Southeast
Super Bowl LIX: Inside elite SWAT team's final sprint to secure New Orleans
FIRST ON FOX – NEW ORLEANS – In the aftermath of the Jan. 1 terrorist attack on Bourbon Street and between major tourist-heavy events in New Orleans, officials with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) are preparing to combat any potential threats during Super Bowl LIX.
HSI was the lead agency initially assigned to coordinate security for the Super Bowl, and preparations began about a year ago, Eric DeLaune, special agent in charge for HSI in New Orleans, told Fox News Digital.
“New Orleans has some unique challenges. The area here is a little more spread out for a Super Bowl,” DeLaune, lead federal coordinator for Super Bowl LIX, said. “The elephant in the room is the attack that occurred on Jan. 1. We would be foolish if we didn’t use what we’ve learned from that to inform how we go forward and how we adapt plans … to make sure we can account for gaps and alternative locations that may be of concern now in that post-attack timeline.”
Just over a month before the Super Bowl, in the early morning hours of New Year’s Day, terrorist Shamsud-Din Jabbar plowed a pickup truck through crowds of people celebrating the holiday on Bourbon Street, killing 14 civilians and injuring 57 others. New Orleans police officers fatally shot Jabbar when he exchanged gunfire with officers.
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Investigators work after a person drove a vehicle into a crowd at Canal and Bourbon Street in New Orleans Jan. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
DeLaune has doubled his request for “tactical resources and assets” from the Department of Homeland Security since the attack.
“We’re going to have a significantly larger presence here in New Orleans in the way of tactical teams and also just special agents working in the area. People who are going to the game or going to the special events associated with the Super Bowl will see a much larger presence of HSI special agents and of HSI tactical assets, as well, walking around downtown, the French Quarter,” he said.
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The Homeland Security Investigations SRT team performs drills at Octavio “Ox” Gonzales SRT Complex in LaPlace, La., Jan. 15, 2025. (Kat Ramirez for Fox News Digital)
President Donald Trump is expected to be in New Orleans for Super Bowl LIX. DeLaune said the president’s visit doesn’t fundamentally change the agency’s security plans, but Secret Service will be working with state and local counterparts. Trump’s anticipated attendance will actually enhance security in the city because of the inclusion of more federal law enforcement personnel, he explained.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem visited New Orleans Monday and told reporters there have been “no credible threats” targeting Super Bowl LIX.
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Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem speaks during a news conference Feb. 3, 2025, about security for Sunday’s Super Bowl in New Orleans. (Gerald Herbert)
A Justice Department official also confirmed to Fox News Thursday that U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi would travel to New Orleans on her first day in office to survey security for the upcoming game with Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry.
A team of HSI agents based in nine states across the Southeast, which regularly responds to high-risk criminal activity, trains for specific threat scenarios about 16 hours every month.
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A team of HSI officers based in nine states across the Southeast, which regularly responds to high-risk criminal activity, trains for specific threat scenarios about 16 hours every month. (Kat Ramirez for Fox News Digital)
In mid-January, the federal agency’s Special Response Team (SRT) trained at the St. John’s Parish SWAT center near New Orleans about a month ahead of Super Bowl LIX and two weeks after the ISIS-inspired terrorist attack on Bourbon Street.
While the SRT officers train every month, they added specific threat scenarios in January that they might encounter as the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras draw hundreds of thousands of tourists to the Big Easy.
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While the SRT officers train every month, they added specific threat scenarios in January that they might encounter as the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras draw thousands of tourists to the Big Easy. (Kat Ramirez for Fox News Digital)
The SRT walked Fox News Digital through its training operations, during which officers conduct mock operations for scenarios, such as serving a search warrant, rescuing a hostage and responding to a suspicious vehicle or suspicious person in a crowd.
The team is typically deployed to respond to high-risk targets, including suspects who have an extensive criminal history, are hiding in a fortified building, are experiencing mental instability or are gang members.
In the hostage rescue scenario that Fox News Digital participated in by acting as a “victim,” officers responded to a hypothetical call for help, entered the training center, deployed a flashbang, shot a “suspect” dummy with simulation rounds and rescued the “victim.”
The SRT walked Fox News Digital through its training operations during which officers conduct mock operations for scenarios, such as serving a search warrant, rescuing a hostage and responding to a suspicious vehicle or suspicious person in a crowd. (Kat Ramirez for Fox News Digital)
The center is set up to resemble a home or building officers might enter during a response.
“For the most part, our special agents are just that. … They’re criminal investigators. We investigate long-term, complex criminal investigations in organizations.”
“They are law enforcement. They’re not police, but they [are all] law enforcement,” DeLaune said. “We’re trained to deal with an active weapon threat. We’re trained to deal with mass casualty events. And we’re trained to deal with medical emergencies to an extent. So, those agents are prepared to go out there and work with our state and local partners and support them.”
Exterior view of the Octavio “Ox” Gonzales SWAT Complex where the Homeland Security Investigations SRT team perform drills in LaPlace, La., Jan. 15, 2025. (Kat Ramirez for Fox News Digital)
During training operations, HSI officers wear full tactical gear, including helmets, multiple first-aid kits, bullet-proof vests, microphones and training magazines, which are the same guns officers use regularly. But they are converted to fire simulation rounds during training, the team explained to Fox News Digital.
The SRT also showed Fox News Digital how officers use drones and cameras extended on long poles to search inside threat areas before entering.
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A Homeland Security Investigations SRT Team vehicle is being used in drills in LaPlace, La., Jan. 15, 2025. (Kat Ramirez for Fox News Digital)
In the search warrant scenario, the SRT demonstrated how officers would arrive in a BearCat vehicle and make their presence known at a location before shooting pepper balls at an entrance, instead of physically knocking on an entrance, to protect officers and civilians. Officers would then enter and search each room at the location for threats or victims.
The SRT officers described themselves as a family because of how much time they spend working together, typically away from their homes and real families. The team spends an average of three weeks out of every month together.
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The SRT officers described themselves as a family because of how much time they spend working together. (Kat Ramirez for Fox News Digital)
The Jan. 1 attack was “a pretty painful experience for” HSI New Orleans agents, DeLaune said.
“That weighs heavily on the minds of our people here, but they’re committed … to providing a safe and secure atmosphere for the Super Bowl. And they’re committed to providing a safe and secure atmosphere for Mardi Gras, which is unique to us,” DeLaune explained, adding that HSI New Orleans is comprised of a lot of locals and Louisiana natives.
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Matthias Hauswirth of New Orleans prays on the street near the location where a terrorist drove into a crowd at New Orleans’ Canal and Bourbon streets Jan. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
“They have an emotional personal investment here in the city and in traditions such as Mardi Gras and in supporting big events such as the Super Bowl. So, there’s a lot of pride here for these agents, and they’re getting the work done every day,” he said.
DeLaune also had a message for the public ahead of the Super Bowl.
“Don’t hold on to it, and don’t be embarrassed to report something,” he said. “Don’t dismiss your instincts. If there’s something that’s not right, let us know. Let us decide whether or not it’s something to be concerned about.”
Authorities patrol Bourbon Street after it reopened in New Orleans Jan. 2, 2025, after the deadly New Year’s attack. (Kat Ramirez for Fox News Digital)
The FBI continues to investigate the terrorist attack that left 15 people dead on Jan. 1, including the perpetrator.
Federal authorities said Jabbar had previously visited New Orleans twice, once on Oct. 30, 2024, and once on Nov. 10, 2024. He also visited Cairo and Toronto prior to the attack, the FBI said.
While Jabbar apparently acted alone, authorities are investigating whether he had any accomplices.
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Southeast
University of Florida presidential pick rejected by state Board of Governors over past DEI support
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The Florida Board of Governors rejected a candidate’s bid to lead the University of Florida over his past statements and actions heading other major universities.
A spokesperson for the State University System of Florida confirmed with Fox News Digital that the board voted 10 to 6 against the confirmation of Dr. Santa Ono as president of the University of Florida.
The Board of Governors serves as the governing body for the state’s 12 public universities.
Ono, an immunologist, was the only finalist that the UF Board of Trustees considered. According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, Ono pledged to end diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in his opening statement before his unanimous confirmation vote last month.
“I support fully the decision to end DEI,” Ono said, adding, “I’m here to ensure DEI never returns to the University of Florida. Science will lead, not ideology. I want to come to Florida, not to slow reform, but to accelerate it. Public universities exist to educate, not indoctrinate.”
The blocking of Dr. Santa Ono’s bid for president of UF is the first time the Board of Governors rejected a confirmation since the institution was established 20 years ago. (Getty Images)
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However, despite Ono’s efforts to distance himself from DEI, the leading candidate for the position faced tough questioning from the Board over his past leadership. Ono was grilled about his views on antisemitism, past support of DEI programs, and the rampant anti-Israel demonstrations that occurred during his nearly three years as president of the University of Michigan.
Chris Rufo, the conservative reformer from the Manhattan Institute and trustee at the New College of Florida, was one of Ono’s major critics.
A spokesperson for the State University System of Florida confirmed the board voted 10 to 6 against the confirmation of Dr. Santa Ono as president. (Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) (Getty Images)
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Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., praised the Board of Governors’ decision to block Ono’s confirmation. Steube penned a letter calling for the Board to reject Ono’s bid in order for the officials to “find a suitable replacement who truly represents Florida values.”
Another critic of Ono was Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., citing a “concerning record from his time at the University of Michigan, where he allowed an illegal, pro-terrorist encampment to take over the campus for nearly a month, putting Jewish students in danger and failing to uphold even the most basic standards of leadership.”
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. (Octavio Jones/Getty Images)
The Board of Governor’s decision came amid the push by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to reshape education in the Sunshine State by combating woke ideology.
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Southeast
Former Navy SEAL whose nonprofit helps catch child sex traffickers sets sights on US Senate seat
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Jared Hudson, a former Navy SEAL who indicated that his anti-human trafficking organization works to train law enforcement and set up operations that lead to the arrest of those seeking to “buy or sell kids for sex,” is running for U.S. Senate.
“That is our primary goal,” Hudson, who founded Covenant Rescue Group with his wife, told Fox News Digital during an interview on Monday, noting that he maintains his law enforcement credentials with the Blount County Sheriff’s Office and that the nonprofit is also involved in training authorities about targeting people who traffick adults for sex.
Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., announced a gubernatorial bid, leaving the Yellowhammer State’s upcoming 2026 Senate contest wide open.
In a post on X, Hudson declared that he is “running for U.S. Senate in Alabama to help secure the border, crush the woke agenda, and defend our Christian values.”
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Former Navy SEAL Jared Hudson. (Jared Hudson)
Republicans are currently divided over the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that cleared the House chamber last month. When asked whether he would vote for the measure if he were in the U.S. Senate now, Hudson indicated that, based on what he knows about it, he would support passage in order to avoid tax rate increases due to the expiration of the “Trump tax cuts.”
Fox News Digital also asked Hudson about his positions on U.S. aid to Ukraine and Israel, and whether he believes America should remain in NATO.
“I’m not for any new unnecessary wars,” he said, after noting that he has gone to war for the U.S., lost friends and shot people on America’s behalf. “I am for whatever is gonna increase national security,” he said, noting that “if that means positively supportin’ some of our allies, absolutely.”
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Former Navy SEAL Jared Hudson has U.S. Senate aspirations. (Jared Hudson)
He said that U.S. involvement with NATO is not a problem but indicated that the issue concerning NATO is the matter of whether America is being treated fairly. He indicated other nations in the alliance should do their part and America should not shoulder the “full burden.”
“I think we should remove as much government out of people’s lives as possible,” he said when asked if there are any federal entities he believes should be abolished, describing “decreasing the size of government” as “vitally important.”
House Freedom Caucus member Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., has spoken highly of Hudson.
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Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., leaves the U.S. Capitol after the last votes of the week on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
“Really glad to see men like Jared jumping into one of the toughest fights on earth. I served with Jared at Team 3. He is a very good man, who loves the Lord and his family,” Crane noted in a post on X.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, a Republican, has also thrown his hat into the ring in the U.S. Senate race.
The state’s gubernatorial and U.S. Senate contests will take place in 2026.
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Gov. Patrick Morrisey of West Virginia (R) is continuing to pave the way in the “Make America Healthy Again” movement, launching yet another healthy initiative.
In an appearance on “Fox & Friends First” on Wednesday morning, the governor discussed West Virginia Health Right’s mobile teaching kitchens.
The nonprofit “clinics on wheels” will travel across the state to demonstrate healthy cooking tips, share nutrition information with residents and conduct health exams such as blood pressure readings and body mass index checks.
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The governor opened his home, inviting West Virginians to the mansion to allow families to see how to practice healthy habits on their own.
“People came by and learned that you can eat very [healthily] for a very reasonable price,” he said.
“And it’s not that hard to cook [this food] and have it taste really good as well,” he added.
West Virginia is launching mobile teaching kitchens across the state to promote healthy eating and living. Gov. Morrisey is shown at center right. (Governor Morrisey/Facebook)
West Virginia has the highest childhood obesity rate in America, at over 42%.
That’s according to the State of Childhood Obesity organization.
I was pleased to join WV Health Right to unveil their Mobile Teaching Kitchen to help educate West Virginians on how to prepare healthy meals at home. Making healthy food choices is important to making West Virginia healthy again. pic.twitter.com/07twEO0JFb
— Governor Patrick Morrisey (@wvgovernor) June 2, 2025
“Here in West Virginia, we’re trying to make West Virginia healthy again,” Morrisey said.
“Because unfortunately, we’ve led the way [on] a lot of the disease states that have really hurt our state, whether obesity or diabetes or stroke or many other items.”
He added, “We want to make sure that we reverse those bad trends and you have to start one step at a time or one good bite at a time.”
Morrisey shared that the program is just another step in his four MAHA pillars for the Mountain State.
In the state of West Virginia, “clinics on wheels” will travel to residents to demonstrate healthy cooking, share nutrition information and conduct health exams. Above, Gov. Morrisey with HHS Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
The state has defined the pillars as the following: clean up the food; find purpose, find health, move your body; change your life; and reward healthy choices.
“We’ve encouraged people to get out and exercise and I’m trying to lead by example, you know, every day trying to walk over 10,000 steps and just encourage people to go out and walk,” said Morrisey in part.
The state plans to designate official “Mountaineer Mile trails” in its 32 state parks that have hiking trails.
Gov. Morrisey of West Virginia has created four MAHA pillars: clean up the food; find purpose, find health, move your body; change your life; and reward healthy choices. (@MorriseyWV)
“We’re getting a lot of traction with our Mountaineer Mile, and everyone knows the importance of getting out and working and walking,” Morrisey previously told Fox News Digital.
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“That’s really starting to gain a lot of strength in West Virginia.”
Getting Americans healthy again requires a multipronged approach to reducing rates of obesity, diabetes, stroke and congestive heart failure, according to the governor.
“You’re taking the crap out of the food, you’re incentivizing people to eat good food … making sure people are working and have purposeful lives, and then we’re also encouraging people to go out and exercise,” Morrisey previously told Fox News Digital.
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