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The states revealed as best to start a family amid cratering belief in the American Dream
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For those chasing the American dream, a new study has some insightful information about what it takes to attain it – along with data that might determine the best states to set down roots.
Declining marriages and broken families are crippling predominantly blue states, while red states thrive with better economic mobility, education and lower crime, according to a 2026 Family Structure Index released Tuesday by the Ohio-based Center for Christian Virtue.
In partnership with the Institute for Family Studies, the report examined three core factors: marriage rates, family stability and fertility rates. It also tracked cost of living, religious participation, family instability, and education levels, finding wide gaps across states that affect the «health and attainability of the American Dream.»
«This report should serve as a wake-up call for policymakers and community leaders across the country,» CCV President Aaron Baer told Fox News Digital.
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A 2026 report by the Center for Christian Virtue and Institute for Family Studies compares red and blue states on family stability. (iStock)
Baer added that government programs alone «can’t replace strong families.»
«No amount of paid family leave, childcare subsidies, or social experimentation will rebuild the foundation that families provide,» he said. «If those policies were enough, states like California and New York would be leading the way. The data show otherwise. If we’re serious about reducing poverty and expanding opportunity, we need to strengthen the institutions that have always made America strong: faith, family, and economic freedom.»
The report finds that only 1 in 3 Americans believe in the American Dream.
The index clearly shows geographic divides. Red states like Utah rank first in family stability, while blue states like New Mexico trail behind.
Rocky Mountain and Great Plains states generally have higher marriage and fertility rates, according to the report.
Behind Utah, the rest of the top 5 states for family stability were Idaho, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota.
The bottom five states: Vermont, Nevada, Louisiana, Rhode Island, and New Mexico.
These differences are now impacting where people choose to live, according to the report.
South Carolina, for example, has seen marriage rates rise and its ranking on this list improve; while Hawaii has fallen as marriage rates decline and housing costs remain high.
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As these pressures grow, more Americans are leaving high-cost blue states for more affordable red states.
«Strong families are the foundation of a healthy society,» Baer said in a press release. «This report shows that when family structure weakens, the effects ripple outward to our schools, our communities and our economy. But it also makes clear that this is not inevitable. There is a solution and a path forward.»
Notably, the report highlights a clear link between family structure and economic outcomes.
States with more married parents saw lower child poverty rates, better educational outcomes, less crime and stronger economies, while those with higher shares of single-parent households face long-term challenges.
Other contributing factors also emerged.
States with higher religious participation saw higher birth rates, while expensive housing markets are tied to lower fertility rates, according to the report. Education also plays a role as more college-educated adults are more likely to form stable families due to economic security.
Since 2000, the national index score has dropped from 100 to 87.3, signaling a decline in family structure, the report added. While marriage rates have stabilized in recent years, fertility rates continue to fall and pose lasting constraints for future generations.
However, these trends do vary across both red and blue states, according to a CCV spokesperson, who said the report «also underscores that these trends are not confined to any one region or political ideology.»
The findings have prompted calls for policy changes focusing on strengthening families and economic conditions.
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A 2026 Family Structure Index report finds red states outperform blue states in family stability, economic mobility, and education. (iStock)
«The lesson going forward is clear,» Baer said. «Red and blue states alike should advance policies that make housing more affordable, ensure good-paying jobs are within reach, keep taxes low, and expand access to quality education.»
Baer added this comes down to the impact of stable households.
Stable two-parent homes are linked to higher college graduation rates and a better shot at reaching the middle class, the report said. Married adults are also about 80% less likely to live in poverty than single adults.
«Family structure is one of the strongest predictors we have for whether children and communities are thriving,» University of Virginia sociology professor and lead researcher Brad Wilcox said in a press release. «States that are doing well in this area have markedly lower levels of child poverty, as well as higher rates of economic mobility and homeownership.»
For many, economic realities have continued to fuel skepticism about the American Dream. Since 1980, fewer adults ages 25 to 54 have been able to buy homes, and only about 50% of those born in the 1980s earn more than their parents—down from 90% among those born in the 1940s.
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Marriage rates fell sharply from 2000 to 2010, followed by a 17% drop over the next decade, as «upward mobility has been cut nearly in half over two generations,» the report said.
«This isn’t just about statistics,» Baer said. «It’s about real children and real futures. If we want to see our nation thrive, we have to be serious about strengthening marriage and supporting families in every community.»
family personal freedoms, economy, politics, state, faith personal freedoms, utah, republicans elections, democratic party
March of the Living takes place at Auschwitz
Law enforcement leaders joined the 2026 International March of the Living at Auschwitz-Birkenau on Tuesday. The global delegation marched alongside thousands to honor Holocaust victims and vow to combat modern hate. (Video: Amelie Botbol.)
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AUSCHWITZ: Some 130 police leaders from across the globe converged on Kraków, Poland this week for a first-of-its-kind initiative amid rampant antisemitism.
The event is aligned with the March of the Living, which brings thousands of participants to Germany and Poland each year to provide a first-hand look at the Nazi death camps and to teach the lessons of the Holocaust through engagement with survivors.
Paul Goldenberg, a law enforcement veteran of 37-years, deputy director of the Rutgers Miller Center on Policing and Community Resilience, which organized the initiative alongside the University of Virginia’s Center for Public Safety and Justice, spoke of the importance of the trip.
«Being here is a testament to who these officers are and to the oath they have taken to protect all communities, regardless of identity,» he told Fox News Digital. «It is a commitment not only to ourselves, but to the people we serve. These are very challenging times, and the police, in all their forms, can play a significant role in sustaining democratic values.
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Members of the International Police delegation tour Auschwitz on April 12, 2026. (Yossi Zeliger)
«This initiative is about learning, professional development and remembrance. It is also about reminding ourselves who we are, why we hold these positions and what we must do to ensure people are kept safe — no matter who they are or where they are,» he said.
The three-day program included a walking tour of Kazimierz, the Jewish Quarter in Kraków, a guided tour of Auschwitz on Monday; a press conference and testimonies by a Holocaust survivor and survivors of antisemitic shootings, culminating on Tuesday’s participation in the March of the Living and a tour of Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Goldenberg said the Holocaust was unique in that it was a state-directed campaign in which police forces played a role, and that a central lesson is how the Nazis’ dehumanization of Jews and other targeted groups enabled the system to function. He added that the goal of the initiative is for participants to return to their departments with a deeper understanding that will help them better train officers, support victims of hate crimes and appreciate the importance and critical nature of their responsibilities.
He pointed to the urgency of the situation, noting that armed military units are now guarding synagogues in Western countries and that both the United States and Canada have deployed specialized police forces to protect Jewish institutions.
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People add to a floral tribute outside Bondi Pavilion at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Steve Markham)
«What is striking is that these are not foreign entities — they are integral parts of the societies in which they exist. A synagogue in Belgium is Belgian. A synagogue in London belongs to London. A synagogue in New York City is part of the fabric of that city,» he told Fox News Digital.
«From a policing perspective, what is deeply concerning is the erosion of safety and security for vulnerable communities. It is a deeply alarming scenario — one that, in some respects, echoes patterns seen in the 1930s,» he added.
The theme of this year’s March is combating antisemitism, which has surged to unprecedented levels since the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, massacre in Israel.
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Abbie Talmoud, director for Jewish Community Affairs at the Embassy of Israel to the United States, survived a terror attack outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., in May 2025, in which two Israeli embassy staff members, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, were killed.
Speaking to Fox News Digital in Auschwitz, Talmoud said that amid rising antisemitism, feeling safe in the United States «is really difficult» and would require «systematic change,» adding that she has stopped attending some events where she does not feel adequate security precautions are in place.
Members of a global law enforcement delegation attended the March of the Living in Auschwitz on April 13, 2026. (J.V. Katz)
«There needs to be an understanding that the way we don’t allow racism for other races and ethnicities, we can’t allow antisemitism. It needs to come from the top — the school system, parents, governments,» Talmoud said.
Catherine Szkop, director of public affairs at the Embassy of Israel to the United States, who focuses on interfaith relations and engagement, carpooled with Talmoud, Lischinsky and Milgrim to the event that evening and also survived.
«I have a family history tied to the Holocaust. In the Book of Names, I looked up ‘Szkop’ and saw a page taller than me filled with that name, along with dates and locations of those who were murdered. I realized my own name could have appeared there, with ‘murdered in Washington, D.C.’ written next to it,» she told Fox News Digital at Auschwitz.
Szkop said she has never been this vigilant or fearful of potential attacks.
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«I wear headphones less; it makes me more aware of my surroundings. It’s a mix of fear and wanting some peace of mind after what happened. I don’t let it stop me from living, but it’s made me a little more afraid,» she said.
Jeanne Hengemuhle, superintendent of the New Jersey State Police, told Fox News Digital in Kraków that her agency, which includes 3,500 sworn members and 1,500 civilian staff, works closely with community leaders across the state to address hate-related concerns before they escalate into crises, emphasizing that early engagement, information-sharing and collaboration are key to preventing issues before they arise.
«We are law enforcement, but we are also part of the communities we serve, and we must recognize that role as the first line of defense,» she said.
A photo taken 27 May 1944 in Oswiecim, showing Nazis selecting prisoners on the platform at the entrance of the Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp. (Photo by -/Yad Vashem Archives/AFP via Getty Images)
Hengemuhle said that, as human beings, there is a responsibility to do everything possible to combat hate, which requires understanding and educating one another, as well as drawing on different policing and professional backgrounds.
«This is my first year, and I am very humbled to have been invited to take part in the march and learn more. To me, it is about coming together and learning from what happened in the past so we do not allow it to happen again in the future,» she said.
«The Holocaust did not happen overnight,» she continued. «There were small, incremental changes that ultimately led to what took place. I think it is important that, by coming together and having these discussions, we ask whether we are seeing the kinds of early indicators that could lead us down a dangerous path — and how we intervene before it goes too far.»
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To this end, senior police officials and associations from Europe and North America signed a landmark memorandum of understanding (MOU) in Berlin earlier this month, formally launching a new transnational initiative titled «Not on Our Watch – The Democratic Policing Initiative.»
The agreement brings together the German Police Union (GdP), the European Federation of Police Unions (EU.Pol), the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), the National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA), the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA), the Small & Rural Law Enforcement Executives Association (SRLEEA) and the International Police Delegation, in collaboration with leading academic institutions.
The MOU formalizes a shared commitment among participating organizations to strengthen early threat detection and intelligence-sharing across borders, including establishing coordinated operational responses to emerging extremist threats, among other things.
An anti-Israel protester’s high-vis jacket during a march against the Jewish state by the Sydney Harbor Bridge in Australia. Aug. 2025. (Ayush Kumar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Jim Skinner, sheriff of Collin County, Texas, and incoming vice president of the National Sheriffs’ Association, told Fox News Digital in Kraków that as a law enforcement leader, his responsibility is to serve everyone equally, noting that while there is significant partisanship and political division in the United States, law enforcement must serve and protect all communities equally.
«We all have an obligation to dig deep and make sure hate doesn’t happen on our watch, and to recognize that we have a fundamental responsibility to think critically about how to keep our communities safe,» he said.
Skinner noted that North Texas is home to a large and vibrant Jewish community, which he said he is fortunate to serve. He added that he traveled to Israel shortly after the Oct. 7 attack with two other sheriffs and visited Kibbutz Be’eri, an experience he said he will never forget.
A participant wrapped into a flag of Israel stands at the main gate with the lettering «Arbeit macht frei» (Work sets you free) at the start of the annual March of The Living to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust during World War II, at the memorial site of the former Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi death camp in Oswiecim, Poland, on April 14, 2026. (Wojtek Radwanski/AFP via Getty Images)
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«I came away with important, practical lessons for my organization, but also with a deeper understanding of a world filled with hate. It reinforced for me that the authority entrusted to me by the people who elected me must be used wisely in how I approach my job each day — to ensure that something like that does not happen to the citizens where I live, and that if it ever did, we would have a proper and effective response,» he said.
«I think about the march,» he continued, «it honors Holocaust victims and serves as a reminder of the consequences of hate and the importance of standing against violence and intolerance. That’s the message I want everyone I have influence over to understand.»
anti semitism, holocaust, police and law enforcement, hamas, faith
Pavel Durov, el multimillonario ruso residente en Francia cuyas relaciones con Vladimir Putin han pasado por fases buenas y fases malas en los últimos años, suele alegar que quienes quieren aprobar normas para legislar cómo funcionan las redes sociales lo que buscan en realidad es controlar la privacidad y censurar. Porque de la libertad absoluta de compartir cualquier contenido, legal o ilegal, vive su negocio.
Su red, Telegram, que no alcanza los suficientes usuarios en la Unión Europea para tener que cumplir con la legislación más dura que sí se aplica a otras como X, Facebook, Whatsapp o Instagram, se vende como un lugar libre de censura y controles gubernamentales, pero esa falta de control alguno ha permitido, según la denuncia de la organización ‘AI Forensic’, que defiende el respeto a los derechos humanos en las redes sociales, que Telegram se haya convertido en un nido de contenidos ilegales.
La ONG acaba de lanzar un informe en el que explica cómo Telegram se usa, sin que su propietario mueva un dedo para impedirlo y sin que sus controles internos sirvan para controlar nada, en un lugar donde se almacenan, comparten, circulan y monetizan fotografías y videos de contenido sexual de personas reales sin su consentimiento. E imágenes de abusos sexuales a menores. La investigación recomienda a la Comisión Europea que Telegram pase a la categoría de las grandes plataformas para que se le pueda aplicar la legislación europea más estricta.
El informe de la organización, que empezó a conocerse fuera de los círculos de expertos después de una pieza en la newsletter francesa ‘Technoculture’, explica cómo decenas de miles de hombres (el informe está hecho en el ecosistema digital de Italia y España), usan Telegram para “guardar, compartir, hacer circular y monetizar la difusión de imágenes (fotografías y videos) de carácter sexual de sus parejas, amigas, conocidas y casi siempre sin el consentimiento de esas personas. Además, también se encuentra contenido de abusos sexuales a niños y niñas de corta edad”.
Asegura el texto que en Telegram se encuentran “abonos mensuales para acceder a una variedad de contenidos entre los que hay materiales de agresiones sexuales a menores y de videos de violaciones”. El informe advierte que se usa Telegram, porque tiene menos controles que plataformas mayores, para conservar contenido ilegal que se encuentra en sitios como TikTok o Instagram y que suele ser borrado de esas plataformas.
El informe se hizo tras revisar 2,8 millones de mensajes de 16 grupos y canales distintos durante un período de seis semanas.
Los investigadores a cargo del informe piden a la Comisión Europea que incluya a Telegram en el grupo de las grandes plataformas digitales, aunque no cumpla estrictamente el criterio del número de usuarios.
Incluirlo en ese grupo obligaría a Telegram a cumplir con el reglamento de servicios digitales (el DSA que tanto odian esas plataformas), que les impone exigencias más duras, como moderación de contenidos y eliminación de contenido ilegal.
Durov, al tanto del informe de la ONG y de las presiones a la Comisión Europea para que incluya a Telegram entre las grandes plataformas, no apreció la publicación. En un mensaje en X escribió: “El Estado profundo europeo nos dice (a través de medios estatales y de ong’s financiadas por Soros) que Telegram es un problema porque la gente puede compartir contenidos de otras redes sociales en grupos privados de Telegram. Esa cosa absurda sirve para justificar la vigilancia y la censura (DSA)”.
La respuesta de Durov al informe reúne los mensajes habituales de las extremas derechas europeas. La idea de que hay un “Estado profundo” fuera del control público, gubernamental y judicial, y que es financiado por personas con intenciones aviesas (el financiero y filántropo George Soros aparece regularmente en esas teorías conspirativas).
AI Forensics es una de las organizaciones no gubernamentales que ayuda, previo pago, a la Comisión Europea a aplicar el reglamento de servicios digitales, el famoso DSA que amarga la vida a las grandes plataformas y que es la herramienta europea para hacer que en el territorio de la UE esas empresas cumplan la legislación en vigor.
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Trump DOJ fires prosecutors tied to FACE Act cases after report alleges bias and misconduct
Biden DOJ targeted pro-life Americans with harsher sentences, new report reveals
A new Department of Justice report alleges the Biden administration weaponized federal law, targeting pro-life Americans with significantly harsher sentences. The report indicates an average of 26.8 months for pro-life defendants compared to 12.3 months for pro-abortion defendants. Assistant Attorney General Daniel Burrows stated the «shameful» behavior was used to enforce pro-abortion special interests. This comes amidst broader discussions on legal justice.
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The Trump administration has fired multiple prosecutors who handled cases that resulted in prison sentences for pro-life activists under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, as the Justice Department moves to overhaul enforcement of the law.
The Justice Department confirmed to Fox News Digital that four prosecutors tied to those cases were dismissed, following a CBS News report on the firings.
The department’s rapid response account on X said the Justice Department «has terminated the employment of personnel responsible for weaponizing the FACE Act who still remained at the department.»
The personnel moves come after the Justice Department released a report Tuesday alleging the Biden administration «weaponized» federal law by selectively prosecuting pro-life activists under the FACE Act, which was designed to protect access to abortion clinics and pregnancy resource centers.
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The Trump administration fired four prosecutors tied to cases against pro-life activists as the Justice Department moves to overhaul enforcement of the FACE Act. (Andrew Thomas/NurPhoto)
According to the report, based on a review of more than 700,000 internal records, prosecutors coordinated with abortion-rights groups to identify activists, sought harsher sentences for pro-life defendants and, in some cases, withheld evidence from defense attorneys.
«This department will not tolerate a two-tiered system of justice,» Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement. «No Department should conduct selective prosecution based on beliefs. The weaponization that happened under the Biden Administration will not happen again, as we restore integrity to our prosecutorial system.»
The report also alleged prosecutors attempted to screen out jurors based on religious beliefs and, in some cases, pursued aggressive arrest tactics rather than allowing defendants to voluntarily surrender.
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Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the firings are part of ending what he called a «two-tiered system of justice» and restoring integrity at the department. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
For instance, the report cited a case involving pro-life activist Mark Houck in which prosecutors declined a request for him to self-surrender and instead authorized an FBI arrest at his home.
Justice Department officials said sentencing recommendations for pro-life defendants averaged 26.8 months in prison, compared to 12.3 months for individuals accused of attacks on pro-life organizations.
The report argued FACE Act enforcement under the Biden administration was uneven, with authorities prioritizing cases involving abortion clinics while failing to adequately pursue attacks on pregnancy resource centers and churches.
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People attend the annual March for Life rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Jan. 19, 2024, in Washington, D.C. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
Assistant Attorney General Daniel Burrows said the findings raised serious concerns about department attorneys.
«The behavior unearthed in this report is shameful,» Burrows said, adding that some prosecutors «withheld evidence» and worked to exclude religious jurors.
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The Trump administration has already taken steps to reverse course, including issuing pardons for pro-life activists convicted under the prior administration, dismissing several civil cases and limiting future FACE Act prosecutions to «extraordinary circumstances.»
The FACE Act, passed in 1994, prohibits the use of force, threats or physical obstruction to interfere with access to reproductive health services.
attorney general, fbi, enforcement, first amendment religion us, justice department
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