Newly revealed data from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), obtained through a subpoena by the House Homeland Security Committee and shared with Fox News, indicates that over 200,000 migrants have entered the U.S. under the Biden administration’s “CHNV” mass parole program in just eight months, from January to August 2023.

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The data highlights that a significant portion of these migrants, approximately 80% or 161,562 individuals, entered through four cities in Florida—Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, and Tampa. Miami alone saw 91,821 arrivals, making it the top destination for migrants under this program.

The program, launched in January 2023, offers a two-year humanitarian parole to 30,000 migrants each month from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. These migrants can fly directly to the U.S. if they have a sponsor and pass security vetting, completely bypassing the southern U.S. border.

Despite not being taxpayer-funded, with costs covered by the migrants or their sponsors, the program has sparked significant controversy. Critics, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, argue that the program constitutes an abuse of constitutional authority. "Biden's parole program is unlawful, and we are suing to shut it down," said DeSantis' press secretary, Jeremy Redfern.

Supporters of the program, however, argue that it represents a lawful use of executive parole authority, providing a safe and regulated pathway for migrants that discourages illegal border crossings. According to DHS, the program has successfully reduced the number of Haitians and Cubans attempting to cross the border illegally.

The subpoena response also revealed that as of October 2023, there is a backlog of about 1.6 million applicants waiting for DHS approval to fly to the U.S. under this program. Meanwhile, legal challenges against the program continue, with a recent lawsuit in Texas being dismissed due to lack of standing.

The debate over the CHNV program underscores the ongoing struggle to find a balance between humanitarian aid and immigration control, with both sides deeply entrenched in their positions.

WASHINGTON D.C. - Mortgage rates have climbed to their highest level in months, some unwelcome news for President Joe Biden in a critical election year.

As of Thursday, the average rate on a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage was 7.17%, according to Freddie Mac. That is the highest mortgage rates have been since November of last year. The higher rates are crimping homebuying, a factor that has weighed on voter perceptions of the economy. Mortgage rates peaked at about 7.8% in October, although they fell steadily through early January as investors expected the Federal Reserve to start cutting interest rates. Since then, though, inflation reports have come in hotter than expected, and the prospect of rate cuts has been pushed back.

The housing market has taken on water because of the higher interest rates. The Fed controls short-term interest rates, which affect rates throughout the economy, including mortgages. Click here to read more.

 

SEATTLE, WASH - Educators need to start working on new curricula to teach students about the contributions, perspectives and histories of all people, including the stories of LGBTQ+ Washingtonians.

This new inclusive learning law takes effect June 6 and includes all districts, even those that have opposed it.

While Senate Bill 5462 was still in committee, several school boards, including the Lynden School District board, passed resolutions against its passage.

“It was more about how it erodes local control,” Schoolboard President Tonya Hickman told KOMO News.

That includes control of curriculum, Hickman told KOMO News that this is the school board's job.

 

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration is pushing back against the “lies and misinformation” regarding Florida’s Heartbeat Protection Act, which went into effect Wednesday.

“The pro-abortion left is lying for political gain,” Secretary of the Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration Jason Weida said. “The attempts to demonize standard healthcare for women make a physician’s job more difficult and can put a pregnant woman’s life at risk.”

The administration shared a “myth vs fact” sheet regarding the new law. It is titled “Florida is Protecting Life. Myth vs Fact. Don’t Let the Fearmongers lie to you.” Click here to read more.

 

OKLAHOMA - The family of an Oklahoma teen found dead wearing just his shoes on the side of the road have been left with more questions than answers after his autopsy results. 

Noah Presgrove, 19, was discovered on a desolate stretch of US-81 near Terral, Oklahoma, on September 4 after he disappeared from a four-day 22nd birthday party with friends over the Labor Day weekend.

This week, an autopsy declared his cause of death to be blunt force trauma to the head, while police said his death was no longer being investigated as a murder. Click here to read more.

 

DURHAM, UK - Linda Ellerton never thought she’d see her cat Whiskas again. However, the pair have been reunited in an emotional reunion, more than 10 years after the beloved feline went missing.

Whiskas, who is 16 years old, was found in Chilton Moor, near Durham in the UK, which is close to where she lived before disappearing.

A local resident found her taking residence in his shed and took her to a vet in December, where she was found to have an old RSPCA microchip.

Whiskas was adopted by Linda in 2007 after being found as a stray kitten by the RSPCA in Scotland. After living with Linda for 6 years, Whiskas disappeared, with the family moving house after giving up hope of seeing their pet again. Linda, who last saw Whiskas in 2013, was alerted after the charity put out an online appeal. Click here to read more.

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LANSING, Mich - A sweeping plan to reform Michigan's election recount process passed the state’s Democratic-led Senate on Tuesday amid partisan tensions as lawmakers debated the role of bipartisan canvassers. 

The proposal would solve a long-standing issue in Michigan elections by allowing county officials to recount precincts that are “out of balance” because the number of physical ballots does not exactly match the local clerks’ count of voters. 

But the legislation has proven controversial because it would also make clear that county canvassers – two Republicans and two Democrats each – should focus on remedying potential “errors” in a recount but not investigate “fraudulent or illegal voting,” which Democrats say should be left to law enforcement. 

Republicans uniformly voted against the bills, with some alleging the changes would weaken the state’s protections against election fraud. But supporters contend the plan would drive home the distinction between recounts and proper criminal investigations. Click here to read more.

 

ST. LOUIS, MO - Plagued throughout the academic year by what it called “chronic bus absenteeism,” St. Louis Public Schools is offering to pay families who drive their kids to the final two weeks of school.

NewsNation local affiliate KTVI reports the Missouri school district has already begun offering gas cards to families, but the new initiative was detailed in a letter sent to parents Monday.

“We are excited to announce a new set of programs aimed at addressing the current challenges in transportation services,” Toyin Akinola, the director of transportation for St. Louis Public Schools, said in the letter. Click here to read story.

 

WAUCHULA, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation on Wednesday banning the manufacture and sale of lab-grown meat in Florida.

SB 1084 prohibits and creates penalties for the manufacturing, sale or distribution of cultivated meat in the state.

It also preempt the regulation of electric vehicle charging stations to the state and prohibits local governments from implementing their own policies.

Additionally, the legislation provides regulations for the destruction, harvesting and sale of saw palmetto berries.

The new law also bolsters state provisions on charging suspects with trespassing on commercial agricultural land, one provision touted by Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson on Wednesday. Click here to read more.

 

WASHINGTON D.C. - Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., paid tribute to a fraternity Wednesday that was involved in defending the American flag from protesters at the University of North Carolina.

A viral image circulating social media depicts members of Pi Kappa Phi surrounding a large flagpole and holding up the U.S. flag. The image was taken during a campus protest in which demonstrators attempted to raise a Palestinian flag in its place, according to freelance journalist Bryan Anderson. Click here to read more.

 

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. — 7News On Your Side has obtained an email revealing Prince William County Public Schools removed a speech-language pathologist from their list of evaluators because he "sides with the parents."

The email is dated July 14, 2023, and appears to be sent from one of the school district's executive administrative assistants to the Director for the Special Education Department to other school district staff members, informing them Dr. Jay Lucker was no longer on the list of speech-language pathologists.

"[We] removed Dr. Jay Lucker from our speech provider list," the email said. "Dr. Lucker does not give good evaluations and typically sides with the parents. We took him off the list, but did not send him a formal letter to state that we are removing him from our provider list. I don't think we are required to do that." Click here to read more.