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EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: Marine vet prosecutor refuses to cross constitutional line on Spanberger ‘assault weapon’ ban
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EXCLUSIVE: Ryan Mehaffey, a Marine veteran and Virginia prosecutor, is taking a hard-line stance against what he believes is an «unconstitutional» new gun ban signed by Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger.
Spanberger, who has been slipping in the polls amid criticisms of her progressive policy agenda, signed a new bill last week banning the future sale and manufacture of «assault weapons,» including many semiautomatic rifles, pistols and shotguns. The law also bans the future sale of magazines with a capacity of more than 15 rounds.
The move caused immediate backlash from many Virginians and raised new Second Amendment violation concerns. Rather than protest, however, Mehaffey, who serves as the commonwealth attorney for Spotsylvania County, is drawing a line in the sand and flatly refusing to enforce the ban.
With the bill set to take effect this July ahead of America’s 250th anniversary of independence, Mehaffey sent a letter to Spotsylvania Sheriff Roger Harris, instructing him that the ban is «unconstitutional and cannot be lawfully enforced.»
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Virginia Democrat Gov. Abigail Spanberger is drawing Republicans’ ire and a potential Justice Department lawsuit on her latest moves against the Second Amendment. (Getty Images)
A statement released by Spanberger’s office called the assault weapons ban a «critical step toward protecting families, communities, and the law enforcement officers who serve them.»
Spanberger remarked she signed the bill into law «because firearms designed to inflict maximum casualties do not belong on our streets.»
She added that «while the General Assembly chose not to adopt my amendment that specifically carves out certain firearms frequently used for hunting, I will work with the patrons to clarify this language.»
In response, Mehaffey said in an interview with Fox News Digital that the law «is striking at the core of the militia system that existed in Virginia.»
According to Mehaffey, the Second Amendment is not just an assurance of personal freedoms, but also a safeguard for a community’s ability to defend itself through a «well-regulated militia.»
«Our founders were careful to make sure when they drafted our founding document, that the ultimate right of the people was preserved to defend themselves and to defend their community,» he explained. «So, the linchpin of the constitutional analysis is going to be does this instrument have some reasonable relationship to the preservation or efficiency of a regulated militia.»
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Mehaffey argues that Virginia historical tradition and legal precedent requires citizens own firearms for the public defense, saying, «The second amendment may not mean that you are allowed to have a nuclear weapon, but what it does allow you to have is a basic infantry weapon.» (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Mehaffey argues that in Virginia, historical tradition and case law precedent not only allow citizens to own firearms but even require them to arm themselves with the weapons of a basic infantryman for common defense. In the Founding Fathers’ time, Mehaffey said the standard issue was a musket and 20 rounds. Today, the basic infantry weapon in the U.S. military is the M4A1 carbine equipped with a 30-round magazine.
«The second amendment may not mean that you are allowed to have a nuclear weapon,» he laughed. «But what it does allow you to have is a basic infantry weapon.»
«That sort of weapon is the core of what’s protected by the Second Amendment. Not necessarily a nuclear warhead, but a rifle that you can take out and form either a fire team or a company to defend yourself and to defend your community.»
Mehaffey is not alone in his stance. In addition to what he characterized as the «overwhelmingly positive» response from his community, Smyth County Commonwealth’s Attorney Phillip Blevins, an Air Force veteran, has also refused to enforce the bill, arguing it is unconstitutional. The ban is also facing lawsuits from gun-rights groups, including the NRA, Firearms Policy Coalition and Second Amendment Foundation.
Blevins told Fox News Digital that «ultimately, courts will continue to address these issues, and I respect the role of the judiciary. But as the elected Commonwealth’s Attorney for Smyth County, I will continue to stand for what I believe the Constitution requires, without apology or hesitation.»
«My position is not based on politics. It is based on constitutional fidelity,» he continued, adding, «The Bill of Rights either means something, or it does not.»
«As Commonwealth’s Attorney, I took an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of Virginia. That oath is not situational, and it does not change based on politics, headlines, or pressure from either side of an issue.»
Mehaffey believes he and those standing beside him on this issue will ultimately prevail.
«The Second Amendment is the supreme law of the land, both in the U.S. Constitution and the analog in the Virginia Constitution,» he explained. «So, whatever law is passed by the General Assembly is not going to have the ability to supersede the Constitution.»
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Marine veteran and now Spotsylvania, Virginia, Commonwealth Attorney Ryan Mehaffey with his wife, Lucie. (Courtesy of Spotsylvania Commonwealth Attorney Ryan Mehaffey)
While he has gotten a lot of personal attention for his stance, Mehaffey emphasized that, «I want nothing more than to fulfill my office with honor and to be a good servant to the people that elected me to represent them and to stick up for their rights.»
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«That’s what I’m trying to do,» he continued, adding, «I would expect any government official to remain faithful to the Constitution and to discharge their duties as servants of the people in the same way that I have.»
Fox News Digital reached out to Spanberger for additional comment.
abigail spanberger, second amendment, constitution, virginia, woke, america 250, politics
INTERNACIONAL
La medicina avanzada y los precios competitivos consolidan a Guatemala como destino regional de salud
La incorporación del sistema ECMO en Guatemala fortalece su oferta de turismo de salud de alta complejidad y evita que pacientes con insuficiencia cardíaca o pulmonar grave deban ser trasladados al extranjero en estado crítico, según una publicación de Agexport Hoy.
La disponibilidad local de esta terapia, de acuerdo con ese medio, acerca al país a destinos médicos regionales como Costa Rica, Colombia y México.
El dato se suma a otra variable clave para ese mercado: Guatemala ofrece procedimientos con precios hasta 50 % más bajos que en Estados Unidos, según el texto fuente.
Esa combinación entre medicina especializada, costos competitivos e infraestructura es la base sobre la que el país busca captar pacientes que antes viajaban directamente a Houston, Miami o Bogotá.
El ECMO, sigla de oxigenación por membrana extracorpórea, funciona como un pulmón o corazón artificial extracorpóreo. Extrae la sangre, la oxigena, elimina el dióxido de carbono y la devuelve al organismo para que los órganos afectados puedan descansar y recuperarse, según Agexport Hoy.
Hasta ahora, los pacientes guatemaltecos y centroamericanos que necesitaban esa terapia debían salir del país, con riesgos clínicos, costos adicionales y el impacto familiar que supone un traslado en condiciones críticas, según Agexport Hoy. La disponibilidad del sistema modifica ese escenario para los casos más complejos de medicina crítica.
El Hospital Herrera Llerandi activó un sistema que requiere 26 especialistas y protocolos en menos de una hora
El avance no se limita a la compra de un equipo médico. Según Agexport Hoy, el despliegue del ECMO exigió la formación de un ecosistema clínico con más de 26 especialistas y subespecialistas certificados internacionalmente, personal de enfermería entrenado de forma específica y protocolos de activación capaces de poner en marcha el sistema en menos de una hora.
Ese proceso tomó tres años, de acuerdo con Agexport Hoy. El punto central, según esa publicación, es que la tecnología solo se convierte en capacidad real cuando existe un equipo humano preparado para operarla en condiciones de alta exigencia.
El Hospital Herrera Llerandi integró el ECMO a su nueva Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos, diseñada bajo estándares internacionales con tecnología antibacterial, filtros HEPA y sistemas de aislamiento inteligente, según Agexport Hoy. La institución ya era identificada por ese medio como pionera en los primeros trasplantes de médula ósea y hepáticos realizados en el país.
La validación inicial llegó con un primer caso exitoso: un paciente de 25 años se recuperó tras cuatro días de soporte extracorpóreo, según Agexport Hoy. Para el hospital, ese resultado respalda tanto la inversión tecnológica como la preparación del equipo que opera el sistema.
La respuesta directa a la pregunta sobre qué cambia con este avance es concreta: Guatemala ya puede sostener en su propio territorio terapias de soporte vital para pacientes con insuficiencia cardíaca o pulmonar severa, sin depender de una derivación internacional. Ese es el tipo de capacidad que, según el texto fuente, define a un destino maduro de turismo médico.
El texto fuente ubica la mayor parte de la infraestructura médica en dos polos. Ciudad de Guatemala reúne los hospitales privados más modernos y la tecnología de punta, en especial en las zonas 10 y 14, mientras Quetzaltenango aparece como otro centro de atracción con clínicas altamente especializadas y un entorno orientado al descanso.
Esa red incluye hospitales, clínicas dentales y oftalmológicas, centros especializados en cirugía plástica y estética, traumatología, fisioterapia y rehabilitación, oncología, diabetes, medicina reproductiva y servicios de bienestar, muchos de ellos con certificaciones internacionales, según el texto fuente. También señala que el país atrae pacientes interesados en odontología, cirugía plástica, cirugía bariátrica, oftalmología y ortopedia.
Publicaciones anteriores del CACIF, sostienen que Guatemala ofrece una de las ciudades más modernas de la región y estándares altos en servicios de medicina especializada con tecnología avanzada. Esa oferta se complementa con médicos formados en el extranjero, precios competitivos y una experiencia turística asociada al período de recuperación.
El componente turístico aparece como parte del paquete que se ofrece al paciente internacional. Después del tratamiento, según el texto fuente, los visitantes pueden desplazarse a destinos como Tikal, Antigua Guatemala, el lago de Atitlán, Semuc Champey y la sierra de Los Cuchumatanes.
La propuesta también incorpora turismo de bienestar, con servicios orientados a la salud mental, física y emocional, además de estancias de recuperación para quienes viajan por tratamientos dentales, cirugías plásticas u otros procedimientos, según el texto fuente. En ese marco, la llegada del ECMO amplía la oferta desde las intervenciones electivas hacia la medicina crítica y de alta especialidad.
Profesionales,salud,médicos,academia,equipo,colaboración,institución,grupo,ciencia,medicina
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Más de 1,5 millones de peregrinos llegan a Arabia Saudita para la peregrinación a La Meca
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Rubio pushes back on India’s concerns over US visa curbs, says policy must be ‘America First’ under Trump
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio pushed back against criticism of President Donald Trump’s immigration reform as Indian officials and media raised concerns that U.S. visa and immigration reforms may curb migration from India.
«What I want to leave clear is that the changes, while they may be having a disproportionate impact on a place like India that provides so many high-skilled workers to the U.S. economy, it is not a system that is targeted at India,» Rubio said during a Sunday news conference in New Delhi, India. «It is one that’s being applied globally.»
India’s foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar pushed back in his remarks.
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio faced tough questions Sunday at a New Delhi, India, news conference about the Trump administration’s pressing India on trade, tariffs, visa and immigration reform. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AFP)
«I apprised Secretary Rubio of challenges that legitimate travelers face in respect of visa issuance,» Jaishankar said.
«While we cooperate to deal with illegal and irregular mobility, our expectation is that legal mobility would not be adversely impacted as a consequence. After all, this is very relevant to our business, technology, and research cooperation,» he said.
Ultimately, Rubio – a son of Cuban immigrants – stressed that the U.S. values India as a «strategic ally» and vital trade partner, but immigration policy must be America First under Trump.
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«Everything that you do as a country needs to be in your national interest, and that includes your immigration policy,» Rubio continued. «The United States, I believe, is the most welcoming country in the world on immigration.»
«Every single year, a million people, roughly, become permanent residents of the United States and contribute greatly,» he said.
«Modernization» was the keynote to Rubio’s reply to concerns about the «contribution that Indians have made to the U.S. economy,» noting «over $20 billion have been invested in the U.S. economy by Indian companies.»
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio was pressed by India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on ‘challenges that legitimate travelers face in respect of visa issuance.’ (Manan Vatsyayana/AFP)
«The changes that are happening now or the modernization of our migration system into the United States is not focused – it’s not India-specific; it is global,» Rubio stressed. «It’s being applied across the world.»
«We are in a period of modernization, and I’ll be frank and honest with you, because it’s important to talk about this: We’ve had a migratory crisis in the United States,» he said. «This is not because of India, but broadly, we had over 20 million people illegally enter the United States over the last few years, and we’ve had to address that challenge.»
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The reforms were «long overdue,» he added.
«It has to be a process that’s adjusted in every era to the realities of the modern times in which you live, and we are, and it’s long overdue,» Rubio added. «So the United States is currently undergoing a process of reforming the system by which we choose how many people come into our country, who comes in, when they come in, et cetera.»
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Rubio urged India to give the reform process time during the period of deepest adjustment.
«Anytime you undertake a reform, anytime you undertake a change in the system by which you admit people, or frankly, anytime you undertake a reform in any system – not just on immigration – there are going to be – there’s going to be a period of transition that’s going to create some friction points and some difficulties and so forth,» he said. «Ultimately, we think when this process is in place, once this process has been modernized – and that’s really what it is – we are modernizing the U.S. immigration system for the 21st century so that it is an immigration system that’s not just good for America but it’s also good for the people that are coming.»
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The U.S. and India will be stronger in the end, according to Rubio.
«We’re going to wind up with a system that’s more efficient and even better than the previous system, and in some ways may prove to be even more beneficial than the previous system was to people from India that seek to enter the United States to work and innovate,» he concluded. «But obviously, there’s going to be a period of adjustment along the way.
«We’re in a period of transition, and like any period of transition there’s going to be some bumps on that road. But we think ultimately our destination is going to be a better system, a more efficient system, one that works better than the one that we had in place previously, and more sustainable, by the way,» Rubio said.
Rubio also addressed allegations of anti-India racism in America, urging India to not listen to the «stupid people.»
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«I’ll take that very seriously about the comments,» Rubio said. «Look, I’m sure that there are people that have made comments online and other places, because every country in the world has stupid people. I’m sure there are stupid people here.»
«There are stupid people in the United States that make dumb comments all the time. I don’t know what else to tell you other than the United States is a very welcoming country,» Rubio said. «Our nation has been enriched by people who come to our country, have come from our country from all over the world, have become Americans, have assimilated into our way of life, and have contributed greatly.»
marco rubio, immigration, foreign policy, state department, reform
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