FIRST ON FOX: Members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), one of the largest and most politically active unions in the country, contacted local California police with a plan to get arrested on purpose during a scheduled protest outside the office of GOP Rep. Young Kim, Fox News Digital has learned.

A source familiar told Fox News Digital that SEIU informed the Anaheim Police Department about a protest held Tuesday, in which they wanted to be arrested during a staged «civil-disobedience type of event.» The protesters planned to block the office entryway to prompt an arrest by police officers. 

Following conversations with law enforcement, the source said SEIU decided to go «in a different direction,» by holding a rally outside the office with «small civil disobedience toward the end,» like blocking a driver outside Kim’s office to get cited by police. 

«Sorry, I have no information on that,» an Anaheim Police Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital when reached for comment. 

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Members of SEIU contacted local California police with a plan to intentionally get arrested during a scheduled protest outside Rep. Young Kim’s office. (Getty Images)

When reached by Fox News Digital for comment, a spokesperson did not confirm or deny that SEIU called the cops on itself.

«I’m glad our action got your attention! You may have missed the real news today, which is that the lives of people with disabilities are at stake,» the spokesperson said while including information about the «devastating effects cutting Medi-Cal would have on Rep. Kim’s constituents who live with disabilities.»

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About 1,000 people gathered outside Kim’s office on Tuesday in a peaceful protest where no one was arrested, ABC 7 Eyewitness News reported.

At one point, roughly a dozen people blocked a driveway near the building. Police instructed them to move and when they refused they were marched to another parking lot and cited with tickets for blocking a roadway, the outlet reported. 

Protesters gather in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 17, 2025. Protesters also gathered outside Rep. Young Kim’s office on Tuesday. (Deirdre Heavey/Fox News Digital)

Protests outside representatives’ offices and at their town halls have erupted during President Donald Trump’s second term, as massive layoffs and spending cuts led by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have triggered outrage among Democrats across the country. 

SEIU has been at the forefront of those protests nationwide, advocating for workers’ rights and protecting Americans’ access to healthcare. The protest outside Kim’s office was about protecting Medicaid as Democrats have been sounding the alarm about potential threats to the program since Trump’s November victory. 

«The GOP budget would gut $880 BILLION from Medicaid – the biggest cut in U.S. history – just to hand $7 TRILLION to billionaires. This will hurt working families, seniors, kids, veterans & people with disabilities,» SEIU posted on Friday. 

Rep. Young Kim speaks during a hearing March 10, 2021, on Capitol Hill. (Ting Shen-Pool/Getty Images)

While Democrats have said there is no way to preserve Medicaid given Trump’s ambitious tax cuts included in his «big, beautiful bill,» Republicans have maintained that Trump will not cut Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid benefits. 

Kim, whom the SEIU protesters were targeting with their staged arrests, joined 12 House Republicans in a letter to House leadership opposing any budget resolution that would make cuts to Medicaid services. Her office is also shutting down the implication that congressional Republicans are hiding from their constituents. 

«I had a productive meeting with many of these local healthcare advocates last week and will continue to make clear to House leadership and my constituents that any budget resolution that cuts vital Medicaid services for the most vulnerable citizens in our community will not receive my vote. My door is always open,» Kim told Fox News Digital in a statement. 

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders participate in a stop on the «Fight Oligarchy» tour in Bakersfield, California, on April 15, 2025. (Reuters/Aude Guerrucci)

«Rep. Kim recently wrote to House leadership to make clear once again that any budget resolution that cuts vital Medicaid services for the most vulnerable citizens in our community will not receive her vote. She appreciates the work of these advocates on healthcare issues. She is committed to protecting and strengthening our healthcare system, including vital Medicaid services for our most vulnerable, and has worked across the aisle to expand access to care for her constituents,» a spokesperson for Kim added in a statement. 

Kim’s spokesperson said the California congresswoman was «recently ranked the most effective federal lawmaker from California» and emphasized her efficiency and bipartisan leadership in Congress. 

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Progressive protest groups organized disruptions at Republican-held town halls and local legislative offices earlier this year, effectively shutting them down. Some lawmakers, including Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., reported safety concerns following threats of violence. Many Republicans opted for tele-town halls as a result, citing productivity in a controlled environment. 

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the former vice presidential candidate, has joined a growing number of Democrats hosting town halls in Republican-held congressional districts, following reports that the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) told congressional Republicans to stop holding in-person town hall meetings after protesters began disrupting them earlier this year. 

Un total de 135 cardinales, con una edad promedio de 70 años, se reunirán pronto en cónclave para elegir al próximo pontífice tras la muerte del papa Francisco. El más joven de todos ellos es el ucraniano Mykola Bychok, de 45 años, obispo en la ciudad australiana de Melbourne y que fue proclamado cardenal hace tan solo cuatro meses por el papa.

Leé también: Cómo es el protocolo del cónclave y quiénes son los principales candidatos para suceder al papa Francisco

El religioso milenial recibió la bendición de Francisco el pasado 7 de diciembre, en el último consistorio encabezado por el Papa en el que se definió el cuerpo que elegirá al sucesor de la silla de San Pedro.

Un día después de haberse convertido en cardenal, Bychok declaró a la cadena pública australiana ABC que jamás hubiera soñado con ascender a esta posición a la misma edad en la que esperaba ser un simple redentorista. “Ser sacerdote y ya”, subrayó.

Entonces, también manifestó su intención ser un cardenal “flexible, santo, accesible y sin eminencia”, comprometido a seguir denunciando la guerra en su país, que califica como un genocidio por parte de Rusia.

El pedido del cardenal Mykola Bychok antes del cónclave

El obispo llega a Roma justo 20 años después de haber sido ordenado sacerdote y tras haber pedido recientemente a los fieles “oraciones por los cardenales electores que se reunirán en el cónclave”.

Leé también: El médico del papa Francisco reveló cómo fueron los últimos minutos antes de morir: “No respondía”

“Que el espíritu santo ilumine nuestros corazones y mentes para que podamos elegir un candidato digno como el 267 obispo de Roma”, expresó a través de su página de Facebook.

En la misma publicación, recordó que el diciembre pasado le pidió a Francisco que orara por Ucrania, pero que ahora él mismo reza para que el difunto pontífice “interceda ante Cristo por los pueblos de Australia y Ucrania” y para que Dios le “conceda la gracia de vivir” su “misión como cardenal de la Iglesia católica”.

Leé también: La tecnología detrás del cónclave: los avances para blindar y proteger la elección del nuevo papa

Cuando será el cónclave que elegirá el próximo papa

El cónclave debe comenzar en un lapso de 15 a 20 días, luego de la muerte del papa. En este caso, se estima que el proceso de elección para elegir a quien ocupará el rol que tenía Francisco podría comenzar entre el 5 y el 10 de mayo.

El cardenal australiano-ucraniano, como él mismo se define, ingresará a la Capilla Sixtina junto a un grupo heterogéneo de electores, procedentes de 71 países, que no se conocen entre ellos y sin una idea común sobre el futuro de la Iglesia.

Como el límite de edad para ser convocado al cónclave es de 80 años, 117 cardenales no participarán en la elección del próximo líder de la Iglesia católica, prevista para principios de mayo. Entre los que sí pueden votar, el de más edad es el español Carlos Osoro Sierra, de 79 años y cardenal arzobispo emérito de Madrid.

Entre los cardenales electores, los europeos serán los más numerosos en la Capilla Sixtina, con 53 representantes, es decir, el 39%.

Leé también: Nuevos audios inéditos del papa Francisco: “Le pido a Jesús que la muerte no me duela”

En 2013, durante el cónclave que condujo a la elección del papa Francisco, 60 de los 115 cardenales eran europeos, es decir el 52%, lo que demuestra el trabajo de universalización que llevó a cabo Francisco a lo largo de los 12 años de su papado.

Tras los cardenales europeos le siguen este año los de Asia (23), América del Sur y Central (21), África (18), América del Norte (16) y Oceanía (4), según la Santa Sede.

De los 135 cardenales convocados al cónclave, 108 fueron nombrados por el papa Francisco: 40 en Europa, 20 en Asia, 19 en América Central y del Sur, 15 en África, 10 en América del Norte y 4 en Oceanía. Benedicto XVI nombró a 22 y Juan Pablo II a cinco.

Cuál es el país con más cardenales en el cónclave

Italia volverá a ser el país más representado en las deliberaciones, con 17 participantes, aunque este número es inferior a los 28 de 2013. Estados Unidos (10) y Brasil (7) completan el podio de países con más cardenales participantes en el cónclave. Francia y España cuentan con cinco cada uno.

La Argentina tendrá cuatro representantes, al igual que Canadá, India, Polonia y Portugal. Costa de Marfil, con dos cardenales electores, será el único país africano que contará con más de un cardenal en el cónclave.

Quiénes son los principales candidatos a Papa

Los nombres que se barajan como posibles sucesores son solo un puñado. Entre ellos se destacan:

• Matteo Zuppi. Es relativamente joven para los parámetros que se manejan para los nuevos papas. Tiene 69 años. Es arzobispo de Bolonia y titular de la Conferencia Episcopal italiana. Se lo considera cercano a Francisco y a la Comunidad Sant’Egidio, conocida por su compromiso por los más pobres. Es el cardenal apuntado por el progresismo para suceder a Bergoglio.
• Luis Antonio Tagle. Es aún más joven que Zuppi. Tiene 67 años. Oriundo de Filipinas, también integra el grupo progresista de la Iglesia. Fue arzobispo de Manila. En 2019 fue designado prefecto de la Congregación para la Evangelización de los Pueblos. Tiene un enfoque pastoral basado en la misericordia, la inclusión y la justicia social.

• Pietro Parolin. A los 70 años, es uno de los rostros más reconocidos del Vaticano en su condición de secretario de Estado, una especie de canciller. Se lo considera la figura más influyente de la Curia. Si bien es muy cercano a Bergoglio, se lo posiciona como un cardenal moderado por su diplomacia y pragmatismo.
• Raymond Leo Burke. Con 76 años, es uno de los grandes “enemigos” de Francisco. Es el representante de la línea ultraconservadora de la Iglesia. Fue un duro crítico sobre la apertura del Vaticano a los homosexuales. Es señalado como uno de los cardenales que más conspiró contra Bergoglio durante su pontificado.

• Willem Eijk. El cardenal neerlandés, arzobispo de Utrecht, tiene 71 años. Es uno de los candidatos conservadores. Estuvo en desacuerdo con muchas de las decisiones de Francisco en los últimos años, en especial con la comunión para los divorciados vueltos a casar. Se lo relaciona con la línea conservadora heredera del fallecido Benedicto XVI.
• Peter Turkson. Su nombre completo es Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson. Tiene 76 años. De ser elegido se convertiría en el primer papa africano. Se lo señala por su perfil progresista y su liderazgo en asuntos globales. Es cercano al progresismo. Hasta 2021, estuvo encargado del Dicasterio para el Servicio del Desarrollo Humano Integral.

• Peter Erdo. El cardenal húngaro tiene 71 años y representa al ala conservadora de la Iglesia. Se lo conoce por su capacidad de diálogo. De hecho, en los últimos años logró un acercamiento entre Francisco y el ultraderechista presidente húngaro, Viktor Orban.

Since Israel’s near annihilation of Hezbollah’s terror leadership, and the backing of the Trump administration, whose special envoy to Lebanon has made clear the U.S. goal of limiting the power and influence of the Iran-terror proxy, the winds of change are slowly blowing over Beirut.

«Thanks to Hezbollah being weakened and defeated after the war with Israel, we are finally in a position to have this conversation about peace with Israel,» Rami Naim, Lebanon affairs journalist and analyst for Jusoor News, told Fox News Digital. «In the past the intelligence investigated me and took me to jail because I said we want peace with Israel, but now I say it openly, yes, we want normalization, and yes, we want peace with Israel without fear.» Naim was personally attacked by Hezbollah last year for his outspoken views.

The weakening of Hezbollah, Iran’s proxy, and the election of Joseph Aoun as Lebanon’s president in January 2025, represents a turning point in the country’s political trajectory. After more than two years of political deadlock, Aoun’s election was seen as a victory for the anti-Hezbollah camp, and has seemingly made the shift in public opinion regarding peace with Israel more palatable.

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Touting the U.S. president, Naim said, «We believe Trump will put things back on track and work toward peace, aiming for a major peace deal between Lebanon and Israel, which will require increased pressure on Iran.» 

Interviews conducted by Jussor, a pan-Arab media outlet, have highlighted that many Lebanese citizens are now willing to consider normalization with Israel. One Lebanese man, interviewed on camera with his face showing, shared his hope: «I believe a day will come when there will be normalization with Israel. It will take time, but it will happen eventually.» 

Another interviewee echoed similar sentiments: «Israel wants peace. They don’t want war. They are cleaning things up so war doesn’t happen, and we want peace too. We’re exhausted.»

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun meets with Morgan Ortagus, U.S. deputy special envoy for Middle East Peace, in Beirut on Feb. 7, 2025. (Lebanese Presidency/Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Morgan Ortagus, U.S. deputy special envoy for Middle East Peace, has emphasized the necessity of disarming Hezbollah to stabilize Lebanon and pave the way for peace in the region. 

In an interview with Al Arabiya earlier this month, she described Hezbollah as a «cancer» within Lebanon that must be removed for the country to have any hope of recovery. She said, «When you have cancer, you don’t treat part of the cancer in your body and let the rest of it grow and fester; you cut the cancer out.» Ortagus also criticized Iran for fueling regional instability and dragging Lebanon into conflicts it did not seek. She noted, «The government of Lebanon didn’t want to go to war with Israel. It was on Oct. 8, 2023, that Hezbollah and Iran decided to get into the war… people were forced into a war that nobody wanted to be in.»

Smoke rises after an Israeli airstrike targeting a Hezbollah stronghold in a southern suburb of Beirut on Oct. 22. (Fadel Itani/AFP via Getty Images)

«We are grateful to our ally Israel for defeating Hezbollah,» Ortagus said at a news conference in Beirut’s southeastern suburb of Baabda after a meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, the Associated Press reported.

Naim said that while the public may be ready for peace, it is the Lebanese political elite that must take action. «We need America to keep pressure on Lebanon’s corrupt politicians, who have enabled Hezbollah to rebuild its military capabilities… These politicians must publicly endorse peace. It’s not just activists and journalists who should be saying it. The decision-makers must step forward.»

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The IDF says its «soldiers are continuing to conduct limited, localized, targeted raids in southern Lebanon, eliminating Hezbollah terrorists and dismantling terror infrastructure and weapons stockpiles both above and below ground.» (IDF Spokesman’s Unit)

Naim’s call for international intervention underscores the continued importance of U.S. influence in Lebanon’s political direction. «We have suffered under the Biden and Obama administrations, as well as those who have made compromises and deals with Iran behind our backs, disregarding our interests,» Naim said. 

«During Trump’s first term, there was significant pressure on Iran, which had posed aggression in the region. However, when Trump left the White House, Iran rebuilt its capabilities and grew stronger. Now, we have big hopes for Trump’s second term. His return to the White House would change the equation. What makes us optimistic about Trump is that he fulfills his promises and conducts negotiations from a position of strength, not weakness.»

While there is growing support for peace with Israel, the issue of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon remains a significant hurdle. One man interviewed by Jussor News pointed out, «I believe the whole region is heading toward peace. But we have our demands – you can’t have 500,000 Palestinians living here, then the Israelis come make peace and normalization, and leave them all here with us.» 

Commuters drive past a newly-installed billboard bearing the image of a Lebanese flag and a statement that reads in Arabic «Lebanon a new era,» on the road leading to Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International airport on April 10, 2025. (Joseph Eid/AFP via Getty Images)

Another woman told Jussor: «We are for peace in Lebanon. Not fighting other people’s wars which are not in Lebanon’s interests. Neutrality, as our patriarch said: enough already. We shouldn’t be looking for excuses or saying, ‘We want to liberate Palestine’ while we keep destroying Lebanon. The Palestinians told us, ‘Relax, we don’t need anything from you.’»

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«The Lebanese people are divided, but not into two equal parts,» said Naim. «The majority of the Lebanese people today are supportive of normalization and peace with Israel. This is no longer a taboo in Lebanon. Lebanese citizens can say today, ‘I am supportive of peace and normalization because I have suffered from these failed wars. The Israelis want peace, and we want peace. We want to live in peace. So it’s a win-win situation.’»