The Justice Department warned states they could lose billions of dollars in welfare funding if they do not report known illegal migrants to the federal government, according to a legal opinion released Wednesday. The DOJ's Office of Legal Counsel said tates participating in two key welfare programs must require all state agencies to report individuals known to be unlawfully present to the Department of Homeland Security, a significant shift that the administration says will help enforce President Donald Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration. The opinion reverses a 1998 Office of Legal Counsel interpretation that limited the reporting requirement to agencies administering the programs. Previously, only the state agencies that administered the funding for the welfare programs were required to report illegal migrants, while other state agencies that might be aware of these individuals, including colleges and departments of motor vehicles, were not subject to this mandate. DHS...

The Pentagon on Wednesday issued clinical guidelines establishing a new mandatory testosterone deficiency screening policy for active-duty and reserve service members ages 30 and up. This comes after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced in July that he was authorizing the screening program for troops to ensure "you have the right testosterone levels to operate at your absolute best." "Taking care of your long-term health means ensuring you remain strong, resilient and capable — not just for your next deployment, but for the rest of your life, so you can thrive long after you take off the uniform," he said at the time. THE REAL REASON BEHIND HEGSETH'S VIRAL MILITARY TESTOSTERONE SCREENING ORDER According to the new guidance, which is effective immediately, men ages 30 and older will undergo mandatory testosterone blood tests, while younger men will be tested only if requested or if clinicians identify warning signs. Men found to have low testosterone levels ...

The U.S. military on Wednesday intercepted and sank a vessel in the Eastern Pacific that it said was supporting a "narco-terrorist" organization, according to U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM). SOUTHCOM said the operation targeted a vessel tied to Los Choneros, which it described as a violent narco-terrorist organization. "On Sept. 2, at the direction of #SOUTHCOM Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, and in coordination and collaboration with the Government of Ecuador, Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere (JTF-WHEM) successfully interdicted a vessel operating as a floating refueling station in support of illicit at-sea drug trafficking operations in international waters of the Eastern Pacific," SOUTHCOM said in a statement. "Intelligence confirmed the vessel was operating in support of the Los Choneros violent narco-terrorist organization," the military added. WHITE HOUSE HIGHLIGHTS 'STEEPEST' EVER DECLINE IN US CASUALTIES FROM CARTELS AMID BOAT STRIK...

A Washington homeowner who heard mysterious banging inside their house called 911 to report a possible burglary, only for responding officers to discover the "cat burglar" was quite literal — a bobcat perched at the top of the stairs. The unusual encounter unfolded last week in Kirkland's Moss Bay neighborhood, where police were ultimately able to corral the wild animal before wildlife officials later returned it to its natural habitat. No injuries were reported to the homeowner, responding officers or the bobcat, according to the Kirkland Police Department . COLORADO FAMILY WAKES UP TO BEAR EATING BREAKFAST IN KITCHEN Police said they responded to a report of a possible burglary after the resident reported hearing banging inside the home. When officers arrived, they discovered the bobcat inside. Authorities deployed a drone to monitor the bobcat's movements inside the home, allowing officers to maintain a safe distance and coordinate their response. BLACK BEAR CAUGH...

The one pipeline that supplies water for millions of visitors in Grand Canyon was badly damaged by flash flooding over the weekend, setting up a complicated repair scenario and disrupting a yearslong project to upgrade the aging line across rugged terrain where helicopters are often needed for even basic maintenance. Park officials estimate after conducting flyovers that about 40% of the pipeline sustained damage. The 12.5-mile long Transcanyon Waterline has suffered dozens of breaks in recent years. A more than $200 million repair and replacement project was well underway when the floods began. The long-term impacts on the park’s infrastructure, visitors and year-round residents were not immediately clear. BELOVED TEXAS CHIROPRACTOR KILLED IN GRAND CANYON FLASH FLOOD, 2 FRIENDS STILL MISSING AFTER HIKE "We anticipate miles of the pipeline being destroyed," Grand Canyon Deputy Superintendent Brian Drapeaux said. A full survey of the devastation will not be completed until Tu...

The House of Representatives is back in town after not voting since July 23. But the House is only back for less than a week. And the Senate doesn’t even return until Monday, September 14. The first day of school, this is not. House members descending on the Capitol this week – then abandoning Washington for Labor Day is kind of like the third and final preseason game in the NFL. THE WILL OF 100: TRUMP’S SAVE AMERICA ACT SIDELINED AFTER SENATE UNANIMOUSLY AGREED TO AUGUST EXIT Lots of fans show up for the first game of the NFL preseason. It’s usually a nice – if sweltering – August night. Not some bone-shivering chill in Cleveland with a foot of snow on the ground in mid-December. There’s anticipation. The first look at the new team. The first tailgate. First-string players and highly touted draft picks even play a series or two. But by the third preseason game, few want to be there. The die is cast for the roster spots. Players are cut. Even the most robust fans only show up for a qu...