Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here's what's happening-Federal judge blocks Abrego Garcia deportation through October, extending court fight-Dem lawmakers call for gun control after Minneapolis school shooting-House Republicans ready slew of DC crime bills as Trump promises end to street violencePresident Donald Trump and his allies in Congress are working to solidify his grip on Washington, D.C.A leadership aide told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that House Republicans are working with the White House on a package of bills "to fix the many problems with D.C. governance and crime."Trump all but confirmed the effort in a late-night Truth Social post at midnight on Wednesday stating that House and Senate leaders "are working with me, and other Republicans, on a Comprehensive Crime Bill."Read moreCENTRAL BANK SHAKEUP: Cooks potential exit hands Trump greater sway over Fed Board shaping US monetary policy'RALLY': Trumps cartel crackdown gains powerful political leverage with El Mayo guilty pleaWITCH HUNT: Jack Smith's lawyers blast Hatch Act probe as imaginary and unfoundedGOLDEN DIVORCE: "2 state solution" -- CA Republicans announce plan to split state to blunt redistrictingASYLUM AT THE PLANT: Chicago Teamsters, backed by mayor, want ICE blocked without warrants in strike fightSUPPORT LIMBO: Socialist candidate Mamdani meets with NY Dems as they withhold endorsementsTRAGEDY STRIKES: DNC adjourns Minneapolis meeting as breaking news of deadly school shooting unfolds minutes awaySAGA CONTINUES: Abrego Garcia renews push for asylum in US, reveals new country willing to accept himCASH CRISIS: Kamala Harris fundraising events have been a flop to help raise money for DNC: ReportGet the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) employees who signed an open letter slamming the Trump administration's leadership of the office have been placed on leave, with FEMA leadership subsequently slamming the "bureaucrats who presided over decades of inefficiency" for "objecting to reform."More than 190 current and former FEMA employees signed an open letter Monday criticizing the Trump administration, protesting leaders they say lack the qualifications to oversee an agency focused on the nation's preparation and response to disasters. The letter claimed a catastrophe on par with Hurricane Katrina could unfold due to the current climate of the office.By Wednesday morning, more than a dozen FEMA employees who signed the letter were placed on leave, The Washington Post reported."It is not surprising that some of the same bureaucrats who presided over decades of inefficiency are now objecting to reform," a FEMA spokesperson told Fox News Digital when asked about the letter and employees who were placed on leave. "Change is always hard. It is especially for those invested in the status quo, who have forgotten that their duty is to the American people not entrenched bureaucracy."KENTUCKY GOVERNOR PRAISES FEMA UNDER TRUMP, SAYS ITS A 'CREDIT TO HIS ADMINISTRATION'The spokesperson did not reveal how many FEMA employees were placed on leave following the letter's publication."Under the Biden Administration, the American people were abandoned as disasters ravaged North Carolina,and neededaid was denied based on party affiliation in Florida," the spokesperson continued. "Our obligation is to survivors,not to protecting broken systems. Under the leadership of Secretary Noem, FEMA will return to its mission of assisting Americans at their most vulnerable."The nonprofit Stand Up for Science published the open letter Monday, directed to Congress, claiming the agency is allegedly led by individuals who lack the "legal qualifications, Senate approval, and the demonstrated background" to oversee federal disaster preparation and response. The letter took direct aim at FEMA and Department of Homeland Security leaders such as Secretary Kristi Noem."Decisions made by FEMAs Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Administrator (SOPDA) David Richardson, Former SOPDA Cameron Hamilton, and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem erode the capacity of FEMA and our State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial (SLTT) partners, hinder the swift execution of our mission, and dismiss experienced staff whose institutional knowledge and relationships are vital to ensure effective emergency management," the letter claimed.SENATOR PETER WELCH: IM A DEMOCRAT AND WE NEED TO FIX FEMA WITH LOCAL CONTROLHurricane Katrina in 2005 was one of the worst disasters to hit the United States in recent history, leading to 1,833 fatalities, more than $100 billion in damages and thousands of homeless New Orleanians, data from the National Weather Service shows. The letter claimed that such a disaster could rock the U.S. again due to the current state of the agency."Hurricane Katrina was not just a natural disaster, but a man-made one: the inexperience of senior leaders and the profound failure by the federal government to deliver timely, unified, and effective aid to those in need left survivors to fend for themselves for days, and highlighted how Black, Indigenous, and low-income communities are disproportionally affected by disasters," the letter states.TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S TEXAS FLOOD DISASTER RESPONSE 'FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT' FROM BIDEN'S APPROACH: NOEM"These failures prompted Congress to pass the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 (PKEMRA), which introduced safeguards to ensure such shortcomings of disaster preparation and response would not be repeated," it continued. "However, two decades later, FEMA is enacting processes and leadership structures that echo the conditions PKEMRA was designed to prevent."President Donald Trump and Noem both have expressed dissatisfaction with FEMA since taking their respective offices, including Trump warning just days after his inauguration that the agency would face a reckoning over its failures to respond to the devastating floods that rocked North Carolina when Hurricane Helene ripped through the southeastern U.S. in September 2024.NOEM SAYS CRITICISM OF FEDERAL RESPONSE TO TEXAS FLOODING IS ALL POLITICS: DISSERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY"Get rid of FEMA the way it exists today," Noem said in February on CNN when asked what she would advise Trump if he requested her to do away with the agency.Both Noem and Trump have advocated for local officials such as county emergency management directors, mayors, city council members and commissioners to run point on disaster preparation and response as opposed to federal leadership.The letter published Monday included the full names of at least 35 former and current FEMA employees, while the majority were "unlisted" signatures.Signatories took issue with six initiatives under the Trump administration specifically, including: "reduction in capability of FEMA to perform its missions;" the "failure to appoint a qualified FEMA administrator;" the "reduction of FEMAs disaster workforce;" and "the censorship of climate science, environmental protection, and efforts to ensure all communities have access to information, resources."FEMA is currently led by David Richardson. Richardson replaced former acting FEMA chief Cameron Hamilton in May following Hamilton's departure from the agency just days after telling members of Congress that he does not believe FEMA should be eliminated.

The Enhanced Games, an upcoming Olympic-styled sporting event that does not include drug testing, filed an $800 million lawsuit against World Aquatics, USA Swimming and the World Anti-Doping Agency, claiming they are forcing athletes to boycott the event.The lawsuit cites a by-law made by World Aquatics back in June, when they announced that swimmers and officials who competed in or supported the event would be barred from the sport."Those who enable doped sport are not welcome at World Aquatics or our events," its president Husain al-Musallam said in a statement at the time.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM"The purpose of this By-law is to support the values of the Olympic Movement, including the commitment to the World Anti-Doping Code, and to protect the integrity and the image of Aquatic sports, and the health, safety and well-being of Aquatics Athletes," the by-law reads. "It complements the separate and independent obligation that is owed by those who are subject to the Rules and Regulations not to do anything that brings Aquatic sports into disrepute.""World Aquatics' By-Law 10 is a thinly veiled attempt to strong-arm the swimming community into boycotting the Enhanced Games. They're holding elite swimmers and support staff hostage, threatening lifetime bans from Olympic events all without a single anti-doping violation," Enhanced Games founder Dr. Aron D'Souza said in a statement.WORLD BOXING TO HAVE MANDATORY SEX TESTING TO KEEP MALES OUT OF WOMEN'S COMPETITIONS"To claim this is about protecting the 'integrity' or 'health and safety' of athletes is utter hypocrisy. The widespread, unchecked use of performance-enhancing substances in their own events is an open secret, and it's well-documented that they tolerate state-sponsored doping when it serves their financial interests. The audacity of World Aquatics to invoke 'integrity' while under investigation by Congress and the U.S. Department of Justice for their complicity in the 2021 Chinese swim team doping cover-up is truly astounding. This isn't about fair play; it's about a decades-old monopoly desperately trying to crush competition and treat athletes like indentured servants rather than the dedicated professionals they are."D'Souza has been critical of the Olympics and sport governing bodies in the past, calling them hypocritical when it came to natural sport and athletes' health."For the people who say this is unsafe or unhealthy, Id tell them that the two longest-serving sponsors of the Olympics are Coca-Cola and McDonalds, the two organizations that have done the most damage to health in human history. Theres actually no doubt about that," D'Souza said in a 2024 interview with Fox News Digital."Fast food and fake sugar have done more damage to human health than anyone in human history. You can read the history books. The rise of McDonalds and the rise of Coca-Cola have been very much attached to the Olympic movement. So, when the IOC and its cronies want to lecture me about safety, I point to their own history."The Enhanced Games are set to take place next May in Las Vegas. Former Olympic swimmer James Magnussen, of Australia, is set to compete, where rewards of up to $1 million are being offered.Follow Fox News Digitalssports coverage on X,and subscribe tothe Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).Former Roanoke College women's swim captain Lily Mullens remembers the first weekend in September of her junior season in 2023.She had just gotten her wisdom teeth pulled, but something much more painful was to come.That weekend, a team meeting was called to discuss a biological male transgender swimmer who wanted to compete with the team. Mullens was in the meeting over Zoom.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM"The purpose of the meeting was to bring us all together with this individual to, in a way, hash out whatever feelings or opinions we had to the individuals with administrators in the room," Mullens said. "At one point, it was discussed that this individual, without the transition, had thought about and gone through with planning a suicide. So that was something that was told to all of us."Mullens, who described herself as a religious person, said she and her teammates' first reaction was confusion."All of us felt emotionally confused. We didn't know what to do," she said.Mullens alleged that the athlete even went into detail about the specifics of the alleged plan."The plan was actually detailed to us," Mullens said. "There's a building on campus that they said they had planned going to the top of and launching themselves off of."The school administrators at the meeting allegedly "didn't say anything" during and after the athlete's alleged suicidal suggestion, according to Mullens. Then, the team was told to vote in a virtual poll to determine whether to let the trans athlete score with the women's team until mid-season, according to Mullens.Mullens said she and one other teammate voted no, while the rest of the team all voted yes. Mullens claimed this was not the result she expected prior to the meeting based on her conversation with her teammates."When we went into that meeting though, everybody agreed that that was not going to be a thing. So, the immediate switch-up that happened, I blame on the emotional stress that that put on us, going through, listening to hearing mental health struggles and not knowing what to do and then planning something as detrimental as that and as devastating, telling us that and then asking whether or not it's OK if this person scores," Mullens said."I stuck to my guns and I said no, but leaving that meeting and having my friends call me afterwards and tell me how, just, not Ok they were. The tears, just the frantic panic, all of that. I experienced it all myself, but it was just such a hard meeting and such a difficult thing to bear. We were all 19 to 20 years old."Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares concluded an investigation into the situation involving Roanoke's trans swimmer, and findings, released by complainants on Monday, addressed the alleged suicidal claim, referring the athlete as "Swimmer A.""Swimmer A then told the team in vivid detail about regularly contemplating suicide before undergoing medical treatment and about wanting to commit suicide whenever stepping on the blocks to swim. Swimmer A expressed a desire to climb to the top of Trexler Hall, the tallest building on campus, and 'go splat on the concrete,'" Miyares' findings stated.FORMER UPENN SWIMMER REFLECTS ON BEING TEAMMATES WITH LIA THOMASMullens alleged that she and the other swimmers were told that "none of the mental health or health and counseling people were told about the situation" until after the swimmers held a press conference to speak out against the school on Oct. 5, 2023."After our press conference, the head of student health and counseling, as well as one of our counselors on campus, called a meeting with us," Mullens said."We told them everything that we went through, and they, at the time, they were baffled as to what we've been through. That first initial meeting that we had with the head of counseling and one of our counselors, they had no idea. And when we told them, they were appalled on our behalf."Later on in the semester, after the female swimmers held a press conference and made the situation public, Mullens and her teammates hoped to do a travel course in the spring. She said she was looking for a change in environment after the situation involving the swim team.Mullens and some of her teammates listed Japan as the top option and believed they would be chosen for the course based on academic performance and extracurricular activities.However, she and other swimmers were ultimately denied many of their first options and some denied completely from traveling. Mullens said only two female swimmers were selected for any course, and neither got their first choice. And one of them was accepted before the press conference occurred.Mullens recalled an email she received when her mother inquired about why she was not accepted."When she emailed, the response that she got was, I can't remember the exact wording but basically it said, 'Not only is the professor responsible for the students academics, but also for their behavior,'" Mullens said. "I had no idea what that means. I've never had any sort of disciplinary action to me."Miyares' investigation addressed allegations that the female swimmers were rejected from the travel courses as a means of retaliation for speaking out about the trans athlete."The evidence has established reasonable cause to believe that Respondent Roanoke Colleges policy discriminated against the female swimmers based on sex, whether the college in fact denied them accommodations, advantages, and privileges on the basis of sex, and whether the college retaliated against them for their related protected activity," Miyares' findings stated.Miyares concluded that the college denied the female swimmers accommodations, advantages and privileges on the basis of sex, caused the women emotional, physical and dignitary harm and violated the Virginia Human Rights Act (VHRA).Miyares also suggested the female swimmers who were discriminated against are eligible to seek financial damages because the schools policy violated the VHRA, as per state code.Roanoke released a statement on Monday denying Miyares' findings."The college categorically denies the unsubstantiated allegation that its trustees, faculty, staff, coaches, or administration violated the human rights of any students or retaliated against them in any way," part of the statement said. "The transgender student never competed on the womens team."The report does allege that our faculty retaliated against members of the womens swim team by rejecting their applications to May Term courses. That accusation is patently false. Our faculty acted in good faith and followed our usual process regarding student selection for May term courses."Mullens called the school's response a "lie" regarding the claims the athlete "never competed on the women's team.""It's a lie. This individual was on the team. There's no other way to put it. You can say all you want that it was a request. But it's a lie. This person was in our group chats. This person was in our women's suits. This person was at practice. This person did all the things with the team. That sounds like a team member to me. And I was actually appalled by the fact that President [Frank] Shushok had the nerve to send that out. Reading that made me just so upset because it's just more proof of what we went through," Mullens said.Mullens' attorney, Bill Bock of the Independent Council on Women's Sports (ICONS), condemned Roanoke for its statement."Regrettably, President Shushoks letter does not deviate from Roanoke Colleges consistent two-year pattern of denying misconduct, blaming victims and discriminating against women," Bock said in a statement to Fox News Digital."In the face of the Virginia attorney generals report, which describes strong evidence of womens free speech being suppressed and womens athletic opportunities being curtailed, President Shushoks tone-deaf response again trots out the tired phrases of the schools public relations consultant, claiming yet again to 'celebrate the individuals rights to form opinions and champion the rights to free speech' and seek to find a path forward that supports and honors each and every member of our community.'"Roanoke has addressed Mullens and Bock's responses to its statement in another statement provided to Fox News Digital."Roanoke College stands by our statement. We will continue to cooperate with the Attorney General's Office, as we have since the beginning," the statement said.Roanoke has not addressed the trans athlete's alleged suicidal claim or the school's alleged handling of that situation in any of its statements.Follow Fox News Digitalssports coverage on X,and subscribe tothe Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Carly Pearce admitted she knew immediately that she shouldn't have married ex-husband Michael Ray.The country crooner explained the relationship with fellow musician Ray was more about lust than love during an appearance on Bunnie XO's podcast, "Dumb Blonde." Despite marrying Ray for the right reasons, Pearce claimed the two weren't living in reality."I thought he was so cute," she told Jelly Roll's wife while recalling her short-lived marriage. "Id heard hes the nicest guy in the world. I invited him to my (Billboard Country Airplay) No. 1 party for Every Little Thing. Looking back on it, it was a hot and heavy lust. It wasnt love. It was just passionate.COUNTRY SINGER CARLY PEARCE SAYS DOCTORS DISMISSED HEART CONDITION SYMPTOMS: WHAT TO WATCH FOR"I got married to go the distance. When I married him, it was for the right reasons," Pearce insisted."I think that when you travel like this, I thought I was doing the right thing by waiting to get married till I was 29. But we didnt have real conversations, and we didnt really know about each other. We were kind of living this life that wasnt really reality, now looking back on it. So, I just think we didnt really know each other."I knew the night I got married that I shouldnt have," she admitted. "I think the best thing that ever happened to me was COVID because it allowed me to deal with that in private. I think that I probably would have stayed in it longer if I could have avoided it and not had to. I was embarrassed when it happened and I had shame around that and was heartbroken."Pearce filed for divorce in 2020 after eight months of marriage to the country singer."It wasn't what I signed up for," she explained. "It just wasn't the marriage that I know I deserved. I knew that very quickly."And I think in the first we were only married for eight months. Plenty happened to where it was very clear to me this was not, this just wasn't a marriage."LIKE WHAT YOURE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSPearce and Bunnie XO briefly touched on the speculation Ray had cheated on the singer during their marriage."People have all their opinions, and, at first, that was so hard for me because I was like, 'That's not true, that's not true, that's not true. What he's saying isn't true.' But, at the end of the day, like my friends who walked that with me, they know," she said. "My parents know and God knows, and that is enough. It's enough."CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTERAfter the hardships Pearce faced during that year of her life, she found happiness after the divorce."I am in the happiest season of my life," the "Should've Known Better" singer told Bunnie XO. "I'm actually if I ever saw him, if he ever watches this, thank you, because you taught me more about myself. You taught me how strong I am. You put me through things that have made me better now. And I don't wish him evil. I don't wish anything on him. I'm so glad that I'm not in that anymore."I think I was really shown just how much I care about me," Pearce added. "You know, like, I actually really have a lot of self-worth and that showed me that."

Martha Stewart is ready to plan the wedding of the year if Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are willing to hand her the reins.Just hours after news broke that the pop superstar and NFL tight end were engaged, Stewart, 84, made her pitch loud and clear in a viral Instagram post and she brought wine.The lifestyle mogul shared a cheeky split-screen post featuring a snapshot from Swift and Kelces romantic engagement shoot alongside a video of herself sipping a glass of white wine, which she casually dubbed "the nectar of the Gods."TAYLOR SWIFT AND NFL STAR TRAVIS KELCE ARE ENGAGED AFTER 2 YEARS TOGETHERIn the caption, she wrote, "Its time to call in the ultimate wedding planner."In 1994, Stewart launched Martha Stewart Weddings, an annual magazine that expanded to a quarterly in 1999. Now a full-fledged digital platform, its still a go-to for luxury weddings and all things bridal.Whether or not Swift and Kelce will take her up on the offer is still unknown, but fans are already imagining the floral arrangements and cake towers that could come with a Stewart-led celebration.Swift and Kelce, both 35, announced their engagement Tuesday after two years together.TAYLOR SWIFT ENGAGED TO TRAVIS KELCE: HOW NFL STAR CROSSED THE GOAL LINE AFTER OTHER STARS FUMBLEDThe couple announced their major relationship milestone on Instagram with the caption, "Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married."In the series of sweet photos the pop superstar shared, Kelce could be seen down on one knee as Swift caressed his face during the intimate moment.The "Love Story" singer began dating Kelce in 2023.LIKE WHAT YOURE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSSwift is notoriously private about her relationships, and while their exact timeline is unclear, she was first spotted at a Chiefs game on Sept. 24, 2023.She previously admitted in an interview with TIME magazine that they actually began dating long before she appeared in the stands."This all started when Travis very adorably put me on blast on his podcast, which I thought was metal as hell," she said. "We started hanging out right after that. So, we actually had a significant amount of time that no one knew which Im grateful for, because we got to get to know each other."CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTERShe added, "By the time I went to that first game, we were a couple."Since then, the "Cruel Summer" singer has formed a close friendship with Brittany Mahomes and Kelces mom, Donna. The three were previously spotted on the field celebrating an AFC championship win.Fox News Digital's Lauryn Overhultz and Tracy Wright contributed to this report.

The Trump administration is restoring an immigration policy that was last used under former President George H.W. Bush's tenure to conduct neighborhood investigations related to immigrants applying for U.S. naturalization, according to a policy memo released Tuesday by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. "U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is resuming personal investigations of aliens applying for naturalization in accordance with section 335(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act," the memo, dated Aug. 22 but released publicly Tuesday, states.The 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act abolished immigration quotas and championed welcoming "those who can contribute most to this country to its growth, to its strength, to its spirit," according to President Lyndon B. Johnson's remarks at the time of him signing the act into law.The administration's revitalization of personal investigations, also called "neighborhood checks," will include U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services requesting information from immigrants seeking naturalization, such as "testimonial letters from neighbors, employers, co-workers, and business associates who know the alien and can provide substantiated information about the alien, including any of the requirements for naturalization."U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is an office under the Department ofHomeland Security's umbrella that oversees the nation's legal immigration processing.TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO VET LEGAL IMMIGRANT APPLICANTS FOR 'ANTI-AMERICANISM' AND ANTISEMITISMThe memorandum stated that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services "generally waives the requirements for neighborhood investigations" under the 1965 law and historically had relied instead on FBI background checks to determine an "applicants good moral character and eligibility for naturalization."The personal investigations will now include interviewing a naturalization applicant's neighbors and employment history stretching back at least five years before an individual applied for naturalization, according to the memo. The checks are to ensure "scrutiny of an aliens residency, good moral character, attachment to the U.S. Constitution, and disposition to the good order and happiness of the United States."TRUMP ADMIN TO WEIGH US CITIZENSHIP APPLICANTS' 'POSITIVE CONTRIBUTIONS,' GOOD MORAL CHARACTERSuch investigations were last conducted in 1991 during the first Bush's tenure, according to the memo. Similar investigations were carried out on immigrants applying for naturalization as far back as 1802, the memo added."From 1802 to 1981, petitioners for naturalization were required to present two witnesses who could testify to their qualifications for citizenship," the memo stated. "In 1981, Congress eliminated the requirement for witnesses, a change justified in part by the fact that a petitioners character could be better determined by an investigation, including a neighborhood investigation, if necessary."However, by 1991, the former Immigration and Naturalization Service had essentially stopped conducting neighborhood investigations."TOP DHS OFFICIAL CALLS CITIZENSHIP TEST 'TOO SOFT,' URGES MAJOR OVERHAUL OF NATURALIZATION PROCESSU.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services celebrated the return of the personal investigations.Joseph Edlow, the director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, said in comments provided to Fox News Digital Wednesday that the office "is working to ensure that only the most qualified applicants receive American citizenship.""The Immigration and Nationality Act directs USCIS to conduct personal investigations, and incorporating neighborhood investigations will help enhance these statutorily required investigations to ensure that we are meeting congressional intent," he continued. "Americans should be comforted knowing that USCIS is taking seriously its responsibility to ensure aliens are being properly vetted and are of good moral character, attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States and well-disposed to the good order and happiness of the United States."The move is the latest of the Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigration that spiraled under the Biden administration.Democrats increasingly have spoken out against the Trump administration's immigration policies, slamming its mass deportation efforts while ramping up visits to detention centers to draw attention to the facilities, The Associated Press reported. "Transparency matters. Oversight matters. Accountability matters," Colorado Democratic Rep. Joe Neguse said in August after visiting a Colorado detention center. "You certainly can expect to see the Democratic members of Colorados House delegation continue to lean in on all fronts."

Senator Susan Collins, R-Maine, faced repeated heckling from protesters on Tuesday during a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the completion of a $9.2 million federally-funded Route 1 reconstruction project.Collins remarks on securing federal money for the project were repeatedly drowned out, showing both her challenges on the home front and the broader fight for Senate control.Senator Collins, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, has cast the Route 1 project as a major win for Maine communities.Protesters, however, shouted her down with chants of "Shame! Shame! Shame!" while raising grievances over Medicare, Israel policy and her voting history for Trump-supported bills.'MAINE'S MAMDANI': MAINE GOP CHIEF ISSUES WARNING ABOUT NEW CHALLENGER LOOKING TO OUST SUSAN COLLINSHer Democrat challenger, Graham Platner, quickly seized on the moment, sharing a close-up video of the heckling on X that has nearly 4k likes.With the Senate hanging by a razor-thin margin, Maines race has emerged as one of the most closely watched in the country. Democrats see Collins seat as a potential pathway back to control, while Republicans, led by President Trump, are fighting to defend their fragile majority."Im so disgusted with the cuts the Republican Party has made to this Big Ugly Bill.... Get outta here!," shouted one protester, referencing the "One, Big Beautiful Bill."At one point during the ceremony, Collins attempted to reason with the demonstrators. "Could you please just listen, for just one" she began, before being cut off by a protester shouting, "Wed like you to listen!"VETERAN WHO SERVED IN MIDDLE EASTERN WARS LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN AGAINST SEN. SUSAN COLLINS"I have a suggestion. Would you listen to the suggestion?" asked Collins before another protester responded, "Vote Graham Platner!"Graham Platner is a Democrat candidate seeking to challenge the longtime incumbent moderate Republican, who is facing a spirited reelection battle in an increasingly blue state.Platner, a Marine and Army veteran turned oyster farmer, frames his candidacy as a fight against what he calls the "billionaire economy." While his biography as a working-class veteran could resonate in a state with many independents, his policy platform leans hard to the left. He has called for banning billionaires from financing elections, raising the federal minimum wage, establishing postal banking and defending abortion.He supports aggressive climate regulations, breaking up corporations he labels monopolies and ending what he terms "the mass deportation machine." Platner has also demanded cuts to Pentagon spending, vowed to "stop pointless wars," and backs expanding union powers. Those stances put him squarely in the progressive camp and open him to criticism that he is out of step with Maines moderates despite his veteran credentials.Maine Republicans, meanwhile, were quick to paint Platner as out of step with the state. "Graham is a far-left progressive backed by national progressive operatives and environmental extremists. His views would be perfectly suited for a Portland City Council race not for representing all of Maine," Jason Savage, the executive director of the Maine Republican Party, told Fox News Digital. A Collins spokesperson likewise dismissed him as "just another progressive entering the race."Platner has also brought on Joe Cavello, a former senior aide to Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., as part of his campaign team, and tapped Democratic strategist Morris Katz, an adviser to New York City mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani, to produce his launch video.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPWith Republicans clinging to their slim Senate majority, Collins reelection fight could help determine whether Trumps influence continues to shape the legislative agenda or whether Democrats reclaim the upper hand.Maines Senate primary is scheduled for June 9, 2026, with the general election set for Nov. 3, 2026. Senator Susan Collins and Graham Platner did not immediately return Fox News Digital's request for comment.Fox News Digital's Pilar Arias contributed to this report.

A former Department of Justice employee who prosecutors say threw a sandwich at a federal officer in Washington, D.C., has avoided indictment for felony assault, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.Sean Charles Dunn, 37, was allegedly caught on video shouting obscenities at Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents standing near 14th and U streets on Aug. 10.Witnesses said Dunn yelled, "Why are you here? I dont want you in my city!" while confronting the agents. At one point he was said to call an officer a "fascist."He is then allegedly seen tossing his sub-style sandwich at one of the officers, whacking him in the chest before running off. Witnesses can be heard giggling as federal agents give chase, the viral video showed.MAN CHARGED WITH FELONY AFTER ALLEGEDLY WHACKING FEDERAL AGENT WITH SANDWICH AMID TRUMPS DC CRIME CRACKDOWNHe was chased down, arrested, and later fired from his DOJ position.On Tuesday, prosecutors from the office of U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro asked a federal grand jury to indict Dunn for felony assault of a federal officer.But, as the New York Times first reported, the grand jury voted against returning an indictment.Pirro, who has vowed to aggressively pursue cases under President Trumps anti-crime push in Washington, posted a video after the incident, saying: "He thought it was funny. Well, he doesnt think its funny today, because we charged him with felony assault on a police officer, and were going to back the police to the hilt. So there. Stick your Subway sandwich somewhere else."Dunn allegedly lobbed the Subway sandwich at the officer as President Trumps law-and-order initiative in the capital got underway.This included National Guard deployments and expanded federal law enforcement presence. According to the White House, the crackdown has resulted in more than 1,000 arrests to date.It's unclear if prosecutors will try to indict Dunn on lesser charges.Fox News Digital has reached out to the Department of Justice for comment.

The 2025 NFL season officially begins next Thursday when the Dallas Cowboys visit the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.As the start of the season looms, teams across the league had to trim their rosters to 53 men by late Tuesday afternoon. While wide receiver Kendrick Bourne was listed on the New England Patriots' initial depth chart Tuesday, he was waived the next day.ESPN reported that Bourne's release came shortly after he asked the Patriots for a fresh start with another team.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMMeanwhile, defensive back Marcus Epps asked to be released on cutdown day, according to the Boston Herald.Mike Vrabel, who has clashed with the media at times during his first offseason as the Patriots' head coach, was asked to share his thoughts on the unexpected releases."I don't know," a somewhat guarded Vrabel responded. "Who are you referring to, I guess, specifically?"PATRIOTS' MIKE VRABEL CALLS OUT THOSE WHO ABUSE HANDICAP PARKING IN STARBUCKS LOT: 'ID SLASH THEIR TIRES'After the reporter clarified the question was referencing Bourne and Epps, Vrabel compared the proceedings to what often happens when a romance between two people reaches a crossroads."Yeah, that's news to me," Vrabel noted."I mean, we ," Vrabel began, before shaking his head. "Yeah, I mean, I think that we just try to put the roster together. I guess when it doesn't work out, you know, you break up with somebody, your girlfriend doesn't want to be with you. And then you say, 'Well, I don't want to be with you, either.' Like, I'm not gonna get into all that."Vrabel then made it clear he had no intention of engaging in a long exchange over the matter."I just said I'm not going to get into it. You know what I mean? Like, we're not gonna go back and forth here," he said. "We're trying to build a roster. You've gotta move on from some guys. You make connections with guys. You coach 'em. They earn more opportunities, they get more opportunities, they take advantage of 'em and that's kind of how these things go."Epps spent time with three NFL franchises over six seasons. He appeared in three games with the Las Vegas Raiders last year. Bourne spent the past four years with the Patriots. He finished the 2024 campaign with 28 receptions.The Patriots host the Raiders Sept. 7 to kick off their regular-season slate.Follow Fox News Digitals sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.