Who Is Sara Gonzales?

My VIP for this week is BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales who has exposed alleged H-1B visa fraud in Texas. She has been on the ground there, “knocking on doors of ghost offices, confronting company owners, and uncovering shell companies used to import foreign workers.” Her reporting caught the attention of law enforcement and sparked “state investigations, lawsuits from Attorney General Ken Paxton against dozens of suspect firms, and growing federal attention.” An article by BlazeTV Staff shared the following information. 

Investigative reporting like Sara’s takes time, resources, and a team willing to keep digging when the answers aren’t easy to find….

The Texas native sets her sights on Dallas resident Mohammed Abbas, who has allegedly been scamming people with the promise of sponsoring green cards and H-1B visas.

“My team received tips from multiple people, unrelated, who say that they were scammed by one person who promised to sell them sponsorship for either green cards or H-1B visas. These people were charged thousands of dollars for this. One of the victims even said he paid $60,000, but the sponsorship never came through,” says Sara.

You can find more information about Sara and her exposure of alleged H-1B visa fraud by signing up for the BlazeTV newsletter. Journalists like Sara and Nick Shirley are exposing lots of fraud. What are the so-called journalists of mainstream media doing?

Do Americans Have Freedom of Religion or Not?

The topic of discussion for this Constitution Monday concerns the right to invite other people to pray with us in our homes. Lauren Irwin’s article published at Deseret News reports on the case of Daniel Grand, a devout Orthodox Jew who just wanted to pray in his home with a few friends in 2021. The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear his case. 

Daniel Grand, a devout Orthodox Jew, wanted to gather about a dozen people in his home outside of Cleveland in 2021. Instead, the minyan – a prayer gathering of at least 10 men – was stopped by city officials in University Heights, Ohio.

Grand was issued a cease-and-desist notice demanding that he obtain a permit that would label his home as a “place of religious assembly.” Police then were ordered to monitor his home and asked neighbors to file complaints about visitors to the house….

Grand has spent the last several years in court looking to fight back against what he said took him by surprise….

Grand initially had the idea of hosting the gathering at his home for convenience, since he doesn’t have a synagogue nearby and doesn’t drive on the Sabbath, which is a day of rest.

In June, the Supreme Court agreed to hear Grand’s case in the next term.

[Alliance Defending Freedom] ADF, a legal organization that protects religious freedom, said in a statement that Grand was never trying to establish his home as a synagogue, but rather “simply hosting a prayer gathering with friends.”

After receiving the cease-and-desist notice and being informed about needing a special-use permit, Grand canceled the gathering and tried to comply with the city’s directive by submitting an application for a permit.

His legal team said that neighbors went on to protest that they “do not want our neighborhood labeled as Jewish” and there was a citywide hearing that was marked with “overt hostility to Jewish religious practice.”

Grand later withdrew his application because he didn’t want to be part of an “inevitably hostile public spectacle.”

ADF and co-counsel Orrick, Herrington and Sutcliffe asked the Supreme Court to hear the case after it was dismissed in federal court. They’re asking the justices to clarify whether Americans have to go through permitting processes and can challenge government threat to individuals’ religious freedom.

They’re also arguing that the city officials were specifically targeting Grand’s religious practice, because a permit wouldn’t be required for a nonfaith-centered event, like a birthday party or Super Bowl party.

“Every American has the right to host a prayer gathering in his home, and he certainly doesn’t need a city permit to do so.” ADF Senior Counsel and Vice President of Appellate Advocacy John Bursch said in a statement. “This city’s actions underscore a troubling trend of weaponizing zoning laws against people of faith while allowing other gatherings of the same size, like book clubs or poker nights, to meet without issue.”

This case should concern all people of faith. Grand is a Jew who was being persecuted by government officials in his home city, but the same thing could happen to Latter-day Saints, Catholics, or any other religious group.

The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees Freedom of Religion, and it also guarantees Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Press, and Freedom of Assembly. Grand was denied his First Amendment rights, and it could happen to any other person of faith.

How Do We Know That God’s Perspective Is Greater Than Our Own?

My Come Follow Me studies for this week took me to the book of Job in a lesson titled “Yet Will I Trust in Him.” The following information introduced the lesson. 

It’s natural to wonder why bad things happen to good people—or, for that matter, why good things happen to bad people. Why would God, who is just, allow that? The book of Job explores questions like these. Job was one of those good people to whom a lot of bad things happened. Because of Job’s trials, his friends wondered if he really was good after all. Job asserted his own righteousness and wondered if God really is just after all. But despite his suffering and wondering, Job maintained his integrity and faith in Jesus Christ. In the book of Job, faith is questioned and tested but never completely abandoned. That doesn’t mean all the questions are answered. But the book of Job teaches that until they are answered, questions can coexist with faith. And regardless of what happens in the meantime, we can say of our Lord, “Yet will I trust in him” (Job 13:15).

The book of Job teaches several principles, including (1) I can trust God in all circumstances (Job 1-3; 12-13). (2) Jesus Christ is my Redeemer (Job 19). (3) “When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold (Job 21-24). (4) God’s perspective is greater than mine (Job 38-40; 42). This essay will discuss principle #4 about God’s perspective, but I first wish to discuss the question posed in the introduction.

Have you ever wondered why bad things happen to good people? I have. I was about 11 or 12 years old when my oldest sister – 11 years older than me – gave birth to a baby – named Gary John -- who died when he was 24 hours old. He had a problem with his lungs – like the baby of President John F. Kennedy at about the same time.

In August 1963, First Lade Jacqueline Kennedy experienced premature labor pains and was rushed to the hospital. JFK was notified, and he dropped everything to go to the hospital. Patrick Bouvier Kennedy was born, and fear soon overcame celebration.

Patrick was born with Hyaline Membrane Disease (now known as Infant Respiratory Distress Syndrome). A glassy substance coated his lungs and made breathing impossible because the lungs could not expand to absorb oxygen, causing slow motion suffocation. However, most babies born with this problem survive today.

Like the Kennedy family, my immediate and extended family mourned the death of an innocent baby. As a child/young woman, I pondered his death for months. I knew that my sister and her husband were righteous, and I wondered why God did not bless them with a healthy baby. I understand why Job and others ask questions, such as why do bad things happen to good people.

Although we do not know much about Job, we know that he was a real man. When the Prophet Joseph Smith and his companions suffered in the Liberty Jail, he cried out to the Lord for help. As part of His answer to Joseph, the Lord said, “Thou art not yet as Job; thy friends do not contend against thee, neither charge thee with transgression, as they did Job” (Doctrine and Covenants 121:10).

Job was a good person who had a lot of bad things happen to him. Because of his trials, his friends wondered if he really was good after all. Job asserted his own righteousness and wondered if God really is just after all. But despite his suffering and questions, Job maintained his integrity and faith in Jesus Christ. In the book of Job, faith is questioned and tested but never completely abandoned. The author of Job did not answer all the questions, but the book of Job teaches that questions can coexist with faith until they are answered. Like Job, we can say of Jesus Christ, “Yet will I trust in him” (Job 13:15).

We can trust God because His perspective is greater than ours. He sees the big picture, while we struggle with tunnel vision. Job’s friends accused him of sin (see Job 16:1-5; 19:1-3), causing Job to repeatedly ask God why he had to suffer so much (see Job 19:6-7; 23:1-9; 31). God did not give Job an obvious reason – at least it is unknown to us. However, the Lord taught Job an important message.

When the Lord finally spoke with Job, He asked Job where he was when the earth was created and other such questions. The Lord’s questions show that there was a premortal existence. There God taught His spirit children about His plan for their eternal happiness. The plan of salvation was developed before the foundations of the earth were laid. There “the morning stars sang together, and all of the sons of God shouted for joy” (Job 38:7). Heavenly Father selected Jesus Christ to be the Savior and Redeemer of the world, and all the spirit children of God shouted for joy at the prospect of coming to earth and receiving physical bodies and experience unavailable in the spirit world.

After God gave Job a wider picture of His plan, Job understood that God’s perspective was greater than his own. Job better understood the nature of suffering and that man must sometimes endure suffering without understanding why. Because God’s perspective is greater than man’s, He knows and understands more than we do. Job was humbled, and at the end of the book of Job, he received greater blessings than he had in the beginning.

What Behaviors Show That There Is Trouble Between Partners?

Strong families begin with strong marriages. The strength of a marriage can be seen in the presence or absence of six behaviors. According to Dr. John Gottman of the Gottman Institute, any marriage is in trouble if any of the six behaviors appear between marital partners.

Dr. John Gottman and his wife Dr. Julie Gottman run the Gottman Institute in Seattle. They have worked with different couples in their institute for more than forty years. They developed a model with which they can predict the likelihood of divorce with high accuracy, and they do it by simply watching couples communicate. Their research identified six specific behavioral patterns, some more obvious than others, that consistently appear in marriages that are heading toward divorce. When couples understand the patterns and are willing to change behavior, they have an opportunity to start working on the behaviors early in the marriage. Robles Agustin shared the following information about the six troublesome behaviors. 

Criticism

Criticism, according to Dr. Gottman, involves attacking a partner’s character rather than addressing a specific behavior, transforming complaints like I wish you had called into broader accusations about who a partner fundamentally is as a person. Gottman’s research found that frequent criticism erodes goodwill steadily over time, making partners increasingly defensive and less willing to engage constructively with legitimate concerns raised during everyday conversation, gradually replacing curiosity with quiet resentment on both sides.

Defensiveness

Defensiveness, the second pattern Gottman identifies, typically emerges as a response to criticism, with partners deflecting responsibility rather than genuinely hearing the concern being raised during a disagreement. His research found that defensiveness, while a natural instinct, tends to escalate conflict rather than resolve it, since it signals to the other partner that their concern is not being taken seriously or heard, which often causes the original issue to resurface again later.

Contempt

Contempt, which Gottman considers the single most damaging of his identified patterns, involves treating a partner with disrespect through sarcasm, mockery, or eye rolling, communicating a sense of superiority rather than equality within the relationship. His long-term studies found contempt to be the strongest single predictor of divorce among all behaviors observed, more damaging even than frequent open conflict between partners, largely because it erodes affection and respect at their foundation.

Stonewalling

Stonewalling, the fourth pattern, occurs when a partner withdraws entirely from a conversation, shutting down emotionally rather than engaging, often as a response to feeling overwhelmed by conflict. Gottman’s research found that stonewalling frequently emerges after repeated criticism and contempt, functioning as a final defensive wall once a partner feels there is no longer any productive way to participate in the conversation, leaving both people feeling isolated even while sitting in the same room together.

A Shrinking Ratio of Positives

A declining ratio of positive to negative interactions, according to Gottman’s research, is another key warning sign, with his studies finding that stable couples maintain roughly five positive interactions for every negative one during everyday life together. When that ratio drops significantly, Gottman found [that] relationships become measurably more vulnerable to escalating conflict and eventual separation over time, since small positive gestures stop offsetting the accumulating weight of daily friction between partners.

Failed Repair Attempts

Failed repair attempts, the sixth pattern Gottman identifies, occur when one partner tries to de-escalate tension, through humor, an apology, or a simple pause, and the other partner does not accept the gesture. Gottman found that couples who successfully navigate conflict are not those who avoid disagreement entirely, but those who can successfully repair tension once it begins to build between them, turning what could become resentment into a manageable, resolved disagreement instead.

The first four of the six behaviors are known as the Four Horsemen of Gottman. Recognizing and mitigating the Four Horsemen is important. The following strategies can be useful. 

·       Replace Criticism with Complaints: Focus on specific behaviors rather than personal attacks. Use “I” statements to express feelings without blaming your partner.

·       Counter Contempt with Respect: Foster a culture of appreciation and respect in the relationship. Avoid sarcasm and focus on positive interactions.

·       Address Defensiveness: Take responsibility for your part in conflicts and approach discussions with a mindset of collaboration rather than competition.

·       Combat Stonewalling: If you feel overwhelmed, take a break to calm down before re-engaging in the conversation. This can help prevent emotional flooding and promote constructive dialogue.

When couples are aware of the Four Horsemen and then working actively to “counteract their effects,” they can overcome those problems, “strengthen their relationships, and improve their communication skills.”

Why Are Fake Marriages Being Exploited to Enter the US?

The liberty principle for this Freedom Friday concerns the importance for government leaders to not only follow the law but to ensure that other people also follow the law. Today, Attorney General Todd Blanche told reporters about the arrest of eleven people who have been charged with being involved in fake marriages. He said that more than 1,000 fake marriages for the purpose of gaining legal status in the United States over the last decade. Fred Lucas at The Daily Signal reported on the announcement. 

The two-count indictment alleges that some foreign nationals paid as much as $100,000 to be in the sham marriages, according to the Justice Department. The scheme was primarily for Chinese nationals.

“This scheme was not a quick, fly-by-night operation, but rather a years long, multimillion-dollar cottage industry to criminally assist people who would not, or legally could not, otherwise become citizens of the United States,” Attorney General Todd Blanche told reporters Wednesday. “The men and women who facilitated this scheme were all naturalized citizens, originally from China, and one green card holder.”

The attorney general added, “Not only are we protecting our physical borders from unlawful crossings, but we are also preventing immigration fraud schemes that are just another way to skirt the immigration laws of the United States.”

The 11 arrests occurred Wednesday morning. The indictment covers a period from at least 2016 through July 2026, with an investigation led by U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald for the Southern District of New York.

“Today’s arrests have dismantled a central component of one of the largest marriage fraud schemes charged in United States history,” McDonald said.

However, the case covered alleged sham marriages arranged in other states as well, including Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida.

Marriages were also allegedly arranged abroad in China and the Pacific island of Vanuatu. The network included alleged facilitators who oversaw the scheme and foreign-national customers; recruiters who found willing U.S. citizens; and assistants who prepared immigration paperwork, such as green card applications, for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

The defendants were each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and immigration fraud. If convicted, they could face a maximum penalty of five years in prison. They were also each charged with one count of conspiracy to encourage the unlawful residence of aliens in the United States. If convicted, this crime carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

The indictment alleges foreign nationals paid facilitators as much as approximately $100,000 for a sham marriage and assistance in obtaining lawful permanent resident status.

Facilitators allegedly paid participating U.S. citizens up to $30,000 and paid recruiters commissions of as much as approximately $5,000 for each citizen recruited, according to the Justice Department.

In total, the defendants and their co-conspirators recruited hundreds of U.S. citizens to enter into sham marriages, the Justice Department said. [Emphasis added.]

Lucas listed the names and ages of the defendants who were arrested this morning, but I will not. They are all from New York and are aged: 72, 64, 52, 43, 48, 61, 47, 35, 26, 32, and 43.

Articles of Faith: What Do Latter-day Saints Believe About the Fall of Adam 3?

Article of Faith 2

   We believe that men will be punished for their own sins,

                    and not for Adam’s transgression.

This essay is the third in teaching about the Fall of Adam and Eve as stated in the second Article of Faith of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The first essay discussed moral agency, or the freedom to choose good or evil. The second essay discussed sin and punishment for sin. This essay will discuss Satan using the words of Elder James E. Talmage (The Articles of Faith [1890], 62-63).

Satan – We have had occasion to refer frequently to the author of evil among men. This is Satan, the adversary or opponent of the Lord, the chief of evil spirits, called also the Devil, Beelzebub, or the Prince of Devils, Perdition, and Belial. The figurative appellations dragon and serpent are applied to Satan when reference is made to his fall. We learn from the revealed word that Satan was once an angel of light, then known as Lucifer, a Son of the Morning; but his selfish ambition led him to aspire to the glory and power of the Father, to secure which he made the pernicious proposition to redeem the human family by compulsion; and, failing in this purpose, he headed an open rebellion against the Father and the Son, drawing a third of the hosts of heaven into his impious league. These rebellious spirits were expelled from heaven, and have since followed the impulses of their wicked natures by seeking to lead human souls into their own condition of darkness. They are the devil and his angels. The right of free agency, maintained and vindicated by the war in heaven, prevents the possibility of compulsion being employed in this fiendish work of degradation; but the powers of these malignant spirits to tempt and persuade are used to the utmost. [Emphasis added.] Satan tempted Eve to transgress the law of God; it was he who imparted the secret of murder for gain to the fratricide, Cain.

Satan exerts a mastery over the spirits that have been corrupted by his practices; he is the foremost of the angels who were thrust down, and the instigator of the ruin of those who fall in this life; he seeks to molest and hinder mankind in good efforts, by tempting to sin; or it may be by imposing sickness, or possibly death. Yet in all these malignant doings, he can go no farther than the transgressions of the victim may enable him, or the wisdom of God may permit; and at any time he may be checked by the superior power. [Emphasis added.] Indeed, even the operations of his utmost malice may be turned to the accomplishment of divine purposes. The scriptures prove to us that the days of Satan’s power are numbered; his doom has been pronounced, and in the Lord’s own time he will be completely overcome. He is to be bound during the millennial reign, and after that thousand years of peace he will be loosed for a little season; then his defeat will be complete, and his power over the children of God will be destroyed.

The above information is depressing to me, so I want to end this essay on a positive note. We do not need to wait until the Millennium to bind Satan. Satan can be bound by righteousness, according to 1 Nephi 22:26 (Book of Mormon – Another Testament of Jesus Christ): “And because of the righteousness of his people, Satan has no power; wherefore, he cannot be loosed for the space of many years; for he hath no power over the hearts of the people, for they dwell in righteousness, and the Holy One of Israel reigneth.”

This verse of scripture is, of course, describing the Millennium, but the principle is the same. We can “bind Satan” in this life by living righteously. When our hearts are set on righteousness, we will keep God’s commandments and refuse to commit evil. According to Latter-day Saint belief, Satan’s binding is a spiritual restraint rather than a physical one. Righteous living removes Satan’s power to influence our hearts. Obedience to God weakens Satan’s power to influence us. 

What Is Really Happening with the 2026 Iran War?

Iraq has been fighting America for more than 47 years. America’s 2026 Iran War – Operation Epic Fury -- began on February 28 when joint US and Israeli strikes hit Iranian military and nuclear installations and has passed through several periods of active fighting alternating with times of negotiation.

This site has a timeline of everything that has happened in the war – from February 28, 2026, “Khamenei killed in opening strikes” to August 11, 2026, “Trump demands Iran pay compensation, claims Hormuz “open” as deal stalls.” 

Americans do not want war – particularly long, drawn-out ones. One in three Americans support the Iran war, according to this site. Approval ratings go only so far with President Donald Trump. He looks at a problem, and he finds a possible solution. If it works, good. If it does not work, he looks for another possible solution. He is not afraid to act when he thinks that he is right. He recognizes that there have been numerous US Presidents over the past 47 years who saw the problem with Iran but failed to solve it. Now that Iran was close to having a nuclear weapon, Trump felt that he had no other choice. 

Victor Davis Hanson is a wise and honest man who sees things in ways that most people do not. He recently discussed the following information on his podcast, “Iran Has One Last Chance Before Trump Hits Back.” 

[Leaks from government sources about depletion of our weaponry to fight Iran]

… people have been leaking that there are not enough Patriot missiles, for example, or Harpoon missiles, older ones, Tomahawk missiles. We’ve heard there are not enough bunker busters. I don’t know if any of this is true, but it’s been leaking.

And the problem, why Trump is so angry, is we have enough, we have about 40% or 50%, likely, of our arsenal, which is too low. This has been going on for a long time. [He said that Obama and Biden cut the defense budget], and we don’t have enough stuff. But the problem that makes people angry is we have enough to handle Iran. We don’t have enough to handle Iran, give Ukraine enough to protect Kyiv, and then deter Cina from attacking Taiwan. So, the more you say that and leak it, the more likely China might believe it and want to try.

While we’re engaged with Ukraine and Iran, they might want to try to see if they could go into Taiwan, and we wouldn’t have enough missiles. That’s the worry.

The second thing about Trump and the Iran war, we’ve had five or six of these where he says the negotiations are going great. And then they break down, and then he hits them once or twice, and then they beg him, beg him, beg him to get back, and then everything’s close to an agreement. But the Iranians don’t tell the truth, and then he gets frustrated.

And the problem with this is that on Feb. 28, you know, we had 250 days before the midterms. So, after 38 days of kinetic operations, we stopped. We stopped because about 80%, 90% of everything they had was destroyed. But we didn’t know that they had these little mosquito boats hidden everywhere, and we didn’t know to what degree they had drones and missiles hidden. And they had a lot.

So, when we kept saying we’re destroying 90% of their air capacity as far as missiles and drones, we didn’t know what the denominator was. We didn’t know 90% of what. 10,000? 20,000? It could be a lot, 10%. And so, they started threatening the Gulf.

At that point, the Gulf freaked out. And they had wanted us to go in there and eliminate Iran. But now that they got hit, they didn’t want to commit with their 600 aircraft and join us because they thought we wouldn’t take them out completely. So, then people came to Trump, I guess, this week and said, you’re out of time. We’re only 90 days. If you’re going to solve this, you can’t keep saying this because – so, last week they dreamed up, we’re going to unload the greatest military campaign in the air since World War II. And they were. And then that panicked Iran. And they say now they’re going to open the Strait of Hormuz. I don’t think you can trust them. But the point is they got the message that now this was the last chance. So, if they break this, and I think they will, Trump will have no choice, if he is to have any credibility, unless he continues with that program.

 

Who Is Todd Blanche?

My VIP for this week is Todd Blanche, the newly confirmed attorney general. The Senate vote was 50-49 to approve his nomination. His confirmation faced hurdles placed by Republicans. Cami Mondeaux discussed the confirmation and the problems in her article published in the Deseret News. 

Blanche first faced an uphill battle in the Senate Judiciary Committee where Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina threatened to tank his nomination over the Justice Department’s proposed $1.78 billion “anti-weaponization” fund. That program was intended to aid individuals who felt they were unfairly targeted by the federal government, which could have included those charged for their involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack.

Blanche came to agreement with the duo last week to formally terminate the fund, writing in an agreement that it “is rescinded and shall have no force or effect.” The acting attorney general was later advanced out of committee Tuesday morning.

From there, a handful of other Republican senators were faced with the decision on whether to back his nomination….

Utah Sen. John Curtis, who met with Blanche twice to discuss the fund as well as Utah-specific issues, announced on Tuesday he would back his nomination. Later that day, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said she would vote against [Blanche].

That left [Sen. Bill] Cassidy [R-La.] and Sen. Lisa Murkowski [R-AK] to decide. With razor-thin margins in the Senate and the prolonged absence of Sen. Mitch McConnell, Blanche could only afford to lose one of them – otherwise his nomination would fail. [Emphasis added.]

Murkowski announced in a statement early Friday that she would vote against Blanche, raising [that] the anti-weaponization fund could be revived at a later date once the negotiations over his position were over. [As usual, RINO Murkowski voted with the Democrats. Alaskan Republicans hope to Primary her in 2028.]

Although Cassidy said Blanche showed “poor judgment” related to the anti-weaponization fund, he noted the acting attorney general has since called that decision a mistake. While there are still concerns about the DOJ being used to weaponize political enemies, Cassidy said “this will be true no matter who the Attorney General is.” [It was already true during the Biden administration when they went after Trump.]

“Mr. Blanche is not perfect, and he will tell you this,” Cassidy said in a highly anticipated floor speech on Friday. “But the choice is not between perfection and Mr. Blanche. It is between Mr. Blanche and another acting attorney general who may not run the department effectively under President Trump, and who indeed may not be as good as Mr. Blanche.”

With his nomination now approved, the White House is set to formally swear him into the position in the coming days.

Cassidy did some critical thinking about his decision to vote for Blanche. Critical thinking is rare behavior by politicians. America would be much better off if all public servants would use the critical thinking skill. Blanche has performed well as acting attorney general. He is well-qualified for the position.

 

Why Are State SAVE Acts Valuable?

The liberty principle for this Freedom Friday concerns election integrity. The Trump administration worked to pass a law that would bring integrity to American elections. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the bill, but the U.S. Senate has not. However, seven states enacted laws in 2025 and 2026 that “include key provisions of the SAVE America Act, an election integrity measure that the Senate has failed to pass despite President Donald Trump’s insistence.” Fred Lucas at The Daily Signal explained as follows. 

The federal SAVE America Act would require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections and photo ID when casting federal ballots. SAVE is an acronym for the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act; the bill has passed the House multiple times but stalled in the Senate.

In addition to the seven states with new mandates for both proof of citizenship and voter ID in elections, five states previously enacted laws requiring documentary proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration, according to Ballotpedia.

However, a 2013 Supreme Court ruling limited states’ ability under the National Voter Registration Act to demand proof of citizenship for voting in federal elections. The NVRA is better known as the “motor voter law” because it set up most voter registration at state Department of Motor Vehicle offices.

Here are the states that passed versions of the SAVE America Act.

1. Thune’s Home State

While Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has had difficulty corralling his caucus to support the SAVE America Act, his home state’s Legislature passed the South Dakota SAVE Act. Gov. Larry Rhoden signed Senate Bill 175 in March, requiring an individual registering to vote to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship. Acceptable documents include certain driver’s licenses and identification cards, tribal identification, birth certificates, passports, consular reports of birth abroad, and naturalization certificates.

2. Saving Kansas From Democrat Veto

In 2011, Kansas enacted a law requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration. However, a federal appeals court ruled that requiring additional documentation to register for federal elections violated the National Voter Registration Act.

In 2026, Kansas adopted a new measure known as the SAVE Kansas Act, which requires the secretary of state to compare the state’s voter registration list with the federal Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements, or SAVE, database to clear its lists of ineligible voters.

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed the bill, but the Republican-controlled state Legislature overrode her veto.

3. Sunshine for SAVE Act in Florida

Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the Florida SAVE Act in April, and the law takes effect in 2027. The act requires the state to check the citizenship status of new and updated voter registrants against Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles records. If citizenship cannot be verified, the voter can be required to provide documentary proof of citizenship, including a birth certificate, passport, or naturalization document.

Florida’s law also requires election officials to verify citizenship using available state and federal government sources when necessary and establishes procedures for removing voters determined to be ineligible.

4. Mississippi SHIELD

Mississippi enacted Senate Bill 2588, known as the SHIELD Act, requiring election registrars to compare voter registration information against state driver’s license and identification records and, when necessary, the federal SAVE database. Applicants flagged as potential noncitizens can be required to provide proof of citizenship. The law took effect July 1, 2026.

Mississippi’s law also requires the secretary of state to conduct an annual comparison of the statewide voter registration system with the SAVE database.

5. Utah Citizenship Proof

Republican Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed HB 209, which allows voters who have provided documentary proof of citizenship to cast a standard ballot; voters who have not provided such documentation may vote only in federal races.

The law also authorizes election officials to use the federal SAVE database to determine whether registered voters are U.S. citizens.

6. Ohio Transportation

Ohio’s 2025 law, part of a transportation bill, required proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at the state’s Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

The legislation nevertheless received criticism and was the subject of litigation.

7. GOP Clash in Wyoming

Wyoming enacted a proof-of-citizenship mandate in 2025 that also included a 30-day residency requirement to register to vote. Republican Gov. Mark Gordon supported parts of the legislation while questioning the 30-day requirement, but he let the bill become law without his signature.

Other States

Other states enacted laws addressing documentary proof of citizenship before 2026, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

In Arizona, voters approved Proposition 200 in 2004, requiring evidence of citizenship for voter registration.

Georgia, a key battleground state, required proof of citizenship in a 2010 law.

Alabama enacted such a requirement in 2011, while Louisiana and New Hampshire enacted versions of the law in 2024. However, these states have yet to implement these proofs of citizenship requirements based on various legal and procedural challenges, according to Ballotpedia.

Despite limiting states’ ability to police noncitizens voting in federal elections, the Supreme Court’s 2013 ruling still gives states flexibility in verifying citizenship. That in turn could help them maintain their voter rolls….

The above noted actions by states are important even if the federal SAVE Act is made law because a future president and/or future Congress could act to change the law.

Did You Come “for Such a Time as This”: Esther”?

My Come Follow Me studies for this week took me to the book of Esther in a lesson titled “Thou Art Come … for Such a Time as This.” The following information introduced the lesson. 

Many events in the book of Esther might seem like luck or coincidence. How else do you explain how an orphaned Jewish girl became the queen of Persia at just the right time to save her people from slaughter? What are the chances that Esther’s cousin Mordecai would happen to overhear a plot to assassinate the king? Were these coincidences, or were they part of a divine plan? Elder Ronald A. Rasband noted: “What may appear to be a random chance is, in fact, overseen by a loving Father in Heaven. … The Lord is in the small details of our lives” (“By Divine Design,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2017, 56). We might not always recognize the Lord’s influence in these “small details.” But we learn from Esther’s experience that He can guide our path and prepare us “for such a time” (Esther 4:14) when we can be instruments in His hands to fulfill His purposes.

This scripture block teaches several principles, including (1) The Lord puts me in situations where I can bless others (Esther). (2) Pride and anger can lead to downfall (Esther; 5:9-14; 7). (3) Fasting Shows that I trust and rely on the Lord (Esther 3-4; 5:2-3; 8:11-12). (4) Doing the right thing often requires great courage (Esther 3:1-11; 4:10-17; 5:1-4; 9:17-19). This essay will discuss principle #4 about doing the right thing and exercising courage.

When Mordecai and Esther stood up for their beliefs and their people, they put their lives at risk. Our choices might have less severe consequences, but doing the right thing can still require courage. What can we learn from Esther about having courage to do the right thing?

The short story is that an evil man by the name of Haman was promoted by the king, and he thought that Mordacai, Esther’s uncle, should bow to him as commanded by the king. However, Mordecai did not, which made Haman angry. Haman learned that Mordecai was a Jew and decided that all the Jews should die. He convinced the king to decree the massacre.

Mordecai heard of the king’s decree and got word to Esther, and she asked him what she should do. He explained that she needed to get word to her husband, the king. When Esther expressed fear, Mordecai said, “… who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14). Knowing that she could die if the king refused to see her, Esther agreed to do as her uncle suggested and asked that Mordecai and all the Jews throughout the kingdom join Esther and her maidens in fasting for three days and three nights. Here is the rest of the story as found in Esther 5:1-8 and 7:1-6, 10.

1 Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, over against the king’s house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house.

2 And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.

3 Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom.

4 And Esther answered, If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him.

5 Then the king said, Cause Haman to make haste, that he may do as Esther hath said. So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

6 ¶ And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed.

7 Then answered Esther, and said, My petition and my request is;

8 If I have found favour in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do tomorrow as the king hath said.

1 So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen.

2 And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? and it shall be performed, even to the half of the kingdom.

3 Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request:

4 For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king’s damage.

5 ¶ Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so?

6 And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen.

10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king’s wrath pacified.

Esther showed great courage because she knew that she was on a life-or-death mission. However, both Mordecai and Esther also knew that God could protect her if He so chose, and they put their trust in Him. What opportunities has God given to you for you to bless other people.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, then-Second Counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, taught that each of us “stands at a unique place and has an important task that only [we] can perform…. The Lord gave you your responsibilities for a reason. There may be people and hearts only you can reach and touch. Perhaps no one else could do it in quite the same way” (“Lift Where You Stand,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2008, 56). 

 

How Can I Teach Respect for American Citizenship?

Families, communities, states, and nation are strengthened when the federal government protects the “meaning and value of American citizenship.” That is exactly what the Trump administration is attempting to do by the latest Executive Order “Continuing to Protect the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship, signed at the White House on August 6, 2026, by President Donald J. Trump. 

The purpose of this Executive Order, as explained in Section 1, is to explain that the “privilege of United States citizenship remains a priceless and profound gift” and to guard against “malign foreign actors who attempt to swindle American citizens by taking advantage of the generosity of our Nation.”

After the U.S. Supreme Court decision on June 30, 2026, in Trump v. Barbara 609 U.S. ___, 146 S. Ct. 2438, 2449 (2026) that all children born to parents in the United States “for whom no extra territorial fiction applie[s],” the Trump administration decided to write this order. “This order identifies, non-exhaustively, and prescribes action concerning certain categories of children of aliens who do not fall within the rule of birthright citizenship as announced by the Supreme Court.”

Sec. 2. Policy. It is the policy of the United States that no executive department or agency shall issue documents recognizing United States citizenship to, or accept documents issued by State, local, or other governments or authorities purporting to recognize United States citizenship regarding, persons when neither parent of that person is a citizen and any of the following applies:

(a) either parent of that person is an alien enemy, defined to include any member of a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization under 8 U.S.C. 1189 or Specially  Designated Global Terrorist, consistent with the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, 50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq., and Executive Order 13224 of September 23, 2001 (Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions With Persons Who Commit, Threaten to Commit, or Support Terrorism), as amended;

(b) either parent of that person is a foreign government employee, defined to include:

            (i) ambassadors;

(ii) persons employed by a foreign embassy or consulate who are nationals of that foreign country;

(iii) persons employed by a foreign government in an official capacity; and

(iv) persons employed by an international organization that possess international-organization immunity.

(c) either parent of that person engaged in a commercial transaction to purchase or access birthright citizenship for the person, or engaged in fraudulent activity to obtain citizenship, to include:

(i) when the parent(s) of the person engage in a commercial transaction to ensure that the person’s mother is present in the United States, or a territory of the United States, to give birth; or

(ii) when the parent(s) engage in a commercial transaction with a surrogate present in the United States, or a territory of the United States, to give birth;

(d) the person is born in a territory or territorial waters of the United States where citizenship is not conferred by Federal statute.

Sec. 3. Enforcement.

(a) The Secretary of State, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Commissioner of Social Security shall take all appropriate measures to ensure that the regulations and policies of their respective departments and agencies are consistent with this order, and that no officers, employees, or agents of their respective departments and agencies act, or forbear from acting, in any manner inconsistent with this order.

(b) The heads of all executive departments and agencies shall issue public guidance within 30 days of the date of this order regarding this order’s implementation with respect to their operations and activities.

Sec. 5. General Provisions.

(a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations

(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

(d) The costs for publication of this order shall be borne by the Department of Justice. [Emphasis added; paragraphing changed.)

While the U.S. Government with its departments and agencies strives to “protect the meaning and value of American citizenship, parents and teachers should be instructing the children and youth of America to value the blessing of being an American citizen. I asked Google how parents can complete this task and received this answer from AI: 

Parents are the first and most powerful teachers of citizenship, shaping children’s values long before they enter school…. Teaching respect for U.S. citizenship is about modeling the behaviors, attitudes, and habits that reflect the nation’s ideals.

1. Model Respect and Responsibility at Home

Children learn citizenship through daily actions – how you speak, keep promises, handle conflict, and treat others….

·       Be respectful: Use polite language, listen actively, and acknowledge other’s feelings.

·       Keep promises: Show reliability and integrity in commitments.

·       Respect rules: Demonstrate understanding of laws and community norms.

·       Serve others: Volunteer, help neighbors, or participate in community events.

2. Teach the Meaning of Citizenship

Explain that citizenship is more than a passport or voting right – it’s about participation, responsibility, and belonging.

·       Discuss the U.S. Constitution and the rights/responsibilities of citizens.

·       Talk about elected officials and how they serve the public.

·       Share stories of U.S. history and heroes who contributed to the nation.

3. Encourage Active Civic Engagement

Help children see citizenship as action-oriented.

·       Join them in voting, signing petitions, or attending town halls.

·       Involve them in school or community projects.

·       Discuss how small actions (like recycling or kindness) contribute to a stronger society.

4. Build Respect Through Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)

Respect is a core SEL skill that supports good citizenship.

·       Practice listening without interrupting and valuing different opinions.

·       Teach kindness in small acts – letting someone go first, apologizing when wrong.

·       Use SEL activities like “Random Acts of Kindness” or community-building games to reinforce respect.

5. Use Everyday Opportunities

·       Role-play scenarios like resolving a disagreement or voting.

·       Read books about U.S. values, diversity, and civic duty.

·       Discuss current events in a respectful, open way.

6. Be Consistent and Patient

Children trust what they see daily more than what they hear in a single lesson. Be consistent in modeling respect, and correct disrespectful behavior gently but firmly.

In short: Teach respect for U.S. citizenship by living it yourself, explaining its meaning, encouraging participation, and using everyday moments to reinforce the values of fairness, service, and community. This builds the habits and mindset that make strong, engaged citizens.

 

Why Are Secure Borders Essential to Maintain Sovereignty?

The liberty principle for this Freedom Friday concerns the value of sovereign nations maintaining secure borders. The invasion of 60,000 people into Ceuta, a Spanish enclave on the Moroccan border is one example of what happens when First World nations open their borders. It is also an example of what the United States would be like if Kamala Harris had been elected as President of the United States. All Americans with any common-sense at all should be thanking heaven that Donald Trump won the election.

Rep. Paul Gosar, Rep. Lauren Boebert, and Rep. Mary Miller authored an article published by Blaze Media. Here is their explanation for this week’s liberty principle. 

The Permanent Trump Secure Border Act would turn today’s restored deterrence into lasting law and block another Biden-style border disaster.

Spain is offering the United States a warning we would be foolish to ignore.

For years, Democrats have pursued an immigration agenda built around weak enforcement, mass amnesty, and the surrender of national sovereignty to globalist priorities. Americans who want to see where that agenda can lead should look at Ceuta.

Codify secure borders now or prepare to watch the crisis return under the next Democratic administration.

In recent days, an estimated 60,000 migrants – many military-age men – attempted to overwhelm the small Spanish enclave on the Moroccan border. They arrived by land and sea, swamping local authorities and producing deadly chaos.

This was not an isolated event. It followed Spain’s moves toward amnesty for illegal immigrants, effectively signaling that unlawful entry might eventually be rewarded.

Spain’s Civil Guard described the border as totally collapsed. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez rushed to the enclave, denounced the surge as a violation of Spain’s territorial integrity, and deployed the military.

Articles of Faith: What Do Latter-day Saints Believe About the Fall of Adam 2?

Article of Faith 2

   We believe that men will be punished for their own sins,

                    and not for Adam’s transgression.

 This essay will continue a discussion started last week about the Fall of Adam and Eve as stated in the second Article of Faith of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I laid a foundation for discussing this Article of Faith by discussing moral agency, or the freedom to choose good or evil. This essay will discuss sin and punishment for sin using the words of Elder James E. Talmage (The Articles of Faith [1890], 57-61).

Sin – What is the nature of sin? To this question the Apostle John replies: “Sin is the transgression of the law” (1 John 3:4) …. As God is the embodiment of perfection, such opposition is rebellion against the principles of advancement and adherence to the practices that lead to degradation. Sin is any condition, whether omission of things required or in commission of acts forbidden, that tends to prevent or hinder the development of the human soul. [Emphasis added.] As a righteous course leads to eternal life, so sin tends toward the darkness of the second death. Sin was introduced to the world by Satan; yet it is by divine permission that mankind are brought in contact with sin, the contrast between evil and good thus being learned by experience.

According to the technical definition of sin it consists in the violation of law, and in this strict sense sin may be committed inadvertently or in ignorance. It is plain, however, from the scriptural doctrine of human responsibility and the unerring justice of God, that in his transgressions as in his righteous deeds man will be judged according to his ability to comprehend and obey law. To him who has never been made acquainted with a higher law the requirements of that law do not apply in their fulness. For sins committed without knowledge – that is, for laws violated in ignorance – a propitiation has been provided in the atonement wrought through the sacrifice of the Savior; and sinners of this class do not stand condemned, but shall be given opportunity yet to learn and to accept or reject the principles of the Gospel….

Punishment for Sin – As rewards for righteous deeds are proportionate to deserving acts, so the punishment prescribed for sin is made adequate to the offense. But, be it remembered, both rewards and punishments are natural consequences. Punishment is inflicted upon the sinner for disciplinary and reformatory purposes and in accordance with justice. There is nothing of vindictiveness or of desire to cause suffering manifest in the divine nature; on the contrary, our Father is cognizant of every pang, and permits such to afflict for beneficent purposes only. God’s mercy is declared in the retributive pains that He allows, as in the blessings of peace that issue from Him…. Comparison with physical pain, such as the tortures of fire in a sulphurous lake, serve to show that the human mind is incapable of comprehending the extent of these penalties. The sufferings entailed by the fate of condemnation are more to be feared than are any possible inflictions of physical torture; the mind, the spirit, the whole soul is doomed to suffer, and the torment is known by none in the flesh.

Consider the word of the Lord regarding those whose sin is the unpardonable one, whose transgression has carried them beyond the present horizon of possible redemption; those who have sunk so low in their wickedness as to have lost the power and even the desire to attempt reformation. Sons of Perdition they are called. These are they who, having learned the power of God afterward renounce it; those who sin wilfully in the light of knowledge; those who open their hearts to the Holy Spirit and then put the Lord to a mockery and a shame by denying it; and those who commit murder wherein they shed innocent blood; these are they of whom the Savior has declared that it would be better for them had they never been born. These are to share the punishment of the devil and his angels – punishment so terrible that the knowledge is withheld from all except those who are consigned to this doom (emphasis added), though a temporary view of the picture is permitted to some. These sinners are the only ones over whom the second death hath power….

The Duration of Punishment – As to the duration of punishment, we may take assurance that it will be graded according to the sin; and that the conception of every sentence for misdeeds being interminable is false. Great as is the effect of this life upon the hereafter, and certain as is the responsibility of opportunities lost for repentance, God holds the power to pardon beyond the grave. Yet the scriptures speak of eternal and endless punishment. Any punishment ordained of God is eternal, for He is eternal. His is a system of endless punishment, for it will always exist as a place or condition prepared for disobedient spirits; yet the infliction of the penalty will have an end in every case of acceptable repentance and reparation. And repentance is not impossible in the spirit world (emphasis added). However, as seen, there are some sins so great that their consequent punishments are not made known to man; these extreme penalties are reserved for the sons of Perdition.

The false doctrine that the punishment to be visited upon erring souls is endless, that every sentence for sin is of interminable duration, must be regarded as one of the most pernicious results of misapprehension of scripture. It is but a dogma of unauthorized and erring sectaries, at once unscriptural, unreasonable, and revolting to one who loves mercy and honors justice. True, the scriptures speak of everlasting burnings, eternal damnation, and the vengeance of eternal fire, as characteristics of the judgment provided for the wicked; yet in no instance is there justification for the inference that the individual sinner will have to suffer the wrath of offended justice forever and ever. The punishment in any case is sufficiently severe without the added and supreme horror of unending continuation. Justice must have her due; but when “the uttermost farthing” is paid, the prison doors shall open and the captive be free. But the prison remains, and the law prescribing punishment for offenses is not to be repealed….