9PM ET 12/03/2025 Newscast

Summary

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Fox News Hourly Update – 9PM ET 12/03/2025 Newscast

Overview
This episode of the Fox News Hourly Update delivers an intense rundown of key national news highlights, with a continued focus on national security, immigration policy, a Supreme Court free speech case, and tributes to a WWII veteran. Hosted by Lisa Lacera, the newscast features direct statements from officials and succinct field reporting.

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Major Topics and Highlights

1. Terrorism Arrests & Operation Allies Welcome Safety Concerns

• Virginia Arrest:
  • John Shah Safi, an Afghan refugee resettled under Operation Allies Welcome, is taken into custody in Virginia on charges of supporting ISIS and commanding an Afghan militia group.
  • Kristi Noem, DHS Secretary (00:10):
    “ICE has arrested John Shah Safi, saying he's a supporter of ISIS and that he commanded an Afghan militia group... Safi entered the US under Operation Allies Welcome... now the third person admitted through the program to be detained in the last several days.”
  • Details on two additional recent detainees from the same resettlement:
    • Mohammed Alakozay: Arrested in Fort Worth, Texas, for a TikTok bomb threat (Nov 25).
    • Ramanula Lakhanwal: Arrested in Washington, D.C., as the National Guard shooting suspect (Nov 26).

2. Possible Expansion of Trump-Era Travel Ban

• DHS Consideration:

  • Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Trisha McLaughlin explains the administration is examining data for further expansion of travel restrictions.
  • Trisha McLaughlin (01:00):
    “We're certainly looking at the data and analysis... looking at the leading indicators of what makes someone a public charge, a public safety threat, potentially terrorism as well, and where these individuals are located in our country.”

• Executive Order Recap:

  • President Trump’s June directive bans travel from 19 countries (notably including Venezuela, Haiti, Sudan).

3. Defense Policy: Venezuela Drug Interdiction Strikes

• Pete Hegseth, Secretary of War:

  • He addresses criticism over military strikes on suspected Venezuelan drug boats, including striking one twice.
  • Pete Hegseth (01:27):
    “I support the decision to knock out the boats and whoever is piloting those boats, most of them are gone. But whoever piloting those boats, they're guilty of trying to kill people in our country.”

• Further Explanation:

  • Hegseth clarifies he left after the initial strike, and the commander acted within their authority for the subsequent hit.

4. Thunderbirds Crash - California

• An elite Air Force Thunderbirds fighter jet crashes in the Southern California desert; the pilot ejects safely. No further detail provided.
  • Lisa Lacera (01:38):
    “A fighter jet with the Air Force's elite Thunderbirds demonstration squadron crashed in the Southern California desert. The military pilot ejected safely.”

5. Immigration Enforcement & Law Enforcement

• Chicago-Area Case:
  • Radul Bajovic, a Hanover Park, IL police officer and Montenegrin native, was detained in October during an ICE sweep but is now reinstated.
  • Jeff Manasso (02:57):
    “The illegal immigrant, it turns out, is also a Hanover park police officer whose bond was not contested and who now remains authorized to work by the federal government. The Hanover Park Police Department determined that he could return to duty.”

6. Presidential Pardons & Political Tactics

• Congressman Henry Cuellar:
  • Texas Democrat, indicted for bribery alongside his wife, receives a pardon from President Trump.
  • Trump claims the indictment was linked to Cuellar’s opposition to President Biden's immigration policies.

7. Supreme Court Case: Free Speech & Protest Zones

• Origins:
  • Preacher Gabriel Olivier challenges Brandon, Mississippi’s “protest zone” law that limited his outreach.
  • Jessica Rosenthal (03:54):
    “He left the designated area claiming no one could see or hear him there. Olivier was then arrested. He pled no contest, but then later filed a claim against the city saying his First Amendment rights had been violated.”
  • Current status: A judge tossed the challenge due to precedent that prevents challenging a law post-conviction.

8. Honoring Charles Shea – D-Day Veteran

• Obituary:
  • Charles Shea, a decorated Native American WWII veteran known for bravery at Omaha Beach, dies at 101 in Normandy, France.
  • Narrator (about Shea) (04:44):
    “He was 101.”

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Notable Quotes and Moments

• Kristi Noem (00:10):
  “ICE has arrested John Shah Safi, saying he's a supporter of ISIS... now the third person admitted through the program to be detained in the last several days.”

• Trisha McLaughlin (01:00):
  “We're certainly looking at the data and analysis with looking at the leading indicators of what makes someone a public charge, a public safety threat, potentially terrorism as well...”

• Pete Hegseth (01:27):
  “Most of them are gone. But whoever piloting those boats, they're guilty of trying to kill people in our country.”

• Jeff Manasso (02:57):
  “The illegal immigrant, it turns out, is also a Hanover park police officer whose bond was not contested and who now remains authorized to work by the federal government.”

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Key Timestamps

• 00:02–01:12: Breaking news on terrorism-related arrests and travel ban expansion
• 01:12–01:38: Venezuela drug boat strikes and military collision news
• 02:53–03:32: Police officer immigration case and update
• 03:32–03:54: Congressional pardon for Henry Cuellar
• 03:54–04:34: Supreme Court case on free speech/protest zones
• 04:34–04:45: Tribute to WWII veteran Charles Shea

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Summary:
This newscast provides a concise but info-packed update on prominent national security incidents involving Afghan refugees, shifting immigration and travel policies, military actions, legal and political controversies, and a solemn moment honoring American history. The reporting blends direct official statements with factual updates, capturing the network’s urgent and serious tone.

Transcript

[Lisa Lacera]

Another refugee accused of terrorism. I'm Lisa Lacera, Fox News. The man taken into custody in Virginia.

[Kristi Noem]

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said ICE has arrested John Shah Safi, saying he's a supporter of ISIS and that he commanded an Afghan militia group. Secretary Noem also said Safi entered the US Under Operation Allies welcome, which brought Afghan nationals who supported American forces in Afghanistan to the US to resettle. Safi is now the third person admitted through the program to be detained in the last several days. On November 25, Mohammed Alakozay, accused of posting a TikTok bomb threat, was arrested in Fort Worth, Texas. A day later, Ramanula Lakhanwal, the National Guard shooting suspect, was arrested in Washington.

[Lisa Lacera]

D.C. fox's Coronal Scott. This is Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Trisha McLaughlin says DHS is considering an expansion of President Trump's travel ban.

[Trisha McLaughlin]

We're certainly looking at the data and analysis with looking at the leading indicators of what makes someone a public charge, a public safety threat, potentially terrorism as well, and where these individuals are located in our country.

[Lisa Lacera]

President Trump signed an executive order in June banning travel into the US from 19 countries including Venezuela, Haiti and Sudan. President Trump continues to stand by the decision by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to strike suspected drug boats in Venezuela.

[Pete Hegseth]

I support the decision to knock out the boats and whoever is piloting those boats, most of them are gone. But whoever piloting those boats, they're guilty of trying to kill people in our country.

[Lisa Lacera]

Hegseth has come under fire over the decision to hit one boat twice. He said yesterday he left the room after the initial strike, but said the commander that ordered it had complete authority to do so. A fighter jet with the Air Force's elite Thunderbirds demonstration squadron crashed in the Southern California desert. The military pilot ejected safely. America's listening to Fox News.

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The Chicago area police officer.

[Lisa Lacera]

Is back on the job after being detained by Immigration and Customs agents in October.

[Jeff Manasso]

Radul Bajovic, a native of Montenegro, was detained by ICE Oct. 15 as part of Operation Midway Blitz. The illegal immigrant, it turns out, is also a Hanover park police officer whose bond was not contested and who now remains authorized to work by the federal government. The Hanover Park Police Department determined that he could return to duty. The village says Bovic was legally authorized to work and to carry a firearm when hired, with no criminal history found in background checks. The village is also providing full back pay. Jeff Manasso, FOX News.

[Lisa Lacera]

Texas Democratic Congressman Henry Cuellar, who along with his wife were indicted last year on charges related to a bribery schem pardoned by President Trump. The president suggested Cuellar was targeted for his opposition to President Biden's immigration policies. The Supreme Court heard arguments today in the case of a Mississippi preacher who argues that a local law violated his First Amendment rights.

[Jessica Rosenthal]

The case was brought by Gabriel Olivier, who would preach outside the amphitheater in Brandon, Mississippi, before COVID But city leaders then enacted an ordinance that placed demonstrators inside a designated protest zone. In May of 2021, he left the designated area claiming no one could see or hear him there. Olivier was then arrested. He pled no contest, but then later filed a claim against the city saying his First Amendment rights had been violated. A judge tossed the case out, citing a previous Supreme Court decision that says one cannot challenge the law they were convicted of violating after the fact as it would invalidate the conviction or the sentence received. Jessica Rosenthal, FOX News Charles Shea, a.

[Lisa Lacera]

Decorated Native American World War II veteran who was 19 years old when he land on Omaha beach on D Day and helped save lives, has died at his home in France's Normandy region.

[Narrator (about WWII veteran)]

He was 101.

[Lisa Lacera]

I'm Lisa Licera. This is FOX News.

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