver said. His wife has said that he relied on an inhaler for asthma, but ICE agents rejected her attempt to give them the device when he was taken into custody.

The cause and manner of death were established by the Dallas County Medical Examiner’s Office, where a doctor performed an autopsy on Paktiawal.

County authorities have refused to release the autopsy report, citing statements from ICE officials that doing so would interfere with a federal investigation into the death. They have asked Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office for permission to withhold the record under a “law enforcement exception” to the state’s open records law.

In response to the AP’s request for the report, Dallas County official Jennifer Rose wrote that “its release would interfere with the detection, investigation, and prosecution of a crime” but did not elaborate. The medical examiner’s office declined comment.

Paxton’s office hasn’t ruled on the matter, but previously granted a similar request from another Texas county to withhold the autopsy report of a Vietnamese man who died in ICE custody in July 2025, according to documents obtained by the AP.

A man has confessed to making violent threats targeting President Donald Trump and agents of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as revealed by a recent statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia.

Earlier this year, an indictment accused Cody Lee Smith of threatening to commit acts of rape and murder against President Trump, as well as targeting Trump’s supporters and ICE officials with threats of violence.

The news release on Thursday indicated that he faces a potential sentence of up to five years for threatening the president, and an additional 10 years behind bars for threats directed at ICE agents.

The indictment outlined the alarming nature of these threats, including a mention possibly referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The document states that Smith sent a direct message to Donald Trump Jr. on Instagram that declared, “I’m going to rape your worthless father while Benjamin netanyacuck sits in the oval CUCK throne and watches with his jugular cut while the life leaves his pathetic eyes and then after I’m done your getting raped.”

The indictment reports that Smith asserted in an Instagram post, “Donald j Trump likes little boys and little girls and is an Israeli asset he deserves to be raped and murdered @REALDONALDTRUMP @donaldjtrumpjr I will kill you b[—-] a[–] dad.”

It also alleges that the man posted, “If I see a single trump supporter I don’t care the relation[,] I don’t care their age[,] I don’t care if they are mentally handicap[,] I’m murdering them in front of their entire family[,] same goes to the first war supporter or service member who’s willing to bootlick.”

He called the ICE tip line and “threatened to kill ICE agents in Clarksburg, West Virginia, the tip line operator, and the operator’s family,” the indictment alleged.

The document also alleged that Smith had declared in a post, “Donald Trump just announced the godd[—] hunger games[.] IMPEACH THIS MOTHERF[—–] WITH A .308.” — the indictment noted that the post featured a Leathermouth song titled, “I Am Going to Kill the President of the United States of America.”

Donna Kelce has officially joined the ranks of devoted Taylor Swift fans.

On Sunday, while departing New York City, Kelce donned a hat emblazoned with the phrase “Eldest Daughter,” a nod to Taylor Swift’s 2025 track of the same title.

The hat, featuring a vibrant teal and orange design, symbolized the warm reception Swift has received from the Kelce family.

With a cheerful demeanor, Donna confidently sported the Swift-inspired gear as she navigated the airport with her brother Don, just a day after the grand celebration of her son Travis Kelce’s wedding to Taylor Swift.

Following months of speculation and mixed reports, the high-profile couple tied the knot in an extravagant event at Madison Square Garden on Friday, attended by 1,000 of their nearest and dearest, including some of the biggest names in the entertainment world.

Donna, 73, has since broken her silence on the nuptials – where guests were reportedly issued non-disclosure agreements – though admitted she wasn’t at liberty to say much.

‘I really can’t say a heck of a lot except it was magical, man! Magical,’ Donna told Macy’s during their 50th Fourth of July Celebration in New York City.

Both the bride and groom were dressed in Christian Dior, her publicist announced.

There were no bridesmaids, instead, Taylor’s brother Austin acted as her ‘man of honor’, and Travis’s brother Jason was the best man.

The couple’s Love Story began three years ago this week, when Kelce first laid eyes on the songstress at her Kansas City Eras Tour concert on July 8, 2023.

The Chiefs tight end tried to meet Swift that evening, bringing along a friendship bracelet that contained his phone number. However, his attempt at handing her the jewelry was unsuccessful.

At the same time, Swift was at her own professional peak, traveling the world for her sold-out stadium shows, with Kelce flying in to support her.

Despite their hectic schedules and intense public interest in their romance, Kelce claimed that he felt calmed by both his girlfriend’s presence and down-to-earth nature.

‘Whenever I’m with her, it feels like we’re just regular people.… When there is not a camera on us, we’re just two people that are in love,’ he told GQ.

When the couple announced their engagement in August of last year, social media exploded in celebration, with fans immediately speculating about their wedding.

Details of the nuptials were shrouded in secrecy since that day, with scant details leaking to the press.

In a statement confirming the marriage, Swift’s publicist said in a statement obtained by People: ‘The bride and groom’s wedding ceremony looks have been created by Christian Dior Haute Couture.

‘They are designed by Jonathan Anderson, Creative Director of Dior Women’s, Men’s and Haute Couture Collections, in close collaboration with the Bride and Groom. This is the designer’s first couture wedding dress for a world-renowned celebrity. Their shoes were custom made by Christian Louboutin and the bride wore Cartier jewelry

‘Taylor & Travis did not have bridesmaids or groomsmen. Instead, her brother Austin Swift served as Taylor’s Man of Honor and Jason Kelce was Travis’ Best Man. The ceremony joined both families together and was officiated by friend Adam Sandler.’

Two guests who attended the wedding told NBC News that the couple’s exchanges drew tears from the audience – and that the NFL star was ‘more emotional’ than the bride at the ceremony.

‘You would think the bride would be the one crying more, but it was actually Travis that was more emotional,’ a guest said.

Donald Trump recently criticized the World Cup referee who issued a red card to USA’s Folarin Balogun, labeling the official as “suspect” prior to his own involvement in overturning the striker’s one-game suspension.

While speaking at the White House on Monday, the President stood by his extraordinary action. He clarified that although he did discuss the issue with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, he did not explicitly demand the reversal of Balogun’s ban during their phone conversation.

This incident has incited anger in Belgium, the USA’s next rival, prompting them to make a last-ditch appeal to reinstate the ban just hours before the game in Seattle.

In response, Trump confidently told the Belgians that proceeding without Balogun in the World Cup last-16 match would equate to a “rigged” game. He also criticized Brazilian referee Raphael Claus, who had shown the red card.

“Yes, I did speak to Gianni,” Trump admitted. “I asked FIFA for a review, and that’s where my involvement ended. I’m familiar with how these things work. That wasn’t a foul. There was no infraction; just two players running at full speed who collided accidentally.”

‘You can’t properly place your foot on somebody else’s foot when you’re going full speed. No, these were two great athletes who got tangled up. And this referee, who is a little bit suspect – if you check his past. I don’t want to say that because I don’t like to create controversy, but very suspect. If you’d like, I’ll provide you with his past.’

Claus was once accused of match-fixing in 2023 in Brazil but was never charged with any wrongdoing and there is no suggestion of any type of allegation aimed at Claus in this World Cup.

‘Firstly, it wasn’t a foul,’ Trump added. ‘And then you have to look at the person who made the decision. The game tonight is going to be amazing. We are going to have a full team and Belgium is going to have a full team. And you know what, if they beat us they can be really proud.

‘This game would have had a big mark on it. The other way, if they beat us I would say it is rigged, just like the election was rigged in 2020. I think they made a brilliant decision, I thought the referee’s decision was horrible. Nobody talks about that. They talk about the red card like it was fine.’

Balogun, USA’s top scorer in the tournament with three goals, was given a straight red card during the USA’s 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the last 32 – a decision at the time that was criticized for being wrong. 

He tangled with Bosnia and Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic and his leg raked down Muharemovic’s calf while he was struggling for balance and jostling to win possession of the ball.

Trump continued: ‘He (Balogun) didn’t do anything wrong, and he’s our best player, or one of our best players, a very vital player and they gave him a red card.

‘I didn’t think it meant much. Then I started hearing that it means you can’t play in the next game, at least in the next game. 

‘That’s one thing, to penalize somebody for the game. But how do you penalize them for a game that hasn’t been played yet? It’s very unfair. You can’t do that.’

Trump insisted he didn’t force Infantino to make Balogun available.

‘I didn’t say “you have to do this”. Gianni is a smart, tough man and his stock is going through the roof,’ Trump said.

‘I didn’t know what the hell a red card was. When I found out I said “you gotta be kidding”. I said “wow, that’s a lot of power, that’s terrible”. But then I lookd at his past and it wasn’t so great.

‘I didn’t tell him (Infantino) what to do, I can’t tell him what to do.’

Ironically, Balogun qualifies to play for the United States due to ‘birthright citizenship’ – a rule Trump has wanted to overturn. 

His heavily pregnant mother was stopped from boarding a flight out of the United States when she was heavily pregnant and Balogun was then born in Brooklyn, New York. 

After FIFA kicked back Balogun’s ban on Sunday, Trump, who was awarded the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize by Infantino last year, wrote on Truth Social: ‘Thank you to Fifa for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice! President DONALD J. TRUMP.’ 

Infantino was sat next to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick during the game in the San Francisco Bay where Balogun was sent off.

The United States are trying to reach the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 2002 by beating Belgium, with many considering Monday night’s game the biggest ever in US soccer. 

Trump is not expected to attend. Despite going to multiple major US sporting events since beginning his second term as President, he has not made it to a World Cup game yet. 

He is, however, set to attend the final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium with Infantino saying recently that he and Trump will hand the trophy over to the winner ‘together’.

Infantino, speaking to Fox before Trump’s call about Balogun’s red card, said: ‘We will be together with the president enjoying ​the final and handing the trophy to the winner, of course, together.’