by Staff Reporter | Mar 7, 2026 | Home Page Top Story, News
By Staff Reporter |
More is coming to light about the handling of unaccompanied alien children under President Joe Biden’s administration.
Approximately 450,000 unaccompanied alien children were smuggled into the country under the Biden administration and placed with sponsors.
On Tuesday, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee that an investigation into the Biden administration found that they paid individuals to act as sponsors for unaccompanied alien children, with the knowledge that those individuals were traffickers.
“So, under that administration, we not only had children that were in this country as a part of a [government] program, [but the] government was paying individuals that were knowingly trafficking them and abusing them. That has stopped,” said Noem.
Noem said their agency has located about 145,000 unaccompanied alien children. Last December, that number was just over 129,000.
Throughout mid-to-late 2024, the Biden administration denied claims that their administration had lost track of over 300,000 unaccompanied alien children. These claims stemmed from a DHS report issued in August 2024. Officials at the time said the lack of knowledge concerning these children’s whereabouts didn’t mean the children were missing.
Last March, the Trump administration announced the discovery of a backlog of over 65,000 reports regarding unaccompanied alien children who came into the country under the Biden administration. By July, HHS processed over 59,000 of those reports; over 4,000 investigative leads on crime emerged from these reports, including for fraud and human trafficking.
Last November, the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) issued a report on Biden administration data from 2021 and 2022 revealing Health and Human Services (HHS) lost contact and couldn’t determine the safety status of nearly half of all unaccompanied alien children transferred into sponsor custody. CIS is engaged in multiple Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuits against HHS to obtain more data on these unaccompanied alien minors under the Biden administration.
That same month, ICE launched an initiative to partner with state and local law enforcement to conduct welfare checks on unaccompanied alien children. DHS asserts that “many” of these unaccompanied alien children were placed with smugglers and sex traffickers acting as sponsors.
Last summer, Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ02) participated in a House Committee on Homeland Security hearing on the Biden administration’s hotline for unaccompanied alien children. Testimony revealed the Biden administration assigned one staffer to man the hotline. There was no information to be found about the number of hours that lone staffer worked.
Ali Hopper, president and founder of GUARD Against Trafficking, alleged in her testimony that from August 2023 to January 2025, 65,000 calls alleging neglect and abuse went unanswered on that hotline.
Approximately one dozen pregnant unaccompanied alien children have been housed in one Texas facility dedicated to their case type since last summer. At least half became pregnant as a result of rape, according to unnamed officials who contacted Texas Public Radio. The youngest among those children are 13.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Feb 23, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
U.S. Representative Eli Crane (R-AZ02) issued a statement Wednesday praising the Trump administration for what he described as action to protect veterans’ Second Amendment rights.
According to a press release from Crane’s office, the administration clarified federal policy to ensure veterans who have a fiduciary appointed to manage their VA benefits are not automatically reported to the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) as “prohibited persons.”
Under prior policy, veterans assigned a fiduciary to manage benefits could be reported to NICS, potentially preventing them from purchasing or possessing firearms under federal law. The change announced by the administration reverses that reporting practice, according to Crane’s statement.
“For nearly three decades, unelected bureaucrats violated the constitutional rights of hundreds of thousands of our nation’s heroes. If the federal government is willing to strip fundamental liberties from those who served in uniform, there’s no telling where they will draw the line,” Crane said. “I’m grateful to President Trump and Secretary Collins for correcting this injustice and protecting the freedoms that our veterans fought to defend. Congress must now codify this directive so no future administration can reimplement this disgraceful protocol.”
The press release states that the policy clarification impacts enforcement of federal firearm restrictions under the Gun Control Act of 1968, which prohibits firearm possession by individuals adjudicated as mentally defective or committed to a mental institution.
In a statement posted to X, VA Secretary Doug Collins wrote:
“Effective immediately, VA is halting enforcement of the interim final rule, Evaluative Rating: Impact of Medication. VA issued the rule to clarify existing policy and protect Veterans’ benefits in the wake of an ongoing court action. But many interpreted the rule as something that could result in adverse consequences.
While VA does not agree with the way this rule has been characterized, the department always takes Veterans’ concerns seriously. To alleviate these concerns, VA will continue to collect public comments regarding the rule, but it will not be enforced at any time in the future.”
Crane has previously pursued legislative efforts addressing the issue. In the 118th Congress, he introduced H.R. 9053 and H.R. 9054, which would have nullified prior VA submissions to NICS and prohibited the VA from participating in certain state-level firearm confiscation proceedings. He reintroduced similar legislation in the current Congress as H.R. 496 on January 16.
The bill has been referred to the House Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs under the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Arizona Representatives Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ08) and Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ06) serve on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, which, along with the Judiciary Committee, will consider the bill before it goes to the floor.
During the Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations process, Crane also sponsored an amendment to the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill stating that veterans reported to NICS by a VA fiduciary were unlawfully submitted and directing the VA Secretary to instruct the Attorney General to remove those names from the system. The amendment passed the House, but the underlying appropriations measure did not advance in the U.S. Senate.
The Trump administration has not yet released detailed regulatory language publicly outlining the changes referenced in Crane’s statement.
Crane has called on Congress to pursue legislative action to codify protections for veterans’ firearm rights in federal statute.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | Feb 18, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
The House Committee on Small Business unanimously advanced a bill on Tuesday to expand federal support for tribal entrepreneurs by codifying the Office of Native American Affairs (ONAA) within the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The move comes as part of a bipartisan effort led in part by Congressman Eli Crane (R-AZ02).
The legislation, titled the Native American Entrepreneurial Opportunity Act (H.R. 7396), was advanced by the committee on February 11.
Rep. Crane is part of a coalition of lawmakers reintroducing the bill in the 119th Congress after its initial passage in the U.S. House during the previous session. Although the earlier version of the bill passed the House with broad bipartisan support, it stalled in the U.S. Senate.
If enacted, the measure would formally codify the Office of Native American Affairs (ONAA) into the Small Business Act, giving the office a permanent statutory role within the SBA. Supporters of the bill say this codification would enhance congressional oversight of the office’s activities and effectiveness going forward.
Under the bill’s provisions, the ONAA would be directed to establish a working relationship with tribal communities and organizations and target SBA programs toward entrepreneurial development, contracting opportunities, and improved access to capital for small business owners on reservations and in tribal nations.
According to Crane’s press release, tribal entrepreneurs face ongoing challenges related to federal tax treatment, property rights, regulatory burdens, and access to lending. The bill’s sponsors say those factors create bureaucratic hurdles unique to businesses operating on reservation lands.
In discussing the bill, Crane encouraged representatives from the Office of Native American Affairs to visit Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District, which includes a significant portion of tribal lands, to engage with small business owners who may be unaware of existing SBA resources and programs.
“While tribal entrepreneurs should have the ability to access SBA’s programs just like anyone else, these communities don’t currently experience adequate outreach,” Crane said in a statement.
“It’s essential that they receive specialized expertise to assist them in navigating the unique complexities of running a business on a reservation. As the representative for more than half of Arizona’s Tribes, I’m honored to co-lead this vital bill, which would serve Tribal citizens of AZ-02 well.”
Crane also acknowledged his co-sponsors on the legislation: Rep. Sharice Davids (D-KS), Rep. Jake Ellzey (R-TX), and Rep. Kelly Morrison (D-MN). The bipartisan group’s involvement reflects support from both parties for expanding federal engagement with tribal entrepreneurship.
The Native American Entrepreneurial Opportunity Act will now move to the House floor for consideration as it continues through the legislative process.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Staff Reporter | Feb 12, 2026 | News
By Staff Reporter |
Tesla CEO and former Department of Government Efficiency chief Elon Musk is urging the federal government to ban mail-in voting.
Musk and other top Republican leaders have signaled support for greater federal intervention in state and local elections.
“Voter ID and in-person voting is the only way to save democracy,” said Musk. “Critical to avoid fraud.”
Although X influencers said Musk’s comments were “breaking news,” the SpaceX CTO has advocated for in-person voting, along with ID requirements, for years.
“We should require government ID and in-person voting (unless valid medical/military/etc excuse), like other countries do or like if you want to buy beer,” said Musk in a comment over two years ago.
In the summer of 2024, Musk also advocated against electronic and drop box ballots. Musk said additional voting methods beyond in-person voting created additional variables that made it much more difficult to detect fraud.
“When combined with mail-in ballots, the system is designed to make it impossible to prove fraud,” said Musk. “Mail-in and drop box ballots should not be allowed, as cameras on the in-person voting stations would at least prevent large-scale fraud by counting how many people showed up vs ballots cast.”
Last week, Musk backed the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, legislation to amend a gap in citizenship proof existing in the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. The SAVE Act would require proof of citizenship in order to register to vote in federal elections.
Proof of citizenship would include a REAL ID-compliant ID, a passport, military ID with proof of U.S. birth, government-issued photo ID card with proof of U.S. birth, or a government-issued photo ID along with a certified birth certificate, an extract from a U.S. hospital record of birth, a final adoption decree, a consular report of birth abroad, a naturalization certificate or certificate of citizenship, or an American Indian card.
“It must be done or democracy is dead,” said Musk.
Rep. Andy Biggs, candidate for Arizona governor, said the bill wasn’t controversial as the media portrayed it.
“It’s not controversial to require proof of citizenship and a photo ID to vote — countries around the world require both!” said Biggs.
Reps. Eli Crane and Paul Gosar also support the legislation. The pair signed onto a letter urging the Senate to act on the legislation.
Although Musk departed DOGE over certain policy agreements earlier last year, he does agree with President Donald Trump on mail-in voting.
“No mail-in ballots (except for illness, disability, military, or travel),” posted Trump to Truth Social.
Trump had made his criticism of mail-in ballots during public conversations urging the passage of the SAVE Act, though the legislation doesn’t ban mail-in voting. Instead, the legislation would require mail voters to submit an application to receive their ballot.
The president has also issued another call to action not included in the SAVE Act: federalizing elections.
Last Monday the president said in an interview that the federal government should take over elections from the states. He proposed the takeover during the debut of former FBI director Dan Bongino’s newly resurrected podcast. Bongino will also return to his role as a Fox News contributor.
“We should take over the voting in at least many places. The Republicans ought to nationalize the voting,” said Trump. “We have states that are so crooked and they’re counting votes.”
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | Jan 25, 2026 | News
By Staff Reporter |
An owner of a Tucson beauty spa said she has plans to poison ICE agents.
Tucson spa owner Helen Barayeva posted a video to her since-deleted spa business account on TikTok describing her goal to give food poisoning to ICE agents. Barayeva also indicated her intention to come up with other “biological weapon” tactics to employ against immigration enforcement.
“I know what we can do. We can figure out where they’re giving their food, right? The ICE agents? And we can at least give them food poisoning. That’s easy to do,” said Barayeva. “All you have to do is not wash your hands when you’re prepping their food. I mean, how easy is that, right? That is a biological weapon. Okay, I’m going to come up with more.”
Barayeva owned Refreshed Looks Aesthetics, at the time housed inside the Les Cheveux Salon and Boutique.
Barayeva, a former dental hygienist, has also used her Facebook business page to air some of her political views on President Donald Trump, though her “biological weapon” video from TikTok was not on that page as of this report.
Since Barayeva’s post received criticisms online, Barayeva has deleted her Instagram, X, TikTok, and Threads accounts. Her Facebook page remains active as of this report.
The available archived posts from Barayeva indicate long-standing support for progressive politics.
“Joy [Behar], I absolutely love and adore you. Keep speaking the truth,” said Barayeva in one X (then Twitter) post from 2021. “God bless you and give you many great years ahead. I watch the View every day and love your perspective.”
Multiple individuals on social media indicated that they reported Barayeva to authorities for her threats of violence.
This month, the Department of Homeland Security reported an 8,000 percent increase in death threats against federal law enforcement and their families, notably on the deep web. DHS also reported over 1,300 percent increase in assaults and 3,200 percent increase in vehicular attacks.
The agency says Democratic leadership is to blame for encouraging political violence among their followers.
“We’re having our ICE lawyers stalked and being followed on their way home,” said Tricia McLaughlin, DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, in an interview with Fox News. “I think it’s about time the left looks in the mirror and says ‘enough is enough.’ And they have to put public safety and law enforcement safety ahead of their own political gain.”
Arizona’s Democratic congressional leaders are working to stop the expanded immigration enforcement efforts.
Democratic Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego introduced a bill last week to remove ICE agents’ ability to apply use of force. Their press release on the bill cited the shooting of Renee Good, an anti-ICE activist who sustained a fatal gunshot wound earlier this month when she attempted to drive forward into an ICE agent during a protest in Minnesota.
Tucson Mayor Regina Romero depicted ICE agents as unnecessary agents of violence.
“No community should be subjected to fear, intimidation or violence in the name of immigration enforcement,” said Romero. “The unchecked violence, masked agents, and excessive use of force is creating fear and chaos in our communities.”
In a video posted earlier this week to Instagram, Romero advocated for protesters to abstain from violence.
“I ask that you be peaceful and nonviolent in your protests. They’re so much more powerful to make your point,” said Romero. “Stay safe and please stay nonviolent.”
Phoenix City Councilman Kevin Robinson accused ICE of undermining trust in law enforcement.
“Clear standards and transparency help ensure enforcement is conducted responsibly and with respect for the people it affects,” said Robinson.
In his statement on the bill, Sen. Kelly also came to the defense of ICE protesters, even those impeding immigration enforcement operations. Kelly claimed the present budget for ICE is excessive because it exceeds that of the Marine Corps.
Rep. Eli Crane said Kelly was wrong to defend the protesters and criticize the ICE budget. The congressman said ICE’s increased budget and show of force were necessary to bring the illegal immigration crisis to heel.
“Why, Senator [Kelly], does the budget of ICE have to be larger than the U.S. Marine Corps? Oh, that’s because you and President Joe Biden and all the other Democrats let 15 to 20 million illegal aliens into this country, and now the American people after they saw the ramifications of that gave President Trump and Republicans a mandate to fix it,” said Rep. Crane.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
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