Evening Wire: Student Visa Fraud Exposed & Medicaid Probe Freezes Billions | 5.13.26

Summary

Morning Wire — Evening Wire: Student Visa Fraud Exposed & Medicaid Probe Freezes Billions | May 13, 2026

---

Episode Overview

This Evening Wire edition, hosted by Georgia Howe and John Bickley, delivers in-depth, fast-moving reporting on major national headlines. The episode spotlights a massive student visa fraud scheme, revelations from an exclusive Medicaid investigation prompting a federal spending freeze, the Trump administration’s trip to Beijing with top tech leaders, and a host of high-impact legal, educational, and policy stories shaping America’s news cycle.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Medicaid Probe Leads to $1.4 Billion Spending Freeze

[00:03–01:42]

• Story: Daily Wire investigative journalism triggered a federal freeze on $1.4 billion in home health care payments.

• Details: Reporter Luke Rosiak describes the fallout from his reporting on Ohio’s billion-dollar Medicaid expenditures, noting fierce debate about terminating the Home Health Personal Services program nationwide.

• Momentum: Lawmakers are pushing to eliminate questionable Medicaid waivers in states such as California, Ohio, Massachusetts, and New York.

  “All home health care payments now suspended because of the Daily Wire's reporting… easiest way to get rid of all this fraud is just terminate the whole program.” — Luke Rosiak [00:44]

---

2. DHS Investigated for Overpriced Detention Centers

[01:42–02:29]

• Story: The Department of Homeland Security’s $38 billion plan to repurpose warehouses for immigration detention is under audit.
• Concerns: The Wall Street Journal and real estate analysts report DHS paid 10-13% above market rate for properties, prompting the Inspector General’s investigation.

---

3. Massive Student Visa Fraud Scheme Uncovered by ICE

[02:29–03:36]

• Story: ICE identified a sophisticated scheme manipulating the Optional Practical Training Program for international students.

• Tactics: Investigators found empty buildings claimed as workplaces, clusters of companies using similar websites, and a "pay-to-stay" operation in Houston to maintain visa status under false pretenses.

  “Lyons called the activity deliberate, coordinated, and criminal, warning that what’s been uncovered may be only the tip of the iceberg.” — Jenny Terre [02:36]

---

4. Trump Lands in Beijing with Tech Titans

[03:36–04:17]

• Event: President Trump, joined by Elon Musk, Tim Cook, Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, arrives in China.
• Purpose: Talks focus on trade and artificial intelligence, with implications for both economic and geopolitical strategy.

---

5. Russian Ship Mystery: Possible Western Intervention

[04:17–05:04]

• Incident: The cargo ship Ursa Major, carrying undeclared nuclear reactors to North Korea, sank mysteriously near Spain.
• Report: CNN suggests the ship may have been targeted by a rare torpedo—potentially a covert Western intervention to thwart Russian-North Korean nuclear cooperation.

---

6. Senate to Withhold Lawmakers’ Pay During Shutdowns

[05:04–05:48]

• Action: Senate passes a 99–0 resolution (sponsored by Senator John Kennedy) placing senators’ pay in escrow during government shutdowns.
• Implication: The rule, impacted by the 27th Amendment, won’t take effect until after the next House election.

---

7. Trump Administration Revisits TV Ratings After Parental Complaints

[06:50–08:23]

• Development: The Media Bureau seeks public input after reports of inappropriate content in children’s programming.

• Concern: Penny Nance (Concerned Women for America) cites a study finding 40% of Netflix children’s shows, and 20% targeted at preschoolers, contain LGBTQ themes.

  “The FCC recognizes what is happening because of the outcry… They have made an opening for proposed rulemaking to change the system and require there to be an outside entity to actually do the rating…” — Penny Nance [07:09]

---

8. Christian Colleges Warn of Threat from New Federal Rule

[08:23–09:46]

• Issue: The Department of Education proposes limiting student loans to degree programs with high post-graduate earnings, threatening theology and ministry programs.

• Expert: Alliance Defending Freedom’s Tyson Langhofer warns this “reduces the value of education to simply a calculation of how much a degree would earn somebody.”

  “Religion contributes much more to society than simply can be determined by the value of a pastor’s salary.” — Tyson Langhofer [09:04]

---

9. U.S. Drug Overdoses Drop Below Pre-Pandemic Levels

[09:46–10:27]

• Report: CDC data show overdose deaths have fallen nearly 14% in 2025, returning to levels before the COVID surge, with reduced fentanyl potency cited as a factor.

---

10. Alec Murdoch’s Murder Convictions Overturned

[10:27–11:23]

• Case: S.C. Supreme Court vacates Murdoch’s life sentence due to jury tampering and prejudicial evidence.
• Next Steps: Prosecutors intend to retry, claiming strong remaining evidence.

---

11. Transgender Inmates Seek Marriage in Women's Prison amid Lawsuit

[11:23–12:20]

• Story: Marina Voles (born Michael Voles), imprisoned for sexual abuse, sues for Wiccan religious rights and the ability to wed fellow transgender inmate Ashley Romero.
• Settlement Talks: State of New Jersey is negotiating after Voles claimed denial of religious freedom including nude rituals.

---

Memorable Quotes & Notable Moments

• On Medicaid Fraud Suspension:
  “What we’re seeing is people not just saying they’re going to investigate waste and fraud, but talking about terminating the Home Health Personal Services program entirely.”
  — Luke Rosiak [00:44]

• On Student Visa Fraud:
  “A recent sweep… turned up clusters of employers sharing nearly identical websites and job postings while denying any ties to one another.”
  — Jenny Terre [02:36]

• On TV Ratings Reform:
  “This is an opportunity the FCC has given parents to have a voice. We've made it super easy for you to respond and just tell your story.”
  — Penny Nance [07:09]

---

Important Timestamps

• Medicaid Spending Freeze — [00:03–01:42]
• DHS Detention Center Investigation — [01:42–02:29]
• Student Visa Fraud Exposed — [02:29–03:36]
• Trump Tech Delegation to Beijing — [03:36–04:17]
• Russian Ship Sinks Off Spain — [04:17–05:04]
• Senate Pay Resolution — [05:04–05:48]
• TV Ratings Debate / Penny Nance Interview — [06:50–08:23]
• Religious Colleges vs. Earnings Rule — [08:23–09:46]
• Overdose Deaths Down — [09:46–10:27]
• Murdoch Convictions Overturned — [10:27–11:23]
• Transgender Inmates’ Lawsuit — [11:23–12:20]

---

For in-depth coverage and source material, visit DailyWire.com.

Transcript

[Georgia Howe]

Ice makes a major fraud discovery involving over 10,000 foreign students. President Trump lands in Beijing and a Daily Wire Investigation triggers a $1.4 billion spending freeze. By JD Vance I'm Georgia Howe with Daily Wire executive editor John Bickley. It's Wednesday, May 13th, and this is EVENING Wire. A Daily Wire Medicaid investigation has triggered a $1.4 billion spending freeze. The announcement comes days after Daily Wire investigative reporter Luke Rosiak published a series of stories documenting how Ohio spent a billion dollars on home health care in 2024. He testified this morning in a hearing on the matter that was closed to the press. Here's a breakdown of what occurred.

[Luke Rosiak]

Hey, it's Luke Rosiak. It's been a busy day on Capitol Hill this morning. We got the administration, Dr. Oz and the Trump administration terminated $1.4 billion in payments. All home health care payments now suspended because of the Daily Wire's reporting. And what we're seeing is people not just saying they're going to investigate waste and fraud, but talking about terminating the Home Health Personal Services program entirely. Easiest way to get rid of all this fraud is just terminate the whole program. And so we're seeing congressmen build momentum from telling RFK and the HHS to, to just terminate those personal services Medicaid waivers with California, Ohio, Massachusetts, New York. This is all the result of the Daily Wires investigative reporting, which is made possible by subscribers like you.

[Jordan Schroeder]

The Department of Homeland Security Inspector General has launched an investigation into a program to convert old warehouses into immigration detention centers. Daily Wire contributor Tim Pierce has more.

[Tim Pierce]

Former Secretary Kristi Noem was the chief advocate for the $38 billion program. Noem and her top advisor, Corey Lewandowski, had argued that DHS should build its own detention facilities rather than lease space from private contractors or local governments. On Wednesday, the DHS watchdog announced an audit of the purchases made under the program. So far, according to the Wall Street Journal, DHS has paid at least $1 billion of the 38 billion allotted by Congress for about a dozen facilities. The real estate analytics company Costar said in March that DHS paid between 10 and 13% above market rate for those properties.

[Georgia Howe]

ICE has made a fraud discovery that involves thousands of foreign students. Daily Wire immigration reporter Jenny Terre has more.

[Jenny Terre]

Federal investigators have made yet another discovery of a sophisticated fraud scheme involving a work authorization program for foreign students. ICE revealed Tuesday that the Optional Practical Training Program, a program that allows foreign students to work in their area of study for up to one year while attending school, has become a magnet for fraud. Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said investigators found empty buildings with locked doors where hundreds of foreign students were said to be working. A recent sweep of 18 sites in North Texas turned up clusters of employers sharing nearly identical websites and job postings while denying any ties to one another. And in Houston, agents flagged a pay to stay scheme in which a company allegedly charged foreign students under the T to maintain their visa status. Lyons called the activity deliberate, coordinated and criminal, warning that what's been uncovered may be only the tip of the iceberg.

[Jordan Schroeder]

President Trump landed in Beijing today with an entourage that includes Elon Musk, Jensen Huang and Tim Cook. Daily Wire assistant editor Nathan Gay has more.

[Nathan Gay]

President Trump and an entourage of high powered tech CEOs landed in Beijing this morning for a summit that could shape the next chapter of U s Chinese relationship. Sixteen of the US's top tech executives are in attendance, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Apple CEO Tim Cook, and, following a last minute invitation by President Trump, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, along with several other top administration officials are also in Beijing. The talks are expected to focus on trade and artificial intelligence, areas of high tension between the world's two largest economies.

[Georgia Howe]

The mystery of what happened to the Russian cargo ship Ursa Major has only deepened after a new report from CNN Daily Wire homepage Managing editor Jordan Schroeder has more.

[Jordan Schroeder]

The ship sank off the coast of Spain in late 2024 after it suffered a mysterious series of explosions. It appeared to be carrying two nuclear reactors like those used in submarines to North Korea, though neither the content nor destination appeared on its public manifest. And now, according to cnn, the mysterious series of explosions that sank the Ursa Major may have come from the use of a rare type of torpedo to breach the ship's hull, according to the report. The incident may mark a rare and high stakes intervention by a Western military to prevent Russia from sending an upgrade in nuclear technology to a key North Korea.

The Senate has unanimously passed a resolution that would withhold lawmakers pay if the government shuts down, Daily Wire reporter Zach Jewell reports.

[Zach Jewell]

The Senate voted 99 to 0 today to advance a resolution from Louisiana Republican John Kennedy that would block senators from accessing their pay during a government shutdown. The measure applies only to the Senate, so it does not need House approval or President Trump's signature. Senators would not forfeit their salaries. The money would go into escrow until the shutdown ends. Kennedy said he wanted the rule to take effect immediately, but the 27th Amendment delays any congressional pay change until after the next House election, meaning it would start after the midterms.

[Sponsor/Ad Read]

This episode is sponsored by Brickhouse Nutrition. Everybody knows someone right now who's talking about weight loss injections, and to be fair, the results can be dramatic. They work by helping regulate blood sugar and reducing appetite. But a lot of people are also hesitant about weekly injections, especially once they start hearing about some of the side effects that can come with them. That's why more people, including some here at the Daily Wire, have been looking into Lean from Brickhouse Nutrition. Lean is a doctor developed weight loss supplement, and several people around the Daily Wire team who've tried it have talked about how helpful it's been for controlling cravings and staying more consistent with healthier eating habits. The ingredients in Lean are backed by research showing they can help lower blood sugar, convert stored fat into energy, and reduce those constant hunger cravings that make dieting difficult. And this is important. Lean is not really aimed at somebody trying to lose two or three pounds before a vacation. The doctors at Brickhouse Nutrition specifically created it for people who've been struggling to lose 10 pounds or more and are looking for a realistic option that fits into everyday life. Let's get you started with 20% off and free rush shipping so you can add Lean to your healthy diet and exercise plan. Visit takelean.com and enter wire for your discount. That's promo code [e-mail]

[Georgia Howe]

the Trump administration is revisiting the TV rating system after parent complaints about inappropriate themes appearing in children's programming. The Media Bureau is asking parents to submit their concerns by May 22 to have their voices heard. Morning Wire spoke to Penny Nance, president of Concerned Women for America, about the initiative.

[Penny Nance]

Not too long ago, Elon Musk did a tweet that highlighted all the LGBTQ themes, characters, things that were going on on Netflix shows. So our team audited the programming for Netflix and discovered, shockingly, that about 40% of the shows that were targeted for children contained LGBTQ characters, themes and storyline. It was even as shocking that 20% of the ones for preschoolers these are kids 5 and under also had those same kind of things. Thankfully, the FCC recognizes what is happening because of the outcry from the report that CWA put forward. They have made an opening for proposed rulemaking to change the system and require there to be an outside entity to actually do the rating so that Hollywood can no longer rate themselves in concurrence that this content is family friendly. The deadline for parents to respond is May 22. This is an opportunity that FCC has given parents to have a voice. You just come to concernwomen.org in a couple of clicks. We've made it super easy for you to respond and just tell your story.

[Jordan Schroeder]

Christian colleges and seminaries are warning that a new federal rule could devastate religious higher education. The rule could cut off student loans to degree programs whose graduates don't out earn peers without those degrees. Under the proposed Education Department policy, many theology and ministry programs would be labeled failing based on earning metrics alone, a standard school leaders call an existential threat. They argue it unfairly penalizes careers like ministry, music, the arts and other service focused fields where financial return isn't necessarily the primary goal. Morningwire spoke to Tyson Langhofer, senior counsel of the center for Academic Freedom, with Alliance Defending Freedom. Here's what he said.

[Tyson Langhofer]

The Department of Education is right to be concerned about the many problems facing higher education, and I'm glad that they're recognizing that the student loan program, you know, may have contributed to the rise in cost and that they should evaluate it to determine whether the program is helping students or is it harming students. At the same time, I think that the department should make sure that it's not reducing the value of education to simply a calculation of how much a degree would earn somebody. This is especially true when it comes to religious education because we know that religion contributes much more to society than simply can be determined by the value of a pastor's salary.

[Georgia Howe]

After spiking during the pandemic, drug overdoses are decreasing rapidly. Daily Wire assistant editor Andy Valdez has the details.

[Andy Valdez]

2025 marked the third year in a row of steady decreases, with overdose deaths now dropping to pre pandemic levels. Preliminary CDC data Show an estimated 70,000 deaths by drug overdose in 2025, a nearly 14% drop from the prior year, driven primarily by fewer fentanyl and other opioid fatalities. At its peak, the crisis reached 108,000 confirmed drug deaths in 2022. Experts point to a variety of factors, including reduced potency of drugs on the street.

[Jordan Schroeder]

The South Carolina Supreme Court has unanimously overturned Alec Murdoch's murder convictions. Daily Wire reporter and host of that's so Criminal Lyndon Blake has the story.

[Lyndon Blake]

The wealthy lawyer was sentenced to life in prison in 2023 for the 2021 shooting deaths of his wife, Maggie, and son Paul. The justices ruled that the county court clerk, Becky Hill, had improperly influenced jurors in hopes of boosting sales for a book she was writing about the case. The state court also found that the trial judge, Erred by allowing extensive evidence of Murdoch's unrelated financial crimes, which made the jury have prejudice against him. Murdoch has admitted to stealing $12 million from clients, but he has always denied the murders. The 57 year old will continue serving a 40 year federal sentence for theft, but prosecutors have already indicated that they plan to retry him for the murders. They believe the core evidence of his guilt remains strong despite the court errors.

[Jordan Schroeder]

Two transgender pedophiles housed in a women's prison in New Jersey are seeking to get married to each other as part of a settlement negotiation in a witchcraft discrimination lawsuit. Daily Wire investigative reporter Meg Brock has the story.

[Meg Brock]

A male transgender pedophile being held in a women's prison is suing for religious discrimination. Marina Voles, born Michael Voles, is currently serving a 25 year sentence in New Jersey for sexually abusing his 7 year old daughter. Now Voles is suing the New Jersey Department of Corrections for discriminating against his Wiccan religious beliefs. Voles case asserts that he has been denied access to religious items as well as the freedom to perform Wiccan religious ceremonies in the nude in public areas of the women's prison. Voles is also suing for the right to marry his transgender partner, Ashley Romero, who is himself serving prison time for his role in Voles crimes. Reports show that the state has entered into settlement negotiations with Voles.

[Jordan Schroeder]

All right, those are your Drive Home updates today. To learn more about these stories, go to dailywire.com and in case you missed it, earlier today we covered some major stories, including President Trump heading to Beijing, a California mayor facing prison after admitting she was a Chinese agent, and Trump's approval falling among voters amid the Iran conflict. Thanks for tuning in. We'll be back tomorrow morning with another full edition of MORNING Wire.