A Republican from Texas has fiercely criticized President Donald Trump, accusing him of ‘destroying families’ after ICE took his young Venezuelan fiancée into custody. Meanwhile, the internet has responded with a chorus of ridicule, suggesting his loneliness is ‘well deserved.’

John Gannon, a 75-year-old businessman, expresses deep regret over his past support for Trump following the arrest of his 45-year-old fiancée, Yasmin Suarez Reyes. She was detained by a squad of eight ICE agents at a Houston airport last month, reportedly providing ‘no explanation,’ according to CBS News.

Gannon voiced his frustrations to the outlet, stating, ‘I voted for Trump. They are targeting law-abiding citizens. They’re tearing apart families and livelihoods.’

He further compared the situation to a ‘Gestapo system,’ expressing disbelief that such actions could take place in the United States. ‘I would never have imagined that the United States would operate in this manner,’ he remarked.

Gannon’s narrative rapidly gained traction online, sparking widespread mockery over what many described as his ‘victim mentality.’ Additionally, some online critics raised eyebrows at the couple’s notable 30-year age difference.

‘The mark of a true Republican is the ability to tolerate even the most egregious government overreach, as long as it’s happening to someone else,’ one comment read.

Another said: ‘It’s amazing how quickly cruelty becomes unacceptable when it finally knocks on your own door.’

‘John is deeply upset his three-decades-younger mail-order bride is gonna be deported,’ a third user wrote, adding a laughing-face emoji.

‘If I’m 75 I should be able to buy a 25 year old hot Latina without Trump trying to deport her,’ said another sarcastically. ‘I thought this was America.’ 

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) also hit back in a fiery statement on X, claiming Reyes had overstayed her lawful admission by more than two years – despite having a pending immigration application.

‘REMINDER: A pending immigration application does NOT confer legal status,’ the department wrote. Don’t be like Yasmin – take advantage of our CBP Home offer and get $2,600 AND a FREE flight home.’

The wave of reactions came after Gannon broke his silence on Reyes’ sudden detention during a Wednesday interview with CBS Mornings, where he revealed their wedding plans have been thrown into uncertainty. 

Reyes, a Venezuelan citizen with Spanish citizenship, legally entered the US in October 2023 on a 90-day visa before later applying for asylum – a case that remains ongoing.

Meanwhile, Gannon owns more than 1,000 billboards across the US and several businesses in Mexico, including a hotel and a restaurant. 

His nightmare began on July 24, when he said he and his fiancée arrived at George Bush Intercontinental Airport to fly to Las Vegas, where they planned to attend a furniture convention. 

The airport experience initially appeared entirely routine, with the couple signing up for CLEAR to avoid lengthy security lines before successfully making it through. 

They then settled into the United Club to await their flight – but Reyes would never make it to the gate. 

‘As we came out of the United Club, there were eight officers there that swarmed her,’ Gannon said, according to the outlet. ‘Nobody told us anything about any charges. They didn’t even identify themselves.’

He said he watched in ‘total disbelief’ as agents detained Reyes and wrestled her into a waiting car, where she was taken into ICE custody. 

‘You never think, or I never thought a guy like me would ever be involved in something like this,’ Gannon said during the interview.

‘Nothing like this has ever happened to me,’ he added. ‘I have several businesses. I’m a law-abiding citizen and I pay a lot of tax.’

Gannon said he spent 10 days without answers, eventually learning that a scheduled hearing had been canceled because officials had not yet completed the paperwork needed to move forward with Reyes’ case. 

He noted that she had no criminal history and pending paperwork, accusing ICE agents of ‘ignoring’ the truth and acting as if they can ‘do whatever they want.’ 

When asked how he felt about the US taking away the woman he intended to marry, Gannon responded: ‘I feel totally betrayed.’

The Texas businessman also blasted the Trump administration’s claim that its nationwide crackdown is aimed at the ‘worst of the worst,’ insisting: ‘That’s just not true.’ 

Instead, he claimed authorities are going after what he called ‘easy, soft pickings.’

Gannon was quick to stress that his criticism was not politically motivated – he voted for Trump in the most recent election. 

‘I wouldn’t do that again,’ he revealed. ‘Not after this fiasco. I don’t know what’s happened to him. I think he’s hit with a little dementia or something.’

During his appearance, he was reminded that Trump made mass deportations a major promise of his 2024 campaign, with the interviewer pointing out that this is arguably what that promise looks like. 

But Gannon disagreed, arguing: ‘They’re not going after the hard guys. That’s too difficult,’ Gannon said. ‘It’s easier to pick them up at the airport, you know, it’s like shooting fish in a barrel.’

Once a loyal Trump voter, Gannon said he would have just one question for the President if given the chance to confront him face-to-face: ‘What are you doing?’ 

‘Go after the criminals. We’re all for that. But leave the mom and pops and the kids alone,’ he added. ‘Man, he’s destroying families.’

‘This is not what I voted for and this is not what I believe the American system should be.’

Gannon revealed that his fiancée is now crammed into a cell with 60 to 80 other women in what he called ‘horrible’ conditions, as he fights alongside state leaders and senators to get her released on an ankle monitor. 

In tears, Gannon spoke about what Reyes means to him, describing her as ‘good as gold.’ His voice shaking, he added simply: ‘I love Yasmin. That’s it.’ 

The interview has exploded online, racking up more than 45,000 YouTube views and thousands of comments from viewers who insisted the 75-year-old was no victim – he was simply ‘getting what he voted for.’

‘Privilege at its finest,’ one comment read.

Another said: ‘Give me a break! How about asking him if he cared before his fiancée was snatched. No worries. I know the answer. No, he didn’t.’ 

‘The Republicans are the most oblivious people! He’s upset because they took HIS Yasmin, who isn’t a criminal, has overstayed her visa and applied for asylum but he doesn’t even think to equate this with what ICE is doing Everywhere!’ a user added. ‘This is what YOU voted for, fool!’

Reyes’ immigration attorney, Anne Kennedy, told CBS that she legally entered the US in 2023 under the Visa Waiver Program. 

As a Spanish citizen, she is among nationals of more than 40 countries eligible to enter the US visa-free for tourism or temporary business. 

While the program typically permits stays of up to 90 days, Reyes applied for asylum with US Citizenship and Immigration Services in January 2024, before her 90-day period had expired. The asylum case still remains unresolved.

In a statement to CBS, DHS confirmed that Reyes entered the US legally but stressed that she later overstayed her authorized period. 

Her claims will now go before a Justice Department immigration judge, where DHS said she will receive ‘full due process.’ 

‘This Administration is not going to ignore the rule of law,’ the department added.

In the meantime, Kennedy said she secured her client a work permit and a Texas driver’s license, allowing her to work and drive legally in the state. 

Earlier this week, ICE’s detainee locator showed Reyes behind bars at the Montgomery Processing Center in Conroe, Texas. 

‘For almost two weeks now, she has been in a physical jail cell, when she has done nothing more than follow the laws of the United States and do what our immigration laws allow her to do,’ Kennedy told the outlet.

Reyes is among the latest immigrants swept up in airport arrests nationwide, as ICE hit a record monthly high last month, fueled in part by a surge in detentions at airports.

Like Reyes, many caught up in ICE’s airport crackdown have valid work permits and pending immigration cases. Still, they remain vulnerable to arrest once their legal status expires, putting them in a precarious immigration limbo. 

The Daily Mail has reached out to DHS for comment.

A teenager now facing charges for the fatal shooting of a Citadel cadet and his close friend had a history of offenses reaching back to 2021. Authorities argue that the suspect, despite his troubled past, repeatedly evaded significant consequences until this alleged double homicide came to light.

According to the DeLand Police Department of Florida, the tragic incident occurred around 10:40 p.m. on July 29, claiming the lives of 19-year-old Dustin Rose and 18-year-old Samson Campbell. An arrest warrant was issued for a 17-year-old suspect, who was apprehended by the U.S. Marshals Service on Wednesday, as announced by officials earlier in the week.

At a news conference on Wednesday, police highlighted that the individuals involved were acquainted “in some capacity.” Authorities further revealed that the arrested teen boasts a considerable criminal record.

While on a break from his studies at The Citadel Military College of South Carolina, Dustin Rose tragically lost his life. General Frank McKenzie, The Citadel’s President, expressed the profound loss in a message to the campus community shared with news outlets. He described Rose as a “team leader” who was both a cherished friend and classmate.

Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said the 17-year-old, whom News Media is not naming because he has not yet been charged as an adult, has a lengthy criminal history that includes charges of assault with a deadly weapon, multiple counts of battery and drug possession.

“We’re talking about aggravated battery and assault with a deadly weapon, carrying a concealed weapon, multiple counts of battery, criminal mischief, vehicle theft, trespassing, drug possession, another aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, resisting an officer, all dating back to 2021,” Chitwood said. “Charges that were either dropped, non-filed, dismissed, or at best, resolved with probation.”

Chitwood alleged that the teen’s ability to face little punishment is due to a lack of prosecution by the State Attorney for the Ninth Judicial Circuit of Florida, Monique Worrell. He said that before the alleged double murder, the teen was in a diversion program for drug possession and disturbing a school function.

“It makes you wonder if our justice system held [the teen] accountable from the start, maybe things would have turned out different,” the sheriff said.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier also criticized Worrell, saying her “neglect of duty and incompetence are a danger to the 9th Judicial Circuit.”

“Soft on crime policies do not work!” Uthmeier said.

Worrell said in a statement, “It is disappointing, but not surprising, that the appointed Attorney General continues to make politically motivated statements without knowing all the facts. Public safety deserves thoughtful leadership and not rhetoric designed to score political points.”

“The most recent case referenced by Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood that involves this juvenile did not occur within the Ninth Judicial Circuit, but rather his own Seventh Circuit and is therefore outside the jurisdiction of this office to speak to,” Worrell said.

The teen faces two counts of second-degree murder in relation to the shooting, but R.J. Larizza, state attorney of the Seventh Judicial Circuit, said during a news conference he would likely be charged as an adult. The teen suspect’s father was also arrested on charges of felony accessory after the fact.

Rose was also a member of the South Carolina National Guard, a spokeswoman confirmed with News Media.

Rachel Rose, Dustin’s mother, said he was “such a light in our family.”

“When they took him they took the very best part of me. We are devastated,” she told News Media.

One of the victims’ mothers may have been among the family members who found the two dead after they went unreachable by phone, police previously said.

Campbell, a DeLand native, had been staying with his aunt, Karen Chobin, in the Chicago area. Chobin said he was in town to grieve the recent death of the family’s 8-year-old dog and was staying with Rose’s grandparents.

Rose was in DeLand to help Campbell spread his dog’s ashes, Chobin said.

“It was a traumatic loss. It wasn’t a passing of old age. It was awful. And then for this to be what he’s welcomed with when he goes down there to mourn his loss is devastating,” Chobin said.

A man who once carried the title of inmate firefighter now faces charges for igniting the deadly Gann Fire in Northern California.

65-year-old Herbert Wayne Smith, who served his time over two decades ago while working at a California work camp, admitted to starting the blaze, according to reports from KCRA.

Smith’s journey in the Conservation Camp Program began in 1999 when he fought fires as an inmate firefighter in Soledad. He later continued this work at a Georgetown camp until his release on parole.

At the time of his incarceration, Smith was serving sentences for charges related to receiving stolen property and possession of a controlled substance, as noted by the news outlet.

The state’s correctional department explains that inmate firefighters are crucial in aiding state, local, and federal agencies during various emergencies, including fires and floods, as well as other natural and manmade catastrophes.

Inmates who work as firefighters typically are under  “minimum custody” status, the lowest security level, and must have 8 years or less remaining on their sentence.

The revelation comes as Smith admitted to starting the Gann Fire, which has burned thousands of acres and killed an animal breeder.

The victim, identified as Hinterland German Shepherds owner Susan Solari, told friends she could not leave as the flames approached because she refused to abandon her dogs. She had operated the breeding business for decades.

Smith was booked for recklessly causing a fire, operating equipment capable of producing sparks in vegetation without adhering to fire prevention requirements, and allowing a fire to escape control.

Smith has said he was using a saw to cut metal scraps so that he could sell them to pay for his wife’s birthday celebration when the fire started. He expressed regret about his actions.

“This is going to destroy my life, one way or another,” Smith said in an interview with KCRA.

“I’m so sorry for everything that’s happened. That was never my intent. I was just out there trying to get some money together, and it turned into this.”

Authorities accused Smith of operating the tool without clearing flammable vegetation and failing to have firefighting tools on hand. 

Eight years ago, Smith also ran into trouble when he allegedly started a fire on someone else’s property.

“The Calaveras County District Attorney’s Office is unwavering in its duty to base all charging decisions on the facts and the law, and is firmly committed to fairness in the pursuit of justice,” the county district attorney’s office said in a statement.

No formal charges have been filed yet.

During a recent appearance in Canada, Meghan Markle was spotted donning Princess Diana’s iconic earrings adorned with diamonds and sapphires.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex made their way to Victoria, British Columbia, to lend their support to friend and music producer David Foster at the 40th Anniversary of his foundation, a celebratory event held last Friday.

In a charming pose, the couple was photographed with the esteemed 76-year-old record producer David Foster, and his wife, Katharine McPhee, who is both an actress and singer, aged 42.

Prince Harry, aged 41, opted for a classic look in a black tuxedo complemented by a bow tie, while Meghan dazzled in an elegant black one-shoulder gown crafted by Canadian designer Greta Constantine.

At 45, Meghan paid a touching tribute to her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, showcasing the striking sapphire earrings. Her updo hairstyle accentuated their beauty, offering a graceful nod to Diana’s memory.

The Duchess owns several pieces of jewellery from Princess Diana’s personal collection and has previously worn Diana’s earrings at public events.

Pieces from Diana’s collection that Meghan owns include her butterfly earrings and matching cuff bracelet, a diamond tennis bracelet, her Cartier Tank Louis, and Diana’s iconic aquamarine ring, widely dubbed her ‘divorce ring’.  

Canadian-American David Foster has won 16 Grammy Awards and 45 nominations across a career spanning four decades. 

Meghan and Harry have been long friends of the couple, having previously been pictured on a double date with the couple. 

In 2019, Foster arranged for the Duke and Duchess to stay at a close friend’s mansion on Vancouver Island, telling the Daily Mail at the time: ‘I felt honoured that I was able to help Meghan there because I’m a Canadian, and we’re a Commonwealth country – we’re the Crown’s.’ 

The music producer hooked up the royal couple with accommodation in a secluded waterfront estate in North Saanich, owned by a close friend of the Canadian songwriter – but declined to identify the owner. 

‘It’s important to us, so I grew up with that kind of sentiment. I was really happy to be able to help them to find a respite just to take a little time off.’ 

Foster arranged for Meghan and Harry’s Christmas getaway in a $14million mansion on Vancouver Island, Canada, by connecting them to its mystery multimillionaire owner. 

Foster’s wife, Katharine McPhee, has known Meghan since childhood, having gone to the same school as her. 

McPhee told Access Hollywood in 2020 of Foster and Harry’s relationship: ‘My husband has a really, really beautiful relationship with Harry. 

‘They’re like, they’re so cute. They’re like father and son.’ 

‘We just stay in touch with them. But mostly, Meghan and I knew each other from childhood, but really Harry and my husband are friends. It’s really nice.’ 

CHICAGO (WLS) — Excitement is in the air as ABC7/WLS-TV Chicago breaks the news that it will air the 97th annual Bud Billiken Parade. This vibrant event, which heralds the Back-to-School Festival, is set to be broadcast live on Saturday, August 8, from 10 a.m. to noon. The spectacle, recognized as the largest African American parade in the United States, will stream not only on ABC7 but also on abc7chicago.com and across all ABC7’s digital and streaming platforms.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

The broadcast booth will be bustling with energy as ABC7 Eyewitness News icons Cheryl Burton, Hosea Sanders, and Val Warner take the helm. Meanwhile, Terrell Brown and Karen Jordan will immerse viewers in the ground-level excitement, capturing the parade’s lively spirit. Samantha Chatman and other dedicated ABC7 staff will engage with the crowd from atop the ABC7 Chicago float, adding to the festive atmosphere.

This year’s Bud Billiken Parade is a proud celebration of 97 years of tradition and excellence. As a back-to-school highlight, it will showcase impressive talents from across Chicago. Parade-goers can expect thrilling performances by local favorites such as the Jesse White Tumblers, South Shore Drill Team, Golden Knights Drill Team, alongside the dynamic Chi-Town Cheerleaders, Next Level Dance Team, MBM Dance Team, and the inspiring Little Ladies of Virtue.

This year’s parade will be led by none other than beloved Chicago native, LisaRaye McCoy, who will serve as the Grand Marshal. Known for her iconic roles in “The Players Club” and “Single Ladies,” as well as her stint as the first lady of the Turks and Caicos, McCoy adds star power and charisma to this cherished event.

The Bud Billiken Parade is not just an event; it’s a cherished tradition attracting over a million spectators. As the oldest and grandest African American parade nationwide, it embodies a spirit of community and celebration. Each August, it draws families together, marking the joyous start of a new school year in Chicago.

“We are proud to be a part of this 97-year tradition, which has brought joy, inspiration and summer fun to generations of Chicagoans,” said John Idler, general manager, ABC7/WLS-TV Chicago. “Our long-standing partnership with Chicago Defender Charities also allows us to spotlight the importance of education and student empowerment, which is central to the organization’s mission.”

The parade will kick off at 10 a.m. on 39th Street and Martin Luther King Drive, with grand marshal McCoy leading the procession south onto King Drive, through Washington Park and concluding at Garfield Boulevard.

About ABC7/WLS-TV Chicago

ABC7/WLS-TV Chicago is the No. 1 local news source and most-watched television station in Chicago. With top-rated daily newscasts spanning decades and the largest social media presence in the market with more than 3.5 million Facebook followers, ABC7 Eyewitness News provides breaking news, investigative reporting, weather, politics, traffic and sports in the multiplatform space toChicago, the suburbs and northwest Indiana. NamedBest News Operationby the Associated Press, ABC 7 Eyewitness News produces “Chicago Proud,” a series of features that spotlights everyday heroes in and around Chicago.The station also produces the highest-rated New Year’s Eve special in Chicago,the nationally syndicated holiday kickoff special, “The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival,” and the award-winning series “Our Chicago,” which showcases the city’s diversityand highlights contributions in the Black, Hispanic, Asian,LGBTQ+ communities, among others.Every Friday, Windy City Weekend entertains while giving Chicagoans everything they need to know about what’s happening in the city. ABC 7 is the only Chicago station producing and broadcasting parades representing Chicago’s rich cultural history. The station has a long and proud tradition of broadcasting political candidate debates to keep Chicago’selectorate informed and town halls where residents can share their concerns.ABC7’s outreach efforts include an annual partnership with local food banks, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars. ABC7 also partners with the Red Cross for the Great Chicago Blood Drive, one of the largest, one-day blood drives in the country.

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