By ERIC TUCKER, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI Director Kash Patel says the bureau is cutting ties with two organizations that for decades have tracked domestic extremism and racial and religious bias, a move that follows complaints about the groups from some conservatives and prominent allies of President Donald Trump.

Patel said on Friday that the FBI would sever its relationship with the Southern Poverty Law Center, asserting that the organization had been turned into a “partisan smear machine” and criticizing it for its use of a “hate map” that documents alleged anti-government and hate groups inside the United States. A statement earlier in the week from Patel said the FBI would end ties with the Anti-Defamation League, a prominent Jewish advocacy organization that fights anti-Semitism.

The announcements amount to a dramatic rethinking of longstanding FBI partnerships with prominent civil rights groups at a time when Patel is moving rapidly to reshape the nation’s premier federal law enforcement agency. The organizations over the years have provided research on hate crime and domestic extremism, law enforcement training and other services, but have also been criticized by some conservatives for what they say is an unfair maligning of their viewpoints.

That criticism escalated after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk amid renewed attention to the SPLC’s characterization of the group, Turning Point USA, that Kirk founded. For instance, the SPLC included a section on Turning Point in a report titled “The Year in Hate and Extremism 2024” that described the group as a “case study in the hard right.” Prominent figures including Elon Musk lambasted the SPLC just this week about its descriptions of Kirk and the organization.

A spokesperson for the SPLC, a legal and advocacy group founded in 1971 as a watchdog for minorities and the underprivileged, did not directly address Patel’s comments in a statement Friday but said the organization has for decades shared data with the public and remains “committed to exposing hate and extremism as we work to equip communities with knowledge and defend the rights and safety of marginalized people.”

The Anti-Defamation League has also faced criticism on the right for maintaining a “Glossary of Extremism.” The organization announced this week that it was discontinuing that glossary because a number of entries were outdated and some were being “intentionally misrepresented and misused.”

Founded in 1913 to confront anti-Semitism, the ADL has long worked closely with the FBI, not only through research and training but also through awards ceremonies that recognize law enforcement officials involved in investigations into racially or religiously motivated extremism.

Former FBI Director James Comey paid tribute to that relationship in May 2017 when he said at an ADL event: “For more than 100 years, you have advocated and fought for fairness and equality, for inclusion and acceptance. You never were indifferent or complacent.”

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A Patel antagonist, Comey was indicted last week on false statement and obstruction charges and has said he is innocent. Patel appeared to mock Comey’s comments in a post Wednesday on X in which he shared a Fox News story that quoted him as having cut ties with the ADL.

“James Comey wrote ‘love letters’ to the ADL and embedded FBI agents with them – a group that ran disgraceful ops spying on Americans,” he said in a post made as Jews were preparing to begin observing Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar. “That era is OVER. This FBI won’t partner with political fronts masquerading as watchdogs.

An ADL spokesman did not immediately comment Friday on Patel’s announcement, but CEO and executive director Jonathan Greenblatt said in a statement Friday that the ADL “has deep respect” for the FBI.

“In light of an unprecedented surge of antisemitism, we remain more committed than ever to our core purpose to protect the Jewish people,” Greenblatt said.

By FERNANDA FIGUEROA, Associated Press

Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated from Sept. 15 through October 15, offers the opportunity to recognize and celebrate the contributions of Hispanic cultures in the United States. Hispanic people in the U.S. are becoming one of the nation’s fastest growing racial and ethnic groups.

But this growing community is far from being a monolith. From shifting identities, increasing educational attainment and growing political influence, Hispanic Americans continue to be a major part of the nation’s tapestry.

Here’s a look at the Hispanic population in the U.S., by the numbers:

More than 68 million

That’s how many people in the U.S. identify as ethnically Hispanic, according to the latest census estimates.

Hispanic was a term coined by the federal government for people descended from Spanish-speaking cultures. But, being ethnically Hispanic can reflect a diverse array of histories, cultures and national origins.

There are several other identifiers for Hispanic people, depending largely on personal preference. Mexican Americans, the largest Hispanic subgroup, who grew up during the 1960s Civil Rights era may identify as Chicano. Others may go by their family’s nation of origin, such as Colombian American or Salvadorian American.

31.2 years

That’s the median age of the Hispanic population in the U.S., according to the Census. It’s the youngest of all U.S. populations.

In comparison, the median age for the overall U.S. population is 39.1.

291%

The increase in the number of Hispanic women earning advanced degrees from 2000 to 2021. The number of Hispanic men accomplishing the same increased by 199% during the same period, according to U.S. Census Bureau data analyzed by the Pew Research Center.

Although the number of Latinos earning college degrees has increased in the last two decades, they remain underpaid and underrepresented in the workforce compared to their non-Hispanic counterparts, a reality that advocates say can change only when there are more Latinos in positions of power.

68.2%

The percentage of the U.S. Hispanic population age 5 and older who speak a language other than English at home, according to 2024 census estimates. About 28.7% of them also report speaking English “less than very well.”

Until recently, the United States had no official language. Today, it is English.

Currently, there are more than 350 languages spoken in the United States, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. The most widely spoken languages other than English are Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese and Arabic.

10%

According to AP VoteCast, Hispanics made up about 10% of voters in the 2024 presidential election. Support among Hispanic voters, especially in swing states like Arizona, was an important factor to who would win the election.

About half of Hispanic voters in the 2024 election identified as Democrats. About 4 in 10 were Republicans and roughly 1 in 10 were independents.

Overall, Hispanic voters were about equally likely to say they have a favorable view of Republican candidate Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. But there is a gender divide among Hispanic voters on Harris: About 6 in 10 Hispanic women have a somewhat or very favorable opinion of Harris, compared to 45% of Hispanic men.

56

The number of Hispanic or Latino members serving in the 119th Congress. That shakes out to 10.35% of total membership, according to the official Congress profile.

For comparison, 40 years ago in the 99th Congress there were only 14 Hispanic or Latino members, and all were male.

Six serve in the Senate and 50 in the House of Representatives, including two delegates and the Resident Commissioner. Of the members of the House, 38 identify as Democrats and 12 as Republican, with 19 women serving.

FILE – Secretary of State Marco Rubio listens during a meeting between President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

At the start of January, there were seven Hispanic US senators. That number decreased to six when then Sen. Marco Rubio resigned to become the Secretary of State. Of the six Hispanic senators, two are Republican and four are Democrats; one is a woman:

1. Sen. Ted Cruz

2. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto

3. Sen. Alex Padilla

4. Sen. Ben Ray Lujan

5. Sen. Ruben Gallego

6. Sen. Bernie Moreno

This year also marked a new record for Latinas in state legislatures. In total, 214 Latinas or 2.9% hold a seat in a state legislature, according to the Center for American Women and Politics. Of the 214 Latinas serving in a state house, 182 are Democrats, 31 are Republican, and one identifies as nonpartisan.

As of September 2025, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is the only active Latina governor in the U.S. Only two Latinas have been elected governor in U.S. history, and both were in New Mexico.

WARE, England — Matt Waletzko should consider himself lucky that his passport is up to date.He otherwise wouldn’t be a member of the Vikings right now.

After yet another injury on the offensive line, the Vikings reached out to Waletzko about a spot the practice squad. The only issue was that the Vikings were already at Hanbury Manor in Ware, England, ahead of their game against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday afternoon at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.

That meant figuring out a way to get the 6-foot-8, 310-pound offensive tackle across the pond as soon as possible.

“They called me Monday morning,” Waletzko said. “It was crazy hearing I’d be flying out to London.”

He went from working out in Dallas, where he currently lives, to heading to the airport in what felt like the blink of an eye.

“There was definitely some nervous packing,” Waletzko said. “I threw a bunch of stuff in my suitcase because I wasn’t sure what I was going to need.”

The logistics were a bit of a whirlwind as he flew out on Monday afternoon and arrived on Tuesday morning.

“It was crazy,” Waletzko said. “Luckily I got a little bit of sleep on the plane.”

After arriving at the Hanbury Manor, he passed his physical, met some members of the coaching staff, and immediately started diving into the playbook.

Though it’s highly unlikely that Waletzko actually plays in in Sunday’s game, he was an important piece for the Vikings during practice on an offensive line that has been decimated.

How has he acclimated to the time change?

“Not too bad,” Waletzko said. “I got to take a nap when I got in, and I’ve gotten some pretty good sleep. When I got here I was like, ‘Oh my god.’ I’m already doing a lot better.”

There’s another wrinkle that makes this an especially cool experience for Waletzko. He’s from Cold Spring, Minn., and grew up cheering for the Vikings.

“I remember growing up my friends and I would get together every Sunday, throw on our Vikings jerseys, and watch the game,” he said. “It’s pretty surreal that I get the opportunity to play for this team and go out there and compete.”

The goal for Waletzko in the short term is sticking around on the practice squad for the foreseeable future. Whether he’s still a member of the Vikings when they return from their UK trip remains to be seen.

“I’m going to come in here and give it my all,” Waletzko said. “The rest will take care of itself.”

Briefly

After missing practice this week in the English countryside, quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle), left guard Donovan Jackson (wrist), center Ryan Kelly (concussion), center Michael Jurgens (hamstring), right tackle Brian O’Neill (knee) and edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel (neck) were ruled out for Sunday. Fullback C.J. Ham (knee), tight end Ben Yurosek (knee) and edge rusher Tyler Batty (knee) are questionable.

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