Fox News Latest Headlines
Maryland House approves new congressional map as Senate leaders warn of risks
Maryland House lawmakers voted Monday to advance a new congressional map backed by Democrats, a move that has drawn resistance from state Senate leaders who warn it could carry political and legal risks.
The proposal, approved by the Democratic-controlled House, is designed to reshape Maryland’s lone Republican-held congressional district and could alter the balance of the state’s U.S. House delegation.
Democrats currently hold seven of Maryland’s eight seats in Congress. Under the new map, party leaders believe they would be better positioned to unseat Republican Rep. Andy Harris and potentially claim all eight districts.
House leaders moved forward with the plan at the urging of Democratic Gov. Wes Moore, who has pointed to mid-decade redistricting efforts in other states as justification for revisiting Maryland’s boundaries outside the usual census cycle.
TRUMP RIPS INDIANA GOP LEADER OVER REDISTRICTING FIGHT, WARNS REPUBLICANS COULD FACE ‘MAGA PRIMARY’
The push comes as President Donald Trump last year encouraged Republican-led states, including Texas, to redraw congressional maps in hopes of shoring up the GOP’s narrow House majority.
Del. C.T. Wilson, a Democrat sponsoring the bill, said the changes are necessary "to help ensure that this administration finally has a Congress that puts his power in check."
Republicans opposed to the map focused on how Harris’ district, which largely covers Maryland’s rural Eastern Shore, would be reconfigured to reach across the Chesapeake Bay and take in more Democratic-leaning voters.
REPUBLICAN RIFT PUTS SPOTLIGHT ON HIGH-STAKES SHOWDOWN OVER TRUMP-DRIVEN RED STATE REDISTRICTING
"It is about nothing except party politics," said Del. Jason Buckel, the House minority leader.
Democratic Del. Marc Korman countered that similar geographic configurations have existed before, noting that the district crossed the bay multiple times beginning in the 1960s and that Republican candidates — including Harris — prevailed during those periods.
Despite House approval, Senate President Bill Ferguson has repeatedly cautioned that targeting Harris’ seat could place Democratic-held districts at risk and invite renewed court challenges.
Ferguson has pointed to a 2021 congressional map that was struck down by a judge as an example of how aggressive redistricting can backfire. Maryland ultimately adopted revised boundaries in 2022 after litigation was dropped.
The Senate president has also warned that reopening the process could disrupt Maryland’s election timeline, with a Feb. 24 filing deadline and a June 23 primary approaching, and could leave final district lines in the hands of the courts.
Maryland’s debate mirrors broader redistricting battles playing out nationwide, as both parties attempt to gain advantage ahead of the next election cycle. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has said he plans to call a special legislative session on redistricting in April.
Canadiens players told to take precautions in Minnesota before OT loss to Wild amid ICE outcry: report
The Montreal Canadiens reportedly asked its players to stay inside their team hotel, take the team bus rather than walk to the stadium and carry their passports with them at all times ahead of their game against the Minnesota Wild on Monday night.
The report appeared on journalist Luc Gélinas' hockey website, which described Minnesota as an unsafe place amid two deaths that stemmed from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations last month. The incidents sparked days of unrest in Minneapolis and in cities and suburbs around the state’s capital.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
The report added that the Canadiens didn’t leave for Minneapolis immediately after their game against the Sabres in Buffalo on Saturday. The team reportedly opted to stay an extra day in New York before going off to Minnesota.
Montreal’s game against the Wild appeared to go off without a hitch.
LIGHTNING, BRUINS GOALIES FIGHT DURING STADIUM SERIES MATCHUP
Wild star Kirill Kaprizov scored his second goal of the game on a power play in overtime to give his team a 4-3 victory. The team capitalized on a penalty that was charged to Phillip Danault. He hooked Kaprizov in front of the goal.
Minnesota also got goals from Joel Eriksson Ek and Brock Faber. Quinn Hughes had three assists in the game and has 50 on the season.
The Canadiens’ three-game winning streak was snapped with the loss. Brendan Gallagher, Ivan Demidov and Kirby Dach all put the puck into the back of the net.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Illegal immigrant who fled US after killing Sarah Root sentenced to 20+ years behind bars
A Honduran illegal immigrant who fled the United States after killing an Iowa woman in 2016 while driving drunk in Nebraska has been sentenced to more than 20 years in prison.
Eswin Mejia was sentenced to 20 to 22 years in prison on Monday after being convicted on charges of motor vehicle homicide and flight to avoid arrest, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced.
Mejia, who was living in the U.S. illegally, was driving drunk when he crashed into 21-year-old Sarah Root’s vehicle at a stoplight in Omaha, Nebraska, in January 2016. Root, an Iowa native, later died at a hospital.
Mejia was detained and charged, but he fled the country after being released on bond. He was later added to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) "Most Wanted" list.
At the time of his arrest, ICE said that Mejia was not an "enforcement priority."
In March 2025, the Trump administration announced the extradition of Sarah’s killer from Honduras to the United States to face justice once and for all.
It came after Honduras reached an agreement with the United States to continue a century-old extradition treaty. It was the first time Honduras had ever extradited someone to the U.S. for homicide.
"The criminal illegal alien who stole Sarah Root’s life was just convicted to 21 years. Nothing will bring her back, but I am glad to see some justice for Sarah’s family," DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said.
"I want to thank Homeland Security Investigations and our interagency law enforcement partners for extraditing Sarah’s killer and bringing him back to the U.S.," Noem continued. "I also want to thank Senator Joni Ernst for her advocacy on behalf of Sarah and her family. Sarah should still be here today, and this illegal alien should have never been in our country in the first place. The Trump administration will always put the safety of Americans first."
In the aftermath of the tragedy, Sarah’s Law was introduced in the United States Congress. It was eventually added as an amendment to the Laken Riley Act.
"Today, an illegal immigrant who murdered young Iowan Sarah Root faced justice," Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, wrote on X. "After her killer escaped the consequences of his crime for too long, the Root family can finally have closure.
The senator thanked President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Noem "for making today possible."
"While nothing can bring Sarah back, my Sarah’s Law will ensure no other family will have to endure what the Roots have," Ernst added.
Border agents first encountered Mejia in May 2013 when he arrived in Nogales, Ariz., and was designated as an unaccompanied child, according to an ICE response letter to then-Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., at the time.
Mejia was transferred to the Office of Refugee Resettlement, which then sent him to Omaha in 2014 to live with his brother.
After his January 2016 arrest for motor vehicle homicide, ICE officials said they "encountered Mr. Mejia just once," but they did not file a detainer.
Fox News’ Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
Who is the populist conservative president-elect in Costa Rica?
Laura Fernández Delgado declared victory in the Costa Rican presidential election on Sunday after preliminary results showed her Sovereign People’s Party leading the national vote with just over 48% support.
The National Liberation Party followed in second place with approximately 33% of the vote, according to the latest official tally from Costa Rica’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal, which oversees and certifies national elections.
"Change will be deep and irreversible," Fernández said at her victory party in San Jose, according to a translation of her remarks from Reuters.
A former government minister, she is the handpicked successor of outgoing President Rodrigo Chaves, who is constitutionally prohibited from seeking re-election.
COSTA RICA SWINGS RIGHT AS VOTERS EMBRACE TOUGH-ON-CRIME LEADER AMID SURGING VIOLENCE
Fernández, 39, is set to become Costa Rica’s second female president, after Laura Chinchilla, who served from 2010 to 2014.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday congratulated Fernández on her victory in Costa Rica’s presidential election, emphasizing the United States’ commitment to working closely with her incoming administration.
"Under her leadership, we are confident Costa Rica will continue to advance shared priorities to include combatting narco-trafficking, ending illegal immigration to the United States, promoting cybersecurity and secure telecommunications, and strengthening economic ties," Rubio said.
Reuters reported that Fernández, who is married and has a young daughter, has built her political profile around conservative Catholic values and a strong emphasis on family, helping her gain traction among Costa Rica’s expanding evangelical electorate.
She has publicly expressed admiration for Nayib Bukele, the president of El Salvador, and his tough stance on crime, signaling openness to enhanced security measures in violence-prone areas.
Fernández has also said she would complete construction of a maximum-security prison modeled on El Salvador’s CECOT facility as part of a broader strategy to address serious crime.
The president-elect is scheduled to be sworn in on May 8.
Fox News' Emma Bussey contributed to this report.
Australian teen swims 2.5 miles for hours to save family swept out to sea
A 13-year-old boy swam for hours through rough ocean waters to save his family after they were swept out to sea off Australia’s coast, a heroic effort police say saved his mother and two younger siblings.
Austin Appelbee recalled ditching his life jacket so it wouldn’t restrict his swimming before he set off alone on a nearly four-hour-long, 2.5-mile (4-kilometer) swim that saw him battle huge waves until he ultimately reached shore and triggered a rescue that saved his mother, Joanne Appelbee, 47, his brother Beau, 12, and his sister Grace, 8, police said.
"The waves are massive, and I have no life jacket on.… I just kept thinking, ‘Just keep swimming, just keep swimming,’" Austin said on Tuesday. "And then I finally I made it to shore, and I hit the bottom of the beach and I just collapsed."
The family, visiting from Perth, was using rented kayaks and paddle boards near Quindalup in Western Australia around midday Friday when strong winds and rough seas dragged them farther from shore. Austin initially tried to paddle for help on an inflatable kayak, but abandoned it when it began taking on water.
LA DEPUTIES CAUGHT ON CAMERA RACING INTO FOGGY OCEAN TO RESCUE DISORIENTED PARAGLIDERS
A search helicopter later found Joanne and the two younger children clinging to a paddleboard while wearing life jackets around 8:30 p.m. They had drifted about nine miles (14 kilometers) from shore and spent up to 10 hours in the water, police said.
"The actions of the 13-year-old boy cannot be praised highly enough — his determination and courage ultimately saved the lives of his mother and siblings," said Police Inspector James Bradley.
Joanne Appelbee said sending her eldest son for help was the hardest decision she has ever made.
MOTHER JUMPS INTO WATER TO SAVE 4-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER WHO FELL BETWEEN CRUISE SHIP AND DOCK
"One of the hardest decisions I ever had to make was to say to Austin: ‘Try and get to shore and get some help,’" she told Australian Broadcasting Corp.
She said the group tried to stay positive as conditions worsened, but fear set in as night approached and help had not yet arrived.
"We kept positive, we were singing, and we were joking and … we were treating it as a bit of a game until the sun started to go down and that’s when it was getting very choppy. Very big waves," she said.
By the time rescuers arrived, all three were shivering, and Beau had lost feeling in his legs due to the cold, his mother said.
"I have three babies. All three made it. That was all that mattered," she said.
All four family members were medically evaluated and did not require hospitalization.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
NASA delays Artemis moon mission after finding fuel leaks in test run
NASA announced Tuesday that it’s pushing the launch of its Artemis II moon mission to March after finding fuel leaks during testing this week.
The 10-day crewed mission is aimed at carrying astronauts around the moon for the first time in more than 50 years. The mission is scheduled to lift off from Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard the Space Launch System, the most powerful rocket the agency has ever built.
"NASA concluded a wet dress rehearsal for the agency’s Artemis II test flight early Tuesday morning, successfully loading cryogenic propellant into the SLS (Space Launch System) tanks, sending a team out to the launch pad to closeout [the] Orion [spacecraft], and safely draining the rocket. The wet dress rehearsal was a prelaunch test to fuel the rocket, designed to identify any issues and resolve them before attempting a launch," NASA said.
"Engineers pushed through several challenges during the two-day test and met many of the planned objectives. To allow teams to review data and conduct a second wet dress rehearsal, NASA now will target March as the earliest possible launch opportunity for the flight test," it added.
NASA PLANS TO RETURN HUMANS TO DEEP SPACE AFTER OVER 50 YEARS WITH ARTEMIS II MOON MISSION
NASA said earlier this morning that, "The Artemis II wet dress rehearsal countdown was terminated at the T-5:15 minute mark due to a liquid hydrogen leak at the interface of the tail service mast umbilical, which had experienced high concentrations of liquid hydrogen earlier in the countdown, as well."
"Moving off a February launch window also means the Artemis II astronauts will be released from quarantine, which they entered in Houston on Jan. 21," according to NASA. "As a result, they will not travel to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida Tuesday as tentatively planned. Crew will enter quarantine again about two weeks out from the next targeted launch opportunity."
The agency gave no indication of an official launch target in March, saying teams need to first "fully review data from the test, mitigate each issue, and return to testing." Before Tuesday’s postponement, the earliest NASA could have launched commander Reid Wiseman and his crew to the moon was no sooner than Sunday.
NASA RESEARCH PLANE LANDS ON BELLY, SENDING SPARKS FLYING, AFTER ‘MECHANICAL ISSUE’
Launch controllers Monday began loading the 322-foot rocket with super-cold hydrogen and oxygen at midday. More than 700,000 gallons had to flow into the tanks and remain on board for several hours, mimicking the final stages of an actual countdown.
But excessive hydrogen quickly built up near the bottom of the rocket. Hydrogen loading was halted at least twice as the launch team scrambled to work around the problem using techniques developed during the previous Space Launch System countdown in 2022. That first test flight was plagued by hydrogen leaks before finally soaring without a crew.
Artemis II follows the uncrewed Artemis I mission and will serve as a critical test of NASA’s deep-space systems before astronauts attempt a lunar landing on a future flight.
NASA says the mission is a key step toward long-term lunar exploration and eventual crewed missions to Mars.
Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Investigation into disappearance of Savannah Guthrie's mother takes dark turn and more top headlines
1. Investigation into disappearance of Savannah Guthrie's mother takes dark turn
2. Savannah Guthrie breaks silence as her mother remains missing
3. Government shutdown enters day 4 as lawmakers vote on Trump-backed deal
BADGE BOYCOTT – Border Patrol commander removed from gas station in move that sparks debate. Continue reading …
POWER PLAY – Tyler Robinson's defense presses conflict of interest claim. Continue reading …
UNDERGROUND VICE – Major city uncovers illegal drug, gambling dens posing as stores in homeless area. Continue reading …
DIPLOMATIC RESET – Trump to host Colombia’s Petro after year of clashes over drugs and security. Continue reading …
HAVANA CORNERED – Russian military plane lands in Cuba as Trump declares national emergency. Continue reading …
--
ETHICS SPOTLIGHT – Massive Minnesota fraud case puts AG Keith Ellison under the microscope. Continue reading …
LEGAL SURRENDER – Planned Parenthood ends legal challenge over Medicaid funding cuts to abortion providers. Continue reading …
UNDER OATH – Clintons to face House questions in Epstein probe after contempt threat issued. Continue reading …
HOT SEAT – House GOP majority reduced to one vote after Johnson swears in new House Democrat. Continue reading …
EXPOSED – Palantir's Shyam Sankar: Americans are 'being lied to' about AI job displacement fears. Continue reading …
‘ATTACK-STYLE’ SIEGE – AG Bondi takes aim at Don Lemon as she explains new arrests in church storming. Continue reading …
‘WAKE UP GAVIN’ – Actress Halle Berry tells Newsom he can't 'sleep on women' if he wants to be president. Continue reading …
JUSTICE FOR KIDS – Woman who reversed gender transition weighs in on landmark $2M malpractice case. Continue reading …
HUGH HEWITT – Morning Glory: Democrats have just handed Trump the chance to fix immigration. Continue reading …
LIZ PEEK – Trump’s economic wins are real — now he needs to convince the country. Continue reading …
--
STAGE SCRUTINY – NFL's Roger Goodell believes Bad Bunny 'understands' Super Bowl LX platform is meant to unite. Continue reading …
MIND MALADY – Hidden brain condition may quadruple dementia risk in older adults. Continue reading …
AMERICAN CULTURE QUIZ – Test yourself on tourist tradeoffs and political personalities. Take the quiz here …
SHOCK COUTURE – Insider slams Grammys red carpet as ‘spectacle of nudity’ and clownish fashion. Continue reading …
ICY HOT – Man's morning routine as leaves house with coffee takes unexpected turn. See video ...
PRESIDENT TRUMP – The Trump Kennedy Center will be far better than it ever was. See video …
NICOLE PARKER – Law enforcement in Nancy Guthrie case have their work cut out for them. See video …
Tune in for a bipartisan breakdown of how Republicans and Democrats are sharpening their 2026 midterm strategies around voter anxieties. Check it out ...
What's it looking like in your neighborhood? Continue reading…
Fox News Entertainment (FOX411)
Thank you for making us your first choice in the morning! We'll see you in your inbox first thing Wednesday.
Why Ryan Fitzpatrick likes Bills' Joe Brady hire despite being 'as shocked as the fans' by new coaching move
The NFL head coach carousel came to an end over the weekend, as every team across the league now has a man leading the way into the 2026 season.
There were some surprises, though, among them the Buffalo Bills, a team that fired head coach Sean McDermott after falling to the Denver Broncos in the AFC Divisional Round last month.
The organization came under fire from some in the football world, who believed general manager Brandon Beane should've been axed with McDermott. Instead, Beane received a promotion and led the charge on finding the next leader on the sideline.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Instead of hiring outside the building, the franchise went with Joe Brady, their offensive coordinator who was on McDermott's staff for the past few seasons. Once again, the head scratching ensued — why would the Bills hire someone within the organization?
Former Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who actively roots for the Bills since his playing days came to an end, had the same questions when he saw the hire.
"When they made the move, I was as shocked as the fans," he told Fox News Digital in a recent interview. "I got text chains and stuff with my buddies in Buffalo, and everybody was having the same question of kinda what you just proposed. ‘We need change. We have to deviate from the plan because we have to get over the hump.’ Well, you just hired somebody that was in the building and a part of a lot of this, at leas the last few years."
Unlike those fans, Fitzpatrick has the avenues to go straight to the source to answer his questions. First, it was a transparent chat with Beane.
"So, what else could I do but call Brandon Beane? And I was surprised we got to have a conversation and just talk through it," he said. "I asked him a lot of questions and his biggest thing was, ‘Look, I was blown away by Joe, too.’ Because when you’re an offensive coordinator, it’s a lot different than being a head coach. As an offensive coordinator, you’re under the head coach, so you don’t get to say a lot of your opinions, how to run an organization, all these different things. So, I think in the interview process, they learned a lot about Joe Brady."
Then, Fitzpatrick got connected with Brady himself.
"I had a few moments to sit down and talk to him," he explained. "I had maybe said hi or bye to him, but never really got a chance to talk to him before. You’re going to feel it in his interviews when you watch him — there’s an authenticity there. He’s real. The guys love playing for him, and I think that’s going to help. I think just the looseness of that in maybe some of the game’s biggest moments, that’s something that [will be beneficial] for the Bills with him as the head coach."
Since taking over as the Bills’ offensive coordinator, which came during the 2024 season, the team ranked second and fourth in points across the league, respectively. Brady was in Josh Allen’s helmet in 2024 when he won his first career MVP, getting creative with one of the best signal callers in the league.
The Bills lacked star power in the pass game in 2025, though Brady was still able to scheme things up for Allen as well as the league’s leading rusher, James Cook. Buffalo was the best rushing offense in the NFL, and fourth overall in yards.
But will Brady be able to handle the entire package? Not all offensive or defensive coordinators can translate to the larger role effectively, but Fitzpatrick said Beane told him he didn’t want Brady out of the building getting that shot.
The Bills are confident they got the hire right, and Fitzpatrick feels better about it having talked to the men in charge.
All that matters, though, is what Brady and the Bills are able to do come September, as their championship window with Allen shuts a little bit more by the year.
Brady knows the fan base is hungry for at least another trip back to the Super Bowl, let alone their first-ever Vince Lombardi Trophy.
ONE HAPPY ISLAND, ONE HAPPY FITZ
After a long football season, Fitzpatrick and his wife, Liza, visited Aruba for some well-earned relaxation to reset and recharge before the Super Bowl.
He partnered with the Aruba Tourism Authority, which showcases the island’s commitment to responsible tourism, which includes protecting the island’s natural environment, celebrating local culture and inviting guests to travel mindfully through the Aruba Promise and Guest Guidelines.
Fitzpatrick did that and loved every minute of it, as he experienced the outdoor lifestyle that Aruba, nicknamed "One Happy Island," has to offer.
"My wife and I — seven kids. So, we very rarely get away. So, when we get away, we gotta make sure it’s the right spot, and this one hit. It has the white-sand beaches, it has the resort, which is great. But it also has the adventure. I’m not a guy that likes to just sit on the beach and get the tan all day long. There was hiking, we were swimming in a natural pool, we went and searched some caves a little bit.
"The great thing for my wife and I, right away you feel relaxed. Then, we come home and there is this air of happiness and rejuvenation that we’re feeling. It stayed with us."
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Trump urges Republicans to 'nationalize' voting
President Donald Trump urged Republicans to "take over" and "nationalize" voting on Monday.
Trump made the comments during an interview with former FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino. Under the Constitution, states set the rules for both federal and state elections, establishing "the times, places, and manner of holding elections for the House of Representatives and the Senate."
"The Republicans should say, 'We want to take over,'" Trump told Bongino. "We should take over the voting ... in at least many, 15 places. The Republicans ought to nationalize the voting. We have states that are so crooked and they're counting votes."
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer pounced on the idea during remarks on the floor of the Senate.
JEFFRIES SAYS GOP 'DONE EFF'D UP IN TEXAS,' VOWS THEY WON'T WIN FIVE SEATS: 'THEY CAN'T IGNORE IT'
"Just a few hours ago, Donald Trump said he wants to nationalize elections around the country. That's what Trump said. You think he believes in democracy? He said, 'We want to take over, the Republicans ought to nationalize the voting,'" Schumer said Monday. "Does Donald Trump need a copy of the Constitution? What he is saying is outlandishly illegal."
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson later clarified Trump's comments in a statement to ABC News. She argued Trump was expressing his desire for the U.S. to have free and fair elections.
"President Trump cares deeply about the safety and security of our elections – that’s why he’s urged Congress to pass the SAVE Act and other legislative proposals that would establish a uniform standard of photo ID for voting, prohibit no-excuse mail-in voting, and end the practice of ballot harvesting," Jackson said.
TRUMP LAUNCHES MIDTERM PUSH IN IOWA, WARNS LOSSES WOULD DERAIL AGENDA: 'WE GOTTA WIN'
Trump's comments come amid a desperate battle for advantage in the 2026 midterm elections. The GOP and Democrats battled over Congressional redistricting plans throughout last year, with Texas redrawing maps to create five new GOP-favored seats and California countering with its own new maps.
More redistricting battles are continuing across the country as the midterms near.
Republicans currently hold a razor-thin majority in the House, and midterm elections are historically unfavorable for the sitting president's party.
Trump kicked off an aggressive midterm campaign schedule with a rally in Iowa last week, warning supporters that losing control of Congress would jeopardize his tax cuts, border policies and broader second-term agenda as he urged Republicans to turn out and "win the midterms."
"If we lose the midterms, you’ll lose so many of the things that we’re talking about, so many of the assets that we’re talking about, so many of the tax cuts that we’re talking about, and it would lead to very bad things," Trump told the crowd.
Fox News' Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.
NFL's Roger Goodell believes Bad Bunny 'understands' Super Bowl LX platform is meant to unite amid ICE outcry
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell addressed questions about Bad Bunny possibly making a political statement during the Super Bowl LX halftime show and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations during his press conference on Monday.
Last year, Bad Bunny was chosen as the Super Bowl halftime show performer despite his scathing criticism of ICE. The Puerto Rican music star won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year and had more criticism of ICE on stage in Los Angeles.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
"Listen, Bad Bunny is, and I think that was demonstrated last night, one of the great artists in the world and that’s one of the reasons we chose him," Goodell said. "But the other reason is he understood the platform he was on and this platform is used to unite people and to be able to bring people together with their creativity, with their talents and to be able to use this moment to do that and I think artists in the past have done that.
"I think Bad Bunny understands that and I think he’ll have a great performance."
As for ICE, officials were set to have a visible presence around Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin said last month that federal officials were committed to working with local and state law enforcement to keep the Super Bowl safe.
"Security is obviously one of the things we focus on the most. It’s a SEAR (Special Event Assessment Rating) 1 level event that involves unique assets at the federal levels, state level and the local level all working together," Goodell said. "I see no change in that in the preparations for the Super Bowl. We have not seen that.
"We are working with all three of those levels and doing everything we can to make sure it’s a safe environment and the federal government is a big part of that, including this administration and every other administration before that. I think SEAR 1 has probably been the category we had since at least the turn of the century, if not before that. So, I just anticipate we’ll continue to do the work to make it the safest event."
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.