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Blue states rallied for illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses ahead of Trump’s REAL ID crackdown
Americans are scrambling to obtain a state-issued REAL ID in order to travel by plane ahead of a federal deadline next month, which comes after states from coast to coast changed their laws surrounding driver’s licenses to permit illegal immigrants to drive.
Americans will need to obtain a REAL ID, which is a federally-compliant driver’s license or other identification that meets higher standards than state-issued licenses, in order to easily travel by air, the Department of Homeland Security explains on its website. Only legal U.S. citizens or residents can obtain the identification card, while valid U.S. passports can also still be used instead of a REAL ID for domestic air travel.
Congress passed the REAL ID Act in 2005 to heighten security requirements for driver’s licenses in response to the attacks on 9/11. Though some states began complying with the law more than a decade ago, enforcement for all states had been repeatedly delayed due to the pandemic, DMV backlogs, as well as some states, such as South Carolina, initially refusing to comply.
The move to officially enforce REAL IDs at the national level for domestic air travel comes after 19 states and Washington, D.C., put laws on the books allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses.
HOUSE REPUBLICAN’S BILL WOULD RIP FEDERAL FUNDS FROM STATES THAT GIVE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS DRIVER’S LICENSES
REAL ID and TSA lines (Reuters/DC DMV)
The states, which stretch from New York and New Jersey to California and Washington state, changed their laws in order to allow illegal immigrants to drive freely to work, while also ensuring they meet driving skill requirements and could obtain car insurance to bolster road safety, various liberal lawmakers and immigrant advocacy groups said as they rallied support for the law changes.
«Expanding access to driver’s licenses is critical for the safety of New Jerseyans and a step toward building a stronger and fairer New Jersey for all,» New Jersey Democrat Gov. Phil Murphy, for example, said in 2019 after signing the Garden State’s legislation allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses.
LEGAL IMMIGRANT OUTRAGED OVER MINNESOTA OFFERING DRIVER’S LICENSES TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
«Allowing residents the opportunity to obtain driver’s licenses regardless of their immigration status will decrease the number of uninsured drivers and increase safety on our roads. I thank my partners in the Legislature for sending this important bill to my desk,» he added.
A group of migrants rushes the border wall March 21, 2024, knocking down Texas National Guardsmen in the process. (James Breeden for New York Post/Mega)
Just a few months after New Jersey’s 2021 law change, the state issued 100,000 new permits, a 65% jump compared to the same three-month period in years prior, NJ Spotlight News reported at the time.
BONDI ANNOUNCES NEW LAWSUITS AGAINST STATES ALLEGEDLY FAILING TO COMPLY WITH IMMIGRATION ACTIONS
New Jersey is among the states that have reported long wait times at DMVs as residents scramble to obtain a REAL ID to fly ahead of the May 7 deadline.
The states that allow illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses include: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Virginia and Washington. Washington state had a law on the books allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses since 1993, National Conference of State Legislatures data show, while most states, such as Illinois and California, began changing their laws starting in 2012.
In Massachusetts in 2022, Republican Gov. Charlie Baker vetoed legislation allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses, citing that local DMVs did not have the ability to verify the validity of foreign documents and that it would overall weaken the validity of state driver’s licenses.
Migrants who crossed the Rio Grande are lined up for processing by Customs and Border Protection, Sept. 23, 2023, in Eagle Pass, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)
«I cannot sign this legislation because it requires the Registry of Motor Vehicles to issue state credentials to people without the ability to verify their identity. The Registry does not have the expertise or ability to verify the validity of many types of documents from other countries,» Baker said at the time. «Consequently, a standard Massachusetts driver’s license will no longer confirm that a person is who they say they are.»
Massachusetts ultimately allowed illegal aliens to obtain driver’s licenses through a ballot initiative.
Domestic air travelers who are in the nation illegally are required to present a valid and up-to-date photo ID to board a flight, and can show documents such as a driver’s license, a current foreign passport, a military ID or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) Employment Authorization Card, and other forms of photo IDs, according to various immigrant advocacy groups.
SANCTUARY STATE’S ‘GREEN LIGHT’ LAW IS RED FLAG FOR AMERICANS’ SAFETY, NATIONAL SECURITY: EXPERTS
The Trump administration, which has been on an illegal immigration deportation blitz, revealed in a memo last week that the REAL ID requirement will further crack down on illegal aliens moving freely around the country.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is recognized as President Donald Trump speaks during an event at the White House on April 2. (AP/Mark Schiefelbein)
A Department of Homeland Security memo exclusively obtained by Fox Digital last week outlined that part of the motivation for the Trump administration to enforce the REAL ID law is to prevent those in the country illegally from flying – unless they are looking to self-deport on an international flight.
«Under Biden, illegal aliens used non-compliant IDs from sanctuary cities to board flights, but REAL ID’s higher security standards make it nearly impossible to forge legitimate documents, ensuring only verified travelers can fly,» the memo states.
«This closes the gaping vulnerabilities Biden’s policies created, preventing criminals and potential terrorists from exploiting our aviation system, as seen during 9/11 when fraudulent IDs enabled attacks,» the memo continues.
NEW JERSEY BILL TO LET ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS GET DRIVERS’ LICENSES ADVANCES TO GOVERNOR’S DESK
The agency emphasized that the measure prevents people in the country illegally from traveling within the U.S.
«DHS and TSA are clear, the only place an illegal alien should be flying is home. Under Secretary Kristi Noem’s leadership, illegal aliens will be barred from domestic flights, with one exception: illegal aliens self-deporting on international flights will be allowed to board without a REAL ID, encouraging their exit from the U.S.,» it states.
While many conservatives backed the REAL ID Act, both in 2005 and now, some have said it bolsters the oversight «Big Brother» holds over the country.
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FLOOD DMVS IN NY AFTER NEW DRIVERS LICENSE LAW TAKES EFFECT
«Evidently, existing ID requirements for American citizens just aren’t adequate now, so Big Brother is forcing us through more hoops for the ‘right’ to travel within our own country,» former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin posted to X.
«If you think REAL ID is about election integrity, you’re going to be sorely disappointed. Someone has lied to you, or you’re engaged in wishful thinking. Please don’t shoot the messenger,» Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., wrote on X last week.
«REAL ID is a 2005 George Bush-era Patriot Act overreach that went completely unenforced until Trump got into office. Let me guess: he’s playing 4D chess and I should just go along with it?» Massie wrote in another post.
TOP TRUMP AGENCY HYPES IMPORTANCE OF REAL ID ENFORCEMENT, CITING ONE KEY REASON
Energy Secretary Chris Wright, President Donald Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum (Reuters)
President Donald Trump, under his first administration, pushed back the REAL ID October 2020 deadline as the pandemic raged. The Biden administration’s DHS established the May 7, 2025, deadline in 2022.
Tricia McLaughlin, the DHS assistant secretary for public affairs, told Fox News Digital in a statement last week: «REAL IDs make identification harder to forge, thwarting criminals and terrorists. 81% of air travelers hold REAL ID-compliant or acceptable IDs. DHS will continue to collaborate with state, local, and airport authorities to inform the public, facilitate compliance, curb wait times and prevent fraud.»
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«DHS responds to official correspondence through official channels,» McLaughlin added.
Immigration,Illegal Immigrants,Donald Trump,Politics,New Jersey,New York
INTERNACIONAL
Lawmaker targeted with death threat after condemning racist sign aimed at Winsome Sears
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For the second time in less than a week, a Virginia state lawmaker up for reelection has been targeted with a death threat, amid heightening political rhetoric and the murder of Charlie Kirk.
Del. Geary Higgins, R-Lovettsville, confirmed to Fox News Digital on Monday that he was texted a death threat in which the suspect spewed expletives and said he would shoot the lawmaker at his next rally.
«Let me be clear: threats of violence have no place in our political discourse. I will not be intimidated, silenced, or deterred from doing the job I was elected to do—fighting for my constituents in Western Loudoun and Fauquier counties, and standing up for common sense,» Higgins told Fox News Digital.
Higgins had texted public subscribers to his feed his response to a racist sign held by a female activist who was protesting an appearance by Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears at an Arlington County School Board rally earlier this month.
AFTER DEATH THREAT, VIRGINIA LAWMAKER SAYS SPANBERGER CAN’T ESCAPE ‘RAGE’ REMARKS
Virginia State Del. Geary Higgins, center, chats at an event in Virginia. (Del. Geary Higgins via Fox News Digital)
The woman stood in the vicinity of Earle-Sears’ team with a sign reading, «Hey Winsome, if trans can’t share your bathroom, then blacks can’t share my water fountain.»
Earle-Sears is an immigrant from Jamaica who would be the first Black female governor of Virginia and the second overall, after moderate Democrat Douglas Wilder who was elected in 1989.
The suspect, Patrick Murphy, allegedly texted Higgins back after the campaign blast, telling him, «F— off, Geary.»
«I will shoot u [at] yer (sic) next public rally [t]hen send you memes with the photos,» read the message. «I know where your f—ing kids are too,» Murphy allegedly continued. Murphy faces felony charges and a court date in Leesburg next month.
Fox News Digital reached out to Loudoun Commonwealth’s Attorney RD Anderson’s office for further comment.
In comments to Fox News Digital, Higgins thanked Loudoun law enforcement for quickly arresting a suspect, and expressed hope the public will continue to pray for his family after the threat – as well as all public officials amid what he called a period of increasing threats and political violence.
«Unfortunately, this is the direct result of the nasty lies and constant demonization from the radical left that we’ve seen over the last few years,» Higgins added, criticizing his Democratic opponent for what he said were false advertisements and claims about his political record.
VIRGINIA LEADERS REBUKE RACIST SIGN TARGETING GOP GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE WINSOME EARLE-SEARS: ‘REPULSIVE’
Gov. Glenn Youngkin, left., Del. Geary Higgins right. (Del. Geary Higgins via Fox News Digital)
Higgins said Warrenton innkeeper John McAuliff is «up on TV right now calling me a crook and a treasonist and blatantly lying about my record,» Higgins said, referencing TV ads that used imagery and references to the Capitol riot as well as allegations Higgins profited from the burgeoning planned footprint of data centers in Virginia and West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle.
«The last two sessions in Richmond we’ve been called every name under the sun. It should be shocking to no one that continuing to call your political opponents names like ‘Nazis’ will ultimately lead to violence,» Higgins warned.
A former member of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, Higgins is also the last remaining Republican state delegate in a once-conservative but now increasingly liberal suburban county known for its schools’ infamous transgender bathroom policy battles.
Fox News Digital reached out to McAuliff’s campaign for comment. In one of the ads, McAuliff adds that he scrutinized Higgins as part of his campaign plan to «protect the Piedmont» from development.
In a statement obtained by Fox News Digital, McAuliff said political violence has «no place in our democracy» and that «differences must be settled through debate and elections, never through threats or intimidation.»
McAuliff said he personally reached out to Higgins and was grateful no one was physically harmed and thanked law enforcement for their efforts.
Murphy, of Purcellville, was first taken into custody September 2, according to a police report obtained by Fox News Digital.
The threat against Higgins follows a similar threat in which a Dinwiddie County, Virginia man allegedly texted state Del. Kim Taylor’s campaign last week threatening to kill her and claiming Republicans are «ruining the country.»
Taylor has been prominent since her 2021 election, as she shocked the commonwealth by flipping a seat in Petersburg – one of the most Democratic-majority cities per capita in Virginia.
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Virginia leaders from both parties have condemned a racist sign aimed at Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, which was raised during a protest outside a school board meeting where she was speaking. (Winsome Earle-Sears Campaign; Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Taylor faces the same Democrat she narrowly defeated by about 50 votes two years ago, Kimberly Pope Adams.
On Monday, she also clashed with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger over charged rhetoric from the left, citing recent violence that included the murder of Charlie Kirk.
Spanberger’s recent comments about «let[ting] your rage fuel you» have received criticism from the right, while the former congresswoman continues to maintain she condemns all violence and that she instead is referring to letting people’s personal feelings fuel them to write letters and knock on doors for political campaigns.
The Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office cited an active matter and declined to comment further to Fox News Digital.
virginia,virginia governor race,republicans,state and local,charlie kirk
INTERNACIONAL
La economía china pierde impulso: la actividad manufacturera cayó en septiembre y acumula seis meses de contracción
La industria manufacturera de China se contrajo en septiembre por sexto mes consecutivo, confirmando la prolongada debilidad del sector clave para la segunda mayor economía del mundo.
Según la Oficina Nacional de Estadística (ONE), el Índice de Gerentes de Compras (PMI) se situó en 49,8 puntos, por debajo del umbral de 50 que separa la expansión de la contracción. Aunque la cifra mejoró en 0,4 unidades respecto a agosto y superó la previsión de 49,6, la actividad industrial sigue sin lograr un cambio de tendencia.
El resultado prolonga la serie de caídas iniciada en abril, en un contexto de consumo interno debilitado, tensiones comerciales con Estados Unidos y un entorno internacional cada vez más adverso.
“El impulso económico es débil en el tercer trimestre”, advirtió Zhiwei Zhang, presidente y economista jefe de Pinpoint Asset Management, en declaraciones recogidas por Bloomberg.
En paralelo, la consultora RatingDog, vinculada a S&P, publicó su propio PMI manufacturero en 51,2 puntos, lo que indica expansión y marca el nivel más alto desde marzo. El dato sorprendió a los analistas, que esperaban 50,3, y refleja un comportamiento dispar frente al índice oficial.
El fundador de la firma, Yao Yu, destacó que “los pedidos de exportación volvieron a crecer por primera vez desde marzo”, lo que interrumpe varios meses de caídas atribuidas a la guerra arancelaria con Estados Unidos.
La publicación de este índice coincidió con la del PMI oficial debido al festivo por el Día Nacional de China y el inicio de la “semana dorada”, período en el que la actividad económica suele disminuir.
El PMI oficial reveló que, de los cinco subíndices que lo componen, solo producción y plazos de entrega se ubicaron en la zona de expansión. En contraste, los nuevos pedidos, el empleo y los inventarios de materias primas permanecieron en contracción, lo que refleja la falta de dinamismo en la demanda y la reducción de la fuerza laboral en el sector industrial.
Esta divergencia entre indicadores genera dudas sobre la transparencia de las cifras oficiales de Beijing. Mientras la ONE insiste en un repunte gradual, las mediciones privadas muestran señales mixtas que ponen en evidencia la fragilidad estructural de la economía.
El PMI no manufacturero, que mide la evolución de sectores como servicios y construcción, cayó de 50,3 a 50 puntos en septiembre, el registro más bajo desde noviembre de 2022, cuando el país aún estaba bajo la política de “cero covid”. El sector de la construcción se mantuvo en terreno negativo con 49,3, mientras que los servicios apenas resistieron en 50,1, rozando la contracción.
En tanto, el PMI compuesto de la ONE, que combina la actividad manufacturera y no manufacturera, se situó en 50,6 puntos, apenas 0,1 más que en agosto.
RatingDog también informó que su PMI de servicios retrocedió levemente a 52,9, mientras que el compuesto avanzó a 52,5, lo que refuerza la percepción de que las mediciones privadas son más optimistas que las oficiales.
Las dificultades en la demanda doméstica se reflejan en los precios al consumidor, que en septiembre registraron su caída más rápida en seis meses. Esta tendencia muestra que los hogares chinos mantienen cautela en el gasto pese a las políticas de estímulo del gobierno.
A nivel externo, la industria enfrenta una creciente presión por la desaceleración global y la prolongada disputa comercial con Estados Unidos. Aunque las exportaciones han mostrado resiliencia en algunos segmentos, su aporte no compensa la debilidad del consumo interno. “Las actividades exportadoras han sido sorprendentemente resilientes en lo que va del año y han ayudado a compensar parcialmente la débil demanda interna”, explicó Zhang.
El contraste entre los datos oficiales y los privados refuerza la incertidumbre sobre el verdadero estado de la economía china. Mientras Beijing insiste en transmitir señales de estabilidad, los analistas internacionales destacan los riesgos de una recuperación incompleta y la falta de confianza de los consumidores.
El debilitamiento del empleo en la industria, la caída del consumo y la falta de dinamismo en los servicios muestran que la economía china enfrenta desafíos estructurales que no se resuelven con ajustes estadísticos.
Con seis meses consecutivos de contracción en la manufactura, el margen de maniobra del gobierno se reduce, y la presión internacional mantiene bajo tensión al principal motor productivo de Asia.
(Con información de EFE y AFP)
Asia / Pacific,Corporate Events,NANTONG
El 1 de junio de 2009, un Airbus de Air France que había partido de Rio de Janeiro hacia París (vuelo AF447) se estrelló en plena noche en el Atlántico, pocas horas después de su despegue, causando la muerte de sus 216 pasajeros y 12 miembros de la tripulación. A bordo del A330 había personas de 33 nacionalidades, entre ellas 72 franceses y 58 brasileños.
Dieciséis años, Air France y Airbus vuelven a ser juzgados en apelación desde este lunes para determinar si son responsables de homicidios involuntarios por la tragedia que dejó 228 muertos.
El juicio en el tribunal de apelación de París, que comenzó este lunes por la tarde, se espera que dure dos meses. La aerolínea y el fabricante habían resultado absueltos en primera instancia en 2023.
Las cajas negras confirmaron el origen del accidente: la congelación de las sondas de velocidad Pitot mientras el avión volaba a gran altura en una difícil zona meteorológica cerca del ecuador.
Por este accidente aéreo, ambas empresas serán juzgadas hasta el 27 de noviembre por el tribunal de apelación de París. Cada una de las empresas se expone a una multa de 225.000 euros (263.000 dólares).
«Air France mantendrá que no cometió ninguna falta penal en el origen de este accidente. Soy consciente de que esta declaración puede ser difícil de escuchar para los familiares de las víctimas, pero quiero subrayar que esto no subestima en absoluto nuestra compasión por lo que han vivido y continúan viviendo», declaró en el estrado la directora general de Air France, Anne Rigail.
El 17 de abril de 2023, tras dos meses de debates altamente técnicos que incluyeron audiencias emotivas con familiares de las víctimas, el tribunal correccional de París absolvió en el plano penal a Airbus y Air France, aunque reconoció su responsabilidad civil.
Consideró que si bien se cometieron «imprudencias» y «negligencias», «no se pudo demostrar (…) ningún vínculo causal seguro» con el accidente más mortal en la historia de las aerolíneas francesas.
Aunque el Ministerio Público había solicitado en la audiencia la absolución de ambas empresas, la Fiscalía General apeló la sentencia «con el propósito de dar pleno efecto a los recursos previstos por la ley y someter el caso a un segundo nivel de jurisdicción».
Alain Jakubowicz, abogado de numerosas partes civiles dijo a AFP que algunas personas «se cansaron y tiraron la toalla para intentar pasar página. Otras siguen luchando con uñas y dientes y quieren a toda costa que se haga justicia y que se diga claramente la verdad en un ámbito judicial».
De las 489 partes civiles constituidas durante el juicio de primera instancia, 281 se unieron a la apelación en este caso, que cuenta con 20.000 elementos procesales distribuidos en 105 tomos. Para los familiares este proceso representa «el último cartucho», según dijo Philippe Linguet, hermano de una de las víctimas del accidente.
«Queremos una justicia que sea combativa, que salga del marco para condenar a dos empresas europeas y multinacionales y decirles, con palabras simples: ‘Han cometido errores, deben reconocerlos’», declaró a la prensa antes del inicio del juicio el vicepresidente de la asociación Entraide et solidarité AF 447.
Air France está acusada de no haber impartido a los pilotos una formación adecuada sobre situaciones de congelación de las sondas Pitot, que miden la velocidad del avión en el exterior, y por no haber informado suficientemente a sus tripulaciones, algo que la aerolínea siempre negó.
Airbus enfrenta acusaciones de haber subestimado la gravedad de las fallas de las sondas anemométricas y no haber tomado todas las medidas necesarias para informar con urgencia a las compañías aéreas que las utilizaban, una versión que el fabricante aeronáutico europeo niega también.
«Airbus cooperará plenamente con el juicio de apelación que comenzará el 29 de septiembre con el fin de seguir esclareciendo las causas de este trágico accidente, en sintonía con el compromiso total de la empresa con la seguridad aérea», afirmó la empresa en un comunicado.
El calendario provisional del proceso establece que el primer mes del juicio se dedicará a las audiencias de testigos y peritos.
Se prevé que los representantes de Airbus y Air France sean interrogados a partir del 27 de octubre.
Alexandre Marchand y Benoît Ducrocq/ AFP
Air France,Francia,Rio de Janeiro,Accidentes Aéreos
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