Is your money funding the transportation of foreign terrorists to Minnesota? Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas won’t answer that question.  

In January, reporting revealed that DHS allowed a known terrorist to roam freely throughout the country for almost a year before being arrested in Minnesota after U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) released him into the United States at our southern border.

This case raised fundamental questions about the Biden administration’s potential use of taxpayer money to transport illegal aliens who pose a threat to national security into communities across the United States. 

The American people deserve to know if DHS spent taxpayer dollars to transport a known terrorist across the country – but President Biden’s DHS has refused to answer simple questions about the situation for months. 

TOP SENATE REPUBLICANS DEMAND ANSWERS FROM MAYORKAS AFTER SUSPECTED ISIS TERRORISTS RELEASED INTO US AT BORDER

Here’s what we do know, despite stonewalling from Mayorkas: DHS encountered a Somali man at the southern border on March 13, 2023. According to the current administration’s practice, he was promptly released into the United States and somehow made his way to Minnesota. 

On Jan. 18, 2024, after the individual had been in the country for more than 10 months, he was deemed “a confirmed member of al-Shabaab,” a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization in Somalia. He was finally arrested two days later in Minneapolis.

In early February, members of Minnesota’s Republican congressional delegation sent a letter directly to Mayorkas seeking answers on how exactly Biden’s DHS allowed a terrorist to enter and remain in the homeland for almost a year. To date, it has gone unanswered. 

How was a terrorist who entered the United States as an illegal immigrant able to get to Minnesota, and how was he able to support himself while there?

MAYORKAS FORCED TO ADMIT MORE MIGRANTS HAVE CROSSED US BORDER UNDER BIDEN THAN TRUMP: ‘SEVERAL MILLION PEOPLE’

According to research published in March by The Heritage Foundation, he may well have been provided a plane ticket and other support by the American taxpayer.

Since 2021, the Biden administration has been using a program called the Emergency Food and Shelter Program-Humanitarian (EFSP-H) to provide long-range transportation, legal services and more to illegal aliens encountered at the southern border. 

The money is appropriated to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which, in turn, hands it over to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to provide for illegal aliens. These NGOs have received billions of taxpayer dollars since Biden took office – exploiting our open border to fill their own coffers. 

The only clear eligibility requirement for illegal aliens to benefit from the government’s program is that they were encountered and released by DHS at the southern border – meaning that the Somali terrorist arrested in Minnesota was likely eligible. 

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According to Heritage’s estimate, as many as two million illegal aliens, some undoubtedly dangerous criminals, may have gained access to long-range transportation through Biden’s EFSP-H program.

The Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Project submitted a FOIA request for records of travel expenses incurred by the program. Such documentation is required by law. 

FEMA, however, responded to the FOIA request by claiming that it was not responsible for holding those documents and did not have any – implying that hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars going toward plane tickets and more for illegal aliens, like that Somali terrorist, were not even being monitored by DHS. 

Still seeking answers, members of Minnesota’s Republican congressional delegation again sent a letter to Mayorkas in early April. They hoped the secretary would provide clarity on whether DHS had evidence on how the terrorist traveled to Minnesota, as well as whether an NGO aided in that travel, and if that NGO received federal funding.

That letter was dated April 2, with a request for response by April 17. It has also gone unanswered.

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Not only has the Biden administration failed to answer basic questions about the EFSP-H program, but they’ve also doubled-down by creating the Shelter and Services Program (SSP), which will replace EFSP-H and “facilitate more effective support of CBP efforts to efficiently process and humanely treat noncitizens.” In their proposed budget for fiscal year 2025, DHS requested an additional $1.4 billion for the SSP.

Taxpayer dollars have gone to supporting unvetted illegal aliens and transporting as many as two million of them across the country. Among them may have been a known terrorist. 

DHS failed to produce a single document in response to a basic FOIA request. They have flatly ignored two letters from Congress. And they expect more of your money – without oversight.

DHS’ abuse of taxpayer dollars while failing to protect the homeland from known terrorists cannot stand. Congress can and must use the power of the purse to defund the SSP and stop hardworking Americans from being forced to foot the bill for President Biden’s unprecedented crisis at our southern border.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration owes it to the American people to provide answers on the dangers it has welcomed to the country.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM LORA RIES

Lora Ries is the director of The Heritage Foundation’s Border Security and Immigration Center.

(WXYZ) — The Detroit City FC women’s team finished the season undefeated and will compete in the USL W League playoffs.

Detroit will also host the USL W League Central Conference Playoffs with games on Friday, July 5 and Sunday, July 7.

DCFC beat AFC Ann Arbor 3-0 on Sunday, finishing with a 10-2-0. They had 0-0 draws against Kalamazoo FC on June 4 and at Cleveland Ford SC on June 12.

Otherwise, Detroit outscored its opponents 24-5 in their games, and had six shutouts in the wins.

Detroit will take on River Light FC on Friday at 7 p.m. Before that, Minnesota Aurora FC will face Indy Eleven at Keyworth Stadium at 4 p.m.

The winners of both of those games will face off on Sunday, July 7 at 1 p.m.Keyworth Stadium.

If Detroit advances past the first two rounds, the semifinals will take place the weekend of July 12-14, with locations to be announced in the future, and the finals on July 19-21.

Tickets are available now for the playoff matches, and you can also get tickets included to the men’s game against Tampa Bay on Saturday. You can learn more here.

It might seem like summer just started, but the Fourth of July will be here on Thursday.

Perhaps you’re looking forward to celebrating with a cookout, boat ride or fireworks. But, before you plan your festivities, you should probably check the forecast.

Showers and possible thunderstorms developing along a warm front passing through Iowa and Illinois could dampen celebrations across Wisconsin during peak fireworks hours, said Milwaukee-Sullivan National Weather Service meteorologist Mark Gehring. This system is expected to spread from the southwestern portion of the state to the northeast throughout the day.

Here’s what to know if you’re celebrating Independence Day in Wisconsin.

Milwaukee Fourth of July forecast

Milwaukee can expect a high around 80 degrees on Thursday, July 4, with warmer temperatures further from Lake Michigan. A 30% chance of precipitation is in the forecast for the city after 1 p.m. Winds are expected to be light for daytime celebrations.

Thursday evening, precipitation chances climb to 40% around 6 p.m. and increase throughout the night. Thunderstorms are possible late in the evening. Gehring said it’s not yet certain whether the storms will hold off until most fireworks shows are over.

“That 50% chance (of precipitation) won’t be until late in the evening,” he said. “I think there’s a pretty good chance any fireworks that are occurring the evening of the Fourth, you could still get them in. But, it’s really up in the air here what’s going to happen Thursday night.”

Madison Fourth of July forecast

Madison is expected to see a high around 82 degrees on Thursday, with partly sunny weather through the early afternoon. Winds are expected to be calm. Showers and thunderstorms are possible after 1 p.m., NWS says, with a 55% chance of precipitation at 6 p.m., increasing throughout the evening.

Like in Milwaukee, it is not yet certain whether the storms will disrupt peak fireworks hours or strike later on in the night, Gehring said.

Green Bay and Door County Fourth of July forecast

Widespread periods of rain are expected in the evening and overnight hours of July 4 in northeastern Wisconsin, but the exact timing is still unknown, said Green Bay NWS meteorologist Gus Kaiser.

A high of 83 degrees is in the forecast for Green Bay on Thursday. Door County is expected to see a high near 80.

“There is a 30 to 40% chance (of precipitation) here in Green Bay after about 6-7 p.m. and increasing through the evening,” Kaiser said. “Then, Door County is that pushed back an hour or two. So, the further east you are, the better chance things could be dry for fireworks.”

Rhinelander and northwestern Wisconsin Fourth of July forecast

July 4 showers and storms are most likely during peak fireworks time in northwestern and north-central Wisconsin. In Rhinelander, precipitation chances are expected to increase from 50% to 70% throughout the holiday afternoon, Kaiser said.

Rhinelander is expected to see a high of 79 degrees on Independence Day with chances of showers beginning around 1 p.m. and increasing throughout the evening.

A high of 81 degrees is in the forecast for Eau Claire with calm winds in the afternoon. Showers and thunderstorms are expected throughout the holiday. Precipitation chances climb from 55% at 3 p.m. to 70% at 9 p.m.

Can I shoot off fireworks during a thunderstorm?

It is not recommended to shoot off fireworks during a storm.

According to WeatherSTEM, lightning is the most dangerous weather condition in which to hold fireworks shows. Unlit fireworks can be sparked by stray lightning strikes and ignite on the ground, which can be quite hazardous for people nearby. Additionally, spectators risk being struck by lightning if sitting outside to watch fireworks during a storm.

Plus, storms can ruin the magic of a fireworks show. Storms can bring humid conditions and high levels of water vapor in the air. If the air is too humid, fireworks’ colors will be less bright, and they may not light properly.

Wisconsin weather radar

Wisconsin weather warnings

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