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Texas Dem James Talarico rips ‘un-Christian’ court decision on what’s allowed in classrooms
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Texas Democrat James Talarico slammed a court ruling this week allowing Texas to enforce a law requiring classrooms to display the 10 Commandments, calling it a «deeply un-Christian decision.»
He decried «Christian nationalism,» saying, «I’m a Christian, but I know that the most dangerous form of government is theocracy.»
Talarico, a Democratic Texas state representative, is running to flip one of Texas’ Senate seats blue for the first time in decades. Democrats believe Talarico has a real shot at defeating either incumbent GOP Sen. John Cornyn or current state Attorney General Ken Paxton. A Talarico victory would be devastating to the GOP’s hopes of retaining or expanding its Senate majority this November.
Speaking on CNN this week, Talarico condemned the decision by the federal Fifth Circuit Court. He suggested the law requiring the 10 Commandments to be displayed poses an affront to individuals in Texas who are Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh, agnostic and atheist.
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Texas state Rep. James Talarico, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, called a ruling allowing a Texas law requiring the 10 Commandments be displayed in schools «deeply un-Christian.» (Brandon Bell/Getty Images; Mike Simons/Getty Images)
«I don’t want anyone forcing their religion down my throat, and I certainly don’t want the government forcing a religion down my throat. So why would I do that to any of my neighbors?» he told CNN. «I think this is an unconstitutional decision, I also think this is a deeply un-Christian decision, because we are supposed to be loving all of our neighbors, particularly our neighbors of other faiths.»
In a 9–8 ruling on Tuesday, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the Texas law requiring public schools across the state to display the Ten Commandments. The court ruled the law does not violate either the Constitution’s Establishment Clause or the Free Exercise Clause.
The court’s majority opinion stated that «because Plaintiffs fail to show that [Texas law] S.B. 10 substantially burdens their right to religious exercise, their Free Exercise claims must be dismissed.»
However, Talarico, who is a Presbyterian seminarian in addition to a former middle school teacher, asserted that the law runs afoul of the Christian imperative to love God and love neighbor.
«My faith teaches me to love my neighbor as myself. Not just my neighbors who look like me, not just my neighbors who vote like me, not just my neighbors who pray like me. I’m called to love all of my neighbors the way I love myself. That includes my Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh, agnostic and atheist neighbors,» he said.
He also decried what he referred to as «Christian nationalism,» saying, «the only thing worse than a tyrant is a tyrant who thinks they’re on a mission from God.»
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A copy of the Ten Commandments is displayed in a classroom at Bagdad Elementary School in Leander, Texas, on Nov. 19, 2025, following a state law requiring school districts to post them in classrooms. (Jay Janner/The Austin American-Statesman/Getty Images)
As a member of the Texas House of Representatives, Talarico has opposed the 10 Commandments bill as «idolatrous» for years.
While speaking on CNN, he ripped into Paxton for praising the ruling. Smiling, he said, «I’m not sure that Ken Paxton is in a place to lecture us on moral values.»
Fox News Digital reached out to Paxton for comment.
Paxton, who is currently locked in a bitter primary runoff with Cornyn, had called the ruling a «major victory for Texas and our moral values.»
He said the 10 Commandments «have had a profound impact on our nation, and it’s important that students learn from them every single day,» adding, «My office was proud to defend SB 10 and successfully ensure that the Ten Commandments will be displayed in classrooms across Texas.»
After Talarico’s dig, Paxton responded on X, writing, «James Talarico says God commands us to believe in six genders, support late-term abortion, and abuse children by ‘transitioning’ them. He’s completely and totally morally bankrupt.»
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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, are heading to a runoff in Texas, extending their primary battle until late May. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu/Getty Images and Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Paxton was not the only one to slam Talarico’s take on the ruling. Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet posted on X, «Imagine being a Christian who goes on CNN to condemn putting the Ten Commandments in schools. Imagine James Talarico.»
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In response, Talarico doubled down, telling Fox News Digital, «Jesus taught us to love God and love neighbor, because there is no love of God without love of neighbor. My faith teaches me to love my neighbor as myself. I don’t want the government forcing a religion down my throat.»
Talarico added that «the separation of church and state is a sacred boundary that doesn’t just benefit the state — it also benefits the church, because when the church gets too cozy with political power, it loses its prophetic voice.»
A spokesperson for Cornyn responded to Fox News Digital’s request for comment by saying, «We support the ruling.»
midterm elections, texas, faith personal freedoms, politics, elections
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Fury erupts as US brand fires 1,600 employees after securing thousands of foreign worker visas
Boston federal judge blocks Trump fee for H-1B visas
A federal judge in Boston has blocked the Trump administration’s $100,000 H-1B visa fee, stating it is an unauthorized tax without congressional approval. The policy, enacted last year, drastically increased the fee from $2,000-$5,000 to prioritize U.S. citizens. The White House plans to appeal the decision.
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A popular U.S.-based gaming brand owned by Microsoft is facing fury after mass employee layoffs occurred in the wake of the company being approved for thousands of foreign worker visas.
Microsoft announced that it will lay off 4,800 people total and 1,600 from the corporation’s XBOX division, which makes and sells the dominant video game console.
Meanwhile, Microsoft has been approved this year to hire from foreign countries 2,273 employer-sponsored, non-immigrant workers under what is known as the H-1B visa program, according to data from U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Furious online critics claim that American jobs are being unfairly handed to foreigners in an effort to cut labor costs but at the cost of leaving U.S. workers in the lurch.
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Asha Sharma, chief executive officer of Xbox,, during the Bloomberg Tech conference in San Francisco, California, US, on Thursday, June 4, 2026. The event brings together the leading CEOs, investors and innovators who are harnessing technology to change the world around us. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
«A great way to fix this is to throw anyone doing this in prison,» said one user on X. «Fire Americans to replace with thousands of visa workers? Straight to jail, and assets seized. This story has been told countless times. Fire American staff and hire foreigners. Over and over.»
«It is the fault of our Government [sic] for approving the H-1Bs,» another social media user lamented. «Our Government [sic] has sold us out of jobs at home and those being moved to other countries.»
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Another user described the H-1B program as «industrial scale job theft from Americans.»
Microsoft is the sixth-largest beneficiary of H-1B visas, a program that is overwhelmingly dominated by workers from India. The company has even more H-1B applications pending. Microsoft has employees worldwide, but most are in the United States.
«These decisions are based on business need, not visa status. H-1B employees were also impacted by job eliminations in the U.S.,» a Microsoft spokesperson told Fox News Digital when reached for comment on the lay offs.
Fans compete in a gaming tournament at Microsoft retail store at the Florida Mall on November 21, 2013 in Orlando, Florida and another five cities across the country for a chance to win up to $25,000 in prizes and a chance to participate in a final showdown at the Jacksonville, Fla. Microsoft Store opening, featuring a performance by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. Tournament finalists will receive an Ultimate Xbox One Gaming House including all launch night titles in each of the six participating stores. (Photo by Gerardo Mora/Getty Images for Microsoft) (Gerardo Mora/Getty Images for Microsoft)
«Every single employer is exploiting the H-1B visa program,» said the Project for Immigration Reform.
A lawmaker even called for a complete end to the non-immigrant visa program.
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«This is INSANE. LEGAL immigration is a major problem. These companies, especially big tech, are abusing these immigration programs to replace American workers with foreign workers,» said Rep. Riley Moore, R-W.Va.
«No more. It’s long past time to end the H-1B scam.»
XBOX CEO Asha Sharma cited the company’s financial health for the layoffs.
«Our business today is not healthy,» said a memo from Sharma, according to The Associated Press. «We are operating at margins that are 3-10x lower than comparable platform and publishing businesses.»
Sharma added that her strategy is to «reset» XBOX.
Some online critics, however, claimed Sharma’s Indian heritage played a role in firing the Americans, given the percentage of H-1B workers from India. Sharma was born in Wisconsin.
Vice President JD Vance announced on Tuesday a large-scale investigation into H-1B visa fraud.
«Today, I’m proud to announce that the federal Department of Labor has started dozens of subpoenas and investigations into foreign fraudsters who are trying to take advantage of the H-1B visa program,» he said during a press conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
«American jobs ought to go to American workers and not foreign fraudsters and the Department of Labor is fighting back against it.»
President Donald Trump signed two executive orders on Sept. 19, 2025, establishing the «Trump Gold Card» and introducing a $100,000 fee for H-1B visas. The «Trump Gold Card» is a visa program that allows foreign nationals permanent residency and a pathway to U.S. citizenship for a $1 million investment in the United States. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
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Recently, President Donald Trump tried to limit employers’ use of the H-1B program by imposing a $100,000 fee for companies seeking H-1B applications.
A federal judge struck down that order, reasoning that it amounted to a tax that only Congress has the ability to impose.
politics, jobs, tech, microsoft, big tech backlash
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Era el estilista de las celebridades, apareció muerto junto a su madre y una carta escondía la verdad
Mauricio Leal era uno de los estilistas más reconocidos de Colombia. Dueño de un exclusivo salón de belleza en Bogotá, trabajaba con actrices, modelos, cantantes e influencers, y había construido una exitosa carrera que lo convirtió en una figura muy querida dentro del mundo del espectáculo.
Pero el 22 de noviembre de 2021 su nombre comenzó a ocupar las portadas de todos los medios por un motivo completamente distinto. Ese día fue encontrado muerto junto a su madre, Marleny Hernández, en la casa que ambos compartían en La Calera, un municipio ubicado en las afueras de Bogotá.
Lo que en un principio parecía un homicidio seguido de suicidio terminó convirtiéndose en uno de los casos policiales más impactantes de la historia reciente de Colombia, con una investigación que descubrió una escena cuidadosamente montada y reveló que el asesino era una persona de su entorno más cercano.
El hallazgo
La mañana del 22 de noviembre, familiares y allegados comenzaron a preocuparse porque Mauricio no respondía los llamados ni los mensajes. Poco después, las autoridades ingresaron a la casa y encontraron una escena estremecedora.
El peluquero y su madre estaban muertos dentro de la casa, ambos con múltiples puñaladas. Junto al cuerpo de Mauricio se encontró una carta escrita a mano en la que, supuestamente, confesaba haber asesinado a su madre para luego quitarse la vida. “No puedo más”, decía ese documento, que después se convirtió en la principal prueba de la causa.
Durante las primeras horas, esa hipótesis pareció convencer a parte de los investigadores. Sin embargo, había varios detalles que no terminaban de cerrar.
Las heridas, la posición de los cuerpos y distintos elementos hallados en la propiedad despertaron sospechas entre los peritos, que comenzaron a reconstruir minuto a minuto lo que había ocurrido. El peluquero Mauricio Leal junto a su madre, Marleny. Ambos fueron asesinados en noviembre de 2021. (Foto: City TV)
Con el avance de las pericias forenses, la teoría del homicidio seguido de suicidio empezó a derrumbarse. Los especialistas concluyeron que Mauricio había sido obligado a escribir la carta antes de morir y que, debido a la gravedad de las heridas que presentaba, era prácticamente imposible que hubiera podido redactarla por voluntad propia después de atacar a su madre.
Además, el análisis de la escena permitió establecer que alguien había intentado alterar la evidencia para hacer creer que se trataba de un suicidio.
La investigación dio entonces un giro total: ya no buscaban explicar una tragedia familiar, sino identificar al responsable de un doble homicidio cuidadosamente planificado.
El principal sospechoso
A medida que avanzaban las declaraciones y el análisis de cámaras de seguridad, todas las miradas comenzaron a dirigirse hacia Jhonier Leal, hermano mayor de Mauricio.
Los investigadores detectaron inconsistencias en sus declaraciones y movimientos que no coincidían con el relato que había dado sobre las horas previas al crimen. Jhonier y Mauricio Leal. (Foto: La República)
También encontraron pruebas que indicaban que había manipulado distintos elementos de la escena y que había permanecido en la casa durante un tiempo mayor al que había reconocido.
La Fiscalía colombiana sostuvo que el hombre había organizado el asesinato con un objetivo económico: quedarse con la importante fortuna de Mauricio, que incluía propiedades, vehículos, empresas y otros bienes obtenidos durante años de trabajo.
En enero de 2022, apenas dos meses después del crimen, Jhonier Leal fue detenido e imputado por el doble homicidio.
Durante una audiencia sorprendió al admitir su responsabilidad. Entre lágrimas, aceptó haber asesinado tanto a su hermano como a su madre y pidió perdón a su familia.
Sin embargo, poco tiempo después cambió completamente su estrategia judicial. Su defensa aseguró que había sido presionado para declararse culpable e intentó retractarse de la confesión, por lo que el proceso continuó con la presentación de pruebas periciales, testimonios y reconstrucciones realizadas por la Fiscalía. Mauricio Leal era conocido como el «peluquero de las estrellas» en Colombia. (Foto: El Universo)
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La condena
Tras analizar toda la evidencia reunida durante la investigación, la Justicia concluyó que el doble crimen había sido cometido por Jhonier Leal y que el móvil había sido económico.
Los jueces consideraron probado que asesinó a su hermano y a su madre, que intentó simular un homicidio seguido de suicidio mediante la carta encontrada junto al cuerpo de Mauricio y que alteró la escena para desviar la investigación.
En junio de 2024 fue condenado a más de 55 años de prisión por el doble homicidio agravado.
Colombia, Asesinato
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