In a stunning about-face, President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he is drafting legislation to allow undocumented migrant workers to remain in the United States — a move likely to ignite fierce backlash among immigration hardliners in his own base. Speaking before a rally crowd in Des Moines, Trump said farmers and hospitality businesses cannot afford to lose long-serving undocumented workers and should be given responsibility for overseeing their status. “Farmers know better,” Trump declared. “They work with these people for years.

Israeli forces reportedly staged a prolonged incursion into Syrian territory overnight Friday, according to the Lebanese Al-Mayadeen network and Syrian sources. Three IDF helicopters are said to have landed at a facility once tied to the presidential guard of former Syrian President Hafez al-Assad in the Yafour area, roughly 10 kilometers west of Damascus. The Israeli troops allegedly held their position for nearly five hours before withdrawing. Simultaneously, three IDF armored vehicles reportedly crossed into Syrian territory near the Lebanese border, entering the village of Rakhla under the cover of night.

As Israel braces for a critical reply from Hamas on a long-negotiated ceasefire and hostage deal, reports emerged Friday that President Donald Trump is prepared to personally guarantee efforts to end the Gaza war, in a dramatic bid to bridge final gaps and lock in an agreement ahead of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s high-stakes White House visit next week.

The Fourth of July holiday, also known as Independence Day, celebrates the Second Continental Congress’ unanimous adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. A year later, according to the Library of Congress, a spontaneous celebration in Philadelphia marked the anniversary of American independence. But observations weren’t commonplace until after the War of 1812, when they quickly took off. Congress was late to the party, finally passing a law making Independence Day a federal holiday on June 28, 1870. Here’s what is open and closed this year on the Fourth of July: Government buildings Government offices, post offices, courts and schools are closed. Banks and the stock market U.S. stock markets and banks are closed Friday.

The IDF on Friday announced the death of Sergeant Yair Eliyahou, 19, who was killed during operational activity in the northern Gaza Strip. Sgt. Eliyahou, a resident of Ezer in southern Israel, served as a combat engineer. According to the IDF, he died after his vehicle overturned while participating in the demolition of buildings in a combat zone. The incident occurred when a heavy machinery operator, for reasons still under investigation, struck another vehicle that Eliyahou was operating nearby. Officials said it is not yet clear if the vehicle overturned due to a sharp maneuver, limited visibility, or changes in the terrain. Sgt. Eliyahou was posthumously promoted from Corporal to Sergeant.

Israel’s coalition government is weighing a proposed change to one of the state’s most foundational laws — the Law of Return — that would dramatically alter the criteria for who may claim citizenship as a Jew, JTA reports.
The legislation seeks to abolish the clause that currently allows individuals with at least one Jewish grandparent to immigrate to Israel, even if they are not considered Jewish by halacha. Since 1970, that clause has enabled roughly half a million people to move to Israel, but it has also sparked growing internal debate and international concern, particularly among Jewish communities abroad.

The Trump administration is deploying 200 Marines to Florida in support of ongoing ICE deportation operations throughout the state, military officials confirmed on Thursday.
The announcement, made by U.S. Northern Command, follows a formal request from the Department of Homeland Security in May for assistance from the armed forces.
According to a statement released by Northern Command, the Marines will assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement with its “interior immigration enforcement mission.”
Officials added that similar deployments are anticipated in other states, including Louisiana and Texas.

During a press briefing on Thursday, President Donald Trump was asked whether he still supports the idea of the United States taking control of Gaza, a concept he introduced several months ago. In response, he emphasized concern for the local population, saying, “I want to see the people of Gaza safe, they have been through hell.”
The president also addressed the topic of Iran, expressing a willingness to reengage diplomatically. “Iran does want to speak and I think they’d like to speak to me and it’s time that they do,” Trump said. He made clear that the United States is not seeking confrontation, stating that he hopes Iran can “be a country again,” and remarked, “Iran had been beat up really bad.”

The massive tax and spending cut bill that Congress passed Thursday ends federal tax incentives for electric vehicles. Buyers have until Sept. 30 to qualify for the federal tax credits on EVs before they are terminated. But experts say there are still strong financial reasons to consider buying the vehicles even without those incentives. Before the bill passed, new electric vehicles came with a $7,500 federal tax credit, and used EVs included up to $4,000. Those incentives were originally designed to help make the vehicles more affordable. According to the latest data from Kelley Blue Book, the average purchase price of a new EV is roughly $9,000 higher in the United States than the average new gas-powered car. Used EVs on average cost $2,000 more than comparable gas cars.

Another huge outage is now affecting Jackson. More than 2,000 households are without power. ETA for restoration is 11:30 PM.

A strike by nearly 10,000 city workers in Philadelphia stretched into a third day Thursday as trash piled up in some areas and more than 30 Medical Examiner’s Office staffers were ordered back to work because of a growing backlog of bodies in storage. The latest talks between the city and leaders of District Council 33 — the largest of four major unions representing city workers — ended late Wednesday without a deal, and no new talks were scheduled for Thursday. Both sides have said they were willing to continue negotiations. The union represents many of the city’s blue-collar workers, from trash collectors to clerks to security guards. Police and firefighters are not on strike.

BREAKING: Pres. Trump says he’s signed an executive order the “raises entrance fees for foreign tourists at National Parks… The National Parks will be about America first.”

TRUMP: “165 days into the Trump administration, America is on a winning streak like, frankly, nobody has ever seen before.”

TRUMP: “Exactly one year from tomorrow, we will celebrate the 250th anniversary of America’s founding with a birthday party, the likes of which you have never seen before!”

The president of the University of California this week reiterated that student governments are prohibited from financial boycotts of companies associated with any particular country, including Israel, as the Trump administration continues its probe of alleged antisemitism on college campuses. Michael Drake did not mention Israel by name, but he did single out student governments in a letter he sent to chancellors of the university system. He said that while freedom of speech and inquiry are core commitments of the university, its policies also require that financial decisions be grounded in sound business practices, such as competitive bidding. “This principle also applies to student governments,” he wrote.

A Syrian source has outlined two potential frameworks for a political settlement between Israel and Syria over the Golan Heights, according to details shared with i24News. The first scenario envisions Israel retaining control over approximately one-third of the Golan Heights while returning another third directly to Syrian sovereignty. The final third would be leased by Israel from Syria for 25 years, allowing for a continued but non-sovereign Israeli presence in that portion. In the second proposed framework, Israel would maintain authority over two-thirds of the Golan Heights, while the remaining third would be handed back to Syria, potentially with a lease arrangement.

Assemblyman Schnall celebrates the House’s passage of Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” which could result in hundreds of millions of dollars worth of tax credits flowing to yeshivos and other private schools nationwide.

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