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Judge permanently blocks part of Florida's 'Stop WOKE Act' as unconstitutional on First Amendment grounds
A federal judge on Friday permanently blocked part of Florida's "Stop Woke Act" that was pushed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and other GOP lawmakers to ban critical race theory training in the workplace and in education.
Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker granted a permanent injunction against the part of the law that prohibited race-related training in private workplaces, ruling that the 2022 law violated the First Amendment.
The "Stop Wrongs To Our Kids and Employees Act," otherwise known as the "Stop WOKE Act," sought to ban teachings or business practices that tell individuals that members of one ethnic group are inherently racist and should feel guilty of past actions committed by people of that ethnic group.
It also prohibits pushing the idea that a person was either privileged or oppressed based on their race or gender. The law further bars the notion that discrimination is acceptable to achieve diversity.
FEDERAL APPEALS COURT BLOCKS PART OF DESANTIS' 'STOP WOKE ACT' ON CONSTITUTIONAL GROUNDS
It said a mandated training program or other activity that "espouses, promotes, advances, inculcates, or compels such individual (an employee) to believe any of the following concepts constitutes discrimination based on race, color, sex, or national origin," citing eight race-related concepts.
"[This is] a powerful reminder that the First Amendment cannot be warped to serve the interests of elected officials," read a statement from counsel Shalini Goel Agarwal of Protect Democracy, which represented the plaintiffs in this case.
The portion of the law focused on education is unaffected by the ruling.
DeSantis has often referred to the law when saying that Florida was where "woke goes to die."
FEDERAL JUDGE HANDS DESANTIS ADMIN WIN OVER 'STOP WOKE ACT'
Walker previously issued a preliminary injunction in 2022 when he ruled the workplace portion of the law unconstitutional on First Amendment grounds, and the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld that ruling in March.
Separately, Walker has also issued a preliminary injunction against the part of the law that would restrict how race-related concepts can be taught in Florida's colleges and universities, according to Fox 35. An appeals court panel held a hearing in that case last month.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Sarah Bacon, Kassidy Cook earn Team USA's first medal at Paris Olympics
Americans Sarah Bacon and Kassidy Cook took home the first medal for the United States in the Paris Olympics on Saturday as they finished with a silver in the women’s synchronized 3-meter springboard event.
Bacon and Cook finished behind China’s team of Yani Chang and Yiwen Chang and ahead of Great Britain’s Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew Jensen. They had 314.64 points in the event.
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Bacon and Cook missed out on the Olympics last year. But Cook competed in the 3-meter springboard competition in the 2016 Olympics and finished in 13th.
Both divers are renowned on the world stage with multiple medals. Bacon won a gold in the 2019 World Championships in the 1-meter springboard.
LIVE UPDATES: THE PARIS OLYMPICS' FIRST MEDALS TO BE HANDED OUT AS SUMMER GAMES KICKS INTO HIGH GEAR
Chang and Chen dominated the event with 337.68 points. The two divers picked up their first Olympic medals of their careers and add more gold to their resumes. They have multiple gold medals on the world championships.
China already picked up a gold medal in shooting earlier in the day and now have two on their total.
Harper and Mew Jensen won bronze in the 2024 World Championships, finishing behind Chang and Chen and Australia’s Maddison Keeney and Anabelle Smith. The Australian team finished in fifth in the Paris Olympics behind Italy’s Elena Bertocchi and Chiara Pellacani.
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Need more water intake? These 4 foods can help you stay hydrated on hot summer days
The key to staying hydrated during the hot summer months is drinking plenty of water — but different foods can provide ample hydration, too.
Failing to eat the right foods can cause a water imbalance, particularly in high temperatures, according to registered dietitian and Trimly coach Kim Shapira in Los Angeles.
"Higher temperatures and outdoor activities can lead to water imbalance," she told Fox News Digital. "We lose water through sweat, saliva, urine and feces. The more we sweat, the more water we lose."
HEALTHY FOOD ITEMS FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY AT MAJOR THEME PARKS, ACCORDING TO NUTRITIONISTS
While drinking water is helpful, getting electrolytes and minerals from hydrating foods can help fully restore what is lost through sweat, according to registered dietitian and nutritionist Ilana Muhlstein, who is based in California.
Next time you hit the beach or are preparing for a heat wave, consider reaching for these four hydrating foods.
While drinking water is essential, it’s also important to incorporate electrolytes, which are found in watermelon, according to natural health expert Dr. Joseph Mercola, founder of Mercola.com.
Watermelon is "nearly universally loved and incredibly hydrating," said the Florida-based Mercola.
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"I typically eat 3 to 4 pounds a day," he told Fox News Digital.
"Even though cucumbers have marginally more water content at 96%, watermelon is the winner," he added. "You can eat far more watermelon than cucumbers."
Watermelon is also rich in vitamins A and C, magnesium and lycopene, according to the expert.
"Some studies suggest it may also aid in muscle recovery after exercise," he added.
THIS TRENDY SEED CAN BOOST YOUR HEALTH BIG-TIME IN 5 COOL WAYS: HERE'S HOW
Muhlstein also recommended watermelon, mentioning that the fruit contains about 92% water and is rich in electrolytes and potassium — which help replenish the body’s hydration levels.
"You can add cubes to your cold water bottle," she suggested. "It makes such a refreshing drink that’s sure to help cool you down."
Cucumbers have the "highest water content of any solid food" at 96%, Mercola noted.
They are also a good source of vitamin K and potassium, he added.
Cucumbers are great for hydration, agreed Muhlstein — as, like watermelon, they’re "mostly water."
HERE ARE THE DRINKS YOU SHOULD HAVE ON A FLIGHT TO PREVENT DEHYDRATION — AND WHAT YOU SHOULDN'T
She recommended slicing them into spears and serving them along with hummus, tzatziki or guacamole for an "awesome poolside snack."
Foods with carbohydrates could help with proper hydration, according to Shapira.
"It helps with dehydration when water is attached to sugar," she told Fox News Digital.
"It makes it accessible to enter your cells and hydrate you properly."
A variety of fruits and vegetables fall into the carbohydrate category, Shapira said, including cucumbers, bell peppers, celery, zucchini, oranges, strawberries and watermelon — which all contain around 85% to 95% water.
Starches like pasta or rice can also provide 60% to 70% water per half cup, the dietitian added.
Leafy greens like lettuce, spinach, arugula and kale are all hydration-friendly foods.
These salad greens are "packed with water, fiber, vitamin C and iron," according to Muhlstein.
Greens are also essential for energy levels and overall hydration.
"Enjoy meals like BBQ chicken salads, or add them to wraps and smoothies for a hydrating boost," Muhlstein suggested.
Some warning signs of possible dehydration include fatigue, headache, dizziness, dry tongue and, in extreme cases, nausea and vomiting, Shapira said.
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The expert encouraged people to look out for these symptoms during the sweltering summer months.
"It’s a good sign that you need more water, or foods with water in them," she said.
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When spending two hours or more in high temperatures, Shapira recommended adding electrolytes to water.
"Eating small meals frequently and drinking water throughout the day is important for staying hydrated," she said.
Mercola also recommended drinking coconut water for dehydration.
"It’s rich in electrolytes, like potassium, sodium and magnesium, which help replenish what you lose through sweat," he said.
"It’s an excellent natural alternative to commercial sports drinks for maintaining hydration and electrolyte balance."
China wins Paris Olympics' 1st gold medal; defeat South Korea in shooting competition
China’s Huang Yuting and Sheng Lihao picked up the first gold medal of the 2024 Paris Olympics on Saturday as they topped South Korea’s Keum Ji-hyeon and Park Ha-jun in the 10-meter air rifle mixed team, 16-12.
It’s China’s 68th medal in the sport of shooting and 27th gold medal. It was Huang’s first medal in the sport and Sheng’s second medal. Sheng won a silver medal in the 10-meter air rifle at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
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The Chinese pair’s win in Paris followed their gold medal victory in the World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan last year.
It’s the first Olympic medals for the South Korean pair. Keum won a gold medal in the women’s 10-meter air rifle at the World Cup earlier this year.
Kazakhstan’s Alexandra Le and Islam Satpayev were awarded the first medals of the Paris Olympics on Saturday as they defeated Germany’s Anna Janssen and Maximilian Ulbrich for bronze.
The Kazakhstan team won the match 17-5. Le and Satpayey topped Great Britain’s Seonaid McIntosh and Michael Bargeron on Thursday.
LIVE UPDATES: THE PARIS OLYMPICS' FIRST MEDALS TO BE HANDED OUT AS SUMMER GAMES KICKS INTO HIGH GEAR
Kazakhstan took home eight medals, all bronze, at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. The team had 17 total medals, including 10 bronze, five silver and two gold, at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.
The Kazakhstan team only had three medals in the sport going into bronze medal match. The team won two silver and a bronze and now have more bronze to add to their total.
Sergey Belyayev had two silver medals in the men’s 50-meter rifle prone and the men’s 50-meter prone meter rifle three positions in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Vladimir Vokhmyanin won the men’s 25-meter rapid fire pistol.
China’s Yang Qian and Yang Haoran won gold over the United States’ Mary Tucker and Lucas Kozeniesky. The Russian Olympic Committee’s Yulia Karimova and Sergey Kamenskiy topped South Korea’s Kwon Eun-ji and Nam Tae-yun for the bronze medal.
These were the first medals handed out in the Olympics.
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Trump knocks Harris as a 'bum,' scorns her handling of southern border: 'A failed vice president'
Former President Donald Trump criticized Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday as a "bum" responsible for the influx of migrants flowing across the U.S.-Mexico border during her tenure in the Biden administration.
Trump made the comments about Harris at the Turning Point USA Believers Summit in West Palm Beach, Florida. This comes after Harris secured enough delegates for the Democratic Party's top nomination after President Joe Biden dropped his re-election effort, although the party's candidate will not formally be nominated until next month's convention.
"Three weeks ago, she was a bum, a failed vice president and a failed administration with millions of people crossing. And she was the border czar, now they're trying to say she never was," Trump said, referring to recent claims by some media outlets that Harris was never the border czar, although several of the same outlets previously described her as such.
"They're deleting it all over the place," he added. "They want to take it [down] because we have the worst border in history. And three and a half years ago, we had the best border that we've ever had."
President Biden tapped Harris in 2021 to address the root causes of mass migration from Central and South America.
Biden said in March 2021 that Harris was leading the effort to coordinate with Mexico and other Northern Triangle nations — Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador — to address issues such as the surge of migrants at the southern border.
Earlier this week, the House passed a resolution condemning Harris as the border czar over her handling of the mass migration crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border. The resolution passed by a 220-196 vote, with at least six Democrats joining Republicans to condemn Harris.
During his remarks on Friday, Trump botched Harris' name. He appeared to struggle to pronounce "Harris" and said there are multiple ways to pronounce her first name.
"By the way, there are numerous ways of saying her name … It doesn't matter what I say. I couldn't care less if I mispronounce it or not. I couldn't care less," he said. "Some people think I mispronounce it on purpose, but actually I've heard it said about seven different ways. There are a lot of ways."
TOP DEMOCRATIC SUPER PAC LAUNCHES MASSIVE $50M AD SPEND FOR HARRIS LEADING UP TO DNC
Additionally, Trump said Harris must be defeated in a "land slade," a mispronunciation of "landslide."
The former president also again purported that Democrats are trying to steal elections and claimed to the Christians in the crowd that Americans will not have to vote at the end of his presidency because "it'll be fixed" by then, a comment Democrats are criticizing as fascist and an attempt to refuse to leave office.
"If you want to save America, get your friends, get your family, get everyone you know and vote," Trump said. "Vote early. Vote absentee. Vote on Election Day. I don't care how, but you have to get out and vote. And again, Christians get out and vote just this time."
Trump also highlighted that he appointed three Supreme Court justices — Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett — and that he "will once again appoint rock solid conservative judges who will protect religious liberty and not let Marxist lunatics rewrite our constitution."
The Harris campaign criticized Trump's speech as "bitter" and "bizarre."
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"Tonight, Donald Trump couldn't pronounce words, insulted the faith of Jewish and Catholic Americans, lied about the election (again), lied about other stuff, bragged about repealing Roe, proposed cutting billions in education funding, announced he would appoint more extremist judges, revealed he planned to fill a second Trump term with more criminals like himself, attacked lawful voting, went on and on and on, and generally sounded like someone you wouldn’t want to sit near at a restaurant – let alone be President of the United States," Harris campaign spokesperson James Singer said in a statement.
"America can do better than the bitter, bizarre, and backward looking delusions of criminal Donald Trump," Singer continued. "Vice President Kamala Harris offers a vision for America's future focused on freedom, opportunity, and security."
Liberal outlets, Democrats run defense for VP Harris as she continues to solidify nomination support
Media outlets, Democratic lawmakers and White House officials defended Vice President Harris this week over her work on the border crisis, her previous support for the controversial Minnesota Freedom Fund and her title as the "most liberal" U.S. senator by a government accountability site.
Controversy surfaced this week over whether Harris acted as the "border czar" earlier in the Biden administration despite her statements that she would take the lead on the border and immigration early in the Biden administration.
Harris announced in 2021 that she would be taking the lead on diplomatic negotiations with El Salvador, Guatemala and other countries that send migrants to the U.S.
WHITE HOUSE COMMS SHOP'S CREDIBILITY QUESTIONED AFTER BIDEN BOWS OUT: 'SCANDAL'
"Border czar" is an informal title widely granted to Harris in 2021 when President Biden appointed her to handle the "root causes" of illegal immigration.
But White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and other members of the president's staff have repeatedly rejected the claim that Harris was ever asked to lead on the border crisis. The media got in on the action in a big way this week, with a flood of reports going out of their way to separate Harris from the border crisis.
"We are going to debunk the false characterization of the vice president. She was not a border czar. And it's not just us. Independent fact-checkers have said the same thing — that that did not exist, and that is not true," Jean-Pierre said.
Axios was grilled Wednesday over a piece insisting Harris wasn’t the "border czar" in a story that seemed to contradict its previous reporting. The outlet later updated the story by admitting it had "incorrectly" called her a "border czar" in the past.
Numerous other outlets also reported it was incorrect to call Harris the "border czar," including fact-checker PolitiFact. Fox News Digital asked several news organizations, including CNN, MSNBC, CBS, The New York Times and Axios, about their vocal rejection of the "border czar" label in recent days, pressing why all of a sudden they were doing so and whether the Harris campaign pressured them into resisting the label. Most did not respond.
PolitiFact and USA Today both responded to Fox News Digital's requests and said there was no pressure from the Harris campaign and they were independent news organizations.
A viral video from NewsBusters showed news organizations going back and forth on using the term before and after Harris' 2024 presidential candidacy.
HARRIS EDGES CLOSER TO TRUMP IN NEW POLL CONDUCTED AFTER BIDEN'S WITHDRAWAL
TRUMP QUICKLY MOVES TO DEFINE HARRIS AS 'MORE LEFT THAN BERNIE SANDERS'
Journalists also pushed back on Harris' support for the Minnesota Freedom Fund in June 2020 amid Black Lives Matter riots following the death of George Floyd.
During her 2020 campaign for president, Harris posted on X, then Twitter, in support of the fund that helped convicted criminals get out of prison: "If you're able to, chip in now to the @MNFreedomFund to help post bail for those protesting on the ground in Minnesota."
CBS News attempted to refute the story in an article from Thursday, headlined, "Despite Trump claim and 2020 tweet showing support, Harris never donated to Minnesota Freedom Fund."
"One of the dangerous criminals Kamala helped bail out of jail was Shawn Michael Tillman," Trump at a North Carolina rally, per CBS. "You know that name. A repeat offender who, with Harris's help, was set free. He then went on to murder a man on a train platform in St. Paul, Minnesota, shooting him in cold blood six times, lying on the ground."
"While parts of Trump's statement are true — Shawn Michael Tillman did murder a man in St. Paul after being released from jail — other parts of the former president's statement are misleading," CBS reported.
A local CBS affiliate in Minnesota was also hit with a Commnunity Note on X after claiming Trump "falsely" accused Harris of supporting the bail fund. Harris, according to the organization, did not send any donations herself, but her post urging donations remains live from 2020.
GovTrack, an organization that tracks congressional voting records, confirmed to Fox News Digital it had removed a 2019 web page that ranked Kamala Harris as that year's "most liberal" U.S. senator sometime within the last two weeks.
The self-described "government transparency website" scored Harris as the "most liberal compared to all senators" in 2019, outranking Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren at the time. But the web page with the ranking, which was widely covered in news reports during the 2020 election, was recently deactivated.
In response to that report, a New York Intelligencer columnist advised Harris on how she could best "fight the ‘too liberal’ label."
Some media hosts are pitching Harris as a moderate candidate ahead of November.
"The View" host Alyssa Farah Griffin said Friday that Harris ran as a liberal in 2020 but now has a "centrist" message.
The White House has not yet responded to a request for comment.
Fox News' Anders Hagstrom, Chris Pandolfo, Hugh Hewitt, Kyle Morris and Yael Halon contributed to this report.
Trump assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, has chilling ties to George Washington, first president
An important figure in American history once narrowly escaped with his life after an assassination attempt in western Pennsylvania – but it wasn't former President Donald J. Trump.
George Washington, just 21 years old when it happened, was a major in the British Army.
The year was 1753.
TRUMP FLAG PHOTO JOINS PANTHEON OF IMAGES THAT CAPTURE AMERICAN RESOLVE, ERASE POLITICAL DIVIDES
The United States did not yet exist — and young Washington was traveling from Virginia to western Pennsylvania.
His goal? Preventing war.
Washington "was on his way to go up to Fort Le Boeuf, which would be close to Erie," Jack Cohen, president of Butler County Tourism and board member of the 1753 George Washington Trail, told Fox News Digital in a phone interview this week.
There, he would meet with French troops "to see if he could stop the French and Indian War," Cohen said.
Washington had been tasked with delivering a letter from Virginia Gov. Robert Dinwiddie, requesting that the French leave the area.
But the French balked at the thought of leaving the area — and a full-blown war would begin about six months after Washington visited Fort Le Boeuf.
Yet even before that, on Dec. 27, 1753, Washington and his guide, a surveyor named Christopher Gist, were following the Venango Indian Trail on their way back to Virginia when they stopped for the night at Connoquenessing Creek in Pennsylvania, Cohen relayed.
There, the two befriended an "Indian guide" who said he would help them through the wilderness, he said.
As it turns out, the "Indian guide" was allied with the French troops — and was not pleased to see Washington.
The man "loaded his musket and shot at Washington and just missed him," Cohen said of the chilling murder attempt.
TRUMP SHOOTING: 'GOD'S HAND OF PROTECTION WAS ON HIM,' SAYS REV FRANKLIN GRAHAM, OTHERS
"They were going to chase him down and Gist said, 'Let him go.' And so they let him go, and they went on their way the next morning."
Nearly 300 years after the brazen attempt on Washington's life, the event is chronicled by two markers in what is now Evans City, Pennsylvania – which is close to the Butler Farm Show location where Trump almost lost his life recently.
Washington's would-be assassin, the markers note, was "less than 15 paces from him" when the gunman fired the shot.
Today, Cohen and the other board members are trying to get Washington's historic route recognized by the National Parks Service as a National Historic Trail.
"It should be a national trail knowing that George Washington could have been killed here," he told Fox News Digital.
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"That happened right here in Butler County."
On July 13, 2024 — more than 270 years after Washington escaped an assassination attempt, just six miles away from his campsite in Butler County — former President Trump, too, was spared death as a bullet grazed his right ear.
The similarities between the two events were not lost on Cohen.
The attempt on Washington's life was "pretty much like what we just had," he told Fox News Digital, referring to what happened to Trump.
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"Isn't that crazy?" said Cohen.
Meghan Markle steps up Hollywood networking with Kimberly Williams-Paisley lunch, reported Hamptons trip
Meghan Markle was spotted out with a Hollywood gal pal.
Markle and Kimberly Williams-Paisley had lunch together on Sunday at Tre Lune in Montecito, California.
"They had a lovely experience, chatting and laughing together," a source told People magazine. "The pair was low-key and was left unbothered by the other guests."
While it's unclear when Markle and Williams-Paisley first met, the two have a lot in common.
Both graduated from Northwestern University, with Williams-Paisley earning her degree in 1993 and Markle in 2003. The two are also familiar with the Hollywood scene with their acting careers.
Williams-Paisley landed her breakout role in "Father of the Bride" in 1991. The actress is also known for roles in "We Are Marshall" and on TV's "According to Jim."
Markle famously was a briefcase girl during season two of "Deal or No Deal." She went on to star on "Suits" and is also known for her smaller roles in the films "Horrible Bosses," along with "Remember Me."
These two ladies also have husbands who are famous in their own right.
Williams-Paisley married country music superstar Brad Paisley in 2003. They have two sons: William and Jasper. Markle married Prince Harry in 2018. They also have two children: Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
Markle and Prince Harry have been putting down roots in the U.S. after leaving behind royal life in 2020. Markle hasn't returned to the U.K. since Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in September 2022. She attended the funeral with Prince Harry, but left their children in the U.S.
Many have speculated that Harry and Meghan might make a return to the U.K. together, but according to reports, that's not happening any time soon.
Meanwhile, Markle jet-setted to the Hamptons on Friday to join a group of high-powered women at a summit to reportedly learn tips for her new lifestyle business, American Riviera Orchard, according to Page Six. Gwyneth Paltrow and Reese Witherspoon were among the star-studded names believed to be at the event, the outlet reported.
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Harry has returned to the U.K. for a number of events while Markle stayed behind. He attended King Charles III's coronation, and also saw his father after the king was diagnosed with cancer.
Prince Harry's trip to England following the cancer diagnosis was short, a royal expert told Fox News Digital at the time.
"He was there for 24 hours, he saw his father for 45 minutes, he flew — and announced to the press — after the king’s statement was released, even though we later heard that he was told beforehand, and he didn’t see his sister-in-law or nieces and nephews even though they are also dealing with a traumatic health recovery," Shannon Felton Spence explained. "It’s hard to view it as anything other than an image saver for Harry. And that pains me, because I was really hoping this was the news he needed to wake him up and fix it."
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Although things haven't been the best between Prince Harry and his family, the Duke of Sussex is reportedly set to receive an inheritance left behind by his great-grandmother on his 40th birthday, Sept. 15. The Queen Mother was 101 when she died and allegedly dumped two-thirds of her estimated $120 million fortune into a trust at the time.
The Duke of Sussex will receive $8.5 million for his share, according to the U.K.'s Mirror. The total is reportedly more than the portion Prince William received on his own 40th birthday.
"It seems Prince Harry has drawn the lucky straw when it comes to the trust," British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital. "The difference in the allocation of monies is attributed to what is thought to be Prince William and Prince Harry’s future financial prospects."
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for comment.
Border czar Kamala Harris visits Houston weeks after Jocelyn Nungaray allegedly murdered by illegal immigrants
"Border czar" Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to Houston, Texas, choosing to attend a dinner for a convention for teachers rather than visit the grieving parents of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray, who was raped and murdered, allegedly by two migrants.
Nungaray was found strangled to death June 17. Authorities identified the suspects as two Venezuelan nationals — Johan Jose Martinez-Rangel, 21, and Franklin Jose Peña Ramos, 26.
Authorities previously confirmed the pair illegally entered the U.S. earlier this year.
Harris' visit to Houston came as the vice president began a whirlwind campaign tour after President Biden announced he would not seek re-election.
DEM WHO CRITICIZED VP HARRIS' HANDLING OF SOUTHERN BORDER ENDORSES HER FOR PRESIDENT
Harris began her trip by greeting local leaders to be briefed on the region’s recovery efforts from Hurricane Beryl and then attended the American Federation of Teachers' (AFT) annual convention.
"And I thank you also for your support over the years and for being the first union to endorse me this week," Harris said.
TRUMP EYES MULTIPLE BORDER VISITS AS HE DRAWS CONTRAST WITH 'RADICAL LEFT' HARRIS
Harris' address highlighted her campaign hot-button topics, which included key parts of the Democratic Party platform, such as eliminating voter ID to expand mail-in voting, banning assault rifles, protecting LGBTQ+ rights and restoring national access to abortion.
"In this moment across our nation, we witness a full-on attack on hard-won, hard-fought freedoms," said Harris.
"In this moment, we are in a fight for our most fundamental freedoms. And to this room of leaders, I say bring it on. Bring it on. Bring it on."
Harris' visit notably did not include a visit to Nungaray's grieving parents who, since her death, have pleaded for a "safer country" and called for heightened border security to prevent other families from suffering the same fate.
"We have to stop burying our kids," Jocelyn's mother, Alexis Nungaray, said tearfully on "Hannity." "This isn’t right. We have to have more reinforcement when it comes to letting people in. This is not OK."
Jocelyn's grandfather, Kelvin Alvarenga, turned his attention directly to lawmakers.
"I would like the people that can make changes to our laws to just sit back and reflect," Alvarenga said. "I don’t know if we can transmit the pain that we’re having through cameras, but please sit back and reflect and think of all these little angels that shouldn’t have been taken away, and they have for the reason that we’re not doing what we need to, screening these people."
"Screening these people" fell under Harris' charge as "border czar" for the Biden administration.
"Border czar" is an informal title widely granted to Harris in 2021 when Biden appointed her to handle the "root causes" of illegal immigration.
In July 2021, she introduced a five-point general strategy to combat those "root causes" of illegal immigration. The plan did not include specific policies, but instead called for "diplomacy, foreign assistance, public diplomacy and sanctions" to "establish a fair, orderly and humane immigration system."
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The document emphasized the "push" factors of migration, including natural disasters in Central America, poverty, hunger, and gang violence, each of which contributes to people leaving their homes in search of a better life in America.
"In Central America, the root causes of migration run deep — and migration from the region has a direct impact on the United States," Harris said at the time. "For that reason, our nation must consistently engage with the region to address the hardships that cause people to leave Central America and come to our border."
WATCH:
The Biden administration has pushed back against categorizing Harris as the "border czar," saying the vice president was never formally given that title.
"[Border apprehensions] are down by 55%. Not because of Republicans and what they did. It's because of what this president and this vice president did," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told Fox News' Peter Doocy when pressed on Harris' title.
"We are going to debunk the false characterization of the vice president. She was not a border czar. And it's not just us. Independent fact-checkers have said the same thing — that that did not exist, and that is not true."
Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott torched Harris' visit to Houston, saying she "couldn't trouble herself" to visit the southern border.
"Kamala Harris flew to Houston for a political rally, but couldn't trouble herself to go a few hundred miles more & see the damage she caused to our border," Abbott wrote in a post on X.
"She refused to mention Jocelyn Nungaray who was recently killed by illegal immigrants in Houston."
Nungaray is among victims killed in migrant-related crime during the Biden administration.
HARRIS' BACKING OF BAIL FUND DURING GEORGE FLOYD PROTESTS DAMPENS TRUMP ‘PROSECUTOR’ CAMPAIGN PITCH
In July, Jhon Moises Chacaguasay-Ilbis, a 21-year-old illegal immigrant from Ecuador, allegedly murdered Joselyn Jhoana Toaquiza at an Airbnb property in Syracuse, New York.
The gruesome crime was reportedly carried out on the victim's 21st birthday.
In February, 22-year-old Laken Riley was murdered when taking a run along dirt trails on the University of Georgia campus in Athens.
Jose Antonio Ibarra, a 26-year-old illegal migrant from Venezuela, is facing 10 counts following the death of Riley. The 26-year-old recently pleaded not guilty in the death of a college student.
In August 2023, Maryland mother Rachel Morin was allegedly sexually assaulted and murdered by Victor Antonio Martinez Hernandez, a 23-year-old illegal El Salvadorian migrant.
TAKE IT FROM ME, REPUBLICANS: KAMALA HARRIS IS A STRONG CANDIDATE: DONT UNDERESTIMATE HER
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed to Fox News Digital that Hernandez had attempted to enter the country illegally four times after being accused of a similar murder in his native El Salvador.
The ongoing border crisis is a top issue for voters ahead of the November election. The Biden administration has pushed back against Republican criticism, saying there has been a 50% drop in illegal immigrant crossings since Biden announced an executive order in June limiting crossings into the U.S.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Harris campaign and the White House for comment.
Fox News Digital's Adam Shaw, Anders Hagstrom and Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.
Newsom urges Oakland officials to tighten 'extreme' policy that restricts police chases
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, called on Oakland officials Friday to amend an "extreme" policy that generally only allows police to chase suspected criminals in cases of "violent forcible crimes."
The governor sent a letter to Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, the Oakland City Council and the Oakland Police Commission urging them to reconsider the Oakland Police Department (OPD) policy that limits officers' ability to pursue suspects.
"Although some California jurisdictions allow vehicle pursuits for only certain crimes (e.g., felonies), Oakland is an outlier by imposing exceptional restrictions on OPD's ability to police criminal activity, generally permitting pursuits only for 'violent forcible crimes,' as defined in OPD's policy, and crimes involving firearms," Newsom wrote.
The letter said that, unlike most other jurisdictions in the state, local police in Oakland are prohibited from pursuing people suspected of committing various felonies and any misdemeanor, including those that are violent, as well as other offenses that endanger public safety, such as reckless driving, sideshow activity and driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
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"I am mindful of the sensitivities around vehicle pursuits, which can be dangerous to police, suspects, and innocent bystanders," the governor wrote. "California's Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training recognizes and addresses this in its standard-setting guidance. But there is also extreme danger to the public in allowing criminals to act with impunity, and the reckless driving associated with sideshows and other criminal acts is a significant threat to public safety — as witnessed regularly by the public in viral videos and news coverage."
This comes after Newsom's recent move to increase California Highway Patrol (CHP) in Oakland to conduct surge operations targeting organized crime, sideshows, carjackings and other criminal activity.
Newsom said the move quickly produced several arrests of suspects accused of committing these crimes. Two days after the governor's announcement, the CHP used ground and airborne assets to conduct a surge operation targeting sideshows. Several vehicle pursuits through that operation led to five felony arrests, eight DUIs, the recovery of eight stolen vehicles and the seizure of two guns.
"In the course of the CHP’s operations, however, they have observed, based on their professional law enforcement experience and expertise, certain dynamics that are contributing to Oakland's public safety challenges," Newsom wrote in the letter. "In particular, the CHP has brought to my attention that they observed criminals often fleeing with impunity because it’s common knowledge that the Oakland Police Department’s ('OPD') pursuit policy allows vehicle pursuits in only very limited circumstances."
Newsom said CHP observed suspects attempting to avoid arrest by using the same routes, meaning that the suspects knew where OPD would stop chasing them. But, the governor said, the suspects were unable to avoid the six pursuits initiated by CHP, which had a number of resources available to them, including air support.
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"Any policy on vehicle pursuits must be clear-eyed in balancing the risks and benefits involved," Newsom's letter read. "Because of Oakland's public safety challenges and the degree to which OPD's pursuit policy is an outlier among California law enforcement agencies, I support the recent action by the City Council to direct a review of this policy.
"I urge you to reconsider whether OPD should be permitted to pursue suspects in more circumstances to improve public safety in your city and to establish a process to evaluate whether OPD is making full use of its authority, including that granted under the existing pursuit policy, to protect public safety and enforce the law," he continued.
Newsom concluded his letter by saying he is committed to improving public safety in Oakland and across California. He said there have been some recent improvements in public safety, but that officials "owe it to our communities to continue to search for solutions."