Southwest
Gov. Abbott dismisses Biden-Harris victory lap narrative as Texas border crossings plunge
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is touting a sharp drop in border crossings in 2024, arguing that it is due to the efforts of his state rather than the policies of the Biden administration, which he says have hurt, not helped, the effort to secure the border as the administration has sought to “tear down” what Texas has done.
“Texas has the largest border of any state in the United States of America. And, in the early years of the Biden administration, it was Texas that was being overrun by the illegal immigration policies that were promoted and implemented by [President] Biden and by [Vice President Kamala] Harris,” he said in an interview with Fox News Digital.
Abbott pursued an aggressive strategy under Operation Lone Star, in which he surged troops and resources to the border, building its own border wall after the Biden administration stopped construction, setting up buoys in the Rio Grande and installing razor wire fence. It has led to a number of legal battles in court between the state and the Biden administration. The White House accused Abbott of putting migrants and Border Patrol at risk and impeding federal law enforcement.
BORDER OFFICIALS REVEAL WHICH FOREIGN GANG THEY ARE MAKING KEY ‘PRIORITY’ AMID CRIMES IN MULTIPLE STATES
After three years of a historic crisis at the southern border, with records of encounters being repeatedly smashed since Biden entered the White House, numbers dropped dramatically over the summer.
The White House tied the sharp drop in encounters to an executive order Biden signed in June which restricted asylum entries into the U.S. — with encounters in July the lowest since September 2020.
The administration has argued that it needs more funding and reforms from Congress, but that Republicans have voted against them for political purposes. Specifically, officials have cited a bipartisan bill that would have increased funding while putting some limits on entries. It has failed to make it out of the Senate.
“For months, the Biden-Harris Administration worked with a bipartisan group of Senators to craft a historic bipartisan border security agreement that would have added thousands of frontline personnel to the border — but Congressional Republicans voted against that agreement twice — proving that they are more interested in cynically playing politics than securing the border,” the White House said last month. “The Biden-Harris Administration has taken effective action, and Republicans continue to do nothing.”
HOW EAGLE PASS BECAME THE CENTERPIECE OF ABBOTT’S EFFORTS TO SECURE THE BORDER
Texas National Guard troops watch over more than 1,000 immigrants who had crossed the Rio Grande overnight from Mexico in Eagle Pass, Texas, on Dec. 18, 2023. (John Moore/Getty Images)
But Abbott has said that the drop in Texas has had nothing to do with those policies.
“In Texas, illegal immigration has gone down about 85%, while it is higher than that in Arizona, New Mexico and California,” he said. “So it shows that what Texas is doing is working despite the fact that Biden and Harris have challenged Texas every step of the way to try to tear down what we built.”
Abbott’s comments come amid an ongoing political battle over who is responsible for the border crisis and which presidential candidate is better positioned to fix it.
Harris has recently claimed that she is the better candidate to solve the issues at the border, zeroing in on the bipartisan Senate bill and blaming former President Trump for its failure.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE
“As president, I will bring back the bipartisan border security bill that he killed, and I will sign it into law. I know… we can live up to our proud heritage as a nation of immigrants and reform our broken immigration system. We can create an earned pathway to citizenship and secure our border,” she said at the Democratic National Convention.
Abbott said that Harris believes in “open border policies” and said he would be supporting Trump in the November election.
“Americans need to learn the reality, both of how the policy changed under Biden-Harris and what Kamala Harris would do to pretty much put America on a pathway of destruction,” he said.
Read the full article from Here
Southwest
EXCLUSIVE: Red state sues insurer for using customer data to build ‘world’s largest driving behavior database'
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing Allstate insurance company for allegedly illegally collecting, using and selling the driving behavior data of over 45 million Americans.
Paxton filed the suit in the District Court for Montgomery County, Texas, on Monday morning. In the suit, he accuses Allstate, and its subsidiary data analytics company “Arity,” of secretly using driving data from over 45 million Americans’ mobile devices, in-car devices and vehicles to build the “world’s largest driving behavior database,” consisting of “trillions of miles” worth of data.
“Our investigation revealed that Allstate and Arity paid millions of dollars to install Allstate’s tracking software,” Paxton said in a Monday statement. “The personal data of millions of Americans was sold to insurance companies without their knowledge or consent in violation of the law. Texans deserve better and we will hold all these companies accountable.”
A representative for Allstate Corporation, however, claims that its data collection system “fully complies with all laws and regulations.” Allstate is one of the largest auto, home and life insurance companies in the U.S. It is headquartered in Glenview, Illinois.
COURT ORDERS BIDEN ADMIN TO STOP SELLING BORDER WALL MATERIALS, WAS ‘ILLEGALLY SUBVERTING’ LAWS: TEXAS AG
Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks during a rally featuring former President Trump, Oct. 22, 2022, in Robstown, Texas. (AP Photo/Nick Wagner, File)
The suit said that in 2015, Allstate and Arity developed and integrated software into several third-party apps so that when a consumer downloaded these apps onto their phone, they unwittingly downloaded the tracking software. Once Allstate’s software was downloaded onto a customer’s device, they could monitor the consumer’s location and movement in real time.
According to the suit, the company used the driving data to justify raising customers’ insurance rates and further profited by selling the data to third parties, including other insurance companies.
“Defendants [Allstate and Arity] never informed consumers about their extensive data collection, nor did Defendants obtain consumers’ consent to engage in such data collection,” the suit said. “Finally, Defendants never informed consumers about the myriad of ways Defendants would analyze, use, and monetize their sensitive data.”
TEXAS AG SUES NCAA OVER TRANS INCLUSION IN WOMEN’S SPORTS
Texas state Capitol in Austin, Texas. (Tamir Kalifa/Getty Images)
Paxton said that because tens of millions of Americans, including millions of Texans, were never informed about their driving data being gathered, Allstate’s data-gathering scheme violates the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act, the Data Broker Law, and the Texas Insurance Code’s prohibition on unfair and deceptive acts and practices in the insurance business.
He is asking the court to permanently block Allstate from continuing to gather and use customers’ data and to impose thousands of dollars in civil penalties per customer.
KEN PAXTON THREATENS TO SUE AFTER STATE FAIR OF TEXAS BANS GUNS: ‘INFRINGEMENT OF SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS’
Tom Wilson, chairman and chief executive officer of Allstate Corp., listens during the CEO Initiative event in New York, on Sept. 25, 2017. (Misha Friedman/Bloomberg)
Meanwhile, a representative for Allstate Corporation told Fox News Digital that its data collection system is completely legal.
“Arity helps consumers get the most accurate auto insurance price after they consent in a simple and transparent way that fully complies with all laws and regulations,” the representative said.
According to Paxton, this suit is the first enforcement action ever filed by a state attorney general to enforce a comprehensive data privacy law.
Fox News Digital reached out to Allstate but did not immediately receive a response.
Read the full article from Here
LOS ANGELES (KTLA) — Recent wildfires have left a devastating mark on the Los Angeles area, displacing families and exacerbating an already dire housing crisis.
Rents in the region are on the up, with accusations of short-term price gouging by landlords making national headlines. While experts say rents increasing by as much as 20% is unlikely, KTLA 5 consumer reporter David Lazarus noted that the upward trend is undeniable and adds significant stress for displaced residents.
Lazarus spoke with Marco Giacoletti, a housing expert at the University of Southern California, to better understand the crisis.
One potential solution to help with the ongoing housing crisis involves revisiting zoning laws to permit higher-density housing in working-class neighborhoods like Altadena, which was ravaged by the Eaton Fire.
“Rather than putting up single-family residences, we could allow developers to build duplexes and apartments,” Lazarus said.
And while this could increase housing availability, Lazarus says it would undoubtedly “change the character of many neighborhoods,” and would be a tough sell for longtime residents.
“I think it would be highly controversial,” Giacoletti said. “So it’s hard to say whether this is going to happen or not.”
Lazarus pointed out that most major cities globally have adopted higher-density housing to address similar challenges, avoiding long commutes and keeping residents closer to urban centers.
But for residents in Pasadena, Altadena, Malibu and Pacific Palisades, distance from the city center may have been a selling point for laying roots there, not a detriment.
“As with the rest of the world, at some point, L.A. is going to have to perhaps consider these steps, that these neighborhoods, these very homey neighborhoods that we’ve enjoyed for decades now, might not be in step with the times,” he said.
The fires have also renewed calls for a rent freeze in Los Angeles County.
While consumer advocates argue such measures are necessary, Giacoletti warned of potential unintended consequences in the form of landlords taking their properties off the marketplace altogether, further worsening the housing crunch.
For those who lost their homes, rebuilding poses significant hurdles, Lazarus said.
“In Altadena, there’s a number of people who are uninsured. They’re just off the playing field at this point,” Lazarus explained. Even for those with insurance, Laz said, overages and delays could prolong the process for years. “Some estimates say it could take five years or more for many of these residents to rebuild.”
Compounding the difficulty are offers from predatory buyers and lowball settlement offers from insurers. Lazarus says to be very skeptical of any cash offer you might receive.
“If you get such an offer, not saying walk away from it, but get a second opinion first,” Lazarus advised. He emphasized the importance of consulting real estate professionals or other insurers to understand the long-term value of properties.
“The value of the structure, if your house is burned down, is zero,” Lazarus said. “The value of the underlying land can still be profound,” accounting for up to two-thirds of the overall value, according to the Los Angeles County Assessor.
As Los Angeles faces an uncertain future, the path to recovery will require innovative solutions, resilience, and adaptability in the wake of the crisis.
Southwest
Abbott orders flags at full-staff for Trump's inauguration despite one month order to honor Carter
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday announced that flags at the state Capitol building in Austin and at all state office buildings will be raised to full-staff next Monday, Jan. 20, to mark President-elect Trump’s inauguration.
The move comes despite the official order by President Biden after the Dec. 29 death of former President Jimmy Carter that flags across the country would fly at half-staff for a 30-day mourning period.
Abbott said in his announcement that “on January 20, our great nation will celebrate our democratic tradition of transferring power to a new President by inaugurating the 47th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump. As we unite our country and usher in this new era of leadership, I have ordered all flags to be raised to full-staff at the Texas Capitol and all state buildings for the inauguration of President Trump.”
CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING ON THE TRUMP TRANSITION AND INAUGURATION
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and former President Trump attend a briefing with state officials and law enforcement before touring the U.S.-Mexico border wall on June 30, 2021, in Weslaco, Texas. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via AP, Pool)
“While we honor the service of a former President, we must also celebrate the service of an incoming President and the bright future ahead for the United States of America,” added the conservative three-term Texas governor.
CHECK OUT TRUMP’S PICKS FOR TOP CABINET AND ADMINISTRATION POSITIONS
An Abbott adviser told Fox News that flags at the Texas Capitol and at state offices would resume flying at half-staff on Jan. 21.
The flag-draped casket of former President Jimmy Carter is carried into the National Cathedral for a funeral service, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
“Texas continues to mourn with our fellow Americans across the country over the passing of former President Jimmy Carter,” Abbott said in his statement. “President Carter’s steadfast leadership left a lasting legacy that will be felt for generations to come, which together as a nation we honor by displaying flags at half-staff for 30 days.”
FIRST ON FOX: TOP CONSERVATIVE GROUP LAUNCHS MAJOR PUSH TO PROTECT, EXTEND TRUMP TAX CUTS
According to the U.S. flag code, U.S. flags are flown at half-staff for a 30-day period to mark the passing of a current or former president, at federal government buildings, military installations and vessels, and at U.S. embassies and other facilities around the world.
Flags fly at half-staff in honor of former President Jimmy Carter at Union Station in Washington, D.C., Monday, Jan. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Since the U.S. flag code dictates that no flag should fly higher than the American flag on the same or nearby poles, state flags also are lowered during such mourning periods.
Trump earlier this month claimed on social media that “Democrats are all ‘giddy’” about flags being flown at half-staff during his inauguration.
“Nobody wants to see this,” Trump argued. “No American can be happy about it. Let’s see how it plays out. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
The U.S. flag code isn’t mandatory, which means that Trump could technically override it once he’s inaugurated as president.
The U.S. flag is shown at the Mar-a-Lago compound in Palm Beach, Fla., while a U.S. Coast Guard boat patrols around the vicinity, Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. U.S. flags at President-elect Donald Trump’s private Mar-a-Lago club are back to flying at full height. Flags are supposed to fly at half-staff through the end of January out of respect for former President Jimmy Carter, who died Dec. 29. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
The Associated Press observed that a flag at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida was flying at full height on Monday.
The flag had been flying at half-staff, but had been raised in the days after Carter’s funeral service at National Cathedral in Washington D.C. and burial in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, both of which took place on Thursday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
Read the full article from Here
Governor sets fiscal line, mayors demand reset
Delaware Lottery Mega Millions, Play 3 Day winning numbers for Jan. 14, 2025
Manatees congregate in warm waters near power plants as US winter storms graze Florida
Zackery's 21 points lead Clemson in 70-59 victory over Georgia Tech
Sources: Hawaii Department of Law Enforcement Director steps down
Colorado Rockies game no. 116 thread: Zac Gallen vs José Ureña
Why Marjorie Taylor Greene was ‘kicked out’ of the Freedom Caucus according to Rep. Buck
See it: Tesla crashes into Columbus convention center at 70 mph
Fox News Politics: Georgia the whole day through
Death of missing Oregon girl found in stream ruled homicide
Video: Fires Continue to Burn One Week Later in California
Biden says he's been carrying out ‘most aggressive climate agenda’ in history as he designates CA monuments
Looking for a job in IT? These countries are desperate for new hires
SEC sues Elon Musk, says he didn't disclose Twitter ownership on time before purchase
Palisades and Eaton Fires May Not Be Fully Extinguished for Weeks
-
Health1 week agoOzempic ‘microdosing’ is the new weight-loss trend: Should you try it?
-
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25822586/STK169_ZUCKERBERG_MAGA_STKS491_CVIRGINIA_A.jpg "Meta is highlighting a splintering global approach to online speech")
Technology6 days agoMeta is highlighting a splintering global approach to online speech
-
Science4 days agoMetro will offer free rides in L.A. through Sunday due to fires
-
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25821992/videoframe_720397.png "Las Vegas police release ChatGPT logs from the suspect in the Cybertruck explosion")
Technology1 week agoLas Vegas police release ChatGPT logs from the suspect in the Cybertruck explosion
-
Movie Reviews1 week ago‘How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies’ Review: Thai Oscar Entry Is a Disarmingly Sentimental Tear-Jerker
-
Health1 week agoMichael J. Fox honored with Presidential Medal of Freedom for Parkinson’s research efforts
-
Movie Reviews1 week agoMovie Review: Millennials try to buy-in or opt-out of the “American Meltdown”
-
News1 week agoPhotos: Pacific Palisades Wildfire Engulfs Homes in an L.A. Neighborhood