Minnesota ICE Surge Ending, Judge Controversy & Is Putin in Trouble? | Feb. 12, 2026

Bill O'Reilly asserts that the Democratic Party's primary strategy leading into the midterms is to intentionally create as much chaos in the government as possible. He cites the Senate's failure to advance the Homeland Security funding bill as a prime example, arguing it's a deliberate attempt to make the government appear incompetent and undermine the current administration, regardless of the impact on public safety.

The Senate failed to advance the Homeland Security funding bill, needing 60 votes but only securing 52. O'Reilly states, 'The Democratic Party's strategy is now is to create as much chaos in the government as possible going into the midterms.'

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which mandates voter ID for federal elections, passed the House but faces strong Democratic opposition. O'Reilly argues that requiring ID to vote is common sense, citing high public support (83% in a Pew survey). He criticizes Democrats for opposing it, framing their resistance as part of the 'chaos' strategy and dismissing their claims that it diminishes state power or stokes fear of immigrants.

The SAVE Act passed the House 218 to 213, with only one Democrat voting for it. O'Reilly notes, 'Only 11 states have mandatory voter ID laws. And 14 states have nothing. You can walk in and vote. You don't have to show anything.' He cites a Pew survey showing 83% American support for voter ID.

An ICE surge operation in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area concluded, resulting in 4,000 arrests, with most agents being redeployed. O'Reilly criticizes Minnesota Governor Walls and Minneapolis Mayor Fry for their opposition to ICE, specifically blaming Mayor Fry for failing to provide security for ICE agents, which O'Reilly claims led to two deaths during protests.

Tom Homan stated ICE's work in Minnesota was done, with 4,000 arrests made. O'Reilly states, 'Those two people who were killed that was the fault of Fry the mayor of Minneapolis who as he had provided according of security around the ICE agents with local police which he should have that was his sworn duty to do to protect public safety.'

An Obama-appointed federal judge in Louisiana, John De Graal, released four violent foreign nationals, including a Cuban man with convictions for homicide, assault, and robbery. The judge cited 'unlawful detention' without a plan for deportation. O'Reilly condemns this decision, highlighting the danger posed by these individuals and framing it as an example of politically motivated judges undermining public safety and traditional American values.

Judge John De Graal released four violent foreign nationals, including Luis Gaston Sanchez, a Cuban with convictions for homicide, assault, and two counts of robbery. The judge ruled they were 'unlawfully detained... without any plan for deportations or in the reasonable future.'

O'Reilly criticizes cable news for its superficial and repetitive reporting, particularly during breaking news. He points out anchors asking 'What do you make of it?' as a sign of laziness and correspondents 'vamping' without facts, leading to speculative and uninformative coverage.

O'Reilly describes watching cable news, noting anchors asking 'What do you make of it?' and correspondents speculating wildly. He states, 'Whenever you hear an anchor person say, 'What do you make of it?'... you know the person is too lazy to formulate a question.'