An Alabama man was arrested after authorities say investigators uncovered disturbing plans to carry out violence against synagogues throughout Alabama and neighboring states.

Jeremy Wayne Shoemaker, 33, of Needham was taken into custody after the FBI and local law enforcement were notified of “credible threats of violence” against multiple synagogues, the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday in a news release.

“Last night, likely acts of violence were averted before they happened,” the sheriff’s office said.

Investigators said they seized weapons, more than a suitcase full of ammunition, body armor and other items from Shoemaker’s residence that were related to the alleged plans of violence.

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“He had stockpiled some ammunition, some of it was old, some of it was new,” Clarke County Sheriff DeWayne Smith told FOX10 WALA. “He had a newly purchased assault rifle, he had extended magazines which were loaded and the way that the ammo was fixed was like he was ready to go and utilize it somewhere.”

The investigation further revealed that Shoemaker did not plan on being taken alive, according to the sheriff’s office.

“He had planned to shoot it out with the police, but, due to tactics, he was unable to do so,” Smith said, adding that the bruises seen in Shoemaker’s mugshot were sustained while he resisted arrest.

Shoemaker was also accused of potentially planning attacks on public figures. Authorities did not immediately release the names of any figures Shoemaker was allegedly targeting due to the ongoing investigation. The names of the synagogues he allegedly planned to target were also not immediately provided.

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Shoemaker was charged with resisting arrest and certain persons forbidden to possess a firearm. Additional federal charges are likely, authorities said.

Shoemaker was being held on $150,000 cash bond. He was due to appear in court on Nov. 7.

FIRST ON FOX: Law enforcement officers have made more than 1,700 arrests in Memphis, Tennessee, in the one month since the Trump administration began surging resources to the notoriously crime-ridden city, according to statistics shared with Fox News Digital on Wednesday.

People were arrested for homicides, drugs, gun charges and sex offenses, and they included 126 “known gang members,” according to the data. Additionally, seven dozen missing children were located and 293 firearms seized as part of the Department of Justice-led effort.

Attorney General Pam Bondi thanked Memphis’ Democratic leadership for its cooperation in a statement to Fox News Digital and touted the department’s successes.

“Tolerating crime is a choice. Under President Trump, we choose law and order: residents of our cities do not have to live in fear of violent crime,” Bondi said. “Our federal surge into Memphis has put gang members behind bars, rescued dozens of children, and proven that collaboration between federal and local law enforcement can quickly make American cities safe again. I am grateful to all of our partners, especially Memphis leadership, for working closely alongside our agents.”

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A review by local outlet WSMV found that Memphis had the highest violent crime rate in the country in 2024. A city dashboard reflected a recent improvement, showing that since Sept. 1, serious crime in Memphis has dropped 46%.

The statistics provided to Fox News Digital also detailed several arrests. They showed an alleged All On The Blade gang member was arrested for first-degree murder, an alleged Bullet to Bullet gang member was arrested for attempted second-degree murder, an alleged Sureno 13 gang member was arrested while allegedly inside a stolen car containing methamphetamine and two Chinese noncitizens, including one allegedly in the country illegally, were arrested with more than $1 million in cash on them.

More than a dozen federal agencies are participating in the surge, which Trump announced as a “Memphis Safe Task Force” from the Oval Office last month alongside Bondi and other Cabinet members and Tennessee leaders.

A person familiar with the operation said the federal presence, including the National Guard, will remain in Memphis for now and that there is no set end date.

In addition to National Guard troops, the DOJ’s components on the ground in Memphis include the FBI; U.S. Marshals Service; the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. A string of local and state law enforcement are also involved. The DOJ outfits began arriving Sept. 29.

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The task force represents a broader trend of the Trump administration executing crime and immigration enforcement operations in blue cities that the president has described as crime-infested “war zones,” a characterization that state and local leaders have widely rejected. Chicago, Portland and parts of California have all been targets.

In stark contrast to the mass protests and federal lawsuits that cropped up in those jurisdictions, Memphis has been more welcoming of the federal and military reinforcements. Tennessee is a solid red state, and Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, approved of deploying National Guard troops to aid in the crackdown. The governor was sued by some local leaders over the decision.

Memphis Mayor Paul Young has been less warm than Lee to the task force initiative but has remained cooperative. His office did not respond to a request for comment.

In a viral clip, a Memphis resident was seen thanking Trump this month while saying she has no interest in politics.

“I will say thank you to Trump for bringing these National Guards and doing what they’re doing down here in Memphis,” the woman said. “For the first time in five years — I’ve been in my home for five years — and for the first time my kids have been able to play in the backyard and be able to do it comfortably. I haven’t heard a gunshot in two weeks.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Wednesday that he won’t tolerate H1-B visa “abuse” in the state’s universities and ordered the Florida Board of Governors to “end this practice.”

“Universities across the country are importing foreign workers on H-1B visas instead of hiring Americans who are qualified and available to do the job. We will not tolerate H-1B abuse in Florida institutions. That’s why I have directed the Florida Board of Governors to end this practice,” DeSantis wrote on X.

“Florida leads the nation in higher education, and thousands of highly qualified Americans graduate from our colleges and universities every year. If any universities are truly struggling to find U.S. citizens to fill their job openings, they ought to evaluate their academic programs to determine why they cannot produce graduates who can be hired for these positions,” he added.

DeSantis’ office released a statement saying that, “Florida is requiring institutions to put American graduates first and ensure taxpayer-funded schools serve the American workforce, not to be used to import cheap foreign labor.”

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“H-1B visas are allegedly intended to hire individuals for a specialty occupation, but many universities and institutions have hired foreign workers for jobs that could easily be filled by qualified Americans. Universities are exempt from federal H-1B caps, enabling year-round hiring of foreign labor,” it also said.

The Department of Labor says on its website that the H1-B visa program “applies to employers seeking to hire nonimmigrant aliens as workers in specialty occupations or as fashion models of distinguished merit and ability.”

“A specialty occupation is one that requires the application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and the attainment of at least a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent. The intent of the H-1B provisions is to help employers who cannot otherwise obtain needed business skills and abilities from the U.S. workforce by authorizing the temporary employment of qualified individuals who are not otherwise authorized to work in the United States,” it added.

DeSantis said at a news conference Wednesday that Florida looked at its universities and found people there on H1-B visas, including an assistant swim coach from Spain, according to Fox13 Tampa Bay.

“Are you kidding me? We can’t produce an assistant swim coach in this country?” DeSantis said.

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DeSantis’ move comes after the Department of Justice asked people in late August to report illegal visa practices that could come at the expense of American workers.

Citizens are being urged to flag “discriminatory” advertisements for jobs, especially ones that state that the employer prefers people on a seasonal or H-1B visa.

“Are you an American citizen who has been harmed by inappropriate preferences for foreign workers, e.g. H1-B or other? Follow the link. It’s also a place to report human trafficking of immigrant workers, and Title VII employment discrimination,” Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon posted to X.

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The Department of Justice is also allowing people to send in tips for possible human trafficking violations related to temporary visa programs.

Fox News Digital’s Cameron Arcand contributed to this report.