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GOP Senate hopeful Michele Tafoya accuses Walz, Ellison of ignoring Minnesota fraud scheme

April 20, 2026 6:00am EDT / Fox News

The former sports reporter is running to replace retiring Democrat Sen. Tina Smith in a crowded GOP primary

By Alex Miller , Katelyn Caralle, Fox News

Republican Minnesota Senate candidate Michele Tafoya accused Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison of knowing that fraud was running rampant in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, but turning a blind eye as she vies to flip the open seat.

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A Senate Republican hopeful eyeing Minnesota’s open seat accused Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison of turning a blind eye to a multibillion-dollar fraud scandal in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

Michele Tafoya, 61, is running to replace retiring Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., in a crowded race where Republicans have heavily targeted Walz and Ellison over a nearly $10 billion daycare, food aid and health clinic fraud scheme that unfolded under their noses.

This widespread theft could flip a Senate seat red in Minnesota for the first time since 2008, Tafoya insisted in an interview with Fox News Digital, adding that people in her state are “angry.”

“Fraud is certainly at the forefront” of this election, she said.

MINNESOTA REPUBLICANS REVEAL WHICH FAR-LEFT CANDIDATE THEY WANT TO CHALLENGE IN OPEN SENATE RACE

Former sportscaster turned political activist and commentator Michele Tafoya is now running for U.S. Senate in Minnesota. Tafoya is seen at the Fox News Channel studios on April 18, 2024, in New York City.(Roy Rochlin/Getty Images)

“I think that Tim Walz and Keith Ellison are both to blame for this fraud,” Tafoya alleged. “Look, they’re at the top. And as one very revered former United States senator told me, that amount of money cannot change hands without people knowing.”

“So people knew this was going on,” the former sports broadcaster added, demanding someone be held accountable for the widespread fraud.

Brian Evans, a spokesperson for Ellison, told Fox News Digital that the attorney general’s office has gone after fraud in the state, specifically with the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, which has “secured over 340 convictions and regularly ranks as one of the most efficient team of fraud fighters in the nation.”

“Attorney General Ellison is currently leading the charge to pass a bipartisan bill to give his fraud control unit more resources and authority to go after fraudsters and protect our tax dollars,” Evans said. “He has a strong record of fighting fraud and holding fraudsters accountable.”

Both Walz and Ellison defended their actions to address fraud in their state during a congressional hearing. House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., found ahead of the hearing that Walz and Ellison were aware of fraud in the state but “repeatedly failed to act.”

And Tafoya claimed they “laughed it off” during their appearance before the House Oversight Committee in March.

“People knew this was going on. We have seen it with the Quality ‘Learing’ Center,” Tafoya said. “We know that there have been so many mistakes made. And when you are the governor, the buck stops with you.”

MINNESOTA GOP LAWMAKER URGES CONGRESS TO PRESS WALZ AT FRAUD HEARING: ‘REAL ISSUES TO DEAL WITH’

Tafoya claims that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, right, and AG Keith Ellison, left, were aware of a multibillion-dollar fraud scheme in the state. Both men testified before Congress on March 4, 2026.(Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images; Jerry Holt/The Minnesota Star Tribune via Getty Images)

Tafoya, a former sports reporter seeking elected office for the first time, is aiming to flip the seat red and said Minnesotans are “ready for a change.”

“They are so fed up and disillusioned,” she said.

When asked about a noncitizen recently charged with committing voter fraud and perjury in Minnesota, Tafoya tied that issue to the multibillion-dollar fraud scandal and said, “Walz and company want us to believe there’s zero voter fraud.”

“Where there’s smoke, there’s fire,” Tafoya said. “I’m certain that’s not the only example. And for them to say that we had perfect elections, when they have just proven that they are willing to lie through their teeth about where our money is going, is laughable.”

But Tafoya is not running against Walz or Ellison and, despite having the most campaign coffers among her cohorts, she must first survive a crowded primary to win the Republican nomination. Only then will she advance to the general election in November against Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., or Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, both of whom she claims are trying to “out-left” each other.

Specifically, Tafoya pointed to Flanagan, saying: “She got dressed in a hijab and told Minnesotans, ‘Somalis built Minnesota.’ That was so offensive to everyone in the state.”

“So that gives you an example of how much of a leftist she is.”

TOP 5 WILDEST MOMENTS AS GOP LAWMAKERS CLASHED WITH WALZ, ELLISON IN HEATED FRAUD HEARING: ‘UNBELIEVABLE’

Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flannagan, left, candidate for U.S. Senate, and her Democratic primary challenger Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn. Tafoya says the two are trying to “out-left” each other.(Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images; David Berding/Getty Images)

While Tafoya has the backing of Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., who chairs the Senate GOP’s campaign arm, the National Republican Senatorial Committee, former President Donald Trump has yet to issue a coveted endorsement that could make or break her campaign.

Tafoya said it is ultimately Trump’s decision whether and when to endorse a candidate in the race.

“I’m going to let him speak for himself on any endorsement,” Tafoya said. “We would happily take it. But right now, we are the candidate that has raised the most money by far in the Republican senatorial race in Minnesota, and we think that speaks very highly of our chances.”

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She has also outpaced her Republican opponents, raising just over $2 million between January and March of this year, with just under $1.9 million on hand, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission. Tafoya also holds a cash advantage over Flanagan, who has raised $1.4 million and still has $1.1 million on hand.

Both are surpassed by Craig, who has brought in $2.5 million and has a whopping $4.9 million on hand.

Fox News Digital reached out for comment from Walz but did not immediately hear back.

Alex Miller is a writer for Fox News Digital covering the U.S. Senate.

俄希望美伊谈判继续 必要时可充当调解方

2026年4月20日 18:19 / 联合早报

克里姆林宫发言人佩斯科夫星期一（4月20日）说：“我们看到海湾地区的局势依然脆弱且难以预测。我们希望谈判进程能够继续，并避免局势进一步升级，最终演变为军事冲突。” （路透社档案照片）

克里姆林宫说，希望美国和伊朗之间的和平谈判能够继续进行，以避免对该地区和全球经济造成负面影响。

路透社报道，克里姆林宫发言人佩斯科夫星期一（4月20日）说：“我们看到海湾地区的局势依然脆弱且难以预测。我们希望谈判进程能够继续，并避免局势进一步升级，最终演变为军事冲突。”

他说，俄罗斯目前并未在伊朗问题谈判中担任调解人，但随时准备在接到请求时提供帮助，以促进和平解决问题并达成协议。

俄希望美伊谈判继续 必要时可充当调解方

2026年4月20日 18:19 / 联合早报

俄希望美伊谈判继续 必要时可充当调解方

克里姆林宫发言人佩斯科夫星期一（4月20日）说：“我们看到海湾地区的局势依然脆弱且难以预测。我们希望谈判进程能够继续，并避免局势进一步升级，最终演变为军事冲突。” （路透社档案照片）

克里姆林宫说，希望美国和伊朗之间的和平谈判能够继续进行，以避免对该地区和全球经济造成负面影响。

路透社报道，克里姆林宫发言人佩斯科夫星期一（4月20日）说：“我们看到海湾地区的局势依然脆弱且难以预测。我们希望谈判进程能够继续，并避免局势进一步升级，最终演变为军事冲突。”

他说，俄罗斯目前并未在伊朗问题谈判中担任调解人，但随时准备在接到请求时提供帮助，以促进和平解决问题并达成协议。

House GOP’s campaign arm touts record $47 million fundraising haul in first three months of 2026

April 20, 2026 / 6:00 AM EDT / CBS News

The National Republican Congressional Committee, House Republicans’ campaign arm, is touting a record-breaking fundraising haul to start the 2026 midterm cycle, the committee chairman told CBS News in an interview.

National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Richard Hudson said the committee raised $47.1 million in the first three months of the year, the largest amount ever for the NRCC in the first quarter of any year. Hudson added that the committee posted its strongest March in its history with $28.1 million, and now has $78.2 million cash on hand and $164.4 million for the entire cycle.

“This is the best first quarter we’ve ever had,” Hudson said, arguing the numbers reflect growing momentum for House Republicans as they look to defend their slim majority in a tough political climate for Republicans and stave off historic midterm headwinds. “Republican donors are investing. They understand that the House majority is a firewall against Democrat overreach.”

Hudson, who represents North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District, is predicting Republicans will defy the Democrats’ forecast that they will flip the House in November.

“If you look at the map of the entire Congress, 435 seats, there’s only somewhere between 30-40 seats that are up for grabs. The rest of the seats are safe seats. And so the map has evolved and gotten smaller and smaller as Republicans and Democrats have gotten more sophisticated. They are redistricting, and so a much smaller map, I think, changes the dynamics that we’ve seen traditionally,” Hudson said. ” House Republicans are going to hold our majority. We’ve got all the momentum right now. And the fact that we just recorded our best first quarter in the NRCC history, I think, demonstrates this.”

President Donald Trump and Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson attend the National Republican Congressional Committee’s annual fundraising dinner at Union Station on March 25, 2026 in Washington, D.C. Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

Hudson credited President Trump with playing a central role in boosting the committee’s fundraising efforts, including headlining a recent NRCC fundraising dinner in Washington that raised nearly $37 million.

Hudson told CBS News he sits down with the president in person approximately every month to “talk through” the House races and speaks with him regularly.

“Our meetings typically will last an hour or more because he just really wants to get into the details. His level of knowledge about these individual congressional races is astonishing,” Hudson said. “He understands how important it is to hold the House.”

Mr. Trump took a western swing to Arizona and Nevada last week to help rally for Republican congressional candidates in battleground seats.

“This November, we gotta win the midterms,” The president told the crowd at a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix. “We’re going to win and win like never before.”

But Democrats point to both polling and a slew of elections over the last year to argue they have momentum going into the midterms.

“From special elections for Congress to state legislature races, to public service commissioners, and even state supreme courts. Democrats are not only overperforming in turnout, they are winning these elections,” Hyma Moore, a former senior official for the Democratic National Committee, said. ” President Trump and the Republican Congress said they would lower costs on day one. Instead, they have focused on everything except lowering everyday costs. Americans are still hurting, but they are starting to trust Democrats again. That’s a good sign for November.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson and Rep. Richard Hudson, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, attend the NRCC’s annual fundraising dinner at Union Station on March 25, 2026, in Washington, D.C. Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

The party that holds the White House has historically lost seats in midterm elections. Over the past 50 years, there have been only a few notable exceptions to that trend, including 1998 under President Bill Clinton and in 2002 under President George W. Bush.

Recent polling highlights those challenges, with roughly two-thirds of Americans saying the economy is in bad shape and a majority disapproving of Mr. Trump’s handling of economic issues. That includes about 65% of Americans who say they disapprove of his handling of the economy overall, and nearly 70% disapproving of his job on inflation. The president’s overall job approval had hovered in the low 40s in recent CBS News polling but hit a low of 39% earlier this month.

Those numbers showcase the potential vulnerabilities for Republicans, particularly as economic concerns – especially cost of living issues – remain top of mind for voters heading into the fall, while the war in Iran continues to impact gas prices across the country.

Hudson predicted that “people’s pocketbook issues are going to remain predominant issues,” while asserting that Republicans have enacted economic policies that will make “people’s lives better” compared to former President Joe Biden’s tenure, which he blamed for record inflation and record gas prices. He also contended that national polling does not always reflect the dynamics of individual House races.

“Democrats like to point to national polls, national generic ballot tests, to try to tell you what’s going to happen in these 30 or 40 congressional races, but the fact is, if you look race by race, every one is an individual race, and every one of these we have the advantage in candidate quality. There are more Democrat seats up for grabs than Republican seats,” ” Hudson said. “As we go to the election this fall, we can tell the voters: we promised you that we would bring down your taxes, we promised you that we would unleash American energy, we promised you that we’d secure the border and make your neighborhood safer, and we delivered on those promises.”

The broader House Republican fundraising network is also reporting strong numbers. Outside groups aligned with House GOP leadership, including the Congressional Leadership Fund super PAC and the American Action Network, have raised nearly $193 million so far this cycle. Top Republican leaders have also posted sizable fundraising totals in the first quarter, led by Speaker Mike Johnson, whose $34 million set a record. According to NRCC, he has now raised more than $116 million in hard dollars for House Republicans this cycle. Hudson also highlighted the first-quarter fundraising performance from vulnerable GOP incumbents in swing seats– dubbed the “NRCC Patriots”– as a sign of early financial strength heading into the midterms.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the House Democratic counterpart to the NRCC, has until the end of Monday to file its first-quarter numbers. But on Thursday, the DCCC touted the fundraising strength of its own front-line congressional candidates and challengers, saying that Q1 filings “reveal sweeping grassroots support for House Democrats and Democratic challengers.”

“House Democrats have been on offense all cycle. While we are building momentum with a message focused on lowering costs, Republicans are stuck defending their out-of-control policies, driving prices up,” Viet Shelton, a spokesperson for the DCCC, said in a statement. “The contrast couldn’t be clearer and our candidates are starting the election year with a formidable war chest.”

Last month, the DCCC released that they had raised $13.7 million for the month of February, posting $139.1 million for the entire cycle and $57.3 million in cash-on-hand.

Democrats also point to key battleground races – the kinds of races they would likely need to win to take back the House majority in 2027 – where their challengers are outraising Republican incumbents. According to first-quarter filings with the Federal Election Commission, in Pennsylvania, Janelle Stelson collected $2.2 million, topping Rep. Scott Perry’s $1.1 million. In Arizona, JoAnna Mendoza raised $2.4 million, more than double Rep. Juan Ciscomani’s total. In Wisconsin’s 3rd District, Rebecca Cooke brought in $2.4 million, compared to $1.3 million for Rep. Derrick Van Orden.

On the Senate side, many of the Democrats in competitive Senate races outraised their Republican rivals, including in Texas, where Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico raised $27 million in the year’s first fundraising quarter– the largest sum ever for any Senate candidate during that period. In Georgia, incumbent Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff raised $14 million and has $31.7 million cash on hand for his re-election bid in Georgia, according to public FEC filings.

Anne Bryson contributed to this report.

美国扣押一中国驶来伊朗货船 中国外交部表示严重关切

2026年4月20日 16:05 / 联合早报

针对美国扣押了一艘从中国驶来的伊朗货船，中国外交部表示，对美方强制截停有关船只表示关切。

中国外交部发言人郭嘉昆在星期一（4月20日）的例行记者会上表示，霍尔木兹海峡局势敏感复杂，中方对美方强制截停有关船只表示关切，希望有关方以负责任的态度恪守停火协定，避免激化矛盾，加剧局势紧张，为海峡通行恢复正常提供必要条件。

针对美伊停火协议将于星期二（21日）到期的问题，郭嘉昆表示，当前地区的局势正处在战和转换的关键阶段，和平窗口既已打开，就应该为尽早结束战争创造有利条件。

郭嘉昆说：“中方支持相关方继续保持停火和谈判势头，将本着习近平主席四点主张精神，继续推动局势缓和，为最终实现中东地区持久和平稳定发挥建设性作用。”

以军坚持进驻黎南边境 促当地居民暂勿返乡

2026年4月20日 18:31 / 联合早报

位于黎巴嫩南部与以色列边境的迪宾村（Dibbine）早前遭到以色列空袭，一栋房屋严重损毁，不远处还留有一处爆炸坑。 （法新社）

（耶路撒冷综合电）由于黎巴嫩真主党持续活动，以色列军方表明将继续驻守在黎南阵地，并敦促黎南地区居民在停火期间暂勿返回边境村庄。

以军发言人阿德拉伊周一（4月20日）发布声明，列出数十个黎南边境村庄，要求当地居民在以黎停火期间不要越过安全防线，也不要靠近利塔尼河沿岸地区，直至另行通知。

以军表明，以黎虽已达成停火协议，但军方接获指示，对黎境内威胁进行全力打击，并誓言要将真主党武装分子在黎南的住房夷为平地。

以军周一还说，前一晚在黎南“前沿防线”以北的卡拉维耶地区（Qalaouiyah），打击一处真主党火箭弹发射架。

以色列国防部长卡茨早前表明，以军会夷平所有黎巴嫩边境村庄，仅保留几个基督徒社区。

然而社媒流传的一张照片显示，一名疑似以军士兵在黎南边境的德布尔村（Debl）用大锤击打一座耶稣雕像的头部。

以军周一证实，照片上的确是以军成员，以军对此高度重视，并强调这名士兵的行为“完全不符合部队所期望的价值观”，军方正在处理这起事件，会对涉事人员采取适当措施。

以色列外交部长萨尔批评这名士兵的行为是“可耻行径”。他在X平台发文说：“以色列尊重不同宗教及其神圣象征，倡导宗教间宽容与尊敬。我们就这起事件并对所有受到伤害的基督徒表示歉意。”

位于黎巴嫩南部与以色列边境的迪宾村（Dibbine）早前遭到以色列空袭，一栋房屋严重损毁，不远处还留有一处爆炸坑。 （法新社）

（耶路撒冷综合电）由于黎巴嫩真主党持续活动，以色列军方表明将继续驻守在黎南阵地，并敦促黎南地区居民在停火期间暂勿返回边境村庄。

以军发言人阿德拉伊周一（4月20日）发布声明，列出数十个黎南边境村庄，要求当地居民在以黎停火期间不要越过安全防线，也不要靠近利塔尼河沿岸地区，直至另行通知。

以军表明，以黎虽已达成停火协议，但军方接获指示，对黎境内威胁进行全力打击，并誓言要将真主党武装分子在黎南的住房夷为平地。

以军周一还说，前一晚在黎南“前沿防线”以北的卡拉维耶地区（Qalaouiyah），打击一处真主党火箭弹发射架。

以色列国防部长卡茨早前表明，以军会夷平所有黎巴嫩边境村庄，仅保留几个基督徒社区。

然而社媒流传的一张照片显示，一名疑似以军士兵在黎南边境的德布尔村（Debl）用大锤击打一座耶稣雕像的头部。

以军周一证实，照片上的确是以军成员，以军对此高度重视，并强调这名士兵的行为“完全不符合部队所期望的价值观”，军方正在处理这起事件，会对涉事人员采取适当措施。

以色列外交部长萨尔批评这名士兵的行为是“可耻行径”。他在X平台发文说：“以色列尊重不同宗教及其神圣象征，倡导宗教间宽容与尊敬。我们就这起事件并对所有受到伤害的基督徒表示歉意。”

After Supreme Court blow, Trump admin launches $166B tariff refund portal

April 20, 2026 7:00am EDT / Fox News

Importers could see refunds within 60 to 90 days after filing claims through the new CAPE system

By Amanda Macias, Fox News

The Trump administration on Monday launched a new system to begin refunding $166 billion in tariffs to U.S. importers after the Supreme Court ruled the levies unlawful earlier this year.

The system, known as CAPE, will allow U.S. Customs and Border Protection to issue consolidated electronic payments to importers, streamlining what would otherwise be a complex, entry-by-entry refund process.

“It’s essentially a fast track for processing refunds,” said Reed Smith partner Michael Lowell, adding that importers will need to file claims, but the process should be straightforward.

TRUMP’S TARIFF REVENUES HIT RECORD HIGHS AS SUPREME COURT DEALS MAJOR BLOW

Since President Donald Trump’s return to office, tariffs have surged to record levels.(Loren Elliott/Bloomberg)

“Customs is estimating that refunds will be processed within 60 to 90 days after submission,” he added. “If importers file as soon as the system opens, refunds could begin flowing by mid-June to mid-July.”

The rollout marks the first phase of the refund effort, meaning not all importers or tariff categories will be eligible right away.

The refunds stem from a February Supreme Court decision that struck down the tariffs, setting the stage for what could become one of the largest repayment efforts in U.S. history.

Many businesses are expected to rush to file claims to get back billions they paid under the now-invalid tariffs.

Tariff revenues hit record highs after “Liberation Day” duties, underscoring the scale of payments now being returned to importers.

SUPREME COURT DEALS BLOW TO TRUMP’S TRADE AGENDA IN LANDMARK TARIFF CASE

Made with Flourish•Create a chart

Tariffs function as a tax on imports, with U.S. companies often absorbing the upfront costs and passing them along through higher prices for wholesalers, retailers and ultimately consumers. As a result, households and businesses can face increased costs on goods ranging from electronics to raw materials.

Still, trade experts say the broader use of tariffs is far from over.

“Tariffs are not going anywhere. That’s clear. It’s a central component of the administration’s economic and trade policy,” said Reed Smith partner Michael Lowell.

Lowell pointed to the administration’s swift move to impose new tariffs under a separate legal authority known as Section 122 following the Supreme Court’s ruling, noting those measures are already facing legal challenges.

“The administration has tools available to it that it is actively using to impose tariffs on certain imports from certain countries,” Lowell said. “Tariffs are here to stay, at least for the balance of the Trump administration.”

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President Donald Trump announced ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs on April 2, 2025, during an event at the White House.(Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)

He added that tariffs imposed during Trump’s first term largely remained in place through the Biden administration, underscoring their staying power across administrations.

Lowell also said companies should take steps now to prepare for continued uncertainty.

“We are advising companies to deal with the issues up front in their contracts, have very explicit terms around who’s responsible for the tariff, how refunds will be processed if we continue to see tariffs that are invalidated and refunds associated with them,” he said.

Amanda covers the intersection of business and politics for Fox News Digital.

Wife of active-duty U.S. Army sergeant detained by ICE in Texas at immigration appointment

April 20, 2026 / 7:16 AM EDT / CBS News

An active-duty U.S. Army sergeant who has served in the military for 27 years, including in Afghanistan, said he still does not “understand why” his wife was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement last week in Texas.

In an interview with CBS News Sunday, Sgt. First Class Jose Serrano, 51, said his wife, Deisy Rivera Ortega, was arrested by ICE on April 14 during an appointment at an immigration office in El Paso.

Rivera Ortega, who married Serrano in 2022, has been in the U.S. for over a decade, since 2016. She was granted a legal protection in 2019 that prohibits her deportation to her native El Salvador, U.S. immigration court documents show. But the Department of Homeland Security told CBS News that Rivera Ortega entered the U.S. illegally, and Serrano said his wife has been informed she could be deported to a third country, like Mexico, where she has no ties.

U.S. Army Sgt. First Class Jose Serrano and his wife, Deisy Rivera Ortega, in an undated photo. CBS News

ICE’s online detainee tracking system indicated Rivera Ortega was being held at the agency’s El Paso processing center as of Sunday evening.

“I don’t really understand why, because she followed the rules of immigration by the T since day one,” Serrano said, noting his wife had an active work permit at the time of her arrest.

“I love the Army. (The) Army helped me out for almost 28 years. It’s not the Army, sir. It’s ICE,” Serrano said later in the interview. “ICE is out of control right now, sir, taking away rights, as soldiers, that we have.”

If his wife is sent to Mexico, Serrano said he would likely not be able to see her without jeopardizing his military career, given restrictions on service members traveling to Mexico.

“We don’t know nobody in Mexico,” he said. “Plus, as a military, we’re not allowed to go to Mexico.”

Serrano, who was born in Puerto Rico, said his wife’s detention has exacerbated his mental health challenges, noting he has been treated previously for a traumatic brain injury, PTSD and depression.

“Since this happened, I’m sleeping only two hours a day, two hours a night,” he added.

ICE detentions like these are increasing

Historically, ICE has exercised its discretion to refrain from arresting immediate relatives of U.S. service members, absent national security or public safety concerns. But detentions of immigrant spouses and parents of U.S. service members have become more common under the second Trump administration, which has eliminated Biden-era limits on ICE operations and broadened who is eligible for arrest and deportation.

DHS has said those cases have involved people with deportation orders or who are otherwise in the U.S. illegally.

In a statement to CBS News, DHS said Rivera Ortega was ordered deported on Dec. 12, 2019 after receiving “full due process.” It also called her a “criminal illegal alien” from El Salvador, saying she was convicted of illegal entry into the U.S., a federal misdemeanor offense.

“Rivera-Ortega remains in ICE custody pending removal,” DHS added.

Government documents reviewed by CBS News show Rivera Ortega was summoned to the El Paso immigration office for an interview related to an application for Parole in Place, a special program designed to offer deportation protections to military spouses or parents who are in the U.S. without legal status. If granted, Parole in Place can also help those spouses or parents obtain legal permanent residency.

Serrano said he submitted a Parole in Place application on behalf of his wife last year, and that the case remains pending. He added that he told officials at the immigration office about his military service before his wife was detained last week, and that he was not given an explanation following the arrest.

“They really don’t care, sir. They said ‘we cannot send her to El Salvador, but we gonna send her to Mexico,’” he said.

In December 2019, an immigration judge granted Rivera Ortega protection under the Convention Against Torture, a United Nations treaty designed to protect people who could be tortured if deported. That protection has blocked her deportation to El Salvador and allowed her to obtain a permit to work in the U.S. lawfully. Serrano said his wife had been working at the two hotels inside Fort Bliss before her detention. CBS News reviewed her military ID, which labels her the spouse of an active-duty Army soldier.

Those granted protection under the Convention Against Torture are simultaneously ordered deported, though that deportation is deferred. And while the protection shields beneficiaries from being sent to their native countries, it does not offer them a pathway to U.S. citizenship or prevent the government from deporting them to third countries.

Over the past year, the Trump administration has expanded detentions of individuals granted those limited immigration protections, seeking to deport them to countries that are not their own.

Matthew Kozik, an attorney helping Serrano and his wife, said he filed a habeas petition in federal court, arguing that Rivera Ortega’s detention is unlawful. “I served the Army as a judge advocate for 10 years. And as a judge advocate and a combat veteran, bronze star service member, what is going on is absurd,” Kozik said.

Danitza James, a U.S. military veteran and president of the group Repatriate Our Veterans, said ICE’s actions were creating “uncertainty” for service members and their families.

“When the promise to protect those who serve is delayed, military readiness suffers, because a force cannot be mission-ready when its families are left in limbo,” she said.

日本：发生8.0级或以上强震的风险上升

2026年4月20日 19:47 / 联合早报

日本发布特别警告称，在日本北部发生强烈地震并引发海啸预警后，发生8.0级或以上强震的风险上升。

法新社报道，日本气象厅星期一（4月20日）发声明说：“再次发生巨大地震的可能较平时更高。”

星期一的地震最初估计为7.4级，随后上调至7.5级，最终修正为7.7级。地震于当地时间下午4时53分（新加坡时间下午3时53分）发生在岩手县北部近海的太平洋海域。

内阁秘书长木原稔在记者会上说，目前尚无严重伤亡或重大损失的报告。

一名内阁府官员在另一场电视简报会上说：“虽然尚不确定是否会再次发生大地震，但我们呼吁大家以‘自身安全由自己负责’为原则，做好防灾准备。”