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Judge holds DHS officials in contempt, orders compensation to Mexican national released in winter storm

Fernando Gutierrez Torres was transferred to Texas despite judicial prohibition, then released in El Paso when winter storm disrupted return flight

By Alexandra Koch
Fox News
Published February 24, 2026 1:43pm EST

A federal judge in Minnesota ruled on Monday to hold government officials in civil contempt for violating a judicial order that prohibited the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from transferring detainee Fernando Gutierrez Torres, a Mexican national.

U.S. District Judge Eric Tostrud, who was appointed by President Donald Trump in 2018, found that despite an earlier order prohibiting Torres’ transfer out of Minnesota, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) moved him to Texas without notifying his attorney.

A judge granted Torres’ habeas petition and ordered ICE to release him from custody “as soon as practicable, but not later than 48 hours” after the order was entered, according to court documents.

Filings state a major winter storm in Texas led to a state of emergency declaration, and Torres’ ICE-scheduled flight was canceled.

Drivers navigate icy road conditions on a major roadway Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, in Carrollton, Texas, as a winter storm moved through the region.(AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

The agency realized the earliest they could reschedule his return to Minnesota was Jan. 27, which would be past the 48-hour release deadline mandated by the court.

In a rush to comply with that 48-hour deadline, the agency decided to release him immediately in El Paso, Texas, rather than waiting to fly him back to Minnesota.

His belongings were allegedly withheld when he was freed, according to court documents.

Ice covers a South Congress neighborhood after a winter storm brought rain, sleet and freezing temperatures to Austin on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026.(Aaron E. Martinez/The Austin American-Statesman via Getty Images)

JUDGE THREATENS CONTEMPT FOR ICE LEADER, ORDERS HIM TO APPEAR IN COURT

Tostrud ruled the haste to meet the deadline did not excuse the agency’s contempt because ICE should not have violated the original court order by transferring Torres to Texas in the first place, and ordered the government to pay for Torres’ nearly $570 flight home, which was initially covered by his attorney.

The government claimed the decision to transfer Torres was not made in “willful disregard for [sic] the Court’s order.”

Snow-covered streets and buildings are seen during a winter storm Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, in Dallas, Texas. Brutal cold and icy conditions followed the storm across parts of the region.(Mark Felix/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“It is undisputable the Agency needed to consult with the undersigned counsel before making the decision to release Petitioner in Texas,” attorneys wrote. “That did not happen. Respondent acknowledges [his] release in Texas was not in compliance with the expectations and Order of this Court.”

FEDERAL JUDGE BACKS AWAY FROM THREAT TO HOLD ICE LEADER IN CONTEMPT

Government lawyers added they are “deeply remorseful” and offered their “sincere apologies for the situation.”

Tostrud gave the administration an opportunity to file a motion for an evidentiary hearing before March 1, after which the judgment will go into effect.

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In addition, the government can identify the specific person or entity that violated the order.

Court documents did not note what led to Torres’ initial arrest, with the administration citing “alleged immigration-law violations.”

DHS did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Former assistant director in charge of the FBI Washington field office Dave Sundberg has mounted a bid for U.S. Congress, accusing President Donald Trump’s administration of weaponizing the Justice Department.

The U.S. House hopeful accused the administration of firing him while sweeping out people who wouldn’t execute the president’s political aims.

“In January 2025, I was fired by the Trump Administration as part of a retaliatory purge against those who refused to carry out the President’s political agenda. While they took my job, they cannot take my oath,” he declared in a Facebook post.

David Sundberg, with the FBI, speaks during a press conference held by the Department of Justice on April 17, 2023.(Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)

In a press release on his campaign website, Sundberg asserted, “I have watched as the White House has weaponized the Department of Justice against political opponents and used the National Guard to intimidate our own citizens, all while seizing levers of power that are supposed to be balanced across government.”

“We are reaching a point where we may not recover from this. I am running to ensure Congress becomes a co-equal branch of government again and does not abdicate its responsibility to push back,” he declared.

FBI DIRECTOR KASH PATEL: WE HAVE MADE AMERICA SAFER IN JUST ONE YEAR

Steny Hoyer arrives in Christianborg Palace on Jan. 16, 2026, in Copenhagen, Denmark.(Martin Sylvest Andersen/Getty Images)

Sundberg is running in the Democratic primary in Maryland’s 5th Congressional District, which is an open contest because Democratic Rep. Steny Hoyer announced last month that he will not seek another term.

In a statement provided to Fox News Digital, Republican National Committee spokeswoman Emma Hall said, “Yet another out-of-touch Democrat campaign built on obsessively attacking President Trump and his overwhelmingly popular agenda, without any plans of their own to lower costs and help working families.”

FORMER CAPITOL POLICE OFFICER RUNNING FOR CONGRESS IN DIFFERENT DISTRICT THAN FAILED 2024 BID

David Sundberg, then-assistant director in charge of the FBI Boston Division, is seen at a press conference inside the Moakley Federal Courthouse.(Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

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Fox News Digital reached out to Sundberg’s campaign for comment.

US halts plan for ICE facility in New Hampshire, governor says

February 24, 2026 4:36 PM UTC / Reuters

WASHINGTON, Feb 24 (Reuters) – The Trump administration has scrapped plans for an immigration detention facility in Merrimack, New Hampshire, the state’s Republican governor said on Tuesday, as localities grapple with a surge in planned detention centers nationwide.

“The Department of Homeland Security will not move forward with the proposed ICE facility in Merrimack,” the New England state’s governor, Kelly Ayotte, wrote on X following a meeting with DHS Secretary Kristi Noem in Washington last week.

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Ayotte said she expressed the concerns of the town roughly 50 miles (80.5 kilometers) northeast of Boston, and that New Hampshire law enforcement would continue to cooperate with DHS to secure the state’s northern border with Canada.

Noem, in a statement from DHS, confirmed the meeting and said it would continue to work with New Hampshire, calling it “a strong partner.”

The withdrawal comes as Republican President Donald Trump enacts his sweeping immigration campaign pledges. The deportation drive’s aggressive tactics have been met with growing U.S. voter disapproval ahead of the November midterm election that will decide control of Congress.

ICE and U.S. Border Patrol agents have surged into major U.S. cities such as Los Angeles and Chicago, sweeping through neighborhoods and clashing with residents. Federal agents shot and killed two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis in January, and another citizen was shot and killed last year in Texas.

Trump’s administration is also moving to increase detention centers to house immigrants as it ramps up its raids, spending more than $38 billion this year for facilities that have drawn criticism from Democrats as well as concerns from Ayotte and other Republicans.

Democrats, civil rights groups, clergy and other critics have cited human rights, legal and health concerns, including dismal conditions, poor treatment and diseases such as measles at various detention facilities, which are run by companies including GEO Group (GEO.N) and CoreCivic (CXW.N).

At least eight people have died in ICE detention centers since the start of 2026, following at least 31 deaths last year.

On Tuesday, Democratic-led Maryland sued the Trump administration to halt a detention facility in its western Washington County.

DHS officials have rejected any claims that the buildings are akin to “warehouses.”

Senate Democrats have blocked funding for DHS as they seek to rein in ICE. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Tuesday that Trump would use his State of the Union speech later that night to call for funding to be approved.

Reporting by Susan Heavey in Washington; additional reporting by Ted Hesson and Bhargav Acharya; Editing by Bill Berkrot

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Photographer describes capturing hockey star Jack Hughes’ toothless grin after gold-medal win: “Still in shock”

February 24, 2026 / 11:58 AM EST / CBS News

Team USA’s Jack Hughes may have netted the game-winner against Canada, but a photographer captured an indelible moment of her own — an iconic photo of his gap-toothed grin after securing the first U.S. men’s hockey Olympic gold medal since 1980.

“I just was kind of just doing my job. It wasn’t until maybe well after the event that I thought, okay, that that could be pretty iconic, pretty cool,” Getty Images sports staff photographer Elsa Garrison, who snapped the image after Sunday’s game, told CBS News 24/7 from Milan.

The photo shows Hughes, fist pumped, draped in an American flag, with a bloodied mouth and chipped front teeth. It’s the kind of picture that will likely go down in history.

“I was running around the outskirts of the rink like a crazy woman,” Garrison joked, recalling how she captured the celebration.

Garrison said she was in the right place at the right time because she had scoped out where the Team USA families were sitting, anticipating the players would skate straight to them after the game. Once the initial celebration ended, she said she “hightailed it” to where Hughes’ family was seated, with only seconds to spare.

“Even though sports are very spontaneous, there is a lot of planning I do in my head with all these different scenarios. So when things happen in a split second, I know exactly what I’m going to do, and I just go after it,” Garrison said, noting that Hughes’ parents were sitting right behind her when she captured the shot.

The image of Hughes at the 2026 Winter Olympics quickly went viral online, grabbing headlines nationwide. The 24-year-old NHL star said he lost at least one and maybe two of his front teeth taking a high stick late in the game.

Garrison didn’t expect that particular photo to blow up — but then her phone started buzzing nonstop. Her initial Instagram post quickly racked up thousands of likes, and she was being tagged in dozens of other posts.

“It’s still not registered yet. I think to me it’s a lovely moment. It’s a nice moment,” said Garrison, adding that she regularly photographs Hughes during his games with the New Jersey Devils and is very familiar with his style of play. “I’m still in shock, honestly.”

When asked how it felt to be mentioned alongside the greats of sports photography, Garrison just laughed: “No pressure.”

She said the Hughes photo reflects both her skill and a bit of the “luck of the draw.”

“As sports photographers, that’s what we love to capture … And you know, you just have to kind of react to the scenarios and the scene around you and have that game plan,” she said.

US DOJ sues California University alleging ‘antisemitic hostile work environment’ at UCLA campus

February 24, 2026 7:26 PM UTC / Reuters

People walk through the campus of the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) in Los Angeles, California, U.S., August 11, 2025. REUTERS/Daniel Cole [Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab]

Feb 24 (Reuters) – The U.S. Justice Department said on Tuesday that it had sued the University of California, accusing the university of engaging in “antisemitic hostile work environment” at its Los Angeles campus.

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Reporting by Costas Pitas and Ismail Shakil; Editing by Caitlin Webber

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France has restricted U.S. Ambassador Charles Kushner’s access to senior government officials after he failed to attend a summons from the French Foreign Ministry over comments regarding the death of a French activist.

Speaking Tuesday in an interview with public broadcaster France Info, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said Kushner’s decision not to appear at the Quai d’Orsay “will naturally affect his ability to carry out his mission in our country,” and demanded “explanations” from the ambassador.

Barrot described the no-show as a “surprise,” saying that when an ambassador has “the honor of representing your country in France,” they are expected to “respect the most basic practices of diplomacy” and respond to summons from the ministry.

The diplomatic dispute stems from social media posts by official U.S. government accounts following the death of Quentin Deranque, a 23-year-old activist who was killed in Lyon earlier this month.

[image_1]
Protesters hold portraits of far-right activist Quentin Deranque during a tribute march in Lyon on Feb. 21, 2026.(Olivier Chassignole/AFP via Getty)

The Associated Press reported that Deranque, described as a fervent nationalist, was beaten during clashes between far-left and far-right activists and later died of brain injuries sustained in the attack.

“Reports, corroborated by the French Minister of the Interior, that Quentin Deranque was killed by left-wing militants, should concern us all. Violent radical leftism is on the rise and its role in Quentin Deranque’s death demonstrates the threat it poses to public safety,” the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Counterterrorism said in a Feb. 19 post on X. “We will continue to monitor the situation and expect to see the perpetrators of violence brought to justice.”

The U.S. Embassy in France later shared the statement on its official account.

[FOREIGN AMBASSADOR TO LEAVE US POST AFTER TRUMP CRITICISM]

[image_2]
Charles Kushner, the new U.S. ambassador to France, leaves the Elysee Presidential Palace in Paris on July 18, 2025.(Ludovic Marin/AFP via Getty)

Barrot said the remarks amounted to an “injunction” toward France and rejected what he characterized as foreign interference in the country’s domestic political debate.

“We have no lessons to learn in matters of maintaining order or public order in matters of violence and we have no lessons to learn at all from the reactionary international, simply,” he told France Info.

[FRANCE TO DEPORT PALESTINIAN WOMAN OVER ANTISEMITIC POST FEATURING HITLER, HALTS GAZA EVACUATIONS]

[image_3]
French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot talks to the media at the Europa building in Brussels, Belgium, on Feb. 23, 2026.(Thierry Monasse/Getty)

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The U.S. Embassy in France told Fox News Digital in a statement on Tuesday that the two sides are in communication.

“Ambassador Kushner and Foreign Minister Barrot, who have met regularly during the Ambassador’s tenure, spoke today in a frank and amicable call, reaffirming their shared commitment to working together, along with all other Ministers and French officials, on the many issues that impact the United States and France, particularly as the two countries celebrate 250 years of rich diplomatic relations,” the statement said.

Consumer confidence ticks up in February as labor market outlook improves

Updated on: February 24, 2026 / 1:07 PM EST / CBS/AP

Consumer confidence edged higher in February as Americans expressed a more optimistic view of the labor market and other facets of the economy, a new survey shows.

The Conference Board, a nonprofit research group, said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index increased by 2.2 points in February, rising to 91.2.

That’s an improvement over January, when confidence fell sharply amid concerns over household income and job prospects. Still, February’s reading remains below the peak reached in November 2024, the Conference Board said.

An improving job market

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A higher share of survey respondents now say jobs are “plentiful” versus “hard to get,” a sign that consumers may be adopting a more favorable outlook of the labor market.

The improved February reading comes after the Bureau of Labor Statistics data showed robust hiring in January. Employers added 130,000 jobs last month, according to the latest jobs report.Still, the economy gained just 181,000 jobs in 2025, a fraction of the more than 2 million added in 2024.

Americans’ short-term expectations for their income, business conditions and the job market also rose, although they remain well below 80, the marker that can signal a recession ahead. It’s the 13th consecutive month that reading has come in under 80.

The measure of consumers’ assessments of their current economic situation also fell by 1.8 points to 120.

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Inflation concerns

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The consumer confidence data shows that Americans are still wary about high costs. Dana Peterson, chief economist for the Conference Board, noted in a press release that write-in responses reflected a growing pessimism towards prices, inflation and the cost of goods.

Consumers’ 12-month inflation expectations were little changed but remain elevated. Mentions of trade and politics increased, while references to labor market conditions eased as perceptions of the job market improved modestly this month.

According to the Conference Board’s February survey, consumers’ plans to buy big-ticket items over the next six months rose, with plans to buy used cars, furniture, TVs and smartphones leading the way.

Home-buying expectations were little changed in February, generally a slow time for the housing market, which has been mired in a years-long slump.

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Strong start to 2026 for labor market

Surprisingly strong start to 2026 for U.S. labor market 03:10

Surprisingly strong start to 2026 for U.S. labor market

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Leavitt says Trump chooses diplomacy first for Iran, but remains ‘willing to use’ lethal force if necessary

Published February 24, 2026 12:11pm EST | Fox News

White House says President Donald Trump is the ‘final decision-maker’ on US action towards Iran

By Greg Norman-Diamond | Fox News

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday that President Donald Trump’s first option for Iran is “always diplomacy,” but that he is “willing to use the lethal force of the United States military if necessary.”

The remarks come after Trump wrote on Truth Social Monday that “it will be a very bad day” for Iran if the country can’t strike a deal over its nuclear program.

“President Trump’s first option is always diplomacy. But as he has shown, he is willing to use the lethal force of the United States military if necessary.So the president is always the final decision-maker around here,” Leavitt said Tuesday.

“And I’ve seen a lot of sensationalist reporting over the past day that is just completely untrue. And anyone speculating to the media hiding behind an anonymous source, pretending to know what President Trump is thinking, or a decision he will make with respect to action against Iran has no idea what they’re talking about,” she added.

President Donald Trump speaks during an Angel Families remembrance ceremony held in the East Room at the White House on Feb. 23, 2026, in Washington, D.C.(Win McNamee/Getty Images)

The president told reporters last week that he is considering a limited military strike on Iran to pressure its leaders into reaching a deal over its nuclear program.

US ASSETS IN MIDDLE EAST POSITIONED FOR ‘HIGHLY KINETIC’ WAR, FORMER PENTAGON OFFICIAL SAYS

The USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, is one of the U.S. military assets currently in the Middle East.(Mike Blake/Reuters)

The U.S. has recently been increasing its military assets in the Middle East, sending the USS Gerald R. Ford and its strike group toward the region.

The USS Abraham Lincoln and three guided-missile destroyers already are in the area.

The USS Gerald R. Ford also has been sent to the Middle East as part of the U.S. military buildup.(U.S. Naval Forces Central Command / U.S. 6th Fleet / Handout via Reuters)

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“Everything that has been written about a potential War with Iran has been written incorrectly, and purposefully so. I am the one that makes the decision, I would rather have a Deal than not but, if we don’t make a Deal, it will be a very bad day for that Country and, very sadly, its people, because they are great and wonderful, and something like this should never have happened to them,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday.

Greg Norman is a reporter at Fox News Digital.

Alaska Airlines flight forced to turn around after passenger’s battery pack catches fire

February 24, 2026 / 2:03 PM EST / CBS News

An Alaska Airlines flight had to return to the airport on Sunday afternoon after a passenger’s power bank device overheated and caught fire, the airline and federal authorities said.

The flight, operated by Horizon, was traveling from Wichita, Kansas to Seattle, Washington.

The flight crew used a fire extinguisher to put out the blaze, the Federal Aviation Administration said. The fire was reported and the flight returned to Wichita. The crew placed the device in a thermal containment bag while preparing for landing, Alaska Airlines said.

Once the Embraer 175 jet returned to the gate, the passenger who had been using the device received medical attention, the FAA and Alaska Airlines said. An update on her condition was not available.

Alaska Airlines said passengers arrived in Seattle on a later flight and that the airline “appreciated their patience.”

The FAA said it is investigating the incident. The agency requires airlines to report incidents involving dangerous goods, a label that includes batteries, battery-powered devices and aerosols.

Lithium batteries, which can be found in battery packs, phones, laptops and other electronics can pose a particular danger, the FAA said. Passengers can only bring lithium batteries up to a certain wattage on planes, and cannot check them into the cargo hold, according to FAA and airline regulations.

Between 2006 and 2023, there were 472 incidents on planes that involved lithium batteries, according to the FAA. Nearly 200 of those incidents involved batteries or battery packs. Most portable chargers and battery packs use lithium batteries, but the FAA and Alaska Airlines did not specify if the device in this incident included them.

Lithium battery fires are difficult to put out and can release toxic fumes, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

US House narrowly fails to pass aviation safety bill

February 24, 2026 4:15 PM UTC / By David Shepardson / Reuters

WASHINGTON, Feb 24 (Reuters) – The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday failed to pass key aviation legislation despite pleas from lawmakers and relatives of those killed in the worst U.S. aviation disaster since 2001.

The House voted 264-133 in favor of the ROTOR Act, passed unanimously by the U.S. Senate in December, that would require aircraft operators to equip their fleets with a safety system known as the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast system, or ADS-B, by the end of 2031. Under the fast-track rules, the bill needed a two-thirds majority to pass — and it fell one vote short.

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A plane takes off from Chicago O’Hare International Airport, in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., October 26, 2025. REUTERS/Daniel Cole

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ROTOR would require the military to use ADS-B on routine training flights but not on sensitive military missions. The legislation follows the January 2025 disaster, when an American Airlines regional jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided in the crowded airspace over the nation’s capital, killing 67 people.

SAFETY SYSTEM WOULD HAVE PREVENTED CRASH: NTSB

National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy said ADS-B would have prevented the 2025 collision and noted the agency has called for it to be mandated for more than 20 years.

NTSB said ADS-B could have alerted the passenger plane pilot 59 seconds before the collision and the helicopter crew 48 seconds before.

“How many more people need to die for us to decide that action needs to be taken?” she told reporters on Tuesday.

In December, the Pentagon said it supported the legislation, sponsored by Senate Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz and the panel’s top Democrat, Maria Cantwell. But in a statement released on Monday, the Pentagon said the bill could create “significant unresolved budgetary burdens and operational security risks affecting national defense activities.”

House Transportation Committee chair Sam Graves said Tuesday the panel will take up a rival aviation safety bill as soon as next week.

Audrey Patel, whose husband died in the crash, was pregnant at the time and noted other recent near-collisions. “We know why this happened and how to prevent it,” Patel said at a Capitol Hill press conference urging the legislation’s passage.

House Armed Services Committee Chair Mike Rogers, a Republican, criticized the ROTOR Act, saying it would undermine national security. But he added some military aircraft should be equipped with and transmit ADS-B in congested civilian airspace and noted a rival safety bill was introduced last week.

Cantwell said it was incorrect that the bill would mandate ADS-B on B-52 or F-35 aircraft, but would ensure use in congested airspace to ensure safety.

The ROTOR Act also boosts oversight of commercial jet and helicopter traffic and flight routes near commercial airports.

Reporting by David Shepardson Editing by Rod Nickel and Nick Zieminski