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Texas Daughters of the American Revolution chapter challenges premise it must admit transgender members
FIRST ON FOX– The historic Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) organization, which currently allows transgender members to join its chapters, has pointed to the policy as a necessity for DAR to maintain its tax-exempt status. But, a local chapter in Texas is challenging that premise with the help of the Center for American Liberty (CAL).
CAL drafted a letter to DAR leadership, arguing that a policy to exclude natal men, including natal men who identify as women, from membership eligibility is both lawful and would not jeopardize the DAR’s status as a tax-exempt nonprofit, according to a memorandum reviewed by Fox News Digital.
In September 2024, the Martha Laird Chapter, along with the endorsement of 11 other chapters, submitted a proposed bylaw amendment to prohibit all men, including trans-identifying men, from DAR membership eligibility.
“A woman is defined as a biological female at conception, having naturally occurring X chromosomes, exclusive of Y chromosomes, and certified as female or girl on the original birth certificate,” the proposed bylaw reads. “NSDAR and its chapters may not discriminate against an eligible applicant.”
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DAR Martha Laird Chapter. (DAR Martha Laird Chapter)
The DAR Board of Management is set to consider the amendment during its next meeting on Feb. 8. If approved, the proposed bylaw amendment would go to the full DAR membership for a vote at the upcoming Continental Congress this summer.
“We will continue doing this every year until we at least get a vote at the Continental Congress,” Laura McDonald, member of the Martha Laird DAR Chapter, told Fox News Digital. “That’s the only fair and transparent way to handle this.”
CAL, on behalf of the Martha Laird DAR Chapter in Texas, argues that members of the organization have a First Amendment right to exclude trans-identifying men from eligibility.
“To the extent state and local public accommodation statutes may be interpreted to require the DAR to admit trans-identifying men, such a requirement would likely violate the DAR’s First Amendment rights if the DAR determined that such a requirement would interfere with its ability to advance its intended message,” the memorandum reads.
Additionally, they argue that while nonprofits run the risk of losing their nonprofit status if they act in a way that is illegal or contrary to “national public policy,” it is unlikely that the DAR, a genealogical association that limits membership to natal females, violates national public policy.
“To the best of our knowledge, the IRS has never revoked a sex-based organization’s nonprofit status based on the fact that the organization excluded trans-identifying men from membership eligibility,” the memorandum reads. “Moreover, the DAR currently excludes men who do not identify as transgender from eligibility.”
“This exclusion constitutes discrimination on the basis of sex, which is typically prohibited by public accommodation laws, yet to the best of our knowledge, the IRS has never considered exclusion of men from a private organization’s membership rolls contrary to national public policy,” the memorandum continues.
The DAR was founded in 1890 as a place for women who share a commitment to honoring Revolutionary War patriots and promoting historical preservation, as they couldn’t join their male counterparts in the Sons of the American Revolution. Members famously must trace their lineage to those who helped fight in the war for American independence.
“The fact that we’ve excluded men since our founding… we should have lost our nonprofit status a long time ago or never even obtained it to begin with,” McDonald said.
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The entrance to the Daughters of the American Revolution headquarters at Constitution Hall is viewed in Washington, D.C. (Getty Images)
In June 2024, former DAR member Brenda Becker spoke with Fox News Digital about her resignation from the organization in protest following bylaw amendments that said chapters cannot “discriminate against an eligible applicant based on race, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law,” leading to criticism that biological men identifying as transgender women could be part of the group. But the organization noted that was already the case.
“This literally is the epitome of gaslighting because, first of all, they tell members that nothing has changed in their admissions process from the beginning when we were founded in 1890, that only women are eligible for membership,” McDonald said. “But, then they go on to say that a man who claims he’s a woman is a woman, and therefore he’s eligible for membership. But if you are a man that doesn’t claim to be a woman, you’re not eligible for membership.”
The updated language was criticized for its vagueness, with some members expressing confusion last year over whether this would mean transgender women could join. In a document titled “Answers to Frequently Asked Member Questions Regarding Transgender Women in DAR,” which was shared with Fox News Digital, the organization’s leadership affirmed that transgender members were permitted to join.
Since the organization announced the amendment during DAR’s 2023 Continental Congress, over 500 members and former members of the DAR have sent nearly 3,000 messages to DAR leadership expressing discontent with the bylaw change, according to the New Tolerance Campaign (NTC). Members against the change argue that unless the bylaws are reversed, they will be forced to share changing rooms, restrooms and hotel rooms with biological males.
Becker told Fox News Digital she and other women feel like they are being deceived, and added it was ironic that one can join the DAR using an altered birth certificate when membership is contingent on accurate biographical records.
McDonald said her chapter’s new proposal also requires either a DNA test to confirm the female gender or a sworn statement that says the birth certificate that the applicant is submitting has not been altered in terms of sex. She added that this was especially important because the organization hasn’t typically allowed any altered birth certificates to act as verification for admission.
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The entrance to the Daughters of the American Revolution headquarters at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. (Getty Images)
“If I were to adopt a little girl right now, she could not use her altered birth certificate to get into the DAR, using my line, my biological line,” McDonald explained. “She would have to go dig up her original birth certificate and jump through all these other hoops that other applicants don’t to prove her biological line.”
“The DAR is saying: ‘Hey, man, if your state has issued you a new birth certificate, it’s an amended birth certificate, it’s not an original, but it says you’re a female, we’ll take that. We won’t make you go find your original document,” she said.
“But, ‘Hey, woman If you’ve been adopted and you have a birth certificate that says that your mother has lineal descent of a patriot, but she’s not your biological mother, you can’t use that one. You have to go through all these extra hoops,’” she added. “To me, that’s a form of discrimination.”
McDonald also believes that the cultural tide is shifting.
“Everybody is realizing that this trans ideology, this agenda to have men infiltrate women’s spaces, is starting to not be popular anymore, and it’s not as accepted,” McDonald said.
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Eric Sell, associate litigation counsel with the Center for American Liberty and Schilman Legal Fellow, shared a similar analysis, arguing it is very unpopular among the DAR members to allow men and transgender identifying men into the organization’s membership.
“The only reason the bylaw amendment didn’t pass last go around is because these members are being told that they have to do this, or they’re going to lose their nonprofit status or be subject to some other kind of legal penalty,” he said.
“It’s pretty clear in the case law that the DAR has this First Amendment right and they would be able to use that as a defense if, in the unlikely event, some government actor were to bring an enforcement action against them,” he added.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Daughters of the American Revolution for comment, but has yet to receive a response.
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FIRST ON FOX: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and four state attorneys general are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) creating a partnership to share information and coordinate oversight of high-risk communications technology.
A draft of the MOU, viewed by Fox News Digital, outlines plans to strengthen consumer protection by targeting communications equipment and services, particularly those originating from China or subject to influence by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
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The MOU between the attorneys general of Nebraska, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia and FCC Chairman Brendan Carr is expected to be finalized in the coming weeks. The FCC confirmed to Fox News Digital that Carr met with the attorneys general on Wednesday morning.
FCC Chair Brendan Carr met with the attorneys general of Nebraska, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia to discuss the new partnership. (John McDonnell/Getty Images)
For the first time, the agreement will bring federal and state authorities together to share intelligence on China-linked communications technology, coordinate enforcement against security threats, protect consumers from compromised devices and close jurisdictional enforcement gaps.
“The chairman is actively partnering with state attorneys general across the country to promote national security,” the FCC said.
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A person familiar with the meeting, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, described the discussion as “exceptionally productive,” and said it highlighted the need for faster information sharing and stronger safeguards against CCP-linked companies that attempt to infiltrate U.S. markets by rebranding their products to conceal their Chinese origins.
“This strengthened federal–state partnership reflects the Trump administration’s decisive leadership in turning policy into action and safeguarding the American people from foreign adversaries,” the person told Fox News Digital, warning that U.S. manufacturers and retailers should immediately halt the sale of banned Chinese components “or they will likely face swift federal and state enforcement actions.”
Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers said that after the meeting, the state attorneys general are “eager to deepen our coordination with the federal government as we work to stop CCP-linked technology from endangering American consumers.”
“We are taking decisive action to keep Communist China out of our homes and networks. This partnership reinforces our commitment to confront and shut down malign Chinese influence in America’s communications infrastructure.”
The national flags of the U.S. and China flutter at the Fairmont Peace Hotel on April 25, 2024, in Shanghai, China. (Wang Gang/VCG via Getty Images)
The move comes amid mounting concerns that Beijing is using Chinese-made communications equipment to undermine U.S. security and gain strategic footholds in critical networks.
Lawmakers from both parties have long warned that the Chinese government uses educational exchanges, research partnerships and business investments in the U.S. as cover for espionage activities, concerns that mirror growing fears about Beijing’s expanding footprint in America’s communications networks.
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Speaker Johnson laughs off Jasmine Crockett Senate bid: ‘Absolutely delighted’ she is running
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Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters that he is “absolutely delighted” that progressive firebrand Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, is running for U.S. Senate.
Johnson was asked during a House leadership press conference on Wednesday what he thought of Crockett entering the race and whether he was worried about her chances of flipping one of Texas’ Senate seats.
In response, Johnson rubbed his hands together and smiled.
“I’m absolutely delighted that Jasmine Crockett is running for Senate in Texas,” said Johnson.
“I think it’s one of the greatest things that’s happened to the Republican Party in a long, long time,” he went on, adding, “She is the face of the Democratic Party, she and [Zohran] Mamdani. Good luck with that.”
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House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., mocked Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, launching a Senate bid in Texas, saying he is “absolutely delighted.” (Fox News)
Johnson said that he would like Crockett to “have the largest, loudest microphone that she can every single day.”
“We look forward to having that election down there,” he said, adding, “We are going to elect another Republican senator in Texas. Texas is a red state… The people of Texas are commonsense Americans, and what Jasmine is trying to sell will not be purchased by the folks of Texas.”
Later that day, House Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., shot back at Johnson’s statements about Crockett, saying, “I think Speaker Johnson is trying to do anything he can to distract from the majority… that we see dwindling, and it’s like sand falling through his hands.”
“He just can’t keep a hold of it – he sees that – he would much rather talk about a Senate race than he would the Georgia House races that Republicans lost or the mayor’s race that the vice-chair mentioned, the first time in 30 years that a Democrat has been mayor of Miami… he wants to distract and take away from this because he’s losing his grip on his majority. That much is very clear.”
“So, the more that Speaker Johnson wants to talk about the national landscape and the Senate environment, I absolutely support because he’s losing his majority next November, if not sooner,” said Aguilar.
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Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, speaks to reporters after announcing her run in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate on Dec. 8, 2025, in Dallas. (LM Otero/AP Photo)
Crockett, who is an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump, launched a last-minute Senate campaign on Monday. The race may determine if the GOP holds its majority in the chamber next year.
In her announcement speech to supporters in Dallas, Crockett framed her candidacy as an effort to stand up against Trump, something she said incumbent Republican Sen. John Cornyn will not do.
“I’m done watching the American dream on life support while Trump tries to pull the plug. The gloves have been off, and now I’m jumping into the ring,” she said.
“Many people wonder why I jumped in this race so late, and I just want to be clear that this was never my intention, this was never about me, I never put myself into any of the polls,” Crockett said. “But the more I saw the poll results, I couldn’t ignore the trends, which were clear, both as it relates to the primary as well as the general election, I could have played it safe and continued serving in the United States House of Representatives for as long as my constituents would have me, but I don’t choose to do that, because, Texas, this moment we’re in now is life or death.”
“Many people asked, ‘Can we win this race in November?’ I’m here to say, ‘Yes, we can!’” Crockett fired back while echoing a slogan from former President Obama, whom she praised during her speech.
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Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, speaks after announcing her run in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Monday, Dec. 8, 2025, in Dallas. (LM Otero/AP Photo)
“Texas is a big boy state made up of brawlers with a moral code. Our representation should reflect that, sadly enough, it doesn’t,” she went on. “After evaluating the data, analyzing the trends, researching historic numbers, and combing over the crosstabs, it was clear, the numbers were strongest for my candidacy for United States Senate, that’s why I decided to enter this race.”
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In the Democratic primary, Crockett will be facing off against state Rep. James Talarico, another rising Democratic star.
On the Republican side of the aisle, Cornyn is being challenged by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas.
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ICE accuses Dem lawmaker of joining ‘rioting crowd’ in Arizona, interfering in mass arrest
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Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Wednesday accused Rep. Adelita Grijalva, D-Ariz., of joining a “rioting crowd” and attempting to interfere with agents during a mass arrest operation last week.
The accusation came after Grijalva claimed she was “pushed aside and pepper sprayed” during an immigration raid on Dec. 5 in Tucson, an account ICE flatly rejected.
“During the operation, U.S. Representative Adelita Grijalva joined the rioting crowd and attempted to impede law enforcement officers, then took to social media to slander law enforcement by falsely claiming she was pepper sprayed,” ICE said in a statement.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Grijalva’s office for comment.
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Law enforcement deal with protesters after an ICE raid on a restaurant in Tuscon, Arizona, on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. The business, Taco Giro, is being investigated on suspicion of immigration and tax evasion. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)
ICE and its federal partners arrested 46 illegal immigrants during the operation, the result of a “multiyear investigation into a transnational criminal organization involved in labor exploitation, tax violations, and immigration violations,” the agency said.
ICE said “over 100 agitators” arrived at one of the locations it searched and “attempted to impede law enforcement operations.”
“Agitators quickly turned violent, assaulting officers and slashing tires,” ICE added.
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Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Wednesday pushed back against accusations from Arizona Democratic Rep. Adelita Grijalva, who claimed she was pepper sprayed during an immigration raid. (@Rep_Grijalva via X)
In a post on X on Friday, Grijalva said she was “pushed aside and pepper sprayed” after seeking information from officers during ICE’s operation near the Taco Giro restaurant.
“ICE just conducted a raid by Taco Giro in Tucson — a small mom-and-pop restaurant that has served our community for years,” Grijalva wrote. “When I presented myself as a Member of Congress asking for more information, I was pushed aside and pepper sprayed.”
Grijalva also called ICE a “lawless agency” that is “operating with no transparency, no accountability, and open disregard for basic due process” in a separate X post.
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Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin immediately disputed Grijalva’s account, saying she was never directly sprayed but merely in the “vicinity of someone who was.”
“If her claims were true, this would be a medical marvel,” McLaughlin said. “But they’re not true. She wasn’t pepper sprayed. She was in the vicinity of someone who was pepper sprayed as they were obstructing and assaulting law enforcement.”
ICE said two people in the crowd were arrested – one for assaulting a federal law enforcement officer and another for damaging a government vehicle. Two Homeland Security Investigation Special Response Team operators were also injured.
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Protesters stand behind a gate locked with a bike lock, which blocked federal agents from leaving a restaurant in Tuscon, Arizona, after an ICE raid was conducted on the business on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)
When reached for comment, DHS referred Fox News Digital to ICE’s statement on the operation and ICE declined to comment further, referring to DHS’ post on X.
Fox News Digital’s Sophia Compton contributed to this report.
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