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CBP officers seize nearly 850 pounds of khat packed into 12 suitcases after flight from London

Two travelers arriving from London allegedly packed nearly 850 pounds of khat into 12 suitcases before the massive haul was uncovered by customs officers at a Maryland airport.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said the two U.S. citizens from New York arrived at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport on Aug. 13 and were referred for secondary inspection.

During a subsequent baggage examination, officers discovered what appeared to be a large quantity of tea leaves, which later tested positive for khat, or Catha edulis, according to CBP.

MEXICAN NATIONAL FACES FEDERAL CHARGES AFTER CBP FINDS $238K IN FENTANYL INSIDE ELECTRIC MOPED

Authorities said each traveler had six soft-sided suitcases filled with khat. The seized material weighed approximately 847 pounds and had an estimated street value of about $100,000.

The men were released pending further investigation, CBP said.

Khat, also known as Abyssinian tea and African salad, is typically grown in East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula and is chewed for its amphetamine-like effects, according to CBP. Dried khat leaves can also be boiled to make a stimulant tea.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), khat contains two central nervous system stimulants — cathinone, a Schedule I controlled substance, and cathine, a Schedule IV controlled substance.

MAN BUSTED AFTER CUSTOMS UNCOVERS BIZARRE CARGO HIDDEN INSIDE 22 PAIRS OF SOCKS

Symptoms of khat toxicity can include delusions, loss of appetite, difficulty breathing and increased blood pressure and heart rate, according to the DEA.

The World Health Organization classified khat as a drug of abuse in 1980.

The discovery came just days after CBP officers seized another 412 pounds of khat from unclaimed traveler baggage at the same airport.

In that case, CBP said officers "spooked" a suspected smuggler, who fled the inspection station and left the khat behind.

CBP SEIZES MASSIVE METH HAUL WORTH MILLIONS STASHED IN SECRET TILE SHIPMENT

"Customs and Border Protection officers have observed substantial quantities of khat being smuggled in commercial shipments, but smuggling loads of this volume inside traveler baggage is a bit unusual, and not any more successful," CBP's Baltimore Area Port Director Adam Rottman said in a statement.

"Khat is illegal and poses severe health risks to users," Rottman continued. "CBP will continue to seize khat and other dangerous drugs when we encounter it and we will work with our law enforcement partners to hold smugglers accountable."

CBP officers seized roughly 46,000 pounds of khat last fiscal year and nearly 20,000 pounds during the current fiscal year so far, according to the agency.

Alina Habba shuts down speculation she could replace Karoline Leavitt as White House press secretary

One of the betting favorites to replace Karoline Leavitt as White House press secretary declared Wednesday that she is not in the running for the job.

The 28-year-old White House press secretary, fresh off maternity leave, announced earlier this month that she would end her tenure at the podium at the end of August to spend more time with her two young children.

As speculation continued to swirl over whom President Donald Trump would tap to succeed Leavitt, bettors on prediction market platform Kalshi began favoring Alina Habba for the role.

KAROLINE LEAVITT'S REPLACEMENT AS PRESS SECRETARY FACES 'CRITICAL' TEST AS MIDTERMS LOOM, TRUMP ADVISOR SAYS

Habba, who serves as senior adviser to the attorney general for U.S. attorneys, was previously floated for the position after Trump won re-election.

Bettors on Kalshi gave Habba a 35% chance of being named Leavitt's replacement at the time before she publicly dismissed the speculation.

Habba, however, threw cold water on that idea.

"Flattered by the Kalshi odds, but I'm not in the running for any job," Habba posted on X.

"However, if I'm getting a new one, I'd love for one of these anonymous sources to let me know first," she continued. "Fake news remains the undefeated champ…well…until I come at them."

DAVID MARCUS: KAROLINE LEAVITT’S LASTING LEGACY IS OPENING THE WHITE HOUSE TO INDIE PRESS

When speculation emerged about Habba potentially becoming press secretary following Trump's 2024 election victory, she said she was "flattered" by the consideration but believed she would "be better served in other capacities."

Habba went on to serve just over two months as counselor to the president before being appointed interim U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey. After a federal appeals court upheld a ruling that her subsequent service as acting U.S. attorney was unlawful, she resigned from the position and was later named senior adviser to the attorney general for U.S. attorneys.

Habba also previously served as Trump's personal attorney and was a high-profile surrogate during his 2024 presidential campaign.

JIM ACOSTA DEMANDS CNN FIRE SCOTT JENNINGS AFTER ON-AIR CONFRONTATION WITH PANELIST

Following Habba's post Wednesday, CNN political commentator Scott Jennings became the new betting favorite on Kalshi, followed by Leavitt's deputy, Anna Kelly.

Jennings, a former aide to President George W. Bush, was also reportedly considered for the press secretary role after Trump won the 2024 election before Leavitt was ultimately selected.

Trump has touted Jennings' recent book and referred to him as a "patriot" who "gets it."

"The next press secretary will undoubtedly be someone who has a strong existing relationship with President Trump," former White House press secretary Sean Spicer previously told Fox News Digital.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment.

Fox News Digital's Ashley J. DiMella contributed to this report.

Pennsylvania State Police helicopter, small plane collide in midair, killing 1 and injuring 2 state troopers

A midair collision on Wednesday night involving a Pennsylvania State Police helicopter and a small airplane killed the pilot of the plane and injured two state troopers, according to officials.

A Bell 407 helicopter and a Cessna 150 airplane collided near Carlisle Airport at around 7:50 p.m. in central Pennsylvania, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.

Pennsylvania State Police Acting Commissioner Lieutenant Colonel George Bivens said the police helicopter was conducting routine training near a grassy area at Carlisle Airport when the collision occurred, which is located about 120 miles west of Philadelphia.

DEADLY MILITARY HELICOPTER CRASH IN TEXAS KILLS 2, SPARKS WILDFIRE AND FORCES EVACUATIONS: OFFICIALS

"The Cessna plane, for an unknown reason, veered to the right at the last moment, struck the helicopter from the rear, hit the tail rotor and the main rotor, resulting in a violent crash" Bivens said at a news briefing.

The circumstances leading to the collision remain under investigation, and federal investigators have not determined a probable cause.

The one-person inside the plane died in the incident, Bivens said.

"The one known occupant of the Cessna did not survive the crash. We believe only the pilot was in the Cessna," he said.

Both state troopers inside the helicopter were initially trapped before being able to get out. They were injured and transported to a hospital but are expected to recover, according to Gov. Josh Shapiro.

"I’m pleased to say that after an aviation accident, two Pennsylvania State Troopers, while injured, are going to be okay," he said at the news briefing.

5 AMERICANS KILLED IN HELICOPTER CRASH IN KENYA, INCLUDING TELEMUNDO EXECUTIVE

"Lori and I are praying hard and we ask all of our fellow Pennsylvanians to join us," the governor wrote earlier on social media.

The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation, with the FAA assisting.

Erika Kirk urges conservative students not to back down in first school year since Charlie's assassination

Erika Kirk is urging conservative students not to back down as they return to college campuses for the first school year since her husband Charlie Kirk was assassinated, challenging them to carry forward the movement he founded in 2012.

Kirk, who took over leadership of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) following the fatal shooting of her 31-year-old husband at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025, posted a lengthy message on Instagram Wednesday evening directed primarily at students beginning the new academic year.

She warned that conservative and Christian students may encounter hostility at their schools but offered a stern message: Don't retreat from campus activism.

YOUNG CONSERVATIVES REVEAL WHAT’S TOP OF MIND AS GOP, DEMOCRATS BATTLE FOR 'HOPELESS' GEN Z VOTERS

"Your table might get flipped," Kirk wrote. "Someone might call you every name imaginable because you have a Turning Point USA sign sitting in front of you."

"What are you going to do about it?" she continued.

"Are you going to stop tabling? Are you going to shut down your chapter? Are you going to decide it is easier to keep your head down and get through the semester? No. You keep going."

The CEO of the conservative nonprofit then invoked her husband's commitment to courage.

"Charlie committed himself to a life of courage," she wrote. "I want to challenge you to do the same. He'd often talk about how courage is doing the right thing even when you don't know how it's going to work out. He would tell you that courage is being committed to the right course of action regardless of the cost associated with it."

Erika Kirk also recalled how her husband deliberately traveled to college campuses where he encountered people who disagreed with him because he wanted debate rather than an audience that already shared his views.

WATCH: CHAOS ERUPTS AS LEFTISTS INTERRUPT CONSERVATIVE GROUP'S UCLA EVENT FEATURING DHS LAWYER

"Charlie wanted the conversation; he wanted the debate, he wanted you to ask the hard questions and challenge him," she wrote. "And he wanted you to learn how to defend what you believe instead of repeating something because somebody you follow online said it."

"That is still who we are," she added.

Charlie Kirk founded TPUSA to promote conservatism on college campuses nationwide. He was speaking before more than 2,000 people at a TPUSA event in Orem, Utah, when he was assassinated, leaving behind Erika and their two children.

Erika Kirk argued that her husband's assassination ultimately failed to derail the student movement he created.

TEXAS MAN ALLEGEDLY THREATENED TO BOMB TURNING POINT USA EVENT AND KILL CEO ERIKA KIRK IN ONLINE POSTS

"What was meant to destroy the student movement my husband started 14 years ago did the opposite," she wrote.

She pointed to the creation of new TPUSA chapters and said students have registered others to vote, tabled on campuses, organized events and knocked on doors.

Erika also thanked students for supporting her over the past year and said being around them makes her feel her husband's presence.

She acknowledged the emotional weight of beginning the first school year without Charlie.

ERIKA KIRK CANCELS UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA TPUSA EVENT APPEARANCE OVER 'SERIOUS THREATS'

"It's still so painful that it's our first Start of the School Year without my Charlie," she wrote. "It hasn't been easy to do any of this without him."

"But he left us a blueprint for how to continue his mission, and that's what we're doing," she added.

Tyler Robinson, 23, is accused of fatally shooting Kirk and has not entered a plea.

Following a weeklong preliminary hearing in July, Judge Tony Graf Jr. is expected to decide Sept. 1 whether prosecutors have established enough probable cause to send Robinson to trial.

Fox News Digital's Stepheny Price and Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.

Lindsay Clancy prosecutors come across as 'tone deaf,' 'uncaring' and 'snarky,' defense attorney says

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Prosecutors in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial are coming across as "tone deaf" to how jurors likely feel about the case, a criminal defense attorney says.

Lindsay Clancy, 36, faces three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of her children — Cora, Dawson and Callan, all under the age of 6 — who were found strangled at the family's Duxbury, Massachusetts home in 2023. Prosecutors concluded their case Monday morning, and Clancy's defense attorney has since begun presenting arguments, asserting that she was in the grip of postpartum psychosis when she killed her children.

LINDSAY CLANCY MURDER TRIAL BECOMES SOCIAL MEDIA OBSESSION AS TIKTOKERS, SLEUTHS DEBATE CONTROVERSIAL CASE

Donna Rotunno, a criminal defense attorney, told Fox News Digital she feels that prosecutors are being "tone deaf" to the way jurors are feeling about the murder trial, citing specific examples.

One of the main examples Rotunno cited was a moment from Tuesday, when Assistant District Attorney Shanan Buckingham asked Susan Clancy, Lindsay's mother-in-law and a Catholic, if she knew murder was a "mortal sin."

LINDSAY CLANCY'S FAMILY WAS 'VERY CONCERNED' ABOUT HER MENTAL HEALTH IN THE MONTHS BEFORE SHE KILLED HER KIDS

Susan Clancy offered no response to the question, prompting Judge William Sullivan to immediately call a sidebar and order the remark stricken from the record.

Rotunnno said the prosecution has so far come across as "uncaring and snarky."

"I understand that your job is to prosecute this murder case and you view this as a first-degree murder," Rotunno said, "but in sort of ignoring the true emotion that this type of a case invokes, and by ignoring it, you are really tone deaf as to the way the jurors feel."

LINDSAY CLANCY PROSECUTORS ‘SQUEEZE’ TIMELINE FROM EX-HUSBAND AS JURY WEIGHS ‘MURDER VERSUS MADNESS’: EXPERT

WATCH: 

Rotunno also pointed to the testimony of Lindsay Clancy's grandparents, particularly her mother-in-law, Susan Clancy, as a pivotal moment for the jury. She noted that Susan Clancy appeared deeply sympathetic to what Lindsay Clancy was going through. If the individual with the most reason to grieve the children's deaths is standing behind Lindsay Clancy, Rotunno argued jurors will find it hard to see her as a cold-hearted murderer.

Kevin Reddington, Lindsay Clancy's defense attorney, asked Dr. Paul Zeizel, a clinical forensic psychologist, about the numerous times the mother reached out for help, and was turned away.

LINDSAY CLANCY DESCRIBED A MALE VOICE ORDERING HER TO ‘KILL HER CHILDREN AND KILL HERSELF’: TESTIMONY

"She felt that her brain was damaged. She felt that she should kill herself. And she's never going to get any better," Zeizel said on Wednesday, explaining why Lindsay Clancy felt she needed to get help.

However, when Lindsay Clancy sought help in the form of a suicide hotline in December 2022, she was turned away, according to Zeizel.

WHEN IS A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS TOO SEVERE FOR TELEHEALTH? WARNING SIGNS FAMILIES SHOULDN'T IGNORE

"She called the suicide hotline, Zeizel said.

"Did she receive any help from the suicide hotline?" Reddington asked.

"She did not," Zeizel said, explaining that "They told us she did not meet the standard of care because she did not have a plan."

She called the suicide hotline again, and according to Zeizel, didn't receive help.

LINDSAY CLANCY DEFENSE SCORES ‘EXTREMELY HELPFUL’ PSYCHOSIS CONCESSION AS EXPERT FLAGS NEXT HURDLE

WATCH THE TESTIMONY: 

When asked by Reddington, Zeizel also said that Lindsay Clancy thinks about her kids constantly and "misses them."

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"And when you speak with her and meet with her doctor, has she ever mentioned her children? Because apparently, according to the questioning that you underwent, she never talks about her kids," Reddington said.

LINDSAY CLANCY’S EX-HUSBAND DETAILS ‘BIG SPIRAL’ AS EXPERT SAYS ONE PART ‘SCARED ME’ IN MOM’S MURDER TRIAL

"She does speak about her children," Zeizel said. "She really loves them and misses them and thinks of them every single day. Almost every moment of the day."

WATCH: 

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Also on Wednesday, Judge William Sullivan rejected a defense motion seeking to add Emily Thorndike, a former clinical social worker at McLean Hospital, to the witness list. The defense contended that Thorndike's firsthand experience in the same short-term unit where Clancy received treatment could counter what it characterized as a misleading portrayal of the facility as a "five star" hospital offering unlimited treatment options that Clancy chose to decline.

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"Her involvement in this case came about after one of the prosecutors — I don't recall which — made it out on direct examination that McLean is some kind of a five-star institution where the doctors, the psychiatrists, the psychotherapists, and the counselors were all banging into each other in the hallway trying to interview Miss Clancy, who was just blithely refusing care and treatment, which is not the case," Reddington said previously.

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Sullivan didn't allow her to testify in front of jurors, but did allow a request from Reddington to include certain records relating to McClain's staffing when Lindsay Clancy was there, and programs it offers.

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The defense will continue arguments on Thursday, as a group of people plan to support Lindsay Clancy outside the Plymouth County Superior Court by wearing pink. People who can't attend are encouraged to organize a gathering in their city on Thursday morning, according to posts on social media.

LISTEN TO THE NEW 'CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO' PODCAST

Reddington told Fox News on Wednesday that closing arguments will be on Monday, and didn't say if he's made a decision on if Lindsay Clancy will testify.

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He said Lindsay Clancy is aware of the support she's getting when asked about the solidarity gatherings in her support, with people wearing pink.

Fox News' Bryan Llenas contributed to this report.

Missouri judge hands Trump, GOP major redistricting win ahead of midterm elections

A Missouri judge handed President Donald Trump and Republicans a major redistricting victory Wednesday, ruling that the state's referendum process cannot be used to challenge congressional maps drawn by the Legislature and allowing a new GOP-friendly map to remain in place for November's midterm elections.

Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green ruled Wednesday that Missouri's constitutional referendum provisions "do not apply to congressional redistricting enacted by the General Assembly," siding with Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins in a closely watched fight over a Trump-backed map that could help determine control of the U.S. House.

Green also ruled that Hoskins' decision not to certify the referendum petition was "lawful" and ordered that the Republican-backed congressional map "remains in full force and effect for the 2026 general election."

TRUMP ALLIES NOTCH REDISTRICTING WIN AS JUDGES FIND NO 'SMOKING GUN' TO SCRAP RED STATE MAP

Plaintiff Richard von Glahn appealed the ruling Wednesday evening, according to the court docket.

The ruling preserves a map passed by Missouri's Republican-led Legislature after Trump urged GOP-controlled states to redraw congressional boundaries ahead of the 2026 midterms.

The new boundaries are aimed at giving Republicans an opportunity to defeat Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Kansas City. Missouri's current eight-member House delegation consists of six Republicans and two Democrats.

The map splits portions of Kansas City between neighboring Republican-held districts and stretches the remainder of Cleaver's 5th Congressional District east into Republican-heavy rural areas. About 59% of voters in the reshaped district are new to it, according to an Associated Press estimate.

TRUMP URGES REPUBLICANS TO 'BE BOLD' AS RED STATES PUSH TO REWRITE CONGRESSIONAL MAPS

Republican state Sen. Rick Brattin won the GOP primary in the redrawn district earlier this month, while Cleaver was unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

The new boundaries were already used in Missouri's August primaries.

Opponents collected thousands of signatures seeking to force a statewide referendum on the map, but Hoskins rejected the petition, arguing that Missouri's Constitution does not allow congressional redistricting to be put to a referendum.

Green agreed, entering judgment for Hoskins and the Republican National Committee, National Republican Congressional Committee and Missouri Republican State Committee, which intervened in the case.

BLOCKBUSTER SUPREME COURT VOTING RIGHTS RULING IGNITES REDISTRICTING WAR ACROSS SOUTHERN STATES

The Missouri fight is part of a broader national redistricting battle ahead of November.

Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe called lawmakers into a special session last year after Trump urged Republican-led states to redraw congressional boundaries ahead of the midterms.

Missouri became the second Republican-led state, after Texas, to pursue new congressional boundaries as part of that push.

Green's ruling leaves the Trump-backed map in place while the case moves to the appeals court.

The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Illegal immigrant accused of operating overcrowded boat that capsized near Liberty Island arrested by ICE

The man accused of operating an overcrowded, unlicensed boat tour that capsized near Liberty Island, killing a mother and her infant daughter earlier this month, was living in the U.S. illegally and is now in ICE custody, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

Manuel Hernandez, 46, an El Salvador national, was taken into immigration custody after a U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service investigation confirmed he was unlawfully present in the country, according to DHS.

Hernandez was initially charged by New York authorities with 13 counts of reckless endangerment and was later federally charged with two counts of misconduct and neglect of a ship officer resulting in death in connection with the Aug. 8 capsizing in New York Harbor.

OVERCROWDED MIGRANT VESSEL WITH 240 PEOPLE ON BOARD INTERCEPTED NEAR TURKS AND CAICOS

Federal prosecutors allege Hernandez was operating unlicensed boat tours and ignored multiple safety requirements before the fatal excursion, which killed a 5-month-old girl and her 27-year-old mother.

DHS said Hernandez claims he illegally entered the United States through Texas in 2007. He allegedly lied to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer and falsely claimed to be a U.S. citizen to enter the country, according to the agency.

Federal prosecutors said Hernandez was not licensed to carry paying passengers but had 14 people aboard the Yamaha AR210 he was piloting, despite the vessel having a maximum capacity of 10. He also allegedly took the 5-month-old infant aboard without an appropriate life vest.

ICE ASKS NORTH CAROLINA TO HOLD ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ACCUSED IN TODDLER’S BATHTUB DEATH

According to the federal complaint, Hernandez told investigators he did not know that a Merchant Mariner Credential or Coast Guard Certificate of Inspection was required. He also allegedly said the borrowed vessel did not have a capacity placard and that he did not know its maximum capacity.

"This criminal illegal alien was illegally and recklessly conducting unlicensed boat tours in New York Harbor when his boat capsized, killing a 27-year-old woman and her 5-month-old baby," DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in a statement.

Mullin said Hernandez would be removed from the country after facing the criminal case against him.

"Once he faces justice for his crimes, we will make sure that he is swiftly removed from our country," Mullin said.

HAWAII TOURIST CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER, ACCUSED OF STABBING VETERAN BOAT CAPTAIN ON SNORKEL TOUR

According to the federal complaint, Hernandez allegedly told investigators after his arrest that he had previously piloted at least two other paid boat tours for the same company using his own vessel.

He allegedly acknowledged that he did not have the required Merchant Mariner Credential or Coast Guard Certificate of Inspection and said he was paid approximately $1,000 for each trip.

SAN FRANCISCO BAY SEARCH SUSPENDED FOR 3 MISSING BOATERS AFTER VESSEL CAPSIZES AMID 5-FOOT SWELLS

Before the fatal excursion began, Hernandez allegedly asked the baby's parents whether they had an infant-sized flotation device. When they said they did not, Hernandez told them the boat did not have one either, according to the complaint.

Prosecutors said Hernandez nevertheless instructed one of the parents to wear a life vest and hold the baby during the tour.

"The defendant allegedly flouted those regulations when he transported paying customers on a commercial vessel without appropriate licenses, overcrowded the vessel, and took on a 5-month-old infant passenger, with no infant life vests onboard," U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald said in a statement.

The vessel later capsized near Liberty Island, throwing all 14 people into New York Harbor. According to the complaint, Hernandez told investigators that he made a U-turn into a swell, possibly caused by the wake of a larger vessel, and tried to accelerate through it before water came over the bow. Eleven passengers and Hernandez survived, while the mother and infant were recovered unresponsive and later pronounced dead at a Brooklyn hospital.

Each of the two federal charges carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

Fox News Digital's Stepheny Price contributed to this report.

Rory McIlroy gets snarky on the return of LIV Golf players to PGA Tour: 'have they brought value?'

Despite the FedEx Cup Playoffs entering their second week, and even more historic dominance from world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, the main topic of conversation in golf right now is the future of the breakaway LIV Golf tour.

With Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund pulling their financial support for LIV after the 2026 season and the lack of clarity around the mysterious investors who are reportedly willing to back it, there's plenty of discussion around what comes next.

Some players, like Ian Poulter, have said that time is running out for LIV to arrange more funding. Bryson DeChambeau, arguably the tour's biggest star, has seemingly been keeping his options open. While it appears likely that Jon Rahm, the other big star on LIV, may try to bolt and return to the PGA Tour sooner rather than later. Even if it includes substantial financial penalties.

JON RAHM COULD BE SET TO LEAVE LIV GOLF, PAY MASSIVE PENALTIES TO RETURN TO PGA TOUR IN MATTER OF WEEKS

Given all the discussion, it's not surprising that one of the most prominent figures in the PGA-LIV battle was asked his thoughts about it, again, at the BMW Championship in St. Louis.

During media availability on Wednesday, Rory McIlroy was asked about LIV golfers returning to the PGA Tour and whether they'd provide value by returning, and gave just about the snarkiest possible answer.

"I mean, I’d argue have they brought value to LIV?" he said. "I think the PGA Tour's in a really good spot."

McIlroy added a bit more context, saying that while he's not involved with whatever negotiations might be happening, he's confident that whatever deal they get may not be as lenient as the one Brooks Koepka got.

BROOKS KOEPKA CALLS FIRST YEAR BACK ON PGA TOUR 'PRETTY PATHETIC' AFTER MISSING FEDEX CUP PLAYOFFS

"I mean, look, eventually they will," McIlroy said. "I'm not part of these discussions, but I'm pretty sure they're not going to be welcomed back straight away. If they were offered this returning member program back in February, the one that Brooks took, then maybe. But that has sort of come and gone.

"And I think it was said at the time that the deal that they might get going forward, if they do decide to come back, isn't going to be as good as the one that Brooks got. So, yeah, I would say it's going to be a tough, tough road back."

To an extent, McIlroy is right. If Rahm, DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, Tyrell Hatton or even Phil Mickelson were enough of a draw on their own, LIV wouldn't be in the situation it's in. On the other hand, some of LIV's apparent failure comes down to the business model itself.

They paid out massive purses and guarantees that were unsupported by ratings and fan attendance, in an effort to entice top stars to leave the tour. They offered equity to players in their LIV team, as though they would eventually become meaningful franchises people were attached to, like the Lakers or Yankees. Even though that might take years, if not decades, if it ever happened at all. An unlikely proposition considering golf is very different from traditional team sports.

Then there was the other problem; fans are used to the courses on the PGA Tour. They know Torrey Pines and Riviera, Pebble Beach and Bay Hill, or TPC Sawgrass and Muirfield Village. LIV went to some very high quality courses, but without the history and tradition that many fans appreciate. International events were popular, including in Australia and South Africa, but that's clearly not enough to support the financial model LIV used.

Still, you could make the case that if those stars were big enough, maybe it would have.

In sharp contrast to McIlroy, Scheffler was asked a similar question and gave a much more magnanimous answer. He said LIV has some "really good" players that would, in fact, provide "a lot" of value in a return to the PGA.

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"When we talk about the best players, LIV has a few players that are really good," Scheffler said. "I think the depth that we have on our tour is unmatched, but I think when you look at the higher levels of LIV Golf there’s definitely some players that would provide a lot of value to the tour, and guys that I love competing against as well."

Rahm and DeChambeau in particular would inarguably provide value to the PGA Tour. They have fanbases, are in the prime of their careers, are consistent contenders in big tournaments or major championships, and in DeChambeau's case, have an existing competitive rivalry with McIlroy.

It's also odd that McIlroy would make this argument when Rahm and Hatton are key members of the European Ryder Cup teams. The narrative on Europe's dominance in that event is that the players are all closer than the U.S. team, and that their desire to win gives them an intangible advantage. Now McIlroy's bad mouthing two of Europe's best players. Doesn't seem like they're that close, does it?

Regardless, as McIlroy said, it seems inevitable there'll be a reunion. How and when? Well, that's still up for debate.

Idaho county probation officers compile ‘foreign-born list’ to hand over to ICE as critics raise alarms

A southwestern Idaho county's probation officers have been compiling a list of foreign-born people on probation for federal immigration authorities, even though county officers did not independently verify whether everyone identified was in the U.S. illegally.

In Canyon County, Idaho, more than 140 emails between county probation officers and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from May to July 2026 show how the probation department has coordinated with ICE’s Boise office, including by combing through its case files to create a list of foreign-born people on probation to hand over to ICE, according to communications obtained by InvestigateWest.

In May, a probation officer emailed ICE about a man she would meet the next day for his regular check-in.

"His meeting has not changed and he is expected to be here tomorrow morning at 7:30 a.m.," Norma Naranjo, a senior probation officer for Canyon County’s misdemeanor probation department, wrote in a May 13 email to six ICE agents.

MISSISSIPPI LAW COULD CREATE STATEWIDE REGISTRY OF UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS

The next day, the man arrived for his appointment a few minutes early, and Naranjo contacted the ICE agents again to ask if they would be coming soon.

"He is here are you guys on your way?" she wrote.

It was unclear from the heavily redacted emails if ICE agents took the man into custody at his probation appointment, according to InvestigateWest.

The list compiled for ICE appeared to have been made without confirming that the people in question are in the country illegally. According to InvestigateWest, one probation officer said in an email that the names he submitted included everyone in his files who had reported being born outside the United States. Foreign birth alone does not indicate unlawful immigration status; foreign-born people can include naturalized U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, commonly known as green-card holders.

Idaho law enforcement agencies have long worked with federal immigration officials to detain illegal immigrants who are in jail or serving their sentence on probation, but immigration attorneys and advocates fear that Canyon County’s foreign-born list could lead to probationers in the country legally being detained, particularly as ICE agents during the Trump administration detained or caught up U.S. citizens and people with lawful or pending immigration status in immigration enforcement actions. Some lawfully present noncitizens, including green card holders, can also be subject to removal based on certain criminal convictions or other grounds under federal law.

Nikki Ramirez-Smith, an immigration attorney with Ramirez-Smith Law in Nampa, Idaho, said the county’s efforts to compile a list of foreign-born people on probation for ICE is "an invasion of privacy."

"It’s one thing to know that someone is "undocumented", it’s another thing to just start targeting every single person who was born in another country," she told InvestigateWest.

Jeff Breach, the director of Canyon County's misdemeanor probation department, said the list includes "individuals whose place of birth is a foreign country — and can also include individuals that have been previously flagged with an immigration hold."

"Verifying and determining legal presence/status, along with any related enforcement, is within the purview of federal authorities," Breach told the outlet.

Breach said ICE has requested a list of people that could be in the country illegally, typically on an annual basis and across administrations. He said the probation department coordinates with ICE the same way it would with any local or state law enforcement agency by providing them "information to carry out their lawful duties."

Steve Cushman, director of constituent services for Canyon County, said he did not know exactly when the lists were first requested and provided, but added that it is his understanding that it goes back as far as the Obama administration.

On June 3, Naranjo told five ICE officers that she would talk to Breach about 
the "foreign-born list."

"We are working on a procedure to keep a list current for your agency," Naranjo wrote. "I will get back to you on this as soon as we figure something out."

Two days later, Breach sent an email to his staff directing them to compile a list of illegal immigrants.

"ICE has requested a list of offenders who are in the country illegally," he wrote. "I need you to go through your caseload this month and send me a list of names of offenders who you believe are in the country illegally. I’ll review the names and put together a list that can be sent to ICE so that they can look into if the person is in the country illegally and if they want to take any action."

The email shows ICE requested offenders believed to be in the country illegally, rather than all foreign-born probationers. Subsequent messages, however, show at least some probation officers used foreign birthplace as a way to identify people for review.

Most of the emails from May 1 to July 10 are heavily redacted, but they show how probation officers used information in their case files to compile the list.

"That’s everyone in my cabinet that filled out (an) intake form and stated not born in US," Brandon Black, a Canyon County probation officer, said in an email back to Breach on June 8.

Another officer, Justin Donovan, told Breach that he only identified one person under his supervision who "may be here illegally," adding that the man "only had an ID from Mexico during his last arrest."

More than half of the people on the list were on probation for driving under the influence, five people were on probation for drug-related crimes and nine people for disturbing the peace, according to InvestigateWest. Only seven people were identified as having an ICE hold, meaning the federal government had already identified them for potential deportation.

Probation officers were regularly alerting ICE agents about the dates and times that certain probationers would be arriving at their office, according to the emails. In some cases, probation officers asked ICE if a person who had missed check-ins was in their custody. In two instances, officers emailed ICE just before and during the appointments to verify they were on their way to detain a probationer. One officer also gave ICE agents the home address and make, model and license plate of a probationer’s car.

Breach estimated that in the last three months, ICE agents have been at one or two probation appointments per month.

"All the law enforcement agencies we work with prefer to meet with offenders up in the office due to it being a controlled environment, which means it is safer for the offender, the officer, and the public," he wrote. "There is an expectation from law enforcement agencies and the public that probation officers work cooperatively with law enforcement to ensure the safety of all parties involved."

Pressed on whether the department is concerned that U.S. citizens or others with legal status could be included in the list, Breach referred to a previous statement that verifying a person’s status "is within the purview of federal authorities."

"ICE may still target someone if they think the conviction is a deportable or removal offense even if they (have legal) status. Sometimes, ICE doesn’t get that right," Alycia Moss, an immigration attorney with Fennemore Law in Coeur d’Alene, told InvestigateWest, noting that ICE agents should know if someone on the list is deportable or not but may still target people who are in the U.S. legally.

NEW YORKER SUING ICE AFTER OFFICERS WENT TO HIS HOME TO WARN HIM OVER CRITICISM OF AGENCY

Canyon County has faced criticism in the past for its attempts to help ICE.

In 2019, staff at the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office were told to notify immigration officials of "all foreign-born inmates" who were booked into the jail. Some of the people they alerted agents to were U.S. citizens who had posted bond, according to the Idaho Press. If inmates served jail time and posted bond, staff were directed to contact immigration officials.

That year, Canyon County faced three lawsuits from people who said they were illegally held in jail, despite posting bond, because the county refused to release them over their immigration status. The county settled with at least one man for $13,000.

The sheriff’s office is also facing a lawsuit from the ACLU of Idaho over allegations that the county and other law-enforcement agencies involved in an October 2025 ICE raid racially profiled Latino attendees and unlawfully detained people at a horse-racing venue. The allegations have not been adjudicated.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the county's probation department and ICE for comment.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Chinese national in blue state charged with illegally voting in federal election under another man's name: DOJ

A Chinese national living in Massachusetts was arrested Wednesday after federal prosecutors said he impersonated another Chinese national to register and vote in the 2024 presidential election then reported the alleged victim to immigration authorities for illegally voting.

Yupeng Sun, 33, of Andover, was charged with one count of fraudulent voter registration and one count of fraudulent voting, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts.

The criminal complaint alleges Sun admitted during a July interview with federal investigators that he registered the victim to vote and later cast a ballot using the man's identity.

"I tell you the truth, I register," Sun told investigators when shown the victim's voter registration information, according to the complaint.

CANADIAN NONCITIZEN ACCUSED OF ILLEGALLY VOTING IN FEDERAL AND STATE ELECTIONS

After investigators showed Sun a photograph of the early voting ballot envelope submitted at Malden City Hall on Oct. 31, 2024, Sun allegedly responded, "I used his name to vote."

Massachusetts voter records show the ballot cast under the victim's name was accepted for the 2024 presidential election, according to the complaint.

Sun previously rented a room from the victim and his family in Malden, and investigators allege he also impersonated the victim and his wife in immigration documents requesting that they abandon their legal permanent resident status.

When the couple returned from an international trip in June 2024, their green cards were confiscated, and they were placed into removal proceedings. 

An immigration judge restored their legal permanent resident status in January 2026 after finding their testimony credible and receiving forensic evidence that they had not signed the forms, according to the complaint.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT LEARNS FATE AFTER USING STOLEN IDENTITY TO VOTE IN US ELECTIONS FOR DECADES

Federal investigators say Sun later submitted anonymous tips to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services accusing the victim of illegally voting in the 2024 election.

Sun allegedly acknowledged sending the tips when investigators interviewed him.

"I went to post office and, uh, to report the father vote," Sun said, according to the complaint.

Sun is a citizen and national of China who entered the U.S. in September 2020 on a B-2 tourist visa that expired in March 2021, according to the complaint. He has deferred action status based on a U-Visa application submitted in February 2022.

DHS DIRECTS ICE TO DEPORT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHO VOTE IN AMERICAN ELECTIONS UNDER NEW DIRECTIVE

The Massachusetts Secretary of State's office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Each voter fraud charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Prosecutors said Sun could also face deportation after completing any sentence imposed.

U.S. Attorney Leah Foley and Jeff Grimming, acting special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England, announced the charges. The Lexington and Andover police departments assisted in the investigation.