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Developing now, Thursday, June 21, 2018 - The first day of summer

  • Two Trump-backed immigration bills may go up for a House vote Thursday, one day after the president ended separations of illegal immigrant families at the border, but passage of either bill seemed doubtful
  • Trump vows his immigration policy will continue to be 'as tough as it's been' after signing his executive order to keep illegal immigrant families together. But Democrats say the measure allows for indefinite detentions
  • The Trump administration will propose merging the Labor Department with the Education Department, a report says
  • Actor Peter Fonda apologizes for vulgar remarks about President Trump's 12-year-old son, Barron. But critics slam Democrats for failing to condemn Jane Fonda’s younger brother
  • The National Enquirer’s publisher is reportedly subpoenaed in the investigation of ex-Trump personal lawyer Michael Cohen

THE LEAD STORY - LITTLE HOPE FOR IMMIGRATION BILLS: The House of Representatives is barreling toward votes on two major Trump-backed immigration proposals Thursday, but both bills appeared to have little chance of passage as tensions between feuding GOP factions boiled over this week ... The stakes for the votes are particularly high, as the votes will come just one day after President Donald Trump signed a surprise executive order to end the separations of families who illegally enter the country. One of the bills, a compromise approach branded by Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., as the "president's bill," would appropriate funding for Trump's proposed border wall, to the tune of $25 billion. It would also provide a pathway to citizenship for nearly 1.8 million so-called "Dreamers," illegal immigrants brought to the U.S. at a young age.

The other bill up for a vote Thursday, put together by House Judiciary Chair Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., takes a more conservative approach. It would afford the nearly 700,000 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients only a temporarily protected legal status that could be indefinitely renewed, rather than a full pathway to citizenship.

TRUMP VOWS TO STAY ‘TOUGH’: Speaking to cheering supporters in Duluth, Minn., President Trump promised his immigration policies would remain "as tough" as they have been after he signed an executive order pledging that children would no longer be separated from their illegal immigrant families at the border. However, some Democrats, eyeing the November midterms, said Trump's executive order was not enough and detains illegal immigrants "indefinitely" ... The order Trump signed allows children to stay in detention with their parents for an extended period of time. It does not, however, end the "zero-tolerance" policy that criminally prosecutes adults entering the country without proper documentation.

Trump's order came after he and other officials repeatedly said only Congress had the power to stop children and their parents from being separated. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., tweeted Wednesday night that the executive order "merely replaces one inhumane act with another." Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, of California, shared similar sentiments, tweeting: "It’s extremely troubling that the president’s executive order would require immigrant families with children to be detained indefinitely."

SHRINKING THE SWAMP: The Trump administration will propose merging the Labor Department with the Education Department as part of a larger effort to reorganize the federal government, the Wall Street Journal reported ... The formal announcement is planned for Thursday morning, but the Journal reports that any planned reorganization must be approved by Congress. The reported proposal is a revival of long-held conservative ambitions dating back at least two decades. In the 1990s, Republican lawmakers proposed merging the Education and Labor departments with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The new agency would have been dubbed the Department of Education and Employment, but such plans never got off the ground.

FONDA GETS OFF ‘EASY’: Actor Peter Fonda, best known for “Easy Rider” nearly 50 years ago, has issued an apology for his “inappropriate and vulgar” tweet about the president’s son, Barron Trump, in which he called for him to be “ripped” from his mother and put in a “cage with pedophiles" ... After some since-deleted tweets the 78-year-old Oscar-winner made about the Trumps administration’s policy of separating children from their families at the southern border gained negative attention and were flagged by the Secret Service, he’s issued an apology. “I went way too far," he wrote in a statement provided to FOX News. "It was wrong and I should not have done it.”

However, perhaps most stunning aspect of Fonda's ugly attack was silence of Democratic leaders and Hollywood's liberal elite. Neither Sen. Chuck Schumer, Rep. Nancy Pelosi nor Hillary Clinton and any leader in the #MeToo Movement publicly condemned Fonda's tweets.

FEDS' ENQUIRING MINDS: Federal authorities have subpoenaed the publisher of the National Enquirer for records related to its $150,000 payment to a former Playboy model for the rights to her story alleging an affair with Donald Trump, according to people familiar with the matter ... The subpoena from Manhattan federal prosecutors requesting information from the publisher, American Media Inc., about its August 2016 payment to Karen McDougal is part of a broader criminal investigation of Mr. Trump’s former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, they said. 

AS SEEN ON FOX NEWS

MAINSTREAM MEDIA ANTI-TRUMP NARRATIVE: "All you're going to hear 24/7 is this harangue."  – Radio host and Independent Women's Voice president Tammy Bruce, on "Tucker Carlson Tonight," arguing that the media were trying to "distract" from President Trump's accomplishments by focusing on immigration. WATCH

CRIMINAL THREAT: "You could be arrested for those words and, frankly, you should be." –  Sean Hannity, on "Hannity," blasting Peter Fonda invoking violent treatment of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and Barron Trump. WATCH

TRENDING

West Virginia Supreme Court justice faces 395 years behind bars in federal fraud case.

Silver Airways passengers catch couple having sex in seat behind them.

iPhone users angry over iOS 11.4's camera-crashing bug.

Phillies fan injured when Phanatic shoots hot dog into stands.

Horse's tongue sliced out; search underway for suspect.

THE SWAMP

Democrat running for Congress fined over $15G for campaign violations, watchdog panel says.

Senate stops Trump push to cancel $15B in spending.

Trump says House GOP 'applauded and laughed loudly' after Sanford reference, despite claims of booing.

ACROSS THE NATION

National park searches, rescues costing millions, figures show;

NY Times senior staff editor taunted Antonin Scalia after justice's death, report says.

Protests erupt in Pittsburgh after police fatally shot teen who ran from traffic stop.

ICE raids Ohio meatpacking plant, 146 arrested.

MINDING YOUR BUSINESS

New 1040 tax form will be the size of a postcard.

21st Century FOX accepts Disney’s higher bid.

Tesla sues former employee for allegedly stealing company secrets.

AMC Theatres launches subscription movie service to rival MoviePass.

Moscow beer shortage not impacting World Cup venues, Budweiser says.

Nine ways to save on vacation this summer.

FOX NEWS OPINION

Judge Andrew Napolitano: Can the FBI be independent?

Newt Gingrich: Trump will make America great in space again with these historic advances.

Michael Guillen Ph.D.: The summer solstice is the happiest day of the year – But not for me.

HOLLYWOOD SQUARED

Victoria Beckham says she is 'trying to be the best wife' following divorce rumors.

Scott Baio says 'Charles in Charge' co-star 'failed' to hurt him with sex-assault claims: report.

Daniella Pineda discusses deleted 'Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom' scene that revealed her character's sexuality.

DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THIS?

NASA unveils bold new plan to protect Earth from asteroids.

Hammerhead shark fights tarpon as Florida boaters watch in shock.

Mixed-race family asks Blue Bell Ice Cream to change flavor name.

STAY TUNED

On FOX News: 

FOX & Friends, 6 a.m. ET: Guests include: Judge Andrew Napolitano; Newt Gingrich; House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Rep. Michael McCaul; GOP Minnesota congressional candidate Pete Stauber; Retired US Marine Corps bomb technician Johnny Joey Jones; actor Dean Cain.

FOX News @ Night, 11 p.m. ET: Guests include: Sen. Mike Lee.

On FOX Business:

Mornings with Maria, 6 a.m. ET: Guests include: Joel Shulman, EntrepreneurShares CEO and CIO; Sheila Bair, former FDIC chair; House Majority Whip Steve Scalise.

Varney & Co., 9 a.m. ET: Guests include: Sebastian Gorka; Rep. Kevin Cramer; Rep. Lou Barletta, Pennsylvania Senate candidate; Edwin Feulner, Heritage Foundation founder; Pete Stauber, GOP Minnesota congressional candidate.

Cavuto: Coast to Coast, Noon ET: Guests include: Gene Munster, managing partner at Loup Ventures.

Countdown to the Closing Bell, 3 pm ET: Sanjay Mehrotra, Micron CEO; Josh Jalinski, Jalinski Advisory Group president.

On FOX News Radio:

The FOX News Rundown podcastPresident Trump signed an executive order Wednesday to stop the separation of families at the border while pushing forward with the administration’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy. FOX News' John Roberts explains the effect the media had on his decision. Rudy Giuliani, former NYC mayor and one of President Trump’s attorneys, discusses Michael Cohen, alleged anti-Trump bias in the FBI and the inspector general’s report. Plus, commentary by Judge Andrew Napolitano.

Want the FOX News Rundown sent straight to your mobile device? Subscribe through Apple PodcastsGoogle Play, and Stitcher.

The Brian Kilmeade Show, 9 a.m. ET: David Bossie, Chris Wallace and Mercedes Schlapp will all discuss President Trump's executive order on not separating illegal immigrant families at the border, the ongoing battle on Capitol Hill over immigration reform and the IG report.

The Tom Shillue Show, 3 p.m. ET: How could Trump's executive order on separating illegal immigrant families at the border potentially impact the midterms? Christopher Hahn, radio host and former aide to Sen. Charles Schumer, joins Tom Shillue.

#OnThisDay

2013: President Barack Obama nominates James Comey, a top Bush-era Justice Department official, to head the FBI, succeeding Robert Mueller.

1982: A jury in Washington, D.C., finds John Hinckley Jr. not guilty by reason of insanity in the shootings of President Ronald Reagan, White House press secretary James Brady, Secret Service agent Tim McCarthy, and police officer Thomas Delahanty.

1932: Heavyweight Max Schmeling loses a title fight rematch in New York by decision to Jack Sharkey, prompting Schmeling's manager, Joe Jacobs, to exclaim: "We was robbed!"

Fox News First is compiled by Fox News' Bryan Robinson. Thank you for joining us! Enjoy your day! We'll see you in your inbox first thing Friday morning.