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20 states sue to block Trump admin rule that would make it harder for immigrants to obtain visas, green cards
More than 20 states are suing the Trump administration over a new Department of Homeland Security rule that would give immigration officials wider discretion in determining what constitutes a public charge, a statute that allows the government to deny visas or green cards to applicants it determines are likely to become dependent on government assistance.
The rule, which is set to take effect on Friday, would expand the list of possible government aid that officials could point to when deciding to disqualify an applicant.
New York State Attorney General Letitia James led a coalition of 21 states and Washington, D.C., in suing the administration over what they describe as punishment for immigrants' law use of public assistance. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani led a separate lawsuit filed by a coalition of cities challenging DHS' rule.
James said the rule would allow immigration officials to consider an immigrant's use of benefits like Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and participation in school meal programs when determining whether they could become dependent on government aid. She also said it could lead to more fear of interacting with the government for people who are part of an immigrant family.
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"Hardworking families should not be forced to go without the support they need because they fear asking for assistance will get them deported," James said in a statement. "This rule preys on that fear and counts on families forfeiting the food assistance, health care coverage, and other public benefits to which they are legally entitled. My office fought this exact policy once before and won, and we are leading the nation to ensure the Trump administration cannot inflict this harm on families again."
The public charge ground applies to certain immigrants seeking admission or adjustment of status. Most undocumented immigrants are ineligible for federal means-tested public benefits, although limited exceptions exist under federal and state law.
The states argue they would lose billions of dollars in federal funding if immigrants pull from programs over fears about the public charge rule.
Immigration officials under the Biden administration's 2022 public charge rule generally considered only cash assistance for income maintenance, such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), along with government-funded long-term institutionalization, when determining a public charge.
The rule does not specify a fixed list of public benefits that immigration officials may consider. Instead, it states that officers may consider the receipt of any means-tested public benefits as part of a public charge determination, giving them broader discretion in evaluating applicants.
The states' and cities' lawsuits asked the courts to declare the rule unlawful and prevent DHS from using it.
"It's very hard to predict how courts will look at this issue. It is very unusual regulation though," Cato Institute Director of Immigration Studies David Bier told Fox News Digital. "I think from that standpoint the states have a good argument that we had a well defined public charge rule and the administration didn't replace it with some other well defined rule, it replaced it with nothing. So now there's just discretion to the officers to do whatever they want with the underlying statute. There's no regulation that clearly says this is what it means to be a public charge in the United States."
"The rule as it was before this new regulation was you had to be primarily dependent on certain government benefit programs. This rule removes that definition and doesn't replace it with anything. So now people and applicants, lawyers who are applying to the government on behalf of applicants, they don't know really what the law is," he continued.
The states' lawsuit argues that DHS is exceeding its authority because Congress did not approve a broader interpretation of what it means to be a public charge. The states say the new rule is arbitrary and that the agency ignored the harmful consequences of the change.
DOJ THREATENS TO CUT BILLIONS IN WELFARE FUNDING FROM STATES FOR FAILING TO REPORT ILLEGAL MIGRANTS
"Cruelty is the point," James said at a press conference on Monday. "Having a chilling effect on immigrants is the point. Letting individuals know that they are not welcome here is the point. Immigration animus is the point. The fact that you’re going to deny individuals who are sick and hungry and homeless benefits just is beyond the pale."
DHS did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment in time for publication.
Bier said the rule does not prohibit immigrants from receiving welfare and is only used as an officer's projection about someone's likelihood of future welfare use in the U.S., warning that it could lead to self-sufficient applicants being denied.
"Whether someone is currently using benefits or not doesn't matter under this evaluation. It's this probabilistic determination of the future that they're using in order to deny people legal status and legal permanent resident status in the United States. That's a much more difficult assessment to make. That's going to result in arbitrary denials. It's just not possible to do this type of assessment and not result in people who would be self-sufficient being denied status," he said.
This comes as President Donald Trump pursues a broader immigration crackdown that has extended beyond illegal immigration to legal immigration pathways. While Trump campaigned in 2024 on curbing illegal immigration, his administration has also imposed additional restrictions on legal immigration, including higher fees for certain work visas and new limits on how long some foreign students and journalists can remain in the U.S.
The administration has also pursued visa revocations and removal proceedings in cases involving political activity and speech, including some anti-Israel activists. Those efforts have prompted court challenges in which plaintiffs allege violations of First Amendment free speech and Fifth Amendment due process protections.
"It's very clear that this administration wants to restrict both illegal immigration, which obviously it's done at the border, and through deportations, but also legal immigration," Bier said.
Last month, the administration directed U.S. embassies and consulates around the world to postpone immigrant visa interviews while consular officers complete training on new public charge guidance, temporarily stalling applications that had reached the interview stage.
"The primary population that's going to be affected by this public charge rule are spouses of U.S. citizens and their kids who are trying to receive green cards so they can live with their American spouse or parent here in the United States. That's the overwhelming majority of the people who are going to be affected by the rule. It's going to result in many of those immigrant families being separated from their American spouse or parent," Bier said.
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The public charge provision stems from the Immigration Act of 1882, when federal lawmakers sought to ensure that immigrants would be able to take care of themselves and not become a public burden.
After years of only considering cash benefits, the first Trump administration widened the categories of benefit programs that could be considered a public charge, including Medicaid, food stamps and housing vouchers. But the Biden administration in 2022 published a rule that returned to the previous guidance. The rule set to take effect this week would rescind the Biden administration's rule.
The new rule is more broad than the one from the first Trump administration, as it does not specify which safety nets should be considered and only states that DHS "will consider the receipt of any means tested public benefits."
"One of the most important things to understand is that during the first Trump administration, they had a public charge rule that was well defined that really did explain exactly what you were supposed to do in order to not be deemed a public charge or who was a public charge. This is completely different from that. It's essentially the Wild West. No one knows what's going on, no one knows what the law is now," Bier said.
WATCH: Handcuffed inmate breaks free, punches deputy in wild courthouse escape attempt
Wild courthouse video appears to show a newly sentenced Ohio man slipping out of his handcuffs, punching a bailiff and making a desperate run for the exit before deputies stopped his escape.
Timothy J. Reaggle, 20, of Wellsville, allegedly attacked two Columbiana County Sheriff's Office deputies Monday shortly after learning he would spend a year in prison in a separate case, according to local reports.
Columbiana County Sheriff Brian McLaughlin told WFMJ that both deputies suffered broken bones but have since been released from the hospital.
Video released by the sheriff's office shows a deputy escorting Reaggle down a hallway after his sentencing. Reaggle then suddenly breaks free of his handcuffs and allegedly punches the deputy before sprinting away.
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As he runs down the hallway, Reaggle is seen crashing into another deputy, knocking him to the ground.
Reaggle then allegedly headed toward the courthouse exit, where video shows him sliding down the steps and racing toward the front doors before he was subdued with a Taser and taken into custody.
The video also shows people rushing to assist the injured deputies. One deputy was later seen lying on the floor, bleeding from the head and holding a paper towel against his face, according to WFMJ.
Reaggle had just been sentenced to one year in prison in a case dating to Feb. 14, 2025, according to WKBN.
He pleaded guilty in July to charges including aggravated burglary, aggravated assault, aggravated menacing, failure to comply and two misdemeanor counts of assault.
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McLaughlin said Reaggle is being held at the Columbiana County Jail and will eventually be transported to state prison.
Reaggle is also awaiting potential new charges stemming from the courthouse incident.
According to WFMJ, McLaughlin said those charges are expected to include assault on a police officer and felony escape.
Sam Leavitt injury bombshell sends LSU-Ole Miss showdown into chaotic mode, as Kiffin's return looms
Just when you thought the upcoming showdown between LSU and Ole Miss could not get any crazier, the initial SEC availability report was released on Wednesday night with Sam Leavitt on it.
As the mood began to shift on Wednesday night around Oxford, with tension starting to increase around town ahead of Saturday's game, there was an audible gasp that could probably be felt from living rooms across the country.
If you were looking for additional drama between the Rebels and Tigers, it was Lane Kiffin that provided the smoke when starting quarterback Sam Leavitt was listed as 'doubtful' on the SEC's website pertaining to injuries.
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After throwing for 366 yards and four touchdowns last week against Louisiana Tech, with three interceptions, everything around Leavitt seemed normal as the week began in Baton Rouge.
That changed when Leavitt was held to limited participation in Wednesday's practice because of an upper-body injury, according to sources who spoke with OutKick.
Would this be enough to keep him out of action come Saturday? That's a question being asked across college football on Wednesday night.
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During his press conference on Monday, head coach Lane Kiffin did not bring up any type of injury that Leavitt had sustained during the win over Louisiana Tech, although he wasn’t asked either. Did something transpire last weekend that we did not see during his four-touchdown game?
This could be answered on Thursday night, when Lane Kiffin is scheduled to hold his coaches show in Baton Rouge before the team leaves for the Oxford area on Friday afternoon.
For those unfamiliar, the SEC and other conferences began issuing availability reports several years ago, with the initial report coming out three days before a team is set to play.
On Thursday, there will be a second update to the report, and another on Friday, before the SEC requires a final availability report to be issued 90 minutes before the respective hits the field for warm-ups. Teams are fined if they do not adhere to conference protocol.
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And yes, a school can be punished for any type of gamesmanship when it comes to these reports. How seriously Sam Leavitt is injured — and whether that injury will sideline him for Saturday's highly anticipated game against Ole Miss — will remain unclear for as long as Lane Kiffin chooses to keep it under wraps.
Being designated as 'doubtful' means that the player is "unlikely to play due to significant concerns", according to the SEC handbook. If Leavitt had been designated as 'questionable', it would mean he is "uncertain to play due to injury or condition."
So, for LSU to put him near the bottom of their status monitoring, the Tigers are certainly at least concerned that he might not suit up for the game.
We will continue to monitor this situation, as the drama continues to build before this SEC showdown that has Lane Kiffin returning to Oxford as the LSU head coach.
Clock controversy: NCAA says officials botched replay protocol in Michigan's win over Western Michigan
Turns out, had the officials followed the correct protocol during the highly-controversial finish to the Western Michigan versus Michigan game earlier this month, the Wolverines would currently have a loss on their record.
The ending of what was one of the wildest games of the season remains a major talking point nearly three weeks after Michigan won on a second Hail Mary attempt in the final seconds of its season opener.
Should the Wolverines have been awarded an additional second on the clock? The NCAA's FBS oversight committee doesn’t think so.
MICHIGAN-WESTERN MICHIGAN CLOCK CONTROVERSY LEAVES PLAYERS, FANS AND A RULES ANALYST PUZZLED
During the first attempt, Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood put too much on his pass, which sailed through the back of the end zone.
But, due to a Western Michigan player touching the ball with what Big Ten officials said transpired with :01 seconds remaining on the clock, Michigan was allowed to line up for one final play with the game on the line.
I think you know what happened next: Bryce Underwood connected with a receiver for the second Hail Mary attempt of the drive, with Michigan winning 13-12 in shocking fashion.
The controversy centered around how the Wolverines were awarded the additional time needed to complete the second pass. During their review of the play, Big Ten officials were using a different clock than what was being seen on national television, causing all sorts of confusion across the country as viewers looked on in shock.
How in the world could the NBC broadcast clock show that time had expired, but Big ten officials were seeing this in a different light? Turns out, the network and Big Ten explained that the television clock was not synced up correctly with the actual game clock.
So, the review team awarded Michigan with one final second of game action, but they actually shouldn’t have even been in that situation.
But, on Wednesday night, the FBS Oversight Committee released a summary of the events, noting that if the officials had gone about the replay process in the correct manner, Western Michigan would be sitting here today with a win over the Michigan Wolverines.
"The committee consulted with national officiating leadership regarding the instant replay protocols," the FBS committee stated. "Based on that information, the committee agreed that the instant replay protocols were not followed in the contest’s second-to-last play. Had the protocols been followed, the outcome of the game would have been different."
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Unfortunately for anyone hoping Western Michigan would be awarded the win, a caveat in the NCAA’s statement makes that a moot point.
"The committee confirmed that it does not have the authority to overturn the contest," the NCAA noted. "The playing rules governing the result of a contest are clear. Once the referee declares a contest to be final, no appeal of the outcome is permitted, according to Rules 1-1-3-b and 5-2-9 of the NCAA football rules:
Essentially, the NCAA is saying that the officials did not follow procedure in how they were using instant-replay, but there is nothing they can do about it now.
That's it. Done. Michigan keeps its win over Western Michigan.
All of the controversy that took place in the days following the wild ending in Ann Arbor, with statements from the MAC, Big Ten, NBC and NCAA all lead to the same result.
The Wolverines are still undefeated, for now, and this topic continues to be a point of frustration around college football.
Democrat candidate seen sobbing, praying in patrol car after DUI arrest: Video
Washington state Democrat Krista Perez, who is running for a state House seat, was seen on police video admitting to drinking wine, declining field sobriety tests and begging to go home before praying and crying in the back of a patrol car after her DUI arrest.
Perez finished first in last month's primary in the 29th Legislative District, Position 1, and will face incumbent state Rep. Melanie Morgan, also a Democrat, in November, as the top two candidates advance to the general.
Tacoma Police said Perez's 2019 Chevrolet Silverado allegedly struck a parked car on South G Street shortly after midnight on August 11, setting off a chain reaction that damaged five vehicles, according to The Jason Rantz Show on Seattle Red.
Prosecutors charged her with DUI, with a refusal enhancement in connection with the collision and a later encounter with police.
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Body camera footage shows police questioning Perez after the crash and her subsequent arrest, while footage from the backseat of the patrol car shows her praying and sobbing, according to video obtained by The Jason Rantz Show on Seattle Red.
After police arrive at the scene, Perez told an officer she did not understand what was going on and claims she was not involved in an accident, the footage shows.
"Did you get into an accident here?" the officer asks.
"I did not," Perez responded.
The officer then asked what happened.
"I don’t know. I’ve never been in an accident before," she replied.
She also said she switched insurers just weeks before the incident when asked for her documents. She was able to tell the officer the name of the insurance company.
Perez told the officer she was driving from a friend’s business on Tacoma Avenue South when the collision happened.
"Did you have anything to drink tonight?" the officer asked.
"I just had some wine while I was there," Perez replied.
Asked how much wine she had, Perez said she had one glass.
When the officer asked how big the glass was, she told him, "I think you might need to contact the business."
The officer then asked her to rate her sobriety on a scale of zero to 10, with zero being completely sober.
She first told the officer that she wants to go home. But when asked a second time, she rated herself a four.
The officer then asked her to take standardized field sobriety tests but stated multiple times that the tests are optional.
"So it’s a series of tests that I take you through to make sure to see if you’re impaired by alcohol, or you’re not. Are you okay with doing that? It’s totally voluntary," he said.
Perez declined the tests, kept saying she wanted to go home and repeatedly said that she was "confused."
"Not right now. I’d like to go home first," she said.
"You’re not going to go home first. I’m going to tell you that right now, okay? So your options between the test, yes or no, that’s going to be determined tonight, right now, not when you go home. So would you like to take these tests or no?" the officer asked.
Perez responded by asking if she was allowed to decline the tests.
"You do have a choice. You can either say yes, or you can say no. They’re totally voluntary tests," the officer answered.
"Yeah, I would like to go home first," she replied.
The officer asked whether her answer meant she was declining the tests, and she said yes.
She was then told she was under arrest for DUI and to put her hands behind her back.
"Hold on. Hold on. One second. Hold on," she said.
Perez repeatedly told the officer that she did "not know what any of this means." He told her it means she is under arrest for DUI.
Under Washington state law, roadside sobriety tests are not required and declining them is separate from the refusal enhancement prosecutors allege in Perez's case. According to an arrest report cited by The Jason Rantz Show on Seattle Red, the enhancement stems from what occurred later at Tacoma Police headquarters, where police said she did not provide a usable breath sample after three attempts before the machine timed out.
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Inside the patrol car, she can be seen in the footage sobbing, praying and asking God to help her, with her crying lasting several minutes.
"Help me, God. Help me. Help me. Holy Spirit, help me, God," she said.
State law does not prohibit someone with a DUI charge from serving in the legislature. Other Democrat lawmakers have kept their seats after an alcohol-related incident, including House Majority Leader Joe Fitzgibbon, who apologized after acknowledging he drank alcohol before a House Appropriations Committee hearing in February.
"I made a poor choice last night by drinking alcohol before we had finished our work for the day. I am disappointed in myself and take responsibility for that poor choice. It won’t happen again, and I’m committed to completing my work this session without alcohol," Fitzgibbon said in a statement at the time to The Jason Rantz Show on Seattle Red.
Plane passengers scream in harrowing mid-flight video as violent shaking sends cabin ceiling panels flying
Video captured an Iranian flight descending into chaos Tuesday as sudden, violent shaking appeared to tear apart the plane's cabin, causing overhead compartments and ceiling panels to collapse onto passengers.
The incident happened during a Sepehran Airlines Boeing 737 flight over Iran that departed from Mashhad for Kermanshah, according to Jam Press.
According to the outlet, the aircraft may have suffered engine damage and a tire blowout during takeoff.
During the chaos, the plane's cabin appeared to disintegrate, causing ceiling panels and debris from damaged bins to fall and strike travelers. Passengers were heard screaming and praying as they held their hands up against the falling debris.
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The pilot reportedly declared an emergency landing and sought to return to Mashhad Hashemi Nejad International Airport in Iran.
The aircraft landed safely, Jam Press said, citing NeedToKnow. No injuries were reported among the 127 passengers and crew members.
TWO PLANES BLOW TIRES WHILE LANDING AT MAJOR US AIRPORT HOURS APART, FAA INVESTIGATING
The incident caused the temporary closure of one of the airport's two runways.
An investigation into the incident is underway, reports said.
Passengers were reportedly placed on another flight to complete their journey.
According to Jam Press, decades of international sanctions have left Iran's aviation industry struggling to access newer Western-built aircraft, genuine spare parts and other modern upgrades.
Local carriers have been forced to rely on aging aircraft while completing complex maintenance on their fleets.
Macklemore donates $1M to Palestinian aid organizations after Ed Sheeran tour fallout
Macklemore announced that he is donating the $1 million he earned opening for Ed Sheeran's U.S. tour to organizations providing humanitarian aid to Palestinians, prompting a public response from New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft.
On Monday, the 43-year-old rapper was dropped from Sheeran's "Loop Tour" after he repeatedly called for a "Free Palestine" and performed his anti-Israel song "Hind’s Hall" during his opening act at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Sept. 4 and 5.
Macklemore alleged that Kraft, 85, pressured Sheeran to remove him from the tour by telling the singer he would not be allowed to perform at Gillette Stadium and by rallying other stadium owners to issue a similar ultimatum. Kraft later confirmed he opposed Macklemore's participation at Gillette based on what he described as the "Thrift Shop" rapper's history of antisemitic rhetoric.
ED SHEERAN SAYS HE TRIED TO ‘BUILD A BRIDGE’ OVER MACKLEMORE TOUR SPOT BEFORE VENUES SAID NO
Sheeran, 35, has said the decision was made by the tour promoter and venue owners, not by him personally.
In an Instagram post on Wednesday, Macklemore shared his plans to donate his paycheck from the "Loop Tour" to six organizations including the Palestine Children's Relief Fund (PCRF), HEAL Palestine, Gaza Soup Kitchen, Medical Aid for Palestinians, UNRWA USA National Committee and American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA).
"With everything that has happened over the last 48 hours, I want to bring the conversation back to where it belongs: to the Palestinian people who are still being killed, still living under military occupation, and still fighting for their freedom," he wrote.
"I will be donating the entire $1 million of my net earnings from Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour to six organizations working directly to support the Palestinian people," he continued. "And I invite Robert Kraft to match my donation. Whatever we disagree about, perhaps we can agree on this: Palestinian lives are worth protecting. A Palestinian life is no less valuable than any other life on this earth."
"I want to center the parents carrying their children into hospitals without the basic resources to treat them, and the physicians, paramedics, journalists and aid workers who keep going back in. I want to center the organizers and activists who have paid real costs for standing with Palestine," Macklemore added. "Their risk is of a far different order than mine."
Macklemore noted that "writing a check is one of the least costly forms of solidarity to me."
"I am doing it because I can and because these organizations are doing the work while much of the world debates it," he wrote.
"Palestinians have lived for decades without basic rights and should not have to wait another day to be free," Macklemore added. "That is where my focus will remain. I will continue to stand with the Palestinian people and their fight for liberation."
MACKLEMORE DOUBLES DOWN AFTER GETTING KICKED OFF ED SHEERAN TOUR AFTER PRO-PALESTINE STANCE
"When the news cycle moves on, which it will, don’t move with it," he concluded. "Free Palestine."
Shortly after the rapper challenged Kraft to match his contribution, Kraft said Sheeran had already asked him to commit $2 million to match the singer's own donation toward humanitarian relief in the region.
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"I have dedicated much of my life to building bridges between all people. I believe deeply that all lives are worth protecting. Earlier today, before Macklemore challenged me to match his donation, Ed called me and asked me to commit $2 million to match his donation to aid in the region and fight this humanitarian crisis," Kraft wrote in a statement shared on Gillette Stadium's social media pages.
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"Ed now plans to reach out to other venue owners and our goal is to continue to work together to build bridges," Kraft continued.
"In addition, I’d like the people who are speaking in support of the Palestinian people to know that for decades, I have supported efforts that create opportunity for Palestinians and have brought young Palestinians and Israelis together to build businesses, create jobs, and forge relationships," he added.
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Fox News Digital has reached out to Sheeran and Macklemore's representatives for comment.
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Macklemore was originally scheduled to open at eight of Sheeran's upcoming tour dates following his two performances at MetLife Stadium.
The rapper's removal triggered a wave of withdrawals from Sheeran's tour, with fellow supporting acts Finneas, Lukas Graham Aaron Rowe and Beoga all pulling out in solidarity.
Kevin Stefanski 'not ruling anybody out' as injuries to Cooper Rush, Tua Tagovailoa cloud Falcons' QB plans
Atlanta Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski offered little clarity this week on the team’s murky quarterback situation ahead of a Week 2 home game against NFC South rival Carolina Panthers.
Stefanski told reporters Wednesday that he is "not ruling anybody out." His comments came as Cooper Rush, who replaced an injured Tua Tagovailoa in the Falcons’ season-opening loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, participated fully in practice after dealing with a back issue four days earlier.
Rush finished the 20-13 loss to the Steelers with 143 passing yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown by Steelers star pass rusher T.J. Watt.
Tagovailoa sustained an oblique injury in practice days before the Falcons were scheduled to kick off against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was ruled out for the opener, remained listed as day to day entering Wednesday’s practice and had yet to participate in practice this week.
Rush continued to receive treatment Wednesday for a back spasm that flared up Saturday, Stefanski said.
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Stefanski declined to say whether Tagovailoa would start if healthy.
"Of course, ideal world, I think everybody, every team, you'd love to know who's playing at every position," Stefanski said. "That's a no-brainer. I get that part. But we're going to be flexible and make sure that we're giving all of our guys the ability to go play and play well."
Michael Penix Jr. is widely expected to take the starting quarterback job at some point this season. Penix, a 2024 first-round pick, started nine of the Falcons’ first 10 games last season, missing the Week 8 loss to the Miami Dolphins with an injury before returning in Week 9.
He tore his ACL in a Week 11 match-up against the Carolina Panthers and has since been medically cleared to return, though he recently told reporters he wants to feel closer to full strength before taking the field in 2026.
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"I had that conversation and I just told [coach Stefanski], 'I'm not where I want to be right now,'" Penix said earlier this month. "I want to be able to be 100 percent so I can help this team win football games. And I'm really close."
Jack Strand, an undrafted free agent from Minnesota State Moorhead, was listed as Rush’s backup in Week 1. He quickly won over many fans with a series of highlight-reel plays during the preseason, finishing the exhibition slate with 306 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
His opportunities to build on that momentum, however, have been limited, as practice reps typically dwindle once training camp ends and the regular season begins. Even so, Strand remains a possibility for Sunday’s game against Carolina.
"Jack is not being ruled out for this game," Stefanski said.
The Panthers lost their season opener 59-37 to the Chicago Bears in Charlotte.
Maryland family speaks out after ‘4-foot-long’ rabid beaver attacks 13-year-old boy
The family of a 13-year-old boy who was viciously attacked by a rabid beaver in Maryland has spoken out about the incident, describing the animal as a massive, four-foot-long adult.
The July 26 incident was the first of three rabid beaver attacks that prompted Cunningham Falls State Park in Frederick County to close, according to the family's GoFundMe.
The teen was identified as Dominick Cebula by WUSA 9.
Dominick was swimming and looking at fish underwater in a designated area when the beaver suddenly struck his chest and latched onto him, the family said in their online fundraiser.
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The family said the unprovoked attack unfolded in front of the boy's mother and younger brother, who watched in horror from the shore.
"This 4-foot-long beaver (not a cute little cuddly beaver — this thing was as big as his 8-year-old brother) came out of nowhere from the deep of the lake, beelined straight toward D, and began biting and attacking him," Dominick's aunt, Leigh Cebula, said.
"He did not provoke it, poke it, or mess with it in any way. This was completely unprovoked."
Dad Jeff Cebula told WUSA 9 the beaver began shaking its head and refused to let go.
"He grabbed its head and a leg, and he tried to get it off of him," Jeff said. "At that point, he kind of felt that it was locked onto him. And then it started shaking its head, kind of like a dog would do."
Dominick eventually managed to pull the beaver off his chest and tried to back away with his hands raised, his dad said.
The beaver then lunged at him again and bit his right hand, prompting Dominick to fight it off a second time.
He was promptly airlifted to Johns Hopkins Hospital, where doctors began treating his wounds and administering rabies post-exposure treatment.
"It was so traumatic. He was lifeflighted to Johns Hopkins because the paramedics were worried his lung was punctured. Luckily it wasn't," Dominick's mother, Alishia Cebula, told Fox News Digital.
The boy is now recovering well after undergoing surgery earlier this month.
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"He is doing much better. He just had surgery on 9/4 to repair a severed nerve in his finger," Alishia said. "He had a lot of appointments, especially with the rabies vaccines he had to get. Thank God for the vaccine.
"Luckily, we're getting to the end of this traumatic event."
Leigh added that the incident happened in an area where the family had swum for years and had never spotted beavers before.
After the attack, the beaver was euthanized after testing positive for rabies. Swimming access to Hunting Creek Lake at the park was closed soon afterward.
The incident marked the first in a series of three attacks at the park.
On Aug. 5, a 19-year-old fisherman was bitten in the ankle by a beaver.
Less than three weeks later, a 10-year-old girl at Seneca Creek State Park was also attacked while wading with an organized group.
Amanda Seyfried and Thomas Sadoski say separation is 'right move' for family after nearly 10 years of marriage
Amanda Seyfried and her husband of nine years have called it quits.
Seyfried and Thomas Sadoski issued a joint statement to People, sharing that they have been separated "for a while" and filing for divorce is what's right for their family.
"We have been separated for a while, and it’s proven to be the right move for us and our family unit. We’ve got each other forever — and it’s GOOD," Sadoski and Seyfried said.
In January, Seyfried touched on her marriage and said Sadoski "sacrifices a lot" for her.
"He also knows that, in this moment, the opportunities I’m being afforded are insane… I do say no a lot," Seyfried told Vogue.
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At the time, Seyfried was appearing in "The Housemaid," "The Testament of Anne Lee" and "Long Bright River."
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Seyfried and Sadoski first met in 2015 while starring together in the Off-Broadway play "The Way We Get By." They reunited on the set of the movie "The Last Word," began dating in 2016 and secretly eloped in March 2017, just days before welcoming their first child, daughter Nina.
They later expanded their family with the birth of their son, Thomas Jr., in September 2020.
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Seyfried and Sadoski kept their private life private. They lived together on a farm in upstate New York, raising their two children. The "Mean Girls" star gave fans little glimpses into her life via Instagram, sharing photos of her farm animals, pets and kids.