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As President Donald Trump moves to remove large numbers of migrants — including hundreds of thousands with criminal records — national crime figures are falling rapidly, yet several major media outlets say there is no clear connection between the two trends.

On Wednesday morning, Axios posted on social media, “Crime plunges in major cities despite Trump’s crackdown rhetoric,” alongside a report questioning the cause of the decline.

“The bottom line: Experts aren’t sure why violent crime continues to fall,” the article stated.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt pushed back forcefully, accusing the outlet of ignoring what she described as an obvious explanation.

“This ridiculous framing is why Americans don’t trust the media,” she said, adding:

President Trump securing the border, mobilizing federal law enforcement to arrest violent criminals, and deporting the worst of the worst illegal aliens is EXACTLY what’s driving the massive drop in crime.

Political commentator Scott Jennings also mocked the Axios framing, writing, “Funny way of saying: ‘Crime went down under Trump.’”

Axios later deleted its original social media post and replaced it with a revised version that read, “Violent crime dropped sharply across America’s biggest cities in 2025, according to new data reviewed by Axios.”

Trump administration officials have been outspoken in tying stricter immigration enforcement to improved public safety. Border chief Kristi Noem, speaking on The Bongino Show, credited the president’s policies for historic declines in violent crime.

Under the leadership of @POTUS Trump, the murder rate has plunged to a 125-year low — with especially steep drops in cities where the @dhsgov law enforcement undertook targeted immigration enforcement and crime prevention operations. Our nation has also experienced a steep decline in fentanyl deaths, which have dropped over 30 percent … We are not going back to how things used to be!

Earlier this year, on January 14, the White House released a statement titled “Mass Deportations Are Improving Americans’ Quality of Life.” The document argued that removing illegal migrants has contributed not only to lower crime rates but also to reduced housing costs and stronger wages and employment figures.

Despite those claims, several mainstream outlets have continued to question whether immigration enforcement is responsible for the drop in violent crime. At the same time, Republican candidates have highlighted enforcement data compiled under Noem to showcase arrests and deportations within their own districts.

The scope of the administration’s efforts was detailed in an internal Department of Homeland Security document leaked to CBS earlier this week. The document indicated that Immigration and Customs Enforcement made roughly 400,000 arrests of migrants — both criminal and non-criminal — during Trump’s first year back in office.

… 14% of nearly 400,000 immigrants arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in President Trump’s first year back in the White House had charges or convictions for violent criminal offenses, according to an internal Department of Homeland Security document obtained by CBS News

…

The document lists 2,100 arrests of those with homicide charges or convictions; 2,700 arrests of those with robbery offenses; and 5,400 arrests involving individuals charged with or convicted of sexual assault. Another 43,000 arrestees are listed as having assault charges or convictions. About 1,100 had kidnapping charges or convictions and 350 had arson offenses listed.

Meanwhile, the Axios report accompanying the earlier tweet appeared to minimize any clear link between deportations and declining crime figures.

“The bottom line: Experts aren’t sure why violent crime continues to fall,” wrote the Axios reporter, who has publicly advocated for expanded migration.

The article itself cited new national data:

The big picture: The report from the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA) shows declines across every major violent-crime category in 2025 compared to 2024. It features data from 67 of the nation’s biggest police departments, and confirms other studies on last year’s declines.

• Cities report that homicides overall fell 19%.

• Robberies dropped about 20%.

• Aggravated assaults were down nearly 10%.

In a December 2024 article, the same reporter, Russell Contreras, had written: “Immigrants arrested for homicides accounted for less than 1% of ‘at-large’ arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement over the last six years, an Axios review found.”

Administration officials have also argued that deportations provide economic benefits beyond public safety. They contend that stricter immigration enforcement reduces certain consumer costs, including automobile expenses. During Joe Biden’s presidency, officials say, increased migration contributed to higher used-car prices and insurance premiums, driven in part by auto accidents, thefts, and parts-related crimes.

{Matzav.com}

A chilling message scrawled across a wall at the University of Melbourne has highlighted concerns about rising antisemitism as Israeli President Isaac Herzog concluded a tense visit to Australia. “Death to Herzog,” along with pro-Israel and pro-Australia slogans and a symbol linked to Hamas propaganda, was spray-painted Thursday morning on the university’s Parkville campus. The […]

After nearly nine decades of tracking presidential popularity — a run that began in the era of Franklin D. Roosevelt — Gallup is stepping away from one of its most recognizable political measurements. The polling giant announced this week that it will no longer regularly publish approval and favorability ratings for individual political figures, marking […]

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) said Wednesday that he would back another round of U.S. military action against Iran, similar to Operation Midnight Hammer, if circumstances require it, declaring he would be “the one Democrat” willing to openly endorse such a move.

Speaking on Newsmax TV’s “The Record,” Fetterman made clear he supported the prior operation and would not hesitate to do so again under similar conditions.

“I absolutely was fully supportive and was cheering for that Midnight Hammer. And, now, if that’s required for a second round, I’ll be the one Democrat to absolutely say that’s entirely appropriate.”

Fetterman also expressed skepticism about Iran’s reliability in past diplomatic agreements, arguing that prior efforts failed to curb its nuclear ambitions. He pointed to enrichment levels reached under an earlier deal as a reason for concern.

“I don’t believe — you can’t really trust. The last time there was a treaty with Iran, they ended up with 900 pounds of just a step below…nuclear weapon-grade enrichment. So, that’s why — we demonstrated last year that we can hit them, we know where they are, and we have the capabilities to reach them. And now here we are again, and that’s why the prime minister’s here, because I think we’re all in lockstep to stand with Israel as our special ally, and that’s why I’m proud to stand with the prime minister and now with the president, too.”

The Pennsylvania senator further indicated that he would oppose any renewed effort in Congress to limit presidential war powers related to Iran, as he had previously.

“If they do bring up another Iranian war powers bill, I will vote no just like I did the first time they brought that up.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Thursday that President Donald Trump believes Iran may be pushed into accepting what he called “a good deal,” following the two leaders’ latest White House meeting. “I have just concluded a short but important visit to Washington, during which I spoke with our great friend, President Trump,” Netanyahu said. […]

Gov. Tim Walz: You won’t hear me express any gratitude for the people who caused this unnecessary unwarranted and in many cases unconstitutional assault on our state. In America, you cannot expect that the people are going to be okay with masked people running you off the road.

The Syrian Defense Ministry says its forces have completed the takeover of the Al-Tanf base in southern Syria in coordination with U.S. troops following their withdrawal, and have begun deploying along the borders with Jordan and Iraq.

Nurses at NewYork-Presbyterian overwhelmingly rejected the latest contract proposal, ensuring that roughly 4,200 nurses remain on strike as hospital officials weigh their next steps.

The individual believed to have abducted Nancy Guthrie made a string of clumsy mistakes that defy logic, according to a retired senior FBI official, who said the suspect’s actions suggest he was unlikely to be “a trained assassin.”

James Gagliano, a former supervisory special agent with the FBI, pointed to surveillance footage showing the suspect outside the Tucson home of Savannah Guthrie’s mother. He said the way the man handled and carried his holstered firearm stood out immediately — and not in a way that reflected experience.

“It does not look like a trained assassin or somebody who’s been doing this a long time,” he told “Fox & Friends” early Thursday.

Gagliano emphasized that the manner in which the weapon was positioned appeared unusual and inconsistent with professional training.

“I look at the gun, I’ve never ever seen somebody carry a weapon that way. I carried a weapon in the service of my country for 33 years. I have never seen somebody carry it that way,” the ex-FBI official continued.

Based on what he observed, Gagliano said the suspect’s equipment setup appeared poorly planned.

“This looks like it was thrown together either last minute or the person got a holster from one person and the weapon from somebody else.”

He also questioned why the suspect approached the front entrance of the residence, where he was captured on the homeowner’s doorbell camera, rather than using a less visible access point.

“There are multiple points of entry that you could get into very easily,” he said of the “Today” show host’s mom’s home in Tucson.

Gagliano described a rear entrance that, in his view, would have been far simpler to exploit without attracting attention.

“In the back of the house, there is a door that’s got like nine panel window panes in it, and you could have easily broken one panel, reached in your hand, unlocked the door and gone in with nobody noticing.

“So why did this suspect [go] to the front?” he asked.

“It really boggles the mind.”

Another potential break in the case emerged Wednesday, when The NY Post photographed authorities recovering a black glove in the desert area near Guthrie’s quiet neighborhood on the outskirts of Tucson. Gagliano said that item could prove decisive if it links back to the suspect.

“If the gloves come back to this person, if there’s DNA on it and they ultimately be the item that undoes him … who commits a crime, a violent crime, abducts somebody and then drops off clues 1.3 miles from the house?” he said.

He noted that the glove appears similar to the pair worn by the armed figure seen in video footage, and suggested it could provide critical forensic evidence as investigators race to locate the missing woman, who requires medication to survive.

“And why is that? Well, the DNA aspect. So you can pull off the trace fingerprints, hair, and fiber, any type of body fluids on it,” he said.

On Wednesday afternoon, The NY Post observed at least one member of the FBI’s Evidence Response team retrieving the glove from brush in the desert landscape near the Guthrie home.

Authorities declined to provide details when questioned about the possible evidentiary significance of the recovered item.

{Matzav.com}

Prime Minister Netanyahu before boarding the plane in Washington on his return to Israel: “I have just finished a short but important visit to Washington, during which I spoke with our great friend, President Trump. There is a close, genuine, and open connection between us. The talks addressed several matters, but focused primarily on the […]

NYC Mayor Zohran Mandani sparked controversy after quoting religious texts to defend sanctuary policies. The PBD panel debated his policies on immigration and crime in New York City. From rising crime stats to trash-filled streets and policing clashes, the discussion turns fiery and unapologetic.

WATCH:

Frightening moment a massive sinkhole suddenly opened in Shanghai, China, swallowing a large stretch of roadway.

Sec. Rollins on the next phases of the MAHA agenda: “We are completely recalibrating the way we do food stamps to ensure we’re getting that healthy food out, but also school lunches — school lunches are next. A lot of our schools don’t even have an oven anymore.”

TRUMP: Relations between Venezuela and the United States have been, to put it mildly, extraordinary! We are dealing very well with President Delcy Rodriguez, and her representatives. Oil is starting to flow, and large amounts of money, unseen, for many years, will soon be greatly helping the people of Venezuela.

U.S. Smuggled Starlink Terminals Into Iran — WSJ •⁠ ⁠The U.S. covertly moved thousands of Starlink terminals into Iran following Tehran’s crackdown and internet shutdowns. •⁠ ⁠Roughly 6,000 satellite-internet kits were reportedly smuggled into the country — the first direct Starlink deployment of its kind. •⁠ ⁠The State Department purchased nearly 7,000 terminals, with most […]

WH Deputy Press Secretary Kush Desai: “Yesterday’s blockbuster, expectation-smashing jobs report reinforces what we have been saying all along. President Trump’s economic agenda has a proven track record that unleashed historic job, wage, and economic growth during his first term, and we’re seeing that same story unfold now during his second term.”

The wife of Reb Avraham Ben Dayan, the young avreich who was arrested eight months after his wedding, returned from a prison visit deeply shaken and is leveling serious accusations against military authorities. Speaking to Kikar HaShabbat, she said that her husband has faced mistreatment during his detention, including restrictions on religious observance and inadequate access to kosher food.

Reb Ben Dayan, a graduate of Yeshivas Maor HaTalmud who married approximately eight months ago, was arrested on Motzaei Shabbos and remains incarcerated in Military Prison 10. His family accuses the military of severe harassment and says he has been sentenced to ten days in detention beginning last Motzoei Shabbos.

As previously reported, Ben Dayan had spent Shabbos in Ofakim and was stopped by a traffic officer in the community of Tifrach on suspicion of a traffic violation. During the stop, the officer discovered that he had been classified as a draft “deserter” due to his failure to report to the enlistment office. He was transferred to a local police station and subsequently handed over to military police authorities.

In a phone call with family members shortly before sunset on the day of his arrest, Ben Dayan reportedly said that he had requested several times to put on tefillin but that his requests were denied. His family expressed shock at what they described as the denial of a basic religious mitzvah in the State of Israel and voiced serious concerns about kashrus standards and his ability to maintain a religious lifestyle while in custody.

According to the family, contact with Ben Dayan ceased about twenty minutes before sunset, leaving uncertainty as to whether he was ultimately able to put on tefillin in those final moments.

Responding to the military’s clarification regarding the tefillin incident, Ben Dayan’s wife said, “The IDF spokesperson is lying and trying to claim that the detainee did not request to put on tefillin until two in the morning. It is important for us to say that this is false and untrue, and they did not allow him to put on tefillin until the very last moment.”

She also alleged deficiencies in the food provided to him. “Until yesterday, they did not bring him mehadrin kosher food as is customary. Only yesterday, for the first time, did he eat normal and kosher food. Until now, he mainly lived on fruits and vegetables. This abuse is incomprehensible.”

According to her, he has also been restricted from studying Torah. “He does not have the ability to go and learn in the shul. Avraham, who is a precious avreich, wanted to use the time to sit and learn, but the military authorities, in inexplicable cruelty, are not allowing it. They do not allow him to go to the shul except during davening times.”

She further claimed that authorities are seeking to humiliate him. “They want to degrade him. When they transferred him from the Bahadim base to Prison 10 to meet with me, they decided to shackle him in both hands and feet. It is unclear what they wanted from him and why they needed to humiliate him to that extent. Why are they not placing him with other chareidim? He has no chareidi environment at all. It is absurd that the prison rabbi came to ask him questions from Chumash to determine whether he is chareidi or not.”

Regarding his communication rights, she added, “On the advice of his commander — they did not even assign him a proper commander — he signed a prisoner’s rights form, and they were obligated to give him a phone call on Motzaei Shabbos. From Motzaei Shabbos at eight o’clock until the next day, he was not given the right to speak with his wife. The chaos and search efforts happened only because they did not grant him the legal right to call me.”

In response to the tefillin claims, the IDF spokesperson said, “The detainee was arrested on Motzaei Shabbos by the Israel Police and transferred to the Military Police. He remained in custody overnight until late morning. During his detention, he prayed, and upon arriving in the afternoon at the military prison, he requested to put on tefillin and was told he would be given the opportunity upon arrival at his detention unit. However, due to an unexpected delay in his processing and according to a report received afterward, he ultimately did not manage to put on tefillin.”

The statement continued: “It should be clarified that this is an extremely unusual case that does not align with IDF procedures. The IDF regrets the distress caused. Procedures at the prison have been sharpened for immediate implementation, and the matter will be thoroughly investigated by commanders to prevent similar cases in the future. The detainee is currently being held in a facility that contains all the necessary equipment in accordance with his lifestyle.”

Approximately two hours after publication of the initial report, the IDF spokesperson issued an additional statement: “Contrary to what has been claimed, the detainee is receiving the conditions and rights to which he is entitled, including davening times in a shul, mehadrin kosher food, and phone calls. During the intake interview, the detainee was informed that he is entitled to receive mehadrin kosher food if he requests it, but he did not request it. In the military prison, there is no gap between meat and vegetarian meals in Badatz-level kashrus.”

The statement added, “The detainee is in direct contact with the prison rabbi. The IDF detention system continuously makes adjustments in accordance with detention conditions and the number of detainees and ensures the provision of mehadrin kosher food to allow detainees to maintain their religious lifestyle.”

A military source further stated, “The detainee claims that he did not understand from whom he needed to request Badatz-level kosher food, despite being instructed by his commanders how to do so. In addition, he exercised his right to a phone call on Motzaei Shabbos and is being held in a unit designated for detainees with charges similar to those attributed to him. Every detainee has the option to request gender-specific supervision in the military prison, as was explained to him during the intake process. The detainee was shackled during transfers between detention facilities in accordance with standard procedures.”

As previously reported, Ben Dayan has received strong backing from leading gedolim, including Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch and Rav Dov Landau.

Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch personally called to be mechazeik and encourage Ben Dayan’s wife after he was handed over to military police months after his wedding. During the call, the rosh yeshiva said, “With Hashem’s help, they will do the maximum that can be done. In a few days he will be released, with Hashem’s help,” assuring her, “No more than ten days.”

Rav Dov Landau also sent a handwritten letter of support. Immediately after writing the letter, Rav Landau requested that it be delivered to the avreich without delay, and his attorney conveyed it to him shortly thereafter.

In the letter, Rav Landau wrote, “To the dear avreich, Rabbi Avraham Ben Dayan, may he live long and well, the distressing news about the shocking injustice done to you — that you were imprisoned ‘for the sin’ of Torah study — has caused me great anguish.”

He continued, “I hereby strengthen you and your family. They did not intend this action against you personally, but against all the sons of Torah, whose learning is a thorn in their eyes. It pains them to see the blessed growth of the Torah world, and you have merited to be a representative of Torah learners in order for them to strike at them through their schemes.”

He concluded, “We hope to Hashem that you will merit to be released swiftly and return to your studies, sanctify Heaven in all your ways and conduct, and sit once again in the tent of Torah as before. Seeking your peace and the peace of your Torah, Dov Landau.”

{Matzav.com}

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison criticized the recent federal immigration enforcement surge in his state, stating in his opening remarks before the Senate Homeland Security Committee that two of the three homicides recorded in Minneapolis in 2026 involved federal immigration agents.

An electric transformer exploded on a busy downtown street in Antofagasta, Chile, triggering a series of blasts from an underground cable chamber.

U.S. existing home sales dropped 4.9% in January to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.91 million, marking the biggest monthly decline since February 2022. Analysts cited harsh winter weather, elevated home prices, and mortgage rates still above 6% as key pressures, while data shows many buyers continue securing homes below asking prices.