West
Exclusive: Illegal immigrant released under Biden ‘catch and release’ allegedly kills driver in police chase
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
EXCLUSIVE: An illegal immigrant from Colombia killed a motorist in Southern California last month during a police chase, authorities said.
Darwin Felipe Bahamon Martinez, 21, was caught entering the United States near San Diego in 2023 and released by the Biden administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said.
“Bahamon Martinez illegally entered the U.S. near Chula Vista, California, in August 2023,” a statement from ICE Los Angeles field office leadership said.
“He was released into the U.S. under the Biden administration’s so-called ‘catch-and-release’ policies, but if that hadn’t happened, the innocent 59-year-old driver he allegedly killed may still be alive today.”
DHS HONORS ILLINOIS WOMAN WHOSE CORPSE WAS ALLEGEDLY ABUSED BY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT FREED UNDER SANCTUARY LAWS
Martinez was driving a Jeep Gladiator in Anaheim Jan. 21 when police officers initiated a traffic stop for reckless driving. When the officers approached the Jeep on foot, Martinez sped away, authorities said.
A brief chase ensued before the Jeep collided with a Honda driven by a 59-year-old man in the neighboring city of Placentia.
The driver was pronounced dead at the crash site.
Another driver, an 83-year-old woman, was taken to a hospital and treated for minor injuries.
MAJOR COUNTY SHERIFF REJECTS ICE DETAINER ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT WHO KILLED YOUNG BOY IN HIT-AND-RUN
The Anaheim Police Department’s police vehicle. ( Jeff Gritchen/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images)
Bahamon Martinez is being held in the Orange County Jail while awaiting criminal proceedings on his homicide charge. ICE lodged an immigration detainer against him Jan. 22.
However, because of California’s sanctuary state laws, local authorities are not compelled to cooperate with ICE to transfer illegal immigrants charged or convicted of crimes into federal custody.
California school board members believe there is a lot of “fearmongering” happening over immigration enforcement as teachers unions and major city school districts are scolding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. (Getty Images)
“If local officials in Gavin Newsom’s sanctuary California choose to release Bahamon Martinez into the community, they will put ALL Californians at risk,” ICE said in a news release. “California must honor our immigration detainer. Otherwise, ICE will be forced to re-arrest this criminal illegal alien at-large.”
In jurisdictions with sanctuary laws, ICE officers typically have to go into communities to look for illegal immigrants targeted for deportation. The agency has called for greater cooperation with local authorities amid confrontations between federal officers and agitators in Minnesota, where local officials have accused ICE of terrorizing neighborhoods.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Critics of sanctuary laws say such laws are responsible for releasing dangerous criminals back onto the street.
Read the full article from Here
Utah
Utahns wake up to power outages statewide as strong winds impact Utah
SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — More than a thousand Utahns woke up without power across the state as strong winds and stormy weather moved in.
Around 5:30 a.m., Rocky Mountain Power’s outage map reported nearly 1,800 customers throughout the state had lost power. A majority of those were centered in the Salt Lake valley, where power outages were reported in Murray, West Valley, Holladay and Cottonwood Heights, among others.
Other power outages were reported in Vernal, Brigham City, La Sal and Enterprise.
The main outages were attributed to strong winds, according to Rocky Mountain Power.
The National Weather Service said strong winds with gusts hitting above 60 miles per hour were expected throughout Utah as winter weather rolled into the state. Winds were mainly forecasted to impact the southwest and west desert, including the Tooele County area, where more than 13,700 Rocky Mountain Power customers lost power on Monday night.
The power company restored the power outage in Tooele County around 1 a.m. on Tuesday.
Rocky Mountain Power estimated the remaining outages throughout the state could be restored before 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday as crews continue to make repaires to the network.
BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT
_____
Washington
Washington Spirit and Star Defender Tara Rudd Agree to New Contract
2025 NWSL Defender of the Year signs three-year deal with 2029 and 2030 club options
Washington, D.C. (02/17/2026) – The Washington Spirit and star defender Tara Rudd (née McKeown) have agreed to a new contract, the club announced today. Rudd’s new deal will go through the 2028 season, carry 2029 and 2030 club options, and include a signing bonus.
“I’m beyond excited to continue my journey with the Washington Spirit,” said Rudd. “This organization has believed in me from day one and I’m proud to represent this community and keep pushing to raise the standard and compete for championships with my teammates. D.C. has become my home and there’s no place I’d rather be. I cannot wait to continue to build on what we’ve started here and give our amazing fans a lot more to cheer for over the coming years.”
One of Washington’s most consistent players across the past three seasons, Rudd continues to be a leader with the Spirit. Following up her Iron Woman season in 2024, the fifth-year player earned her first call-ups to the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) and took home the NWSL’s Defender of the Year award in 2025. Rudd ranked in the top two among all defenders in the NWSL in interceptions in 2025 with 50 as well as top four in both blocked shots and tackle success among defenders with a minimum of 1,000 minutes.
“Tara Rudd is a Washington Spirit cornerstone,” said President of Soccer Operations Haley Carter. “The 2025 NWSL Defender of the Year and a consistent USWNT presence, she is central to everything we are building here. Her growth into one of the premier defenders in this league speaks to what she puts in every single day, and we’re proud that our environment and support system have been part of that journey. We are thrilled that Tara shares our vision for what this club can achieve, and we cannot wait to see what the next chapter looks like together.”
At the international level, Rudd has been a mainstay of the USWNT roster since earning her first call-up to the senior team following the 2024 NWSL season. The defender has appeared in ten matches for the side so far and even dished out three assists from the back line.
Originally from Newbury Park, California, Rudd attended the University of Southern California before being drafted by the Spirit with the eighth overall pick in 2021. In four seasons with the Trojans, Rudd tallied 33 goals and 28 assists in 76 appearances, earning First Team All-American honors once and First Team All-Pac-12 honors twice in the process. Rudd also earned a Pac-12 All-Freshman Team nod in 2017 and an All-Pac-12 Third Team nod in 2018.
The Spirit season kicks off in March with Spirit Fest, the team’s annual free fan event on March 8 at 2 p.m. at The Anthem in DC. Tickets are available HERE. Then on March 13 at 8 p.m., the Spirit begins its quest for a third consecutive NWSL Championship appearance when it faces Portland Thorns FC in the team’s 2026 home opener at Audi Field. Tickets are available HERE.
About The Washington Spirit
The Washington Spirit is the premier professional women’s soccer team based in Washington, D.C. and plays at Audi Field in Buzzard Point. The Spirit was founded on November 21, 2012 and is an inaugural member of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) the fastest growing sports league in the US. The club is home to some of the best players in the world who have won championships for both club and country. For more information about the Spirit, visit WashingtonSpirit.com and follow the club on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Wyoming
Strapped at the Cap’: Lawmakers and lobbyists take advantage of the Wyoming Capitol’s repealed gun-free zone
-
Alabama1 week agoGeneva’s Kiera Howell, 16, auditions for ‘American Idol’ season 24
-
Illinois1 week ago2026 IHSA Illinois Wrestling State Finals Schedule And Brackets – FloWrestling
-
Culture1 week agoTry This Quiz on Passionate Lines From Popular Literature
-
Science1 week agoTorrance residents call for the ban of ‘flesh-eating’ chemical used at refinery
-
Politics1 week agoWest Virginia worked with ICE — 650 arrests later, officials say Minnesota-style ‘chaos’ is a choice
-
Science1 week agoTrumpRx is launched: How it works and what Democrats say about it
-
Fitness1 week ago13 best fitness watches for 2026, tried and tested
-
Health6 days agoJames Van Der Beek shared colorectal cancer warning sign months before his death