Jaime Gonzalez-Duran, also known as Hummer, 49, admitted to his role in the violent organization.

Related Story: Driver Facing DUI, Drug, and Gun Charges After Pursuit in Visalia

He was a founding member of Los Zetas, which initially served as the armed wing of the Gulf Cartel before evolving into an independent drug trafficking group.

Gonzalez-Duran held several leadership positions, including plaza boss in Miguel Aleman, Mexico, and regional commander in Nuevo Laredo, Miguel Aleman, and Reynosa.

Related Story: Visalia Police Arrest Three, Seize Ghost Gun and Drugs

He oversaw drug operations, bribed law enforcement, and engaged in violent actions against rival groups, prosecutors said.

Court documents reveal that Gonzalez-Duran was responsible for the importation of over 450 kilograms of cocaine and 90,000 kilograms of marijuana into the U.S.

He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, the DOJ said.

Sentencing is set for June 6.

See the full DOJ news release here.

—

Connect with Anthony W. Haddad on social media. Got a tip? Send an email. 

The post Mexican Cartel Leader AKA ‘Hummer’ Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking appeared first on GV Wire.

President Donald Trump announced the appointment Sunday night in a post on his Truth Social platform, praising Bongino as “a man of incredible love and passion for our Country.” He called the announcement “great news for Law Enforcement and American Justice.”

The selection places two staunch Trump allies atop the nation’s premier federal law enforcement agency at a time when Democrats have raised alarms that the Republican president could seek to use the FBI to target his adversaries.

Related Story: Trump Backs Musk as He Hits Federal Workers With Demands and Threats

FBI Roiled by Turmoil

Bongino would serve under Kash Patel, a Trump loyalist who was sworn in as FBI director at the White House on Friday and who has signaled his intent to reshape the bureau, including by relocating hundreds of employees from its Washington headquarters and placing greater emphasis on the FBI’s traditional crime-fighting duties.

The two are inheriting an FBI gripped by turmoil as the Justice Department over the past month has forced out a group of senior bureau officials and made a highly unusual demand for the names of thousands of agents who participated in investigations related to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Natalie Bara, president of the FBI Agents Association, wrote in an internal newsletter to members sent Sunday before Bongino’s selection was announced that Patel had agreed during a January meeting with her that the FBI deputy director “should continue to be an on-board, active Special Agent as has been the case for 117 years for many compelling reasons, including operational expertise and experience, as well as the trust of our Special Agent population.”

Bongino served on the presidential details for then-Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush, before becoming a popular right-wing figure.

Related Story: Judge Blocks Trump’s Immigration Policy Allowing Church Arrests

The post Conservative Pundit, ex-Secret Service Agent Dan Bongino Picked as FBI Deputy Director appeared first on GV Wire.

U.S. District Judge Theodore Chang found that the Trump administration policy could violate their religious freedom and should be blocked while a lawsuit challenging it plays out.

The preliminary injunction from the Maryland-based judge only applies to the plaintiffs, which also include a Georgia-based network of Baptist churches and a Sikh temple in California.

They sued after the Trump administration threw out Department of Homeland Security policies limiting where migrant arrests could happen as President Donald Trump seeks to make good on campaign promises to carry out mass deportations.

The policy change said field agents using “common sense” and “discretion” can conduct immigration enforcement operations at houses of worship without a supervisor’s approval.

Five Quaker Groups Sue DHS

Five Quaker congregations from Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia sued DHS and its secretary, Kristi Noem, on Jan. 27, less than a week after the new policy was announced.

Many immigrants are afraid to attend religious services while the government enforces the new rule, lawyers for the congregations said in a court filing.

“It’s a fear that people are experiencing across the county,” plaintiffs’ attorney Bradley Girard told the judge during a February hearing. “People are not showing up, and the plaintiffs are suffering as a result.”

Government lawyers claim the plaintiffs are asking the court to interfere with law-enforcement activities based on mere speculation.

Christian, Jewish Groups File a Separate Lawsuit

More than two dozen Christian and Jewish groups representing millions of Americans have also filed a similar but separate lawsuit in Washington, D.C.

Plaintiffs in the Maryland case are represented by the Democracy Forward Foundation, whose lawyers asked the judge to block DHS enforcement of the policy on a nationwide basis.

The post Judge Blocks Trump’s Immigration Policy Allowing Church Arrests appeared first on GV Wire.

“What he’s doing is saying, ‘Are you actually working?’” Trump said in the Oval Office during a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron. “And then, if you don’t answer, like, you’re sort of semi-fired or you’re fired, because a lot of people aren’t answering because they don’t even exist.”

The Republican president said that Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency has found “hundreds of billions of dollars in fraud” as he suggested that federal paychecks are going to nonexistent employees. He did not present evidence for his claims.

“If people don’t respond, it’s very possible that there is no such person, or they aren’t working,” Trump said.

Lawsuit Is Updated Monday

Attorneys representing unions, businesses, veterans and conservation organizations filed an updated lawsuit in federal court in California on Monday, arguing Musk had violated the law with his demand. The Office of Personnel Management, which functions as a human resources agency for the federal government, told employees to detail five things they did last week by the end of Monday.

The lawsuit, spearheaded by the State Democracy Defenders Fund, called the threat of mass firings “one of the most massive employment frauds in the history of this country.”

The White House criticized the litigation.

“In the time it took these employees on taxpayer-funded salaries to file a frivolous lawsuit, they could have briefly recapped their accomplishments to their managers, as is common in the private sector, 100 times over,” said Anna Kelly, a deputy press secretary, in a statement.

Musk is leading Trump’s efforts to overhaul and downsize the federal government, and they’ve already caused upheaval by pushing employees to resign, laying off probationary workers and halting work at some agencies.

However, there are signs Musk is testing the limits of his influence, and some administration officials told employees not to respond to his demand. It has been the most significant public divergence between the billionaire entrepreneur and Senate-approved Cabinet leaders, who have otherwise been enthusiastic about fulfilling Musk’s objectives.

Musk: ‘A Basic Pulse Check’

Trump dismissed the idea there was any kind of split involving his most powerful adviser.

“They don’t mean that in any way combatively with Elon,” he said, adding that “everyone thought it was a pretty ingenious idea.”

Musk on Sunday called his latest request “a very basic pulse check.”

“The reason this matters is that a significant number of people who are supposed to be working for the government are doing so little work that they are not checking their email at all!” Musk wrote on X. “In some cases, we believe non-existent people or the identities of dead people are being used to collect paychecks.”

The post Trump Backs Musk as He Hits Federal Workers With Demands and Threats appeared first on GV Wire.

Trump has been praised for being “tough,” “energetic,” “focused,” and “effective,” and most Americans believe he is doing more than expected.

Among those who approve, 61% like what they see, while 39% are less enthusiastic about the additional actions.

Related Story: Protests Planned in All 50 States for Presidents’ Day Against Trump ...

Most believe he is delivering on campaign promises, with 70% agreeing he is doing what he promised, while 30% feel he is diverging from those commitments.

The poll also shows mixed opinions on Trump’s key policies. The majority of Americans approve of his deportation policies (59%) and the sending of troops to the border (64%).

However, a significant portion — 66% — feel the administration is not focusing enough on lowering prices, which was a major factor in his 2024 election victory.

Related Story: This Isn’t the Donald Trump America Elected

Majority Support Handling of Israel-Hamas, Fear Tariff Made Inflation

On international matters, 54% approve of Trump’s handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict, with a more divided opinion on his recent remarks about potentially taking over Gaza.

Meanwhile, most Americans (73%) fear that tariffs on imports would drive up prices, though 32% see it as potentially creating U.S. jobs.

The administration also faces skepticism about the impact of tariffs, with 34% thinking it will result in job losses, while 55% do not expect a change in the fentanyl crisis due to tariff policies. Despite this, many Republicans believe tariffs are a necessary part of Trump’s broader strategy.

Related Story: Third Judge Blocks Trump’s Order Ending Birthright Citizenship

In terms of long-term policy impacts, 40% of Americans anticipate that Trump’s actions will make the U.S. less stable internationally, with 45% expecting improvement.

However, 35% foresee a financial benefit from his policies, although 40% predict they will fare worse financially.

The results reflect a deeply divided nation, with partisans strongly backing the president’s focus on immigration, defense, and government spending cuts, while a majority continues to voice concerns over inflation and economic outcomes.

Read the full poll at CBS.

The post 53% Approve of Trump’s Job Performance Amid Economic Concerns appeared first on GV Wire.

Related Story: Fresno Students Walk Out of Class to Protest Deportations

The protest is aimed at opposing the Trump Administration, with organizers calling for a resistance against “fascism.”

In a post on their subreddit, the group shared a message: “President not King,” accompanied by an image of President Donald Trump.

Related Story: Fresno Joins Nationwide Protest Wave Focusing on Gaza, Trump Deportations

The protests are set to take place at state capitols across the U.S., though other locations are also included, such as a planned gathering at Niagara Square in Buffalo, New York.

Flyers promoting the event emphasize the importance of peaceful demonstration, with organizers stating that violence will not be tolerated.

Related Story: Protesters Across US Rally Against Trump and Project 2025

However, some participants on Reddit have raised concerns on social media about liability and the handling of permits for the protests.

As the date approaches, questions surrounding the logistics and legal aspects of the event are unanswered.

—

Connect with Anthony W. Haddad on social media. Got a tip? Send an email. 

The post Protests Planned in All 50 States for Presidents’ Day Against Trump Administration appeared first on GV Wire.

In 1962, not long after President John Kennedy created U.S.A.I.D., the federal agency tasked with administering foreign assistance, he welcomed its first mission directors to the White House. He noted the difficult politics of sustaining foreign assistance but called it essential to America’s role as leader of the free world. “There will not be farewell parades to you as you leave,” he said of their imminent deployments, “or parades when you come back.” The reward was the work itself and the larger cause of freedom it served.

A nation’s foreign policy is a good window into its psyche. The America that created U.S.A.I.D. had an expansive view of itself in the world: defending freedom, buttressing international institutions, waging battles for the hearts and minds of peoples across the world — an effort that dovetailed with the civil rights movement at home. The America that is cannibalizing U.S.A.I.D. has a very different sense of its place in the world: threatening conquest of smaller nations, withdrawing from international institutions, casually proposing ethnic cleansing in Gaza — a worldview that complements the mass deportations and erasure of diversity programs at home. A nation growing smaller in size and self-conception.

A Changing Vision of America’s Role in the World

President Trump, of course, ran for re-election promising to transform America’s place in the world. After the grinding conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, he vowed to discipline the national security elites who refused to learn from forever wars. After decades of complaints that our trading partners benefited more than we did from globalization, he pledged to use older tools of statecraft such as tariffs to leverage better deals. After parts of the federal work force resisted his agenda in his first term, he sought to fill it with loyalists who would serve him and his movement. In a chaotic world full of transactional strongmen, Americans would have their own.

Many Americans, myself included, support overhauling the sclerotic national security consensus that has governed our policies since Sept. 11, 2001. Yet it would be wrong to dismiss Mr. Trump’s dizzying array of pronouncements and executive actions on foreign policy as simply the fulfillment of his campaign promises. He did not run on the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D., the conquest of Greenland or the occupation of Gaza. Rather than showing strength, his foreign policy betrays a loss of American self-confidence and self-respect, eliminating any pretense that the United States stands for the things it has claimed to support since fighting two world wars: freedom, self-determination and collective security.

In many ways, Mr. Trump cuts a more familiar picture from history: an aging strongman musing about territorial expansion to consolidate power and cement his legacy. At best, this kind of foreign policy will help shape an international order reformed in opposition to American excess; at worst, it could accelerate a global trend toward disorder and great-power conflict.

Consider what the rest of the world has seen these past few weeks. Mr. Trump is the first president in my lifetime to enter office pledging to “expand our territory.” He has insisted the United States take back the Panama Canal and seize Greenland, despite repeated objections from the governments and people of those countries. It’s possible this is posturing to open negotiations, albeit for things that aren’t top of mind for most Americans: reducing fees for U.S. vessels transiting the Panama Canal or obtaining more access to resources and military bases in Greenland. It’s also possible Mr. Trump means what he says about territorial expansion.

In any case, Mr. Trump’s targets do not suggest strength. Picking on Panama and Greenland or threatening trade wars with Canada and Mexico has the feel of a schoolyard bully looking for someone smaller to push around. While these fights may offer immediate political wins, the world does not live and die by the rhythms of American news cycles or the alternative reality of Fox News and OANN. It looks at us from the outside in and sees a president ignoring state sovereignty, which has been the cornerstone of global stability since the World Wars — and doing so at a time when Vladimir Putin is trying to subsume parts of Ukraine, Xi Jinping is committed to asserting control over Taiwan, and some Israeli politicians are pushing for annexation of Gaza and the West Bank, all under the guise of national security. If the United States exempts itself from the rules, why will other nations follow them?

Gaza and the Erosion of Self-Determination

This is one reason Mr. Trump’s suggestion that the United States take ownership of Gaza and turn it into the Middle East’s Riviera was so jarring. Like many things Mr. Trump proposes, it is unlikely to happen (again, hardly a show of strength). But it further legitimizes the idea that two million Palestinians in Gaza should abandon land they do not want to leave and ignores the fact that neighboring Arab states like Egypt and Jordan would be destabilized by complicity in ethnic cleansing. Moreover, it implicitly endorses a view of foreign policy that strips less powerful nations and peoples of any right to determine their own fate. Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s far-right finance minister, seized on this new reality: “Now,” he said after Mr. Trump’s remarks, “we will work to completely bury the dangerous idea of a Palestinian state.”

If Mr. Trump were concerned about the plight of Gazans, he would not be destroying the U.S. agency responsible for helping them rebuild. Already, the global freeze on foreign assistance and suspension of much of U.S.A.I.D.’s work force renders the agency incapable of supporting the tenuous cease-fire in Gaza with humanitarian assistance, never mind the more arduous tasks of clearing rubble, defusing unexploded bombs and providing shelter to hundreds of thousands of civilians who have lost their homes.

A Superpower in Decline: Grasping for Lost Status

Unlike Mr. Trump’s pronouncements on Gaza and Greenland, the Elon Musk-supervised shuttering of U.S.A.I.D. is something that is already happening, with tangible consequences not only for the people around the world who depend on the agency but also for Americans who expect their government to prevent the spread of terrorism, disease and the global influence of the Chinese Communist Party. Stripped of U.S.A.I.D. funding, struggling under the weight of tariffs, nations including U.S. allies may now look to China as a more predictable source of trade and investment. This dynamic reflects the ways in which power in this country ripples out beyond our borders. When the richest man in the world can so easily undermine our place on the global stage, it is, quite simply, a harbinger of decline: a sign of a corrupted superpower so brittle that its sources of influence can be taken apart from within.

“The people who are opposed to aid should realize that this is a very powerful source of strength for us,” President Kennedy told those U.S.A.I.D. personnel in 1962. “As we do not want to send American troops to a great many areas where freedom may be under attack, we send you.” In those days, America was a newly minted superpower, its rising status manifested in the youth of its president and his vision of a “new frontier.” That mind-set led to its own hubris and excess, but it offered people around the world an extended hand. That was something in which Americans could take pride.

Today we are a declining superpower grasping for lost status. The blend of grievance, nationalism and libertarianism that forms the basis of the partnership between Mr. Trump and Mr. Musk points to a future in which presidents are freed from guardrails around the use of power and from the inconvenience of a federal work force that may chafe at participating in abuses of power. And while there is an absurdity to some of Mr. Trump’s comments, the history of the first half of the 20th century reminds us what happens when a strain of nationalism emerges, unbridled by rules, institutions or aspirational values. Large nations led by nationalist strongmen inevitably clash; people inevitably suffer.

Those of us alarmed must recognize that there will be no return to the past — no alternate story for how to make America great again or restore a lost post-World War II order. There will have to be new ideas for how the United States can constructively engage people around the world and peacefully coexist with other nations. To reach that future, however, we must look inward. It’s not enough to defend the idea of foreign assistance or oppose territorial aggression; we must also become the kind of nation that is able to see our own self-interest as connected to something larger than the whims of strongmen.

—

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
c. 2025 The New York Times Company

The post This Isn’t the Donald Trump America Elected appeared first on GV Wire.

Organizers have shared protest locations through Instagram, Reddit, and other social media platforms, with events planned at state capitols and other key sites.

50501: A Grassroots Social Media Movement

On the 50501 subreddit, participants emphasize that the movement is not backed by any major organization. It has instead emerged from local communities.

A post on the 50501 subreddit echoes the fear many people have about big protests, that it will turn into what happened at the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

A post said, “Do not incite violence! This isn’t Jan 6th! Do not even brush your pinky on someone. Don’t touch any conveniently placed throwables. Be peaceful at all times during protests. Take deep breathes if you are getting mad. Lastly, speak your heart out!”

Related Story: Protests in All 50 States Against Trump’s Administration on Wednesday

Another Reddit post said, “Please please please remain peaceful and respectful. Don’t leave trash, don’t throw things, don’t try to get into the building.

“Dance, sing, line dance just show some joy peppered into our message. We’re united against this amorphous looming regime.

“Don’t show your face at ALL, don’t take pictures of anyone’s faces, cover tattoos or recognizable physical traits. Don’t post on social media that you’re there or geotag yourself or others. Don’t engage with outside groups throwing hate and fighting.”

California Protest Planned

In California, demonstrators are expected to gather at the state Capitol in Sacramento, said Reddit users.

Organizers on Reddit have confirmed that the protest will take place at noon on N Street between 12th and 13th streets.

They also indicated that a permit has been secured for location 27.

Along with the state Capitol protest, demonstrators plan to gather at Los Angeles City Hall’s Park Center at 3 p.m. Wednesday.

Additional protests may take place at city hall buildings in other locations, though it remains unclear if one is planned in Fresno.

The scale of participation is unclear, but the movement has gained traction online, drawing attention from activists nationwide.

—

Know where another protest is? Please email me. 

The post Where Will Californians Rally During Nationwide Protest Against Trump Administration? appeared first on GV Wire.

Newsweek reported that the protests are aimed at President Donald Trump’s policies since returning to the White House, including his recent executive orders on immigration and pardons for Jan. 6 participants.

Trump’s former military and political aides, including retired Gen. Mark Milley and ex-Chief of Staff John Kelly, have publicly accused him of embodying fascist ideals.

Organizers have promoted protests at state capitols and other key locations, with event details varying by state.

The 50501 Movement has been posting the locations of their protests on Instagram and other social media platforms.

On the 50501 subreddit page, commenters are clarifying that these protests are not being driven by a large organization or outside group, but are instead a grassroots movement emerging from communities across the United States.

Commenters on the subreddit also shared locations for their planned protests across California.

Related Story: Wall Street Falls Following Trump’s Tariffs but Pares Its Losses After ...

Project 2025 Concerns

Social media users supporting the movement cite concerns over Project 2025, civil rights, public safety, and wealth inequality. Others warn of potential counter-protests and security risks.

Protests have already erupted nationwide over Trump’s immigration policies.

Demonstrations under the 50501 Movement banner are scheduled to take place Wednesday. See when your state is planning their protest at Newsweek. 

The post Protests in All 50 States Against Trump’s Administration on Wednesday appeared first on GV Wire.

The move by DOGE, a Trump administration task force assigned to find ways to fire federal workers, cut programs, and slash federal regulations, means it could have wide leeway to access important taxpayer data, among other things.

The New York Times first reported the news of the group’s access of the massive federal payment system. The two people who spoke to The Associated Press spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

Related Story: Musk Team Blocks Senior Staff from Federal Personnel Database

Dems Worry About ‘Illegal’ Withholding of Payments

The highest-ranking Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, Ron Wyden of Oregon, on Friday sent a letter to Trump’s Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expressing concern that “officials associated with Musk may have intended to access these payment systems to illegally withhold payments to any number of programs.”

“To put it bluntly, these payment systems simply cannot fail, and any politically motivated meddling in them risks severe damage to our country and the economy,” Wyden said.

The news also comes after Treasury’s acting Deputy Secretary David Lebryk resigned from his position at Treasury after more than 30 years of service. The Washington Post on Friday reported that Lebryk resigned his position after Musk and his DOGE organization requested access to sensitive Treasury data.

“The Fiscal Service performs some of the most vital functions in government,” Lebryk said in a letter to Treasury employees sent out Friday. “Our work may be unknown to most of the public, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t exceptionally important. I am grateful for having been able to work alongside some of the nation’s best and most talented operations staff.”

The letter did not mention a DOGE request to access Treasury payments.

Related Story: Wall Street Banks Prepare to Offload Billions in Musk’s X Debt

Musk Makes Claim Without Proof

Musk on Saturday responded to a post on his social media platform X about the departure of Lebryk: “The @DOGE team discovered, among other things, that payment approval officers at Treasury were instructed always to approve payments, even to known fraudulent or terrorist groups. They literally never denied a payment in their entire career. Not even once.”

He did not provide proof of this claim.

The post Elon Musk’s DOGE Gains Access to Social Security, Medicare Payments appeared first on GV Wire.