House Speaker Mike Johnson didn’t mince words when he sat down with Fox News’ The Sunday Briefing to respond to fresh reports that Hamas violated the fragile, U.S.-brokered ceasefire. He demanded an immediate end to attacks that threaten the tenuous progress toward freeing hostages and restoring order, making clear America stands squarely with Israel against terror. The international community may wring its hands, but the message from conservative leaders must be simple: stop the violence and face justice.
This week’s arrest of Mahmoud Amin Ya’qub Al‑Muhtadi in Lafayette, Louisiana, proves the threat is not only overseas — it’s in our neighborhoods when visa fraud and lax vetting let militants slip through. Federal prosecutors, backed by a joint U.S.-Israeli investigation, allege Al‑Muhtadi fought alongside Hamas-linked fighters on October 7 and then lied to obtain entry and residency in the United States. For hardworking Americans who obey the law, it’s infuriating to learn terrorists can allegedly hide in plain sight while politicians play paperwork games.
Let’s be blunt: this arrest is a wake-up call for border enforcement and visa integrity. If the DOJ’s complaint is accurate — and the evidence points that way — we must stop treating immigration like an ideological talking point and start treating it like national security. Congress should fund real vetting, fast-track removal for fraudsters, and demand accountability from any administration that tolerates porous borders.
The ceasefire’s collapse, blamed by U.S. officials and Israel on Hamas provocations even as Hamas denies the charges, shows why any deal with terrorists must be conditional and enforceable. When militant groups use pauses to rearm, settle scores, or execute rival civilians, the so-called humanitarian handwringing by our side only hands them cover. Speaker Johnson was right to press for firmness: appeasement and lectures don’t end terror, strength and consequence do.
Meanwhile, the sudden commutation and release of George Santos has conservatives divided about mercy and accountability, but it underscores a larger point: the law must be applied fairly and predictably. Trump’s commutation of Santos’ sentence highlights how politics, not principle, often drives Washington’s decisions, and it fuels the case that priorities must be national security and the rule of law — not headline-grabbing theatrics. Americans want justice that protects victims and deters crime, not selective outrage.
Speaker Johnson tied these threads together on air: arresting terror suspects on U.S. soil, defending our ally Israel, and insisting on accountability at home are not separate battles but the same fight for a civilized, secure nation. Republicans in Congress should stop grandstanding and start legislating — fund the border, strengthen counterterrorism, and back Israel with unwavering support so that American blood is not shed in vain. The time for weak platitudes is over; leadership means action.
Patriots know what’s at stake: a nation that protects its citizens, stands with friends, and punishes enemies. If you love America, stand with the Speaker in demanding real consequences for terrorists, real reforms at the border, and real support for allies who defend freedom. Washington can do better — and it must, before another threat finds its way to our shores.
