by Staff Reporter | Jan 27, 2026 | Home Page Top Story, News
By Staff Reporter |
Rep. Adelita Grijalva praised the invasion of a church service by anti-ICE protesters.
The protesters targeted the Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, during a Sunday worship service after they learned one of the pastors, David Easterwood, was ICE’s acting field office director in Minnesota. Easterwood was not present for that service.
During the invasion of the church, Nekima Levy Armstrong claimed Christians couldn’t support immigration enforcement efforts. Armstrong’s activist group, Racial Justice Network, organized the protest.
“Someone who claims to worship God teaching people in this church about God is out there overseeing ICE agents,” said Armstrong.
Church leaders were witnessed on camera asking the protesters to leave, but the protesters refused.
Federal authorities arrested three of the activists for allegedly orchestrating the church invasion: Armstrong, Chauntyll Louisa Allen, and William Kelly. Their charges alleged violations of the FACE Act.
The Freedom to Access Clinic Entrances Act of 1994 (FACE Act) criminalizes the intimidation or interference of those seeking to exercise their First Amendment right of religious freedom at a place of religious worship.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem dubbed the invasion the “Church Riots.”
“Religious freedom is the bedrock of the United States – there is no first amendment right to obstruct someone from practicing their religion,” said Noem.
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that the Trump administration won’t tolerate disruptions of Christians’ freedom to worship.
“Attacks against law enforcement and the intimidation of Christians are being met with the full force of federal law,” said Bondi.
Grijalva defended the church invasion. She told CNN that ICE agents deserved to be harassed. Grijalva claimed illegal immigrants undergoing deportation proceedings were being “kidnapped” and implied they had a right to be in this country.
“[T]his federal agent now knows what it’s like to have his daily life and privacy interrupted. This is a daily occurrence for our immigrant communities – being followed and kidnapped outside of schools, churches, and hospitals,” said Grijalva. “The difference is this agent got to go home at the end of the day, where many families have no idea where their loved ones are when they’ve been kidnaped off the streets.”
Grijalva also claimed ICE had deported U.S. citizens as well as veterans.
ICE has deported minors born in the U.S. to illegal immigrant parents.
DHS advised that they allow the parents to either be removed with their children, or have their children placed with another individual: this choice is left up to the parents. DHS under Trump has consistently maintained that policy.
Deportations of veterans occur in cases where those noncitizens have committed certain crimes (per the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigration Responsibility Act of 1996) or failed to follow through with the required citizenship proceedings.
Grijalva also praised the high school students who played hooky to protest deportations, characterizing the present immigration enforcement as an “overreach.”
Last month, the congresswoman claimed she was shoved and pepper sprayed by ICE agents at a protest without provocation. DHS responded with an accusation that Grijalva joined an anti-ICE mob attempting to obstruct an immigration raid. DHS later stated that two law enforcement officers were “seriously injured” by the mob that Grijalva joined.
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by AZ Free Enterprise Club | Jan 16, 2026 | Opinion
By the Arizona Free Enterprise Club |
Over the past month, Minnesota has been hard at work to set the gold standard for jaw-dropping fraud scandals under the watch of Democrat Governor Tim Walz. The Somali daycare scandal has turned the state into a national punchline—hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars stolen in plain sight while Kamala Harris’ favorite “masculine” governor looked the other way.
Now, with Walz stepping aside from this reelection bid, a new contender for “most scandal-plagued governor on the 2026 ballot” has emerged: Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs. While Minnesota’s scandals have dominated headlines, Hobbs has been busy compiling a rap sheet that rivals what happened in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. But unlike Walz, Hobbs and her administration are under active criminal investigation.
A Pay-to-Play Scheme Engulfs the Hobbs Administration
The list of Hobbs’ scandals is a mile long and begins at the start of her tenure as governor. At that time, Hobbs set up a shady slush fund to provide donors with a conduit to buy political favor from her administration. While setting up and managing the fund, Hobbs illegally used public resources—like the state’s website—to solicit money for her inauguration. And she also tried to stop the disclosure of the names of those who donated to her inaugural fund.
After immense political pressure, Hobbs finally released the names of the donors. One of the names of the groups on the list was Sunshine Residential Homes Inc., a for-profit company that contracts with the State of Arizona. Sunshine Residential donated $100,000 to the secret fund, which was suspicious enough. But after some additional digging by local reporters, an even deeper level of corruption was revealed—an alleged pay-to-play scheme between Hobbs and the group home.
According to the report, it turns out Sunshine Residential Homes doled out $400,000 to the Arizona Democratic Party, Hobbs’ gubernatorial campaign committee, and her aforementioned inaugural fund. Hobbs and her campaign finance manager even arranged a dinner with the government contractor to meet with the CEO in private.
After making the large donations, Sunshine was granted a 30 percent increase in their rates at a time when the Arizona Department of Child Safety cut loose 16 providers! On top of that, no other standard group home provider received a rate increase. This arrangement ensured that Sunshine Residential would receive millions in additional revenue at the taxpayers’ expense.
Hobbs’ is currently under three separate criminal investigations for this pay-to-play scheme, but it’s not the only financial scandal we’ve seen during her reign as governor…
>>> CONTINUE READING >>>
by Matthew Holloway | Jan 15, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ-02) introduced legislation Jan. 7 to award citizen journalist Nick Shirley the Congressional Gold Medal for his reporting on fraud and misuse of public funds in Minnesota.
Crane’s office said the bill would recognize Shirley’s work documenting alleged waste, fraud, and abuse involving more than $110 million in federal and state funds in Minnesota’s Somali community, in a statement released Wednesday.
In a December 26 video cited by Crane’s announcement, Shirley detailed his investigation into social services programs in Minnesota. Following the release of the report, the Trump administration halted federal funding to businesses accused of fraud, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) ended his reelection campaign.
In a statement accompanying the bill’s introduction, Crane wrote that Shirley’s reporting “shed light on this historic scandal” and “resulted in seismic shifts to our political landscape virtually overnight.” Crane added that Shirley “stood up to a corrupt system and exposed waste, fraud, and abuse being perpetrated against the American people.”
He described Shirley as “a fearless citizen journalist,” and called his work “a testament to the power of the average American over the legacy media, and a vindication of the mission that DOGE has sought to implement.”
The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest civilian honor awarded by Congress. Recipients have historically included figures recognized for distinguished achievements and contributions to the United States.
Shirley, who is widely known as a YouTuber and content creator, responded to Crane’s announcement on X, writing that the potential award “would be cool, thank you!”
Congress has honored journalists in many ways over the last century through resolutions, Congressional Record tributes, and naming/designation actions. However, there is no official, comprehensive count of journalists honored because congressional recognition isn’t cataloged by profession, unlike the Presidential Medal of Freedom. If so honored, Shirley would join the ranks of the late Bryan Johnson, sports journalist Grant Wahl, and renowned broadcaster Edward R. Murrow.
Crane’s bill is now pending in the House. No additional legislative action, committee referral, or cosponsor information was included in the office summary.
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 | Jan 11, 2026 | News
By Staff Reporter |
A new bill to increase the penalty for assaulting ICE agents became more timely in light of recent events.
The Protect and Respect ICE Act, or “PRICE” Act, was introduced last September. Arizona Congressman Abe Hamadeh assisted with shaping and rolling out the bill.
The bill amends Section 111 of Title 18 of the federal code. Individuals who forcibly assault, resist, oppose, impede, intimidate, or interfere with any individual engaged in or on account of the performance of official duties would have their punishment doubled.
“In the case of [violence] committed against an officer or employee of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the applicable maximum term of imprisonment under this section shall be doubled, and the applicable maximum fine shall be adjusted accordingly,” stated the proposed bill.
On Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a notice that attacks against ICE officers increased by an “unprecedented” 1,300 percent. Vehicular attacks on agents increased by 3,200 percent.
Officials reported nearly 300 assaults on ICE agents last year, compared to less than 20 under the final year of the Biden administration in 2024. Additionally, there were nearly 70 vehicular attacks on ICE agents last year. In 2024, there were only two.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin blamed rhetoric from the “sanctuary politicians”: state and local leadership attempting to thwart immigration enforcement efforts.
“This unprecedented increase in violence against law enforcement is a direct result of sanctuary politicians and the media creating an environment that demonizes our law enforcement and encourages rampant assaults against them,” said McLaughlin. “Dangerous criminals — whether they be illegal aliens or U.S. citizens — are assaulting law enforcement and turning their vehicles into weapons to attack law enforcement.”
DHS provided some examples of the end results of assaults on ICE agents. One ICE officer sustained a gaping wound on his mouth after an illegal immigrant hit him with a metal coffee cup, and another ICE officer was bitten while arresting an individual.
Multiple groups of ICE officers have endured near-fatal or fatal shootings during enforcement efforts. Multiple officers have been in car wrecks after being targeted by anti-ICE activists and illegal aliens.
Increased aggressions have resulted in deadlier encounters for both ICE agents and activists.
DHS issued their press release the day after an “ICE Watch” activist, Renee Nicole Good, was shot by ICE agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, after driving her vehicle toward an agent. It is believed Good was attempting to evade apprehension by agents during an immigration enforcement effort. Good moved to Minneapolis last year.
Minnesota’s ICE Watch activists operate by tracking and disrupting ICE raids throughout the city. Good’s wife, a woman named Rebecca Good, was also present to resist ICE immigration enforcement efforts.
As claimed by DHS, Anti-ICE Minnesotan activists like Goodwin were acting consistently with the rhetoric of their elected leaders. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz called ICE the “Gestapo.” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey responded to Good’s shooting by demanding that ICE “get the f**k out of Minneapolis.”
The New York Post reported that Good was active with the anti-ICE group through her child’s “social justice education” charter school.
The pair moved to Minneapolis after briefly leaving the country for Canada following President Donald Trump’s election in 2024, per KMBC.
The shooting remains under investigation.
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