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Inside the Texas DPS K-9 program: Strengthening border security and combating crime
The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is expanding its K-9 training program, deploying highly trained dogs to assist with drug interdiction, explosive detection, and tracking missions across the state.
Lt. Boyd Lamb, a 19-year veteran of DPS and a member of the K-9 program for 12 years, took FOX on a tour of their training facility in Florence, Texas that transforms untrained dogs into specialized law enforcement assets.
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"We take a dog from a green dog that knows absolutely nothing and transform that dog into a working machine," Lt. Lamb said. "Whether that needs to be drug detection, explosive detection, or a tracking dog, we start here with the basics and then send them out across Texas."
The program prides itself on exposure to real-life scenarios, including controlled chaos situations such as helicopter deployments.
"Any kind of exposure we can introduce them to is critical," Lt. Lamb said. "We want to make sure that once they get out there…whether it’s an explosive detection mission or a drug interdiction operation…they can perform without shutting down."
DPS currently runs 74 K-9 teams statewide, including 51 drug detection teams, nine explosive detection teams, and approximately 13 tracking teams. Many of these groups are deployed as part of Operation Lone Star, a state initiative to stop drug smuggling and unauthorized border crossings. Tracking dogs, specifically, play a major role at the border, helping in the apprehension of people trying to escape law enforcement.
K-9 handler Landon Ravun is stationed in Del Rio and is well-prepared for any scenario. Body camera footage shows his training put to good use during a mission last summer when Ravun and his K-9, Bona, tracked down a fugitive wanted for murder.
"It’s a super important job that we do. Getting to go behind her and watch the capabilities and the amazing things she can do is incredible," Ravun said.
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The training program for handlers and their dogs is intensive, with each pair undergoing nine weeks of joint instruction after the dog completes a pre-training phase that lasts between six and 15 weeks.
Lt. Lamb emphasized the importance of the handler-dog relationship, noting that "these dogs become part of the handler’s family. When I graduated with my dog in 2014, she became part of my life. When she retired, my family got to spend time with her, but when she passed away in 2022, it was like losing a family member."
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Beyond border enforcement and drug detection, the DPS K-9 program has also played an important role in search-and-rescue missions. One of our tracking dogs helped locate a 38-year-old special needs man who wandered away in Los Naples Park. He had been missing for four to six hours, was severely dehydrated, and needed immediate help.
"Our K-9 team found him and got him back to his family," Lt. Lamb recalled. "That moment alone made the entire program worth it."
With ongoing expansion efforts, DPS aims to further integrate K-9 units into operations across Texas, ensuring that law enforcement has highly trained dogs ready for any mission.
Blagojevich has new job working for ‘Bosnian Bear’ politician with ties to Putin
Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, fresh off a pardon from President Donald Trump, has a new job representing the interests of a politician known as the "Bosnian Bear," who also has close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Blagojevich, who was pardoned by Trump in February, has agreed to lobby on behalf of the Republic of Srpska, a Serb-majority territory in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Politico reported. The region has long been mired in ethnic tension.
"RRB Strategies LLC will provide communications and public affairs support on behalf of the Republic of Srpska," according to the registration statement filed by Blagojevich's firm.
Registration is required under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
In a post on Wednesday, Blagojevich said Interpol, the global police organization, denied a request from "the unelected Bosnian High Representative to arrest Milorad Dodik, known as the ‘Bosnian Bear’ for his big physique, the duly elected President of the Republic of Srpska."
Interpol's denial came as Dodik traveled to Israel to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and to attend a conference on how to combat antsemitism, the former governor said.
Earlier this week, Blagojevich said left-wing courts, prosecutors and officials were trying to "jail populist conservative leaders elected by the people & bar them from holding office."
He cited efforts to push back against Trump, Marine Le Pen in France and Dodik, who has long advocated for Srpska to separate from Bosnia and Herzegovina and join Serbia.
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In February, he was sentenced to a year in prison for defying the country’s Constitutional Court. He has since fled to Moscow.
In March, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Dodik was undermining Bosnia and Herzegovina's institutions and threatening its security and stability.
"Our nation encourages political leaders in Bosnia and Herzegovina to engage in constructive and responsible dialogue," he said. "We call on our partners in the region to join us in pushing back against this dangerous and destabilizing behavior."
Trump reportedly weighed tapping Blagojevich to serve as U.S. ambassador to Serbia before picking former Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich.
DOGE uncovers VA’s agreement to pay $380K per month for minor website modifications
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) paid hundreds of thousands of dollars a month for website changes before canceling the contract and having an internal staffer take over, according to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
While combing through loads and loads of data, DOGE discovered a previous contract by the VA for its website maintenance.
"Good work by @DeptVetAffairs," DOGE said in a post on X on Wednesday. "VA was previously paying ~$380,000/month for minor website modifications. That contract has not been renewed, and the same work is now being executed by 1 internal VA software engineer spending ~10 hours/week."
Fox News Digital has reached out to the VA for comment about the former contract.
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VA Secretary Doug Collins has defended DOGE cuts at the VA as part of the new administration's efforts to reform the department and better serve veterans.
In February, the VA announced that the dismissal of more than 1,000 employees would enable the department to redirect over $98 million per year in resources back to health care, benefits and services for VA beneficiaries.
Billionaire Elon Musk has been the face of DOGE since President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing the department on Jan. 20.
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Trump tasked the organization with optimizing the federal government, streamlining operations and slashing spending and gave the agency 18 months to do it.
Along with discoveries like the former contract VA signed for website maintenance, DOGE continues to find waste and fraud among federal agencies.
Last week, DOGE announced the termination of 113 contracts valued at $4.7 billion, including a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) consulting contract for Peru's climate change activities.
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DOGE also announced the Department of Labor had canceled $577 million in "America Last" grants, totaling $237 million in savings.
The funding that was canceled included $10 million for "gender equity in the Mexican workplace," $12.2 million for "worker empowerment in South America" and $6.25 million for "improving respect for workers' rights in agricultural supply chains" in the countries of Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador.
As of April 2, DOGE claims on its site it has saved Americans $140 billion, or $869.57 per taxpayer.
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DOGE critics contend the organization has too much access to federal systems and should not be permitted to cancel federal contracts or make cuts to various agencies.
NFL star Trey Hendrickson rips Bengals' brass over 'poor' communication during contract negotiations
Trey Hendrickson has spent his past four NFL seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals. The star pass rusher has just one year remaining on his contract with the Bengals and recently requested permission to seek a trade.
Despite the trade request, Hendrickson hopes to remain in Cincinnati.
"However it shakes out, there's nowhere I'd rather be," he said in early March.
During the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Bengals director of personnel Duke Tobin suggested the team and Hendrickson's agent were making progress on a new contract for the star defensive end.
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However, Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn's recent comments at the league's annual meeting did not give credence to Tobin's remarks. Blackburn's words prompted a frustrated Hendrickson to call out the organization for an apparent lack of communication in recent months.
"That was a little disappointing, because communication has been poor over the last couple months," Hendrickson told "The Pat McAfee Show" in reference to Blackburn's remarks.
"That's something that I hold in high regard. They have not communicated with my agent directly. It's been something that's been a little bit frustrating."
Hendrickson added that talks with the Bengals have largely been "here and there."
Hendrickson finished each of the past two seasons with 17½ sacks. His estimated base salary of just over $15 million for next season pales in comparison to his counterparts. Myles Garrett agreed to a record-breaking contract extension with the Cleveland Browns earlier this offseason. The deal will pay Garrett roughly $40 million annually.
Las Vegas Raiders pass rusher Maxx Crosby inked a three-year extension last month and will make an estimated $35.5 million per season.
"I think he [Hendrickson] should be happy at certain rates that maybe he doesn't think he'd be happy at," Blackburn said Tuesday. "I think some of it is on him to be happy at some point, and if he's not, you know, that's what holds it up sometimes. So, you know, it takes him to say yes to something. And, also, we have all the respect in the world for him. He's been a great player. We're happy to have him. And so maybe we'll find a way to get something to work. We're just gonna see where it goes."
Despite the latest turn of events, Hendrickson said the "line of communication" remains open on his end.
"They're more than welcome to call me," Hendrickson said. "I've had my cellphone, same cellphone number since high school. Open line of communication is always open with me and my agent. So, if they have anything they'd like to discuss, we've been nothing but willing to listen."
Hendrickson made it clear he was looking for a long-term contract, not a short-term deal.
"We don't have any desires of being highest paid or, you know, first in line," he said. "I'm not going to go into all the details, but, like, there are things that I'm willing to do and willing not to budge on. I don't think I want to play for incentives that will be out of my control. I don't think I want to play (on a) short-term contract. ... I would like to tell my wife, 'Here's where we're going to live. Here's where we're going to build a family together.' You know?"
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Transportation Sec Sean Duffy slams blue state governor, says criminals 'continue to terrorize' city residents
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Wednesday slammed New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), accusing both of discounting safety risks in New York City subways.
"The @MTA & @GovKathyHochul continue to say NYC subways are perfectly safe. Meanwhile, criminals continue to terrorize innocent New Yorkers," Duffy wrote in a post on X over a news story detailing recent violence on the NYC subway. "We're fighting to make commuting safe again."
In December, a 57-year-old woman was allegedly burned alive by an illegal migrant from Guatamala in a horrific subway attack.
Less than a month later, on New Year's Eve, a New York City man was charged with attempted murder after allegedly shoving a 45-year-old man onto the subway tracks.
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In 2024, subway felony assaults increased and homicides doubled to 10, Fox News Digital previously reported.
However, overall, subway crime was down by 5.4%, according to the NYPD.
Duffy in March sent a letter to the MTA noting New York City's transit authority must reduce crime, or it would face federal funding cuts.
"The trend of violent crime, homelessness, and other threats to public safety on one of our nation's most prominent metro systems is unacceptable," Duffy wrote in the letter. "After years of soft-on-crime policies, our Department is stepping in to restore order."
The letter requested a copy of MTA's data on fare evasion, worker assaults, customer assaults and police patrols, Fox News Digital previously reported.
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It also requested an explanation of how MTA, which is given billions of dollars from the federal government, has used taxpayer funding to address safety and security concerns.
"Commuters are sick and tired of feeling like they have to jeopardize their safety to get to work, go to school, or to travel around the city," Duffy wrote in the letter. "We will continue to fight to ensure their federal tax dollars are going towards a crime-free commute."
The DOT, MTA and Hochul's office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Fox News Digital's Anders Hagstrom and Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report.
Ted Cruz clashes with key Democrat over 'second phase of lawfare' through federal judges' orders
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., sparred during a hearing on federal judges' nationwide orders against the Trump administration, and the Democrat dismissed her colleague's claims of "lawfare."
"Understand this is the second phase of lawfare," Cruz said during the Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing, "Rule by District Judges II: Exploring Legislative Solutions to the Bipartisan Problem of Universal Injunctions."
"Now that their efforts to indict President Trump and stop the voters from re-electing him have failed, they're going and seeking out individual radical judges," the Texas Republican claimed.
Klobuchar disputed this, telling Cruz the injunctions from federal judges were a result of President Donald Trump "violating the Constitution."
"Why would Trump-appointed judges …," the Minnesota Democrat began before being interrupted by Cruz.
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"Why don't you file them in red districts?" Cruz asked. "Why are the Democrat attorneys general seeking out left-wing, blue swing districts?"
Klobuchar claimed the spike in nationwide injunctions from district judges halting Trump administration actions are not because "these judges are crooked or lunatics or evil." And she warned that making such claims could instigate threats and violence against them.
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Cruz criticized Democrats for not sufficiently denouncing threats against conservative Supreme Court justices in recent years. But Klobuchar called that a lie, explaining, "We came together and got more funding for the judges and changed things so that they had more protection."
While multiple Democrats criticized "judge shopping" during the hearing, they were careful not to get behind Republican bills to end all nationwide injunctions.
"It's impossible to separate the hearing from President Trump's record in office," said ranking member Dick Durbin, D-Ill.
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But ending judge shopping, as Democrats have proposed in the past, wouldn't completely address the issue, said majority witnesses John N. Matthews, a law professor at Notre Dame Samuel Bray, and Jesse Panuccio, partner at Boies Schiller Flexner. He was previously the acting associate attorney general at the Department of Justice (DOJ), chairman of the DOJ’s Regulatory Reform Task Force and vice chairman of the DOJ’s Task Force on Market Integrity and Consumer Fraud.
"I think the incentive for forum shopping is that you think you can get a judge who can be a ruler for the whole nation. So, fix the problem of judges overreaching," Panuccio.
Seattle city council approves resolution to cut ties with 'Defund the Police' movement
Seattle’s city council unanimously approved a resolution on Tuesday to end any commitments to defund the police.
After the death of George Floyd in 2020, the slogan and movement to "Defund the Police" swept the country. Yet in the wake of a reported rise in crime in multiple cities across the country, politicians, even in Democratic Party strongholds, have sought to distance themselves from the idea.
Last week, Rob Saka spoke with fellow members of Seattle City Council’s public safety committee about his recently introduced Resolution 32167, to recognize work to improve public safety.
The councilmember said at the time, "This resolution reverses any prior commitment or pledge by past councils to defund or abolish the police. We know that these statements were routinely cited by departing police personnel as a reason for leaving. We also know that they are very divisive."
He made headlines again at the city council meeting this week.
"'Defund' is dead if this passes, that’s the headline!" Saka said at Tuesday’s meeting shortly before the final vote where the bill was passed unanimously by the city council.
Local news outlet, the Everett Post, reported that next, "Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison will submit the last remaining Seattle Police Department policies to a federal monitor for review."
"This legislation allows us to collectively heal from the shameful legacy of ‘Defund’ and, importantly, officially pivot towards a diversified response model that communities so desperately need," Saka added in his speech before the vote.
Saka recalled the irony of how the council that voiced support for the "Defund the Police" movement in 2020 had no Black members at the time.
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"Ironically, at the time those ‘Defund’ commitments and pledges were made in the city of Seattle, there were zero, zero Black or African-American, African-descent councilmembers serving in the council at the time," he said mocking the idea that such commitments were made in the best interests of Black Americans like himself.
"I didn’t benefit from that," he said. "No communities that I’m involved with benefited from that. It hurt all communities!"
He reiterated his point and declared, "As a Black man, I’ll say, look, Black and Brown communities, we don’t need White saviors."
After saying that the Black community is both capable of speaking for itself and not a monolith, Saka argued that the commitment to the "Defund the Police" movement had been made after "people cherry-picked specific voices and specific perspectives from our Black community here in Seattle and held it up as ‘the perspective.’"
"It’s not," he said. "Wasn’t then, it’s not true now."
American Airlines flight to Tokyo from NYC diverted to Texas for 'maintenance issue'
An American Airlines flight from New York City to Tokyo was forced to turn around over the Pacific Ocean on Monday night before flying back to Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas after experiencing a "maintenance issue."
American Airlines Flight 167 took off from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York at about 11 a.m. on Monday and was expected to land at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport (HND) in Japan at about 2 p.m. the next day.
Flight Aware data shows that the aircraft had crossed the U.S. and was over the Pacific Ocean when nearly seven hours into the flight, it turned around and headed back toward the U.S.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner flew over several states, including Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and Oklahoma, before ultimately landing at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport just before 10:15 p.m. local time on Monday.
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American Airlines told Fox News Digital the flight was diverted due to a maintenance issue, though details surrounding the issue were not provided.
"We never want to disrupt our customers’ travel plans, and we are sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused," American said.
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All passengers on the flight were provided hotel accommodations for the night, and the flight departed the next day for Tokyo.
The diversion comes after a series of aviation disasters in the U.S.
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An American Airlines plane collided with a military Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, killing 67 people last month. Less than 48 hours later, a medical ambulance flight crashed in Philadelphia, leaving seven people dead.
Then earlier this month, a Delta Air Lines flight flipped upside down and erupted into flames while landing at Canada's Toronto Pearson Airport. Thankfully, everyone survived that terrifying ordeal.
Man charged with making threats against ICE agents, DHS Sec Kristi Noem in 'alarming' social media posts
A Texas man was recently arrested after authorities say he made terroristic threats against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem.
Robert King allegedly made "alarming" social media posts, according to a statement from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Dallas.
One post noted his intentions to "open fire" if agents are seen in his neighborhood, according to the statement.
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Fox News learned some of the alleged posts included comments relating to Noem and others claiming ICE agents are not "real cops" and have "no real authority."
HSI Dallas shared a photo Wednesday of King standing in handcuffs next to a number of federal agents in the city of McKinney.
"Like Secretary Noem said: If you threaten or attempt to harm a law enforcement officer we will find you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law. Promises made, promises kept," a senior Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official told Fox News Digital following the arrest.
The arrest comes after more than 40 people were taken into custody in Texas as part of a Tren De Aragua (TdA) gang investigation.
The FBI, ICE, the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD), the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and several other federal, state and local partners spent a year investigating members and associates believed to be part of the Venezuelan transnational gang.
Early Tuesday morning, the Hays County Sheriff's Office and DPS, working with the FBI, ICE, HSI and Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO), obtained a search warrant for a home in Hays County, which was executed by DPS’ Special Response Team.
More than 40 people, including minors, were taken into custody at or near the home, and narcotics were seized, according to HSI San Antonio.
An ICE spokesperson told Fox News 47 illegal immigrants were apprehended.
Of those 47 people, 25 were adult men, nine were single adult women, four were adult mothers, and nine were non-citizen children, according to the spokesperson.
They were all taken to the Austin Resident Office for processing.
"Everyone whom ICE arrested was found to be illegally present in the U.S. and taken into ICE custody pending immigration proceedings," according to the spokesperson.
The State Department designated TdA as a foreign terrorist organization on Feb. 20.
The gang has thousands of members who are reportedly undertaking hostile actions against the U.S. in multiple states.
The Alien Enemies Act of 1798, enacted by President Donald Trump to make it easier to detain TdA members, allows the deportation of natives and citizens of an enemy nation without a hearing, and has previously only been invoked during wartime.
DHS and HSI Dallas did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
NBA DEI chief Lesley Slaton stepping down: report
Lesley Slaton, the NBA's chief DEI officer, informed colleagues in an email Wednesday she's stepping down, according to Adweek.
Brown joined the NBA as chief DEI officer in 2023. Before that, she was chief DEI officer at HP since 2015.
Adweek reported the league will hire a replacement.
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"The values of diversity and inclusion are central to the culture of the NBA, WNBA, and our other leagues and will remain core to our business and our workplace," the email said.
Other American sports organizations have taken steps to distance themselves from DEI.
MLB has removed "diversity" references from its careers page entirely.
The General Services Administration announced changes in February to the Federal Acquisition Regulations meant to align with the president's executive order aimed at restoring merito and ending discrimination in the public and private sectors. The move reverses previous Biden administration executive orders that made it mandatory to consider DEI when reviewing contract proposals.
Under Trump, language associated with DEI principles was also ordered removed from any federal acquisition, contracting, grant or financial assistance procedures.
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