Cross-Examination

• DeSantis punches back at leftist sheriff: More than two million illegal immigrants have been caught and released into the U.S. interior, as well as an estimated 900,000 known “gotaways,” those the Border Patrol officials were unable to interdict. All of this is a direct result of Joe Biden’s open-border policy, so it’s rich that Democrats are now fit to be tied over Florida Governor Ron DeSantis flying 50 illegals to Martha’s Vineyard. In fact, the Democrat sheriff of Bexar County, Texas, Javier Salazar, announced yesterday that he is opening an investigation because he’s “bother[ed]” by the flights. Salazar admitted that he knew of no law that may have been violated, but of course when a nefarious Democrat political agenda is being exposed, then something must be done. A spokesman for DeSantis hit back at Salazar’s announcement by noting that “immigrants have been more than willing to leave Bexar County after being abandoned, homeless, and ‘left to fend for themselves.’” The spokesman added: “Florida gave them an opportunity to seek greener pastures in a sanctuary jurisdiction. … Unless the MA national guard has abandoned these individuals, they have been provided accommodations, sustenance, clothing and more options to succeed following their unfair enticement into the United States, unlike the 53 immigrants who died in a truck found abandoned in Bexar County this June.” DeSantis also rebutted the false claim that the illegal immigrants didn’t know where they were going. It was “obvious,” he said, because they signed a form and were given a packet that included a map of Martha’s Vineyard. The packet contained information “directly from the Massachusetts government website.”

• An immigrant judge says the term “alien” isn’t offensive: Often in an attempt to win the argument, Democrats assert that certain words that have long been in the common vernacular and official government documents have suddenly become verboten and “offensive.” The reason for this is an attempt to steer a political argument away from the crux of an issue the Democrats find themselves losing to a terminology issue upon which they can claim offense and stake the faux moral high ground. Such is the case with the term illegal “alien.” Democrats have asserted, without any genuine evidence, that referring to individuals who are residing in the U.S. illegally as “alien” is dehumanizing, derogatory, and offensive. Never mind the long history of the U.S. government officially referring to individuals who are not American citizens as “aliens.” This movement to vilify accurately descriptive language has been increasingly embraced by judges, including Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who censored a Thurgood Marshall quote noting “the rights of the alien,” replacing “alien” with “noncitizen.” Well, at least one federal judge has pushed back against the Left’s newspeak. Judge Carlos Bea, who immigrated to the U.S. from Cuba years ago, observed, “Defenders of ‘noncitizen’ sometimes claim that this word is interchangeable with alien because everyone is a citizen of somewhere.” Bea argues that is not the case. “For one, monarchies exist,” he said. “A Spanish born person is a ‘subject’ of the Kingdom of Spain, albeit he may have democratic rights.” He also points out that those born in American Samoa are classified as U.S. nationals, but not citizens. “These distinctions matter. Words matter. Our federal immigration statutes concern themselves with aliens,” Bea writes. “This word is not a pejorative nor an insult. I certainly did not consider it an insult to be referred to as an alien in my deportation proceedings.”

• Thirty-three senators call for special counsel to investigate Hunter Biden: Nearly three dozen Republican senators signed and sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland calling on Joe Biden’s Justice Department to grant U.S. Attorney David Weiss special counsel status to investigate Hunter Biden over his foreign business deals. The letter reads in part, “Given the politicization of the DOJ under your watch and the importance of avoiding any appearance of impropriety, the undersigned request that you provide U.S. Attorney Weiss the full protections and authorities of a special counsel.” The letter adds, “This is one important action that you can take that will go a long way in restoring faith in our governmental institutions.” The senators go on: “There is no way of knowing the entire scope of the investigation, but evidence seems to be mounting that Hunter Biden committed numerous federal crimes, including, but not limited to, tax fraud, money laundering, and foreign-lobbying violations. … It is clear that Hunter Biden thrived of a ‘pay to play’ culture of access to his father, then Vice President Joe Biden in exchange for financial compensation.” Weiss has been leading the investigation into Hunter. Senators who signed the letter included Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (KY), which raises the question as to why it was just 33 Republicans and not all 50. The answer likely lies in election concerns.

• On this date last year — Biden’s surrender and retreat from Afghanistan: We are reposting, in chronological order, analysis of events a year ago related to the most disgraceful military exfil in American history — Biden’s deadly surrender and retreat from Afghanistan. On this day last year, Mark Alexander covered “Biden’s AFG Drone Strike Distraction — 10 Innocents Dead.” Political posturing pulled this trigger, and the terrible consequences, again, demonstrate Biden’s ineptitude.

Headlines

• There have been 700 deaths on the border this year. Where’s the media outcry? (Not the Bee)

• Fed’s third straight 0.75-point interest rate rise is anticipated (WSJ)

• More homebuilders lower prices as sentiment falls for ninth straight month (CNBC)

• In world beset by turbulence, nations’ leaders gather at UN (AP)

• Biden admits “the pandemic is over” — but still won’t give up his emergency powers (Based Politics)

• Leading pollster: GOP voters will be “virtually impossible to poll” after Biden’s “MAGA Republicans" attacks (Daily Wire) | Most Americans believe Biden’s MAGA attacks are divisive (NY Post) | Biden has barked the exact same line about Republicans for nearly 20 years (Daily Wire)

• Denver to give $12K to 140 lucky homeless people (PJ Media)

• Why firing federal employees doesn’t work: Study finds unions wrangle to get workers rehired (Washington Times)

• Policy: What’s at fault for lower life expectancy? Health care has less influence than individual choices (Sally Pipes)

• Satire: DeSantis accused of human trafficking after dropping kids off at soccer practice (Babylon Bee)

For more editors’ choice headlines, click here.