INTERNACIONAL
‘Activist judge’ rules Congress cannot bar noncitizens from voting in federal elections
A Biden-appointed judge is being labeled an «activist judge» by conservative critics after ruling the federal government’s application of a law barring noncitizens from voting in elections violates the Constitution in a federal criminal case.
In a 31-page ruling, U.S. District Judge David Leibowitz of the Southern District of Florida dismissed federal charges against Chelsea Cox, a woman originally from Jamaica who voted in the 2020 presidential election despite not being a U.S. citizen.
The ruling comes as the Trump administration has intensified efforts to prevent noncitizens from voting, including through federal prosecutions and attempts to verify citizenship on state voter rolls, sparking legal battles with Democratic-led states and voting-rights groups.
WATCH: MIKE LEE EXPLODES ON VOTING ERROR THAT ‘KEEPS HAPPENING’ AS HUGE NUMBER OF NONCITIZENS FOUND ON ROLLS
President Donald Trump’s election integrity efforts have been driven in large part by his and his allies’ belief that the 2020 election was «stolen,» an unproven claim he continues to maintain.
Leibowitz ruled that the Constitution gives states — not Congress — the authority to determine who qualifies to vote in elections, effectively ruling that a provision of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRIRA) criminalizing noncitizen voting in federal elections is unconstitutional as applied to Cox.
«The Constitution commits to the States, and the States alone, the general power to set voter qualifications in federal elections,» Leibowitz wrote in his ruling. «This is clear from both the text of the document and the debates at the Constitutional Convention in 1787.»
The ruling garnered sharp blowback from Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, who is co-author of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which is being stalled in the Senate and unlikely to be passed before the midterm elections.
«This insane ruling will certainly be overturned,» Lee wrote on X. «But it gives the game away: Democrats pretend we don’t need the SAVE Act because non-citizen voting is already illegal… while activist judges try to destroy laws banning non-citizens from voting!»
Hans von Spakovsky, a senior legal fellow with Advancing American Freedom, agreed that Leibowitz’s ruling will most likely be «squashed» by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.
«Judge David Leibowitz’s opinion that the federal law barring aliens from voting is unconstitutional is patently wrong,» Spakovsky told Digital.
«It is true that states have the constitutional authority to set the qualifications of citizens who are eligible as voters in federal elections. But he ignores the fact that in Article I, Section 8, Congress is given 100% authority over naturalization.»
Spakovsky said the Constitution gives Congress authority to decide how noncitizens enter the country and what activities they may engage in once here.
«That gives the federal government the authority to ban aliens from voting or otherwise in any way participating in the democratic process,» Spakovsky said.
STATE DEPARTMENT CONSIDERS SHARING PASSPORT RECORDS FOR VOTER CITIZENSHIP CHECKS
Spakovsky pointed to Bluman v. FEC, a 2011 decision written by Judge Brett Kavanaugh and later summarily affirmed by the Supreme Court, which upheld restrictions on foreign nationals’ campaign spending. The opinion said the government may exclude noncitizens from activities tied to democratic self-government.
«The Supreme Court has long held that the government (federal, state, local) may exclude foreign citizens from activities that are part of the democratic self-regulation in the United States,» Kavanaugh wrote.
«For example, the Supreme Court has ruled that the government may bar aliens from voting, serving as jurors, working as police or probation officers, or teaching at public schools.»
However, Bluman v. FEC involved campaign contributions and expenditures, not a federal criminal prosecution for voting.
Abhishek Kambil, a partner at Holtzman Vogel Law Firm, said he’d be «surprised» if the federal government did not prevail in its appeal.
Kambil pointed to Oregon v. Mitchell, in which the Supreme Court ruled the government had the authority to set a voting age in federal elections, which would be a voter qualifier.
«So the Supreme Court has held, in an instance, that there is federal government authority to regulate in certain instances some types of qualifications of voters, but the way that this judge read it kind of made everything a mess,» Kambil told Digital.
Leibowitz rejected the federal government’s argument that the Constitution grants Congress total authority over regulating immigration and noncitizens.
DHS APPROVES PLAN TO VERIFY VOTER CITIZENSHIP, MONITOR MAIL BALLOTS AS TRUMP PUSH INTENSIFIES
While he acknowledged that Congress has «broad, undoubted power» over immigration and noncitizens, he said those powers are not «a series of blank checks» and cannot override the Constitution’s «foundational constitutional constraints» assigning voter-qualification authority to the states.
The judge also rejected the federal government’s reliance on the elections clause, which allows Congress to regulate how states conduct federal elections, including by passing laws to combat voter fraud. Leibowitz said the statute at issue was not designed to regulate election procedures or prevent fraud but instead created a federal voter qualification by determining who could vote.
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While Leibowitz ruled that the federal government cannot continue prosecuting Chelsea Cox, Florida would still have the authority to bring state charges.
President Joe Biden nominated Leibowitz to the federal bench in 2024. The Senate confirmed him, 64-33, in a bipartisan vote, with then-Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., voting in favor. Thursday’s ruling is his most politically consequential decision from the bench to date.
federal courts, politics, elections, judiciary, elections disputes, voting
INTERNACIONAL
Guatemala enfrenta un nuevo riesgo climático: la saturación de suelos tras semanas de sequía
El Ministerio de Agricultura, Ganadería y Alimentación (MAGA) alertó que las lluvias previstas para el 3 y 4 de octubre podrían provocar saturación de los suelos en 138 municipios de Guatemala, donde la humedad ya oscila entre 51% y 75%. El riesgo alcanza a cultivos y zonas ganaderas después de semanas de déficit hídrico y temperaturas superiores a 35 °C.
La sequía agrícola afectó a 577 mil familias entre agosto y octubre, de acuerdo con datos difundidos por el MAGA. Un total de 123 municipios fue clasificado con vulnerabilidad muy alta y otros 120 con vulnerabilidad alta frente a la falta de precipitaciones.
Las nuevas lluvias podrían concentrarse durante las tardes y noches, acompañadas por actividad eléctrica. El boletín agrometeorológico del ministerio, elaborado con información del Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología, mantiene bajo vigilancia a municipios de Jalapa, Guatemala, Baja Verapaz, Totonicapán, San Marcos, Quiché, Quetzaltenango y Huehuetenango.
De la recuperación hídrica al riesgo para las siembras
El 22 de septiembre, las precipitaciones eran consideradas una oportunidad para recuperar la humedad del terreno tras un período de sequía y calor extremo. En ese momento, el MAGA observaba 280 municipios de 21 departamentos ante la posibilidad de nuevas siembras y resiembras.
Las lluvias moderadas y fuertes podían favorecer cultivos de café, maíz, frijol, hortalizas, cardamomo, caña de azúcar, banano, plátano, tabaco, piña y pastos. La acumulación posterior de agua elevó la preocupación por parcelas sin drenaje suficiente.
El ministerio recomendó revisar los terrenos para detectar sectores anegados y mantener despejados los canales de drenaje. También pidió vigilar plagas y enfermedades asociadas al exceso de humedad, además de guardar las cosechas en espacios secos, techados y ventilados.
El Viceministerio de Desarrollo Económico Rural aconsejó suspender las tareas de campo durante las lluvias intensas y realizar inspecciones en las plantaciones una vez que cesen las precipitaciones. La revisión resulta especialmente necesaria en las zonas donde se esperan los mayores acumulados de agua.
Tormentas locales, granizo y máximas de 37 °C
El Insivumeh anticipó un ambiente cálido y húmedo, con posibilidad de tormentas locales severas, ráfagas de viento y granizo. Las regiones del Pacífico, el norte del país, el valle del Motagua y los valles de Oriente tendrían máximas de entre 34 °C y 37 °C.
En la capital, las temperaturas oscilarían entre 26 °C y 28 °C. El altiplano central y occidental registraría máximas de entre 23 °C y 29 °C.
Las precipitaciones recientes también favorecen crecidas de ríos, inundaciones, deslizamientos, deslaves, daños en la red vial y descenso de lahares en la cadena volcánica, según el instituto. El organismo recomendó extremar las precauciones durante los períodos de mayor intensidad.
El Viceministerio de Sanidad Agropecuaria y Regulaciones pidió revisar corrales y techos antes y durante las lluvias. La dependencia recomendó evitar el ingreso de animales a potreros encharcados y mantener a terneros y otros ejemplares jóvenes en áreas secas, protegidas y con ventilación adecuada.
Asistencia alimentaria ante la persistencia de la sequía
La Coordinadora Nacional para la Reducción de Desastres prevé entregar 82.879 raciones de alimentos desde noviembre a una parte de las 570.267 familias afectadas por la sequía en 210 municipios. La primera distribución contempla 38.141 raciones desde el 6 de octubre.
El Programa Mundial de Alimentos calcula aportar el resto de los insumos entre la segunda y la tercera semana de octubre. La ayuda se desarrolla mientras persisten los efectos del déficit de precipitaciones en las zonas más expuestas.
El Insivumeh proyectó que octubre tendrá lluvias por debajo de los valores históricos a escala nacional, aunque las precipitaciones se concentrarían principalmente en la primera y la última semana del mes. El organismo confirmó el establecimiento de condiciones de El Niño con una probabilidad del 100%, un fenómeno que podría adelantar el final de la temporada lluviosa y mantener acumulados inferiores a lo normal durante el resto del año.
llanura de marea,marisma,barro,inundación
As rapper Macklemore draws controversy for his activism against Israel, rock stars Bruce Springsteen and Dave Matthews headline a «Power To The People» music festival today that features a partisan network of nonprofits and activists mobilizing against President Donald Trump ahead of the midterms.
Performers from a hip-hop band, The Neighborhood Kids, launched the festival with Macklemore’s anthem of protest, chanting «Free, free Palestine!» and continuing with a declaration about protesting from «the belly of the beast,» against the «funding of genocide» and the «terrorist organization» Immigration and Customs Enforcement.» It dedicated its performance to «the martyrs» railed against «Western imperialism.»
The marketing language on the «Power To The People» festival’s official website speaks to activating «the power everyday human beings have» to «shape» the world «on, and beyond, Election Day.»
The festival bears clear signs of alignment with the Democratic Party and spotlights the intersection of pop culture, nonprofit fundraising and partisan politics, revealing how celebrity drawing power translates into money, visibility and voters for organizations advancing a political agenda.
In the chat, awaiting a livestream broadcast on the Democratic-aligned MS NOW, a user wrote: «BLUE WAVE,» symbolizing a anticipated Democratic Party victories in upcoming elections. Others peppered their comments with blue wave and blue heart emojis.
By combining performances with voter registration, activist organizing and charitable donations, «Power To
The People» offers participating groups a platform to turn fans’ enthusiasm for music into political engagement – and votes – ahead of the midterms. Festival organizers didn’t respond to a request for comment.
With musical artists passionately urging festival goers to vote Democratic, the event raises questions about whether participating nonprofits cross the line from permissible voter engagement into partisan campaign intervention, which federal tax law prohibits for 501(c)(3) organizations.
PARTY POOPERS’ FIGHT CARD: JANE FONDA, ‘NO KINGS,’ COMMUNISTS ROLL OUT RIVAL SPECTACLE TO TRUMP’S 250TH
A «Freedom Village,» set up on the festival grounds of the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Md., outside the nation’s capital, features a roster of nonprofit organizations, including Indivisible, which is funded by billionaire George Soros, Third Act, the ACLU and other groups that have been at the heart of coordinating «No Kings,» «Tesla Takedown» and «Hands Off» protests against Trump over almost two years.
Last year, Springsteen performed at a «No Kings» protest at the state capitol in St. Paul, Minn., organized by Indivisible and featuring anti-Trump activist Jane Fonda. He also headlined a «No Kings» event at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
FIRST ON FOX: ‘NO KINGS’ PROTEST NETWORK BEHIND FIGHT AGAINST AI DATA CENTERS AND FLOCK CAMERAS
Many of the festival’s performers and organizers bring a documented history of campaigning for Democrats and far-left activism. Festival organizer Tom Morello, guitarist of the band Rage Against the Machine, has called socialism a «necessity.»
Opening the concert after the hip-hop group The Neighborhood Kids, Morello blasted the «fascists and the would-be dictators» and the «oligarchs,» symbolic references that protesters have used for almost two years of protests against Trump.
According to an online fundraising form, the «Power To The People Festival Fund» is identified as a fiscally sponsored project of Catalyst Philanthropy Fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in 2024 in Nashville with $6.5 million in annual revenue, according to its latest tax filing.
Springsteen endorsed the Democratic presidential ticket in 2024, declaring: «I’m supporting Kamala Harris for president and Tim Walz for vice president.» He also called Trump «the most dangerous candidate for president in my lifetime.»
Artist Dave Matthews participated in the 2020 «I Will Vote» concert, which his official website promoted as supporting Biden, Harris and Democrats down the ballot. Earlier, Matthews backed socialist presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, writing: «When it comes down to it, Bernie Sanders represents what I want from my government.»
Artist and festival DJ Shepard Fairey created the iconic Obama «Hope» poster and the «Forward» image supporting Harris in 2024.
«I believe VP Kamala Harris and her VP pick Tim Walz are our best chance to move forward,» Fairey wrote on his website. He offered the image for grassroots activism and linked readers to Head Count Inc., a nonprofit receiving proceeds from the festival, to «help fans register to vote and learn more about how to participate in upcoming elections.»
Based in New York City, Head Count Inc. has about $14 million in revenues, according to its latest IRS tax filing.
The other nonprofit receiving proceeds from the festival is VoteRiders, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Washington, D.C., with $7.8 million in revenues, based on its last tax filing.
The festival’s «community partners» include Ben & Jerry’s, the ice cream company whose co-founder Ben Cohen, a far-left activist, was a guest at the wedding of communist tech tycoon Neville Roy Singham and Jodie Evans, co-founder of CodePink, a fierce anti-Trump nonprofit that has received $1.33 million from Singham.
Another community partner is Red Emma’s, a bookstore in Baltimore with a «Marxism, Socialism & Communism» tab on its website, selling t»Teachings of Karl Marx» by communist philosopher Vladimir Lenin, «Black Marxism» and «Flowers for Marx.»
The political leanings extend to younger performers. Musician «Grandson,» whose real name is Jordan Benjamin, has described using his platform to advance climate advocacy, voter registration and youth empowerment through his XX Resistance Fund. In a September 2020 interview, he praised Biden’s policy platform and made his electoral preference explicit: «We should elect that dude.»
At the festival, he blasted «the AI apocalypse» and sang from a trademark song celebrating the self-immolation of a U.S. service member, Aaron Bushnell, in 2024 at the Embassy of Israel in Washington, D.C., protesting Israel’s military response to the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas.
«Martyrdom is meditation, self-immolation!» the musician sang, bouncing on stage.
At «Power to the People,» the concept of «solidarity» comes with a VIP upgrade. The festival pairs its message of collective action with a familiar concert-business model: tiered admission, exclusive viewing areas and premium hospitality. Fans can choose between «People’s Park» lawn admission, «People’s Pavilion» access and the «Solidarity Circle» VIP package, which offers reserved seating, expedited entry and an «exclusive VIP deck with premium bar and food available for purchase.»
The top-tier «Robinhood Package,» branded a «VIP SUPER SUITE,» adds an exclusive suite, a dedicated viewing area at the second stage and an elevated balcony advertised as offering «the very best view of the stage and the festival.» Buyers also receive a commemorative poster and laminate, a phone-charging station and a «VIP host with concierge service for bar/food available for purchase.» Even at the highest tier, the advertised refreshments cost extra.
Organizers say the premium packages serve a charitable purpose, but the website uses differing descriptions of the donation pledge. Its overview promises a portion of all ticket proceeds and «100% of the net proceeds from VIP tickets» to VoteRiders and Head Count.
The package descriptions instead promise «all proceeds from VIP sales» to nonprofits supporting human rights and social justice.
The commercial offerings extend beyond the venue. The festival’s website promotes a paid membership with its livestream partner, MS NOW, advertising access to «daily live interactions and Q&As» with personalities including Democratic-aligned hosts Rachel Maddow, Jen Psaki, Al Sharpton and Joe Scarborough and Jen Psaki, a former Biden spokeswoman.
Alongside calls for «grassroots organizing» and «mutual aid,» the event offers a marketplace of upgraded access, media subscriptions and «hospitality.»
Back on stage with the Neighborhood Kids, the hip-hop artists continued their blast of ICE and pumped their fists in the air to inspire the concertgoers. «Power to the people!» they shouted.
«Rest in peace to all the martyrs,» one member of the group yelled. «Free the world! Free Palestine! Free Congo! Free Armenia! Free Sudan! And free everywhere in the world from Western imperialism.»
«And we got merch in that tent!» the member of the group continued, pointing toward the «Freedom Village,» as another yelled «¡Viva la revolución!»
politics, fox news investigates, socialism, entertainment, us protests
MAGA firebrand Congressman Randy Fine, R-Fla., warned the U.S. must stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons as he cautioned America is losing the battle against radical Islam.
In a wide-ranging interview with Digital, he weighed in on the debate over whether Rep. Ilhan Omar D-Minn., should be deported after the recent announcement by Tom Homan that the Department of Homeland Security was investigating the congresswoman.
«If she engaged in immigration fraud, she should be deported. And by the way, as should anyone who engaged in immigration fraud. And look, the woman is enmeshed. She’s bathed in fraud. I think the best example that we know is fraud is when she said she made 30 million dollars, which she either did and then lied about it and said she didn’t make it, or she made it up in the first place,» he claimed.
FROM CAMPUS RADICALS TO BEIJING’S AI SABOTAGE: REP. RANDY FINE SAYS ‘US FIGHTING TO SAVE WESTERN CIVILIZATION’
«I mean, this is someone whose community that she comes from engages in wholesale welfare fraud. Some of her relatives had been involved in that as well, and if she engaged in immigration fraud she should be denaturalized. She should be deported back to her home country of Somalia.»
A request sent to Omar’s office for reaction to Fine’s accusations was not returned by time of publication.
Fine said that the battle against political correctness is directly tied to mainstream Islam.
«Well, I don’t know that we’re winning. I think we’re losing. And you can see it in the unbelievable fear that people have about talking about mainstream Islam. I saw a video today about a mosque in Texas that [is] literally showing the erasing of a church and the building of a mosque. They are openly fundraising on the premise that they will eliminate Christianity in this country.
«And people are absolutely petrified to speak the truth about it. That is a battle we are losing. And if we’re not willing to tell the truth about mainstream Islam, we’re done. You can see what has happened in the United Islamic Kingdom. That will happen to America if we are unwilling to deal with this problem,» he said.
«I’m not surprised because when they stood up, the Iranians killed an estimated 100,000 of them. People are afraid. They don’t have weapons. They don’t have access to the internet to learn about what is going on.»
MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD-LINKED NETWORKS EMBEDDED ACROSS CANADIAN INSTITUTIONS, NEW REPORT ALLEGES
He continued, «And I think they’re hoping that the American pressure, both military and economic, will cause the regime to either restructure or collapse. I certainly would like to see them stand up for themselves and overthrow the mainstream Muslim religious leaders that are in charge there.»
Following the IRGC’s recent call to the American electorate to oppose Donald Trump in the midterm elections, Fine said that the move has the potential to impact the ballot box.
«Well, I hope it does. Look, it’s been clear to me, based on my time in Congress, that the Democrats are on the side of Iran, and it’s simply because they hate Donald Trump.
«What’s extraordinary about it is the same Democrats who called for an overthrow of the mainstream Muslim religious leaders who run Iran all of a sudden got upset when Donald Trump did something about it. And I personally believe the conflict would have been over a long time ago if it wasn’t for Democrats supporting the enemy,» he said.
«See, the mainstream Muslim religious leaders in Iran can see that Democrats aren’t on board. And they say, ‘hey, maybe we can wait out Donald Trump and the Republicans and get that nuclear weapon that we want to use in the United States.’ So, I’m not surprised.»
He added, «I think we need to make sure people understand that Muslim terrorists in Iran have endorsed the Democratic Party. That’s who you’re voting for. You’re voting it for the people supported by Muslim terrorists if you vote Democrat.»
Despite strong support for Trump’s military engagement in Iran, Fine does not believe that regime overthrow is an imperative.
TURKEY’S NATO ROLE UNDER SCRUTINY AMID NEW REPORT ON HAMAS, MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD TIES
«I don’t think it should be an explicit goal of American foreign policy. I think it probably happens as a result. But I’m an America First guy. And if crazy people want to run Iran, that’s not America’s problem unless they threaten America. And that’s what they have done.»
He said, «For 47 years, the mainstream Muslim religious leaders who’ve run Iran have said ‘death to America.’ They’ve killed thousands of Americans. They’re trying to build missiles that can reach America. They’re trying to build a nuclear weapon that can reach America, so stopping that is in our interest.»
He added, «But if they said, ‘look America’s our friend, we’re going to leave you alone’ well then it’s not an America First problem anymore. We’re not the world’s policeman, but we have to look out for America’s interests and making sure Iran can’t nuke us: that’s about as America First as it gets.»
However, given the prospect of Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon, Fine’s answer modulates.
«I mean, the answer is they can’t have a nuclear weapon. And by the way, we had explicit intelligence that they were getting close. And so we did something about it. And I absolutely support that.»
Fine said,»The most important thing about the Iran conflict that I tell people, is Iran was spending tons of money to build a missile that could go thousands and thousands and thousands of miles. They already had missiles that could make it to Israel. They had all the missiles they wanted that could hit Israel, as we’ve seen. They had missiles that could hit Europe, as we’ve also seen.»
He concluded,»You know where they didn’t have a missile that could hit? The United States of America, which is why they were focused on building a long-range missile, so they could threaten the east coast of the United States. That’s simply something we can never, ever allow to happen, and that’s why I’ve supported the president in this.»
war with iran, house of representatives politics, house of representatives, florida, midterm elections, islam
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