This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

A suburb of Atlanta is being challenged for a scheme it created that allows anyone to silence the speech of anyone else, if they don't like the speech.

The dispute, which appears to be a direct challenge to the First Amendment, erupted because someone objected to the Christian message being offered on a city street, and with a city permit, by preacher Jason Cantrell.

It is the American Center for Law and Justice that explained he has, for years, shared the Gospel on a public sidewalk outside an abortion business.

"He preaches to passersby and offers encouragement and prayer to women entering," the organization said.

Like many speaking in public areas, where street noise and more can interfere, he used, with a city permit, a small system to amplify his voice.

This summer, Forest Park police issued him a citation anyway.

He was cited "after officers claimed he had been asked three times to turn the volume down. The problem wasn't that Jason didn't have a permit – he did. Instead, the city's permit includes a troubling clause stating that it becomes 'null and void' if any complaints are received about the noise level," the legal team noted.

The officers simply declared his permit void and ticketed him.

"In other words, the city has created a system in which anyone who dislikes a message can silence a speaker simply by complaining. That is not how the First Amendment works," the ACLJ explained.

Under the city's scheme, "officials have made lawful speech entirely contingent on whether listeners react favorably. Once anyone complains – regardless of whether the sound exceeds legal limits – the city automatically treats the permit as void. That means police can punish a speaker who was fully in compliance with the permit's terms, simply because others objected to the message being spoken," the ACLJ noted.

That's called a "heckler's veto" and long has been demanded by critics of Christian messaging, but also long has been struck down by the Supreme Court.

"The Constitution does not allow speech to be restricted based on listener reaction or public hostility," the legal team said, and the Forest Park plan "does exactly" what the high court has forbidden.

Cantrell's efforts to follow the requirements were confirmed because the city renewed his permit even after police ticketed him, although the faulty condition remained.

"Jason's case underscores how such policies operate in practice. When the government ties speech rights to audience approval, unpopular or religious expression will always be the first target. A preacher's message about faith or the sanctity of life may be deeply meaningful to some and uncomfortable to others – but under our Constitution, discomfort is not a basis for censorship," the ACLJ said.

While Cantrell now faces a misdemeanor municipal court case, the ACLJ said the problem is far bigger.

"The First Amendment guarantees that government officials cannot suppress speech simply because someone complains about it. That protection applies equally to street preachers, political advocates, and protestors of every viewpoint. Forest Park's policy violates those principles by giving private citizens – and by extension, the government – uncontrolled discretion to silence speech they dislike."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

The war brought by Democrats and other leftists against President Donald Trump's agenda to secure the nation's borders and deport illegal alien criminals is taking a serious turn.

It's that local and state officials in some venues have been threatening to arrest and prosecute federal officers doing their jobs.

If that happens, it likely won't turn out well for those local officials.

That's according to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who wrote to California officials who are guilty of making those threats to federal officers.

"Stand down or face prosecution," Blanche told them. "No one threatens our agents. No one will stop us from Making American Safe Again."

He noted "The Department of Justice views any arrests of federal agents and officers in the performance of their official duties as both illegal and futile. … Numerous federal laws prohibit interfering with and impeding immigration or other law-enforcement operations."

His promise is that the U.S. "will investigate and prosecute any state or local official who violates these federal statutes (or directs or conspires with others to violate them)."

Those officials now have been ordered to save any records regarding their own "attempts or efforts to impede or obstruct federal law enforcement" because that could be evidence in cases against them.

The Washington Examiner commented the new instructions are "a bright red line for officials in state and local governments who are threatening to arrest federal immigration officials for enforcing federal law in Democrat-run areas."

Those making such threats including Rep. Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, and Democrat Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois.

The report said they have claimed to have plans "to pursue legal action over what they say are abuses by federal immigration officers in their states."

Pelosi and Rep. Kevin Mullin, another California Democrats, said in a joint statement federal officers "could be arrested for violating state laws," the report noted.

"It is important to note that California law protects communities and prevents federal agents from taking certain actions here that we have witnessed in other states. While the President may enjoy absolute immunity courtesy of his rogue Supreme Court, those who operate under his orders do not," they threatened. "Our state and local authorities may arrest federal agents if they break California law — and if they are convicted, the President cannot pardon them."

San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins has joined in making threats.

"If there is excessive use of force, shootings that aren't legally justified, things of that nature, then I have to step in and do my job with respect to them, like I do with anyone else," Jenkins threatened.

And Pritzker has ordered the creation of a state commission to monitor federal immigration enforcement, "for future prosecutions against agents," the report said.

"Once this all ends, I believe there will be people of good faith who will review what the Commission has recorded and will demand answers and accountability," he said.

Blanche's letter was to California officials.

"We urge you and other California officials to publicly abandon this apparent criminal conspiracy, to stop threatening law enforcement, and to prioritize the safety of your citizens," Blanche said. "In the meantime, federal agents and officers will continue to enforce federal law and will not be deterred by the threat of arrest by California authorities who have abdicated their duty to protect their constituents."

Constitutional analysts have said state officials clearly are out of line if they try to violate federal law, or stop enforcement.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

The war launched by terrorists in Hamas against Israel two years ago, when an invasion cost the lives of some 1,200 Israeli civilians with another 250 were kidnapped, apparently is winding down, under a multipoint plan authored by President Donald Trump.

It called for the release of the last living hostages, which has happened. The bodies of dead hostages still are being located. The Gaza region is ultimately to be run by a multi-party coalition.

But for now, Hamas still retains huge political influence in the region, and a journalist now is warning Arab Gulf states against contributing to the reconstruction process there until that status changes.

Until Hamas is out of power.

"The potential for embezzlement and re-channeling of funds for terrorist purposes is not a theoretical concern but a tangible reality. The fundamental question today is: who can guarantee that this scenario will not repeat itself? Hamas still holds power, the civil administration is in a state of collapse, and prospects for a political solution are nowhere in sight. Reconstruction through traditional channels without strict oversight guarantees is a costly venture. The massive reconstruction bill could turn into a long-term economic and political trap, the price of which generations of Gulf citizens will have to pay without any real redeeming value for ordinary Palestinians," explained Salem Al-Ketbi, an Emirati political analyst, in a report compiled by the Middle East Media Research Institute.

MEMRI explained that Al-Ketbi charged that financial involvement in Gaza "is a very risky venture, given that aid provided in the past to Hamas-controlled Gaza, intended for building schools and hospitals and other civilian purposes, was largely seized by Hamas and channeled to military projects."

He wrote there's increasing pressure for funding to pay for the reconstruction of a region decimated in the war triggered by Hamas. In fact, many schools and hospitals there have been destroyed as Hamas terrorists often would use those locations as shields for their military campaigns.

"Behind the slogans of humanitarian obligations lurk complex interests and political stakes that may not match the true intentions. Discussions of [the] aid in question [go] beyond emergency relief. They extend to massive investments in an environment still under Hamas control. The estimated cost of reconstruction exceeds $70 billion, and the effort could span three full decades," he wrote.

"Based on past precedents one cannot be very optimistic. UN reports in 2023 revealed that more than $7 billion have been transferred to Gaza since 2006, including $2 billion provided by the Gulf states. Funds were allocated to the building of schools and hospitals, but most of the money was diverted to illicit purposes," Al-Ketbi said.

"Hamas channeled most of the funds to its military projects, [and] the small share spent on construction benefited the movement's cadres and leaders, while ordinary Palestinians were left to simmer in dire conditions."

He noted that, for example, about $1 billion was spent on a network of hundreds of miles of military tunnels.

Embezzlement reached an estimated $350 million in just two years.

He said Gulf states should avoid entering a campaign in which terrorists could embezzle money, and use the purchased weapons against those very states.

"The glaring paradox lies in the position of certain regional states whose direct role in financing the terrorism of Hamas is well-documented. As a clear example, Iran publicly boasts that it has pumped $700 million annually into Hamas's coffers, according to statements by Tehran and the Palestinian militant group's leaders. Meanwhile, other regional countries have provided [a] safe haven to Hamas' leaders and supported them with hundreds of millions annually. These countries, which directly, publicly, and continuously fund Hamas, some of which harbour clear animosity towards Arab Gulf states, have not been held accountable for their role in supporting terrorism. So why should the Gulf states, which have been victims to Hamas' embezzlement, be asked to foot a huge portion of the $70 billion bill?"

He continued, "The wise position is clear and unequivocal: no money for Gaza, no billions for reconstruction, and no massive Gulf investments as long as Hamas remains in control of the Strip."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

Pressure on the Democrat party to accept the Republicans' clean funding bill for the federal government and end the Schumer Shutdown exploded on Monday when the largest union representing federal workers told the party to give up and reopen operations.

It is the American Federal of Government Employees, representing more than 800,000 federal workers the biggest union in the fight, that said it's time to end.

It's called the Schumer Shutdown because of Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer, who has demanded an extra $1.5 trillion in spending on his pet projects in order for him to let his party support the clean continuing of funding that the Republicans had proposed weeks ago.

President Donald Trump has been able to mitigate some of the shutdown damage, like wages for military members that would have been lost, by redesignating various funds to be used for specific purposes, such as income from tariffs to be used for paychecks.

Democrats have been demanding taxpayer money for leftist propaganda, for Obamacare subsidy extensions, for health care for illegal aliens, and such.

The Washington Examiner said the union called for the shutdown to end "today."

That statement sided with Republicans "in their demand that lawmakers pass a 'clean,' short-term funding bill," the report explained.

AFGE chief Everett Kelley said both parties have made a point, but it's time to end the "avoidable crisis."

"The solution he endorsed, a funding measure without any controversial policy amendments, represents a setback for Democrats, who have demanded healthcare concessions as part of any vote," the report said.

Kelley's statement included, "This week, Congress pushed our nation into the fourth week of a full government shutdown – an avoidable crisis that is harming families, communities, and the very institutions that hold our country together. Both political parties have made their point, and still there is no clear end in sight."

He said Congress should focus on solving problems for Americans, "rather than on who is going to get the blame for a shutdown that Americans dislike. Because when the folks who serve this country are standing in line for food banks after missing a second paycheck because of this shutdown, they aren't looking for partisan spin. They're looking for the wages they earned. The fact that they're being cheated out of it is a national disgrace."

While federal workers mostly, in the past, have gotten back pay for government shutdowns, that likely will not happen for all affected workers this time, as Trump has used the open door of a closed government to confirm that there are layoffs being made.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said he hopes the union's demand for a continuing resolution will prompt a "turning point" for Schumer.

Besides paychecks the military and others, a deadline soon will hit in that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is scheduled to run out of money next weekend.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

A college staffer who publicly urged the murder of federal ICE agents, specifically saying they should be "shot and wiped out," has now been fired.

A spokesperson for Wilbur Wright College and the City Colleges of Chicago told WorldNetDaily on Monday regarding the case of Moises Bernal Puentes: "The individual is not employed by Wilbur Wright College or any affiliated colleges.

"Our college system does not tolerate violence nor incitement under any circumstances."

It was during the Oct. 18 "No Kings" protest in Chicago that the man who was the adult education manager at Wilbur Wright College was recorded on camera openly calling for the murder of federal law-enforcement officers.

"You gotta grab a gun!" he shouted.

"We gotta turn around the guns on this fascist system. These ICE agents gotta get shot and wiped out."

Internet sleuths identified the vocal supporter of lethal force as Bernal Puentes, a staff member at Wilbur Wright College. His name was listed in the school's employee directory last week, but has now vanished.

Last Monday, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced the case was referred to the Justice Department for potential prosecution.

"During the Chicago NO KINGS rally this previous weekend, violent rioters called for the cold-blooded murder of ICE agents. This rioter, and his statements have been referred to the DOJ," DHS said on X.

"There is no place in America for psychotic incitements of unlawful violence against ICE or CBP. To those who threaten violence against us: we will hunt you down, we will find you, and Justice will be served."

On Monday, the DOJ charged another man over a TikTok post that offered $45,000 to anyone who killed U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Tyler Maxon Avalos allegedly posted an image of Bondi with a sniper-scope red dot on her forehead and a message stating: "WANTED: Pam Bondi' /'REWARD: 45,000'/'DEAD OR ALIVE' /'(PREFERABLY DEAD).'"

As WorldNetDaily reported earlier this month, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem revealed bounties of up to $10,000 have been put on the heads of federal agents, encouraging Americans to murder officers enforcing U.S. immigration laws.

"We have specific officers and agents that have bounties that have been put out on their heads. It's been $2,000 to kidnap them, $10,000 to kill them," Noem said.

"They've released their pictures. They've sent them between their networks and it's an extremely dangerous situation and unprecedented."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

A student has been cuffed and badgered by cops because his school's artificial intelligence (or lack thereof) system told authorities that his bag of Doritos was, in fact, a gun.

In a video, cops actually explain to students at the Baltimore school that the AI blundered, with its report to authorities that the munchies were really a weapon.

The report cited a police officer's body cam, which shows the officers were forced to explain AI made the mistake and that's why they handcuffed an innocent person.

"Thanks for not running away. That would have been a real problem," the report said police explained after they "stormed" Kenwood High.

"Sixteen-year-old Taki Allen was surrounded by officers, ordered to his knees, and handcuffed. The 'gun' was an empty Doritos bag. A human reviewer had already marked the alert as no threat, but the message never reached the school in time. No weapon. No arrest. Now officials are demanding answers. How did a bag of chips nearly cost a teenager his life?"

A report at Not the Bee warned, "Get used to it, Baltimore students."

That was prompted by the school's "non-apology," which claimed, "We understand how upsetting this was for the individual that was searched as well as the other students who witnessed the incident. Our counselors will provide direct support to the students who were involved in this incident and are also available to speak with any student who may need support. Please know that ensuring the safety of our students and school community is one of our highest priorities. We work closely with Baltimore County police to ensure that we can promptly respond to any potential safety concerns, and it is essential that we all work together to maintain a safe and welcoming environment for all Kenwood High School students and staff."

The report noted the corporation whose blunder caused the problem, Omnialert, "refused to make any comments."

The student, Allen, told WBAL, "It was like eight cop cars that came pulling up for us. At first, I didn't know where they were going until they started walking toward me with guns, talking about, 'Get on the ground,' and I was like, 'What?'"

He said, "I was just holding a Doritos bag — it was two hands and one finger out, and they said it looked like a gun."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

A sitting Democrat senator has threatened "legal jeopardy" for members of the U.S. Armed Forces being dispatched by President Donald Trump to fight the drug war for Americans.

The comments come from Mark Kelly, an Arizona Democrat, who was interviewed this weekend about the president's efforts to eliminate the flood of illegal and deadly drugs being smuggled into the United States by cartels intent on making money and allowing Americans to die in the process.

That program has included strikes on boats carrying thousands of pounds of deadly drugs to America. The drugs sometimes have been confiscated, other times destroyed. A number of the smugglers have died in the strikes.

"Is Kelly, a veteran who served as a Navy pilot in the Gulf War and as a NASA astronaut, trying to encourage mutiny within the ranks to get service members to refuse orders for fear of prosecution by a future Democrat administration?" wondered the Gateway Pundit.

He was asked, "I want to talk about Venezuela. The Pentagon is now sending a carrier strike group. You know the massive amount of firepower on a carrier strike group. What is your take on what is happening with these suspected drug boats. Is it legal?"

The senator charged, "It's questionable. And the White House and the Department of Defense could not give us a logical explanation on how this is legal. They were tying themselves in knots trying to explain this. We had a lot of questions for them, both Democrats and Republicans. It was not a good meeting. It did not go well. They have a secret list of 20 something — 24 organizations that they have now authorized to use — use kinetic action against without the normal approach that we have for law enforcement. Hey, we don't want drugs in this country, especially fentanyl. But all these drugs, we — we should be working really hard to interdict them and prosecute the individuals that are smuggling drugs, not putting young service members at great, legal jeopardy."

It was the other Democrat senator from Arizona, Ruben Gallego, who went even further, claiming defending Americans from lethal and criminal drug cartels is "murder."

"It's very dangerous what he's doing…to these men and women who have to make these calls for a president who has zero understanding about the responsibility someone has when it comes to having to make life and death decisions," he said.

He charged, "It's murder. It's very simple. If this president feels they are doing something illegally, then he should be using the Coast Guard. If this is an act of war, then you use our military and then you come and talk to us first. But this is murder … it's disgusting."

The Gateway Pundit pointed out that the Democrats were corrected by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who "served as an Air Force JAG officer for over three decades (active duty, Guard and Reserves) including wartime service in Iraq and Afghanistan."

He said, "Our military is doing exactly what they should: Following lawful orders to protect Americans from narco-terrorists who seek to wreak havoc on our communities."

Under Barack Obama's tenure in the White House, he ordered a long list of drone strikes on targets he chose, killing hundreds. That death toll actually included Americans.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

With the New York City race for mayor reaching a fever pitch, U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., went on what's being called "an unhinged, screaming rant" Sunday while rallying for Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani, who continues to lead against Independent Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa.

"This city was built by the Irish escaping famine, Italians fleeing fascism, Jews escaping the Holocaust …" AOC yelled, proffering a variety of accents.

"Black Americans fleeing slavery and Jim Crow. Latinos seeking a better life! Native peoples standing for themselves!"

Her screams into the microphone became so loud, they actually overmodulated and distorted the audio as she concluded: "Asian-Americans coming together in Queens! In Brooklyn! In the Bronx! In Manhattan! In Staten Island! In this country, in a vision to build the freest, toughest, and greatest city on earth!"

AOC added: "We must remember in a time such as this, we are not the crazy ones, New York City. We are not the outlandish ones, New York City. They want us to think we are crazy. We are sane!"

Journalist Benny Johnson reacted to AOC, saying: "New York is cooked."

Cristina Laila at the Gateway Pundit noted "AOC's meltdown was reminiscent of Howard Dean's 'Dean Scream Speech' that ended his career during the 2004 Iowa caucuses."

Others commented:

"BREAKING: AOC Mistakes Campaign Rally for Exorcism; Audience Unsure Who's Possessed."

"She sounds like a Disney villain losing her mind screaming like that."

"Listening to her makes me so grateful to have hearing loss."

"It may sound funny, but I don't think we should underestimate AOC. She is dumber than a box of Q-tips, but she has a charisma that gets certain people fired up."

"New York is about to get what the majority of New Yorkers deserve. Sane New Yorkers need to either move away or invest in barrels of personal lubricant."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

Fed-up with California's issuance of commercial driver's licenses to illegal migrants, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy on Sunday said the federal government is on the verge of yanking $160 million from the Golden State.

"I'm about to pull $160 million from California," Duffy said on "Sunday Morning Futures" on the Fox News Channel, "and as we pull more money, we also have the option of pulling California's ability to issue commercial driver's licenses."

Duffy said the state's governor, Democrat Gavin Newsom who announced Sunday his interest in the presidency, "cares more abut illegals getting commercial driver's licenses than he does the citizens of his own state and the safety of Americans."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

President Donald Trump on Sunday jumped into allegations of NBA cheating, wondering aloud if the basketball gambling scandal was worse than Democrats cheating in American elections.

"What's worse, the NBA Players cheating at cards, and probably much else, or the Democrats cheating on Elections," Trump posted on Truth Social.

The president then made it very clear where he stands.