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‘We didn’t cave’: Thune highlights Schumer, Dems’ losses in DHS funding deal

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As a Homeland Security shutdown drags on, the top Senate Republican says Democrats are getting “zero” of the reforms they demanded.

Congressional Democrats have taken victory laps, viewing the outcome as a key win in their push for reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). They have also accused congressional Republicans of caving to their demands.

While the Senate’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) deal includes funding for ICE and much of CBP, it does not include the structural reforms Democrats spent the last 48 days pushing.

SENATE PASSES BILL TO FUND MOST OF DHS AFTER HOUSE GOP CAVES

When asked whether Republicans gave in, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom,” “No, we didn’t cave.”

“I mean, ultimately, what the Democrats did, you could say … this was all about ‘reforms,’ restrictions on ICE and CBP agents and what they could or couldn’t do,” Thune said. “They got none of that. They got zero of the reforms they were advocating for.”

Thune was responding to accusations from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who argued that “House Republicans caved” after backing down from their push for a 60-day funding extension for the agency.

HOUSE CONSERVATIVES RAGE AGAINST SENATE DHS SHUTDOWN DEAL

Schumer argued that divisions in the GOP “derailed a bipartisan agreement” and said Democrats were clear in their objectives to “fund critical security, protect Americans, and provide no blank check for reckless ICE and Border Patrol enforcement.”

“We were united, held the line, and refused to let Republican chaos win,” Schumer said.

Thune countered, “In the end, this was all about their left-wing base demanding that no funding be provided.”

HOUSE GOP RAMS THROUGH NEW DHS FUNDING PLAN WITH SHUTDOWN FAR FROM OVER

“The good news for us is we saw this coming, and we pre-funded this last summer, so ICE and CBP are funded through the end of the fiscal year. Then we’ll add to those accounts and make sure they’re funded in future years,” Thune said.

Republicans, now with the backing of President Donald Trump, are eyeing the budget reconciliation process to fund immigration enforcement operations for the foreseeable future. It’s a tricky maneuver that would require full buy-in from Senate Republicans.

Trump lauded Republicans, including Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who originally torpedoed the Senate deal, for coming together to reopen most of DHS. He also noted that he would soon sign an executive order to pay, “ALL of the incredible employees at the Department of Homeland Security,” which comes as the funding plan currently wouldn’t pay immigration enforcement support staff.

“Republicans are UNIFIED, and moving forward on a plan that will reload funding for our FANTASTIC Border Patrol and Immigration Enforcement Officers,” Trump said on Truth Social. 

In the meantime, the shutdown is still ongoing. The Senate’s redo of its funding plan Thursday morning sets up another vote in the House, where there is still significant resistance among some hardline Republicans, and the House is not expected to return to Washington, D.C., until April 13.

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New Hampshire suspect who shot officer and triggered massive manhunt killed in police gunfight

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The suspect who allegedly shot a New Hampshire police officer has been killed in a gunfight with authorities, officials said Sunday.

Matthew J. Masse, 38, allegedly opened fire on family members and the responding officer Saturday afternoon in Raymond, sparking a massive manhunt that included road closures and a shelter-in-place order.

“There was an exchange of gunfire between Mr. Masse with his rifle and the officers,” the state Attorney General’s Office said. “Following that exchange, Mr. Masse was found deceased by officers when they approached his location.”

An autopsy has been scheduled for early this week to confirm his cause and manner of death, the office added.

MASSIVE MANHUNT UNDERWAY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE TOWN AFTER GUNMAN ALLEGEDLY WOUNDS POLICE OFFICER, FIRES ON FAMILY

The incident erupted shortly after 1:30 p.m., when Masse reportedly shot his relatives with a long gun and then fired at responding police. A Nottingham Police Department officer was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, officials said.

The suspect — described as a middle-aged white male who is 5 feet, 11 inches tall and weighs 202 pounds — reportedly had active felony warrants for attempted arson at his family’s home on Thursday.

After the shooting, Masse fled into a wooded area, triggering a large-scale manhunt, officials said, and K-9 units were deployed and officers were “working feverishly with other agencies” in an all-hands-on-deck search.

MAN WITH PRIOR ARREST CAUGHT ALLEGEDLY TRYING TO SHOVE STRANGER INTO TRAIN TRACKS TWICE IN TERRIFYING VIDEO

New Hampshire State Police found Masse around 10:06 p.m., hours after residents near Ham Road had been told to shelter in place, authorities said.

During the attempted arrest, an exchange of gunfire broke out. Authorities later found Masse dead at the scene, with his long gun recovered nearby.

No other officers or civilians were injured, and authorities said there is no further threat to the public. 

The names of the officers involved are being withheld pending formal interviews, per protocol.

Fox News’ Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.

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Baby among 3 dead in holiday horror as Easter egg hunt turns deadly

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Three people were killed, including a 10-month-old girl, after high winds toppled a tree in Germany during an Easter egg hunt on Sunday morning, according to authorities.

Around 50 people from a nearby residential facility for new mothers, pregnant women and children were attending the egg hunt in a wooded area near the town of Satrupholm at about 11 a.m. when a 100-foot tree fell on top of them, police said in a statement.

Four people became pinned under the tree, police said.

DUCK-HUNTING TRIP IN NEW ORLEANS TURNS DEADLY UNTIL LAST-MINUTE PRAYER BRINGS MIRACLE

First responders arrived at the scene and first began treating a 21-year-old woman and a 16-year-old girl, but both died at the scene.

The woman’s 10-month-old daughter also later died at the hospital.

An 18-year-old woman sustained serious injuries and was rushed to the hospital in a helicopter.

The residential facility is part of the state-funded child welfare system, supporting pregnant women and new mothers who need help, according to its website.

Grief counselors were sent to the scene after the fatal incident on Sunday.

Pictures from the scene showed several Easter eggs scattered on the ground as two of the victims were seen covered in white sheets.

The German weather service had put the area under a high winds warning.

ONE DEAD AND DOZENS INJURED DURING PREGAME EVENT AT PERU SOCCER STADIUM

Officials from the Schleswig-Holstein region, where the facility is located, said they were “deeply shaken” by the Easter tragedy.

“Our thoughts are with the family members of the dead, with the injured, and with everyone who had to experience this terrible occurrence,” regional Governor Daniel Günther, Interior Minister Magdalena Finke, and Youth and Families Minister Aminata Touré said in a joint statement to the dpa news agency.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Artemis II astronaut marvels at ‘beauty of creation’ in Easter message from deep space

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Artemis II astronaut Victor Glover reflected on “the beauty of creation” as he delivered a message of faith and unity from deep space this weekend.

Glover, the pilot of the historic lunar mission, was asked by CBS News Saturday about observing the Easter holiday while traveling away from Earth.

“I don’t have anything prepared. I’m glad you brought it up, though; I think these observances are important,” Glover responded.

Invoking the Bible and humanity’s place in the cosmos, Glover shared his perspective on the uniqueness of Earth.

ARTEMIS II ASTRONAUTS FACE TOILET TROUBLE AS THEY HEAD TOWARD THE MOON

“As we are so far from Earth and looking at the beauty of creation, I think, for me, one of the really important personal perspectives that I have up here is I can really see the Earth as one thing,” Glover said. “When I read the Bible and I look at all the amazing things that were done for us… You guys are talking to us because we’re in a spaceship really far from earth, but you’re on a spaceship called Earth that was created to give us a place to live in the universe and the cosmos.”

Glover emphasized how precious human life is while marveling at the planet’s place in the universe.

“Maybe the distance we are from you makes you think what we’re doing is special, but we’re the same distance from you. And I’m trying to tell you — just trust me — you are special,” he said. “In all of this emptiness — this is a whole bunch of nothing, this thing we call the universe — you have this oasis, this beautiful place that we get to exist together.”

ASTRONAUT VICTOR GLOVER PRAISED FOR SAYING MOON MISSION IS ‘HUMAN HISTORY,’ NOT ‘BLACK HISTORY’

He said the holiday was an opportunity to reflect on a shared responsibility for unity, regardless of religious background.

“I think, as we go into Easter Sunday, thinking about all the cultures all around the world, whether you celebrate it or not, whether you believe in God or not, this is an opportunity for us to remember where we are, who we are, and that we are the same thing, and that we’ve gotta get through this together.”

The Artemis II crew includes NASA Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen. The team is making humanity’s first journey to the moon since 1972, following a flight path similar to that of Apollo 13.

On Sunday, the crew sent additional Easter greetings and revealed they had celebrated by hiding “eggs” around the spacecraft.

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“We wanted to take a minute to commemorate the holiday that we have at this time of year, something that many religions and many cultures hold dear,” Koch said. “We did hide a few eggs around the cabin. They were the dehydrated scrambled egg variety, but we were all pretty happy with them.”

Hansen also shared a message, emphasizing love as a universal value.

“Happy Easter everyone,” he said. “We’re talking up here as a crew and we did want to send a special Easter message on this day and, no matter your faith or religion, for me the teachings of Jesus were always a very simple truth of love, universal love.”

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