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Mayorkas accused of lying under oath, playing ‘shell game’ with data by former border official

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Mayorkas accused of lying under oath, playing ‘shell game’ with data by former border official


Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas faced tough questions from House Republicans, as critics accuse him of providing false or misleading information to Congress. 

Former acting ICE Director Tom Homan argued on “Faulkner Focus” Wednesday that Mayorkas is unaware of how many people are actually crossing the southern border and that the secretary is “lying” about the scope of the crisis.

“He’s not telling Congress, the American people exactly what he’s doing. He’s lying to the American people, and he’s lying to Congress under oath, which is a crime in itself,” said Homan. 

HOUSE HOMELAND GOP REPORT ACCUSES MAYORKAS OF ‘INTENTIONAL’ DERELICTION OF DUTY OVER BORDER CRISIS

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WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 27: U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas testifies before a House Appropriations Subcommittee on April 27, 2022 in Washington, DC. Mayorkas testified on the fiscal year 2023 budget request for the Department of Homeland Security.  (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Mayorkas was on the receiving end of another barrage from Republicans on Wednesday as he faced the House Judiciary Committee and was quizzed about the administration’s efforts to tackle the border crisis.

“I’ve been in Congress seven years. I think youre the most dishonest witness that has ever appeared before the Judiciary Committee, and I think I speak for a lot of my colleagues,” Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., said. “This is such a frustrating exercise for us because our constituents want answers.”

The fireworks came as part of a House Judiciary Committee hearing on the department, which has been at the center of the handling of the ongoing crisis at the southern border in its third year.

Mayorkas has become a lightning rod for the crisis, with Republicans blaming him for running “open border” policies they say sparked and then fueled the border crisis, which saw over 1.7 million migrant encounters in fiscal 2021 and over 2.4 million in fiscal 2022.

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Eagle Pass migrant group

Nov 19, 2022: A massive group of migrants in Eagle Pass, Texas. (Fox News)

Homan said Mayorkas should have been impeached a year ago and that he is an embarrassment to his office.

What this man has done is violate the oath of office he took,” said Homan. 

“He sits here under oath and tells Congress that illegal entries are down 50%. Well, he knows what he’s doing. He’s taking thousands of people who enter illegally and pushing them through a port of entry through an unlawful program he created,” said Homan, accusing Mayorkas of “bringing thousands of illegal aliens to a port of entry that he knows don’t qualify for asylum based on ten years of data.”

JUDICIARY CHAIR JORDAN TELLS MAYORKAS TO ‘BE PREPARED’ AHEAD OF KEY HEARING ON BORDER CRISIS 

“It is a shell game,” Homan said. 

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“He’s lying to the American people. He’s lying to members of Congress. He created an illegal system that he will lose in court when the 20 states’ lawsuit finally comes to court.”

National Border Patrol Council VP Art Del Cueto said Mayorkas and senior administration officials “don’t even know how many people have been crossing.”

He added, “They can talk about the encounters, but they don’t know how many people have crossed because the agents aren’t working in the areas that they should be working.”

He said the morale of Border Patrol agents has been “destroyed” under the Biden administration, accusing many senior officials of waiting until retirement to start “telling the truth.” 

A USBP official by a river

Eagle Pass Border Patrol look over the Rio Grande scanning the area illegal traffic, February 06, 2003.  (Shaul Schwarz/Getty Images)

Mayorkas and the agency have pushed back consistently against Republicans’ claims, arguing his agency is working in a broken system in need of reform by Congress while dealing with a hemisphere-wide crisis. The agency has pointed to a sharp drop in encounters after the end of the Title 42 public health order.

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While encounters are still high, with over 144,000 in June, they were the lowest numbers since February 2021. It has led to claims by DHS that its post-Title 42 strategy is working. The strategy includes a historic expansion of the use of humanitarian parole to allow migrants in legally at ports of entry while limiting the ability of migrants who enter illegally to claim asylum.

“Our approach to managing the borders securely and humanely even within our fundamentally broken immigration system is working,” Mayorkas said. “Unlawful entries between ports of entry along the southwest border have consistently decreased by more than half compared to the peak before the end of Title 42.

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Fox News’ Adam Shaw contributed to this report.

 

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Toxic heavy metals detected in popular rice brands across America, study shows

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Toxic heavy metals detected in popular rice brands across America, study shows


NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Heavy toxic metals could be in the rice you’re about to buy at the grocery store.

Healthy Babies, Bright Futures, a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that seeks to reduce babies’ exposure to toxic chemicals, revealed that arsenic was found in 100% of the 145 rice samples purchased from stores throughout the United States.

“We found four toxic heavy metals in rice – arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury,” according to the new report. 

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BROWN RICE FAR WORSE THAN WHITE RICE WHEN IT COMES TO TOXINS, STUDY FINDS

“While each contaminant has different health effects, they can contribute to serious risks like cancer, developmental harm including IQ loss and accumulation in the body over time,” the report said.

The study included 10 forms of grain and more than 100 brands from stores in 20 different U.S. metropolitan areas, from Seattle to Los Angeles and New York to Miami.

A new study revealed that arsenic was found in 100% of all rice samples purchased from stores throughout the country. (iStock)

“Arsenic was found at the highest levels, with cadmium next,” the report stated.

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One in four rice samples exceeded the federal limit set for arsenic in infant rice cereal, according to the study.

“No such limit exists for rice itself – the bags and boxes of rice served at family meals – despite it being widely consumed by infants and toddlers,” the report said. “Additionally, cadmium was found in all but one sample, with some showing elevated levels.”

STUDENTS COOK ANCIENT RICE DISH BASED ON 2,000-YEAR-OLD MANUSCRIPT WITH SURPRISINGLY HEALTHY RESULTS

Long-term exposure to arsenic from food and water can cause cancer and skin lesions, according to the World Health Organization.

Michael Klein, a spokesperson for the USA Rice Federation, based in Arlington, Virginia, told Fox News Digital that American-grown rice “contains the lowest levels of inorganic arsenic in the world.”

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“America’s rice farmers and rice companies are fully committed to providing wholesome, high-quality and nutritious food.” 

“America’s rice farmers and rice companies are fully committed to providing wholesome, high-quality and nutritious food,” Klein said. 

“We know that arsenic in food is alarming for many consumers and that you may have questions,” he said. “And while we do not agree that there is a public health safety issue as a result of trace amounts of arsenic in rice, we will continue to work with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure the U.S. rice supply meets any threshold established.”

Brown rice grown in the southeast or labeled “grown in the USA” had the highest average levels of heavy metals, data from the study showed.

Brown rice on fork

Brown rice grown in the southeast had the highest average levels of heavy metals, according to data from the study. (iStock)

White rice grown in the southeast showed consistently higher levels of heavy metals, primarily arsenic, than rice grown in California, the data revealed.

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Thai jasmine rice and Indian basmati rice, as well as rice grown in California, generally contained lower heavy metal levels than other varieties tested.

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However, basmati rice from India and arborio rice from Italy had the highest average cadmium levels, per the study.

Lead and mercury were found at the lowest levels, the study showed.

Child eating white rice

One in four rice samples tested exceeded the federal limit set for arsenic in infant rice cereal, according to the study. (iStock)

“The U.S. rice industry does not dispute that there is arsenic in rice,” Klein said. “Arsenic is found in virtually everything that grows in the ground.”

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However, Klein called the data misleading — adding that every example highlighted in the new report is below the recommended guidance of the FDA.

Information provided by the FDA on its website specifies the permitted levels of heavy metals found in food. 

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As part of its “closer to zero” guidance, the FDA has a higher standard for processed foods intended for babies and young children.

“We hope families come away with simple, practical steps they can take right now to reduce exposure – like cooking rice in extra water and draining it, swapping in other grains like quinoa or barley and choosing lower-arsenic rice types such as California-grown, Thai jasmine or Indian basmati,” Healthy Babies, Bright Futures research director Jane Houlihan told Fox News Digital. 

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“We’re also urging the FDA to set enforceable limits on arsenic in all rice, not just baby cereal, to better protect children and families across the country.”



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Dallas, TX

Shorthanded Dallas Wings lose handily as Phoenix Mercury avenge last week’s loss

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Shorthanded Dallas Wings lose handily as Phoenix Mercury avenge last week’s loss


PHOENIX (AP) — Sami Whitcomb scored 29 of her career-high 36 points in the first half, Alyssa Thomas had her 16th career triple-double and the Phoenix Mercury beat the Dallas Wings 102-72 on Monday night to avoid their first three-game losing streak of the season.

Whitcomb’s 29 were the most points scored by a WNBA player in any half this season.

Whitcomb scored 22 points in the opening 12 minutes to help Phoenix build a 33-21 lead. She made 10 of her first 12 field goals, with her sixth 3-pointer giving Phoenix a 46-33 lead.

Whitcomb was fouled on a 3-point attempt with 8:27 left in the third quarter and made two free throws to set a new career high with 31 points. She missed the third free throw, but Phoenix got the offensive rebound and Whitcomb drained a 3-pointer for a 59-42 lead.

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Whitcomb, who entered with a season high of 18 points, finished 12 of 19 from the field, including 7 of 11 from 3-point range.

Thomas had 15 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds for Phoenix (13-6), which reached the century mark for the third time in five games. Satou Sabally (right ankle) missed her first game of the season.

JJ Quinerly scored 18 points and Aziaha James added 15 for Dallas (6-14). Paige Bueckers scored 11 in 24 minutes. The Wings were without starters Arike Ogunbowale (left thumb) and DiJonai Carrington (rib).

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The Mercury avenged a 98-89 loss on Thursday to the Wings, who were the first team in 25 years to start four rookies.

Free agent

Six-time All-Star DeWanna Bonner, who was waived by the Indiana Fever on June 25, sat courtside. Multiple outlets reported that Bonner, won two WNBA titles with Phoenix, is expected to sign with the Mercury in the coming days.

Thomas, Bonner’s fiancée, was traded to Phoenix during the offseason after getting the franchise tag from Connecticut.

Wings-Fever returning to AAC, setting up Caitlin Clark vs. Paige Bueckers in Dallas

See how to get tickets for the Wings’ second game at American Airlines Center this season.

Law enforcement officers work along the Guadalupe River,  Saturday, July 5, 2025, in Hunt. A...
Troy Aikman, Texas sports teams react to deadly flood at Guadalupe River

FC Dallas head coach Eric Quill also addressed the flooding after a game on Friday night.

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Find more Wings coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.



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Miami, FL

Former Auburn guard signs $24 million contract

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Former Auburn guard signs  million contract


Guard Davion Mitchell re-signed with the Miami Heat on Monday, the NBA team announced.

A restricted free agent this offseason, Mitchell stayed with the Heat for a fully guaranteed, two-year, $24 million contract.

Mitchell joins 20-points-plus-per-game guards Tyler Herro and Norman Powell as options in the Miami backcourt for the 2025-26 season. Powell headed for the Heat on Monday from the Los Angeles Clippers in a three-team trade that also involved the Utah Jazz.

“We’re going to the championship,” Mitchell said after signing the contract.

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Mitchell joined Miami in a trade with the Toronto Raptors on Feb. 6. With the Raptors, Mitchell started half of his 44 games and averaged 6.3 points, 1.9 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 24.5 minutes per game. With the Heat, Mitchell started half of his 30 regular-season games and averaged 10.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.4 steals in 31.6 minutes per game.

Mitchell made 35.9 percent of his 3-point shots with Toronto and 44.7 percent with Miami.

Mitchell scored 16 points, including nine in overtime, as the Heat defeated the Atlanta Hawks 123-114 in a play-in game to advance to the NBA playoffs as the No. 8 seed in the East. The Cleveland Cavaliers swept Miami in four games, with Mitchell averaging 15.0 points and 6.3 assists in the first-round series.

“I’m excited, a little bit nervous, obviously, but excited just to be back, just to play for the next two years,” Mitchell said. “I love the fan base, love the coaching staff, love everything that they do here in Miami. Feel good, real good. Glad to be back.

“After the trade deadline, we didn’t really have that much time to practice, but now that we have a training camp together and just do activities together, I feel like we’ll be more comfortable playing with one another. Just being there for one another, we kind of know each other more. We’ll just be a much better team, for sure.”

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Mitchell played in 34 games at Auburn as a freshman in the 2017-18 season. He left the Tigers for Baylor. The Sacramento Kings selected Mitchell from the Bears with the ninth pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.

Mitchell played his first three NBA seasons with the Kings before a trade sent him to Toronto last offseason.

In 301 NBA regular-season games, including 69 starts, Mitchell has averaged 7.6 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 22.1 minutes per game. Mitchell has earned the nickname of “Off-Night” because of his defensive ability to neutralize top scorers.

“I’m super happy that the fans love me,” Mitchell said. “I just try to go out there and just play as hard as I can. I don’t do nothing exciting, honestly. I just go out there and play hard and play hard for my team, so it’s just exciting that they’re actually paying attention and they actually know that he’s playing really hard for our team.”

In his first four seasons, Mitchell’s career earnings came to $21,001,517.

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