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Mamdani economic advisor is reparations activist who says ‘devaluation of Black lives’ ingrained in US system
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New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani announced a new economic and workforce development transition team that will be headed by, among others, reparations activist Darrick Hamilton, who argues the U.S. economy and governmental policies related to it are racist.
Hamilton, who went to Oberlin College and later the University of Carolina at Chapel Hill, is the founding director of the Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy at the progressive The New School university in New York City. Hamilton’s academic biography at The New School calls him a «pioneer» in the field of «stratification economics,» which is aimed at looking at how race and ethnicity are embedded into «inequality» in education, economic and health outcomes.
Mamdani announced Monday the creation of more than 17 transition advisory committees made up of more than 400 people to help advise his incoming administration, including the Committee on Economic Development & Workforce Development, which Hamilton will help lead.
MAMDANI’S TOP INCOMING AIDE WAS ‘CHIEF ARCHITECT’ OF RADICAL PROPOSAL OVERHAULING NYPD
«Since our nation’s inception, the immoral devaluation of Black lives has been ingrained in America’s political economy, and (has) manifested in a persistent, unjust, and enormous racial wealth gap,» Hamilton told Congress in 2021. «Our unjust racial wealth gap is itself an implicit measure of our racist past that is rooted in a history in which whites have been privileged by (a) government complicit (in) political and economic intervention(s) that have afforded them access to resources and iterative and intergenerational accumulation.»
Zohran Mamdani has tapped Darrick Hamilton, founding director of the Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy at the progressive New School university in New York City and a member of the New York State Community Commission on Reparations Remedies, to help lead his economic agenda. (Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg and Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)
Hamilton also sits on the New York State Community Commission on Reparations Remedies, where he advises members of the New York State legislature on policy recommendations for «reparative justice,» as it relates to «the historical and present-day consequences of slavery and discrimination.»
One proposal Hamilton is known for is socioeconomic-based «Baby Bonds,» which would essentially establish racially conscious trust funds for children. The Baby Bonds would be given a certain amount of seed funding depending upon determined need, and would grow until the kids become adults and can use the money.
Hamilton has argued that one-time reparations payments do not go far enough and steps, such as the Baby Bonds proposal, should be taken to help Black folks garner ownership of «means of production in American society.» Meanwhile, Hamilton has been criticized for allegedly wanting to add Black immigrants to reparations policies, as opposed to making them exclusively for the descendants of slavery.
Yvette Carnell, a prominent activist and co-founder of the American Descendants of Slavery (ADOS) movement, has also called Hamilton «clueless» and accused the scholar of kowtowing to whichever politician is in power.
Darrick Hamilton, professor at the New School (right) speaks during the Bloomberg Equality Summit in New York, March 22, 2022. (Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
«The racial wealth gap is such that the typical Black family has about 10 cents on the dollar as a typical white family,» Hamilton said during a 2020 podcast episode on Freakonomics Radio. «That history of racial disparity, as it relates to wealth-building, certainly didn’t end with slavery,» Hamilton added. «There was the Homestead Act. There was the G.I. Bill. There was a system of sharecropping. There’s a system of Jim Crow. There is a system of redlining. It was government-facilitated.»
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During a separate appearance on The Black News Channel, Hamilton also said he is not one to «compromise» on policy either, when asked why Democrats are always «compromising with crazy people.»
«I don’t like the word compromise … because one thing we know is that when we think about race, the group that is typically the first to be compromised are the issues related to those that are most marginalized, which in the United States’ context has been Black people,» Hamilton said during the 2021 Black News Chanel interview.
«We need government to start doing good,» Hamilton continued, «because when people realize the government can do good it creates a momentum, a movement forward that makes it harder for us to turn back.»
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul holds up signed legislation creating a commission for the study of reparations in New York on December 19, 2023 in New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
Other folks tapped for Mamdani’s new Committee on Economic Development and Workforce Development include Gustavo Gordillo, co-chair of the New York City chapter of Democratic Socialists of America, and Deyanira Del Río, executive director of the New Economy Project, which she has said on the record is «dedicated to building an economy … rooted in racial and gender justice, neighborhood equity and ecological sustainability.»
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Not long after Mamdani won his election and began nominating members to his transition team, he faced backlash for staffing his team with aides from former NYC mayoral campaigns, ranging from Bill de Blasio, to Michael Bloomberg to Eric Adams. Mamdani also tapped a longtime Biden adviser to help lead his transition that garnered criticism.
«The polls have barely closed, and already the incoming mayor is breaking one of his core promises to shake up the status quo and usher in a new day. New York City started a downward spiral under the de Blasio administration, and now some of its main players are returning to the halls of power,» Republican strategist Colin Reed told Fox News Digital. «And former FTC Chair Lina Khan became synonymous with her hostility toward businesses large and small during the Biden administration and one of the ringleaders of Bidenomics.»
Neither Mamdani’s team, nor Hamilton, responded to Fox News Digital’s requests for comments in time for publication.
zohran mamdani,economy,new york city,state and local,politics
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DHS shutdown explained: Who works without pay, what happens to airports and disaster response
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A partial government shutdown is all but certain after Senate Democrats rejected attempts to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) offered by Republicans on Thursday afternoon.
But it will not look like the record-long 43-day full shutdown that paralyzed Congress last year, nor will it look like the shorter four-day partial shutdown that hit Capitol Hill earlier this month. That’s because Congress has already funded roughly 97% of the government through the end of fiscal year (FY) 2026 on Sept. 30.
When the clock strikes 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 14, just DHS will be affected by a lapse in its federal funding. While it’s a vastly smaller scale than other recent fiscal fights, it will still have an impact on a broad range of issues given DHS’s wide jurisdiction.
SCHUMER, DEMS CHOOSE PARTIAL SHUTDOWN AS NEGOTIATIONS HIT IMPASSE
A Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer stands near a security checkpoint. (Michael Ciaglo / Getty Images)
Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
Disruptions to the TSA, whose agents are responsible for security checks at nearly 440 airports across the country, could perhaps be the most impactful part of the partial shutdown to Americans’ everyday lives.
Acting Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill told lawmakers at a hearing on Wednesday that around 95% of TSA employees — roughly 61,000 people — are deemed essential and will be forced to work without pay in the event of a shutdown.
McNeill said many TSA agents were still recovering from the effects of the recent 43-day shutdown. «We heard reports of officers sleeping in their cars at airports to save money on gas, selling their blood and plasma, and taking on second jobs to make ends meet,» she said.
TSA paychecks due to be issued on March 3 could see agents getting reduced pay depending on the length of the shutdown. Agents would not be at risk of missing a full paycheck until March 17.
If that happens, however, Americans could see delays or even cancellations at the country’s busiest airports as TSA agents are forced to call out of work and get second jobs to make ends meet.
SHUTDOWN CLOCK TICKS AS SCHUMER, DEMOCRATS DIG IN ON DHS FUNDING DEMANDS
Coast Guard
The U.S. Coast Guard is the only branch of the Armed Forces under DHS rather than the Department of War, and as such would likely see reduced operations during a shutdown.
That includes a pause in training for pilots, air crews, and boat crews until funding is restarted.
Admiral Thomas Allan, Coast Guard Vice Commandant, warned lawmakers that it would have to «suspend all missions, except those for national security or the protection of life and property.»
A lapse in its funding would also result in suspended pay for 56,000 active duty, reserve, and civilian personnel, which Allan warned would negatively affect morale and recruitment efforts.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks at a press conference following the passage of government funding bills, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 30, 2026. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Secret Service
The U.S. Secret Service (USSS), which is critical to protecting the president and key members of the administration, is also under DHS’s purview.
While its core functions would be largely unaffected by a shutdown, some 94% of the roughly 8,000 people the service employs would be forced to work without pay until the standoff is resolved.
Deputy USSS Director Matthew Quinn also warned that a shutdown could also hurt the progress being made to improve the service in the wake of the July 2024 assassination attempt against President Donald Trump.
«The assassination attempt on President Trump’s life brought forward hard truths for our agency and critical areas for improvement — air, space, security, communications and IT infrastructure, hiring and retention training, overarching technological improvements,» Quinn said. «We are today on the cusp of implementing generational change for our organization. A shutdown halts our reforms and undermines the momentum that we, including all of you, have worked so hard to build together.»
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
ICE operations would largely go on unimpeded during a shutdown, despite Democrats’ outrage at the agency being the main driver of the current standoff.
Nearly 20,000 of ICE’s roughly 21,000 employees are deemed «essential» and therefore must work without pay, according to DHS shutdown guidance issued in September 2025.
But even though it’s the center of Democrats’ funding protest, ICE already received an injection of some $75 billion over the course of four years from Trump’s One Big, Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). It means many of its core functions retain some level of funding even during a shutdown.
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
CISA is responsible for defending critical U.S. sectors like transportation, healthcare, and energy from foreign and domestic threats.
The agency would be forced to reduce operations to an active threat mitigation status and activities «essential to protecting and protecting life and property,» according to Acting CISA Director Madhu Gottumukkala.
That means a shutdown would significantly reduce CISA’s capacity to proactively monitor for potential threats from foreign adversaries.
«We will be on the defensive, reactive as opposed to being proactive, and strategic in terms of how we will be able to combat those adversaries,» Gottumukkala said.
Operations like «cyber response, security assessments, stakeholder engagements, training, exercises, and special event planning» would all be impacted, he said.
A U.S. Secret Service police officer stands outside the White House the day after President Donald Trump announced U.S. military strikes on nuclear sites in Iran on June 22, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Kevin Carter/Getty Images)
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
FEMA, one of the largest recipients of congressional funding under DHS, would also likely see reduced operations if a shutdown went on for long enough.
The bright spot for the agency is that past congressional appropriations have left its Disaster Relief Fund (DRF), the main coffer used to respond to natural disasters throughout the U.S., with roughly $7 billion.
The DRF could become a serious problem if the DHS shutdown goes on for more than a month, however, or in the event of an unforeseen «catastrophic disaster,» an official warned.
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FEMA is also currently working through a backlog of responses to past natural disasters, progress that Associate Administrator of the Office of Response and Recovery Gregg Phillips said could be interrupted during a shutdown.
«In the 45 days I’ve been here…we have spent $3 billion in 45 days on 5,000 projects,» Phillips said. «We’re going as fast as we can. We’re committed to reducing the backlog. I can’t go any faster than we actually are. And if this lapses, that’s going to stop.»
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Walz proposes $10M business relief package as Republicans cry ‘new avenue for fraud’ in Minnesota
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Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz was slammed online by Republicans after proposing a $10 million emergency relief package for small businesses across the state impacted by the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
Walz unveiled the proposal Thursday after Border Czar Tom Homan announced that Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota would be ending. The proposal calls for forgivable loans ranging from $2,500 to $25,000 to be distributed to eligible businesses that are able to demonstrate «substantial revenue loss» during «specified dates» tied to the operation.
«The campaign of retribution by the federal administration has been more than a short-term disruption; it has inflicted long-term damage on Minnesota communities,» Walz said in a statement. «Recovery will not happen overnight. Families, workers, and business owners are feeling the effects, and our responsibility is clear: we will help rebuild, stabilize these businesses, protect jobs, and ensure Minnesota’s economy can recover and thrive.»
Republicans quickly criticized the proposal as Minnesota continues to face extensive fraud allegations.
CONVICTED MINNESOTA FRAUDSTER ALLEGES WALZ, ELLISON WERE AWARE OF WIDESPREAD FRAUD
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz proposed a $10 million emergency relief package for small businesses impacted by the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. (Jerry Holt/The Minnesota Star Tribune via Getty Images)
President Donald Trump previously claimed that fraud in Minnesota exceeded $19 billion.
Dozens of people have been prosecuted in Minnesota in recent years for alleged large-scale welfare fraud schemes involving food assistance and autism services. Federal prosecutors have alleged the schemes stole hundreds of millions of dollars from taxpayer-funded programs, with separate investigations also examining alleged fraud in the state’s daycare system.
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn. reacted to the governor’s proposal on X, saying, «BREAKING: Tim Walz opens up a new avenue for fraud in Minnesota.»
NOEM HAMMERS WALZ, FREY FOR IGNORING 1,360 ICE DETAINERS FOR CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIENS
Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks to reporters after he announced that he would not seek reelection, at the Minnesota State Capitol on Jan. 5, 2026. (Reuters/Tim Evans)
Minnesota Republican state Sen. Michael Holmstrom said on X that the proposal would be an «immediate NO from me,» adding that Minnesota taxpayers «do not deserve to have more money stolen from them.»
Others referenced fraud related to Minnesota’s daycare system, including Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., who responded to the proposal on X, «Does that include learing centers?»
His post referenced a typo that read «Quality Learing Center,» which was eventually corrected. The Quality Learning Center was infamously featured in a video by YouTuber Nick Shirley, who visited multiple daycare centers across Minnesota that allegedly received public funds but were not providing any services.
SCOOP: THOUSANDS OF VIOLENT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARRESTED IN MINNESOTA AS ADMIN VOWS ‘WE WILL NOT BACK DOWN’
Gov. Tim Walz unveiled an emergency loan plan tied to the economic impact of federal immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images and Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images)
The governor’s office included a statement from Henry Garnica, the owner of CentroMex in East St. Paul, who said the past few months during the immigration operation have been «some of the hardest I’ve experienced as a business owner.»
«Sales are down, we have limited hours, and we have had to change how we operate,» he stated. That’s not who we are as a neighborhood store. This proposed forgivable loan package would give businesses like mine breathing room — to keep employees on payroll and keep our doors open. For some of us, it could mean the difference between surviving and closing for good.»
On Thursday, Walz demanded that the federal government «pay for what they broke» after the Trump administration said it would draw down its presence in the Twin Cities.
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Walz said during a news conference that federal law enforcement’s presence in the state was leaving «deep damage» and «generational trauma.»
Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.
minnesota,tim walz,tom homan,small business under siege
DHS shutdown explained: Who works without pay, what happens to airports and disaster response
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