INTERNACIONAL
Federal charges filed against Dem congresswoman following confrontation at ICE facility
Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Alina Habba is charging Rep. LaMonica McIver for her alleged misconduct towards law enforcement in front of Delaney Hall in New Jersey earlier this month, but she is dismissing the trespassing charge against Newark Mayor Ras Baraka.
«Representative LaMonica McIver assaulted, impeded, and interfered with law enforcement in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 111 (a)(1),» Habba said in a letter shared on X Monday. «That conduct cannot be overlooked by the chief federal law enforcement official in the State of New Jersey, and it is my Constitutional obligation to ensure that our federal law enforcement is protected when executing their duties.»
McIver responded to the charges in a statement shared on social media.
«Earlier this month, I joined my colleagues to inspect the treatment of ICE detainees at Delaney Hall in my district,» McIver said. «We were fulfilling our lawful oversight responsibilities, as members of Congress have done many times before, and our visit should have been peaceful and short. Instead, ICE agents created an unnecessary and unsafe confrontation when they chose to arrest Mayor Baraka.
BLUE STATE ICE FACILITY RAMPS UP SECURITY WITH NEW BARRICADES AMID CLASHES WITH PROTESTERS
Rep. LaMonica McIver can be seen wearing red in this screenshot from the body camera footage DHS provided to Fox News. (Department of Homeland Security)
«The charges against me are purely political – they mischaracterize and distort my actions, and are meant to criminalize and deter legislative oversight,» she added. «This administration will never stop me from working for the people in our district and standing up for what is right. I am thankful for the outpouring of support I have received, and I look forward to the truth being laid out clearly in court.»
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem weighed in on the charges against McIver, saying, «no one is above the law.»
«If any person, regardless of political party, influence or status, assaults a law enforcement officer as we witnessed Congresswoman McIver do, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,» the secretary wrote. «We thank our brave ICE law enforcement officers for their service to this great nation.»
Fox News has learned that McIver must turn herself in as soon as possible, though it is up to the magistrate on the specifics of when she must turn herself in and how.
DEM LAWMAKERS DEFEND ‘STORMING’ OF ICE FACILITY, SAY TRUMP ADMIN IS ‘LYING AT ALL LEVELS’
Barricades outside Delaney Hall in Newark, New Jersey, on May 13, 2025. (Cameron Arcand for Fox News Digital)
Prosecutors also told Fox News that McIver faces several felony charges, so she is looking at possible time behind bars.
Habba also announced in her letter that, after extensive consideration, she was dismissing charges against Baraka.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was originally charged with class C misdemeanor trespassing at the facility, which is privately operated by the GEO Group, last week, and he had his first court appearance on Thursday, which Habba personally attended.
«We believe that I was targeted in this,» Baraka said outside the courtroom after his appearance.
On Monday, Baraka released a statement about the charges against him being dismissed.
«I am glad that the U.S. Attorney has agreed that this case should be dismissed,» he said. «I have had strong relationships with prior U.S. Attorneys, and I plan to speak with the current U.S. Attorney about issues on which we can cooperate. As to Delaney Hall, I will continue to advocate for the humane treatment of detainees, and I will continue to press the facility to ensure that it is compliant with City of Newark codes and regulations.
«I understand that the U.S. Attorney has chosen to charge Congresswoman LaMonica McIver with assaulting law enforcement,» Baraka continued. «Congresswoman McIver is a daughter of Newark, past Newark Council President, a former student of mine, and a dear friend. I want to be clear: I stand with LaMonica, and I fully expect her to be vindicated.»
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Baraka and three congressional lawmakers – McIver, Robert Menendez Jr., and Bonnie Watson Coleman were outside the ICE facility last week with a group of protesters when the gates opened to allow an ICE bus in. All four officials then allegedly rushed through the gates past security, according to officials from the Department of Homeland Security.
«If it was a typical U.S. citizen, and they tried to storm into a detention facility that’s housing dangerous criminals or any person at all, they would be arrested,» DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told «Fox News Live» host Kevin Corke Saturday. «Just because you are a member of Congress or just because you’re a public official, does not mean you are above the law.
DHS SAYS ‘ARRESTS ARE STILL ON THE TABLE’ AFTER NEW JERSEY HOUSE DEMS CAUGHT ON CAMERA ‘STORMING’ ICE FACILITY
Members of Congress bust into ICE detention facility in New Jersey (X / @RepBonnie)
However, McIver and others allege that «ICE created chaos» and instigated the situation.
«The way we were treated at Delaney Hall is almost unbelievable. ICE shoved me, manhandled [Watson Coleman], and arrested [Baraka]. They disrespected us and tried to stop us from conducting the oversight we’re elected to do. But we’ll never back down in our fight for what is right,» McIver posted to X last week.
The arrest came as activists had been calling for access to the facility for days, which is a privately run facility that was revamped as an immigration detention facility this year. The city says that the facility is operating without a valid certificate of occupancy, whereas the GEO Group maintains that they are in full compliance with city laws.
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After another protest that went right up to the gates of Delaney Hall, large yellow barricades were placed in front of its entrance with signs warning against trespassing on private property.
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President Donald Trump’s joint strikes with Israel against Iran have intensified a growing bipartisan push in Congress to rein in his war powers, with lawmakers in both parties demanding votes on resolutions aimed at limiting his authority to use military force in the region.
Members in both chambers had already planned to force votes before the first bombs fell Saturday. Now, they are doubling down on calls to restrict the president’s military authority.
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., has repeatedly forced votes to curb Trump’s war powers abroad, and he was nearly successful in halting further military action in Venezuela until Republicans blocked the effort earlier this year.
President Donald Trump speaks during a breakfast with governors at the White House in Washington Feb. 20, 2026. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)
Kaine had already prepped his latest resolution, co-sponsored by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., for a vote in the Senate next week. He argued Saturday that the strikes, carried out without congressional approval, further underscore why a vote should be held immediately.
«These strikes are a colossal mistake, and I pray they do not cost our sons and daughters in uniform and at embassies throughout the region their lives,» Kaine said in a statement. «The Senate should immediately return to session and vote on my War Powers Resolution to block the use of U.S. forces in hostilities against Iran.»
In the House, Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., are preparing their own war powers resolution for a vote.
KENNEDY WARNS AYATOLLAH WANTS TO ‘DRINK OUR BLOOD OUT OF A BOOT’ AS IRAN TENSIONS ESCALATE
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., plans to force a vote on his war powers resolution to rein in President Donald Trump’s military action in Iran. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Massie said in a post on X that he opposed «this war. This is not ‘America First.’»
«When Congress reconvenes, I will work with [Khanna] to force a congressional vote on war with Iran,» Massie said. «The Constitution requires Congress to vote, and your representative needs to be on record as opposing or supporting this war.»
The effort has the backing of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., who earlier in the week noted that the resolution would require «the president to come to Congress to make the case for using military force against Iran.»
RUBIO, RATCLIFFE TO DELIVER CLASSIFIED IRAN BRIEFING TO ‘GANG OF EIGHT’ AHEAD OF TRUMP’S STATE OF THE UNION
Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., left, and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., conduct a news conference after reviewing unredacted portions of the Jeffrey Epstein files outside a Department of Justice office Feb. 9, 2026. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)
The resolution’s fate in the House remains uncertain, given that a handful of House Democrats have broken with their party and backed the administration’s strikes in Iran.
Massie and Khanna’s push may also have the support of at least one more Republican in the lower chamber.
Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, appeared ready to back their war powers resolution after news of the strikes Saturday. He reiterated a position he made earlier in the week in a post on X.
«I have asked for a classified briefing defining the mission in Iran,» Davidson said. «In the absence of new information, I will support the War Powers Resolution in the House next week.
«War requires congressional authorization,» he continued. «There are actions short of war, but no case has been made.»
Back in the Senate, the success of Kaine and Paul’s push will require Senate Republicans to cross the aisle.
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They found a short-lived bipartisan coalition earlier this year, when their resolution targeting military action in Venezuela survived a key procedural vote. The group included senators Josh Hawley, R-Mo.; Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska; Susan Collins, R-Maine; and Todd Young, R-Ind.
Both Hawley and Young later flipped their positions after assurances from the administration that there would be no boots on the ground in Venezuela and that Trump would seek congressional approval for any future military action in the region.
Whether that same standard will apply to operations in Iran remained unclear Saturday. Murkowski and Young both said they hope to receive thorough briefings in the days ahead.
«Last summer, following Operation Midnight Hammer, I supported the administration’s targeted actions in Iran after receiving a comprehensive briefing from senior officials,» Murkowski said on X.
«Events are rapidly unfolding, and I expect Congress to receive the same level of engagement so we fully understand the scope, objectives and risks of any further military action.»
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INTERNACIONAL
La extensa red de bases de inteligencia y operaciones espaciales del régimen chino en América Latina
La cooperación espacial de China en América Latina ha pasado de ser una cuestión científica a una iniciativa con implicaciones estratégicas globales. A través de acuerdos bilaterales y multilaterales, el régimen de Xi Jinping ha implantado una red de infraestructura espacial que, aunque se presenta como civil, cumple una función vital en la vigilancia satelital y la recopilación de inteligencia para el Ejército Popular de Liberación. Este entramado abarca estaciones terrestres, radiotelescopios y centros de procesamiento de datos, integrados bajo la doctrina china de “guerra informatizada” para lograr superioridad en el espacio y elevar la capacidad militar global.
China ha situado el desarrollo espacial como eje prioritario de su estrategia nacional. La expansión de su “Corredor Espacial de la Franja y la Ruta” responde a directrices estatales orientadas a la autosuficiencia tecnológica y el control absoluto del dominio espacial, apoyadas por leyes internas y una fusión entre intereses civiles y militares. En este contexto, la Conciencia Situacional Espacial —la capacidad de identificar, clasificar y rastrear objetos en el espacio— se sostiene en la función estratégica de las infraestructuras terrestres. Así, el dominio del espacio ha dejado de ser un objetivo limitado a la exploración, para convertirse en factor clave para planificar operaciones militares y proteger intereses globales.
El Comité Selecto sobre China del Congreso de Estados Unidos publicó esta semana una nueva investigación que revela cómo el régimen de Beijing utiliza infraestructura en América Latina para avanzar sus capacidades espaciales y la recolección de inteligencia. El informe, titulado “Pulling Latin America into China’s Orbit” (Atrayendo a América Latina hacia la órbita de China), corresponde a la segunda entrega de los análisis del comité sobre la actividad de Beijing en el hemisferio.
“Gran parte de la vida cotidiana estadounidense depende de los satélites sobre nosotros. Por eso, las operaciones espaciales de China son motivo de seria preocupación. China solo invierte en operaciones espaciales en América Latina para avanzar su agenda y socavar a Estados Unidos en el espacio”, señaló John Moolenaar, presidente del Comité Selecto.
“El presidente Trump ha actuado de manera decisiva para enfrentar la influencia nociva de China en el hemisferio occidental, y nuestros aliados deben actuar con prontitud sobre las recomendaciones de este informe y frenar la expansión de la infraestructura espacial china”, agregó.
De hecho, el mandatario republicano convocó a una cumbre presidencial en el hotel Doral de Miami para articular un bloque regional que pueda desarmar la ofensiva de Beijing en América Latina. La cita será el 7 de marzo, y ya fueron invitados los presidentes Javier Milei (Argentina), Santiago Peña (Paraguay), Rodrigo Paz (Bolivia), Nayib Bukele (El Salvador), Daniel Noboa (Ecuador) y Tito Asfura (Honduras).
La investigación del comité reveló que China ha desarrollado una extensa red de estaciones terrestres espaciales y telescopios de uso dual en varios países latinoamericanos. Esta red se utiliza para recopilar inteligencia y reforzar la capacidad de combate del Ejército Popular de Liberación.
La posición de América Latina es esencial en la expansión espacial de China. A diferencia de los modelos occidentales sustentados en redes de socios globales, China carecía de infraestructuras espaciales fuera de sus fronteras, lo cual restringía su capacidad para vigilancia continua y recopilar inteligencia sobre satélites rivales, especialmente los estadounidenses. Para salvar esta desventaja, ha priorizado acuerdos con gobiernos regionales que permiten ampliar su presencia y asegurar el seguimiento en tiempo real de activos espaciales estratégicos. De este modo, la región se ha integrado en la cobertura global china y en la obtención de datos críticos durante la totalidad de la órbita de los satélites por el hemisferio occidental.
El compromiso chino con América Latina figura en sucesivos libros blancos y planes de acción conjunta. El informe del Comité recuerda que desde 2008, los convenios han avanzado de transferencias tecnológicas simples a una integración profunda orientada por plataformas multilaterales como CELAC y declaraciones conjuntas, incluyendo la Declaración de Wuhan 2024. Estos instrumentos proveen respaldo legal y diplomático y avalan la permanencia a largo plazo de infraestructura y personal chino en la región.
Las iniciativas se presentan formalmente como proyectos de cooperación civil: monitoreo ambiental, comunicaciones, navegación o educación científica. Sin embargo, la infraestructura resultante es de doble uso. La integración de científicos y técnicos locales, junto a la formación y la gestión compartida, justifica públicamente los “desarrollos conjuntos”, mientras que los acuerdos contemplan cláusulas que permiten a entidades como la China National Space Administration y la China Satellite Launch and Tracking Control General operar sistemas tecnológicamente avanzados supervisados, de manera directa o indirecta, por el Ejército Popular de Liberación.
Así, laboratorios universitarios y radiotelescopios con fines astronómicos refuerzan la red de recopilación de inteligencia militar. El multilateralismo proclamado en foros y la aceleración digital regional favorecen la dependencia tecnológica, difuminando la frontera entre la actividad científica y los intereses militares.
En este contexto, el régimen de Xi Jinping ha implantado al menos 11 infraestructuras vinculadas al Ejército chino repartidas entre Argentina, Venezuela, Bolivia, Chile y Brasil. En Argentina, la Estación Espacio Lejano (Neuquén), construida bajo un acuerdo de 50 años de exclusividad y financiada con más de 54.000.000 de dólares, cuenta con una antena de alta ganancia de 35 metros, capaz de interceptar señales de satélites extranjeros y garantizar una sincronización precisa para aplicaciones espaciales y militares. El Observatorio Felix Aguilar (San Juan) y la estación en desarrollo de Río Gallegos amplían el papel en la vigilancia y el análisis de datos. El proyecto CART, también en Argentina, fue cancelado en 2025 por presiones internacionales ante sospechas de uso militar.
En Venezuela, las estaciones de El Sombrero (Guárico) y Luepa (Bolívar) son gestionadas formalmente por agencias civiles, pero fueron construidas y operan con tecnología asociada a la defensa china, permitiendo el seguimiento de satélites nacionales y facilitando el acceso de Beijing a infraestructura crítica tras la incorporación venezolana al programa lunar chino.
En Bolivia, las estaciones de La Guardia (Santa Cruz) y Amachuma (La Paz) están dotadas de antenas parabólicas de hasta 13 metros y laboratorios de análisis de imágenes, gestionados por ingenieros bolivianos formados en China y técnicos chinos residentes. Los contratos vigentes hasta 2028 garantizan el aprovechamiento dual de los datos recabados, incluyendo funciones militares.
En Chile, la presencia china se refleja en el Centro de Datos Astronómicos de Santiago, donde se emplean supercomputadoras de Huawei y colaboran científicos con vínculos en la defensa china en sistemas de rastreo espacial. En 2025 se cancelaron proyectos en el Atacama por motivos de seguridad, pero la utilización de algoritmos empleados en laboratorios de procesamiento mantiene la exposición tecnológica. La estación satelital de Santiago utiliza tecnología de rastreo avanzado capaz de detallar la localización precisa de objetos espaciales y abre la puerta a futuros usos militares.
Brasil alberga la estación de Tucano y el Laboratorio conjunto en Serra do Urubu, iniciativa que asocia empresas nacionales, tecnológicas chinas y universidades locales. Protocolos de intercambio de datos permiten el seguimiento de satélites en órbita baja y geoestacionaria, reforzando tareas civiles y permitiendo usos militares directos. La cooperación con la Fuerza Aérea Brasileña para entrenamiento y simulación orbital solidifica el vínculo estratégico, mientras que el proyecto BINGO en Serra do Urubu introduce algoritmos capaces de interceptar y categorizar señales de interés militar.
China ha consolidado la capacidad de recolectar inteligencia, efectuar seguimiento satelital y apoyar operaciones de misiles de largo alcance desde bases en América Latina, alterando el equilibrio estratégico mundial. Estaciones terrestres, radiotelescopios y tecnologías de rango láser satelital dotan al Ejército Popular de Liberación de herramientas para localizar, identificar y, potencialmente, interferir o neutralizar activos espaciales rivales. Estas infraestructuras permiten alimentar los sistemas de comando militar chino con datos precisos para direccionar operaciones y actualizar objetivos en tiempo real.
Al operar en las mismas bandas de frecuencia que los sistemas militares estadounidenses y triangular posiciones de aviones y buques mediante análisis de señal, se eleva el riesgo de vigilancia indetectable y posible sabotaje a infraestructuras esenciales. La integración de operaciones científicas y militares fomenta la transmisión avanzada de datos para armamento como misiles balísticos intercontinentales y vehículos hipersónicos, completando el ciclo de comando y control desde el hemisferio sur. Plataformas móviles como la flota Yuanwang amplían la cobertura incluso fuera del alcance de las estaciones fijas.
La proliferación de infraestructura de doble uso genera inquietudes sobre soberanía, transparencia y dependencia tecnológica en los países anfitriones. Suspensiones de proyectos en Chile y Argentina han respondido a presiones internacionales y advertencias sobre el empleo de centros científicos como nodos de inteligencia militar. El debate se centra en la falta de mecanismos de control local y la opacidad de los acuerdos, aspectos que imposibilitan la supervisión independiente y el control sobre el destino final de los datos.
Actores estatales e internacionales recomiendan aumentar las garantías legales, realizar auditorías técnicas y fomentar iniciativas alternativas en cooperación espacial. Estados Unidos ha propuesto supeditar su propia cooperación científico-defensiva a que los países latinoamericanos restrinjan el acceso chino a instalaciones sensibles y apliquen controles estrictos para asegurar que la infraestructura controlada por China no ponga en riesgo intereses estratégicos regionales.
La expansión de la red espacial china en América Latina confirma que alianzas civiles pueden cimentar plataformas decisivas para acciones militares, permitiendo a Beijing vigilar y potencialmente neutralizar sistemas estratégicos de cualquier potencia sin limitaciones geográficas.
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Iranians across the country could be seen and heard celebrating the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after coordinated Israeli strikes overnight.
In one video, Iranians near Karaj, Iran, outside the capital of Tehran, took to the streets, honked their horns and cheered.
In social media videos, Iranians in Tehran cheered from their apartments, playing loud music and setting off fireworks as the news spread.
In Fuladshahr, people packed the streets, waving their arms in the air, whistling, honking and cheering over the news.
In Borazjan, Iran, celebrants chanted and, in Mamasani, they waved flags and danced.
People celebrate in Madrid, Spain. (Carlos Lujan/Europa Press via Getty Images)
People also celebrated in the Iranian cities of Shiraz and Abadan, «where the people are out on the streets till the wee hours of the night in celebration of an Iran that is on the brink of finding its freedom after almost five decades,» according to Lisa Daftari, editor at The Foreign Desk.
IRAN FIRES MISSILES AT US BASES ACROSS MIDDLE EAST AFTER AMERICAN STRIKES ON NUCLEAR, IRGC SITES
Iranian people also cheered the news in other parts of the world, such as Madrid, London, Berlin, Armenia and the United States.
People celebrated the death of Khamenei on Saturday in Berlin. (Christophe Gateau/Picture Alliance via Getty Images)
«Iranian people all over the world, from Los Angeles to Tehran, are on the streets celebrating [in] sheer jubilation over the dawn of a new and free Iran,» Daftari told Fox News Digital.
«Iranians poured onto the streets cheering, clapping, waving the lion and sun flag, dancing openly and singing the old national anthem. It’s hard to imagine a people so starved for freedom, so desperate for justice, that they are cheering military strikes on their own soil as the price of liberation.»
A woman holds up an Iranian flag as people celebrate the death of Khamenei in Los Angeles. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
In Los Angeles, home to the largest Iranian community in the U.S., hundreds came out to wave Iranian and American flags on Saturday.
Some people also held signs bearing expressions such as, «Make Iran Great Again.»
«I love America. I love everything about this country,» Iranian American journalist Masih Alinejad told Fox News Saturday.
«I grew up in a country where I was brainwashed to say, ‘Death to America,’ the same country — how ironic — the same country that saved my life three times and is now helping my people in Iran. They’re celebrating. They’re celebrating out of joy.
A family celebrates while watching Fox News in Vienna, Va. (Reuters/Nathan Howard)
«Thank you, President Trump, for taking decisive action. This is how true leadership looks like.»
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Los Angeles and other U.S. cities, like Boston; Washington, D.C.; and New York City held competing anti-war protests, as did cities in Europe.
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