FIRST ON FOX: An article on the Washington Post’s newspaper cover highlighting Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) opposition from Republican and Independent protesters at an event in Alabama failed to point out that several protesters featured in the story were Democratic donors who have espoused left-wing and anti-Trump views on social media.

“Constituents hunt for answers from GOP congressman,” a Washington Post headline last week, which also ran online with the headline, “Republicans, independents crave answers from GOP congressman in Alabama,” read along with a story explaining how protesters are upset with GOP Rep. Dale Strong about DOGE.

Despite framing the story as amplifying criticism from Republicans and Independents, every protester quoted in the story with a first and last name has donated to Democrats, which the article does not point out. Additionally, the article omits that several Democrat donors were included in the article’s pictures.

Melanie Kolowski, the main protester cited in the story, is described by the Washington Post as “politically independent” and someone who is a “Second Amendment fan” and “proud owner of a Glock 47.”

TOP FINANCIAL OFFICIALS SOUND ALARM ON ‘UNCONSCIONABLE’ ECONOMIC IMPACT OF DOGE PROTEST VIOLENCE: LETTER

However, a Fox News Digital review of election records shows that she is a registered Democrat in Alabama who has only donated to ActBlue, earmarking donations to Sen. Mitch McConnell’s failed Democrat opponent Amy McGrath and the failed Senate campaign of former DNC Chair Jaime Harrison.

Kolowski’s Facebook account includes posts blasting Elon Musk, accusing Justice Clarence Thomas of wanting to take America back to the time of segregation, and promoting abortion, gay marriage and DEI.

In another post from last month, she shared a post from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., a self-proclaimed Democratic Socialist, hyping a rally he and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., hosted together in Denver. The post included a fire emoji and an emoji showing heart eyes. 

The piece also quotes Michael Bonaker, who the author describes as a “registered Republican.”

Bonaker is indeed a registered Republican, but FEC records show that he has only donated to Democrats, and he has posted on the social media platform BlueSky that “if you support MAGA and ’47, you are a racist.”

“First, a space x starship disintegrates before our eyes! Second, Waiting for Elon’s brain to explode like Samuel L Jackson’s character did in Kingman,” Bonaker wrote in a BlueSky post.

“We are mad as hell and not going to take it anymore! That rings a bell… Proud to peacefully demonstrate with my closest progressive minded friends,” he wrote in another BlueSky post. “Even in our racist red state.”

“It’s hard to be sympathetic to those who voted to put this wanna be dictator into power,” he said in another post.

DOGE SLASHES BILLIONS MORE IN EXPENSES FOR PROGRAMS LIKE PERUVIAN CLIMATE CHANGE AND GENDER EQUITY IN MEXICO

Elon Musk’s Tesla showroom locations have faced repeated protests over his role in DOGE. (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

“Next, You love your money way more than your fellow US citizens of differing races and creeds,” the post says. “Sit in your evangelical pew and make your false prayers in the name of Jesus. One day, Your hypocrisy will be judged and you will deserve your punishment.”

The Washington Post included a picture in the story with Kolowski holding an upside-down American flag, while Strong spoke at the event with the caption, “Kolowski held a silent protest with Zeb Lemon, left, and Jeremy Devito as Strong spoke at the defense contractor event.”

FEC records show that Lemon is also a Democrat donor, and a Fox News Digital review of his social media shows him describing himself as a “leftist.”

Devito is not only a registered Democrat and Democrat donor in Alabama, but he has filed to run for Congress as a Democrat against Strong. 

A protester holds up a “NO MUSK” sign at the “No Kings on President’s Day” protest in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 17, 2025. (Deirdre Heavey/Fox News Digital)

The story featured a comment from another Republican who was only identified as Lynn and a photo of a man named Branson Block with a sign around his neck that said “Make America Think Again.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the Washington Post, Kolowski, and Bonaker for comment.

A Russian scientist working at Harvard Medical School was detained at Boston Logan International Airport on February 16 when she was attempting to return from a trip to Paris.

Kseniia Petrova, a bioinformatician at the Kirschner Lab, was bringing back frog embryos at the request of a professor at a French lab Harvard is collaborating with, her attorney Gregory Romanovsky confirmed to Fox News.

According to Romanovsky, the sample was picked up in Paris and was supposed to be brought to Harvard and Petrova was unaware she needed to claim them at customs.

ICE IN BOSTON NABS PREVIOUSLY DEPORTED DOMINICAN FENTANYL TRAFFICKER, CHILD RAPE CONVICT, MURDERERS

US authorities at Boston Logan Internation Airport revoked her visa instead of following protocol, her attorney said.

“As upset as I am with ICE, they are not at fault and are just doing their job,” he says.

According to Romanovsky, her visa should never have been revoked and protocol for similar situations includes CBP seizing the item(s) and issuing a fine. 

He also believes that instead of protocol CBP at Boston Logan Internation Airport decided to punish his client by removing her visa. 

Petrova allegedly, when detained, was asked if she wanted the Russian consulate notified. This line of questioning became an issue causing fear for Petrova, who was previously detained in Russia for anti-war protests shortly after the attack on Ukraine, Romanovsky claims.

According to Romanovsky, her visa should never have been revoked and protocol for similar situations includes CBP seizing the item(s) and issuing a fine.  (Facebook)

Friends of the scientist say when Petrova’s visa was revoked that she was told she would be deported to Russia, something her attorney says would have a devastating outcome as she is “almost certainly going to be jailed if she is sent back to Russia.”

Cora Anderson, who works with the Russian scientist, shared on Facebook that Petrova told CBP she feared political persecution and was instead sent by authorities to a detention facility.

“We had no idea initially what had happened to her since she was unable to send any messages or make any calls upon detention. She was moved to a facility in Vermont at first and then Louisiana where she is now. Where she is now is a jail that has space rented by ICE and is kept in a room with over 80 other female detainees,” Anderson posted.

Petrova is currently being held at Richwood Detention Facility in Louisiana and has an immigration court hearing on May 7 in Jena, Louisiana related to her asylum case.

‘SANCTUARY CITY’ RAID ROUNDS UP OVER 200 MIGRANT CRIMINALS: ICE

Kseniia Petrova, a bioinformatician at the Kirschner Lab, was bringing back frog embryos at the request of a professor at a French lab Harvard is collaborating with. (Facebook)

Her attorney is also challenging CPB’s actions, and a federal court hearing is scheduled for June 9 in the District of Vermont but is asking to expedite the hearing.

Until then, Petrova is still being detained indefinitely in a jail that has space rented by ICE and is kept in a room with over 80 other female detainees, according to her Facebook post and GoFundMe started by her friend and coworker.

“Despite having lawyers and the fact she did not do anything illegal in the first place, she is still there, and we have no idea when she will be paroled (or released, however simply released is unlikely),” Anderson said.

An Iranian University of Alabama doctoral student was detained early Wednesday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials.

University of Alabama officials confirmed to Fox News Digital on Wednesday that a doctoral student, who the university’s newspaper identified as Alireza Doroudi, was detained at his off-campus home early Tuesday by federal immigration authorities. 

Doroudi, who is studying mechanical engineering, reportedly came to the U.S. in January 2023 on an F-1 student visa after “clearing all immigration checks,” The Crimson White reported.

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY STUDENT PROTESTER SUES TRUMP ADMIN TO PREVENT DEPORTATION

Reports note his visa was revoked six months later, prompting him to reach out to the International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) at the university.

“ISSS replied with confidence, stating that his case was not unusual or problematic and that he could remain in the U.S. legally as long as he maintained his student status,” according to a text message obtained by The Crimson White.

ICE’s database lists Doroudi as an Iranian native and confirms he is in ICE custody, though the current detention facility is not listed.

ICE records show an Iranian in custody by the name of Alireza Doroudi. (ICE)

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told Fox News Digital in a statement that he “posed significant national security concerns.”

“ICE HSI made this arrest in accordance with the State Department’s revocation of Doroudi’s student visa,” according to the statement.

The university told Fox News Digital federal privacy laws limit what can be shared about an individual student.

“International students studying at the University are valued members of the campus community, and International Student and Scholar Services is available to assist international students who have questions,” a university spokesperson said. “UA has and will continue to follow all immigration laws and cooperate with federal authorities.”

Univeristy officials did not respond to further inquiries from Fox News Digital about whether the institution knew about the alleged expired visa.

A GoFundMe was created to cover Doroudi’s legal expenses, raising more than $26,000 in the days following his arrest.

ICE confirmed Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk’s arrest to Fox News on Wednesday.

Earlier this week, ICE detained a Tufts University student from Turkey in Somerville, Massachusetts.

University President Sunil Kumar told Fox News Digital the university learned an international medical graduate student was detained by federal authorities at off-campus apartment building in Somerville.

Unlike the University of Alabama, the school’s president confirmed the school had “no pre-knowledge of this incident and did not share any information with federal authorities prior to the event.”

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials have arrested a Tufts University graduate student. (Suzanne Kreiter/The Boston Globe)

Kumar also verified Tufts was told Ozturk’s visa had been terminated, which leadership is allegedly verifying.

A DHS spokesperson told Fox News its agency and ICE investigations found Ozturk “engaged in activities in support of Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization that relishes the killing of Americans.”

Ozturk’s attorneys told Fox News she had a valid F-1 visa status prior to her arrest, and there were no charges against her. 

Tufts University President Sunil Kumar called footage of Ozturk’s arrest this week ‘disturbing.’

IVY LEAGUE ANTI-ISRAEL RINGLEADER MAHMOUD KHALIL WITHHELD DETAILS OF FOREIGN TIES FROM VISA APPLICATION: FEDS

An executive order was signed by President Donald Trump in January to retract Hamas supporters’ student visas amid an “unprecedented wave of vile anti-Semitic discrimination, vandalism, and violence against our citizens, especially in our schools and on our campuses.”

Tufts is receiving $115.2 million in funds from the National Institutes of Health as of fiscal year 2025, according to the university’s website.

The University of Alabama received $143 million in federal grants, according to its 2023-24 Annual Financial Report.

The DHS and ICE did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on Doroudi’s detainment.

Fox News’ Andrew Fone, Audrey Conklin, Bill Melugon and Alexis McAdams contributed to this report.