Two South Texas gang members have been sentenced for human smuggling, following a series of high-speed chases at the border that involved one of the gang members crashing his car into the Rio Grande and swimming to Mexico to escape.A Monday statement by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said the two human smugglers, Juan Miguel Regalado, 28, and Samuel Grajeda Jr., 21, are members of "Puro Tango Blast," a local Texas gang.The two were sentenced on May 15 after being convicted of conspiracy to transport undocumented immigrants, following an investigation by ICE, U.S. Border Patrol Laredo Sector and the Texas Department of Public Safety.U.S. District Judge John Kazen imposed a 66-month sentence for Regalado, while Grajeda previously received a 30-month imprisonment as well as a consecutive six months for violating the terms of his supervised release for a previous alien transporting conviction. Both must also serve three years of supervised release.Both men admitted to involvement in the human smuggling conspiracy.PROGRESSIVE PROSECUTOR LETS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TEEN OFF EASY AFTER 90-MPH CRASH THAT KILLED 24-YEAR-OLD WOMANAccording to the ICE statement, the investigation began April 20, 2024, when a group of suspected illegal aliens entered a green Tahoe in a sector of the border just north of Laredo, Texas.The statement said that Regalado was driving and led law enforcement on a high-speed chase, during which "multiple individuals jumped out of the vehicle."CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGEDriving up to 100 miles per hour, Regalado crashed the Tahoe into the Rio Grande and then proceeded to escape by swimming across the river to Mexico.Authorities continued to monitor the area over the next several months. In November 2024, another group of illegal aliens entered a white Ford Taurus parked in the area. Authorities followed the vehicle until another vehicle, a black Mercedes, cut them off. ICE said that the two vehicles were driven by Grajeda and Regalado.DEM'S IMMIGRATION REFORM PLAN ADDS BORDER PATROL AGENTS, OFFERS SELECT MIGRANTS PATHWAY TO CITIZENSHIPA traffic stop of the Ford Taurus led to another vehicle pursuit in which Grajeda crashed into a bystanders vehicle. Law enforcement eventually discovered the Ford Taurus abandoned in a north Laredo neighborhood. Authorities then found four illegal aliens and Grajeda and Regalado within the vicinity of the abandoned vehicle.Both gang members are currently in custody.Craig Larrabee, ICE Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio Special Agent in Charge, said that "these sentences reflect the serious consequences awaiting those who engage in human smuggling and endanger public safety."Larrabee said that "Tango Blast gang members put countless lives at risk during these reckless pursuits" and that "through strong collaboration with our federal and state law enforcement partners, we remain committed to dismantling violent criminal organizations and protecting our communities."

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) conducted its first self-deport operation, dubbed "Project Homecoming," with a charter flight on Monday from Texas, and made stops in Honduras and Columbia, taking 64 illegal immigrants who chose to self-deport back to their home countries.DHS said in a post on X that all participants who chose to leave the U.S. were offered the same benefits as any illegal alien who self-deports using the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Home App."They received travel assistance, a $1,000 stipend, and preserved the possibility they could one day return to the United States legally," DHS said.DHS also shared a video of the events leading up to the first flight, showing families preparing to leave Houston, where they were greeted and offered food, games and stuffed animals for their children.TRUMP SIGNS EO OFFERING ILLEGAL MIGRANTS 'EXIT BONUS' IN FIRST-EVER SELF-DEPORTATION PROGRAMEarlier this month, President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing the first ever self-deportation program which incentivizes illegal immigrants to voluntarily leave the U.S. on a free flight and with a cash bonus."Project Homecoming" authorizes government-funded flights and offers money to illegal immigrants who are willing to self-deport.When Trump announced the signing of the order in a post on Truth Social, he said the program would end up saving taxpayers "billions and billions" of dollars.DEMOCRAT FLOATS WORK VISA SUGGESTION IN RESPONSE TO TRUMP ADMIN'S $1,000 SELF-DEPORTATION OFFER"We are making it as easy as possible for illegal aliens to leave America. Any illegal alien can simply show up at an airport and receive a free flight out of our country," Trump said. "Illegals can book a free flight to any foreign country as long as it's not here. You can go anywhere you want."DHS said days before the executive order was signed that migrants would be offered a $1,000 stipend each to leave. The department said this will be 70% cheaper for American taxpayers, as it currently costs DHS, on average, over $17,000 to arrest, detain, and deport someone."This deportation bonus will save American taxpayers billions and billions of dollars," Trump said.DHS UNLEASHES POSSIBLE MONEY-SAVING MEASURE FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS TO SELF-DEPORT: 'SAFEST OPTION'Illegal immigrants are encouraged to use the CBP One app to arrange their deportations. The same app under the Biden administration was used to expedite migrants from scheduling appointments at official ports of entry before they were paroled into the U.S., which was discontinued on the first day of Trumps second term.DHS Secretary Kristi Noem shared a post about the first "Project Homecoming" flight on X, advising those in the country to take advantage of the program.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP"If you are here illegally, use the CBP Home App to take control of your departure and receive financial support to return home," Noem wrote. "If you dont, you will be subjected to fines, arrest, deportation and will never be allowed to return. If you are in this country illegally, self-deport NOW and preserve your opportunity to potentially return the legal, right way."Fox News Digitals Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is launching an investigation into the City of Chicago for allegedly engaging in a pattern of discrimination based on race, which is a violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.Harmeet K. Dhillon, the assistant attorney general for the DOJs Civil Rights Division, sent a letter to Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson on Monday to notify him that an investigation into civil rights violations was being opened."Our investigation is based on information suggesting that you have made hiring decisions solely on the basis of race," Dhillon wrote. "In your remarks made yesterday at the Apostolic Church of God in Woodlawn, you highlight[ed] the number of Black officials in [your] administration."Johnson was a guest at the Apostolic Church of God, when he responded to critics who claim he only talks about hiring Black people.TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TARGETS IVY LEAGUE SCHOOL, LAW JOURNAL FOR RACIAL DISCRIMINATION"No, what Im saying is, when you hire our people, we always look out for everybody else. We are the most generous people on the planet," he said.Johnson went on to list top officials in his administration, emphasizing their race.For example, Johnson said his deputy mayor of business and economic neighborhood development is a Black woman.Other positions filled by Black women that Johnson spoke about include the deputy mayor of infrastructure, the budget director and the commissioner of the department of planning and development.AG BONDI LAUNCHES INVESTIGATION INTO DEI ADMISSIONS POLICIES AT STANFORD, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SCHOOLSJohnson also highlighted the chief operations officer and senior advisor as both being positions held by Black men."You then said that you were laying these positions out to ensure that our people get a chance to grow their business," Dhillon wrote to Johnson. "Considering these remarks, I have authorized an investigation to determine whether the City of Chicago is engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination as set forth above."If these kind of hiring decisions are being made for top-level positions in your administration, then it begs the question whether such decisions are also being made for lower-level positions," she added.RUMP DOJ SLAPS ILLINOIS, CHICAGO WITH LAWSUIT OVER SANCTUARY LAWSDhillon stressed that no conclusions have been made on the matter, and she welcomed his assistance with the investigation.Johnsons office did not respond to Fox News Digitals request for comment on the investigation.The Chicago mayor has made race-based comments in the past.After President Donald Trump was elected to a second term, Johnson claimed during a news conference that the new president is a threat to Black families in his city."His threat is not just towards new arrivals and undocumented families. His threats are also against Black families," Johnson said. "Were going to protect Black folks, Brown folks, Asian folks. The City of Chicago will be better, stronger and safer despite whos in the White House."Fox News' Patrick McGovern and Elizabeth Heckman contributed to this report.

Following news that the House Rules Committee will convene at 1 a.m. on Wednesday morning to take the next steps in advancing President Trump's "big, beautiful" budget bill, Democrats are accusing Republicans of cowardice for advancing the monumental bill "in the dead of night."The House Budget Committee reached an initial consensus to pass the bill to the Rules Committee late Sunday evening, after gaveling in at approximately 10:00 p.m. The Rules Committee must now take up the matter to set out the rules for debate and markup that are expected to take place next in the GOP-controlled House of Representatives.Shortly after, the House Budget Committee passed the bill in a late-Sunday night vote, the House Rules Committee announced it would be considering the One Big Beautiful Bill Act at 1 a.m. on Wednesday morning. The announcement, followed by the late-night Sunday vote, has stirred up criticism from Democrats who argue the late-night legislative sessions are the result of GOP cowardice."Republicans are scheduling votes in the DEAD OF NIGHT on Trump's big, beautiful bill. They advanced their bill last night at 10:30PM. The next vote is scheduled for 1AM on Wednesday. Why hide?" questioned Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. "Maybe because this bill rips away health care from babies, new moms, and seniors."NEW PROJECTION SIGNALS GOOD NEWS FOR FAMILIES, WORKERS IN TRUMP'S 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL'The legislative negotiations over the GOP's budget bill have circulated around what federal programs, or funding, will need to be cut in order to extend the president's tax cuts from his first term, which are set to expire. Among those cuts are new provisions to federal healthcare programs, like Medicaid, which Democrats have slammed as a move to take away public healthcare programs from those who need them the most. "Republicans know that their efforts to take away health care from millions of Americans is deeply unpopular. Republicans know that the effort to enact the largest cut to nutritional assistance in American history, which will literally take food from the mouths of children, veterans and seniors, is deeply unpopular. Republicans know that providing billionaire donors with a massive tax break for people, like Elon Musk, and at the same time, exploding the deficit by trillions of dollars is deeply unpopular," the Democrats' House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said during a Monday afternoon press conference."That's why Republicans are going to try to advance this bill in the dead of night at 1 a.m. in the morning."HAROLD FORD, JR. ARGUES TRUMP'S 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL' CUTS ONLY THE RICHEST PEOPLE'S TAXESRepublicans, however, have indicated their hope to pass their new budget bill by Memorial Day, and, in order to do that, the lengthy reconciliation process Republicans are using to get the bill passed must move quickly as the date is fast approaching.As a result of the looming Memorial Day deadline, Republicans appear to be moving the bill forward as quickly as possible, and, to do so, it is reportedly requiring the House Rules Committee to convene early Wednesday morning. "Under the rules, Budget Dems get two calendar days to file minority views after last night's markup.That could take until midnight Tuesday. Rules then has a one hour notice requirement, hence starting at 1 am," political commentator Brendan Buck said on X, citing someone with expert knowledge of the legislative process.BUDGET OFFICE WITH 'FUNDAMENTALLY PROGRESSIVE ROOTS' USED BY DEMS AS LATEST TOOL IN ANTI-TRUMP RESISTANCEBut that hasn't stopped Democrats from claiming Republicans are engaging in late-night votes to somehow keep the budget bill process out of the limelight."Remember when Republicans said late-night sessions were not what the country needs or deserves during the American Rescue Plan? Now theyre getting ready to make dramatic cuts to Medicaid and SNAP so they can give tax breaks for billionaires - in the dead of night," Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., said following news of the Wednesday morning Rules Committee session. "Hypocrisy on full display."

House Republicans are channeling Edward Hopper this week as they try to pass President Trumps big, "beautiful bill."Hopper is known for "Nighthawks," one of the most iconic paintings in American history. The 1942 painting depicts four people in a diner in the middle of the night. A deserted streetscape commands the foreground. Two men heads festooned with fedoras sit separately at the counter, nursing coffee. One of the men has a cigarette tucked between his index and middle fingers. Hes positioned next to a woman with scarlet hair and a red dress. She appears to holding a bite of a doughnut or sandwich, studying it as though it were a rare artifact. She seems to debate whether she should eat it. A young counterman attired in white with a crisp envelope hat leans downward in search of glassware or dishes hidden underneath.It's the dead of night. Everyone is distant and detached. Even the couple even though they sit side-by-side dont look at each other.In Nighthawks, everyone appears as though theyre just trying to make it through the night to dawn.Its kind of what House Republicans are going through this week.'DEAD OF NIGHT': DEMS ACCUSE GOP OF COWARDICE OVER LATE-NIGHT VOTES ON TRUMP'S 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL' BUDGET BILLThe House Budget Committee convened at 10:26 p.m. ET Sunday night to advance the tax cut and spending reduction package after a hiccup stalled the measure Friday afternoon. At 10:39 p.m. ET, the committee approved the bill 17-16 with four House Republicans voting "present."The next stop is the House Rules Committee, the final parliamentary way station before depositing a piece of legislation on the floor.At 12:31 a.m. ET Monday, the Rules Committee announced it would prep the bill for the floor with a meeting at 1 a.m. Wednesday morning. That session could last all day Wednesday. Literally. The Energy and Commerce panel met for 26 consecutive hours last week to prepare its section of the budget reconciliation measure. The Ways and Means Committee huddled all night long.The group of House Republicans pushing to state and local tax for high-tax states (known as SALT) scheduled a meeting with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., for 9 p.m. ET Monday. And its entirely possible that the House could be debating or even voting on the measure late Thursday, the wee hours of Friday morning or even Friday night.This is how Capitol Hill rolls when theres a big piece of legislation on the clock. The hours are late. The meetings are long. Lawmakers convene different sessions whenever they need to just to get the measure across the finish line.HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO WHERE THE 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL' STANDS, AND WHAT HAPPENS SUNDAY IN THE BUDGET COMMITTEEThe only difference between the halls of Congress now and "Nighthawks" is that the coffee fueled the figures in the painting until dawn. It was 1942. But this is 2025. Edward Hopper would know nothing of Celsius or Red Bull.Theres an actual parliamentary reason as to why the Budget Committee met so late on Sunday night after its stumble on Friday afternoon. And theres a method to the Rules Committees 1 a.m. madness on Wednesday.Lets rewind.The Budget Committee tried to blend the various provisions from nearly a dozen House committees into one unified legislative product midday Friday. That effort came up short. A total of five Budget Committee Republicans voted nay. They groused about spending cuts, green energy tax credits and the timeframe of work requirements for those on Medicaid.Four of the five GOP noes were truly opposed. Rep. Lloyd Smucker, R-Penn., voted nay so he could order a re-vote. Rules allow a member on the winning side of an issue (in this case, the nays), to ask for another vote later. Smucker supported the plan. But he then switched his vote to nay to be on the winning side. That teed up a possible re-vote.REPUBLICANS READY LATE-NIGHT SESSION ON TRUMP'S 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL' AFTER GOP MUTINY"Calling a vote moves the process forward. I think it's a catalyst," said Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Tex., after the failed vote Friday.The Budget Committee then announced it would convene at 10 p.m. ET Sunday.This is where things get interesting:The key here was for the Budget Committee to finish its work before midnight Friday. Once it got rolling, the process would only consume 15 or 20 minutes. The Budget Committee approved the plan 17-16 with four Republicans voting "present.""We're excited about what we did," said Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., who was one of the GOPers who voted nay Friday.But Norman still wasnt excited enough to vote yes on Sunday night. He voted present."There's so much more that we have to do to rein in government and rein in the costs and the deficits," said Norman on FOX Business Monday.But regardless, the measure was out of the Budget Committee before the witching hour on Sunday. And then came the Rules Committee announcement just after midnight on Monday about a session at 1 a.m. Wednesday to ready the "big, beautiful bill" for the House floor.There are several reasons House Rules Committee Republicans decided to huddle at 1 a.m. et Wednesday. Lets begin with the parliamentary one.HOUSE REPUBLICANS FACE DOWN DEM ATTACKS, PROTESTS TO PULL ALL-NIGHTER ON TRUMP'S 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL'The Budget Committee wrapped up just before midnight Sunday. The rules allow Democrats two full days to file their paperwork and viewpoints after that meeting. So, they had all day Monday and all day Tuesday. The Rules Committee needs an "hour" to announce its formally meeting. So, the "official" announcement of the Rules Committee meeting on Wednesday will go out just after 12:01:01 a.m. ET Wednesday. That triggers a 1 a.m. ET meeting on Wednesday.Here are the other, more practical reasons.Republicans need all the time they can get. There is talk of trying to vote on the floor late in the day on Wednesday. Well see about that. But the early Rules Committee meeting time makes that a possibility.Second of all, its possible the Rules Committee meeting could consume the entire calendar day of Wednesday. Streams of lawmakers from both sides will file into the Rules Committee to propose various amendments. This is a protracted process.But by the same token, meeting at 1 a.m. ET could diminish attendance. After all, who wants to show up at 1 a.m. ET for a meeting and maybe discuss your amendment at 6:30 a.m. ET? You get the idea.And once the bill gets out of the Rules Committee, expect late night meetings among Republicans as they try to close the deal. Its possible the House could vote at virtually any time of day Wednesday, Thursday or Friday to pass the bill. That could be late in the evening. Or even overnight. They will vote when the bill is ready, regardless of the time on the clock.Such is the lot drawn this week by House Republicans for the "big, beautiful bill." Maybe theyll have the votes. Maybe they wont. Maybe theyll pass more spending cuts. Maybe therell be a deal on SALT for state and local taxes. Maybe not. Maybe the vote comes at 3 in the afternoon. But more likely, sometime late at night.Just like in Nighthawks, everyone on Capitol Hill is just trying to make it through the night and to the dawn.

Massachusetts murder suspect Karen Read returned to court Monday for her trial in the death of her former boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe, as DNA experts and a digital forensic scientist testified for the prosecution, linking the victim to a lone hair sample found on Read's SUV and tightening up a timeline surrounding the final moments of his life.But under cross-examination, a witness with key new evidence for the state revealed what appears to be an exaggerated resume.O'Keefe, 46, was found dead on Jan. 29, 2022. His then-girlfriend, the now-45-year-old Read, is accused of slamming into him with her 2021 Lexus SUV and leaving him to die on the ground in a blizzard in Canton, a suburb about 20 miles south of Boston.KAREN READ MURDER TRIAL: NIECE REVEALS FRANTIC BEHAVIOR ON MORNING BOSTON OFFICER WAS FOUND DEADKarl Miyasako, a DNA analyst with Bode Technologies in Virginia, testified that mitochondrial DNA testing connected a hair found on the back of Read's vehicle to O'Keefe. However, he testified, the hair is a match to anyone connected to Read's mother's matriarchal line, meaning his niece and nephew could have also been the source.The sample was too small to be tested for autosomal DNA, which could have provided a link to a specific individual with certainty, he said.But the case took an unexpected turn when Shanon Burgess, a Texas-based expert on digital forensics for smartphones and vehicles, admitted that his credentials don't line up with those on his resume.He was on the stand to explain the process and analysis of "black box" data extracted from Read's car. Key information had been missed during the first case, he said, and he found it on a micro SD card and was able to extract it, answering questions left unanswered by an earlier analysis from another expert.KAREN READ JUDGE BLOCKS SANDRA BIRCHMORE MENTIONS; EXPERT SAYS CASES SHOULD BE WAKE-UP CALL FOR POLICEOn cross-examination, however, defense attorney Robert Alessi questioned Burgess' "mendacity," or untrustworthiness, after revealing inconsistencies in the expert's resume.Several versions of it and his official Aperture bio pages describe him as having obtained a bachelor's degree from the University of Alabama, Birmingham, in various years. None of them were correct, he admitted. He does not have a bachelor's degree."I have represented I do not have a bachelor's degree," Burgess told Alessi."But in here," Alessi said, pointing to one of at least three resumes with conflicting dates he introduced as evidence, "you represented that you do, correct?""Yes," Burgess said. "It is in there."Experts say his expertise likely doesn't require one, but it's the appearance of a lie that damages his credibility.GET REAL-TIME UPDATES DIRECTLY ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB"He doesn't need a bachelor of science for this field of technology," said Grace Edwards, a Massachusetts defense attorney who is closely following the case. However, she said, a mix-up could turn off the jury and lead to members completely disregarding his findings, as well as potentially haunt other cases that have already been completed."How many courts has he testified in with a 'padded' CV?" she asked, using an acronym for curriculum vitae, his academic resume.Burgess' testimony regarding the clocks in Read's Lexus and O'Keefe's iPhone could be crucial to the prosecution's case. He said they have a variance of between 21 and 29 seconds, and the victim's last recorded interaction with his phone, pressing the lock button, happened at 12:32:09 a.m.FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON XRead took her car out of reversebetween 12:32:04 and 12:32:12, Burgess testified, based on computer logs recovered from her Lexus.Burgess is expected to return to the stand on Tuesday. Read could face up to life in prison if convicted of the top charge, second-degree murder. She is also charged with drunken driving, manslaughter and fleeing the scene of a deadly accident.She has pleaded not guilty, and her defense denies her vehicle collided with O'Keefe at all.

House Republicans are channeling Edward Hopper this week as they try to pass President Trumps big, "beautiful bill."Hopper is known for "Nighthawks," one of the most iconic paintings in American history. The 1942 painting depicts four people in a diner in the middle of the night. A deserted streetscape commands the foreground. Two men heads festooned with fedoras sit separately at the counter, nursing coffee. One of the men has a cigarette tucked between his index and middle fingers. Hes positioned next to a woman with scarlet hair and a red dress. She appears to holding a bite of a doughnut or sandwich, studying it as though it were a rare artifact. She seems to debate whether she should eat it. A young counterman attired in white with a crisp envelope hat leans downward in search of glassware or dishes hidden underneath.It's the dead of night. Everyone is distant and detached. Even the couple even though they sit side-by-side dont look at each other.In Nighthawks, everyone appears as though theyre just trying to make it through the night to dawn.Its kind of what House Republicans are going through this week.'DEAD OF NIGHT': DEMS ACCUSE GOP OF COWARDICE OVER LATE-NIGHT VOTES ON TRUMP'S 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL' BUDGET BILLThe House Budget Committee convened at 10:26 p.m. ET Sunday night to advance the tax cut and spending reduction package after a hiccup stalled the measure Friday afternoon. At 10:39 p.m. ET, the committee approved the bill 17-16 with four House Republicans voting "present."The next stop is the House Rules Committee, the final parliamentary way station before depositing a piece of legislation on the floor.At 12:31 a.m. ET Monday, the Rules Committee announced it would prep the bill for the floor with a meeting at 1 a.m. Wednesday morning. That session could last all day Wednesday. Literally. The Energy and Commerce panel met for 26 consecutive hours last week to prepare its section of the budget reconciliation measure. The Ways and Means Committee huddled all night long.The group of House Republicans pushing to state and local tax for high-tax states (known as SALT) scheduled a meeting with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., for 9 p.m. ET Monday. And its entirely possible that the House could be debating or even voting on the measure late Thursday, the wee hours of Friday morning or even Friday night.This is how Capitol Hill rolls when theres a big piece of legislation on the clock. The hours are late. The meetings are long. Lawmakers convene different sessions whenever they need to just to get the measure across the finish line.HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO WHERE THE 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL' STANDS, AND WHAT HAPPENS SUNDAY IN THE BUDGET COMMITTEEThe only difference between the halls of Congress now and "Nighthawks" is that the coffee fueled the figures in the painting until dawn. It was 1942. But this is 2025. Edward Hopper would know nothing of Celsius or Red Bull.Theres an actual parliamentary reason as to why the Budget Committee met so late on Sunday night after its stumble on Friday afternoon. And theres a method to the Rules Committees 1 a.m. madness on Wednesday.Lets rewind.The Budget Committee tried to blend the various provisions from nearly a dozen House committees into one unified legislative product midday Friday. That effort came up short. A total of five Budget Committee Republicans voted nay. They groused about spending cuts, green energy tax credits and the timeframe of work requirements for those on Medicaid.Four of the five GOP noes were truly opposed. Rep. Lloyd Smucker, R-Penn., voted nay so he could order a re-vote. Rules allow a member on the winning side of an issue (in this case, the nays), to ask for another vote later. Smucker supported the plan. But he then switched his vote to nay to be on the winning side. That teed up a possible re-vote.REPUBLICANS READY LATE-NIGHT SESSION ON TRUMP'S 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL' AFTER GOP MUTINY"Calling a vote moves the process forward. I think it's a catalyst," said Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Tex., after the failed vote Friday.The Budget Committee then announced it would convene at 10 p.m. ET Sunday.This is where things get interesting:The key here was for the Budget Committee to finish its work before midnight Friday. Once it got rolling, the process would only consume 15 or 20 minutes. The Budget Committee approved the plan 17-16 with four Republicans voting "present.""We're excited about what we did," said Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., who was one of the GOPers who voted nay Friday.But Norman still wasnt excited enough to vote yes on Sunday night. He voted present."There's so much more that we have to do to rein in government and rein in the costs and the deficits," said Norman on FOX Business Monday.But regardless, the measure was out of the Budget Committee before the witching hour on Sunday. And then came the Rules Committee announcement just after midnight on Monday about a session at 1 a.m. Wednesday to ready the "big, beautiful bill" for the House floor.There are several reasons House Rules Committee Republicans decided to huddle at 1 a.m. et Wednesday. Lets begin with the parliamentary one.HOUSE REPUBLICANS FACE DOWN DEM ATTACKS, PROTESTS TO PULL ALL-NIGHTER ON TRUMP'S 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL'The Budget Committee wrapped up just before midnight Sunday. The rules allow Democrats two full days to file their paperwork and viewpoints after that meeting. So, they had all day Monday and all day Tuesday. The Rules Committee needs an "hour" to announce its formally meeting. So, the "official" announcement of the Rules Committee meeting on Wednesday will go out just after 12:01:01 a.m. ET Wednesday. That triggers a 1 a.m. ET meeting on Wednesday.Here are the other, more practical reasons.Republicans need all the time they can get. There is talk of trying to vote on the floor late in the day on Wednesday. Well see about that. But the early Rules Committee meeting time makes that a possibility.Second of all, its possible the Rules Committee meeting could consume the entire calendar day of Wednesday. Streams of lawmakers from both sides will file into the Rules Committee to propose various amendments. This is a protracted process.But by the same token, meeting at 1 a.m. ET could diminish attendance. After all, who wants to show up at 1 a.m. ET for a meeting and maybe discuss your amendment at 6:30 a.m. ET? You get the idea.And once the bill gets out of the Rules Committee, expect late night meetings among Republicans as they try to close the deal. Its possible the House could vote at virtually any time of day Wednesday, Thursday or Friday to pass the bill. That could be late in the evening. Or even overnight. They will vote when the bill is ready, regardless of the time on the clock.Such is the lot drawn this week by House Republicans for the "big, beautiful bill." Maybe theyll have the votes. Maybe they wont. Maybe theyll pass more spending cuts. Maybe therell be a deal on SALT for state and local taxes. Maybe not. Maybe the vote comes at 3 in the afternoon. But more likely, sometime late at night.Just like in Nighthawks, everyone on Capitol Hill is just trying to make it through the night and to the dawn.

Massachusetts murder suspect Karen Read returned to court Monday for her trial in the death of her former boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe, as DNA experts and a digital forensic scientist testified for the prosecution, linking the victim to a lone hair sample found on Read's SUV and tightening up a timeline surrounding the final moments of his life.But under cross-examination, a witness with key new evidence for the state revealed what appears to be an exaggerated resume.O'Keefe, 46, was found dead on Jan. 29, 2022. His then-girlfriend, the now-45-year-old Read, is accused of slamming into him with her 2021 Lexus SUV and leaving him to die on the ground in a blizzard in Canton, a suburb about 20 miles south of Boston.KAREN READ MURDER TRIAL: NIECE REVEALS FRANTIC BEHAVIOR ON MORNING BOSTON OFFICER WAS FOUND DEADKarl Miyasako, a DNA analyst with Bode Technologies in Virginia, testified that mitochondrial DNA testing connected a hair found on the back of Read's vehicle to O'Keefe. However, he testified, the hair is a match to anyone connected to Read's mother's matriarchal line, meaning his niece and nephew could have also been the source.The sample was too small to be tested for autosomal DNA, which could have provided a link to a specific individual with certainty, he said.But the case took an unexpected turn when Shanon Burgess, a Texas-based expert on digital forensics for smartphones and vehicles, admitted that his credentials don't line up with those on his resume.He was on the stand to explain the process and analysis of "black box" data extracted from Read's car. Key information had been missed during the first case, he said, and he found it on a micro SD card and was able to extract it, answering questions left unanswered by an earlier analysis from another expert.KAREN READ JUDGE BLOCKS SANDRA BIRCHMORE MENTIONS; EXPERT SAYS CASES SHOULD BE WAKE-UP CALL FOR POLICEOn cross-examination, however, defense attorney Robert Alessi questioned Burgess' "mendacity," or untrustworthiness, after revealing inconsistencies in the expert's resume.Several versions of it and his official Aperture bio pages describe him as having obtained a bachelor's degree from the University of Alabama, Birmingham, in various years. None of them were correct, he admitted. He does not have a bachelor's degree."I have represented I do not have a bachelor's degree," Burgess told Alessi."But in here," Alessi said, pointing to one of at least three resumes with conflicting dates he introduced as evidence, "you represented that you do, correct?""Yes," Burgess said. "It is in there."Experts say his expertise likely doesn't require one, but it's the appearance of a lie that damages his credibility.GET REAL-TIME UPDATES DIRECTLY ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB"He doesn't need a bachelor of science for this field of technology," said Grace Edwards, a Massachusetts defense attorney who is closely following the case. However, she said, a mix-up could turn off the jury and lead to members completely disregarding his findings, as well as potentially haunt other cases that have already been completed."How many courts has he testified in with a 'padded' CV?" she asked, using an acronym for curriculum vitae, his academic resume.Burgess' testimony regarding the clocks in Read's Lexus and O'Keefe's iPhone could be crucial to the prosecution's case. He said they have a variance of between 21 and 29 seconds, and the victim's last recorded interaction with his phone, pressing the lock button, happened at 12:32:09 a.m.FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON XRead took her car out of reversebetween 12:32:04 and 12:32:12, Burgess testified, based on computer logs recovered from her Lexus.Burgess is expected to return to the stand on Tuesday. Read could face up to life in prison if convicted of the top charge, second-degree murder. She is also charged with drunken driving, manslaughter and fleeing the scene of a deadly accident.She has pleaded not guilty, and her defense denies her vehicle collided with O'Keefe at all.

A Florida man was arrested for allegedly shooting his neighbor's pregnant cow several times after it wandered onto his property, making good on his threat to shoot any animals that entered, according to deputies.Hung Trinh, 54, was charged with animal cruelty and grand theft of a commercial farm animal after he allegedly shot the two-year-old cow five times in its gut, chest and rear leg, the Lee County Sheriffs Office wrote on social media.Deputies were called to a North Fort Myers home on May 13 and found the animal alive but struggling to stand or walk. The neighbor had reported to the sheriff's office that he had discovered the calf on his neighbor's property with five gunshot wounds.FLORIDA MAN, 89, AND HIS DOG MAULED TO DEATH BY BLACK BEAR IN STATE'S FIRST FATAL ATTACKA veterinarian determined the calf needed to be euthanized due to its injuries.The neighbor raises livestock, including the calf that was shot, for commercial purposes.Trinh had been upset about past instances of livestock getting over the fence into his yard and had threatened to shoot any animals that entered his property, his neighbor told the deputies.BELOVED PET MAKES DARING ESCAPE FROM ANIMAL HOSPITAL AFTER SURGERY AND TRAVELS 3 MILES TO GET HOMEDetectives executed a search warrant and found a .22 caliber gun in a shed on Trinh's property."There will be accountability for taking your frustrations out on innocent animals, in this case multiple felonies and jail time," Sheriff Carmine Marceno said in a statement.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP"We know how much these animals mean to our farming community, and we will not tolerate these actions. I am proud of my Agriculture Unit for their immediate response and ability to make an arrest in this case," the sheriff continued.Trinh was booked on a $100,000 bond. His arraignment is scheduled for June 16.

A Florida man was arrested for allegedly shooting his neighbor's pregnant cow several times after it wandered onto his property, making good on his threat to shoot any animals that entered, according to deputies.Hung Trinh, 54, was charged with animal cruelty and grand theft of a commercial farm animal after he allegedly shot the two-year-old cow five times in its gut, chest and rear leg, the Lee County Sheriffs Office wrote on social media.Deputies were called to a North Fort Myers home on May 13 and found the animal alive but struggling to stand or walk. The neighbor had reported to the sheriff's office that he had discovered the calf on his neighbor's property with five gunshot wounds.FLORIDA MAN, 89, AND HIS DOG MAULED TO DEATH BY BLACK BEAR IN STATE'S FIRST FATAL ATTACKA veterinarian determined the calf needed to be euthanized due to its injuries.The neighbor raises livestock, including the calf that was shot, for commercial purposes.Trinh had been upset about past instances of livestock getting over the fence into his yard and had threatened to shoot any animals that entered his property, his neighbor told the deputies.BELOVED PET MAKES DARING ESCAPE FROM ANIMAL HOSPITAL AFTER SURGERY AND TRAVELS 3 MILES TO GET HOMEDetectives executed a search warrant and found a .22 caliber gun in a shed on Trinh's property."There will be accountability for taking your frustrations out on innocent animals, in this case multiple felonies and jail time," Sheriff Carmine Marceno said in a statement.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP"We know how much these animals mean to our farming community, and we will not tolerate these actions. I am proud of my Agriculture Unit for their immediate response and ability to make an arrest in this case," the sheriff continued.Trinh was booked on a $100,000 bond. His arraignment is scheduled for June 16.