INTERNACIONAL
Ex Michelle Obama aide leads Des Moines school board’s defense of superintendent arrested by ICE
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Iowa Democrats are rallying behind a school superintendent who was arrested by ICE on allegations that he is in the country illegally this week, and they are led by a school board chair who once held a key role in the Obama White House.
After ICE arrested Ian Roberts, the superintendent for Des Moines Public Schools (DMPS) last week, school board chair Jackie Norris called for people to have «radical empathy» as Roberts’ case plays out. Norris previously served as White House chief of staff for then-first lady Michelle Obama. Meanwhile, Republicans in the state legislature are also launching a probe into how the board chose Roberts in the first place.
Norris supported Roberts in a statement on Friday in which she said that officials «do not have all the facts.»
«There is much we do not know,» Norris said. «However, what we do know is that Dr. Roberts has been an integral part of our school community since he joined over two years ago.»
IOWA SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT ARRESTED BY ICE, FACING PRIOR WEAPONS CHARGES, ALLEGEDLY FOUND WITH LOADED HANDGUN
Authorities said a handgun was found in a vehicle used by Ian Roberts to flee from pursuing ICE agents. (ICE)
«During his time with our district, he has shown up in ways big and small and has advocated for students and staff, and has begun introducing concepts that will help us reimagine education for future generations,» she continued.
Norris said Roberts joined the school district in July 2023 after having served in various school districts across the U.S. for «over 20 years.» Norris was not the chair of the school board at the time Roberts started, but she has been a member since 2021.
Meanwhile, Republicans in the Iowa legislature are calling for a wider probe to ensure proper hiring practices are being followed across the state. Iowa’s House Government Oversight Committee also sent a letter to the DMPS directing it to preserve documents related to Roberts’ hiring.
«I will not hesitate to introduce and pass legislation to mandate enhanced hiring protocols, increase transparency in district operations, and protect the resources allocated to our schools through the appropriations process,» State Rep. Austin Harris said. «Iowa’s families deserve nothing less than a safe, lawful, and effective education system for their children.»
DMPS did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Jackie Norris worked as Michelle Obama’s chief of staff in the White House in 2009. (Getty Images)
ICE alleges that Roberts is in the country illegally from Guyana. They say he is not legally permitted to work in the United States and had a final order of removal from a judge issued in May 2024.
Roberts was arrested after allegedly driving away from law enforcement. He later abandoned his car in the woods, and Iowa State Patrol ended up finding him, according to a press release.
«This suspect was arrested in possession of a loaded weapon in a vehicle provided by Des Moines Public Schools after fleeing federal law enforcement,» ICE ERO St. Paul Field Office Director Sam Olson said in a statement.
«This should be a wake-up call for our communities to the great work that our officers are doing every day to remove public safety threats,» Olson continued. «How this illegal alien was hired without work authorization, a final order of removal and a prior weapons charge is beyond comprehension and should alarm the parents of that school district.»
Ian Roberts, head of Des Moines Public Schools, was arrested by immigration authorities on Friday after a brief chase, Roberts was living in the United States illegally, authorities said. (Getty Images; ICE)
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The district said Roberts had previously done an I-9 to prove legal status, but that it was conducted by a third-party group and that it did not know about an order of removal, according to The Associated Press.
Roberts came to the United States with a student visa in 1999 and had charges for weapon possession in 2020, according to ICE.
immigration,education,politics,iowa
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Zohran Mamdani’s promises to freeze rents and raise taxes on corporations could trigger a New York City business exodus, Michael Toth, a research fellow at the University of Texas at Austin’s Civitas Institute, told Fox News Digital.
Businesses have railed against Mamdani’s progressive platform since his primary win shocked the political establishment, with leaders like Gristedes CEO John Catsimatidis sounding the alarm on Mamdani’s plans to open city-run grocery stores and raise taxes on the 1% if he wins in November.
«We have a far-left socialist mayor who’s trying to take control of the epicenter of global finance,» Toth said in an exclusive interview. «It’s like oil and water.»
Toth, a legal commentator on economic and regulatory reform, explained why Mamdani becoming mayor would trigger a «stampede» of businesses out of New York City in his essay, «Escape From New York.»
SOCIALIST’S NYC MAYORAL WIN SPARKS FIERCE DEBATE OVER FEASIBILITY OF RADICAL POLICY AGENDA
New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani speaks during a press conference in New York City on Aug. 11, 2025. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
The Texas-based researcher argued that Mamdani’s policies «are obviously not what has built New York City into the city that it’s become,» through leading finance, media and communication industries.
NYC OFFICIAL WARNS BUSINESSES WILL FLEE ‘IN DROVES’ IF DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST CANDIDATE WINS MAYORAL RACE
«If I’m a New Yorker, and I’m looking for an affordable place to live, it’s not going to be in a city where Zohran Mamdani is running,» Toth said.
Affordability has been central to Mamdani’s campaign. His platform also includes promises like fast, free buses and free childcare, contrasting his «grassroots energy» to his general election opponents, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Mayor Eric Adams and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa.
«Billionaires – and the politicians who do their bidding – have made New York City unaffordable for too many New Yorkers and now, this campaign is mobilizing tens of thousands of volunteers ready for a new kind of politics,» campaign spokesperson Dora Pekec said in a recent statement announcing more than 230,000 campaign doors.
New York City Democratic mayoral nominee, Zohran Mamdani, spoke to supporters at a canvass launch event in Prospect Park on Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025. (Deirdre Heavey/Fox News Digital)
But Toth said that Mamdani is lacking a key understanding of supply and demand.
«He completely shortchanges how hard it is for businesses to stay afloat and to consistently bring products to their customers,» Toth said.
«More supply is better for consumers,» Toth said. «More government mandates is worse for consumers because it drives prices up.»
Toth said New York City’s mayoral election is consequential, not just for its residents, but for Americans, arguing there could be a «continued reorientation of the American capital markets to places like Dallas and Florida.»
If New Yorkers elect Mamdani, «these policies are going to set the city back decades,» Toth said.
Supporters gathered in Prospect Park on Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025, to relaunch city-wide canvassing efforts ahead of the Nov. 4 mayoral election in New York City. (Deirdre Heavey/Fox News Digital)
Mamdani has maintained that he doesn’t like capitalism, telling CNN’s Erin Burnett in June that he has «many critiques of capitalism.»
When asked about the criticism from business leaders, particularly grocery stores owners, Mamdani told Fox News Digital it will be possible for a «partnership» between the city and grocery store and bodega owners, despite his plan to open five city-run grocery stores if elected mayor this November.
«I am interested in working with each and every New Yorker, and I’ve actually spoken with a number of grocery store owners and made clear to them that I both recognize, and I appreciate the work that they have done. The fact is that they are a critical part of our communities,» Mamdani said.
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Despite Mamdani’s reassurances, real estate moguls have signaled support for Adams and Cuomo recently rallied support among local business leaders as pressure mounts to consolidate support against Mamdani.
The latest Suffolk University CityView poll revealed that 45% of New Yorkers are very or somewhat likely to vote for Mamdani in November’s general election for mayor, with a 20-point lead over Cuomo.
Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani’s campaign for comment but did not immediately hear back.
zohran mamdani,elections,politics,nyc mayoral elections coverage,2025 2026 elections coverage,new york city
INTERNACIONAL
El programa nuclear: Irán califica de «injustificable» el restablecimiento de las sanciones de la ONU
«A la ruina»
«Inaceptable»
Irán,energía nuclear
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Iraq is entering «a new phase» of stability and growth, President Abdullatif Jamal Rashid said in an interview, declaring the country «100% safe» as U.S. troops prepare to draw down after more than two decades on the ground.
While praising the U.S. for helping to defeat ISIS, Rashid stressed that Iraq now intends to stand on its own — maintaining ties with both the United States and neighboring Iran.
«Americans have helped us in defeating terrorism… and I think Iraq is 100% safe and secure,» Rashid told Fox News Digital on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. «It’s a new phase in Iraq, really concentrating on improving the infrastructure.»
Those who served in Iraq in the early 2000s — through the War on Terror and a civil war — may not recognize it as the same place, according to Rashid.
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Rashid spoke with Fox News Digital after his UNGA speech. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)
«We have started development in every field of life, and there are good opportunities for number of American companies, American businessmen, to be our partner in improving the situation in Iraq.»
Under this «new phase,» Rashid said he wants Iraq to be defined less by conflict and more by commerce.
«Our relationship with the United States is a long relationship. We want to make a stronger relationship… on trade, on investment, on energy and water.»
The timing is significant. The U.S.-led coalition that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003 and later fought ISIS was scheduled under an agreement last year to begin its final withdrawal this September. That exact timeline is unclear, and the Pentagon has disclosed few details.
The issue is sure to dominate next month’s parliamentary elections, where a swath of Iraqis want the U.S. to adhere to its agreement and leave.
«This is a hot button political issue,» said Behnam Taleblu, fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), «with a timetable that was technically — or at least allegedly — already supposed to have started by then, is going to be something that we should be keeping our eyes on.»
American commanders have warned that ISIS cells remain active in rural areas, while Iran-aligned militias have targeted U.S. and Iraqi government facilities with rockets and drones.
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Some argue the counter-ISIS mission is not over, and U.S. troops should remain. Others say the U.S. footprint lacks a clear purpose at this point.
«ISIS is a shell of its former self — the Caliphate collapsed in 2019 and its strikes on Europe have ended since then. The remaining threat can be handled by others, notably the Iraqi government, which is popular at home and capable of carrying the load, along with the Kurdish Peshmerga and other regional states,» said Will Walldorf, a senior fellow at Defense Priorities.
«Iran’s influence has waned with the near-total collapse of its regional proxies. Any threats the U.S. might face in the future can be handled from over the horizon.»
«The deterrent effect of U.S. forces there, I think, could be significant,» countered Taleblu.
Pressed on concerns, Rashid dismissed talk of Iraq being «overrun with Iranian proxies» as exaggerated and said Baghdad is determined to prevent outside powers from dictating its politics.
«We want to keep our independence, our decision-making in Iraq as the Iraqis, not to be influenced by outsiders,» he said.
On reports of militia attacks, Rashid claimed ignorance but insisted such actions would not be tolerated.
«I’m not really aware of any groups [carrying out attacks]. We will not allow it. And these are against the Iraqi security and Iraqi independence,» he said.
Still, the perception of Iranian influence remains a flashpoint in Washington.
ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN LEADERS SEEK TO EASE RUSSIAN AND IRANIAN CONCERNS AFTER US-BROKERED PEACE DEAL
US troops have had a presence in Iraq for over two decades. (Goran Tomasevic/Reuters )
«Iranian influence has already taken over Iraq,» Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., told Fox News Digital.
Tehran has close ties to Shiite parties that shape government coalitions in Baghdad, and it supports militias within the Popular Mobilization Forces that remain powerful players in the country’s security environment.
Iraq also relies on Iranian electricity and natural gas imports, while Iranian goods fill local markets, making Iraq one of Tehran’s most important trading partners despite international sanctions.
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That reach, however, is not uncontested. Iraqi nationalist movements — including many Shiites — have resisted Tehran’s sway, and mass protests in recent years have condemned Iran’s role, sometimes targeting its consulates. Baghdad today remains a space of competing influence.
«The Islamic Republic benefits from Iraq looking like Swiss cheese,» said Taleblu, referring to Iranian pockets of influence across the country and its institutions.
«Iran and Iraq are two neighbors,» Rashid said, emphasizing that they had friendly relations. «We will not allow politicians from either [U.S. or Iraq] to be imposed on Iraqi people.»
Still others say Iran could take note of the Iraqi success story. In less than 20 years, the nation rose from decades of conflict and dictatorial leadership under Saddam Hussein to relative stability and democratic elections.
Rashid confirmed that Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government have resolved their dispute over oil exports, paving the way for flows to resume after months of disruption. «It’s a big deal,» said Rashid, who himself is Kurdish by background.
Veterans of the Iraq War may not recognize the Baghdad of today, which President Rashid says is «100% secure.» (Thaier al-Sudani/Reuters)
The Iraqi presidency is reserved for a Kurd under an informal power-sharing agreement, while the prime minister is Shi’a Arab and the speaker of the parliament is Sunni Arab.
Rashid also pointed to November’s parliamentary elections as proof of democratic stability.
«We are going to have elections in two months’ time in November. That’s really an indication of how stable the country is… We want the process to be fully democratic,» he said.
But the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) — a state-sanctioned umbrella of mostly Shiite militias, some with close ties to Tehran — are seen by critics as a parallel power structure undermining Iraq’s sovereignty.
Rashid, however, argued that integrating all armed groups under the constitution strengthens, rather than weakens, the state.
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And on foreign policy, Rashid tried to position Iraq as a bridge.
He welcomed growing recognition of a Palestinian state, cautiously praised Donald Trump’s push for peace in Gaza, and reiterated that war — whether in the Middle East or in Ukraine — «doesn’t solve any problem. It makes the problem more complicated.»
iraq,iran,middle east,middle east foreign policy,world,politics
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