Embodiment of Trump's White Trash US Evangelical Christian Bigots: The Crook Jim Bakker

Like his fellow Evangelical reverends, preachers, and pastors who are frequently caught committing adultery or formicating with children, after convincing their herd of morons that they are sinners who should give money to find forgiveness, Jim Bakker is the embodiment of the American Christian movement: pro-violence criminals, wealth-and power-seeking, racists, xenophobes, hateful of other religions including other Christian denominations, and who use the garbage scriptures to fool millions into submission to American imperialism and Zionist colonialism.

May he be buried as many feet underground as needed to get him closer to his favorite angel, Lucifer. 

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Jim Bakker, who lost his ‘PTL Club’ televangelism empire in sex and money scandals, dies at 86
JIM SALTER and HALLIE GOLDEN
Updated Tue, October 6, 2026 


FILE - Television evangelist Jim Bakker poses in front of the Water Park in Columbia, SC, one of the attractions at his Heritage USA, March 19, 1987. (AP Photo/Lou Krasky, File) (AP Photo/Lou Krasky)


Jim Bakker, who built a huge TV following and evangelical empire with his first wife, Tammy Faye, which later collapsed in a sex scandal and financial crimes, has died. He was 86.

Bakker died Monday, his second wife, Lori Bakker, said in a statement. The cause of death was not provided.

"He was a pioneer of Christian television, but to me, he was my husband, my best friend, and the man I was honored to walk beside through so many seasons of life and ministry," she said.

The pair lived near Branson, an entertainment destination in Missouri, where they had filmed their TV show "The Jim Bakker Show" since its launch in 2003. Bakker suffered a stroke in 2020.

But it was the "The PTL Club," which at its peak in the mid-1980s drew 13 million nightly TV viewers, that made Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker cultural icons — so much so that they were often skewered in the 1980s and 90s by late-night comedians and parodied on "Saturday Night Live."

The couple also built Heritage USA, a Christian theme park and hotel in Fort Mill, South Carolina, and a movie about their lives, "The Eyes of Tammy Faye," was released in September 2021.

Bakker starts out as a traveling preacher

Bakker was born in Muskegon, Michigan, and attended North Central Bible College in Minneapolis, where he met Tammy Faye. They married in 1961 and dropped out of college to start their own traveling ministry. He preached and she sang and played the accordion in churches and tent revivals across the country.

They caught the attention of televangelist Pat Robertson, and in 1965 launched a children's show on Robertson's Christian Broadcasting Network. By 1966, Bakker was hosting "The 700 Club," a Christian talk show.

Bakker left CBN in 1972 and two years later formed the PTL Satellite Network. "The PTL Club" — PTL stands for "Praise the Lord" — became its signature show.

In its heyday in the 1980s, "The PTL Club" attracted millions of viewers and brought in millions of dollars annually.

The show featured chats with guests and Christian entertainers. Bakker offered upbeat sermons and Tammy Faye — charismatic and always wearing her trademark heavy mascara — sang. Most episodes were taped at their sprawling complex just south of Charlotte, North Carolina.

They were often parodied by TV comedians, mocked for their lavish lifestyle and Tammy Faye's abundant makeup.

Sex scandal and financial crimes damage his empire

Their standing began to crumble in March 1987, when Bakker admitted to a sexual encounter with church clerk Jessica Hahn. Hahn alleged that Bakker sexually assaulted her; Bakker maintained that the encounter was consensual.

Bakker was forced to resign from his empire, turning over operations to pastor and broadcaster Jerry Falwell.

Tammy Faye stuck by Bakker, often seen with mascara-stained tears running down her face.

Bakker was indicted in 1988 for mail fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy after an investigation of PTL's finances. He was convicted the following year and sentenced to 45 years in federal prison. The sentence was later reduced to eight years.

At a news conference after he was found guilty, Tammy Faye sang the hymn, "On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand."

Their marriage fell apart and Tammy Faye divorced the still-incarcerated Bakker in 1992, just short of their 31st anniversary. She later married Roe Messner, a building contractor whose projects included the Heritage USA theme park. Messner was convicted of bankruptcy fraud in 1995 and spent about two years in prison.

Tammy Faye died of colon cancer in 2007.

Bakker was released on parole in 1994 and married Lori in 1998. They launched "The Jim Bakker Show" on the PTL Satellite Network five years later.

In June 2021, Bakker and his Morningside Church Productions Inc. settled a lawsuit accusing him of falsely claiming the health supplement Silver Solution could cure COVID-19. The settlement called for $156,000 in refunds to people who paid money or gave contributions to obtain the product in the early days of the pandemic.

The lawsuit said Bakker and a guest made the cure claim during 11 episodes in February and March 2020.

Bakker and Tammy Faye had two children. He and Lori Bakker adopted five children in 2002.
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Salter, a former Associated Press journalist, was the main author of this obituary.

Will Trump Order Execution by Firing Squad of US Marine Killer in Japan?

Devin Jacob Ballard

The Great Moron has ordered, per recommendation from the imbecile white trash warrior Pete Hegseth, the execution BY FIRING SQUAD of Nidal Hasan (who carried out the Fort Hood mass shooting on November 5, 2009, killing 13 people and injuring 32 others). Trump's sole motivation is that Nidal Hasan is a Muslim, and death by firing squad is a warrior fantasy of the white supremacist pseudo-Christian racist Hegseth who believes that execution by firing squad is some sort of military patriotic act.

Will the Great Moron now extend this pseudo-patriotic execution to the US Marine, Devin Jacob Ballard, who perpetrated a heinous crime in Okinawa, Japan (see below)? Or will he hail this killer soldier as a hero because he is a white American who committed his crime on foreign (hence, to be hated) soil?
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US Marine arrested on suspicion of murder after 'brutal and heinous' death in Japan
KEVIN SHALVEY
Sun, October 4, 2026


US Marine arrested on suspicion of murder after 'brutal and heinous' death in Japan

A U.S. service member was arrested on suspicion of murder and robbery after a Japanese woman's body was discovered in a hotel in Okinawa, local officials said, describing the alleged killing as a "heinous" incident that prompted the Japanese government to lodge a protest with the United States.

Shinjiro Koizumi, the Japanese minister of defense, said a U.S. Marine lance corporal was arrested on Sunday after the woman's body was found early on Saturday in Naha, the capital city of the Okinawa prefecture.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the Okinawa Prefectural Police were investigating the incident as a murder.

"The occurrence of such an extremely brutal and heinous incident is a matter of profound regret, and as the Government of Japan, we have lodged a strong protest with the U.S. side," she said on social media.

NHK, Japan's public broadcaster, identified the suspect as Devin Jacob Ballard, 20, who was stationed at U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, a base a few miles outside Naha. The broadcaster identified the alleged victim as Yagi Anna, 39, saying she was pronounced dead at the scene.

U.S. officials did not immediately confirm the identity of the service member who was arrested, nor did they say whether the person had been officially charged in connection with the death.

"We are actively cooperating with Japanese authorities, in response to allegations of serious criminal actions by a Marine assigned to the III Marine Expeditionary Force," the force said in a statement on social media. "We extend our deepest condolences to the victim's family and friends."

Tens of thousands of U.S. troops are stationed across Japan, including in the country's southernmost prefecture, Okinawa, which is home to several U.S. bases.

The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo said it was aware of the incident and was extending "our deepest condolences to the bereaved family of the deceased."

"At present, an investigation is underway to clarify the facts, and the United States Government continues to cooperate closely with the Government of Japan and local authorities," the embassy said in a statement.

George Glass, the U.S. ambassador to Japan, said he had spoken on Sunday morning with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Okinawa's governor, adding that his office was providing full cooperation with an investigation into the death.

Rednecks in Ohio Turn Against the Great Moron

White trash rednecks who voted for Trump are turning against him. Why? He lied to them, they believed his lies, and now his real intentions have become clear to them and they're hurting economically. Dumb rednecks of America are waking up to their own stupidity. 

They can't eat his fake superficial patriotism. They can't eat his fake bigoted religiosity. They can't eat the migrants and immigrants he is persecuting (unless they turn to cannibals, which is not that far off the mark)... They can't eat his tariffs which are making them lose their jobs. They can't eat his ballroom or his changing the names of everything into his. No jobs, and their kitchen tables are empty.

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A gut punch in Ohio: Nearly 1,400 laid off at truck factory just days before Trump rally
JOSH BOAK
Updated Sat, October 3, 2026 



UAW Local 402 member Kyle Bos, right, has beer with Hal "Tank" Dunithan, left, and fellow UAW Local 402 members at Fricker's restaurant and bar in Springfield, Ohio, on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, on old Navistar's last day at its Springfield plant. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sipping tea from beer mugs with his coworkers, Kyle Bos listed the ways his life is changing.

Bos has two daughters, with a third due in January. At the grocery store, five items cost as much as a full cart once did. And on Wednesday, Bos and nearly 1,400 other people were laid off from their jobs at what had been the Navistar truck factory in southwestern Ohio.

The layoffs — occurring just three days before Donald Trump's rally on Saturday at a nearby high school — were large enough to basically erase an entire year of job growth in the greater Dayton, Ohio area. And they are one reason why Bos, 30, plans to spend the final weeks before the November election canvassing votes for Democrats.

Asked how many times he had voted for Trump, Bos held up three tattooed fingers. Voting records show he voted twice, though Bos insists he voted for Trump in 2024, 2020 and 2016.

But he said he's done with the president.

"Something has to change politically in this country," said Bos, a member of the United Auto Workers who identifies as a centrist.

"Seems like it just kept getting worse and worse and worse," he said.

Trump campaigned in this area on Saturday.

This year's election is a test for the working-class coalition that lifted Trump into the White House and gave majorities to Republicans in the House and Senate. The outcome will be decided in places like Dayton, which once sprouted factories but shed about half of its 90,000 factory jobs since 1990 after the North American Free Trade Agreement and trade with China made it cheaper to buy auto parts from abroad.

Trump's blunt talk and status as a celebrity businessman initially helped him around Dayton, where voters sensed that politics as usual had failed them. But voters this year are disgruntled about inflation and the war in Iran.

An Ohio race could help determine control of the Senate. Republican Sen. Jon Husted is facing a challenge from former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, who is trying to harness that disenchantment as he attempts a comeback two years after losing his seat.

Americans increasingly blame Trump for the high cost of living with just 17% approving of his handling of the issue. Trump didn't talk about grocery prices or gas prices or layoffs at his Saturday night rally in Vandalia, part of what he says will be a 32-day marathon of rallies to try to convince the public that the economy is better than they think.

"The fake news media, they refuse to talk about our record-setting numbers. So tonight, if you don't mind, I'm going to do it myself," he told the rally.

Trump has largely sneered at concerns about affordability, but he is promising to give people $5,000 checks if Republicans win the House and Senate next month— something Bos said he found offensive.

"It feels like a bribe, a slap in the face, and, like, that we're all ignorant," Bos said.
When factory work moved abroad, Republicans gained traction

In the 1990s, as steady paychecks vanished, drug addiction and crime increased. Things seemed to hit bottom after the 2008 financial crisis, prompting Phil Plummer — who was then Montgomery County Sheriff — to enter politics.

"My jail was 40% drug addicts, 50% mental health patients, 10% criminals," said Plummer, the Montgomery County GOP chairman who has been a Republican state representative since 2019. "We got it upside down — that's what drove me to the state house."

Plummer is now on the ballot for the Ohio state Senate and said he thinks Trump is what keeps the GOP's coalition of businesses and working-class families together.

In recent years, the local economy has improved as the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base steadily added government workers. The base has drawn new aerospace companies to the area such as Joby Aviation, Electra and the Sierra Nevada Corporation.

"In economic development, it takes time, and you have got to give it a little bit of time to bake, and then once it does, then you're going to have something special," said Jeff Hoagland, CEO of the Dayton Development Coalition.

No tax on overtime doesn't help these factory workers.

Trump pointed to the $850 million investment by aircraft maker Electra — along with a new project in Ohio from Stellantis and a Friday announcement from Bayer for a $2.2 billion drug plant near Columbus — as evidence his policies were creating jobs.

But at the former Navistar plant, Trump's broad tariffs never boosted demand and the plant's former owner, International Motors, chose to offload the facility.

Trump's major legislative achievement — the One Big, Beautiful Bill — contributed little to people's take-home pay, even as it temporarily stripped taxes from tips and overtime.

"We weren't getting a lot of overtime because of the economy," said Marianne Donnelly, who drove a forklift at the factory. "There just wasn't any to be had, very little to be had."

Laid-off workers like Donnelly say they expect to be rehired in six to 12 months by Roshel, a Canadian manufacturer of armored vehicles, which is buying the plant. Roshel said in a statement that it's "working with everyone involved not only to protect the current workforce, but to more than double it over the coming years through a phased process."
Laid-off workers are looking for hope

On the Monday before the layoffs, Morgan Hughes and JoJo Burkhard were knocking on doors in Kettering, a Dayton suburb. They were trying to convince union members and retirees to vote for Democrats.

The Navistar job had helped Hughes, 35, buy a house at age 21 and work alongside her father. Burkhard said inflation had made it easier to swing voters to their side.

"It isn't a hard pitch at all," she said. "And even if they don't want to stay Democratic long term, they'll at least give the candidates a chance this election, which could be a turning point for us."

After a morning of talking to voters, the pair settled down at a Chinese restaurant for some potstickers and the weight of the week hit them.

Burkhard cracked open a fortune cookie and tears began to well up. The layoffs meant no work for her, her boyfriend and her mother — and the words in small print almost seemed prophetic.

Her fortune read: "You'll find your inner strength to overcome challenges."
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This story was first published on Oct. 3, 2026. It was published again on Oct. 5, 2026, to make clear that while Kyle Bos insists he voted for Donald Trump for president three times, voting records show he voted twice.
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AP writer Seung Min Kim in Vandalia, Ohio, contributed to this report.

Pre-Vote False Advertisement: Trump's Tactic to Reject Election Results Later

Trump's superlative-laden posts and discourse are not simply because he's a dumb liar. His talk about how everything is going great for the GOP-MAGA in the upcoming midterms has an objective. One could say the idiot has a method to his idiocy.

By constantly claiming success and big crowds at his rallies now, before the elections, even as all polls point otherwise, Trump is investing in his own made-up alternative facts. Such that if, and when, the results of the elections turn out against him, he can claim fraud using his own grandiose pre-elections pronouncements as evidence. He'd say something like, "everything was going great, we had great crowds, but the media are against us (including his mouthpiece Fucks News that is already bailing out on him in anticipation of MAGA-GOP defeat in November), it's impossible that we would lose. Therefore, there must have been fraud".

The imbecile thinks poorly of the American people. He is right, though, when it comes to his own herd of MAGA morons whose stupidity he exploits to his own advantage. He lies to them and they believe him and vote for him.

Check the boldened parts of his texts/posts below to see how he is creating place holders for claiming fraud later.

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'Who Makes These Decisions': Trump Flips Out On Fox News In Sunday Morning Meltdown
Ben Blanchet
Updated Sun, October 4, 2026 

President Donald Trump cut the cord on Fox News Sunday morning, sounding off in a stunning post on his Truth Social platform that the conservative network isn't covering his rallies how he sees fit.

"Our people want to see our Rallies, and reports on our Rallies, on FoxNews, or they will very quickly stop watching (like I am doing right now!)," wrote Trump in the screed.

The post comes amid Trump's 17-state campaign blitz for Republicans and just weeks after Fox News broke with him over his White House press ban, choosing instead to stand with the three affected outlets in a show of solidarity.

Fox News' decision sparked fury within his circle, with top trade adviser Peter Navarro calling on viewers to boycott the typically Trump-friendly network, writing on social media that it "wore our jersey and played for the other team."

Trump, in his post to social media, wrote that it was "sad to see" the "Fox & Friends" program not providing sufficient coverage of what he described as "our packed house and incredibly enthusiastic (beyond!)" at rallies, adding that the "old undercurrent" at the network is responsible for such coverage.

He proceeded to slam the network for spending time on subjects that MAGA is not, "to put it mildly, happy" about it.

He continued, "We don't like stupid Jessica Tarlov, and all of the others, that are forced down MAGA'S throats. These Rallies are the hottest things out there, tremendous love in those sold out arenas, and nothing shows up on Fox! Also, phenomenal ratings for those that properly report." (Note: One such rally in Alabama was noticeably empty in parts of the arena on Friday.)

Trump went on to question "who makes these decisions" before calling out the "loser that fired" Maria Bartiromo, who parted ways with Fox News after she allegedly showed the White House an internal network memo pushing back on a story tied to false 2020 election claims.

"Cover our 'happenings,' and not the opposition to Greatness for America, or FoxNews will soon have the ratings of FAKE NEWS CNN or MSNOW (MSDNC)," he concluded. "Remember, Fox tried this act once before, and almost went out of business (and always right before an election!). That can happen again!"

More Diehard Trump-voting MAGA Morons Confirm: Trump Lied to Us

But these Alaska backwoods barbarians knew the criminal felon was a veteran liar. It was clear to anyone with one single neuron in their skulls that Trump will say anything to get elected (and then implement his racist white supremacist agenda). Yet these MAGA morons voted for him three times. 

What gives then? The answer: He appealed to their racism. They loved his racism and they prioritized their own racist stupidity over their real interests. They were seduced by the violence he meted out on migrants and immigrants. Now that they are hurting because of his failed economic policies, these self-centered hateful morons are crying out.

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'He's Just Lying': Three-Time Trump Voters Slam President While Revisiting His Promises
Anthony Orrico
Sun, October 4, 2026 



Several three-time voters for President Donald Trump in Alaska had some harsh words for the president while watching clips of his previous promises.

During Saturday's edition of MS NOW's "Connect with Jacob Soboroff," reporter Alex Tabet had voters react to clips from Trump's inaugural address and more recent ones in which he dismisses the high price of gas.

One man in Anchorage, while filling up his gas tank, watched a clip of Trump saying he would lower prices.

"That's why I voted for him because he was saying all that stuff. And then now it's totally different," the man said.

Another said he had hoped Trump would live up to the hype of his promises, but suggested the president's middle name should be "hyperbole."

"He's hyperbolic. That's all he has ever been. His middle name ought to be hyperbole. He can't deliver on any promises. No politician ever can, even if they have the best of intentions," the man said.

Another man watched a clip of Trump saying Americans have to "pay a little bit more" in gas prices to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.

"He talks a lot, but I haven't seen anything come to fruition yet, you know. Of course I understand they don't need nukes, but I mean, I need to live and not be able to spend all my money on gas," the man said.

The man also scoffed at a clip of Trump saying the price of gas is not very high right now.

Tabet asked him how he feels watching Trump make all those promises.

"Like he's just lying," the man said.

Tabet noted that all the voters were in Anchorage, where gas is roughly $5 per gallon, but added that in some areas it's as high as $9 per gallon.

How Democrats Plan to Fight Trump's Corporate Healthcare Scammers in the US

U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) 

Trump wants to force retirees and Medicare beneficiaries into the hands of corrupt private healthcare insurance scammers by eliminating Original Medicare (Plan B) and replacing it with a compulsory Medicare Advantage (or Plan C). The corporate scammers are his billionaire buddies.

Democrats now plan to counter this sneaky conspiracy by Trump with a plan to expand Original Medicare coverage that would, if successful, turn the table on Trump's healthcare insurance scamming friends and transform the Medicare Advantage (Plan C) into a major disadvantage. In time, Medicare Advantage C should be eliminated and the corrupt healthcare insurance intermediary between the government and the beneficiary would be eliminated.

While universal healthcare (Medicare for ALL) must wait the maturing of America into a civilized advanced country, this push by Democrats is a good step toward that ultimate objective. 
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Medicare update: Major changes proposed by Democrats if they win midterms
Suzanne Blake
Fri, October 2, 2026

House Democrats have unveiled a new health care agenda that would make major changes to Medicare if the party regains power following November's midterm elections.

If they win, the Democrats would push to expand Medicare coverage to include dental, vision and hearing benefits as well as lower the Medicare eligibility age.

"Vision, dental, and hearing coverage would be a nice carrot to add to the traditional Medicare system," Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek. "These are significant gaps in original Medicare and are also some of the benefits that attract beneficiaries to Medicare Advantage. Adding these benefits to traditional Medicare could reduce one of the competitive advantages Medicare Advantage plans currently have."

Why It Matters

More than 68 million Americans are enrolled in Medicare, but many beneficiaries lack coverage for routine dental care as well as hearing aids and vision services.

Expanding these benefits has long been a priority for many Democrats, as these gaps in coverage can lead to worse health outcomes and higher medical costs over time.

The proposal is, in some ways, a reaction to the sharply criticized Republican-backed "One Big Beautiful Bill," which adopted many changes to federal health care programs, including scrapping the Medicare Part D prescription program, which this proposal aims to address.

DETROIT, MICHIGAN – JULY 18: U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) speaks at The People V. The Powerful rally at the Detroit Opera House on July 18, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. Ocasio-Cortez, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and others joined El-Sayed to rally the crowds. (Photo by Sarah Rice/Getty Images)

What Democrats Are Proposing

"There's a large diversity of opinions in the caucus, so a lot of what we do is just compile all the different proposals among the caucus," Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) told Punchbowl News, adding that options under discussion include "adding dental, vision and hearing coverage to Medicare.

The proposals are part of an 84-page health care platform rolled out by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries as Democratic lawmakers look to face off with President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans ahead of Election Day.

According to the new health care agenda, Democrats' Medicare priorities include:

Expanding Medicare to cover dental, vision and hearing services.

Lowering the age of Medicare eligibility.

Expanding Medicare coverage for long-term care provided in patients' homes.

Working to lower prescription drug costs beyond the Medicare program.

Capping out-of-pocket health care costs.

Restricting the influence of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) in the prescription drug market.

The document also calls for broader reforms to the health care system, including efforts to break up health care monopolies.

Democrats also included a focus on banning insurers from using artificial intelligence to make coverage determinations.

Medicare for All Not Front and Center

While progressive Democrats continue to advocate for a Medicare for All system, the agenda stops short of making it a centerpiece of the party's platform.

Jeffries has said that Medicare for All has substantial support among House Democrats, with more than 100 lawmakers backing the idea, but not enough consensus exists within the caucus to make it the party's primary proposal.

Instead, the agenda lists Medicare for All and a public option as possible alternatives. The expansion of Medicare to dental and vision, though, has considerably more support.

"As healthcare expenses continue to rise, many seniors are facing substantial increases to the goods and services they're receiving, and extending coverage for conditions that have long needed separate insurance plans could certainly help to ease the financial burden," Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek.

"At the same point, the pathway to this proposal passing is difficult. Even if Democrats reclaim Congress after the midterms, they would still more than likely face a Presidential veto."

Democrats Target Republican Health Care Changes

The platform is calling to reverse the health care spending reductions in last year's Republican legislation.

Democrats said those changes could lead to coverage losses and place additional financial pressure on rural hospitals and health care providers. According to the agenda, once fully implemented, millions of Americans could lose health coverage and some rural hospitals could face closure due to the Republicans' policy changes.

"Democrats are pushing this because dental, vision and hearing are still major gaps in original Medicare. And retirees can face meaningful out-of-pocket costs for all three," Michael Ryan, a finance expert and the founder of MichaelRyanMoney.com, told Newsweek.

"For beneficiaries, the impact could be pretty straightforward. Lower out-of-pocket costs and fewer reasons to choose Medicare Advantage solely for those extra benefits."

What Happens Next

The proposals right now are mere campaign promises rather than formal legislation and will depend heavily on the outcome of the November midterms.

If Democrats regain control of one or both chambers of Congress, party leaders could seek to advance portions of this health care agenda through standalone bills or legislative packages.

However, many of the proposals, particularly Medicare expansion and eligibility age changes, would likely face significant opposition from Republicans.

"I don't think a Democratic victory in the midterms alone would be enough to get this across the finish line," Thompson said. "Democrats currently don't control either chamber of Congress, and even if they were to win the House and Senate, President Trump would still be in the White House and could veto major legislation expanding Medicare."

Newsweek's reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here.

Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Jason Lemon and Gray R. Thomas

Cornell's Gang Rape Scandal: Window into Trump's Elitist White Trash Universe of Drug Use

The Cornell gang rape scandal may not involve Donald Trump personally or directly. But it does open a window into the elitist white trash universe of Trump's own scandals involving women.

The Cornell gang rape scandal does not involve migrants or immigrants, legal or illegal. It is the sort of white upper class crime that often goes covered up and shielded from the law. The drug use in the Cornell case explains why and how Latin American cartels are so successful in smuggling and selling dangerous and illicit drugs in the US: Their "clients" are within the white American elitist circles of the likes of Donald Trump.

Yet Donald Trump makes a fanfare over low level drug dealers and smugglers, especially those from the migrant communities, who are easily targeted and do not have the protection of the elitist wealthy white ruling class in America. 

Donald Trump never addresses the rampant drug use in his own white upper class universe of politicians, academics, high finance and such, as the Cornell case clearly shows. It is this drug use by the white trash upper class of the United States that fuels the drug smuggling from Latin America, but is never held to account because it is an untouchable ruling class. 

This is not about Democrats and Republicans. This is about a two-tier system in which the same crime is treated differently depending on who commits it. If it is a lower class "brown" immigrant criminal, the entire US military is mobilized to hunt it on the streets, on the border and in the ocean. But if it is an upper class US-born "white" criminal, the ruling class protects it by an unspoken omerta rife with coverups that occasionally erupt into a scandal thanks to the dogged work of activists. 

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Bob Dylan immortalized this racist two-tier system of justice in his song "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll" about the 1963 murder of Hattie Carroll, a 51-year-old Black maid, by William Zantziger, a wealthy white tobacco farmer, in Maryland. While the Cornell case is not about white trash racism, it is about white trash sexism in which a woman victim takes the place of a black victim.

Every time we think that white racism and sexism have been defeated by decades of activism and awareness-raising, we discover that they are entrenched and endemic to the white American culture of violence and make a resurgence thanks to the likes of racists and sexists like Donald Trump who energize and normalize it.

And nothing exemplifies this white trash upper class better than the fraternity universe on American university campuses.

[Updated below: Cornell campus police had made drug arrests at Cornell U fraternity hours before the gang rape]

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Cornell, Chi Phi Sued by Victim of Alleged Gang Rape, Drugging in 2024

Friday, Oct. 2, 2026

By Cereese Qusba
Sep 18, 2026 11:03 pm · Updated Sep 28, 2026 1:36 pm

A former Cornell student seeks damages from the University, several fraternity and sorority organizations and more after filing a lawsuit alleging that she was raped and coerced into consuming drugs at the Chi Phi fraternity house at Cornell in 2024.

Editor’s Note: The content of this article contains detailed descriptions of sexual assault and drugging.

A former Cornell student filed a lawsuit on Monday, alleging that she was gang raped after being coerced into consuming drugs by several men at the Chi Phi fraternity house at Cornell in 2024.

She is suing Cornell University, several Chi Phi fraternity organizations, seven current and former students, several sorority organizations, the former president of Cornell’s Chi Phi chapter, a local bar and several unnamed individuals.

“What happened to me was horrific and deeply disturbing,” the plaintiff told The Sun. “Almost two years later, I still carry the weight of its impact every day and night.”

The plaintiff, identifying as Jane Doe, filed this lawsuit after an initial report was made to the Cornell community on Nov. 8, 2024.

The Chi Phi members named in the lawsuit are defendants Matthew Ingalls, Johnathan Newell, Winston Lee, Gillio Lopes, Diego Sarabia, Scott Norris and Scott Kretzschmar.

The Alleged Incident

On Oct. 19, 2024, the night of the alleged drugging and sexual assault, the plaintiff claims that her evening began at Cornell’s Tri-Delta house. Here, she consumed hard liquor before attending a Tri-Delta National’s Alpha Beta Chapter event hosted at Moonies Bar & Nightclub.

At Moonies, the plaintiff claimed she was marked on her hands as underage and was clearly intoxicated. Despite this, the plaintiff was served alcoholic beverages by Moonies employees.

At approximately 11 p.m., the plaintiff allegedly left Moonies and stopped at the Lot 10 bar, then “stumbled alone” to Chi Phi National’s Xi chapter’s fraternity house, located at 107 Edgemoor Ln., to meet her friend, defendant Ingalls.

At the Chi Phi house, defendant Ingalls allegedly proposed having a threesome with him and another fraternity brother. The plaintiff was “incapable of consenting,” according to the lawsuit. Ingalls still allegedly brought the plaintiff to a room.

The plaintiff claims that defendants Ingalls and Newell pressured her to snort a white, powdery substance claimed to be ketamine and supplied her with marijuana and a liquor believed to be high-proof rum.

Without the plaintiff’s consent, defendant Ingalls initiated oral sex while defendant Newell engaged in vaginal intercourse, according to the lawsuit. Throughout the alleged assault, defendant Newell slapped the plaintiff on the buttocks multiple times, which the plaintiff claims resulted in bruising she noticed the next day.

Defendant Lopes joined the alleged assault, and began kissing the plaintiff while Newell groped her from behind, according to the lawsuit. The two then placed her on a bed and again initiated sex with the plaintiff without her consent.

At approximately 1:42 a.m., defendant Newell allegedly encouraged fraternity brothers to join him, sending a message about “free pussy” upstairs to a Snapchat group entitled “Chi Phi Actives,” which the lawsuit describes as a group chat for Xi chapter members.
A Snapchat groupchat titled "Chi Phi Actives," in which a defendant allegedly sent a message saying, "free pussy" upstairs. (Photo taken from the lawsuit)

Multiple other members of the Xi chapter, including defendant Sarabia, entered the room with the plaintiff while she attempted to hide her naked body under the covers of the bed.

The plaintiff claimed she pushed defendant Sarabia away as he grabbed her face and kissed her.

The lawsuit states that the plaintiff’s phone was on the other side of the room and she “felt as if there was no way for her to escape this room full of predatory, fraternity men.”

Defendant Newell then “commanded” the plaintiff to snort a line of ketamine off of his erect penis, according to the suit.

While she was lying on her back, defendants Ingalls, Newell, Lee, Lopes, Sarabia, Norris and Kretzschmar poured and snorted lines of ketamine over her body.

Defendants Ingalls and Lee took the plaintiff into another room, which was believed by the defendant to be the office of Orazio Petito, president of Chi Phi at Cornell at the time. Defendants Ingalls and Lee forced oral and vaginal sex upon her simultaneously and made her snort more ketamine. The assault lasted until around 5:45 a.m., according to the lawsuit.

The filing states that the plaintiff was completely incapacitated at this point and came into consciousness later that day on Oct. 20, 2024.

The lawsuit states that the plaintiff was in a “very vulnerable situation” when she was allegedly sexually assaulted by defendants Ingalls, Newell, Lee, Lopes, Sarabia, Norris and Kretzschmar. The lawsuit claims that the student defendants were “fully aware” of her condition.

Jeremy Saland, an attorney for defendant Kretzschmar, disputed the allegations against his client in a statement sent after publication, saying the defense possesses evidence that contradicts the plaintiff’s account.

“We wholeheartedly deny the allegations in the complaint against Scott Kretzschmar,” Saland wrote to The Sun. “It is disappointing the claims against him were even made considering we possess documents that thoroughly corroborate our position, including her own words, statements from other parties, and scientific evidence demonstrating they are false.”

The student defendants could not immediately be reached for comment.

The plaintiff reported the incident to the Cornell University Police Department on Nov. 8, 2024, and that same day, the Xi chapter was placed on temporary suspension for alleged violations of the Student Code of Conduct. Temporary suspensions were also issued for defendants Ingalls, Newell, Lee, Lopes, Sarabia, Norris and Kretzschmar, according to the lawsuit.

The defendants were offered the opportunity to mitigate their conduct by submitting essays to the University, according to the lawsuit.

On Nov. 26, 2024, the University released a statement, titled “Update on disturbing allegations of sexual violence,” explaining that the University was continuing to investigate the incident.

In January 2025, the University began a Title IX investigation in response to the plaintiff’s Formal Complaint, according to the lawsuit.

According to the complaint, Cornell’s Title IX investigation is believed to have concluded, while the Ithaca Police Department is still investigating the incident.

The Complaint

The complaint brings claims against the University for negligence, negligent supervision, breach of contract, violations of state human rights and education laws and negligent infliction of emotional distress.

It also accuses Tri-Delta entities of negligence and breach of contract, Chi Phi defendants of negligent supervision and seven student defendants of sexual assault, sexual battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

A representative from the Tri-Delta Executive Office did not respond to a request for comment.

The plaintiff brings claims against Moonies Bar & Nightclub, alleging that the bar and its employees violated New York’s Dram Shop Act — which can hold alcohol vendors liable in certain circumstances when they knowingly serve persons who are underage.

Moonies denied the allegations of negligence and violations of New York’s Dram Shop Act.

In a statement sent to The Sun after publication, a Moonies representative wrote that on Oct. 19, 2024, Moonies had a contract in place with Tri-Delta as it hosted the sorority’s private event. Per the contract, Moonies marked the hands of underage guests, provided wristbands to those over 21 years old and “no alcohol was served to guests who had mark[s] on their hands,” according to the representative.

“Our bartenders strongly followed the rules and only served guests who had wristbands on their hands,” the representative wrote.

The Moonies representative reiterated that the plaintiff’s claim that she was served alcohol at Moonies was “completely inaccurate.”

The lawsuit seeks damages from all defendants. The lawsuit “specifically seeks” damages from Cornell, fraternity and sorority organizations, certain faculty, alumni and executive board members and Petito, which the lawsuit described as failing to properly supervise or monitor the seven current and former student defendants.

When asked by The Sun about the pending litigation, a University spokesperson declined to comment. Petito did not respond to a request for comment by publication.

“In the aftermath, I was deeply disappointed by the lack of support I received from the student community,” the plaintiff told The Sun. “What I experienced was already devastating, but that pain was compounded by being criticized and ostracized at a time when I needed compassion, support and care the most.”

Editor’s note: Cereese Qusba is a member of Tri-Delta at Cornell.

Update, Sept. 19, 11:35 a.m.: This article has been updated to include a statement from defendant Scott Kretzschmar’s attorney, and to reflect that The Sun reached out to Tri-Delta, Moonies Bar & Nightclub and the student defendants, and they did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Update, Sept. 22, 4:45 p.m.: This article has been updated to include a statement from Moonies Bar & Nightclub.


Cereese Qusba


Cereese Qusba is a member of the Class of 2027 in the College of Arts and Sciences. She was a news editor for the 143rd Editorial Board and is a senior editor for the 144th Editorial Board. She can be reached at cqusba@cornellsun.com.

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RAMPANT DRUG USE AT FRATERNITIES AT ELITIST WHITE CORNELL UNIVERSITY

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From: NBC News

Cornell University police made a drug-related arrest at a fraternity house 22 hours before a former student alleges she was drugged and sexually assaulted there, according to police records.

The Cornell Daily Sun reported Saturday that campus police responded to the Chi Phi fraternity house shortly after 1 a.m. on Oct. 19, 2024, made a drug-related arrest and referred an individual to the university's Office of Student Conduct.

The archived police log cited by the Sun and reviewed by NBC News does not identify the individual or the drugs involved or establish a connection between the drug incident and the alleged assault later that night.

Cornell University had no comment. Its police department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The former Cornell student, identified as Jane Doe, filed a lawsuit last month against the university and seven Chi Phi brothers, alleging she was sexually assaulted over the course of hours that night while she was under the influence of ketamine, alcohol and marijuana.

In a police interview conducted after the alleged assault and documented in records obtained by NBC News, a woman told investigators she had seen a fraternity member with a bag of ketamine about two months earlier. She also said he had previously overdosed and been transported for treatment. The interview does not establish when that occurred or whether she witnessed it.

Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff said in a video message Saturday afternoon that what Jane Doe alleges is "deeply disturbing" and raised questions about the investigation that followed.

"I believe we as an administration, and we as a community, must do better," he said.

NBC News reported Friday that Cornell police interviewed witnesses and received anonymous tips in the first weeks of their investigation, but Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten did not review that additional information before deciding not to bring charges.

Van Houten said he based his decision on Jane Doe's initial six-page statement to police, which he argued did not allege criminality. Her attorney, Thomas Giuffra, has said authorities failed to conduct a thorough investigation and prejudged the events based on her statement that she had consented to parts of the night.

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday appointed New York Attorney General Letitia James as a special prosecutor to consider whether criminal charges are appropriate.

"In what world does the district attorney not even interview her or anyone else involved, or even request the full transcript" of her interview, Hochul asked at a news conference Friday.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com

Moron Senator from Pennsylvania is a Chameleon: A MAGA-GOP disguised as Democrat

Pennsylvania: Rid yourself of this shabby-looking, slovenly, unkept idiot with a bald shaved head, tattoos, hoodies, and work boots who can't decide what his political sex is. A fence-sitter, a traitor, a waverer, odorless (well, not sure), tasteless, colorless, slithering reptile. He must be a well-paid hack by AIPAC.

As a descendant of German immigrants, he must have several ethnic cleansing and genocide genes in his genome. Here he is siding with the Zio-Nazi killers of American citizens in occupied Palestine. Apparently, he loves Israel more than he does America, perhaps out of Holocaust-inflicted guilt.

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Senate Republicans and John Fetterman Block Measure To Probe Killings of Nine Americans by Israelis in West Bank
Michael Luciano
Wed, September 30, 2026


AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

Senate Republicans voted against a measure to investigate Israeli violence in the West Bank resulting in the deaths of at least nine Palestinian-Americans since 2022.See more

Senate Republicans voted almost unanimously against a measure that would require the State Department to investigate Israeli violence in the West Bank that, since 2022, has resulted in the deaths of at least nine Palestinian-Americans, as well as others who were victimized.

Settler violence in the West Bank, which features scores of Israeli settlements that are illegal according to several U.N. Security Council resolutions, has been surging. Reports of Israeli settlers and soldiers violently seizing and demolishing the homes of Palestinians are rampant. Among the victims are at least nine U.S. citizens, who were killed by Israeli settlers or soldiers.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) introduced an amendment calling on the State Department to submit a report to Congress on the matter no more than 30 days after adoption. The amendment lists several incidents to be probed:

Whereas protecting and supporting United States citizens abroad is one of the foremost responsibilities of the United States Government;

Whereas, since January 2022, at least nine United States citizens have been killed by violent Israeli settlers or Israeli security forces in the West Bank, including Omar Assad, Shireen Abu Akleh, Tawfic Abdel Jabbar, Mohammad Khdour, Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi, Amer Rabee, Sayfollah Kamel Musallet, Khamis Ayyad, and Nasrallah Abu Siyam;

Whereas the killings of these Americans in the West Bank have been met by a lack of accountability from the Netanyahu government and an inability to secure justice by the United States Government;

Whereas, in January 2022, Omar Assad, a 78-year-old United States citizen, was stopped at a checkpoint in his village of Jiljilya, dragged by Israeli soldiers from his car, and left lying on the ground outside with his hands bound behind his back, gagged, and blindfolded, where he died of a stress-induced heart attack;

Whereas, in May 2022, Shireen Abu Akleh, a Palestinian-American journalist, referenced by some as the "voice of a generation", was shot in the head and killed near the Jenin refugee camp by Israeli security forces while she wore a vest clearly marking her as a journalist;

Whereas, in January 2024, Tawfic Abdel Jabbar, a 17-year-old American boy, was shot in the head and killed, reportedly by an Israeli settler, an off-duty Israeli police officer, and an Israel Defense Forces soldier, while driving east of Ramallah;

Whereas, in February 2024, in circumstances similar to Tawfic Abdel Jabbar's killing, Mohammad Ahmad Alkhdour, another 17-year-old American boy, was shot twice in the head while driving, reportedly by Israeli forces, near the town of Biddu;

Whereas, in September 2024, Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi, a 26-year-old American raised in Seattle, was shot in the head by an Israeli soldier from a distance of 200 meters;

Whereas, in April 2025, Amer Mohammad Saada Rabee, a 14-year-old boy from New Jersey, was shot and killed at the entrance to Turmus Ayya by Israeli security forces, with reports suggesting he was shot a total of 11 times by two different guns;

Whereas, in July 2025, Sayfollah Kamel Musallet, a 20-year-old American from Florida who was visiting family in the West Bank, was beaten to death by violent Israeli settlers during a settler attack on the town of Sinjil, where eyewitness accounts report that settlers and Israeli forces impeded ambulance access for more than two hours;

Whereas, on July 15, 2025, Ambassador Mike Huckabee called the killing of Mr. Musallet a "criminal and terrorist act" and stated "there must be accountability";

Whereas, in August 2025, Khamis Ayyad, a 40-year-old Palestinian-American and father of five, died of smoke inhalation after violent Israeli settlers set homes and cars on fire during an attack on the village of Silwad;

Whereas, in February 2026, Nasrallah Abu Siyam, a 19-year-old American born in Philadelphia, was shot and killed in the West Bank village of Mukhmas, near Ramallah, by violent Israeli settlers during an attack on Palestinian farmers;

Whereas, in August 2026, Khamis Rabee Jabara, an 82-year-old Palestinian American, was hospitalized after Israeli soldiers used a flashbang grenade against him and then confiscated bystander footage of the incident in the village of Turmusayya…

The amendment failed 47-51. Of the 51 Republicans who voted, 50 opposed the measure. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) voted in favor. Every Democratic senator except Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) voted for the amendment.

"Tonight, 47 Senators supported my resolution to get accountability for the 9 Americans killed on the West Bank & for Palestinians who face injustices daily. That's more support than we've ever had in this fight," Van Hollen wrote on social media. "Republicans blocked us, but we won't stop until we get justice."

In July, CNN reported that an Israeli settler in the West Bank pulled a knife on their crew just days after Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) was detained by Israeli settlers and soldiers in the territory.

Michael Monsoor: Something Fine About Lebanese-Irish Immigrant Children

There is Senator George Mitchell of Maine - Father Irish, mother Lebanese. Successfully mediated and ended the Irish Troubles with the Good Friday Agreement

Robert Hennessey - Former CEO of Genome Therapeutics- Father Irish, mother Lebanese

Amy Yasbeck - actress, Father Lebanese, mother Irish.

Tom Shadyac - screenwriter, director, producer, Lebanese-Irish parents.

Gregory Jbara - actor, singer, Lebanese and Irish descent.

Catherine Keener - Academy Award-nominated actress. Father Irish, mother Lebanese

Vince Vaughn - actor with Lebanese paternal grandmother, alongside Irish European roots.

Adrienne Maloof - businesswoman and tv personality - Lebanese and Irish descent.

Ralph Nader - environmental activist and politician born to Lebanese immigrants.

Salma Hayek - Mexican actress - Lebanese descent

Zoe Saldana - American actress who is part Lebanese.

Shannon Elizabeth - actress and activist, Lebanese father

Jenna Dewan - dancer and actress, father is of Lebanese descent. How did Lebanese-Irish intermarriage shape American culture?

And many others. Yet, Trump is persecuting immigrants of all brands. His "Great America" would not be so great without its immigrants. In fact, except for its nearly exterminated native American population, all of America is nothing but a bunch of immigrants. 

But now Michael Monsoor, a hero of the US Navy

Monsoor was born April 5, 1981, in Long Beach, California, the third of four children of Sally Ann (Boyle) and George Paul Monsoor. His father also served in the United States military as a Marine and is Lebanese, and his mother is Irish. Here is his story:

Michael Monsoor had an escape route — the Medal of Honor recipient chose to save his teammates instead
Max Bacall
Tue, September 29, 2026 


Petty Officer Michael A. Monsoor sacrificed his life to save his fellow sailors in Iraq in 2006, receiving the Medal of Honor posthumously in 2008.

On September 29, 2006, Petty Officer Michael A. Monsoor of the United States Navy sacrificed his life to save his fellow sailors.

Fox Nation's new documentary, "Man of Honor: The Michael Monsoor Story" premieres Tuesday, exactly twenty years later, telling the story of the sailor behind the medal of honor.

Monsoor received the award posthumously in a ceremony at the White House April 8, 2008, according to the Navy's website.

Michael Monsoor served as a Combat Advisor and Automatic Weapons Gunner for Naval Special Warfare Task Group Arabian Peninsula in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Monsoor "distinguished himself through conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty," the site reads.

While serving as an automatic weapons gunner in a combined SEAL and Iraqi Army sniper overwatch element during Operation Iraqi Freedom, Monsoor was placed in a confined sniper hide-sight between two SEAL snipers on an outcropping of a roof, which allowed the three SEALs maximum coverage of the area.

An enemy fighter hurled a hand grenade onto the roof, which hit Monsoor in the chest and fell to the ground. He was located closest to the exit from their position, but he did not run. Instead, he immediately leaped to his feet and yelled, "Grenade!" to alert his teammates, who would have been unable to evacuate before the explosion.


The Navy described Monsoor as "one of the bravest men on the battlefield, never allowing the enemy to discourage him. He remained fearless while facing constant danger, and through his selfless nature and aggressive actions, saved the lives of coalition soldiers and his fellow SEALs," adding, "He was a loyal friend and exceptional SEAL, and he is sorely missed by his brothers in Task Unit Bravo."

"Without hesitation and showing no regard for his own life, he threw himself onto the grenade, smothering it to protect his teammates who were lying in close proximity. The grenade detonated as he came down on top of it, mortally wounding him," the Navy wrote.

"Petty Officer Monsoor's actions could not have been more selfless or clearly intentional. Of the three SEALs on that rooftop corner, he had the only avenue of escape away from the blast, and if he had so chosen, he could have easily escaped. Instead, Monsoor chose to protect his comrades by the sacrifice of his own life. By his courageous and selfless actions, he saved the lives of his two fellow SEALs and he is the most deserving of the special recognition afforded by awarding the Medal of Honor."

Petty Officer Second Class (SEAL) Michael A. Monsoor received the Medal of Honor posthumously in a ceremony at the White House on April 8, 2008, for his actions in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, on Sept. 29, 2006.

Monsoor was survived by his mother Sally, his father George, his sister Sara, and his two brothers, James and Joseph.

Mike Sarraille, a retired lieutenant commander in the navy who served on SEAL Team THREE with Monsoor, offered Fox Nation an old military adage.

"Rule number one is young men die. Rule number two is you can't change rule number one. And rule number three, somebody must always walk point." [Walk point is a military term referring to the first and most exposed position in a patrol or combat formation, where the soldier (often called the point man) leads the unit, navigates the route, and scouts for threats like ambushes or booby traps]

ICE-GESTAPO's Gruesome Bleaching Mission of America

Where are the so-called bigots of "Angel Families" to protest these unwarranted killings by Trump's ICE-GESTAPO? Or perhaps their "foreign-sounding" names make them disposable human beings?
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Three deaths, three states, 24 hours: one day in ICE’s quiet but ‘gruesome’ surge
José Olivares
Tue, September 29, 2026


'Three people dying in one day is an amplification of what we've already seen,' says Andrew Free, a former immigration attorney and investigative journalist. Composite: Rita Liu/The Guardian/Getty Images/GoFundMe

It was 7am on 13 July this year. A warm, sunny morning, as residents of Biddeford, Maine, left their homes, got into their cars and began their commute. Joan Sebastián Durán Guerrero came out of the apartment he lived in with his partner and daughter and drove off in his white car. Minutes later, neighbors heard three pops. Durán Guerrero was dead.

More than 1,200 miles (1,900km) away in Ocilla, Georgia, Jesús Manuel Arenas-Silva was shuffled on to a bus. Private sector guards and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials were beginning the process of transferring him and several other immigrants from one detention center to another nearly two hours away. Ten minutes into the ride, he became unconscious. Doctors at a nearby hospital pronounced him dead.

Less than 24 hours later, Juan Jairo Coronilla Durán, pulled up to a gas station near a busy highway in St Augustine, Florida, as the sun was rising in the bright sky. Soon after, he would lie dead on the road nearby, hit by a semitruck when running away from immigration officers.

Related: 2025 was ICE's deadliest year in two decades. Here are the 32 people who died in custody

There were no ties between Durán Guerrero, Arenas-Silva and Coronilla Durán, but within those 24 hours, the three men suddenly became connected as casualties in the latest phase of Donald Trump's aggressive anti-immigration campaign.

Twenty-four hours. Three states. Three people dead. Countless lives changed in seconds.

The men in Maine and Florida were not even ICE's intended targets for arrest – they became "collaterals", as agency officials call them.

"Three people dying in one day is an amplification of what we've already seen," said Andrew Free, a former immigration attorney and investigative journalist who has for years extensively worked on ICE-related death cases. "The choices that the Trump regime has made since January 2025 have had the consequence of increasing the numbers of people who die in the field and in custody."

Throughout 2025 and into early 2026, federal immigration officials descended on cities including Los Angeles, Chicago and Minneapolis. They swaggered in militarized gear and brandished their weapons and crowd-control sprays, while engaging in raids and arrests in a high-profile attempt to show that Trump's promise of "mass deportations" would be fulfilled.

An explosion of protests and public backlash grew, reaching a climax after the January 2026 fatal shootings of two US citizens in Minneapolis as they protested against what local leaders called "an invasion" by federal immigration officials.

Since then the flashy immigration enforcement mass operations have all but disappeared. Throughout the rest of 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has switched strategy: more low-key arrest operations by small groups of officers and more 287(g) collaborations with local and state police and sheriffs deputized to make immigration arrests. Also, quicker processing with less representation in immigration courts and White House-directed collaboration to target undocumented children are fueling enforcement that is quieter but just as ruthless.

Related: Trump ally Stephen Miller leads sweeping push to accelerate removal of migrant children
[Stephen Miller is the Resident Nazi at the White House bunker]

A summer surge of enforcement means arrests are at a record high, with the majority now being people with no criminal history. And deaths keep ticking up "even though ICE's current tactics have been less visible than the chaos in Minneapolis at the start of the year", said Austin Kocher, an assistant research professor at Syracuse University and an immigration data and policy expert, in his Substack posts. At least 31 people have died in 2026 during interactions with immigration officials. Four people have been shot, 25 have died in detention and at least two people, including Coronilla Durán, have died while fleeing officials.

The 24 hours between the mornings of 13 and 14 July stand out as exceptionally deadly.

When contacted for comment, a DHS spokesperson sent along the three previous statements they had issued when the deaths originally happened in Maine, Georgia and Florida.

Much remains unclear about the three deaths in that period, but some crucial details are still known.
Joan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, 25, shot while driving

On the Monday morning of 13 July when Durán Guerrero left his home in Biddeford, a city in southern Maine, ICE officer David Brouillette and other officers were reportedly looking for a different person, whose last known address was where Durán Guerrero had just exited.

Brouillette, 37, had recently been hired by ICE amid the immigration agency's push to increase arrests by bringing on more officials. With a blond-brown beard, baseball cap, sunglasses and a green tactical vest marked "POLICE ICE" over a navy T-shirt, Brouillette sat in a federal vehicle and watched the streets.

Related: The daily toll of an ICE arrest on a mother and three young kids: 'Why did they take my dad?'

As Durán Guerrero got into his white car and drove away, Brouillette and the officers spotted him, gave chase and attempted to stop the car.

The next few moments are still unclear, but neighbors suddenly heard the "pops" of gunfire in the quiet neighborhood. Brouillette had fatally shot Durán Guerrero.

A statement from DHS at the time said that the ICE officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but that Durán Guerrero "attempted to flee". DHS added the official fired at Durán Guerrero "fearing for public safety".

It has not been verified whether Durán Guerrero drove his vehicle in the way that DHS stated.

Surveillance footage obtained by the Associated Press appears to show a white car slowly driving in circles at an intersection. The footage was recorded after the shooting, with Durán Guerrero either dead or dying at the wheel.

The video then shows one of ICE's vehicles ramming into the white car to stop it. Two officers open the driver's door and Durán Guerrero's body slumps on to the asphalt. Two more ICE officers rush over.

"He had blood on his head, blood on his face. It was gruesome, just gruesome," a neighbor told Maine Public Radio. "I believe it was [Durán Guerrero's] wife that was sitting on the curb across the street, just crying hysterically."

The Colombian man was 25, with a dazzling smile that lit up his face below closely cropped dark hair. He lived with his partner, Karolina Rojas, and their three-year-old daughter, and he had authorization to live and work in the US. He was a food delivery driver and is remembered by his neighbors as a good man and hard worker.

"My son was a person who left his country to make a future for his family," Omar Durán, Durán Guerrero's father, told BluRadio, a Colombian news outlet.

Brouillette, the ICE officer, was hired by the agency after years of employment instability, according to reporting from the Associated Press, the Portland Press Herald and other outlets. He was recruited even though family members have made allegations of a history of violent behavior, including accusations of domestic violence and threats.

Attempts to reach Brouillette for comment were not successful.

About ICE's recruitment policies, DHS said: "The ICE Office of Professional Responsibility diligently applies the proper personnel vetting regulations, including guidelines for national security, and evaluates all available information for every applicant based on these factors." The ICE office of professional responsibility internally investigates any alleged misconduct.

DHS has still not publicly confirmed Brouillette's identity as the official who shot Durán Guerrero, nor commented on his alleged personal history. The agency has criticized the media for publishing his name, saying it put officers and their families in danger.
Jesús Manuel Arenas-Silva, 45, died in ICE custody

Meanwhile, in Georgia, just after 7am on 13 July, Arenas-Silva sat in an ICE transport bus, surrounded by other ICE detainees.

The Venezuelan man had been held for a few days at the Irwin county detention center, a privately owned facility operating under contract with ICE. He and the other detainees were being transferred to the Folkston D Ray facility, another privately run detention center in the state.

Arenas-Silva, 45, had a myriad of physical and mental health conditions, including hypertension, diabetes, anxiety and depression, according to a preliminary death investigation report released by ICE. He relied on several medications to survive, his family and the ICE report said. He had been in the US since 2021 and an immigration judge ordered his removal in April 2026, a DHS spokesperson said.

Days before his death, ICE arrived at Arenas-Silva's home to arrest him.

"We implored ICE not to take him due to his medical needs, but they didn't listen to our pleas," Sonimar Arenas, his sister, later said.

While cuffing Arenas-Silva, the ICE officials only allowed him to take one of his medications with him, according to Sonimar. In a phone call from ICE detention, Arenas-Silva told his sister that ICE had not yet given him the medication he needed, according to a statement she later released.

The preliminary ICE death report confirms Arenas-Silva did not have all of his necessary medication on 10 July during his medical intake screening at the Irwin facility. A nurse noted that the only medication he arrived with was for anxiety, the ICE report says. That same nurse later confirmed he had other active medical prescriptions he never received.

Three days later, Arenas-Silva was shuffled on to the transport bus, where staff saw him interact with other detainees at 7.34am. But about 10 minutes later, Irwin detention center staff saw Arenas-Silva was unconscious. As staff dialed 911, the bus began driving to a nearby hospital, the report said.

Fifteen minutes later, Arenas-Silva arrived at the emergency room, "unresponsive and pulseless", the ICE report says. The medical staff worked on Arenas-Silva, but at 8.31am he was pronounced dead.

"While in custody, Arenas-Silva received medical care and was seen by medical professionals," a DHS spokesperson said in a statement. "ICE is committed to ensuring that all those in custody reside in safe, secure and humane environments. Comprehensive medical care is provided from the moment individuals arrive and throughout their stay.

"At no time during detention is a detained noncitizen denied emergency care," the statement added.
Juan Jairo Coronilla Durán, 28, hit by truck while fleeing ICE

In Florida, Coronilla Durán, a 28-year-old Mexican tourist, had been enjoying a few weeks traveling in the US. Before 14 July, he had reportedly been in Atlanta, Georgia, and then traveled to St Augustine, the northern Florida city with beaches on the Atlantic Ocean.

Coronilla Durán and his wife, who had been married for 10 years, lived in the central Mexican state of Guanajuato with their then seven-month-old daughter and a seven-year-old son, according to reporting by the Miami Herald.

He was visiting friends and relatives in the US, while his wife was at home in Mexico. On the fateful July morning, Coronilla Durán and three other men pulled up to a convenience store at a gas station just before 7am. It is unclear who exactly he was with when he arrived there, next to a busy highway.

Details of exactly what unfolded next remain unclear, but a number of federal immigration officials spotted the men and approached them. For unknown reasons, Coronilla Durán and the three others took off running.

Related: ICE has wasted tens of millions to carry out Trump's mass detention agenda – report

As Coronilla Durán ran away from the federal officials, he continued to look back to see if they were giving chase. He ran into the busy highway, at first avoiding vehicles speeding by, witnesses told the Miami Herald.

But when Coronilla Durán arrived at the grassy median, he lost his footing, slipped and fell. He stood up, looked back at the immigration officials and continued to run into the next lane of traffic.

According to a bystander, as Coronilla Durán began to cross the other highway lanes, he lost his footing again and fell in front of a tractor-trailer. The witness said he immediately knew Coronilla Durán had been hit.

"The tractor trailer immediately stopped and attempted to render aid to the victim," a statement by Florida highway patrol said.

DHS has still not formally identified Coronilla Durán as the victim and only said homeland security officials "conducted an operation near St Johns, Florida. Florida Highway Patrol and HSI are investigating an incident resulting in the death of a Mexican national. We will provide an update when available." Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is part of ICE.

'At what time does this become indefensible?'

All three men's deaths are still under investigation by local and federal officials.

Durán Guerrero's parents traveled to the US from Colombia to collect his body. His killing in Maine led to protests there, especially since another deadly ICE shooting had taken place a few days earlier in Houston, Texas.

Durán Guerrero's death, and the subsequent reporting of allegations about Brouillette's personal history, led to calls for ICE to improve its hiring practices and to equip officers with body cameras. ICE officials were briefly instructed to stop pulling over vehicles.

The FBI referred all questions about the case to the Maine attorney general's office and the DHS inspector general's office. The Maine attorney general's office said it could not comment further because it is still investigating the shooting death. The DHS inspector general's office did not respond to a request for comment.

The Georgia bureau of investigations (GBI), a state-level agency, was asked by local county officials to investigate Arenas-Silva's death, according to a statement provided to the Guardian. A GBI spokesperson confirmed the investigation is open and active.

Arenas-Silva's sister continues to press for answers: "I am 100% certain that he did not receive proper care," she said in a statement. "I will seek justice for him and for everyone else who goes through this, so that other families do not have to endure what we are going through. No one deserves this."

In Florida, Coronilla Durán's wife flew into the US days after her husband's death to make arrangements with a funeral home. The Mexican government was assisting the family in transporting his body back to Mexico to be buried.

"The Florida Highway Patrol Traffic Homicide Investigation is currently ongoing," a spokesperson said in a statement. "There are no updates currently regarding that case."

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Free, the legal expert on ICE-related deaths, fears that ICE involved deaths are going to continue rising. Just over a week ago, an ICE official shot another person – this time in Austin, Texas. The man survived, but the shooting appears to have taken place during an attempted vehicle stop.

"Sometime soon, we're going to have four people die in a 24-hour period. And then it's going to be five," Free said. "What happens when we get there? What's the red line? For policymakers, for states, for companies – at what time does this become indefensible or unsustainable?"

In Durán Guerrero's case in Maine, one detail stood out to community members.

As neighbors gathered at the intersection watching the federal and local officials attempt first aid on Durán Guerrero, they noticed a small girl nearby, wearing a pink backpack and crying. It was the couple's daughter, who would never see her father alive again. Though, it turned out, she might have escaped an even worse fate.

Her mother recently collected some items from investigators and was told the girl's car seat, from Durán Guerrero's car, would not be returned. A bullet had pierced it during the shooting.